Some Salads For You

How often is too often to write about salad on this blog?  Is this a question I should pose to my therapist next time I’m in?  Regardless of the answer to either of those questions, I’ve got some salad recipes to share with you, in case, like Tanya, salads are your life.* Or, like me, you pack one just about every dang day for lunch and need some inspiration.

*Help, we’ve been watching a lot of Parks and Recreation.

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Sweet Potato Farro Salad

The more the merrier when it comes to salad mix-ins.

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Autumn Glow Salad

Let’s hear it for a tahini spiral drizzle!

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Vegetarian Cobb Salad

Sometimes I just do not have the energy to make that coconut bacon, but even without it, this salad is great.

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Vitamin Glow Warm Squash Salad

Follow the recipe if you must, but cold squash and a whole half an avocado per salad is highly recommended.

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Roasted Carrot Salad with Quinoa, Chickpeas and Everyday Dressing

This dressing was unlike any I’d had before.  It’s heavy on tahini and nutritional yeast, which means it’s creamy and savory and might take some getting used to, but in the end, I dug it.

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Corn & Chickpea Bowl with Miso-Jalapeño Tahini

If you’re not sold at “Miso-Jalapeño Tahini,” then we probably won’t get along, but in case you’re still skeptical, just know that Bon Appétit and I would never steer you wrong.

I hope you enjoy one of these soon and if you’re a fellow salad lover, please tell me your favorite combo.  Don’t hold out on me now!

Easter Weekend Things

Or, if you ate like a queen this weekend, you call this FEASTER WEEKEND!

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We had my sister over on Friday for pizza and then, because it felt like a special occasion, I also made a “hand salad.”  It was actually pretty good but mostly it was just funny to call it hand salad!  We did our cast-iron method for the pizza and, as always, it was SO DAMN DELICIOUS.

P.S. Joey made us go full out grocery shopping before my sister came over!

P.P.S. My sister and I each had a glass of rosé with dinner and woke up with headaches.  We’re so fun!

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Saturday morning pancakes, followed by a run and reading on the front porch.  I’ve been trying to get Joey to read the Harry Potter books for like 10 years but as soon as Binge Mode announces a HP podcast series, he’s on it.  Going to try not to be offended by that and just be glad that he’ll understand my references to Dobby or the Whomping Willow now.  I just started Pachinko and am really liking it so far!

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After we cooled down from our run and realized it wasn’t all that warm outside, we cleaned up and got lunch sandwiches at Weathervane Café.  I almost decided to be financially responsible and just eat leftovers we had in the fridge but Joey pointed out that I’d been saying I wanted to try Weathervane for lunch and leaving the house did sound way more fun.  That sriracha aoili, pickled onion and smoked ham combo on soft ciabatta did not disappoint!

Back at home, we sort of chilled out for a few hours and I baked a cake for Easter dessert but then we had evening plans.

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Celebrated Joey’s birthday with dinner at Hedge Row and while we’re sort of out on Cherry Creek and this place was nowhere near full so who knows if it will make it, we had a good time and really enjoyed the food.  Mainly, shrimp hushpuppies and sticky toffee pudding!  I wish the lag time between apps and entrées had been shorter and my grits could have gone from good to great with just a bit more seasoning but nothing was a true disappointment and we ended on a good note with that dessert ♥

Went home and started Star Wars: The Last Jedi but we’re old so we only made it through half and uhhh, it’s not the best so far.  Does it get better??

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Easter Sunday started at Stowaway with Adam and Lori.  How had we never taken them to my very favorite place before?!  And then we had a super relaxing day of leisurely making lunch salads, reading, watching Harry Potter (because Joey needs to watch the movies as he finishes the books, obviously) and doing a little bit of yoga before heading over to my parents’ for dinner.  You guys, not only did my mom fill an Easter basket with Heart Coffee, chocolate, all kinds of amazing smelling soaps and the best potato chips but she also knocked it so far out of the park on dinner!  I claimed it one of her best holiday meals EVER.

And not to brag, but I also sort of nailed dessert.  I saw this Orange-Almond Cake in the latest Cooking Light and it was gluten and dairy-free so I thought it’d be perfect for Easter but I also had low expectations because it was gluten and dairy-free AND because it was in Cooking Light.  But then it was INCREDIBLE!  So moist and perfectly sweet!  I was very very impressed.  Also made Cashew Ice Cream for the second year in a row and OHMYGOD it’s so rich and delicious.

I hope your weekend was equally wonderful 🙂