FRIENDLY FUEL*

Yesterday I got the deliciously correct amount of fruits & veggies. Days like that + a happy 30 minutes of pilates = sunlovey feeeeling good. Will say. Lunch consisted of the delightful little recyclable tray of fruits & cheeses you see below + orange blossom green tea from dear old starbucks. 

Then dinner came along and I set out to make a rockin' salad. Told the german it was sort of like tex mex meets italia. the flavors complemented each other in fierce ways, with each bite i mixed different ingredients for my own experimental pleasure. sounds nuts? try it. fresh mozz with kalamata olive and pickled jalapeño for example? MAD GOOD. 

Here's what it entailed:

-delectably creamy chunks of fresh avocado

-chopped vine-ripe tomatoes

-subtly spicy pickled jalapeños

-tangy sneaky spicy sliced banana pepper

-chunks of white albacore tuna (SO italian, tuna in salad, pasta, etc.)

-pitted kalamata olives (not a major fan of salty, these are the exception)

-fresh buffalo mozzarella (yes, the kind in water)

-chick peas (fiber/protein + filling)

the dressing (tried & true concoction i learned at the italian restaurant i worked at thru college):

-extra virgin olive oil

-balsamic vinegar

-two cloves pressed garlic

-mega splash of organic lemon juice

-a heaping  spoonful of grated parmesan

-chopped fresh basil

so yeah, I crashed last night feeling all was right in the world.  the pilates workout helped for sure (do you do pilates? have you tried? i felt like it was a faster paced, less zen-y yoga = more my style) as did eating so right. & i sacrificed nothing, all was fab. if you are what you eat, i was super green yesterday & i love it. you truly CAN train your body to crave eats that are good for you. don't believe me? i dare you to try.

love,

sunlovey

(that's my sequin animal rodarte for target dress, mad love.)

p.s. *friendly fuel = no animals being sacrificed to rock my palate. 

Often used as subject in works of art and as a flavor in lip balm & vodka ... 
The Pomegranate.

Can I figure out how to actually use one? How to cut it open? To eat it? And, will I actually like it? If my memory serves me right, its contents are kind of strange, texture wise. And, that's something that can make or break a food for me. But the sea of them I spotted when I popped in the store for delicious salad materials stopped me in my tracks.

As did the cute little POM flyers conveniently placed in front of those gorgeous red fruits. Flyer read: EASY OPEN. Oh yeah?

Well. Why not? I grabbed one, tossed it in my basket and carried on. The second I got into my car to go home I whipped the flyer back out. Have you heard of "arils"??? No? They are the little flesh-covered seeds within the pomegranate. The part you actually eat. And boy must one work hard to get to said little gooey arils. I envision myself slaving over this ruby-hued pain in the @$$ so that I might glob its arils onto a killer bowl of Breyer's vanilla bean ice cream. Right now though I'm thinking pomegranates are much prettier to look at than they are to navigate and partake of. The fruit has SIX bloody steps for eating! You've delved into pomegranates in their original form & enjoyed? Do tell. I'll let you know when I dig in, move beyond the aesthetic.    

So yeah, more on eats! My salad creation tonight consisted of organic baby greens, sliced vine-ripe tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella, toasted pine nuts, kalamata olives, shoe string carrots, chick peas and, drum roll please... fresh basil from my Aero Garden! The dressing? Homemade dijon vinaigrette. Degree of difficulty? None. Number of vegetable/fruit servings in one deeelish meal? 4+
Dijon Vinaigrette, simply a variation on the vinaigrettes I create almost nightly. You'll need:

a third cup of extra virgin olive oil, a third cup of balsamic vinegar, a tablespoon of dijon mustard, a tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese, a teaspoon of lemon juice, a clove (or two!) of pressed garlic and a couple of good-sized fresh basil leaves, finely chopped. Whisk together. You're done.

Happy healthy eats!

love,
sunlovey