Yummy (Quick & Easy) Eats

I do not consider myself much of a domestic diva, but sometimes when the mood is right I will attempt to concoct a meal!

Tonight was such a night! After venturing out for my weekly yoga class, I arrived home tres hungry. Together the hubby and I cooked up some salmon cakes with lemon dill yogurt sauce and a lovely spinach salad. I'm certainly no dietitian, but I think this was a pretty healthy meal! We didn't use a recipe. We just made it up as we went, but it turned out pretty good!

Salmon Cakes

1 can of wild caught salmon (the farmed stuff is not so good for you, more here)
a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 organic egg
some breadcrumbs
garlic, minced (preferably fresh)
about 1/4 of a white onion, minced
about 1/4 of a green pepper, minced

Over medium heat, saute the EVOO, garlic, onion, and green pepper for a few minutes. Just enough to bring out the flavors and soften the veggies a bit. In a medium-sized bowl, combine salmon, sauteed mixture, egg, and breadcrumbs. Stir until well mixed. It should be a good consistency so that you can form the patties. Sorry... I'm sure there is a specific cooking word, but I have no idea. Now add some EVOO to your pan and cook the patties for about 10 minutes or until cooked through, flipping halfway through the cooking time.

Wow I feel like I am really butchering these instructions. I guess I don't need to point out that I have never before attempted to convey cooking instructions through the written word...

Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce

1 cup organic nonfat plain yogurt
zest of 1/2 lemon
parsley to taste
dill to taste

Combine ingredients and stir. That was easy, huh!?!

Spinach Salad

organic baby spinach
craisins
crumbled blue cheese
sunflowers seeds

Combine ingredients & dress with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.

Enjoy!

I wish I would have taken a picture before we ate! Everything looked so pretty and tasted so good! Who knows maybe I will try cooking again sooner rather than later!

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Holiday Fun

Hello Readers! I hope you are all doing well!

I can't believe that December is almost half over! Time is flying by this month...

Last week I was feeling kind of grumpy. I felt like I did not have any time to devote to holiday fun. On the one hand I am so grateful to have lots of work to keep me busy, but at the same time I don't like when things feel out of balance (all work and no play...). So I decided to schedule in some holiday fun time just like an important business meeting!

So far this month I have taken my daughter and her friend to the Kissmas Bash concert, attended a holiday party at my neighbors house, gone to the spa with my sister for a massage and facial (absolutely heavenly), and caught up with friends from my old job over some yummy holiday punch. Tomorrow I am going to bake cookies with my gramma! And we are making snickerdoodles - my favorite!!! Other things I am looking forward to this month: driving or walking around the neighborhood with the family to admire holiday lights while savoring yummy hot beverages, having a glass of Bailey's in front of the Christmas tree, listening to the sweet sound of children singing at Meg's chorus concert, teaching extra yoga classes to raise money for The PASSAGE House in Niagara Falls, watching all of the little ones in my family open their presents on Christmas day, sleeping in during my self-imposed vacation this month, eating Snickerdoodles for breakfast, and watching holiday movies (really want to see Four Christmases). I also am pondering starting a Winter Solstice tradition. I'm not exactly sure what, but I am thinking something that involves clearing clutter... any suggestions?

I hope you are enjoying the holiday season! What are you most looking forward to during this special time of year?

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Scrumptious Smoothies

I am officially on a smoothie kick! I've been blending up a storm! I don't have recipes or anything; although I'm sure they are easy enough to find. I've been doing some intuitive smoothie - making :-)

A few of my favorites...

A protein-packed sweet option:

ice about 1 cup lite Vanilla soy milk 1 banana about 1/4 cup peanut butter drizzle or two of chocolate syrup Blend and savor!!!
Here is a fruity-delicious option:

ice about 1 cup lite Vanilla soy milk 1/2 banana 1/2 cup strawberries 1/2 cup blueberries
Blend and enjoy!!! I need to come up with fun, Ben & Jerry - like names for my smoothies!

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