Moving In

Whew! Moving into a new place is tough stuff, especially when you have loads of food to find a place for! I am so excited to get this school year started.  It's a little terrifying to realize that its time for me to put the skills and habits I developed during the summer to the test. Its definitely going to be an adjustment, but one I am looking forward to. 

I wanted to make sure that I was prepared to eat well because I probably won't be able to make it to the grocery store very often. Here's what I got:

Whole wheat flour 

Quinoa

Brown Rice

Whole wheat pasta 

Splenda

Oats

Protein powder

Nuts and dried fruits

I love produce, especially vegetables. They give you the opportunity to eat tons of food for almost no calories! Here is a list of all of the fridge items I have for the week:

Spinach  Bananas

Applesauce  Avocados

Onions  Zucchini

Green Beans  Greek Yogurt

Eggs  Milk

Apples  Pesto

Have you ever seen so much food?! I am always amazed that I am able to fit so much food into such a tiny dorm room. Seriously though, I am so stoked about all of the great food I have. I really think that as long as you keep tempting foods out of your home, it really makes life way easier.

I can't wait to start cooking in my new apartment!

My Quinoa Love Affair

One of my best friends introduced me to quinoa (a.k.a. a gift from the Gods) this summer and I am completely addicted! I eat this fantastic whole grain at least once a week, if not more. It drive The Mom nuts because the uncooked granules will stick to everything...and I have always been quite amazing at creating messes in the kitchen. The thing I LOVE about quinoa is that 1) its super easy and fast to make and 2) it can be used in virtually any recipe that needs a grain bases...including sandwiches.

So without further ado, I want to introduce you to the latest quinoa dish I made: BLT Quinoa Salad.

Heck Yes.

BLT Quinoa Salad

Adapted from Family Fresh Cooking

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup dry Quinoa, prepare according to package directions
• 2 slices Bacon, diced
• 1/4 cup Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half*
• 2 tablespoons diced Green Onion
• 2 tablespoons Avocado, diced
• 1/2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1/2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
• Garlic Salt to taste
• Cracked Black Pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup Romaine Lettuce, shredded
• Feta Cheese

Directions:

Prepare quinoa in chicken broth and season with garlic salt and pepper. Let it cool. Mix lemon juice, vinegar and oil with quinoa in a medium bowl. Add the bacon, tomatoes, and green onion and combine well. Season to taste with garlic salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice and vinegar if desired. Gently mix in the avocado, shredded Romaine, and sprinkle in feta cheese as desired just before serving. *I used diced garden tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes because that was all I had. But it worked just as well. :)

Servings: 1
Calories: 374
Protein: 15.8g