Salad of the Day: Croutons in 10 minutes or less!!

SALAD OF THE DAY!!
For today's salad, I had lots of the same ingredients in the salad I made two days ago. However, I wanted to add more photos today AND add something to the mix. I used the last two slices of my homemade bread for a tunfish sandwich. As I contemplated how to make my salad different I noticed the heel of my loaf and thought, "hmmmmm.......croutons!!"

I tore up the heel into chunks, drizzled olive oil and sprinkled them with Sea Salt. I put the bread into the toaster oven on "Broil and Bake" for about 10 minutes. While those were working, I continuted with making my lunch.

The red cabbage is so beautiful and vibrant I HAD to add it again. I liked it so much I even chopped a little extra to add into the tuna.

My GORGEOUS salad so far. Adding the color makes it so lovely I can't wait to eat it1! The salad so far contains lettuce, more of the couscous I made yesterday, and the red cabbage.

hmmmm croutons! It only took 10 minutes to have croutons! I tested one and for future making-I would add MORE olive oil and also sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. However for this first attempt (and because I totally just winged it!!) I am pleased!!

The finished salad. Carrots, lettuce, cheddar cheese, celery, red cabbage, Israeli couscous, and the croutons complete the salad. I added a biggish dollop of Godess Dressing and this is a delicious salad that I can't wait to eat!!

Salad Porn!

Next up: Tuna salad sandwich. I used extra of the celery, red cabbage and slices of cheddar cheese. I loaded the tun onto the last slices of the White Loaf Bread made a few days ago. Another part of my lunch that I can't wait to eat!!

Finished sandwich. Yum!!!

All packed up and read to go! I added in a pear and apple. I have a rule: If I am craving sugar or something from the vending machine-I have to eat at LEAST one of these fresh fruits. If I'm still really craving junk food then I allow myself to look. So far, when I do this I'm no longer hungy. (Good rule, huh!?!)

Salad of the Day

Salad Porn!
Close up of all the goodness.

One has to pack SOMETHING for lunch. Since I work nights really it's my "dinner" but I still call it lunch. You pack your lunch so I call it lunch. Here's what I took for "lunch" on Wednesday night.

carrots, celery, zucchini squash and more!

I LOVE to make salads when the weather is warm and sunny. Last year, by taking salads to work everyday I lost 10 pounds. The KEY is to add only a little bit of dressing and leave the bottle AT HOME!  You need a lot less than you think and if you can't add more you save yourself the temptation to do so. Periodically, when I have an extra yummy salad, I will share.  If you have a delicious salad combination-let me know! I would love to find new and exciting things to add!!

Goddess Dressing from Trader Joe's. YUM!

Salad Ingredients:

Leaf lettuce

string cheese cut into bite size pieces

couscous (adds fiber!)

raisins

carrots

celery

zucchini squash (this veggie is amazing raw-did you know that?)

red cabbage

cucumber.

"TIP OF THE DAY;

If I am making a juice to take to work to drink, as I'm preparing the veggies for that, I go ahead and cut some of them up for a salad. Even if I'm not ready to put my full salad together, I have ready the tin I like to use for packing my lunch and will put the chopped up veggies in there. Then, I just pop it into the fridge and later when I'm getting ready for work I just add some lettuce, cheese and dressing and then I'm all ready to go!!

Winging it with Couscous!

My dinner!

I have about four boxes of Israeli Couscous in my pantry and I decided today was the day I use some of it!!  So I made this lovely Couscous salad!  I can't wait for dinner! I started with this recipe and then just went on my own based on my available ingredients. Greek Israeli Couscous salad

Israeli Couscous from Trader Joe's

Ingredients:

Prepare the couscous according to the package

1/2 a chopped cucumber

1/4  finely chopped yellow onion 

1 stalk celery chopped

1 sprig of Cilantro chopped 

3/4 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3/4 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

Sea salt to taste

Mix and let sit for a few hours for the flavors to meld. The larger shaped couscous almost POP in your mouth. Such a light and delightful dish. It would compliment Steak beautifully!  

Zu-Corny Biscuits via Trader Joe's Cookbook

Did you know there are SEVERAL cookbooks out that feature food from Trader Joe's? Many books will tell you what to buy at their fun store and then how to turn those into a yummy meal, snack, sandwich or even something to pack for lunch!

I found this book:  Trader Joe's Pack a Lunch at the library. Hmmmmmm I love Trader Joe's (though I sure wish they had a location closer to us-both locations take planning to go there.)

I found a recipe called "Zu-Corny Biscuits"   As in-Zucchini and Corn Biscuits. Wow! This combines three things that I love: Zucchini, Corn and baking biscuits!!

Gotta try this!

 Dry mix

Grate zucchini and add it into the "wet" mixture

Wet and dry combined.

Here's a video of me showing the various ingredients:

(And the Book!)

Before I pop them into the oven.

Tips- make sure you have the correct oven temperature! I had the oven set at 350 degrees. However, the recipe calls for 400!  It took twice as long! I couldn't figure out WHY they weren't getting done.

Oh! Yeah, read the recipe!

Here is one of the Zu-corny Biscuits. They have been an easy, take along type snack the past two days. I think I will make it again and if so I will: 

1. Get the cheese recommended in the recipe. Muenster is too mild and the flavor is completely lost.

2. Use more onions, more zucchini and more kale. And more corn too! I would definitely UP the veggie factor. 

These are fast and easy to make and would be PERFECT for a brunch or work event. You can easily make them ahead of time (but let's face it who doesn't love that "hot out of the oven" taste? 

They keep well and would definitely work well packed for lunch. (I should know! I packed two for myself at work!!)  

Hope you try this recipe. 

:)