Spinach & Strawberries Salad with Sesame Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe July 11, 2010

Salad:

• 1 bunch spinach leaves, torn into pieces
• 1 pint strawberries, sliced very thinly
• 4 to 6 ounces Brie, rind removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (or Laughing Cow Light Swiss cheese wedges for a healthier alternative)

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1. To prepare dressing, process sugar, vinegar, onion, Worcestershire sauce and paprika in blender until smooth. With machine running, gradually add oil through center of lid. Process until thick and smooth. Stir in sesame and poppy seeds.
2. Mix spinach, strawberries, and brie in a large salad bowl. Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss to coat well.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Fruity Green Smoothie Recipe

• 1/4 of a honey dew (~1 cup)
• 1 kiwi
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1/2 scoop of vanilla whey protein
• 1/2 cup of almond milk

Freeze honey dew. Add all ingredients to blender and mix until blended. Pour into glass and enjoy :)

Lentil Soup Recipe

• 1/2 lb. dry lentils (half of a normal bag, or ~1 cup)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 lb. ham or sausage, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 chicken or beef bouillon
• 4 cups water
• salt & pepper to taste

Sort and rinse lentils. In a medium saucepan, heat oil. Stir in ham, onion, celery, and garlic until tender. Add lentils and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender and soup gets thick. Add more hot water if necessary. Serves 4.

Homemade Meatballs, Green Bell Pepper

Lunch today is four of my homemade meatballs and a green bell pepper. These measly little meatballs are delicious but high in calories so that’s why this is all I’m having. I’m actually not that hungry after filling up with water after my game so I’m sure it will be enough. My game went pretty well although we lost. We played well and the other team was definitely scared of us haha. They did end up having a little cookout afterward but I saw way too many delicious foods and I was already 1,000 degrees from playing so I just came home and showered. This afternoon I absolutely have to get some studying done, I have no idea why I keep putting it off. From now on I am going to try really hard to study every day and eat well. Vacation is 3 weeks today, so I can totally do that. Alright, see ya at dinnahhh!

Fruit Salad, Banana Muffin

This morning for breakfast I am having a huge fruit salad! I have a ton of fruits and veggies since I have been eating out and whatnot and I need to eat them up before they go bad. My fruit salad today is composed of pineapple, honey dew, strawberries, blackberries, and grapes! I am also having a banana muffin that I made. My bananas were getting pretty ripe so I made some muffins last night and then frozen the rest of the bananas for smoothies/banana soft serve. I have a softball game for the playoffs today at 10am. I have no idea who we are playing now since I’m not sure if the schedule changes after the rain-outs. The skies look bright today and it’s not too hot out so it should be pretty good conditions to play in. We might be having a cookout afterward but I’m not sure. I kind of just want to come home and eat all the food I have exploding in my frig. Ok, well cross your fingers we play well during our game :)