lovely lunching

Today was such a lovely day! It still is, actually. No seriously, the weather out is pure perfection. If Sophia wasn't napping (for the FIRST TIME all day today) we would go for a run. THAT is how gorgeous it is. Windows open in January. LOVE it. :)

My friend Whittney came over for lunch today (and some much needed adult time... I had taken up talking to the couch). I took the opportunity of having company to not only actually clean my kitchen (I have been so house-chore lazy its pitiful) but to create a delicious lunch from my Tone It Up meal plan.

The menu:

Pasta Salad

Guacamole 

Kale Chips

This was my first attempt EVER to make kale chips. I admit, I was a bit nervous. Why? We all know I'm pretty much a goddess in the kitchen. Seriously. If you know me, you love the things that come from my kitchen. I'll tell you why. The kale at walmart (I hate shopping there, but I live in a tiny town and unfortunately, they have the largest produce selection out of the other little chain stores here like piggly wiggly or kroger) was SO bright bright green. I was SURE it must be labeled wrong.. but the leaves were textured like kale... and I had read about the different places kale grows and the seasons and how it is a great cold weather plant. So I thought maybe this kale came from a different place. Don't get me wrong, the brightness of this kale was very attractive! Much better (and tastier!) than any other kale I had gotten at walmart previously.

Another reason: I hate avocado. True story. Pathetic, right? How can a once-vegan hate the motherfood? I do. But I have been treating it like I did sushi... I wanted to like it, so I begrudgingly ate it every week or two for an entire year. Then the taste became something I enjoyed, even craved (switching from Nori to soy paper helped a LOT on my sushi-tolerance, as well. Nori just... makes me gag sometimes). Right. Back to avocado. I have been chopping it up and putting it on things the last few months. Ordering food that contains it in restaurants (hello, Cali wrap at uptown... I'm looking at you, drooling!), and mixing it with a tiny bit of pesto when I make sandwiches and wraps at home. The TIU guac was AWESOME! :) The only way I could think to improve it: add peppers. But, I am a "fire mouth" and I love love love hot food. So next time I make it, I will chop fresh serranos or I will add red pepper flakes. I love both.

The pasta salad was easy to throw together, delicious, and it got Sophia to eat broccoli (the only food left that she doesn't like... luckily she has gotten over her distaste for bananas). I call that winning!

I would have to say the entire meal was a huge success. Whittney seemed to enjoy it, I loved it, and Sophia ate every bite, with the exception of a few red bell peppers... I don't think she really likes the "crunch" yet. Her little molars are in but not completely- maybe that had something to do with it.