Best Damn Guac

Avocados.

You love them or you hate them. Until a couple of years ago, I hated them. Sometimes, when they're too mushy and I try to eat them any other way besides guacamole, I still hate them. GAG over that texture!!

Last night I had some leftover spicy chicken soup (I made extra last week and froze individual portions for easy dinners this week!) for dinner, but my problem is.. I love a CRUNCH. I normally top the soup with avocado slices but my avocado was a smidge overly ripe for me. So I threw some kale in the oven for kale chips & made some guacamole! I felt rather lazy so I didn't chop up all the fresh ingredients I normally would.

Lazy Lady Guac is what I should have named this. haha

For this super easy guacamole, I only used 1/2 an avocado (it was all I had leftover from the previous day).

1/2 avocado

6 grape tomatoes

1/8 tsp garlic powder (I didn't measure but this is approximate)

1/8 tsp onion powder (I didn't measure but this is approximate)

1/8 tsp seasoned salt (bet you can guess what I was going to type here)

1/2 tsp freeze dried chives

sea salt & black pepper to taste

generous dousing of lime juice (1/2 a lime)

Mix everything together and Voila! you have super fast, easy, still delicious guacamole. I normally add fresh cilantro but I was out, so I just went with extra chives. 

For my kale chips:

place on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, seasoned salt, honey, and crushed red pepper. Bake until crunchy at 300 degrees.

Perfect snack for any time!!

xo

With A Lime Twist

So, I've been playing around with my chickpea salad- although before my husband came home I was eating paleo so there weren't any chickpeas in my diet! EEEEEK I have been so bad since he's been home. And my Rachy has hooked me on ... beer. I have to take control of my life again!

This is the same chickpea salad- but with a lime twist (and I HATE LIME! but this is DELICIOUS).

You will need
1 can chickpeas drained & rinsed
1 english cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tomato, diced
cracked pepper
sea salt
6 key limes or 2 regular limes (juiced)
fresh cilantro to taste (I like a LOT)
1 tbsp olive oil

combine everything, and serve chilled or at room temp!

My PALEO version:
1 english cucumber, diced
1 tomato, diced
6 key limes, or 2 regular limes (juiced)
a lot of fresh cilantro
cracked pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

This is a new family favorite!

Hump Day

Welp, here we are. half way through (nearly) this project.

So far... it has been hard to get my dad to eat as much food as I would like him to. It is like pulling teeth to get the man to eat breakfast. Yesterday he came home from work with most of his salad still in the lunch box, and nearly all of his snacks still there. ugh.

This morning I left a threatening note on the coffee pot to try to get him to eat his food. He left his breakfast in the fridge.

His meals should have looked like this today (I've downsized his portions a little since he's not really eating as much as I want him to).

Breakfast: apple cinnamon chobani.

mid morning snack: nectarine

Lunch: tuna salad on a whole wheat pita, vegetable chips

mid afternoon snack: banana, raw almonds

Dinner: salad (lettuce, jalepenos, bell peppers, tomatoes, tapenade) with 2 turkey & quinoa muffins crumbled over the top.

Hopefully he does a little better today. I fear he is sneaking chips and/or chocolate.

Monday night I made grilled shrimp over wild rice with chickpea salad. He didn't really eat the rice or chickpeas... but he really enjoyed the shrimp.

Marinade recipe: honey, juice from 1/2 lemon, cracked pepper, salt, balsamic vinegar, cayenne pepper, minced garlic.

Day 1 {Project Shut Up & Eat}

Today is the first day of our project, and I am so excited! My dad started today off (Fathers' Day!) with a healthy breakfast... & hit the road for a bike ride with my mom (& a nectarine in his saddle bag for a mid-morning snack).

I am so excited to tell you guys today.. I am going back to school this fall! I plan to major in nutrition and find a job after graduation as a dietician. I also plan to become a certified personal trainer, and spend the rest of my life teaching others to be healthy! I have complete support from my family and close friends, and I am so thankful to have such caring people in my life.

My dad's menu for today:

Breakfast: 1 egg & 3 egg whites, scrambled with sautéed bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes with 1/4 grapefruit.

Mid morning snack: nectarine

Lunch: tuna salad in a whole wheat pita, cucumber slices

Afternoon snack: banana, raw almonds

Dinner: baked chicken, chickpea salad 

After I made my dad his breakfast this morning, he said... "What, I don't get any salt with this?" hahaha. This is going to be such a huge adjustment for him. I am proud that he is doing it! :)

Happy fathers day!