Sunday Fun Day!

Despite Sunday's ending the week...meaning another work week ahead, I love the freedom of Sunday's (especially if you play hookie from church as much as Mark and I...oops!). Typically, I always go grocery shopping on Sundays and typically, I play hockey on Sunday's. What more could a girl ask for? Cooking! I also (almost) ALWAYS cook...plenty...on Sunday's. Today was NO exception.

After our trip for groceries, I got lunches lined up for the week. I've been wanting to try this Tuna Edamame Salad for MONTHS now, and I finally grabbed the magazine rip out from my desk on Friday before dashing out for the weekend. I believe I found it in Today's Dietitian (great read, btw!). 

Tuna Edamame Salad

Prep time: 5 minutes (pretty accurate, too!)

Cook time: NONE :O )

Ingredients:

1 cup edamame, cooked by package instructions (i.e. the microwave)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup carrots, shredded

6 ounces tuna, packed in water, drained

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup red onion, diced (I used more like 1/2 cup - yum!)

1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian dressing

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and toss with dressing. Serve with pita bread or whole wheat crackers, if desired.

Nutrition Information (per 1 cup serving): 

210 calories, 16 gm protein, 27 gm carbohydrates, 4 gm fiber, 3 gm fat, 0 gm saturated fat, 0 gm trans fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 350 mg sodium

 

Edamame (also known as soy beans) -- high in protein, LOW in calories! 

Oh, and REALLY delicious!

 

 Tuna Edamame Salad dished up and ready for lunches to-go!

I also got some on-the-go breakfasts ready for the week: Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes made with Southaven Farms Chocolate Mix. Definitely a fun breakfast for the week ahead! 

See? Healthy. Look at all that zucchini! Mmm!

Southaven Farms Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes - YUM!

Each Chocolate Zucchini Cupcake contains 95 calories, 2 gm fat, 3 gm fiber, and 17 gm carbohydrates. Even 2 delicious cupcakes is not only low in calories, but low in fat and high in fiber! Oh, and chocolate...chocolate, too!!!

Last night we got majorly spoiled at our friend's house. While I was unable to thoroughly partake in the wonderful wine selections, check out this cheese platter....

Firstly, the platter is a portion of a wine barrel (NEATO!!!!!!). There is Gouda, Parmesano Ramano, prosciutto crudo (took me back to Italy days!), sheep (?) cheddar, and a sheep milk cheese.

All. were. DELICIOUS!!!!

We were then spoiled with the most delicious steak I've ever had (and I'm not a beef person at all!) -- fillets (NO fat on the meat) with Oregon bleu cheese melted on top with sides of grilled asparagus and butternut squash. Heavenly! Divine! Being a slacker blogger, I didn't have my camera with me at dinner...sorry!

Tonight for supper I made a new recipe: Laughing Cow Alfredo with shrimp, asparagus, and broccoli over whole wheat pasta. It turned out REALLY well -- thumbs up from husband!

Laughing Cow Alfredo

6 wedges laughing cow cheese (I used half "light")
1 cup skim milk
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp reduced cal margarine
1 tsp garlic powder
6 oz cooked chicken breast (I substituted shrimp)
2 cups steamed broccoli (I had 3-4 cups broccoli and 4-5 stalks of asparagus)
6 oz of Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta (I used whole-wheat linguine)

Put cheeses, milk, butter and garlic powder in small sauce pan and set on low. Cook for 20 minutes until smooth and creamy, stirring frequently.

Cook pasta according to directions.

Once sauce is done, add broccoli and chicken, stir to combine. Combine with cooked pasta and serve.

 

Serving dish of dinner...mmmm! Leftovers, too : )

...and some Asiago cheese garlic bread...Mmm!!!

Also on the menu for the week:

Crockpot Chicken Mexican Soup

Tuna (whole wheat!) Noodle Casserole

Organic Whole-Wheat Pizza with turkey pepperoni

Stay tuned for those recipes!! Have a wonderful start to your week! Oh, and wish me luck in my BOOT CAMP classes starting tomorrow - AHHHH!