Thursday, July 15, 2010

Mid-Week Mishmash

Lately, my days have been running into one another, and things are all over the place. Whoever said summers in the “real world” are relaxing, obviously has not worked a full-time job. Speaking of jobs though, here’s some of the meals we’ve been serving lately…

mahi

mahimahi

skdjaskl

Loved the mango relish—so many compliments on it. The recipe simply contained equal amount of cubed cucumbers, cubed mangoes, and cubed pineapple—olive oil and lemon juice to taste. Glorious!

GetAttachment

Meat loaf, summer squash salad, tossed green salads, and white rice.

honey cake

Honey olive oil cakes with honey-drenched berries.

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Chicken and rice soup, rye sourdough bread, crackers, and very veggie salads.

black bean soup

Spicy black bean soup (recipe here), sour cream cornbread with honey butter, and tossed salads with poppy seed dressing. You must make this dressing—it’s fabulous and it was very easy for me to make in large amounts. (recipe here)

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So needless to say, I’ve been keeping myself quite busy which means I've been eating out a bit more than I usually do just because it’s more convenient to grab-and-go. My current new favorite place is the Pita Pit.

I don’t know how many times I’ve driven past this gem in the three years I’ve been living here, but I am overly happy that I finally decided to stop! I scanned the menu, finally deciding that their “breakfast served all day” caught my attention. So I decided to order the Chicken Classic.

“Scrambled eggs, chicken breast, hash- browns, grilled green peppers, mushrooms & onions and your choice of cheese and sauces.”

I got it without cheese, salsa as the sauce---this was one of those meals that I am going to be craving all the time now. Too bad they are like $6 something a pop. I will have to start making my own!

pitta

I really like how the Pita Pit website allows you to “Build-Your-Own-Pita” and get nutritional info on it before you go. Try it out here!

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How is the weather in your neck of the woods? It has been one of the hottest Minnesota summers that I can remember. I am not complaining one bit, mostly because I’ve had the chance to try some great cool-me-down treats!

ice cream

Great Value Double Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Parfait

At just 160 calories for the whole cup, it’s a great way to fit in a cold and creamy craving! It has a generous layer of strawberries on top, and I like to add some blueberries too!

So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk

CIMG2674

CIMG2675

  • Dairy Free / Lactose Free
  • Soy Free
  • Gluten Free
  • Rich in Medium Chain Fatty Acids
  • Excellent Source of Vitamin B12 (vegetarian friendly)
  • Formulated for Maximum Calcium Absorption
  • Cholesterol Free
  • No Trans Fats
  • Certified Vegan
  • I would still label myself as a soymilk girl. The coconut milk was definitely different than anything I’ve tried before, and I don’t think I could drink it straight on a daily basis. However, in smoothies it was a hit!

    Northern Lite Vanilla Blended Coffee from Caribou Coffee

    CaribouNorthernLite

    These are SO great, but I almost wish I wouldn’t have liked it due to the fact that they are five dollars. Yes, five dollars. That’s one expensive habit…so I am trying to formulate something similar in my own kitchen.

    What’s your favorite keep-you-cool treat in the summer??

    12 comments:

    Christina said...

    all that food looks yummy!! it has been SO hot in SC. yesterday's heat index was 110. yeah! hot mama!

    Adventures in Domestic Cooking said...

    It all looks fantastic!
    The weather here in Northern Indiana, has been perfect! We've had some really hot days, but overall, just peachy.

    Kelly said...

    Did I mention yet that I am jealous of your summer job? I wish I had one like that when I was in college, but then again I didn't cook as much then as I do now. What a fun way to practice different recipes.

    Our summer in Chicago has been a lot like yours. Hot and humid! Although summer last year in Boston was mild and rainy so humidity aside, I am loving this weather. I love cooling down with homemade iced tea or lemonade myself.

    Mary Bergfeld said...

    It sounds as though you've been cooking up a storm. That must be hard when the heat is so intense. Stay as cool s you can. Blessings...Mary

    Rebecca said...

    I use to love Pita Pit when I lived in VA! Yummmm! Thinking about it now makes me hungry!!

    Krista said...

    I love that coconut milk and I'll be looking out for the strawberry ice cream!

    Looks like you guys have been putting together some wonderful meals.

    brandi said...

    I SO wish we had a pita pit! i've heard such great things.

    I love a good smoothie or yogurt on a hot day.

    Erica said...

    Great job on the menu (as per usual). Love the idea of the relish and black bean soup is one of my favorites. LOVE pita pit. We usually go there at least once a month. I like that you can get everything on a salad too. I totally need to get that great value parfait (duhhh ;)). Enjoy your weekend! Hope you get some relax time

    Kim said...

    Sounds like you are having a very busy, yet productive summer! All the dishes you made at work sound wonderful. Sounds like a fun job:)

    The pita pit sounds like a great place. Pita sandwiches are addictive, aren't they?

    I think my favorite cool treat is probably a popsicle.

    Kerstin said...

    That mahi mahi looks fantastic! And I wish we had a pita place by us- yum!

    Lindsay @ http://pancakesnpajamas.blogspot.com/ said...

    I had my first Pita Pit experience last month. I was surprised how tasty and filling it was!

    Nicole, RD said...

    You've been busy!

    I think I'm the only person who HATES Pita Pit. Maybe it was just the location in Champaign that was bad, but I pretty much refuse to try it again...it was that bad!!

    Keep cool treat -- fresh fruit smoothies!