food inspiration -- tips & tricks

 

Happy Tuesday, friends! I thought I'd share some inspiration for snacks, drinks, and maybe a meal or two, whether at home or if you're out. I'm going to ask you to share some inspiration with me at the end, because who doesn't need that from time to time?

I'll start with dinner out. When I eat out, I always order water to drink for two reasons: it's free and it's better for me than anything sweet or a diet drink. I do sometimes order a margarita if I'm craving one when we're at a Mexican restaurant. I also love to eat Mexican food, because it's easier for me to eat healthier there. I order things like what you see below. These are the street tacos I had when I met my friend Marilyn a few weeks ago. The tortillas are corn, which are better for you, and it's just that and lean meat and veggies. Even partaking in chips and salsa isn't that bad for you, since the chips are made from corn tortillas and because of the veggies in the salsa. I just try to order smart and healthy.

I order this tortilla soup that I've mentioned before, for the same reasons. It's broth, lean meat, and veggies. It's healthier and delicious than eating anything else on the menu, and it's better, in my humble opinion. Something I rarely eat at a Mexican restaurants are the sides of rice and beans. They feel very heavy and they make me too full. 

Todd and I love to order our favorite sushi and bring it home every once in a while. We probably do this once every 4 to 6 weeks, but it's something that is practically guilt free. I know there's rice around each piece, but it's so little that we don't feel bad about our choice of takeout.

Amy  is the one who mentioned mixing coffee with a protein drink, so that's what I started doing a couple of weeks ago when my coffee stopped tasting good to me. It's tasting better again, but I have kept this up each morning. Most of you know that I am not a breakfast eater, and I never wake up hungry. That being said, the older I get, the more I realize that I have to eat something, and because I don't want to do that, I drink my breakfast. 

We buy the Orgain brand of protein drinks from Costco, so I fill this jar with ice, pour the drink over it, and fill it up the rest of the way with coffee. I usually take a drink and then add more ice. Additionally, if I want something sweet at night, I brew some coffee in my Keurig and do the same thing with this jar—fill it with ice, pour in the cooled off coffee, and add two tablespoons of chocolate syrup and a quick pour of some sweetened creamer from my fridge. I made these for Graham and Jonah on Saturday, using peppermint mocha flavored creamer and they were delicious. You can use less or more of the chocolate syrup, depending on your own taste. You should give it a try! It tastes like a mocha Frappuccino from McDonald's or Starbucks, but I think it's better. 

I love to order groceries on Sunday and I pick them up on Monday. In doing that, I also meal plan as I order. This week for dinner we are having taco salad, air fried chicken with bacon around each piece and served with broccoli and potatoes, and we're having quiche. I am also making tuna and chicken salad, so we'll have that on the nights when I don't cook or if it ends up being just me here to eat. I like to keep options that are easy for those nights, and we always eat on the leftovers throughout the week. Probably on the night that I make taco salad, I'll make beer cheddar Joe's for the guys. It's a recipe from Shay Shull, and it's one that we have loved for years. 

I had these chicken fritters (?) for dinner Sunday night. They are DELICIOUS and super easy. I'll tell you what I did: I used one can of Tyson chicken that I drained very well, and to that I added one egg, and two tablespoons of buffalo sauce. I stirred it together really well, but when it was too runny, I crumbled in a small handful of tortilla chips. I used a spoon to get some out and pressed each spoonful into a patty. I cooked them in our air fryer on 385 for about ten minutes. This time may vary, depending on how crispy you prefer them, but you could dip these into buffalo sauce or blue cheese dressing, or eat them plain like I did. They're no carb, high protein, and low in fat. 

What's for dinner at your house this week? I'd love to hear from you so that I can be inspired for next week! Thanks for reading my blog, friends. Love to all!