super summer sandwich.

love it!
somehow (through whole wheat bread) i have managed to update my cucumber and onion cold salad into some type of ridiculously delicious sandwich!
i love it!
as you know, i was off the bread situation for a while. that was all sorts of well and good. but then it got hot out, and for as hungry as i'd ever get, i never wanted to cook anything.
i toasted two pieces of one point wheat bread, covered them in slices from half an avocado, and topped it to the brim with cold cucumber and onion salad.
quick, easy, & light dinner...
for those long, hot summer days.

summer pasta salad.

yum! i love orzo.
i think it's the best base for a pasta salad.
those tiny little noodles don't over-power any other guest stars in the salad. not like the way those big curly-q noodles do.
so for this version of light & fresh pasta salad, we have:
-orzo
-diced tomatoes (drained)
-chopped cucumbers
-slivered red onions
-chopped mushrooms (from a can)
-kalamata olives
-red wine vinegar <3
-oregano
-basil
-parsley
(variations: add juice of a lemon, goat cheese, feta. don't worry, you're free to make your own decisions. i won't yell at you. i promise.)

directions are pretty simple. cook the pasta, toss everything together in a bowl.
it's so easy, i bet even cheryl could do it.

holy crap it's may!

it's time for some light, fresh food!
tuna ceviche and tuna sushi roll... or something that resembles a sushi roll. a poor excuse for a sushi roll. none the less, delicious!
i wasn't quite sure how i felt about the tuna ceviche. don't get me wrong... i love ceviche but, the tuna hadn't quite "cooked" in the lime juice when i ate it.
sushi grade tuna, chopped tomato, mango, serrano pepper, avocado, cilantro, and lime juice.
it was perfect.
the mango, tomato, & avocado were fresh and complimented the fish super well. the serrano pepper gave the ceviche an unexpected and much needed kick.
i saved some until the following day, the acidity changes the texture of the fish over time, and i wanted to experience some of that on monday.
it was best on sunday.

i used the extra tuna to make some sushi rolls.
cucumber, avocado, mango, tuna, brown rice.
yum.
they looked a bit horrid, but they tasted delicious!

*powdered wasabi = surprisingly strong.
highly recommended.

lunch was always my favorite period...

This is unheard of!
sound the horns!
not only did my sister make something, but it was so delicious that it's worthy of being displayed to the internet!
*applause*
so here it is, alfalfa sprouts, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots and.... the sauce, the sauce! she processed cashews, chicken broth, garlic, and cayenne pepper. that sauce was so absolutely delicious, i've been begging her to bring me leftovers all week. eating a plateful of this a day, would be ideal.
taking matters into my own hands, i'd like to make a play on the sauce. right now, i have some jalapeno peanuts in my cabinet. how could that not be delicious? that's it! it's official! next week, there will be bowls of shredded cabbage & shredded carrots and that delicious sauce!

nom nom nom.

now, for something i have been enjoying at work the past couple days...return of the cucumber and red onion salad! yum!
this is where i get my serving of whole grains for the day. mini whole wheat pitas stuffed with avocado, cucumbers, & onions make this sandwich delicious and filling.

don't lie.
i know you're drooling.

mushrooms! cucumbers! red onions! oh my!

i realize that i haven't been getting nearly enough raw vegetables in. so i made two salads this week to help me better work them into my diet.

i've been making this cucumber, red onion, red wine vinegar, dill salad since the first week. it's quite tasty. i'll eat it plain, on a small pita with avocado, or on top of lettuce. it's tangy, crunchy, and has an excellent kick of fresh flavor.

oh, i'll be the first one to admit it.
i have never-ever been one to eat raw mushrooms. my sister has always eaten them, and i'd watch her, and i'd want to barf.
then! on a late february day, came my mushroom revelation!
on a trip to Whole Foods, the capital of all things fantastic, they had some type of cold, whole mushroom salad with red onions, balsamic, and parmesan . clearly, cheese was not an option for this dinosaur.
let me just tell you, that big, fat, marinated mushroom cap was all it took to turn me onto mushrooms.
so i eased myself into the fantastic field of fungus, by opting for sliced mushrooms. i diced up some shallots, and let it stew in the fridge all weekend. i'll add some balsamic just a few hours before eating.
so here i am. advocating for mushrooms.

just don't tell my sister.
she'll say something like, "i told you so."