Monday, March 28, 2011

Eat. Live. Be. and Please Forgive My Absence

A quick note on where I've been:  Unfortunately I wasn't away somewhere fun for spring break!   A few weeks ago I got disturbing results from routine blood work which surprised me since I thought that I was the picture of health.  I felt and still feel just fine.  I've been tested for everything under the sun from Celiac Disease to Wilson's disease - all negative.  The specialist said that she is convinced that a supplement that I was taking is the root of the problem...  she is hoping that it will be out of my system and everything will normalize within two months.  I will have levels checked again in two weeks and pray that what she suspects is the case.  

On a more cheerful note, I did have my daughters home over the last couple of weeks - which I loved!  Despite my busy work schedule and all of the medical appointments, we did take a whole day off together to shop and of course eat!  I miss them both already...

This week's Eat. Live. Be. topic is Go-To Lunches

Nine times out of ten my lunch is dinner leftovers.  I like to make extra and wrap it right away so it is ready for lunch the next day.  I also love soups and stews in the wintertime.  In the summer, I prefer salads and tomato sandwiches!  I can't wait for big ripe Jersey tomatoes - *drool*.  I really don't like cold cuts; therefore my sandwiches are usually comprised of chicken, tuna, or are vegetarian.  For an all-ready option, I love Buck's tuna salad and the cranberry tuna salad from Whole Foods - a little pricey but delicious - still way less expensive than the cafeteria at work! 



Today's lunch was Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Sauteed Onions, Blue Cheese and Arugula on Ciabatta - delicious!  The chicken is marinated in white balsamic and topped with herbs de Provence.  I grilled the chicken and sauteed the onions last night.  I heated the chicken and the onions at lunchtime, added sliced blue cheese and topped it with arugula.  What a fabulous lunch!  So good!

I adapted this recipe from Bon Appetit.

Marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts for at least two hours.

For the marinade:

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Remove the chicken from the marinade and sprinkle it with herbs de Provence.  Grill the chicken until cooked through.  Serve with sauteed onions, sliced blue cheese and arugula on a ciabatta roll.  Enjoy!