Hi friends!

I hope you are having a good week! My rotation with Meals on Wheels is off to a good start overall. I’ve also been enjoying going running in the morning and have found the sun to be very interesting lately!

As is typical, on to sharing some recent eats from the past couple of weeks to hopefully inspire you with some fresh ideas in the kitchen!

I had no idea what we were going to make for dinner one night, other than that I had salmon thawing in the fridge. I ended up making some coconut rice and sautéing a couple bell peppers and an onion that I had leftover in the fridge. This ended up being one of my favorite things I’ve eaten lately! To make coconut rice, I generally add a 15 oz can of full-fat coconut milk, a can of white basmati rice, half a can of water, and a pinch of salt to a pot, bring to a boil, and then let simmer until fully cooked!

Another dinner that I winged at the last minute when we had just gotten home from Florida. I have a large jar of sun-dried tomatoes in the fridge that need to be used, so I baked some salmon in the oven and then in the last 5 minutes of baking added some feta and sun-dried tomatoes. Boiled sugar snap peas and corn on the cob as sides!

Lunches the other week were mixed greens with watermelon, feta, toasted walnuts, cucumber, and chopped fresh mint. Topped with dark balsamic. Popcorn on the side!

Salmon dish #2 baked in the oven, served with sides of quinoa and my favorite broccoli salad. The best way to eat broccoli, in my opinion!

Another lunch I ate for the week was this delicious and simple sandwich combo of hard-boiled egg, homemade pesto, and spinach on TJ’s superseed bread. This bread was new to me and I really liked it! Served with some chopped veggies, crackers, and grapes.

New recipe this week of zucchini turkey meatballs with TJ’s organic marinara and some grated parmesan. I was looking for a new way to use ground turkey, and this recipe was excellent! Served with sautéed broccoli (frozen, from Costco), baked sweet potato with butter, and the usual side salad.

Snacking during virtual orientation included chopped watermelon and white cheddar with crackers. So refreshing!

I knew I wouldn’t have time to make much for dinner during the middle of last week, so I bought some frozen (housemade) veggie burgers from Juicy Kitchen that I then added to a large salad with veggies, feta, and avocado. This definitely did the trick! Side of bread with butter to make a well-rounded meal! (Protein + Carb + Fat!)

Typical breakfast as of late with overnight steel-cut oatmeal, ground flaxseeds, almond butter, honey, and fresh strawberries. I find that I usually prefer to stick to the same basic breakfast to cut down on decision-making in the morning and to keep things easy!

This time with a fresh, juicy peach, my first of the season!

Salmon dish #3… blackened salmon baked in the oven topped with a black bean and corn salsa – all served over cilantro lime rice. Alec and I both agreed that this dish was a winner!

Lunch that I packed for my first day of rotation that I ended up eating at home since we had a decently long lunch break and I live only about 10 mins away… caprese-like salad over mixed greens, topped with chicken. Served with some delicious cantaloupe and my usual crackers!

Threw this meal together Monday night using all the random veggies I had on hand to use up… frittata with white cheddar, (previously frozen) broccoli, corn, zucchini, red bell pepper, and red onion!  Side of roasted potatoes with garlic and salt/pepper.

Everyday Enjoyment

Some gratitude/enjoyment from the past week!

• Morning routine: I am very much a routine person, especially in the mornings. I have enjoyed having more consistent mornings during the week (as opposed to school, when my classes would start at all different times throughout the week) and time for Bible reading/prayer/journaling, exercising, and having breakfast/getting ready for the day. While my start times will vary depending on my rotation schedule, I’m hoping to keep some version of this routine going!
• Church in-person: We have been getting involved at a new (to us) church after leaving our old church for various reasons and have really been enjoying finally getting back to some in-person rhythms with Sunday mornings and small group! Having more community and connection throughout the week after so many rhythms have been disrupted by COVID the past year and a half has been really nice.
• Currently reading: I’m always reading 1-2 books, sometimes 3, as I seem to have an insatiable appetite for reading new books! One of the books I am currently reading is The Dutch House – it’s been a while since I have read a fiction novel but I am really enjoying this one! So far the plot definitely has me interested and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes!

I’d love to hear…

• What’s something delicious you ate this week?
• What’s something you have been enjoying lately?
• Any good book recommendations?