Apple Salad

I have a new obsession!

Since my cleanse, I've been eating apples like no tomorrow.  Seriously, I cannot get enough of them in any form:  apple chips, dried apple, fresh.  I want apples!

My breakfasts the past couple of weeks has been an apple or two chopped up with a dollop of Greek yogurt sprinkled with a little cinnamon.  Totally delicious.  The other day while I was eating my breakfast, I started craving something else.  I wanted this apple salad, but had no idea what I wanted to put in it.  I went to the store and bought a few things and came home and put it all together.

This is what I came up with:

4 small Gala apples -- cored and chopped
1 small can of crushed pineapple with juice
1/4 C of shredded coconut
1/4 C of orange juice

Dump everything in a bowl and stir.  Refrigerate until cold and eat.  You may have to add a little extra OJ to your serving since the apples or coconut soak it all up.   I made a batch of it and it served me for 4 breakfasts this week.

Watermelon Feta Salad

My new obsession is the watermelon feta salad.  I've been seeing it on more and more menus lately.  I finally decided to give it a try at a local cafe and I loved it!!  Of course, I tried to duplicate it at home and although it is not exactly like the one served at the cafe, I could happily eat this several times a week!

All measurements are to taste.

Salad:
2 Cups of chopped fresh watermelon
1 small brick of feta cheese -- cubed
6 leaves of fresh mint -- chopped fine
Greens -- I used a mix of baby greens and arugula
1/4 C of pickled onions *

Vinaigrette:
3 Tablespoons of honey
2 Tablespoons of white wine vinegar (red wine vinegar would work too)
4 Tablespoons of olive oil

Combine all the ingredients until well mixed.


Pickled Onions:
About 1/4 of a large red onion, sliced very thin
Red or White wine vinegar
2 Tablespoon of sugar

Dissolve sugar in the vinegar.  Add sliced onions.  Onions should be mostly covered by the vinegar.  Add more if necessary.  Let sit in the fridge for about an hour.  Drain vinegar and add onions to salad.

Assemble the salad:
Mix the watermelon, feta, pickled onions, and mint in bowl.  Add greens and toss until combined.  Drizzle vinaigrette.  Enjoy!!

New Obsession -- Burrata

A few weeks ago, I was watching an episode of Extra Virgin (love that show!).  Anyway, the couple were making a very decadent cheese for their Italian dinner guest.  Once this guest realized what kind of cheese they were making, it brought him to tears.  The cheese was burrata.  It is a solid mass of fresh mozzarella cheese that is stuffed with "shreds" of mozzarella and cream.  I was intrigued by this cheese.  I have been wanting to make fresh mozzarella cheese for some time now, but all of a sudden I wanted to do the more complex burrata!

Literally a few days after viewing that episode, I was in my friendly Trader Joe's store.  I saw the elusive burrata cheese there.  I wanted it.  I craved it.  But since I put myself on a strict grocery budget, I decided to plan for it.  The following week, it wasn't there.  Yesterday, I couldn't take it anymore and I traveled to three different Trader Joe's to find it.  I nearly trampled an old lady who got in my way of this cheese.  I bought it and refrained myself from eating it in the car.

This morning, I sliced three slices of olive bread.  I was going to spread it with hummus, but remembered the burrata.  I pulled a soft mozzarella ball out of the tub and sliced a small slice.  OMG.  Cream oozed from it.  I sprinkled it with a little salt and black pepper and spread the creamy cheese on my olive bread.  Delicious!!!

It is definitely luxurious and something I should not get in the habit of eating (see my previous post of losing a couple of pounds), but it is so awesome!!!

New Obsession

I was at my local Trader Joe's yesterday for my routine shopping trip. I saw a packet of Penguin Tummy Gummies. I have a sweet tooth and the penguins on the package were cute, so I bought them. Talk about impulse buy! Anyway, you get a lot in one bag for $1.99. I brought the bag to work for those occasional sweet cravings. Um, I finished the bag. Well, not yet, but rest assured the bag will be empty by the time I leave today.

There are three flavors: cherry, lime, and orange (I think). The tummy of the penguin is filled with this sweet "juice". I know it sounds gross and it probably is, but is so fun! I'm tempted to go and get another bag and the only thing that is stopping me is rush hour grocery store traffic. I'll wait until next week and buy another bag. Hopefully, by then I'll be able to refrain from eating the whole bag in one day!