Mom Inspired Lunch

Lunch

My Mom has never liked cooking in the crazy, obsessive way that my Dad and I do. Getting creative in the kitchen just isn't her thing. Regardless, she always made sure there was food on the table for my brother and me. Growing up, we learned that Mom has her staples and we counted on the fact that she could always whip one up the same every time. (Some of my all time favs were her scrambled eggs, no sardine caesar salad, and chocolate chip cookies!) Though she doesn't give herself the credit, as far as I'm concerned many of those dishes could've had most people fooled into thinking she was a culinary whiz. When I came home for lunch this afternoon I looked at my bag of salad, I looked at my tupperware of strawberries, and I got an instant craving for my mom's Strawberry Spinach Salad. I did my best to replicate it in a Claire kind of way and what I came up with was:

• large handful baby mixed greens
• 4-5 sliced strawberries
• approx. 1/4 cup sliced cucumber

Dressing, 1 serving

• 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, unfiltered
• 1/2 Tbsp. agave
• generous amount of fresh ground black pepper, or just to taste
• small shake of paprika

I whisked it all together, topped my salad, and viola! Mom's is a little sweeter and she uses only spinach but it was enough to hit the spot for my craving. I think Mom would still like this version!

To go with my salad I arranged a po po platter of veggies with 2 Tbsp. of both eggplant hummus and roasted tomato salsa.
So many veggies for lunch! I was sooo full after all that fiber.
Eventually, though, I got into one of those modes where all my brain says is, "I have to have something sweet". There was no arguing. It was just a matter of what to choose so that I would be satisfied into sweet-tooth monster remission. I decided to go with the last slice of my banana bread topped with 1/3 cup vanilla soy yogurt and a shake of cinnamon. Hit the spot! I'm going to miss that banana bread though :(
Now I really want to make a dent in the study guide for my midterm for Baroque music history. My parents are coming on Saturday afternoon, Savannah's recital is on Saturday evening, my recital is on Sunday evening, my parents fly out Monday afternoon, and the midterm is on Tuesday! See why I want to study ahead of time? Yeah, it would just be better for everyone. I'm not going to drive myself crazy though, I'm going to break it up like I would a workout. If I finish the list of terms then the reward will be: the first episode of season 2 of Six Feet Under!

Hittin' the books. Till later!