Caprese Noodle Salad

When the new year rolled around, I decided to join a group of ladies in our community and complete Whole30, a nutritional program "designed to change your life in 30 days." It started out sounding pretty easy:  simply eat real food for 30 days. This means no processed foods (ingredients you can't pronounce), no sugar, no dairy, no grains, no legumes, no alcohol, etc. What does that leave? Mostly fruits, vegetables, and meat. This commitment came when I was unaware of my surprise Europe trip. So, I completed a Whole15 instead. (Life's too short not to enjoy crepes in Paris.)

When I returned, I decided to start again. I'm over half way there and feeling great. It has certainly changed the way I cook. No more rich casseroles. No more decadent desserts. No more of my homemade sour dough bread or cinnamon rolls. . . at least for me. On a positive note, I'm enjoying new foods and new recipes.

One of my favorite new kitchen gadgets is a julienne peeler. With this new tool, I've learned how to turn zucchini into noodles (a.k.a. zoodles), a healthy substitute for pasta! Who knew?

I enjoyed a plateful of "spaghetti," ladened with veggies instead of carbs. I just sauteed the zucchini noodles in a little bit of olive oil with salt and pepper. (Most people would add garlic, too.) Then, top it with your favorite spaghetti sauce. It was so good and so good for you!

Tonight, I tried a different variation. I'll be making this caprese noodle salad over and over again. So easy. So good. So healthy. Perfect for a potluck. Perfect by itself. Perfect as a side with a turkey burger. Mmmmmm.

Have you ever been given large zucchini from gardeners with too much produce? In the past, I never knew what to do with them although I did appreciate the good 'ole Southern gesture.

"There are no happier folks than plant lovers and none more generous than those who garden." --Ernest "Chinese" Wilson

I'm so ready for spring. . .  for gardeners to plant their seeds. I will happily be cheering them on and accepting any and all overflow!

Caprese Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

• 2-3 zucchini (to yield about 3 cups julienned)
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/8 cup basil, thinly sliced
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
Chop the ends off of the zucchini. Remove skin (optional). Using a julienne peeler, peel down to the center seedy section to make long noodles. Toss with remaining ingredients. Makes approximately 2 servings.

Source: Adapted from Practical Paleo

Established by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (of Whole9) in April 2009, the Whole30^® is our original nutritional program designed to change your life in 30 days. Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.
Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff.
- See more at: http://whole30.com/step-one/#sthash.mMpIQ6P1.dpu

Established by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (of Whole9) in April 2009, the Whole30^® is our original nutritional program designed to change your life in 30 days. Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.
Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff.
- See more at: http://whole30.com/step-one/#sthash.mMpIQ6P1.dp

Established by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (of Whole9) in April 2009, the Whole30^® is our original nutritional program designed to change your life in 30 days. Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.
Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff.
- See more at: http://whole30.com/step-one/#sthash.mMpIQ6P1.dpuf

Established by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (of Whole9) in April 2009, the Whole30^® is our original nutritional program designed to change your life in 30 days. Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.
Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff.
- See more at: http://whole30.com/step-one/#sthash.mMpIQ6P1.dpuf

Established by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (of Whole9) in April 2009, the Whole30^® is our original nutritional program designed to change your life in 30 days. Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.
Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff.
- See more at: http://whole30.com/step-one/#sthash.mMpIQ6P1.dpuf

Ready to Pop!

I'm so thankful for my sisters for hosting a baby shower for Buffy this past weekend to welcome her sweet baby girl in a few weeks. The theme?  Pink, pink, and more pink! Can you ever have too much pink? I don't think so.

My small contribution was the party favors:  gourmet popcorn with the much-appropriate tag, Ready to Pop! More thanks to my friend Damaris for helping me with these favors! I basically started with Keely's recipe for Christmas Crunch, but substituted pink wherever I could. Instead of red and green M&Ms, just use pink and white. It sure was convenient that we're in the middle of Valentine's Day season, so these were not a problem to find. I did spend the time, though, to separate the pink and white M&Ms from the hot pink and red ones. Similarly, I used pink sprinkles instead of the Christmas sprinkles. I also added a little bit of food coloring to the vanilla almond bark to make it pink.

Vicke and Jackie served pimento cheese and chicken salad sandwiches, crackers, mixed nuts, and mints. My favorite, though, was the pink punch, wrapped in a tu-tu. . . just tu-tu cute!

Thanks again to everyone who showered Buffy with lots of gifts and even provided "Momma Advice."

 

I'm certain she is now ready and excited for this new adventure. I know we are!

 

Grab-n-Go Salad in a Jar

Tomorrow, I will be kicking off a month of Whole30. I understand that preparation is the key. Since I will be teaching out of town all week, I'm now better prepared for my lunches. I put together these "grab-n-go" salads in a quart-size mason jar, and they're supposed to last for a week.

I simply layered veggies on the bottom (zucchini, squash, mushrooms, peppers, carrots, tomatoes), followed by roasted chicken, then topped with spinach and mixed salad greens. I'm ready for some clean eating!

Celebrating the Big 5-0 in Europe: Part 3 in Rome

After spending three days in London and another three days in Paris, I was able to check off 33 of the "50 Things to do to Celebrate Your 50th Birthday in Europe." Only 17 more to go! Last stop: Rome.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Rise and shine! We left our hotel at 4:30 am and headed to the airport. Our plane left at 7:00 am, and we arrived in Rome at approximately 9:00 am. Unfortunately, the baggage claim signage was incorrect, so we waited an hour to retrieve our luggage. From there, we took a train to Roma Termini. It is one of the largest railway stations in Europe and serves as the main hub for public transportation inside Rome. Our hotel was less than a 5-minute walk from the train station. Unable to get our bearings initially, we took more of a scenic route to get there. We finally arrived at the Impero Hotel at approximately 11:30 am for the last leg of our Europe trip.

Fortunately, we were able to get an early check-in. We walked to a local pizzeria for lunch where Keely and I shared a margherita pizza. In contrast to what we're used to in the states, our pizza slice was cut with rather large scissors and then you pay by the weight, not by the slice. It was here where we learned the importance of not just asking for water, but specifically asking for natural water after gulping down a large swig of sparkling mineral water. Bleh.

After lunch, we walked back to Termini and took the underground train to Vatican City. Everywhere we looked from the buildings and sculptures to the ceilings and paintings . . . it was all just amazing. The pictures simply don't capture what we saw and felt.

 

 

 

 

 

#34 Visit the Sistine Chapel.

There were so many amazing ceilings throughout the Vatican. Along the search to find the Sistine Chapel, I just couldn't imagine what would distinguish its ceiling from the rest. I know now. Wow. Well done, Michelangelo. Well done. Keely managed to snap a picture before being busted by one of the security guards. (Of course, that trait she got from her daddy.) Once again, the picture just doesn't do it justice.

 #35 Mail postcards from the Vatican.

Before I left for Rome, I took the time to make a list of names and addresses so that I could mail postcards from the Vatican. Great plan. Terrible execution. I ended up leaving the list at the hotel. As a result, I could only mail postcards to those whose addresses I had memorized:  myself and Mom and Dad. For the rest of you out there, remember that it's the thought that counts!

#36 Visit St. Peter's Basilica.

It took us a little while to find St. Peter's Basilica. Personally, I think Europe could use significant improvement with their signage, or lack thereof. Once we left the Sistene Chapel, we found ourselves outside. A random priest is walking toward us, so I wasn't shy about asking for directions:

"Do you speak English?"
"Yes, I speak English!"

What a relief! I believe he was the first person we talked to on our trip that didn't just speak English. I quickly recognized that good 'ole American accent. He ended up being from Iowa. He pointed to St. Peter's Basilica and confirmed that we were standing in St. Peter's Square. No wonder it looked familiar as it is where the Pope makes his appearances. I thought we were lucky that they hadn't taken down all of the Christmas directions. Although the Christmas tree was starting to look a little worn out, the life-size nativity was just beautiful.

"How did you end up here?"
"Well, my bishop has sent me here for 3 years . . . ."
"So, is this some kind of spanking?"
"I guess it is a punishment, but I see it as a blessing, too. Look around. There are worse places to be, right?"

No doubt. I liked this guy. I hope his three-year stay ends with great success, however that is defined.

Our friendly priest from Iowa told us to make sure we go inside the Basilica: "You don't want to miss that." He was so right.

We left Vatican City by taking the underground train back to Trivini. We walked back to the hotel, dined on ravioli and bruschetta, grabbed some "to-go" pastries for dessert, then called it a night around 8:00 pm.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Our hotel was so centrally located, which allowed us to walk to all of the attractions on this day. First up: The Colosseum.

#37 Feel like the Gladiator and go to The Colosseum.

You just don't realize how massive this place is until you're standing in the middle of it. Kudos to the architects and engineers from almost 2000 years ago! No wonder this place is listed as one of the New7Wonders of the World. Although The Gladiator is one of my all-time favorite movies, and I've seen it at least a dozen times, I'm now inspired to watch it all over again.

#38 See Rome's ancient government buildings and temples at the Roman Forum.

After the Colosseum, we headed to the Roman Forum, where we saw lots of architectural fragments and ruins. Ruins has such a negative connotation; however, these ruins are just beautiful.

#39 Do as Audrey did and head to La Bocca della Verita.

In the movie Roman Holiday, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck are seen at La Bocca della Verita.

 This sculpture is also known as the Mouth of Truth. Supposedly, if you tell a lie with your hand in its mouth, it would be bitten off. Myth or not, I didn't take a chance as I thought, "Best birthday ever!" as I  placed my hand in its mouth. No lie.

 #40 Eat a slice of real Italian pizza.

Although we had pizza yesterday when we first landed in Rome, today we wanted to find the "real" stuff. That is, we wanted to find a place where the locals eat - where pizza is made in a traditional brick oven. A local told us to stay away from all of the typical tourist attractions. Instead, we were told to cross over the Tiber River where we started exploring alleys of "Mom and Pop"-type establishments. This is where we found Vincenzo alla Lungaretta.

It was refreshing that the owner spoke fluent English, although with a thick Italian accent. He spoiled us with lots of attention. Perhaps he felt a kinship due to the fact he has a brother who has been living in New York for 30 years.

We ordered bruschetta, margherita pizza, arugula and tomato pizza, and bucatinni with bacon and tomato sauce, highly recommended by the owner. Mmmmm. Eccellente!

#41 Go to Campo de' Fiori, the oldest market in all of Rome.

Campo de' Fiori was so charming. In English, this means Field of Flowers where local vendors set up stations where you can buy a variety of gorgeous flowers as well as "veggie-tables." (Keely and I kept giggling about the pronunciation.) By the time we got here just after 3:00 pm, half of the market was being street-cleaned. Afraid we missed something, we planned on returning tomorrow.

#42 Visit Piazza Navona.

This city square has been featured in a variety of films including Ron Howard's Angels and Demons, the sequel to The Da Vinci Code. The fountains were stunning! 

 #43 Visit the Pantheon temple.

Once again, the architecture was so gorgeous. I didn't realize until we walked inside that the Pantheon is used as a Roman Catholic Church.

#44 Drink genuine Italian coffee at Sant' Eustachio (especially the gran caffe).

Our last stop of the day was to have coffee at Sant' Eustachio, just a short walk from the Pantheon. Some say it is the best coffee in the world. Although I'm glad we had a chance to experience it, we did not feel the same way. In fact, Keely and I both took a sip, tried to take another just to give it a fair chance, posed in front of the sign, and then discreetly left both cups on one of the outdoor cafe tables. Bleh.

After walking back to our hotel, we were quite exhausted from such a packed day of sight seeing. In fact, we were even too tired for dinner. So, we grabbed a variety of pastries "to-go" and called it a night. (We're on vacation, remember? Pastries for dinner? Life is good.)

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Last day in Rome. Time has flown. We accomplished so much yesterday, so today was at a considerably slower pace. It was a really nice way to spend our last day in Europe.

#45 Walk the Spanish Steps.

When we arrived at the Spanish Steps, somehow we arrived at the top, not the bottom. So, it wasn't difficult to walk down these 135 steps. Twice we were approached by individuals shoving fresh flowers in our hands and then expecting euros. They were annoying and unsuccessful. I guess I understand, though, their attempt at making a living.

#46 Shop down the Via Condotti.

This street begins at the foot of the Spanish Steps. It is the center of fashion shopping, including such designers as Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and Armani. Let me clarify. It was fun to window shop as we didn't make any purchases.

#47 See Corte Di Cassazione.

Such a stately, judicial building, it's the perfect spot for Italy's Supreme Court.

#48 See Castel Sant' Angelo.

Since we missed London's Hogwarts Castle (or Alnwick Castle) as well as Highclere Castle from Downton Abbey due to winter closings, I was looking forward to seeing this one in Rome. Popes have used it as a castle, but now it is a museum. We didn't take the time to go inside. We simply enjoyed the architecture, including the bridge leading up to it. That's Vatican City in the background.

Our last main attraction was the Trevi Fountain. Along the way, though, we returned to Campo de' Fiori (see #41 above). This time, though, we were able to see many more stands besides the flowers: fruits, "veggie-tables," clothing, miscellaneous tchotchkes, etc. It was fun to look around. I saw a gorgeous, rough wooden bowl and pestle that I wanted to get as a souvenir. I was planning on returning after lunch, but forgot! Bummer. We dined outside on "real" pizza one last time at The Roma Beer Company.

 #49 Throw our pennies into the Trevi Fountain to ensure our return to Rome!

The Fontana di Trevi, or Trevi Fountain, is one of the most famous fountains in the world. I can see why! It's amazing. Following tradition, each of us threw a penny into the fountain to ensure our return to this fabulous city.

#50 Eat the best gelato in the city at Il Gelato di San Crispino.

Last but not least, we stopped for some gelato. As you can imagine, you could find gelato on just about every corner. Once again, we were on the search for the best. This is why we insisted on Il Gelato di San Crispino since that was its reputation. We sampled three flavors:  honey, hazelnut, and chocolate. All were so delicious!

We leisurely walked back to our hotel, rested, walked to the train station to purchase tickets for tomorrow, then had our final dinner in Rome at Terme Di Diocleziono. Keely and I split the tortellini soup and tonnarella cheese and pepper pasta. Both were delicious. Perhaps even better was dessert: tiramisu at its finest as well as more chocolate gelato.Why not, right?

We were back at the hotel by 7:30 pm, then packed and ready for our trip home tomorrow. Like London and Paris, Rome was fabulous!

Sunday, January 26, 2014

This whole day was just for traveling. We left our hotel at 6:15 am to take a train to the airport. It took us about 12.5 hours to fly from Rome to Atlanta. By the time we landed in Nashville, it was approximately 7:00 pm. Brutal travel, but what a wonderful feeling to be back home.

I can't thank Steve enough for the best birthday present ever: truly a trip of a lifetime with my best friend. I can't thank Keely enough for her gift of time in planning this trip. I'm go glad she got to experience it with us. And a huge thank you to all of my family and friends who sent well wishes on my big day.

In good 'ole Nashville: Fifty is nifty!

In London: Nifty fifty!

In Paris: Cinquante est astucieux!

In Rome: Cinquanta è nifty!