It has been a little while since we have gotten together to talk about our my favorite subject, now hasn’t it? And what is that favorite subject? Well…food, of course! But do not worry. I am coming ‘attcha with some fantastic recipes from some of my favorite blogs, and a major workout for good measure. Good food + a good workout = one happy Hannah. Oh, and trashy TV helps, too, as you will see later on.
I hope you have not given up on making and eating soups quite yet. Heck, I make them all throughout the Summer- mostly because they are easy peasy to make and result in me having a TON of leftovers. I made Shanon’s recipe for Minestrone Soup a couple of weeks ago and instantly fell in love. While I pretty much love any recipe that enables me to throw everything into a large pot, this soup had flavors that were absolutely spot on. Plus, anything that involves beans and veggies usually makes me pretty darn happy. I followed Shanon’s recipe exactly, except I also added in asparagus and zucchini because I did not have any pasta on hand. They turned out to be fabulous substitutions, especially since I am all about eating as many Spring time veggies now that they are finally back in season. I ate several bowls of this and froze a couple for quick meals. There is nothing quite like having lunches or dinners already made for a busy week.
This totally looks like my kind of sandwich, right? When I saw Erica’s post for her Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Sandwich, I knew this was pretty much made for me. I have a bit of an obsession with chickpea salads, but had never thought to make a Mediterranean version. Erica to the rescue. This was absolutely fantastic. I followed Erica’s recipe exactly, except I subbed in black olives in place of the kalamata olives because that was all that I had on hand. I loved how light and refreshing this salad was and the preparation of it (I made it on the weekend prior to the work week) could not have been easier. This is without a doubt going on my “to make again” list.
Ohh yes. Peanut Butter and Kale Fried Rice? I was sold with the title. I suppose it doesn’t hurt that it tasted as good as it sounds. I am (obviously) a peanut butter lover. Kale is one of my current obsessions. And can you really go wrong with fried rice? I think not. Combining all three into one tasty meal is pretty much a genius idea. Since this recipe calls for already cooked rice, it is perfect for using up leftovers that you have in your fridge. And if you are using leftover rice, you can literally have this dish on the table in about 15 minutes tops. That is my kind of meal. I, unfortunately, forgot to buy peanuts at the grocery store so I subbed in cashews. They were delicious, though I am thinking it would have been even better with peanuts. Next time- and there will be a next time- I will remember the peanuts.
My abs (and your abs) will so thank me for this favorite. Julie’s Evening Ab Workout is the real deal. And by real I mean REALly tough/REALly painful (in a good way)- if there is such a thing? I did this ab workout while watching TV. There is just something about watching Teen Mom 2 trashy television that really helps the workout go by more quickly and in a slightly more enjoyable fashion. Am I right? This is now my new go-to TV-watching workout. Give it a try and make sure you move quickly from one exercise to the next. Your abs will thank you 🙂
Let me know if you try out any of these recipes or Julie’s workout! I hope you will. Have a great Friday and a fabulous weekend!
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