First written: January 17, 2010
There I was over the holiday season thinking I was such a baddass, eating whatever I laid my eyes on. I could work it off, right? A bit of stuffing here, parsnip mash there, caramelized brussel sprouts, carrots sauteed in thyme, roast potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, and a few Christmas coookies. Was that extra bit of flesh jiggling at my waist on my Topshop jeans? Hard to admit, but my age has finally caught up with me.
The first 2 years of my son’s life were so easy. All I had to do to stay fit was to nurse and chase after him. For the first time in my life I was 123 pounds. My son will be three this year, and with all of his physical independence, I've found myself chilling out more often then not. Jake will be going to preschool in a few weeks, and gulp, I might just be in trouble this time.
Blind panic aside, I still have those lazy days when I walk into the kitchen and think, “why the heck do I have to be healthy? It’s such hard work! Chop this, saute that, doggone it, I want something easy!” Of course I could toss the whole cooking malarkey out the window and race over to the nearest health food store. Brilliant, but after compiling my fantasy meal at those ‘lil self serve islands I’d be spending upwards of 15 bucks. Another point, none of the ingredients would be organic. Do I dare to try a frozen organic veggie meal that’s beautifully packaged, but saddens my taste buds?
Tabouli Salad rocks. It’s a ‘lil tangy, a ‘lil sweet, and a bit crunchy. It can be thrown together quickly with two organic bags of organic lettuce (one bag romaine, the other a herb leaf salad or Mediterranean mix). I've substituted bulgur wheat with chopped almonds to lighten up on carbs. It won't disapointed. I had it last night for dinner with no dessert (the truth hurts sorry). Later in the evening, I had two cups of herbal tea sweetened with a teaspoon of agave and a few goji berries dropped in. I live on the edge, I tell ya. I woke up this morning smiling at the southward dip in the scale. Gotta keep the faith.
Tabouli Salad
1/2 bag designer herb salad
1/2 bag designer romaine chopped
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro (also called coriander) chopped
1/4 bunch fresh parsley chopped
1/4 red onion sliced into slim circles
2 strands green onion sliced
2 roma tomatoes deseeded and sliced
1 avocado sliced
1/2 cup almonds chopped
Vinaigrette dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt
dash of pepper
In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the dressing using a fork, then drizzle over the salad. toss lightly and serve.