What I'm Loving Wednesday

Its time for another installment from of What I'm Loving Wednesday courtesy of LittleDaisyMay.BlogSpot.com.




I'm Loving... So You Think You Can Dance!
This is by far the best dance show. Trained, amazing dancers, try out all over the country. Then during the competition there are these elaborately choreographed routines that give me chills!

I'm Loving.... OPI nail color You Don't Know Jacques.
When it comes to my hands I am usually a strict french manicure girl, but due to some nail breakage I have been doing colors lately. My most recent discovery is You Don't Know Jacques by OPI. It is this wonderful neutral color, but way more fun than a light, pink, cream color.

I'm Loving... My new lunch bag.
My Dad and Stepmom have recently moved to Florida and there is a Vera Bradley outlet store near by. This is great for me because I got this great new lunch box!

It holds so much stuff!

And as always, I'm Loving... The best husband in the world...Mine! (aka Bond)

What are you loving this week?

Paper Salmon

Bond and I participate in Foyer Groups at our church.  It is a small dinner group that changes members twice a year so you get to meet and socialize with new people.  Each person or couple takes a turn hosting.

A new group just started and we hosted the first dinner over the weekend.  The host makes the main dish and then the other people bring sides, salads, and dessert.  I made a delicious and healthy Salmon baked in parchment paper.

Ingredients per serving @ 170 calories
4 oz. Salmon Filet
Fresh Green Beans
1 Tablespoon Capers
Lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Square of parchment paper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place salmon filet in the center of parchment paper, add green beans, capers, lemon zest.  Drizzle olive oil over fish.

Fold the parchment paper in on the sids and twist the ends like a piece of candy.  Place the pouches on a tray and bake for about 20 minutes.  They go in like this....

And come out like this....

You can serve directly in the pouches!

It was great with the potatoes and caesar salad brought by out guests.  The fourth couple couldn't make it so I put together a dessert too, a Chocolate Banana treat!

Ingredients for 8 servings @ 290 calories per serving
4 bananas halved
1 jar of Hot Fudge topping
1 cup of granola
8 craft sticks

Peel the bananas and slice in half.  Insert a craft stick into each banana half and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Place into the freezer for 2 hours or until hard.

Place granola into ziplock back and roll with rolling pin to crush granola.  Then place granola on a shallow plate.  Heat the chocolate jar until liquid and place on a second shallow plate.  Roll the banana in the chocolate topping using a spatula to completely cover, then roll in the granola and place back on pan.

Freeze for another 2 hours or until hard.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.  These were a big hit!

What would you add to the Salmon? Or Chocolate Bananas to make it your own??

Egg Salad Sandwich

Bond and I had a great Saturday.  We ran a few errands this morning, including getting father's day cards.  Then we just hung around the house, got a few things done, but mostly relaxed!  On lazy summer days and the occasional weekday lunch I love light meals.  This wonderful summertime egg salad recipe was another one from the great book my sister game me...

I really like this book it was a great find, thanks Laura!

Egg Salad Ingredients:
6 hard cooked eggs
3 tablespoons reduced-fat miracle whip
1/2 cup dices green onion
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Serving size 1/2 cup @ 82 calories; yields 4 servings

I adjusted the ingredients for my own taste so feel free to adjust for yours.  For example, I used miracle whip instead of mayonnaise because I like it better.

Tip for hard-cooked eggs, place the eggs in a single layer in pan and add cold water to cover the eggs by about an inch.  Bring to a boil over high heat then cover and remove the pan from the heat letting stand 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes pour off the water, cover the eggs with cold water and allow to cool before peeling.

During the 15 minutes dice the 1/2 cup green onions.  Then add to them the pickle relish, celery seed, and a dash of salt and/or pepper if you like.  Place the miracle whip in a separate bowl.  When the eggs are ready peel the shell and separate the yolks.  Add two yolks to the miracle whip and mix well.  Discard or save the other 4 yolks (I put mine into tupperware for snacks later in the week).  Next dice the 6 egg whites and stir into mixture.  Last stir in the onion, relish, spice mixture.

Eat the eggs salad however you like.  In a pita, on bread, in a tortilla or by itself!  I like to toast some whole wheat bread, add some spinach and a tomato slice.  How will you eat your egg salad?

What is your favorite light summer meal??