I’m kicking off a new year of Fabulous Friday posts- you know, the lighter stuff I like to share every other week including recipes, fashion, books, movies, and fun things in life. There’s just something about a Friday that warrants a frivolous moment, and I aim to please 🙂 So without further ado, I give you quite simply some “Fab Food & Flicks”:
Now before you avert your eyes lest I tempt you with calories when you’re trying to overcome the recent seasonal overindulgence, let me explain. Yes, I have one itsy-bitsy little cookie recipe of pure deliciousness, but the other recipe is totally guilt-free, and it all balances out, right? I maintain the “everything in moderation” approach…
ULTIMATE PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Oh yes, these are truly amazing. They even have Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups worked right into the batter! If you are a chocolate and peanut butter fan, these are for YOU! My church care group kindly sampled these chunks of goodness this week (they are often my baking guinea pigs) and they got a serious thumbs up. Find the recipe at my favorite baking website:
http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/10/16/ultimate-peanut-butter-chocolate-cookies/
TUNA QUINOA SALAD
Okay, so it may not look quite as exciting as the cookies, but I assure you this dish is up there in tastiness, and full of good stuff on the healthy scale. Actually, it’s one of those recipes where you can basically throw in whatever is handy, so the end result nutrition-wise is down to you, but it’s a great lunch idea, and I’m a huge fan of quinoa, whatever you put in with it. I often make one of these salads at the beginning of the week and it’s my lunch for 3 days (unless anyone dares to delve in)- I like not having to think of food in the middle of the day, so this quick go-to meal is perfect. You can stuff it in wraps, sandwiches, and flatbreads or chow down straight out of the bowl. Here’s the basic:
*½ cup rinsed quinoa
*1 cup cold water
Cook in microwave for 10 minutes, then allow to cool.
Chop and dice ½ cup of:
*Apple, celery, red pepper (or green or yellow), onion, cheddar cheese; mix together in a bowl
*Add 1 can drained tuna, ½ cup light mayonnaise/ Miracle Whip, 1 tsp curry powder, 2 tsp lemon juice, salt & pepper
Mix together with cooled quinoa. Refrigerate. Enjoy!
On a completely different note, I’ve been to see a bunch of movies recently, and here are two of my favorites. You must understand that most of my viewing is now done with my men folk, so I get extremely enthusiastic about anything I watch which doesn’t completely involve superheroes, spaceships, and misty mountains. Here are a couple of excellent dramas:
I haven’t read the actual book yet, but I’ve heard great things about it and now it’s certainly on my list. Based in World War II Germany, it’s the story of Liesel, a remarkable young girl who is sent to live with a foster family amidst tragic circumstances. Her courage, resilience, wild imagination, and passion for words enable her to survive unimaginable loss. It’s a tearjerker for sure- we wanted to cheer ourselves up after our daughter flew back to Montreal, and this was probably NOT the ideal movie for lifting one’s spirits, but we all thoroughly enjoyed it!
Another movie based on a book I would like to read, and another emotional experience! Based on a true story (always pulls extra hard on the heartstrings), Philomena employs the services of a BBC reporter in her quest to find the son she was forced to give up fifty years previously in her Irish- Catholic background. Dame Judi Dench gives a stellar performance, and it was a perfect flick for our girls night out- all mothers and emotionally invested in the drama!
And there you have it: a couple of dishes and a couple of dramas to take you through January. I hope you love it all! Let me know if you try any or all of the above…
Have a fabulous Friday…
