Mezzetta Memories: Salami Pasta Salad Recipe

Hey guys! Happy Tasty Tuesday to you 🙂

Today, I’m cooking with Mezzetta as part of the Mezzetta Memories campaign.

mezetta memories

With another big holiday upon us, it’s time to start thinking about the holiday menu already!

Together with Mezzetta I’m sharing my family traditions when it comes to holiday cooking.Continue Reading

Tasty Tuesday: 10-minute Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe

Hey guys! Happy Tasty Tuesday to you!

It’s time to party and share your tasty finds, tasty posts and recipes. Join the link up party below, which will also appear on my co-host’s blog – Fairytales and Fitness.

I am super-excited because last Tuesday we had the record number of 25 partiers! Thank you so much, guys! I love each and every one of your recipes and blogs!

Tasty Tuesday 2000x2000

Today I am sharing with you one of my go-to sides/lunch salad recipes – Chicken Pasta Salad.

Well, first of all, you can throw pretty much anything into a pasta salad as long as you don’t forget to throw in the pasta 🙂

I love making pasta salads because they take care of any leftovers I have in the fridge! Pasta salads are also super delicious. Win-win!

Once again, this is a recipe that doesn’t really call for any quantities – just throw in as much as you have of whatever you have, and don’t forget pasta 🙂

chicken pasta salad

SUGGESTED INGREDIENTS:

  • Pasta (I used Barilla Whole Grain Rotini Pasta, about half a pack)
  • Chicken breast (you can use grilled chicken, pan fried, baked or whatever you have and feel like. I used the leftover crockpot chicken).
  • Bell peppers (use different colors to make your salad bright!)
  • Red onions
  • Fresh parsley
  • Capers
  • Any other veggies you have/like

For the dressing:

  • Lemon juice
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Either fresh or dry basil leaves

pasta salad with chicken

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Cook pasta according to the package instructions, set aside to cool
  • While pasta is cooking, combine lemon juice, olive oil and spices in a bowl and whisk well until combined, set aside
  • Dice the vegetables and chicken
  • Combine all the ingredients in a salad bowl, pour the dressing over and mix until coated.
  • Serve cold or warm.
  • Add salami or any meat instead of chicken. Experiment!
  • Enjoy your pasta salad for lunch or as a side for dinner 🙂

pasta salad with chicken

See? Told you it was a 10 minute deal 🙂

Now do share with me: what tasty things have you discovered/tried lately? Link up below or share in comments, and don’t forget to check out other links in the party and spread the word by sharing this post! Let more people know and come to the party!

Have a great week, guys!

Lena


Junk Food: 2, Lena: 1

Hey guys!

I finally got to my blog – second time in this busy week, which sucked for the most part 🙂

Let’s see….It’s Friday (YAY!), I am back to PT for an uncertain period of time (boooo), and heading to NYC this weekend to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary!!!

The past week healthy eating was challenged by:

lunch out with my husband on Monday

lunch out with my husband on Monday

 

Birthday celebration cupcakes at work

Birthday celebration cupcakes at work

Photo source – Catherine’s Cupcakery

movie night at home with my family

movie night at home with my family

Junk/Processed/Not-so-good-for-you food – 2, Lena – 1.

There were some good/not-so-bad food choices and decisions this week, as well.

Fruit and yogurt for breakfast last Thursday

Fruit and yogurt for breakfast last Thursday

 

Home made crock pot chili

Home made crock pot chili

IMG_2649

Mashed potatoes and chili on top

Home made crock pot split pea soup

Home made crock pot split pea soup

Whole grain orzo salad

Whole grain orzo salad

All in all, it wasn’t the best week food-wise.

On top of that, I pulled my left calf on Wednesday night,  went to my scheduled physical therapy session on Thursday and was immediately treated for the new disaster. And that’s right when I was going to start making my way out of PT some time after next week. No such luck. The pulled calf hurt like hell last night, but seems to be a little better today.

What I am most upset about is the rest days I have to take that I was not planning on. This injury once again messes up my entire exercise routine and I can’t ignore it because it hurts to move.

Erm…remind me – isn’t exercise supposed to make you fell better? 🙂

Anywho, before my fitness life was interrupted by the pulled muscle, I managed to fit some fine exercise in last week:

12 ml ride in Monday's spin class

12 ml ride in Monday’s spin class

Weights and strength training with Jim on Wednesday

Weights and strength training with Jim on Wednesday

 

Yoga class with Jim on Wednesday

Yoga class with Jim on Wednesday

Blogging news:

Did you guys noticed the new banner? What do you think?

Also, the former “Healthy Recipe” page of the blog is now called “Recipes” (the sole reason for the name change is that what’s healthy for me can be unhealthy for somebody else, so let’s go with the neutral name) and is powered by ReciPage!

I am still in the process of transferring the recipes from one to the other, but very happy with the way the new page looks! I think it is a lot easier to brows recipes now. You can also search by key ingredients, cooking methods and alphabetically.

I hope you like it and I would appreciate any feedback!

I will see you guys next week with the NYC trip recap!

Have a great weekend and stay fit!

What’s on My Plate Wednesday

Happy hump day, my friends!

To me, it’s pretty much Friday, close enough anyway 🙂

It’s been a very hectic week so far (just like the one before) – lots of running around, exercising, PT sessions, etc. etc..

With all this I am honestly struggling with fitting simple things like getting gas and grocery shopping into my schedule….and fail a lot of times 🙂

You will see the signs of my busy schedule in today’s post – “What’s on My Plate Wednesday” is featuring not as many eats as usual – not because I am a lazy photographer, but because a lot of times I am eating “on the go” – still eating good stuff, though. No fast food for this body 🙂

Ok, here we go – eating highlights from the past week.Continue Reading

Tasty Tuesday – Orzo Salad Recipe with Coconut-Lime Shrimp + A Hell of a Monday

Hey, folks! Happy Tasty Tuesday to you!

Today we’re making an orzo salad with coconut-lime shrimp. Ready? Continue Reading

Beets Salad Recipe and Motivation Monday

Hey, my fitfam!

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I know… Last week was crazy busy – between work, physical therapy and exercise I hardly had any time at all to sit down and breathe.

All better now, seems like, so let’s go into the new week starting with Motivation Monday!Continue Reading

Recipe: Pasta Salad with Roasted Mushrooms

As promised, my friends, here’s the recipe for the last night’s dinner – Pasta Salad with Roasted Mushrooms.Continue Reading

My “Food and Fitness Journal” entries for the past couple days – #plankaday challenge continues!

Hello, friends, and happy Friday!

It is almost weekend! Yey!

Here are my “Food Journal” entries for the last couple of days:Continue Reading

Pasta Salad Recipe, healthy breakfast idea and more

Hello, friends!

I hope you had an easy Friday and are enjoying your weekend!

My Friday was long and I wished I took it off rather than going to work. But hey, it is weekend now!Continue Reading

Breakfast in a Glass Recipe, Retro Candy Store Adventures and the 4th of July

Hello, friends!

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July! I had a great day with my husband at the Swim Club, casual dinner party for 3 people (the 2 of us included) and some good food!Continue Reading