Hello, friends!
Where did the weekend go? It feels like it was Friday night just 5 minutes ago!
We were busy this weekend! Lots of pool time, yard/patio work, planting, Father’s Day fuss…So here are the highlights of the past weekend.
Food highlights of the weekend:
Friday night dinner was grilled bratwurst and hot-dogs – quick, which is essential for a Friday night. My sacred responsibility was, as always, get the stuff to go with it all cut up and ready – and try to keep the meal healthy, which is essential for me 🙂
Carmen and I had a sandwich with leftover hot dogs and bratwurst on it on Saturday with some sweet potato and quinoa salad:
On Sunday afternoon, the family wasn’t hungry for lunch but everybody was eager to go back to the pool, so I put together a quick salad for myself to take along. Here’s how:
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Orzo
- 1/2 sweet potato
- 5 black pitted olives
- 3 tbs black beans
- 2 tbs yellow corn kernels
- 1 tbs green onion
- 2 tbs crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tbs olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook orzo according to the package instructions and let it cool down.
- Boil/microwave sweet potato, let it cool down, cut into small cubes.
- Rinse and drain black beans and corn kernels.
- Combine orzo, sweet potato, beans, corn, and olives in a bowl. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and mix well.
- Top with feta cheese and chipped green onions.
- Enjoy!
On Sunday night Simon made a wonderful dinner for Father’s Day (and he did all the dishes, too!) – Mushroom and Asparagus Penne with Cream Sauce. It was such a hectic time – I didn’t have a chance to take a picture of the dinner table, but I am having the leftover pasta for lunch today, so here it is:
On the fitness front:
My knee is still in a pretty bad shape. It got really swollen on Friday night. I made a doctor’s appointment for this Thursday, we’ll see what Dr. Lisa will have to say about it…
Anyway, I cancelled my Saturday spinning and decided to go to just Jim’s yoga class instead of my Saturday double. My exercise plans for the following day are always a subject of discussion/conversation in my house. I love it that my family is very supportive of what I am doing, and they always ask me what sort of exercise I have planned for the following day. So, on Friday evening Carmen asked me just that. I told her about my plans and she said she really wanted to go with me. Since she got a personal invitation to do so from Jim at the Foundry Day, we decided it is time for a family yoga practice! So we went to the store and got her a pair of shorts and her very own yoga mat. She was so excited she jumped up early in the morning all ready to go do some yoga 🙂
She did extremely well! I think it is because she is used to following her teacher’s instructions at her ballet class and because we practice some of the poses on Friday night as well as breathing techniques that Jim uses during the class, so it wasn’t a complete surprise for her. Anyway, we had a blast! Carmen said: “I want to go to every yoga class you go to when I am with you guys”. It was absolutely amazing to see her enjoy the things I enjoy and to be able to do it together!
Father’s Day:
My father was the most wonderful person in the whole world for me!
My parents got divorced when I was a baby and it wasn’t until I was 6 that I actually met my dad for the very first time. Right away I knew he was my soul mate.
We shared a passion for languages, music, stars, camping and nature and so so much more.
He was a medical examiner and had an amazing sense of humor.
He could make anybody laugh – regardless of their age, social status or whatever else.
He passed away in 1998 and to this day not a day goes by that I don’t think of him. He is always holding me as if I am a little girl and helps me go through life.
Show your love to your parents – unfortunately we only have so much time to do that. Never miss an opportunity to say “I love you” to them.
Stay fit, friends and have an easy Monday!
Very well done Lena. My, but you are eating well..
Thank you, Jim! I try 🙂