But not just any Mexican food. Mexican Pile On. Forget the tacos. Forget the burritos. We just want the insides. A big mushy bowl over a pile of chips, thankyouverymuch.

It is also worth mentioning that this is usually a meal for 20+ people…so there is a lot of food going on. I recreated this Christmas tradition for Meeker and I tonight, and we had significantly less options than one would find in December.

• guacamole
• sautéed vegetables (peppers, onions, corn)
• rice
• cheddar cheese
• vegan cheddar cheese (<—that’s standard tex-mex, right?)
• salsa

On the big day, we usually have a lot more options – ground meat, beans, lettuce, you get the idea. Surprisingly (not), Meeker piled his with some flank steak tonight.

Piling on. (don’t be fooled by that angelic glow over his shoulder, it’s just the sun)

Take it back, there’s no salsa.

Ahh, salsa.

What the heck!? This salsa sucks. It tastes like ketchup.

The possibilities are really endless. Just make sure you have some good salsa.

Let’s start with breakfast…

A toasted cinnamon-raisin English muffin – it doesn’t really get better than cinnamon + raisins + bread

I had an apple and peanut butter while teaching about cause and effect during reading class, then came home for lunch.

A quesadilla with daiya + black beans

Topped with toffuti better than cream cheese + salsa

I also had some celery and cucumbers, which filled me up nicely for the afternoon – however, the real reason I came home for lunch was to put my dinner in the crockpot.

Meatless Sloppy Joes

• 1 cup sliced red onions
• 1 green bell peppers, sliced
• 1 can kidney beans (drained, rinsed, and mashed)
• 8oz tomato sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbs. chili powder

Put all ingredients in the crock pot, and cook on high for 5 – 5 ½ hours. I got home around 5pm, and then Punky and I went for a nice fall afternoon walk while the joes
did their thing for another hour. When we got home, Punky got her Purina, and I had a tasty sloppy joe. Then I had another plate of slop. I love it when crock pot recipes turn out well.

In the 3^rd grade world…

What is it with 3^rd grade boys and talking about #2? Today during a game we were playing in reading, one of my boys yelled out:

I will make you eat your poop!

The kicker was that another student’s grandmother was volunteering in the classroom, and just happened to be overseeing that particular student. I think my face turned red. Needless to say, after the events of the last two days, I had to have a “potty talk” conversation with my class.

In other news, we are (more than) a little tight on our budget this week, so my eats were pretty darn boring. We can’t squeeze in a grocery trip until next week, so I’m making a lot of pantry meals this week.

After taking Punky on a long walk, breakfast was an unphotographed bowl of brown rice with agave drizzled on top – I assure you that will be my breakfast more than a few times in the upcoming week – so you will see it.

Lunch

Tuna salad (1 small can of tuna + spicy mustard + pickles) eaten with a carrot. The last carrot in the house.

Then I gnawed on some coconut for satiation purposes.

I don’t know of a way to get the flesh off the coconut without just chewing on it (which I am totally okay with). Any tips??

After lunch I went to the gym and lifted heavy things for about an hour, ran some errands, then came home, drank a protein shake…

1 scoop Sun Warrior protein powder, 1 cup mixed frozen fruit, 2 cups water

And painted my toenails pink!

Hmm, they look red. Trust me – they are neon pink. A good color for the start of the school year.

Dinner was a favorite cheapy.

Rice, pinto beans, and salsa – all sprinkled with garlic powder

And that’s it! Nothing too crazy for the last day of summer vacation, but it was nice just to putter around and get stuff done. I’m going to get in bed early tonight in hopes to start the school year out well rested!

Questions:

Did you like the ‘first day of school’ as a kid? I loved it – I’ve always been a sucker for new organization and office supplies. Plus, you got to see all of your friends!

What’s your favorite cheap meal? Rice and beans is probably mine. I bet the above bowl cost less than $1 if I broke it down into servings!

I started out this day with ½ a mini watermelon and some blackberries.

Coffee on the side. A beautiful breakfast. About an hour later, Punky and I went for a run. We are so lucky to live in a community where leashes/dogs don’t necessarily have to go hand-in-hand. It’s so much fun to run with the doggie off her leash. She gets better exercise, and I don’t have to hold anything in my hands. Win, win.

All tuckered out.

After working in the garden for a bit, I decided it was time for another breakfast.

It’s been SO long since I’ve had eggs! These were runny and yummy. I had some mushrooms and salsa on the side for a little flavor flave. Now I’m off to the grocery store – happy Monday!

What’s your favorite season and why?
I think I’ve made it pretty clear that I love summer with all my heart.

Before I left, I had a homemade energy bar.

When I came home, I had leftover falafel salad.

Lettuce, corn, carrots, celery, falafel, mustard + red wine vinegar dressing

I was still hungry after this beast, so I mixed up some trail mix. Love.

Walnuts, carob chips, almonds, dried cranberries

Throughout the afternoon I had milk, watermelon, about a gallon of water and some more almonds. Like I said, spinning left me with a monster appetite. When Meeker got home, I made him a broccoli + spinach + mushroom quiche…he devoured the the.whole.thing.

Crust made out of crunched cheerios and almond meal + sautéed onions, spinach, broccoli, and mushrooms

3 eggs + ¼ cup cottage cheese poured over and then baked for 10 minutes at 425* – I can’t attest to its success because I didn’t have any, but like I said, Meeker ate it all – which means it was probably edible. No guarantees, though. That boy will eat whatever I set in front of him.

For my din din, I wanted another salad. It was too hot for anything else…plus you all got me thinking with your taco salad toppings from last night.

Spinach, ground turkey, tortilla chips, avocado, kidney beans, salsa

And I finished off the night with a few bites of this….

This stuff has the best texture…it’s kind of chewy, which sounds weird, but is really heavenly.

Whee! Tomorrow is the best day of the week, and I’m off to watch So You Think You Can Dance. I definitely don’t think I can dance, but I like watching that show and pretending.

Start with a bed of lettuce, and then pile on the toppings…

My personal favorites include homegrown tomatoes

green onions, CILANTRO (my fave), red peppers…

Homemade guacamole is a must

and the best salsa in the world doesn’t hurt.

Add some sort of protein, and then pile it high…

I like ground turkey, but if you don’t do the meat thing…beans are yummy, too. Add some broken tortilla chips (for crisp!) and a spoonful of roasted red pepper hummus (mmm…creamy). The key is layers. Crispy, crunchy, smooth and fresh.

What is your favorite taco salad topping?

One egg, salsa, two slices of ww bread

I love my milk frother. This was an old leftover starbucks cup with ¾ coffee and ¼ steamed milk. I packed the sandwich in foil, put a lid on the coffee and hoofed it to school. The breakfast sandwich was enjoyed while checking email at my desk. 6 days, 6 days, 6 days…

At lunchtime I was beyond hungry. My lunch did very little to stop the grumbling.

Leftover chicken and zucchini

Cheese and crackers

a mini packet of M&Ms given to by a student

The day was so nice and warm that I took both of my afternoon classes outside to write poetry in the sunshine. I just strolled around listening to 8 year-old wisdom and soaking up the rays. It was glorious. After school, I headed to my after-school job in the office and had some homemade cheerio trail mix.

Cheerios, chocolate chips, almonds, pepitas

I left just after 6:00pm and walked home in the warm sunshine. I can’t even express how much I love the longer daylight hours of summer. Upon entering the door, I quickly made a taco salad.

Lettuce, shredded carrot, ground turkey, salsa, hummus, crumbled chips

The salad was so voluminous that I had to transfer it to a mixing bowl in order to eat it. Don’t believe me?

Proof.

For dessert, I made an insanely simple, delicious and healthy ice cream.

Just like a frosty. Into my food processor I put: one frozen banana, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, splash of milk

In the 3^rd grade world…

My students have taken to using the phrase “google it up” – and I fear that I’m to blame. I don’t remember ever saying this, but it sounds like something I would glibly say in response to a question. For example…

Mrs. Unger, do you know what the alternative name for Orion’s Nebula is?

No, I don’t Timmy…I’ll have to google that up later.

Like I said, I don’t recall ever using that phrase, but I sometimes feel so comfortable with my students that I slip into the habit of using tremendously casual speech. I wouldn’t put it past myself. Either way, some of my students now think that “google it up” is a perfectly legitimate term for “doing research”

I would correct them, but honestly, I think it’s hilarious.

I whipped up a version of Katie’s raw cheesecake and poured it over some Greek yogurt. It didn’t feel complete without a few chocolate chips, so those were added, too. To make my version of the raw cheesecake:

• ¼ cup almonds
  
• ½ frozen banana (about 50g)
  
• 1 tbs. water
  
• 5 vanilla drops
  
• Pinch of salt
  

1. Put the almonds and water in the food processor and blend until smooth
2. Add the rest of the ingredients

It’s that easy. It tasted like heaven draped over the creamy yogurt. I let Punky lick the food processor clean and she loved it, too. After breakfast, I just laid around. I was feeling a little under the weather, so I opted to talk on the phone to my best friend and watch TV rather than go for my typical Saturday morning run. Lunchtime was here before I knew it, and I wanted something savory. Seeing as my savory-loving-taste-buds rarely make themselves known, I fully embraced the craving.

Delicious: spinach, roasted potatoes, egg, salsa, and some buried hummus

Meeker got home from work and started in on some laborious yard work – which made me feel lazy, so I went for a walk/run. In total, I probably moved about 6 miles, and I felt so much better afterwards. I came home and fixed my hard-working scuzzband some steak/potatoes/eggs. He was a happy boy.

For dinner, I was still on that savory kick, so I started with a pizza.

flatout wrap with tomato paste and cheese, popped under the broiler for about 4 minutes.

Then, a big huge salad.

Lettuce, carrots, edamame, a few potato chunks (leftover), celery and ranch dressing.

I like salad. I also like chocolate, but we didn’t have anything but cocoa powder in the house, so I created an insanely quick and delicious raw dessert to end the meal.

Into the food processor (don’t worry, I cleaned after Punky’s taste-testing earlier) went:

• ½ frozen banana
• 3 medjool dates
• 1 handful of almonds
• 1 tbs. cocoa powder

It was so creamy and delicious! It made about ½ cup of mush, but it was so rich that I only ate a few bites before storing the rest in the refrigerator. I know it will be a perfect addition to my breakfast in the morning.

I hope you are all having beautiful Saturdays!

I was in the mood for sweet (honestly, when am I not?) and this breakfast hit the spot. A flatout wrap with peanut butter, cinnamon and chocolate chips. I wrapped this up and ate it once I was in my classroom.

Lunch was eaten at home today.

Broccoli slaw, grilled chicken (leftover), chickpeas and hummus

Cottage cheese scooped up with a few crackers

I haven’t had a lunch this good in a looong time. I wish I had time to eat lunch at home every day. It’s so nice to have a fridge of possibilities instead of just eating what I packed more than 12 hours prior to lunch. Two weeks, two weeks, two weeks…

I did my workout way later today, and had a fantastic, speedy run on the treadmill. It’s rainy/snowy outside. Yes, it’s May and snowy. I’m not pleased at all. But looking at the positive side of things, I got to see my handsome husband doin’ his thang at the gym.

I did a quick 7 miles, full of intervals and sweat. I love the after-run feeling so dang much. I could never not run.

Dinner couldn’t come soon enough. It is Taco Tuesday! (We don’t really have a tradition of tacos on Tuesdays, but I’m a sucker for alliterations)

Ground beef (cooked with salsa, onions, and garlic) and then topped with cheddar and cilantro

Unfortunately, these two tacos did very little for my hunger, so I made a big ol’ taco salad after scarfing down these delicious suckers.

Ah, that’s more like it. It’s all about volume.

In the 3^rd grade world…

This story was written by one of my students a few weeks ago. She is SUCH a little foodie, and a very talented writer. Enjoy!

The Guacamole And Salsa Fight With Chips!

Once there was a bag of chips. They lived in a kitchen. The chips in the bag were named Billy Bob Joe, Milly, Tom, Jill, Eric, Rebeca, Josoph, Jordyn, Tanner, Meaghan, and Yamus. The bag opened and the chips gleefully ran out. There were two large bowls, one had guacamole and the other had salsa. That’s when the problem started. The chips knew that they could only go in one. The girls liked the salsa but the boys liked guacamole. Rebecca called out “The salsa”. Eric called out “The guacamole”.

All the girls grabbed a chuck of vegetables. The boys balled up some guacamole. Then they all fired! Many cries, yells, and grunts came from the chips. This lasted for about an hour. Then the chips charged!  The girls were pushed into the guacamole the boys the salsa. It was terrible! But the boys tasted the salsa and they liked it. Same with the girls! They started playing. There was a cheer of joy from the chips. They were all friends. Rebeca and Eric remembered something. They got out and washed off. The two of them apologized. Eric and Rebeca agreed that Monday, Wednesday, and Friday they would go in the salsa. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday they would go in the guacamole. They did not get out on Sunday.

Everyone was happy. The chips went back into the bag. The chips lived happily ever after.

The End

Also, eight hours of sleep sucks. It is actually stressing me out more because I have less time to do things at night. I am going to continue for this week, BUT, after that, 8 hours is a no-go. Just plain silly.

Yikes, I just complained for 150 words…let’s turn things around, shall we?

I woke up early and had a fantastic 5 mile speed workout. I felt very accomplished afterwards. Then I had breakfast while in the car.

Corn, peas, edamame, salsa, egg, nutritional yeast

Lunch was quick because I had recess duty. I inhaled this wrap.

Flatout wrap, hummus, chicken, cilantro

Cinnamon roll lara bar…delicious!

Snack – a gift from a student.

A mini mango and a poem about how I am as tan as the sand. How cute is that?

Dinner couldn’t come soon enough. I forgot that I had to work late tonight, and I didn’t pack NEAR enough food. But I survived, I always do. When I got home, I microwaved a sweet potato for a few minutes and then threw it on the grill.

Topped with cinnamon and stevia. So yum.

Now I’m catching up on Gossip Girl and waiting for my scuzzband to get home!

In the 3^rd grade world…

After that rant on my job, I feel a little guilty saying that this week is Teacher Appreciation Week and my students each brought me a flowers today.

Gorgeous. I have no right complain about my job.