There’s an upside to everything. I wasn’t really looking forward to being away from my kiddos all day, but I made the most of it. Being out of the classroom gave me a chance to enjoy a leisurely lunch with my colleagues. Since we were right nearby, we went to one of my favorite spots: Trattoria Express.
I decided on a classic lunch combo: soup and salad.
I started with the salad. It was a fresh dark green, leafy mix with red onions, tomatoes, and cukes. I topped mine with some house made balsamic vinaigrette. It was so tasty and I only needed a bit. I usually get the Tuscan Salad, which I love, so I was glad to enjoy just a taste of the yummy dressing!
There were a couple of interesting soup options, but I decided to go with a traditional Italian pasta fagioli.
I sprinkled my bowl with red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese just to kick it up a notch. I like my soup HOT. It wasn’t quite hot enough, but I was hungry, so no time for complaints! Luckily, it had plenty of flavor and was loaded with cannelini beans.
Things continued looking up when we got “dismissed” early. It was nice to get home and put my feet up for a few minutes. I must’ve really had kindergarten on the brain because I fixed a very kid-inspired afternoon snack.
Ants on a log, anyone?! This was tasty. The cool, crisp celery paired well with the creamy peanut butter and sweet raisins. No wonder all the kids love it…they know what’s up! Besides, I had to satisfy my nut butter needs. No nut butter at breakfast means nut butter snacks!
I’m still enjoying the sunshine as I contemplate dinner. I know meal-planning is key, but it’s not my forte lately…hmmm….what’ll it be?
