The first time I saw Nix, I got the vibe that it was some crazy heavy metal bar. A biker bar perhaps. Well, at least a place where short skirts and sleazy guys might hang out.
I mean, they DO have FLAMES in their logo:
Friday eats
Sooooooo… it has been FOR-EV-ER since I last posted about workday breakfast-breakfast-lunch. I guess I just got bored posting about the same things over and over again. But today, I figured what the heck. It’s Friday. Let’s do this.
Breakfast #1
I absolutely adore this B#1 every day! Sausage, eggs, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, spinach, and garlic? Come on!
Don’t forget the dollop of ketchup of course 🙂
Stats on 1 Servings of my Special Eggs (sans ketchup): 189 Calories, 9g carbs, 9g fat, 23g protein, 1g fiber
Breakfast #2
Oatmeal!
I was in the grocery store the other day and ALMOST bought some strawberries so I could make overnight oats… But it’s so stinkin cold outside that I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Man I miss them 🙁 So for today, it was standard microwaved quick oats with cinnamon and brown sugar… maybe my OO’s will make a return next week!
Stats on 1 Servings of oats: 165 Calories, 31g carbs, 3g fat, 5g protein, 4g fiber
Lunch
And that brings us to LUNCH. Mini cheesy meat loaf and a yumlicious side salad with Newman’s Light balsamic dressing:
Maybe it’s a midwest thing….. but I seriously adore meatloaf.
It’s comforting.
It’s meaty.
It brings me unfettered joy.
Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.
Stats on 1 mini cheesy meatloaf: 350 calories, 19g carbs, 17g fat (red meat, folks), 29g protein, 1g fiber
So what’s on everyone’s agenda this weekend? Here’s what I’ll be up to:
- Eyebrow wax this evening (fun Friday night activity, no?)
- Clean.my.house. Seriously. I’m living in filth.
- Work.
- Get some of my friends and family tax returns done… oh the joys of being a tax accountant
- Buy the BF a bday present… I’m thinking outlet mall!
- Possibly venturing out on a Luna Bar quest. Must find the new flavors STAT!
- Super Bowl of course! Bring on the cheese!
10-Minute Taco Salad for One
When I was a kid, there were a few dinners that I got off the charts excited about. Spaghetti, Meatloaf, Stuffed Cabbages, Steaaaaaak, anything involving potatoes, Paella, Hamburgers, Pizza, Macaroni and Cheese… ok maybe there were more than a few…. But one of the ULTIMATES was Taco Salad Night. Just thinking about it makes my tummy rumble!
Last night, in anticipation of my very own Taco Salad Night, I pulled 4 ounces of 93% fat free turkey breast from the freezer to defrost. I swear, freezing individually portioned meats (and meals) never ceases to bring me joy!
Four ounces of love:
All I could think about ALL DAY at work was TACO SALAD! I’m talking a serious unable-to-computate-numbers craving. I could barely make it til 5. Thankfully, my tasty taco salad for one cooks up in ten minutes flat—sooooo, I didn’t have too long to wait once I finally arrived at home.
Feast yo’ eyes!
First up, I seasoned the defrosted turkey breast up with a little salt and pepper and cooked in a sauté pan until no longer pink. Then I sprinkled on 1 tbsp of McCormick’s taco seasoning blend and a 1/4 cup a water, reduced the heat, and let the turkey simmer away until the liquid thickened.
Meanwhile, I put 1/2 a bag of romaine lettuce on a plate and topped with some chopped tomato, onion, banana peppers, 2 tbsp fat free sour cream, and the secret ingredient: 10 smashed up baked nacho cheese Doritos.
10 minutes to tasty!
When the hot meat hits the smashed Doritos and mixes in with the sour cream you get this deliciously cheesy slightly spicy oh-so-creamy sauce.
LOVE this taco salad!
Stats on the taco salad: 368 calories, 34g carbs, 11g fat, 26g protein, 8g fiber
Some like it hot
There is a small portion of the population out there that crave heat in their food. These are the people who actually enjoy the runny nose you inevitably get when eating something hot. The people who know when others say something is “hot” it won’t even phase them because of their extreme tolerance for heat. The people who’ve contemplated carrying around a bottle of hot sauce in their purse/bookbag/car. The people who have found a way to incorporate buffalo sauce in to breakfast, lunch, AND dinner. The people who constantly get asked “you put hot sauce on that?!”
You know who you are.
This recipe is for you.
I bring you slow-cooked buffalo chicken sandwiches:
When I first stumbled upon this recipe, I KNEW it was destiny. Buffalo chicken dip is a staple in my circle of friends and family, so how could a buffalo chicken sandwich NOT be amazing?
Simple answer. If you like hot food, you will love this sandwich.
The recipe was very easy to throw together.
Throw the following into a plastic baggie to marinate overnight:
- 4 raw skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 3/4 of a Quart (24 ounces) buffalo wing sauce (use your favorite brand–we used Gionino’s, of course)
- 1 package dry ranch salad dressing mix
The next morning toss the marinated chicken into a crockpot, and cook on low for 6 hours. Once the chicken is cooked, pull the breasts out of the crockpot and shred them up with two forks. Toss the meat back in and then add:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces of buffalo wing sauce (which is the remainder of the quart)
Cook for one hour more, and then serve on top of a toasted kaiser roll.
To make the sandwich even more amazing, add some pepper jack cheese.
Awwwwww yeeahhhhhhh.
WARNING: Things may get a little sloppy. But true hot sauce lovers like to become one with their food, am I right? 😀
Sausage & Caramelized Onion Pita Pizza
Last weekend, I caught 5 minutes or so of Giada’s cooking show on the Food Network on which she made a sausage and caramelized onion calzone. Are you drooling yet? Ever since then, I’ve had this image of sausage and caramelized onions floating around in my head, beckoning to me. I just so happened to have a leftover sausage from last Sunday’s cookfest, so I decided to put it to use today:
YUMMMMM….. I haven’t made a pita pizza in AGES! Jennie O’s mom and pop would be so darn proud! 😀
First up, I cranked the heat on the oven to 350 degrees, sprayed a small skillet with cooking spray, and placed it over medium high heat. Once the skillet was hot, I added:
- 1/4 cup sliced white onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Onions & garlic. Anytime you start a recipe off with these two ingredients, there’s an unwritten guarantee it’s going to be delicious. Didn’t you know??
I reduced the heat slightly at this point just to make sure I didn’t burn the garlic or onion. Then I just let the onions do their thing, stirring them occasionally.
Meanwhile, I topped a Joseph’s low-carb pita with 1/4 cup Classico Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic Sauce and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.
Once the onions were soft and a nice light brown color, I added them on top of the pita along with 1/2 a link of pre-cooked & chopped up Jennie O’ Hot Turkey Sausage.
I cut up a light Sargento Mozzarella string cheese into small sticks and tossed those on top then seasoned with a sprinkle of dried oregano and some black pepper:
Then I popped this beauty into the oven for 10 minutes, until everything was heated through and the cheese was melty:
I also fixed up a small side salad, which consisted of romaine lettuce, 1/2 a roma tomato, some chopped red onion, and 2 tbsp Ken’s Steakhouse lite Caesar dressing: 
I REALLY like Ken’s Lite Caeser by the way.
Nom nom nom!
Sometimes the simplest of ingredients combine to make the most amazing meals. It is the best of both worlds!
Ingredients List: Sausage & Caramelized Onion Pita Pizza
- 1/4 cup sliced white onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Joseph’s low-carb pita with flax
- 1/4 cup Classico Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic Sauce
- Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 link Jennie O’ Hot Turkey Sausage
- 1 light Sargento Mozzarella string cheese
- Dried Oregano
- Black Pepper
Stats on my pita pizza: 236 calories, 17g carbs, 11g fat, 22g protein, 6g fiber