easy italian salad

Easy Italian SaladToday I am going to share a fact about myself that could possibly end a few friendships.  Something that may make me sound like a snob, or even un-american. An opinion that I normally keep quietly to myself.

Before I share please remember all the good times we’ve had.  I’m not a bad person.  This is just something I need to get off my chest.  You ready?  Here goes…

 

I think Olive Garden sucks.

 

There, I said it.  Too good for the Garden.  I don’t even like the breadsticks.  Please don’t hate me.

Easy Italian SaladDon’t get me wrong, the OG and I have had good times.  Back in high school that was the go to choice for a night out with the girls.  We would gossip over plates of salad and breadsticks and sip on raspberry lemonade.  All was right with the world.

Fast forward a few years and all that I knew about Italian food flew out the window in a tiny NYC bistro.  Fast forward once more to our honeymoon in Italy.  There is a reason people annoyingly go on and on about the food there.  The pasta alone will change your life.

Easy Italian Salad

So what am I doing today posting a salad that looks shockingly similar to Olive Gardens?  Call it reminiscing with extra olives.

To be fair I do remember liking their salad.  (Although what’s with the olives?  Big bowl, two sad little olives.  Olive garden – I think not.)  Crunchy romaine lettuce drenched in Italian dressing and parmesan cheese…what’s not to love?  It is good but not enough to get back through the doors.  There are just too many other restaurants I love much much more nowadays.  This salad though, it takes me back to when things were good between me and Olive Garden.  It’s like catching up with an old friend who smells like garlic.

Easy Italian Salad Easy Italian SaladIf you are a HUGE Olive Garden fan I am sure you stopped reading this post a long time ago.  If by chance you did not, I would like to apologize.  No judgement here.  We all love what we do and that is what makes food so fantastic.  I like this salad, and all it reminds me of.  Maybe I will make a trip to the OG soon…(fat chance).

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

 

 

easy italian salad
 
Prep time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetarian
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
  • Dressing
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan (pre-grated in a pack from the store)
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Croutons
  • ½ loaf Italian bread chopped into 1" pieces
  • ½ teaspoon of dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon of dried basil
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  • Salad
  • 2 heads romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup whole black olives, pitted
  • 1 cup whole red cherry or grape tomatoes
  • ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced into circles
  • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
  1. Place all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
  2. For croutons preheat oven 350 degrees. Place bread on baking sheet and toss with herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake until golden - 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Place lettuce in large salad bowl. Toss with dressing. Top with olive, tomatoes, red onion, parmesan and croutons. Enjoy!

 

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in the kitchen with littles

As Adelynn gets older she is more and more interested in being in the kitchen with me.  Sometimes cooking and baking are a chore- but everytime I throw her in the mix it just become fun.  A mess is of course involved but it’s the best kind of mess.

We were strolling through Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago when I saw this cute Hello Kitty Cookbook and it sparked my interested.  These sweet little books will get your little one’s excited to be in the kitchen! (They would also make adorable gifts!)

kids_baking_february_2015
1. Ratatouille Whats Cooking? 2. The Disney Princess Cookbook 3. Hello Kitty Baking Book 4. Pinkalicious Cupcake Cookbook 5. And of course, some essentials.

Happy Baking!

shansig

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21 days

21 Days to form a HabitYears ago I read the above statement from someone’s Facebook status and it became carved into my brain.  To this day I look at that 21st day as the first huge milestone in a road to physical well being.  If I can just make it through those first 3 weeks…then everything will become easier.

In the last 6 months I have hopped on and off a set workout pattern.  Only making it 2 weeks before my head started to get in the way.  “You’re too tired.”  “Workout twice as long tomorrow.” (Get real.)  “You don’t have enough time for this.”  You name the excuse, I used it.  Until now.

Last week marked 21 days.  And I feel pretty damn happy about that.  Don’t worry, I am not here to brag about lost pounds or a shrinking waistline.  In fact I don’t weigh myself unless forced and I have no idea what my measurements are.  Reality is maybe I have lost, maybe I haven’t…those things are bonus gifts to working out, not the ultimate prize.  What I am already benefiting from is a clearer head, better attitude and far more energy than I had a mere 3 weeks ago.  An unapologetic 30 to 45 minutes, 6 days a week I give to myself has infused a whole lot of happy into my life and the beautiful people that have to live with me.

So let’s talk about those 21 days and how one gets there…

Be Flexible.  If given a choice I would rather have my workout in before 7AM.  This preference would also ultimately defeat me on those days when I didn’t even make it out of bed until 8AM. (Yes, my 3 year old sleeps till 8.  She rules.)  Now I am fine with working out at 6AM or 6PM as long as I get it in.  It doesn’t have to be the same time everyday, it just needs to be checked off the list.  Owning and accepting the flexibility has made a world of difference this time around.

No Comparing.  Just because someone else can go 10 miles any given day and you’re struggling for 2 doesn’t mean that you aren’t winning.  I don’t ever want to run 10 miles at once.  I am fairly certain I would die.  What I do want is to continue to push myself and achieve personal victories, regardless of what my triathlon Facebook friend may be conquering.

Reference Points. Think back to a time in your life when you were taking care of yourself.  When you kept yourself in check, feeling good not only on the outside but on the inside too.  Do not go pulling out the picture of yourself after having mono and losing 15 pounds.  No, that is not what we are looking for here.  We want a genuine time of putting focus on your health and overall wellbeing.  Mine is the first Mother’s Day with our little Jettie.

exercise_february_2015_2Yes, that is beer and pizza you see.  Those bloody marys?  Woke up to a bar with all the fixings to kickoff my first year of being “mom”.  It was as close to a perfect day as it could be.  One that began with a run on the treadmill, just for me.  Had I not stuck to my routine that day, all those calories could have pulled the grumpy out in me.  Instead I had endorphins racing through my veins.  Exercise was something I looked forward to back then.  I want nothing more than to be in that state of mind again.  This little slice of life is motivation to keep going.

Patience.  This is a tough one…for anyone.  At first you’ll be sore, the good kind of sore that makes you feel like you are really making a change.  You might even notice immediate water weight loss.  Both very motivating things to experience.  But then around 2 weeks you are not as sore, and you are bulking a bit (the worst).  Rest assured if you keep going, you keep pushing yourself, you will see results.  It is one of the hardest humps to get over, one that may take a few times to overcome.  Once you do though, and you begin to feel the rewards of your hard work and persistence, it makes all those hard days so worth it times a million.

21 days…that’s all it takes.  Just kidding, it takes hell of a lot more than that.  What that 21 days does do however is start something good.  An accomplishment just for you and a place to go from.  You make it through those first three weeks…you can start setting new goals, all the while knowing you met your first.

Hopefully I will be staying on the track for good this time around.  I’ll keep you updated.

Here’s to feeling good!

brandyjsig

 

 

 

(For those of you who are curious I am currently running 3 to 4 miles 3 days a week and doing one level of Jillian’s 30 Day Shred the other 3.  I hope to be back up to the level of working out I was when I wrote this post.  Yoga is also something I am interested in – hint, hint to you Yoga fans.)

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eight

Eight years ago today we met in an enchanted city and said yes to us.  Was the weather perfect?  70 and sunny.  Was the setting gorgeous?  Absolutely.  Did any of that matter?  Not even a little.  All I wanted was to be that outrageously handsome man’s wife.

Sometimes we get everything we want…I hit the jackpot on that beautiful day in Savannah.

Wedding SavannahImages by Garrett Nudd

Today “us” looks like this…and we couldn’t have dreamed it up better.

0036_rammel_fb_1Image by Amanda Reynolds

Sticky, thank you for making a believer out of me.  Not only does true, crazy, lasting love exist but it is attainable.  I am grateful for everyday I get to call you husband.  Cheers to many more years of us.

xo,

brandyjsig

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these things

these things february 2015The prettiest little ring dishes to keep your gems tidy, a warm your belly recipe to comfort a loved one’s day and Disney magic…no one does it better than them.

Happy Weekend!

brandyjsig

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