meal prep for next-to-nothing

a few weeks ago, i bought some super delicious chicken curry salad from the Wedge co-op in Minneapolis (as most of you know, i am a HUGE support of co-ops). as i checked out the ingredients, i realized i could probably make something similar and just as delicious at home. it's so easy to grab something that's already been made when you're heading off to school or work, so it was a no-brainer to try and imitate the recipe.

at our local Eastside Food Co-op, they sell whole rotisserie chickens from the deli on Sundays for only $7.99. compared to a $17 raw whole chicken we could've cooked ourselves, this was a steal. the original salad was made with mayonnaise, but i wanted to keep it healthy and use Plain yogurt instead. Trevor and i decided to make the salad slightly different than the original one we tried, and the results were absolutely perfect. see here how i did it:

whole chicken, being cut
for salad

1. cut and cube (or shred) 2 breasts or 2 legs of a chicken
2. chop 1 bunch of celery
3. add 1 cup of dried cranberries and 1.5 cups of raw cashew bits to chicken and celery
4. in a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup of plain yogurt with LOTS of yellow curry powder (powder will absorb into the yogurt better than a curry paste, but do as you like to). we also added sugar and salt to taste.
5. mix all ingredients and the yogurt sauce together, then package for the fridge.

et voila! there you have it. in total this recipe cost about $12 and fed us for a number of days (it was best at lunch). meal prep and healthy eating has never been easier!

the finished product!

ode to my love

me and trev, March 2012

happy Valentine's day!!! i know it's been a while since i've written so i wanted to write a few words about the one i love the most. you've heard about Trevor in many of my previous posts and on this day it's fitting that i tell you just how much that love means to me and my world.

best friend forever, my dear Brooke

we always hear about "the One" and how "you'll just know" when you find him (or her). when i first met Trev i knew he was something special, so we took it slow. part of the beauty of finding the one person you love the most is the romance, the spark and the special connection you share. when i first felt that spark i knew i didn't want to screw it up, so i made sure to always be on my best behavior. time went on, we grew closer, and ultimately we discovered just how deep our love was.

once you are comfortable with someone it can definitely be hard to maintain the romance and spark, so we always try and make a point of doing it. even if it means doing a small favor for your partner, or maybe a big surprise, romantic dinner, there's always an opportunity for romance. to this day, we do not let the other person use the bathroom in front of the other. even when we are camping. it's the one sacred thing we have left!! it's different for everyone and that just happens to be one way we keep the spark alive.

my nephew Emmett, who always makes me smile

i hope that everyone finds the people in their world who truly make them happy, feel special, feel loved and supported, without question. maybe its your best friend, your partner or your dog, but we all have someone in our life that just makes everything better. love to all.  xoxo