New Year, New You

Things got a little busy these past few months between work and the holiday season.  I am starting off the new year with a health kick, doesn't' everyone??!?!?  The thing is I don't believe in diets, most of them are just a fad and you will go right back to eating normal and gaining every pound you lost right back. You have to look at it more as a lifestyle change and set goals for the year rather than a resolution.  My first goal for the year is to eat more natural foods such as fruits and veggies so for the month of January I decided not to eat meat to focus more on healthy salads and cut out those sandwiches and big lunches!

I love the taste of fruit mixed with veggies and salads do not have to contain lettuce and be covered in fattening dressings.

Take the above for example. I took one large Holland cucumber, 1/2 a can of black olives, 1 gala apple and 1 cup of grapes.  You can cut them to your liking and combine in a bowl.  I then added 2 tablespoons of a red wine vinaigrette.  Lastly add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.  The acid from the lemon juice helps keep yours apples from getting brown so you salad will stay and LOOK fresh for days. Enjoy!

BLT Pasta Salad

The ""BLT" Bacon Lettuce and tomato turned into a tasty pasta salad side dish!"

Now as you know from the Bacon wrapped corn on the cob post, my husband loves his bacon!  So here I took the classic BLT and turned it into the perfect meal.  Here we both get our favorite things, pasta and bacon!  You will need the ingredients below to get started:

Ingredients:

1 Box Mini Bow Tie Pasta (cooked) 2 Ripe Heirloom Tomato's (chopped) 2 Cups Iceberg Lettuce (chopped) 5 Strips Apple-wood Smoked Bacon (cooked and chopped) 1 Can Medium Black Olives (Sliced) 1 Cup Ken's Light Ranch Dressing 1/2 Cup Ken's Ranch Dressing 1/2 Cup Sunflower Seed Oil 2 TBSP Lemon Juice 1 TBSP Dried Basil 1 TBSP Black Pepper 1 TBSP Salt 5 TBSP Bacon Bits Once you have the above items prepped and ready to go you can follow my easy to follow instructions below:

Combine Ranch dressing, Sunflower Seed Oil and Lemon juice in large bowl. Add Basil, Black Pepper and Salt. Next, Stir in prepared pasta and mix well to coat pasta. Gently Stir in Tomatoes, Lettuce and olives. Lastly stir in the chopped bacon and bacon bits. Refrigerate for 1 hour and ENJOY!