Weekly Update: 6-18-15 Lunch Upgrades

Working as a substitute, I'm a little out of the loop, and when I enter a strange classroom, it's enough trouble to have to worry about how to work the overhead projector and whether any of the whiteboard markers are going to work. The last thing I want to do is hunt down a refrigerator or microwave for my lunch.  So, as I run out the door, I whip together a hearty, if boring lunch, consisting of half a pb and j, some sort of fruit, and a couple of granola bars.

But now, summer is here and I have time to enjoy the finer things in life. Like delicious and nutritious lunches. This is my time to experiment with in the kitchen with yummy combinations that keep me satisfied and healthy.

Today, for example, I did my take on a light version of a chicken salad sandwich, bursting with fruit and veggies. I accompanied it with an apple and a fizzy sherbet float. Yum! It makes me happy, somehow, to know that when the clock strikes noon, I can look forward to my midday meal.

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Last week, I had my last four jobs of the school year at Yorba Linda High. They were testing for their finals, and I had to administer the tests. It wasn't hard, but it was surprisingly time consuming. And then the weather went haywire and sent my sinuses in a flare. Feeling stuffed up and with a nasty headache, my discipline went out the window. I made cards, read two children's books, and brainstormed the ending of The Originals, but aside from that got little done.

 This week, I've been trying to catch up on all thew stuff that got left by the wayside due to my procrastination. And so, I've gone grocery shopping, cleaned the house, walked the dogs, and finished a section in a novella I'm working on. Most of all, I've prepared for my launch party.

My launch party is tomorrow, and I'm excited, but nervous. Helen and Kaleo, friends from the Brea Library Writer's Group, have been wonderful about taking care of logistics and decorations and thigs like that. But when it comes down to it, I'm the main event, and I'm going to have to fill in that hour and a half. That scares me. But I've practiced a speech and read from my book, so I'm at least feeling a bit better. 

All in all, these last two weeks have been fairly light on writing. Hopefully that changes by next week.

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RECIPES

Light and Healthy Chicken Salad Sandwich 

I used leftovers from lemon chicken I made for dinner; it saved me an extra step. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, cooked 
• 1 Fuji apple
• 4 celery stalks
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup light mayo

Chop chicken, apple, and celery. Mix with the remaining ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff into a half a toasted pita with lettuce and tomatoes. Enjoy.

Ginger Ale Sherbet Float

There's something about the tropical fruit that brings out the flavor of the ginger. To me, it gives it a bit of an exotic flavor.

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1 scoop tropical sherbet (pineapple, lime, orange)
• 1 can cold diet ginger ale 

Combine and enjoy.