Pineapple Tomato Salsa with Trout + lunch idea

Idk why but this is where
my thoughts went

The other night I really wanted some tortilla chips but there was no salsa anywhere to be found. Anyone who is anyone knows that tortilla chips are just not eaten without salsa and cheese only can lead to digestive disasters (TMI?). Just to give everyone a look into my life, what I did find in the fridge was six bottles of ketchup. SIX BOTTLES. With varying amounts of ketchup in them. And not a single jar of salsa. Since I really needed something to occupy me while watching the cheesiest/worst of ABC Family dramas (read: Switched at Birth and The Lying Games - don't judge), I decided to make my own.  And no, I didn't use any ketchup for it but I did include some pineapple and damn it was good.

I ended up remaking this salsa two days two days in a row, which is pretty normal when I get obsessed with a food. I ended up using it as a dip, mixing it with my rice at lunch the next day, and pouring it over fish and pasta for dinner the next day. It's easy, versatile and cheap so it's a win win win all around especially if you like things hot. 

What you'll need:

• 3 tomatoes
• 1/2 an onion, medium
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup parsley (or just as much as you'd like)
• 2 green onions
• 1/2 lemon (or just use some lemon juice)
• Chili paste/powder or actual chili peppers (I use an extra hot mix that my dad made out of chilis from our garden. It's actually deadly.)
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Paprika, garlic powder (optional, you just need a little)
• Pineapple chunks (optional)

resolutions, freezing cold, and not so healthy eating

Reverse resolutions. That's what my January looked like this year. You know how people talk about January Joiners (and how incredibly annoying they are, because they are)? I'm the opposite of that. I went to the gym religiously before January but the minute it hit 2013 I was like nope, not happening, dropping off for good. Along with cutting the gym out of my life, I also stuck to a pretty healthy diet of chicken wings, poutine, grilled cheese, lasagna, sweet potato fries (forever), and some very very calorific drinks. But so what, who cares and it's not even my fault, it's the cold. I mean, who wants to eat lettuce leaves when it's -25C out? Exactly.

But now that my pants won't button up again, it's time to get back to balanced eating (ie: poutine once a month vs once a week) and a little bit more of a focus on my fitness because let's be real: I JUST WANT MY MUSCLES BACK.

I worked harder on these than it looks!

One thing that I have kept up with (other than never updating this blog) is packing my lunches! Since I've been pretty busy, I've tried to keep my lunch packing down to less than half an hour and I think I've come up with some pretty good things.

Spinach & pistachio salad, rolled salmon and goat cheese, and fruit

Don't judge the editing! I went overboard with Camera+ and can't take it back anymore.

• Salad: spinach, arugula, toasted pistachios (easy to toast, just place them in a pan with some raisins and a tiny bit of olive oil), olives, pomegranate balsamic, olive oil, and lemon juice for dressing
• Hardboiled egg, grilled nabolsi cheese, and some foccaccia crackers
• Fruit: pomegranate and blueberries, apple slices
• Half a croissant, smoked salmon rolled with fresh basil, goat cheese, and some pretzel sticks

Overnight oats, salad with hardboiled eggs, and fruit

• Overnight oats: Oats, greek yogurt, a little bit of milk, brown sugar, honey, almonds, goji berries
• Fruit: cactus pear and bananas
• Red pepper slices, 2 hard boiled eggs, and a salad: tomato, avocado, onions, raisins, olives, slivered almonds with lemon juice and olive oil for dressing

Okra, chickpeas, and avocado

• Okra stirfried with garlic, onion, and tomatoes
• Chickpeas with cumin, salt, and lemon
• Avocado, cucumber, cheese, and olives

Stuffed grape leaves and warm chickpea salad

• Stuffed grape leaves (will need to make a post about these!)
• Warm chickpea salad: chickpeas, tomato, garlic, onion, green peppers with lots of garlic and ginger
• Cherries, cucumber, and some blueberries with mixed nuts and raisins