Clean Sweep

I was a productive little pixie this weekend, making a 100-year old recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies, making my favorite vegetable frankie recipe, my lovely, chewy and refreshing tabouli, and generally cooking my tushie off! I was a little smarter this time though, and made sure to separate out some tabouli to take to lunch with me this morning.  Here's what it looks like....

Tabouli (or Tabbouleh, as I have seen it spelled) is a Middle-Eastern salad that is refreshing, crunchy and chewy all at the same time, and has an added side benefit of.....um.....well, to be delicate, you will feel suitably "cleansed" after those whole grains scrub their way through your system.  I fondly call it COLON BLOW! (remember the old Saturday Night Live bit?). When I eat way too much of it, you guessed it, it's SUPER COLON BLOW.  Let's just say that when it comes to the time in my life when I have to get the dreaded colonoscopy, I think the physician will be able to see all the way to Poughkeepsie. Just sayin' :)

Anyway, it's delicious, refreshing and healthy and although it began as a simple wheat-berry and parsley salad, I enjoy putting mint, parsley, cucumber, tomato and scallion in mine for extra crunch. Extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a little salt complete the dish.  I am going to try to continue to bring healthy lunch meals with me for at least this entire work week. Even if I have to forgo the baking for my terrific crew here at work. Oh, and in case you think I'm entirely too virtuous...BEHOLD!!!

Yep, that is EXACTLY what you think it is - a giant bar of chocolate. It's my favorite Cadbury fruit & nut bar I fell in love with when I lived in England many moons ago.  Hey, virtue is not always all it is cracked up to be!! 

What is your guilty pleasure? What do you sneak when no one is looking?

Eat well my friends, and treat yourselves nicely. We CAN be our own best friends, you know. :)