what's for dinner: avocado burger + homemade potato wedges

menu:
avocado burger & homemade potato wedges

there's one thing i know, i love a good hamburger.  if i was on the show survivor standing on a pole in the middle of the ocean trying to win immunity, they would probably be able to bribe me off that pole with a juicy hamburger.

tonight i decided to take a spin on the traditional burgers that i make, and try an avocado burger.  avocados are a great source of oleic acid which actually lowers cholesterol and some believe eating it will lower your risk of breast & prostate cancer.

with that said, here is how to add a little avocado into your own diet, via the avocado burger

ingredients for one avocado burger:
1 whole wheat hamburger bun
1/2 small avocado
3 cherry tomatoes diced
1/4 cup sliced onion
1/4 tsp butter
1 turkey burger patty
salt & pepper
ketchup

* Heat a skillet to medium heat.  Sprinkle your patty with a little salt & pepper.  (i get my turkey patties at aldi.  they are very low calorie and inexpensive).  Cook the patty until it is done.  (you always want to cook turkey completely!)

* While patty is cooking, add a little butter to your bun and place on the skillet to toast.

* Also place sliced onion on skillet until caramelized

* In a bowl, smash 1/2 avocado with the diced cherry tomatoes.  sprinkle on a little salt for flavor

* Remove toasted buns and spread avocado mixture on the buns.  Then add grilled onions and turkey patty.

* ENJOY!  We were in a bit of a rush tonight, so I didn't have time to snap any pictures.  It was absolutely delicious, quick and easy.  the picture above isn't mine, but can be found here.

advice i will take today

with winter bringing me down, today i will try and focus on the positive. (source)

candy coated spring

the spring 2011 j. crew line is out, and makes has me counting down the days til the frost is gone.  here are some of my favorites.

 i always love a good shade of yellow.

 the caramel colored belt with that skirt has so happy.

 j. crew has released a line of short & long sequence skirts...you know me and sparkle.  i love the styling with the fancy mixed with the casual.

 its simple, it has a vintage feel, and i want this girl's hair.

the flirty scalloped edge of these shorts is something i am going to have to try.

get inspired and check out the entire j crew spring line here.

engagement pics ♥

our dear dear friend stephanie took our winter wonderland engagement pictures this week.  i hope you'll hop over to her blog and check them out.  they are absolutely gorgeous.  i love her work!  more>

happy snow day everyone

 

snapshots

here to share some snapshots of my weekend

 the amazing marker board dane gave me for christmas.  i know it's weird, but my new thing is woodgrain.

 homemade bruschetta.  it was so delicious. get the recipe here.

had so much fun making this 2011 planner thanks to LA's online class.  make your own by watching here.

 homemade guacamole and chips.  so delicious.

today, just like every other year, the chiefs broke my heart.  this is how i deal with the heartbreak.  

right now i'm watching season one of hoarders on netflix and waiting for the 8 inches of snow to arrive.  i hope you've had a wonderful weekend. 

♥♥♥

christy

spring please

i did some online window shopping this morning.  if you can't tell, i'm itching for spring already.

(top 3 items are from j.crew sandals from urban outfitters)  

pad thai please

the past two summers my youth group has went on wonderful mission trips through an organization called Center for Student Missions.  As a part of the trip, the organization allows you to experience different ethnic foods from around the world.  One of my favorite foods we had while in Houston was Pad Thai, and tonight, I couldn't get the delicious thoughts out of my mind, so I thought I would try my hand at making some.  I checked out a recipe at allrecipes.com tweaked it a bit to my own liking and came up with this.

What you'll need:


1 12 ounce bag of rice noodles
1 pound boneless chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
3 green onions
2 eggs
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons lime juice
pinch of cayenne
3 tablespoons soy
3 tablespoons teriyaki
1 cup bean sprouts
3/4 cup crushed peanuts


* Chop up green onions & mince garlic


* Heat olive oil in wok until about to smoke, then add 1/2 of the chopped green onions and the 2 cloves minced garlic


* After a minute, add your pound of thinly sliced boneless chicken breast.  cook until chicken is done.


* Add two eggs to chicken mixture and scramble.


* In a sauce pan heat water and add your rice noodles.  Don't boil, just allow to set in warm water for 10 minutes.


* Mix together rice vinegar, sugar, lime juice, cayenne soy and teriyaki


* Add noodles to wok and stir until chicken is mixed in.


* Add the liquid mixture to wok as well as 1/2 cup of bean sprouts and 1/2 cup peanuts


* Stir and cook for 3 minutes, making sure the noodles are absorbing the liquid from the sauce.


* Remove from heat and garnish with chopped green onion, more crushed peanuts, and bean sprouts


enjoy!


(note: many pad thai recipes calls for fish oil, and i personally can't stand the stuff, so this recipe is for all you who hate things that are fishy)

coffee at midnight

Coffee at 12:30am isn't a good choice for me, but I am thankful for the late night quiet time it brought to me on New Years Eve.  I guess it was really 4:00am on New Years Day, but after a week of vacation it all runs together, right?

As I lay awake journaling about the upcoming year, I started feeling anxious.  In the upcoming year, there is no doubt in my mind that there will be pain, sadness, hurt, disappointment, fights, apologies, and tears.  All of the sudden, I didn't want to face what was to come.  

I was in need of comfort and opened my Bible to read some words of wisdom, comfort & guidance.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared or those who love Him."  - 1 Corinthians 2:9

God has prepared every part of my year.  He knows what is going to happen, He knows how much I can handle, He knows what I need in order to know Him better.  He knows if I'm going to have a sunny gorgeous wedding day.  He knows if my car will make it another year.  

As His child, He knows what is best for me, better than I myself know.  And in that, I find peace.

So for the first part of my memory work in 2011, I will cling to 1 Corinthians 2:9, and encourage you to do the same.

source

accomplish this

thought i would start 2011 sharing with you all a few things i hope to accomplish in the upcoming year.

1. learn to embroider.

 i love embroidery on tea towels, wall hangings, and pillowcases.  i hope in 2011 i can accomplish this and maybe share my talents with you all as well.

here's one of my favorite embroidery patterns i've seen and i hope to make my own soon thanks to this pattern.

2. grow my hair out extra long

i long to be able to do messy buns, cute braids and more.

3. memorize 24 new Bible verses.

i found in 2010 that God's word sustained and spoke to me in ways that it never has before.  i would find great comfort and clarity as i would cling to God's word.

after doing the amazing beth moore bible study, esther, in 2010, i'm excited to join her community in memorizing bible verses for 2011.  i would love to invite you to join in.  check it out here.

4. journal daily

in 2010 i discovered art journaling.  i've done hand written journals all throughout my life, but art journaling encourages the creative process, with sketches, clippings from magazines, and basically anything that inspires.  elsie is responsible for introducing me to this fun project, and i have had so much fun flipping through the journals i've created in 2010.  if you would like official lessons in art journaling, check out elsie's online class

5. teach a crafting class

i would love to find a group of people who want to get together and create, and would love to be the person who helps them do that.  i'm hoping in 2011 i will have the opportunity to put my college degree to work for me and lead others in a creative class.

6. take more pictures

photography is one of my favorite hobbies, and i might not have the world's greatest camera but i have this secret wish (ok, i guess its not so secret anymore) to take care of that.  until then, my camera will do. i will continue with my picture of day, but want to take more pictures that aren't so "to the point," and allow people to associate their own stories with the pictures.

oh my... dream camera

7.  keep rollin' on my workout program.

i've been working super hard since october and seeing results, thanks to turbofire.  i want to continue working out, and work on eating better.  i hope to cook delicious home cooked meals with lots of yummy fresh veges, fruits, and lean proteins.

8. plan a beautiful, special and memorable outdoor wedding

this one is number 8 because i'm getting married october 8th, to my best friend dane.  we are getting married in the lot next to my parents, which will forever be known as "opossum lodge."  i hope the evening to be magical and super happy.  

9. resurrect an old record album

growing up i spent hours listening to my parent's beach boys albums.  i would love to score an old record player and pick up some vinyls from my generation.

10. blog more often.

i hope to visit with you all at least once a week in 2011 if not every single day.  my blog is a great creative outlet, and i look forward to sharing my creative projects as well as wedding plans and thoughts place on my heart with you all.  happy 2011 everyone.  ♥ christy