Green Salmon Wrap

Today for lunch I had what I call a "Green Salmon Wrap".  It is low in carbs, quick to make and tastes wonderful.

Here's what you need to assemble your sandwich:

Low carb wraps
Canned salmon (boneless and skinless)
Green Goddess salad dressing
Lettuce
Cheese (any kind that you like)

Drain the salmon and warm in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  While it is warming, assemble your bread and cheese on a plate.

When the salmon is warm, mix in your desired amount of Green Goddess dressing.  The amount you add will depend solely on how you like the consistency of your sandwiches.

Once mixed, spread the salad onto the wrap.  I added an additional squeeze of dressing to mine.

Add lettuce, sliced tomato and any additional topping as you prefer, but keep in mind, you're going to have to wrap it! :)  I added some lettuce and a few shavings of Parmesan cheese.

Carefully roll your wrap being sure to fold in one side for easier eating.

A side salad or cup of tomato soup would make a great complement to this awesome warm wrap.

Enjoy! :)

Mushroom Soup

Today I made fresh, homemade mushroom soup. 

The first thing I did was get a large sauce pan and melt half a stick of butter.  Then I added a large diced yellow onion and some chopped garlic. I cooked them on medium until tender (about 15 minutes).  Then I added 1 pound of diced, fresh mushrooms and an 8 oz. can of canned mushrooms along with their liquid and cooked them until tender as well.

After the  mushrooms, onions and garlic were tender, I added about 3 tablespoons of cornstarch to the soup to thicken it up slightly (you can use flour if you prefer a thicker soup but cornstarch does a decent job without all the carbs).

After all the cornstarch was mixed in, I added 2 1/2 cups of broth. I used vegetable but you can use chicken or any other kind if you want.

After adding the broth, I added 2/3 cup of half and half. I used half and half because it's healthier than heavy cream (lower in fat) and lower in carbs than milk but, of course, cream works as well if you prefer.

When the half and half was in the soup, I let it come to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally.  Then I brought it down to low and let it simmer.  Be sure to taste it occasionally and add salt and pepper as needed.  I added a few dashes but found that I really didn't need much.

While the soup simmered, I cooked a couple strips of vegetarian bacon.  Feel free to use the real thing if you are a meat eater.  :) 

Mmmm... buttery!

When the bacon's done and cooled a bit, break it into crumbles.  Mix your soup well (the butter may have risen to the top) and serve with a dollop of sour cream, crumbled bacon and some of the warm Parmesan crisps that I wrote about in an earlier post.

Enjoy! :)

Summer jobs

This summer I volunteered at a school for special needs kids. It was the best thing I ever did. I had so much fun helping and watching them learn about the digestive system, bones, nutrition, and the origins of the fourth of July.

Also during the ESY (extended school year) they have a store for the students where they can purchase items from pencils to computer games. The store is called the Sunshine Store.
Now I'm going to tell you about some of the kids in the class.

Traci: She LOVES Justin Bieber with a fiery passion. She is also a perfectionist.
Vivian:She loves all the Disney characters and flowers.You will always see Vivian with pink on also. Besides that she is a great friend and doesn't like being lied to (just like everyone else!)
Sammie: The skinniest guy you would ever meet but once you get him started on food, he will talk your ear off. Probably when he gets to college he will probably be a chef.
Brian S.: He is very curious and can spell almost anything. He loves reading and writing and exploring new things.
Brian V.: He loves to draw and color. His favorite colors are light blue and light green. He loves to be the cashier at the Sunshine Store because it involoves money and counting.
Robert: He is super tall and looks like he could be mean but he is actually the nicest and funniest guy you could ever meet besides the height difference.
Vani: She is also a perfectionist and loves to get work done.
Andrew: He is the comedian of the class. He can make you laugh when you are down.
Zahmeen: Like Brian V. Zahmeen also loves to color and explore new things. He has amazing handwriting and loves writing.

 The ESY program ended Monday 8/8/11. The days lasted from 8:30 to 12:00 Monday to Friday. I can't wait to go back next year and see all the kids I met this year again.