Just another Monday morning....

On a post Halloween Monday I was a wee bit fuzzy when I made my cup of coffee. After hearing on Martha Stewart Radio;  "this is the start of the Holiday eating season".  I knew there had to be a healthy choice today for lunch.  I am working this afternoon & doing the mid morning scramble which was off to a roaring great start.  I was almost nose to nose with a snake this morning.  I had my cup of coffee in hand  while wondering what the cat was staring at on our patio...I stepped outside to investigate and had to shoo a very bold squirrel off the patio furniture. I say this because our Aussie dog was already out in the yard doing her morning patrol. While checking out the squirrel activity,  I noticed something out of the corner of my eye.  Generally I am the one who seems to spot the critters in my "where the wild things are" backyard.  I spotted a King Snake clinging to the limestone around the french doors.  I don't mind telling you I was astounded & jumped back into the house (in 2 giant leaps) all the while not spilling coffee! Thankfully, the snake did remove himself from the wall!  (ack!!!) After calming down I packed a healthy Bento lunchbox  for my busy day ahead.  No recipes forthcoming on this post but I am watching where I am stepping today.

*If you wondered about my cute Bento: it is a Natural Leaf Bento lunch bag.  I found this in both pink & green at the New Oriental Market here in Austin at 6929 Airport Blvd.  I bought the pink for my daughter & kept the green for me.  There is enough space inside the bag for a few extras once the tins are pack inside.  Natural Leaf makes several different types of Bentos.  I love the sturdy construction & portability of this one. 

**Lunch box addition: I recently received a Food Buzz Tastemaker item from Soy Joy.  I really enjoy Soy Joy bars when I am in a time crunch & need a mid day snack especially at 130 calories.  The nice chewy texture reminds me of a fruity cookie, especially the strawberry & blueberry flavors.



What I looked like this morning just after 7am when I almost ran into a snake while stepping outside....(frightening possibility!!!) Okay, so I did have a robe & not that fancy hat but you get the idea! I was a little startled.

Feliz de Dia de los Muertos!  Have a wonderful Monday.

Fall Flavors, J'aime Le Fromage

Crisp Apple, smooth Brie & Smoked Turkey~means J'aime Le Fromage (translation: I love cheese!) I've be singing praises of Brie for years....

My youngest daughter was a Brie fanatic from an early age. Actually both my daughters seem to have a great appreciation for a good cheese.  They did however get the adoration of fine fromage from me...this love of all things cheese does make it into the lunch hour frequently.

Toasted Cheese Sandwich has always been a stand alone favorite in our house but taking it to work or school is a different story.  I decided a little lunch time improvisation as in order for a "toasted" Brie, Apple & Turkey sandwich.
 I toasted the bread slices with a scant amount of butter on one side of each piece of bread, let the toasted bread cool completely before assembling the sandwich. I thinly sliced the Brie cheese, sliced the Apple super thin & then layered in a few Spinach leaves after I added thinly sliced Smoked Turkey Breast.  Make sure the bread is not warm still ( it will be slightly soggy from the steam is so, wrapping it in a paper towel helps absorb the moisture too.) place it into your lunch box.  This sandwich is fine chilled or perfect reheated for about 20 seconds.  It makes the Brie slightly soft & the apple flavors seem to pop!  I spread nothing on the bread for this sandwich This is just personal preference.  Lunch box additions were: Blueberries & Watermelon slices & a few lowfat fig newtons
***Cheese note:  Brie comes in many varieties, this is one of the least in price & more widely available in the states but perfect for melting into a cheese sandwich.  Want to take a walk on the wild cheese side?  Check out the cheese counter at Whole Foods.  It is a real trip to Bountiful!! Happy Lunch hour!
Cheesy Factoid:
The oldest recorded evidence that anyone could find of the existence of Brie Cheese was found in the chronicles of Charlemagne. At that time, the Emperor in power, had a taste of the now-famous cheese in the city of Brie around the year 774 BC. And here’s another fascinating tidbit about Brie cheese… Louis XVI’s last and dying wish was supposedly to have a final taste of Brie. *

*for more history of Brie check here