Girls Night In

Mr. PT and I returned to Roanoke today after a fun and restful 5 days in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio.  I sure love to spend time in the kitchen, but I must admit, it was nice letting my mother do most of the cooking.  She made many fantastic dishes that I unfortunately did not get pictures of, however, I will share a short list of ingredients that she most excellently cooked with!

-blueberries

-strawberries

-sweet potatoes

-whole grain pasta

-red onions

-hummus

-cucumbers

-pita bread

-swiss cheese

-eggs

Every dish she served was full of flavor and incredibly satisfying.  I am grateful that she has instilled in me the idea of using simple, natural, food that requires little processing to taste amazing.

Mr. PT was also introduced to Grandpa's roast beef, Uncle J's buttery mashed potatoes, and of course, a Columbus favorite, Tommy's pizza!

I even had the opportunity to reconnect with some dear friends I grew up with.  We had a great time laughing, catching up on life, and eating delicious homemade food.

I must apologize because the lighting in these pictures makes the dishes look somewhat bland...a new camera is hopefully in my future (the road-bike came first).

My friend Kelly brought a plate of cucumbers, peppers, and pita chips accompanied with hummus and feta cheese dip.  Both were incredibly full of flavor and perfect for munching.  She found the cheese dip on this neat blog!  Check it out and then come right back!

I made a homemade salsa with chopped tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, corn, pureed green pepper, and heavy seasoning...I threw in garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, onion powder...you name it.  If it was spicy and tangy, I threw it in.  I also gave it a zesty bite with lime juice.  Kelly and I were on the same wavelength with the pita chips!

Overall, it was a great getaway that Mr. PT and I both needed.  Although, it was nice to be back with the bike group tonight!

Combine with...vacation exercise!  Don't let your travels be an excuse to abandon your workout routine.  Map a quick run around the neighborhood.  Borrow a friend's pool pass and swim some laps.  If you can, hitch your bikes to the car and spend a day exploring the city on your wheels.  You will find yourself having more energy and not feeling so guilty when you indulge in your favorite ice cream bar or pizza joint.