Salmon, Jasmine Rice, and Butter Peas

If you are wondering why I didn't post yesterday... it's because I left my camera in Columbia!  ARG!!!  Luckily, I have a backup here at home.  Normally, this wouldn't be a big issue, but I REALLY need my camera this week.  I think I have it worked out where I can get it by Friday afternoon. 

I just got home from teaching Zumba!  Our numbers keep climbing!  That must be a good sign!  I broke out 2 new songs tonight, one of which I want to recommend to all of you.  This is a great track that you need on your iPod or mp3 player.  It's sure to put you in a great mood!



Do you recognize it from the Corona commercial? :)  Love this song.

When I got home, I got busy making one of my favorite easy and healthy dinners: Salmon, Jasmine Rice, and Butter Peas.

I want to tell you about the Jasmine Rice because it's so easy but so tasty.  Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil.  Add one tsp. of Better than Buillon (I used Chicken Flavor) and a handful of parsely.  Then add 1 cup of Jasmine Rice and lower the heat.  Cover and simmer about 15-20 minutes.  This rice is delicious and goes really well with seafood and Asian dishes.

The salmon was very simple: seasoned with salt and pepper, and some Tone's Salmon and Seafood Seasoning.  That's it!  (Oh, and did I mention that I got this salmon for a great price?  I paid $4 for 4 fillets!)

And the butter peas... they were frozen and steamed.  Sometimes those little packs are just so handy.

Ok... have to run... baby to wash and house to clean!

Dinner, Katy Perry Style

The song, "California Gurls" by Katy Perry has been stuck in my head the past couple of days.  When Katy Perry released her first song, I thought she might be a one-hit-wonder, but she has hung in there, hasn't she?  I really like her songs.  Maybe I need to use that song for Zumba. 


After tonight's Zumba class at Oakland Baptist Church, I had to hit the grocery store.  Miss Priss has a Halloween Party at school tomorrow, which is sounding like it's going to be a major shindig!  I know she's going to have a good time.  I'll have to take a picture of her all dressed up as a princess tomorrow.  (She's going to be a witch for Halloween, but I don't want her costume to get ruined at school tomorrow, so she's going to get to wear a princess dress.  She'll think she's died and gone to Heaven.)  So anyway, I hit the store to pick up a few things I am supposed to send to her school tomorrow.  Now, me going to the store AFTER Zumba and BEFORE dinner has the potential to be dangerous.  Sometimes I find myself wandering the aisles, picking up things I normally wouldn't even look at, just because I am hungry.  Tonight, as I passed by the sushi counter at the deli, I just couldn't pass it by.  It looked so good!  And look!  Brown rice!

I also grabbed a POM Wonderful Pomegranate.  Since I am going to be cooking with pomegranates for my dinner in a few weeks,  I figured I should start practicing cutting them.  Last time I did this, it looked like a massacre had taken place in my kitchen.  But then I watched the POM Wonderful video on how to cut open a pomegranate and that helped.  I still need practice,  but tonight the mess stayed (mostly) on the cutting mat.  If you've ever been completely befuddled by this fruit, please take a look at this video or this guide.  It will help a lot! 

So that's my Katy-Perry-Style dinner: California Rolls and Pomegranates from California.  Sounds like an odd combination, doesn't it?  Yumm...  (No, I am not pregnant.)


Now, here's the question I want to ask all of you... do you eat the pomegranate seeds inside the arils?  (FYI, the arils are the little juicy red things inside the fruit.)  I never did, but lately, everything I have read says to eat the seeds.   They are supposed to be really good for you.  So tonight, I am (GASP!) eating the seeds inside the arils.  Do you??  Leave a comment and let's see what the consensus is.


Happy Friday Eve!

Quesadillas... and some Hanky Panky!

Did that title get your attention?  Get your minds out of the gutter, people!  It's nothing dirty!

Today was a fantastic day! 

This afternoon, I taught my second Zumba class at Fascinating Rhythm.  My class grew from last week-- YAY!  Last week I had two people.  It was a great class, but it's so much fun when you have a big crowd.  Tonight, my two people came back for more (always a good sign) and I had 4 more!  Yay!  So our class grew by 150%!  Let's hope it just keeps growing!  I just LOVE teaching Zumba. 

I'm practicing some new songs that I am going to break out soon!  Here's a preview of a fun one I am working on.  I heard this song at my friend Beth's Zumba Party last week, and it's been stuck in my head since then!  I'm working on my own choreography for it. 




Isn't that a fun song???  A little risque... but I might try it anyway! :)

Zumba always puts me in a good mood.  And I love teaching a class right after school.  Then I get home at a decent hour to cook dinner.

But tonight... there was a SURPRISE waiting on me when I got home!

My sweet husband had gone to the store and gotten all the ingredients to make quesadillas!  Yummmmm... He said that I shouldn't have to rush home and cook after teaching until 5:30.  What a sweetie!  I decided to have beef, cheese, and pico de gallo on my quesadilla and made a little "salad" on the side.  It was delicious. 

So thanks to my wonderful, thoughtful husband!!!  Mmwa!

Another interesting piece of news... I was selected to host a POM Wonderful Dinner Party in November.

Basically, it's a dinner that is inspired by and incorporates pomegranates.  I didn't think I would get selected.  I even laughed out loud as I applied and wrote my possible menu.  But then this morning I had an email saying I was chosen!  So I guess I need to get planning!!!  I am excited about the challenge, though!

Happy Tuesday!!!