Weekend Snapshots
Let’s play a little catch up before the recipe, shall we? I’ve been laid off for over a week now. Ask me how much I’ve accomplished. Go ahead, ask. The answer is, sadly, in spite of big plans to use this time to take some of the tips I learned at Bloggy Boot Camp, set up regular work hours, and really work on improving this little ol’ blog, I haven’t even started. Which is why I’m sitting down at 5:30 on a Sunday evening to write my Monday post.
I’m not really worried about it, though. I have, unfortunately, plenty of time until the weather cools down and my clients return. And I (we) did accomplish a few things. Like this:
We purchased a new dishwasher and garbage disposal and installed them ourselves (with plenty of help from our pack). It took a good part of the day, and we questioned our choice a few times, but we did it and we now have an operating dishwasher for the first time is a long time. When we ran it last night for the first time I kept checking for leaks every time the water ran. It’s been that that long since I’ve heard one!
We took a break about halfway through to pick up a couple of parts that we needed and somehow ended up at Dick’s Sporting Goods where I let Alan reward me with this:
I adore these running shorts by Calia by Carrie. They’re very flattering, fit nicely, and I love the tropical pattern. And I’m loving the tropical right now because:
Alan had my 30th Annual Honolulu Marathon watch fixed! That was from 2002, the last year we were there. As you know, it was also my first marathon in 1996. And now, on December 13, it will be my 37th (and will be celebrating its 43rd year)!
Almost as exciting as the watch was this:
We purchases our tickets to Hawaii! Now it’s real. We also made arrangements for a house on Kauai for the week after the race. We always stay in Hanalei, one of my favorite places in the world. This is one of those times that I’m happy that time flies because I can’t wait!
I’ve also been running. In fact I’ve had to remind myself that just because I’m off work right now doesn’t mean I should run every day!
So what picture do you think looks better?
I love this picture because it looks like I’m jumping so high, but I didn’t like the truck in the background. So I decided to eliminate it! I did this using PicMonkey. I think it looks okay. Not as good as Photoshop of course, but I’m a little challenged in that department.
Let’s get down to talking about some vegan food, shall we? First off, I found two new products this week that I’d never heard of:
These Daiya Mac and Cheeze products were at Ralphs (Krogers to you east-coasters). We tried the Alfredo style. I added a little vegan chicken to it and it was good. Not great, but good. I’m looking forward to trying the other one (very soon). By the way, both pastas are gluten and soy free too.
I saw these little pocket sandwiches while shopping today and I just had to have them! I haven’t tried them, but I’ve been assured on Instagram (<—follow me!) that they were really good. They are not gluten free, but they are vegan (even though the label just says vegetarian). Lunch tomorrow, I think.
On Saturday, during our dishwasher installation break, Alan and I had lunch at Luscious Lorraine’s, a little lunch counter inside a health food store in Palm Desert. This is a tempeh sandwich and it was really good. It also gave me an idea for a tempeh salad, which I hope to work on this week. Stay tuned.
I’m linking up with Her Heartland Soul for Weekend Snapshots.
Meatless Monday
Still with me? On to the recipe! I’m also linking up with Tina and Deborah for Meatless Monday. Hop on over to their blogs to see what fabulous recipes they and the other bloggers have planned for you.
The Perfect Pasta Salad: Vegan and Gluten Free
Why is this the perfect pasta salad? Well, for one thing, it’s full of flavorful vegetables and fruits. For another, it is vegan and gluten free. And for another, I needed to call it something because to call it rotini with onions, olives, raisins, apples, etc., seemed a little long. Seriously, I love the different tastes and textures in this salad, from the sweet apples and raisins, to the tart grapefruit, from the crunch of the radishes to the creamy white beans.
It’s also one those salads that you can add or take away ingredients. Don’t like black olives? Skip them or use green. Have some corn or celery you’d like to use? Go ahead and toss them in. I do suggest keeping the apples, raisins, and grapefruit, because those are the flavors that make this salad so good perfect.
- 12 ounces gluten free/vegan rotini
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅛ cup white wine vinegar
- ⅛ cup grapefruit juice (about the juice of one half grapefruit)
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 6 ounce can sliced black olives, drained
- ½ cup radishes, chopped
- ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved if they're large
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 apples, peeled and chopped (squeeze a little grapefruit juice on them to keep from discoloring)
- 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- In a measuring cup, combine olive oil, vinegar, grapefruit juice, pepper, and salt. Allow some pulp when you're squeezing the grapefruit. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. When it's done, rinse under cold water.
- Combine pasta, raisins, olives, radishes, tomatoes, onions, apples, and beans.
- Add the olive oil mixture and toss lightly.
- Add the parsley and toss again to combine.
- Add more pepper to taste.
That’s it! It takes only about a half hour and you have a perfect pasta salad that will work for a main dish or that you can bring along to that Independence Day barbecue.
Have you ever installed a dishwasher or garbage disposal? Would you do it again?
Hello Debbie- Oh, you sound like me sitting down at 5:00 Sunday night to write, but then again those are some of the hours that I’ve established for myself, so maybe I shouldn’t feel bad, and you shouldn’t either! Totally cute shorts!! Love and am definitely going to be checking out her line. The recipe looks wonderful, I am a pasta junkie.. pinning for later! xoxo
Thanks Lisa. I do put that time aside, but I’d really like to get just a little bit ahead so that if I don’t have to worry about it. But, on the bright side, I basically kept my computer OFF all weekend, so that’s a very nice thing once in a while.
Yum! This pasta salad looks so tasty – love the apples and raisins in it!
My husband installed our garbage disposal (the old one broke last year) and dishwasher. He is super handy and enjoys doing it. I have to say thank goodness because I am NOT good in that department!
Yay for Hawaii! That is definitely something fun to look forward to! And you have run it 37 times? So cool…
We are not so handy, just determined.
I am excited about Hawaii. And it will be my 37th marathon overall, not for just that race. That would have to go back a long time!
ahhh my gift to the world is I INSTALL nothing :0)
Ill try fixing. Tweaking. NEVER THE INSTALL.
and MAN I hear you on the best laid blog plans as well.
the only thing I do well is write and edit ahead.
the rest falls by the wayside these days.
I wish I could get just a few days ahead. I’ve done it before and it is so nice. Of course, then I enjoy those few days and I’m back right where I started 🙂
So I think I need to run Honolulu again and then we can eat this pasta salad together. Good idea, right?!?
Excellent idea! I would love to run with you. Though I should say behind you 🙂
Looks delish! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! I hope you’ll try it!
Grapefruit juice in the salad is really interesting! Looks good and so does that tempeh sandwich yum! Shorts are cute too. Thanks for linking up with us for Meatless Monday 🙂
I’m looking forward to playing around with that tempeh salad.
I first got the idea for this salad years ago when I was working at a senior center. A lady brought it to a potluck! She said her secret ingredient was the grapefruit juice, which, because I didn’t care for grapefruit at the time, sounded kind of yucky :-). But, I tried my own version anyway and it turned out I loved the bite it gave to the salad. Plus it keeps the apple nice and fresh!
WOW I LOVE the ingredients in that pasta salad, that is my kinda pasta salad. I think if I went to a bbq I would have a main meals worth of that, YUM! Thanks for linkig up with us, did you see we have a shiny new button, thought it was time for an upgrade 😉 HAWAAAIIIIIIIII ahhhhh so jealous! That will be such an experience for you, and will be one you will remember no matter what. So special! Love your hubby, he’s a keeper…..as if you didnt already know 😉
I love the salad all by itself. I worry that my husband will want it as a side dish but he is happy with it alone too. As you said, he’s a keeper!
i LOVE carrie’s new line – such gorgeous pieces!!!!
It is so pretty. I wish they had more of a selection at my local Dicks. I would have love to find a top to go with those shorts!
I think you ARE jumping high off the ground! Impressive! As is installing a dishwasher and garbage disposal. My husband is a DIY kind of guy, but I just am not–severely lacking in the common sense handyman skills.
Pinned the recipe!
Thanks Amanda! I wish I was as high as that picture looks. Some of the others were pretty funny.
My husband is not really a DIY guy, but he tries. I can’t complain though, because we got it done!
Yay for Hawaii! Love your shorts and the jumping photo – nice work removing the truck. I think it looks great!
Thank you! I was pretty proud of my work, especially considering my limited skills 🙂
Totally NOT home do people here – would not even attempt nor the hubby! He is all about computers but not the home stuff! 🙂
I am so jealous of your Hawaii trip – I miss it so much – how fun!!!!!
I don’t have less clients but I need to clean up business here at home & take care of non blog business so I am planning to blog less this summer. 🙂
Great meatless Monday!
We are really excited about Hawaii. It’s been so long since we’ve been there!
I hear you about not actually accomplishing things when you have the time! I had a light week workwise last week and had big plans to get to all that writing and those projects that I’ve been putting off. Except that I didn’t do a thing. But I also think that I needed the mental break. Excited that you are headed back to Hawaii to run!
I tell myself that the break is good for me. I just need to make sure it doesn’t go on too long!
Yey for Hawaii!! Love those Calia shorts…I need to take a drive to Dick’s to check out the rest of her line, it is adorable! I didn’t know you could do stuff like that with Pic Monkey!! I need to figure out how to do that ASAP!!
I wish that they had more selection at my Dicks. I felt lucky to find these shorts (and on sale!), but wish they’d had matching tops.
I’m not sure that I’m doing it right in PicMonkey. It works though, so I guess that’s good enough!
Looks delicious! We use to eat pasta salads often but a couple of summers ago I started making a lot of quinoa salads. Both were staples in the fridge during the summer. I’m hoping the girls will find some they like this summer and they can become staples again. I especially love the addition of grapefruit, can’t wait to try it.
How appropriate that we both posted salad recipes with grapefruit today! Going to go check yours out!
I love quinoa. I use it a lot for salads and all kinds of other dishes.
Ao many new gluten free products I need to try! The recipe looks delicious and perfect for weekly meal prep.
Thanks Jill. It was very good (I have one more leftover day with it too!). I don’t usually do gluten free, but this pasta was good.
Debbie, I just loved your pics. I liked the three jumping ones. Nice quick gluten free recipes never go astray. It is nice to have a quick standby to go to when you are busy.
Thanks for bringing your energy to Fridays #BlogBoosterParty
Kathleen
I am always in the market for a good pasta salad, so thanks for sharing!
xo katie // a touch of teal