Getting Back to Basics

 

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I was gone for two weeks on vacation. I did my best to eat all the food that would spoil if I left it in the fridge, but that also meant that when I came home, I was gonna have to go grocery shopping. It was nice coming back home after eating out practically every day for weeks. My body is definitely wanting some wholesome meals cooked with love. Also, the weather lately has been almost unbearable. It is excessively hot especially here in the South. It feels like Satan‘s armpit. I wish that wasn't accurate, but it is. Both of these factors influenced my shopping list for the week.

I’m focusing on a lot of fresh fruits with a high water content. Not only to give me the water that I need, but also to satisfy any sweet cravings that I may have. I am also craving a big salad. So I added a bunch of crunchy veggies on my list and when I’m not eating them in the salad, I’m going to use them in a veggie snack box. While I was away on vacation the whole "girl dinner" trend started. I'm thinking adult lunchable, but make it healthy. I like dipping my vegetables in ranch, so I’m gonna make my own ranch dressing/ dip. Going one step further, I found some good crackers that are high in fiber and really crunchy with minimal ingredients. I'm going to pair this with a nice spreadable cheese and some good quality lunch meat. I also like acidic foods so I’m gonna get some olives, and some pickles. For a extra protein, I'm adding hard boiled eggs. These will also go in my salads.

Here is my recipe for Ranch dip. 

Ranch Dip

Ingredients

1 cup of plain yogurt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp dill, dried

1/2 tsp parsley, dried

1/2 lemon, juiced

pinch of salt and pepper 

I take all ingredients and mix together in a mason jar for easy storage. I like to taste the ranch and adjust the seasoning as needed, but also know that it takes about an hour for the flavors to meld together. Sometimes I find that I need a bit more dill to give me the flavor that I'm looking for. 

I like that the yogurt adds a bit of protein to the dip. I've also tried this seasoning mix with cream cheese instead of the yogurt, and it's really good! It's a way more affordable variation on boursin. 

I like to eat this dip with crunch veggies like celery and radishes. I enjoy the cream cheese spread with a good wasa crackers and cucumbers. 

What's your favorite veggies to eat with ranch?