lunchtime

ok, hands up...
who spends all this time preparing a lovely, rounded, healthy meal for your kids at lunchtime...
you know... a little bit of the grains (i.e. pasta), some greens (cut up cold veggies), milk products (cheese) and a slice of lunch meat.
a nice noon dish, perfectly fitting in the food pyramid.
only to not make the time for yourself?
you look and you look.
"aw, that seems like too much work to make."
"oh man, do i want to put on the big old oven for something just for me?"
"should i really be chopping and assembling a fancy sandwich for one?"
and then what happens...
you just eat whatever seems to be staring you in the face in the fridge and/or pantry.
guilty as charged.

case in point... this is today's "lunch" for moi:
left over appies from our small group meeting last night.

(check out the ooey goodness... that just screams health nut, don't it?!)
mmmm... la cocina chips!
these things are dang good for dipping stuff.
do you know they are made locally by holdemon people?

this cheesy artichoke dip is to die for.
well, maybe not to literally die for (sorry julie!)... but to risk your strict regimented diet program, yes.
let me tell you, it's worth it.
so utterly worth it!
mmmm, just keep dipping to your hearts content.

(ahem... try  not to notice my brutally ugly nails.  i had this 'perfect polish' done a good month ago and instead of getting it removed the professional way, i got too lazy and cheap and just peeled it off myself.  now my nails are suffering a bit and looking pretty beat up.  if they were in school, they'd get made fun of right now.)
and because my tiny baby H needs to gain weight (as per the doctor's orders), she shared most of the bowl with me!
atta girl!!  you show your daddy that artichokes are a wonderful thing!

soon the bowl was E to the -mpty!

so... one needs to follow up that healthy lunch with an equally healthy dessert, right?

welcome, oh sweet toffee crack!
you've made my day!

this is equally as good... well, maybe even better, if you're needing a sweet fix.
and so easy to make.
shhhhhh... don't tell that to my small group people.
they might be upset to know that i didn't slave away in the kitchen for all this awesome goodness i served last night.
you can do the same thing!!!
it'll be our little secret.
and my other secret?
every time i go downstairs to change my load of laundry today...
i sneak to the downstairs fridge and steal another piece of toffee crack.
yeah... I'M bad!!!!  with a capital B!!!

(no, this isn't a gansta sign... it's just me signing the letter 'b')