Lunchtime thoughts

I saw on Facebook this morning that tomorrow Sonic is going to be offering $.50 corn dogs.  Lord, as I walk through the valley of fried cornbread and hotdogs, I shall eat no food-on-a-stick, for my will is strong.

Today as I am eating my lunch, I decided to look up some of the benefits of what I am eating.  For this week I am enjoying a Mediterranean wrap with baked chicken breast, tabbouleh and babaganoush, plus a banana and some strawberries! Lets break this down:

Chicken breast is a lean source of protein.  Good stuff.  Plus, I chose to bake it, so zero added oil there, seasoned with some salt, paprika and oregano.  (450f 10 minutes on each side makes the PERFECTLY cooked chicken, if you want to try it. If you use a thicker piece of chicken, though, be sure to check the internal temperature and make sure it gets to 165f.)

Tabbouleh is a salad of parsley, mint, tomato, bulgur wheat and onion, with the main component being the parsley.  According to this website, the benefits of parsley are: 

• Parsley is rich in many vital vitamins, including Vitamin C,  B 12, K and A. This means parsley keeps your immune system strong, tones your bones and heals the nervous system, too.
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• It helps flush out excess fluid from the body, thus supporting kidney function. However, the herb contains oxalates, which can cause problems for those with existing kidney and gall bladder problems.
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• Regular use of parsley can help control your blood pressure. The folic acid in this herb is like a tonic for your heart.

among many others.  Good stuff there! Plus, the bulgur is a good source of fiber and protein.  My dear wife makes this using this recipe and it is AWESOME.

Babaganoush is an eggplant "dip," though in this instance I use it as a spread for my wrap...akin to mayo, kinda, but I use about a half a cup.  According to this site, "Eggplant is a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin B1, and copper. It is a good source of manganese, vitamin B6, niacin, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. Eggplant also contains phytonutrients such as nasunin and chlorogenic acid."

Awesome awesome stuff there.  Recipe for babaganoush is here. I don't, however, use the olive oil and parsley.  Tips for roasting eggplant whole: prick holes in the eggplant with a fork, put it on a pan in a 350f preheated oven for one hour.  Peel skin and go nuts.

This, combined with the aforementioned fruit, makes for a very filling lunch that keeps me going.

Thoughts for the future: block Sonic's ads from popping up on Facebook, investigate healthier versions of corn dogs.

By the way, welcome to the new people reading my blog! Have something you want to say? A question? Please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.

Keep on walkin'