Herbaceous Day - Day 8

This morning began with the realization that I still had nothing in the house for breakfast, much less dinner. No bread, no milk for cereal, not even any PopTarts (my several times a year guilty pleasure). I got ready for work, spritzed on my lavender mist and headed out the door. Then it hit me...the theme of today's foodie adventure would be herbs.

It is strange how powerful a scent can be in triggering memories. For me, the smell of lavender immediately conjures up thoughts of my life buddy, Victoria in California...my first trip to Mantanzas Creek Winery with the amazingly fragrant lavender fields...lunch at the Garden Cafe in the midst of a botanical garden with floral and herbal scents filling the air...oh, and fresh, warm oallieberry cobbler.

I made a bee line for Einstein's Bagels for a toasted everything bagel with onion and chive cream cheese and coffee. I MUST go grocery shopping tonight. The $4.48 I handed the cashier put a big dent in my already cash-deprived wallet.

While eating the bagel in my "roving dining room" (my CR-V), I was already planning the next leg of my herbaceous day - lunch! Where could I find a good, cheap caprese salad with fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella?

My caprese salad quest just took a detour to Sweet Tomatoes with my friend Jim for a lunch of salad and encouragement. I did manage to sneak in the herbs in an antipasto salad with fresh basil. As much as I enjoy Sweet Tomatoes, visiting three times in less than a week is a little ridiculous. Thank goodness I am finally out of BOGO coupons. Maybe I should shoot them an e-mail to see if they would like to advertise on my site.

Damn Kat's chocolate drawer! It called and I answered with two more Dove chocolates.

FINALLY a home cooked meal was made by this cash starved foodie. On my way home I picked up a pound of shrimp at Costco, along with fresh asparagus and basil pesto. When I got home, I shelled the shrimp and wrapped them in prosciutto, fired up the gas grill and grilled them while the asparagus roasted in the oven and the whole wheat rotini pasta boiled on the stove. In about 20 minutes I assembled a simple, delicious meal - grilled shrimp, roasted asparagus and whole wheat pasta tossed is fresh basil pesto. Yum! It may have taken over a week, but it was worth the wait!

Many hugs,

Kathy