If you read my blog regularly then you have probably discovered that I rarely follow recipes whole heartedly. I more so take the idea from recipes and rework them to my tastes and what I have on hand in the kitchen. Tonight is a prime example of one of these situations.
A couple of months ago I had the recipe for Couscous Salad with Chicken and Chopped Vegetables delivered to my e-mail thanks to MyRecipes.com. The recipe looked intriguing so I saved to my ‘recipe’ folder in my inbox and rediscovered it today when I was looking for ideas for dinner.
I skimmed the recipe and with the idea of the Couscous Salad made a delicious filling dinner, customized for my tastes.
Changes I made
- Halved the amount of couscous
- Pan sauteed a chopped chicken breast instead of the rotisserie chicken
- For vegetables I had onion, yellow squash, carrot, & spinach
- Left out the lemon juice in the dressing
So, next time you cook don’t be afraid to stray from the recipe, trust me its ok and will be just as good if you sub ingredients and do your own thing. 🙂
Dessert was the other half of my Whole Foods Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie from Saturday. My sweet tooth as been out of control today, I wanted more dessert but I resisted and am drinking a nice cup of tea instead.
I had a small snack today of Cherrios to tide me over until dinner.
I wanted to share everyone with a really great magazine I discovered at the Running Expo on Saturday.
This is the premiere issue of Women’s Running, formerly Her Fitness + Sports.
It’s a great magazine dedicated to female runners and has some interesting information every runner will find helpful. The great articles range from diet to shoes to training to inspirational stories from other busy women who find time to enjoy the sport they love.
I highly suggest checking out the magazine’s site for great tips and articles.
I’m actually going to finish reading the magazine right now, I’m currently reading the Half-Marathon Training For Busy Women Article. With my next half-marathon creeping up on me on March 1st I really need to take these tips to heart.
Good Night Everyone!
That magazine looks great! I’m currently contemplating what race to do next, so maybe I’ll check out their website!
Did you not like your training schedule for your last half or are you just wanting to step it up to improve your time?
Your dinner looks awesome. Thank you for sharing, I found my couscous today and was just going to look for something to do with it! Now I know!
Love the dinner recipe! I just bought whole wheat couscous and I’m excited to try it out. Thanks Meghann!
Great dinner, cookie, and magazine!!
Dinner looks great! That magazine seems perfect for you! 🙂
oooh the couscous looks so good!whoa i’m stoked about that magazine!! i’ll be getting a subscription asap :Dhave a wonderful night
mmm your eats look very tasty, I am sending you a guest blog via email! I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for all the advice!
I love myrecipes.com! They have so many great ideas 🙂
Your dinner looks fantastic! Yum 🙂
I’d love to read that mag! Do you know if they’re selling it in stores yet?
Which half marathon are you doing? I’m doing one in Atlanta at the end of March. Are you using a set training plan?
i am just starting to realize how much self-control you have…first I noticed your secret M & M stash in your butter box and now I see that you can only eat half a cookie…. I could never do that!
MMM your dinner looks great – and I totally need to go online and find that article – half marathon training for busy women, that’s totally ME! 🙂
Your dinner looks fantastic, i’ve never had cous cous salad but I love cous cous so I’m sure it’s something I’d love!
What a great dinner!
I get recipes delivered into my inbox every day too. It’s fun to tweak them a little bit!
So glad to see that magazine exists! A couple years ago I was in a magazine writing class, and we had to come up with a new magazine – mine was called “Running Woman” so I’m glad to see this hit the shelves. It’s what we all need, for sure!
I like everything about your dinner – except the onions!
I’ll have to check out that magazing – you can never have too many in my book!
I picked up that magazine last weekend too and really like it!!
excellent recipe improv! and good tip on the mag — i’ll have to check out that 1/2 marathon training article.
Your couscous looks so creamy. Yum. I love making recipes my own. I usually never have all the required ingredients and make subs. left and right. I have the occasional disaster, but usually things turn out pretty tasty. 🙂
Have a good night Meghann. That cookie looked good!
I don’t think I’ve seen that magazine in stores. I will look though.
Love your dinner. I am not a recipe follower either. I use them, like you, to inspire. 😀
Dinner looks delicious! Next time I dig in for a 2nd cookie, I need to think about this blog post! It is all about control!
http://www.missymaintains.blogspot.com
Great dinner. I find it very difficult to follow recipes, too. Something about having to read words on a page while cooking isn’t appealing to me.
Thanks for the tip on the magazine!
Thanks for the mag recommendation AND recipe! I’ll be sure to remember to check that magazine out next time I see and I have plenty of couscous boxes in my cupboard just waiting to be consumed. I always forget about couscous as a dinner option!
i do the same thing with recipes all the time…thanks to vegetarian times i have tons of good recipes that have spawned some even more creative (and better) dishes due to lack of cupboard/fridge space. i cant believe you were able to save that WF cookie for 2 separate sittings. girl, thats some serious self control!! well done you!
I TOTALLY subscribe to that magazine…it seriously i think might be as good as running times or runner!
Thanks for the link on the running magazine! That will be helpful since I just started running and plan to do a 10 miler on April 5!
hey there. was just wondering where you got your apple corer/slicer from. they are so hard to find!
Jaime – I found my apple cutter pretty cheap at Publix, but i’ve seen fancier ones at William Sonoma, Crate and Barrel and bed Bath & Beyond.
I think you’ve been feeding your sweet tooth very well lately – in perfect moderation! I am not always as good, but I try.
I think I saw that magazine in the store the other day. Is it out yet?
oo that magazine looks great! I will definitely have to check that out…especially those tips since I have another Half coming up at the end of March!
I’m definitely the same as you with recipes…James always pretends to act suprised when I tell him I didn’t follow the recipe exactly. I’m actually going to post a recipe on my blog today for cauliflower macaroni and cheese that I made a bunch of changes to!
How do you save half your cookie for the next day?? I could never do that! If I know it’s there, I need to eat it.
Thanks for the info on the running magazine – I am trying to get into running for the first time!
i saw that magazine in a store the other day, i think i’ll pick it up now 🙂 The baked goods from whole foods always look so good, but i’ve never tried any yet. The pumpkin muffin with cream cheese is always starting right at me whenever i pass it 😉
i just read through that magazine last night – somehow I get it in the mail – i guess from registering for races. love couscous mixed with veggies – one of my favorites!
Looks great and so does that cookie! Scrumptious.
Meghann,
I get that magazine, too! I actually met Dawna Stone, the publisher and winner of Apprentice: Martha Stewart, at the Running Expo last year, and got to interview her.
http://growingbolder.com/media/sports/running-marathons/success-with-a-smile-136307.html
Katy
PS Sorry to see your weekends are booking up — I hope we can still get together for a run soon!
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