Picture Perfect Lunch
Last month, I traveled to California for the walnut harvest (you’ll hear more about my nutty adventure in upcoming posts). On a Wednesday morning, I grabbed a quick breakfast of granola and raced to the airport.
The first leg of my journey was aboard a Bombardier Q400, a twin-engine plane that holds about 70 people. Planes of this size don’t pull up to the jetway; passengers disembark on the tarmac, collect luggage planeside and enter the bowels of the airport before making their way upstairs into the concourse.
This all takes precious next-flight-connection minutes, which left me just enough time to grab a cold turkey sandwich and a bottle of water.
Pretty cool, huh? The plane was more of a photo opp then the sandwich.
My scheduled itinerary for Thursday morning read as follows: “walnut harvest, orchard tour and lunch — Norene Ranches.”
Working lunches vary wildly so you never know what to expect, but as our shuttle bus rounded the corner I never imagined I’d see this.
Hot and dusty from our tour, we enjoyed a glass of iced tea and relaxed under the shade of the walnut trees while we waited for our four-course lunch.
We started with a goat cheese, walnut, fig and caramelized onion flatbread.
Shaved squash and apple salad were perfect with a sprinkle of toasted walnuts.
Quinoa topped with chicken and a chimichurri sauce made for an eye-appealing entrée.
This caramel walnut cheesecake was simply out of this world!
What a difference a day can make! I dove into lunch and celebrated the day with the most wonderful meal — wine included!
Was it indulgent for a workday lunch? Well, yes.
Did I only nibble on my appetizer so as not overindulge? Nope, I ate the whole thing.
Did I take a pass on the wine and the cheesecake to avoid empty calories and a bunch of fat grams? Hell no!
Did I feel guilty because I blew my “diet”? Most definitely not.
The best thing about living the FBG life is the diet — or shall I say the anti-diet. Life is not one tossed green salad (hold the dressing, please) and plain baked chicken breast after another. No single food or food group is forbidden: chocolate — have at it, pasta — sure thing, a second glass of wine and snacks — you better believe it.
Life is too short to deprive oneself.
Are you on the FBG anti-diet? —Karen