Autumn Salad....

Wowwww...it got dreary in Jersey!  Can't complain after nearly 4 straight months of sunshine...but MAN, is this rain a bummer!  I couldn't even get my usual "Monday Motivation" to turn off at the exit for the gym last night.  All I wanted to do was curl up in PJ's and eat soup.....that is if it was 400% humidity out!  BLEH!

OK, enough complaining!  At least dinner was a delicious one (even if it wasn't the warm soup that I wished was 'appropraite';)  Instead, we put MORE apples to use and made the quintessential Autumn Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette...yum!!!!

The first layer was spinach, lettuce, red onion and a drizzle of the Maple dressing.  The great thing about this dressing is: you really only need a little bit.  It's pretty strong with the maple & mustard flavors that it really spreads the flavors around well.....

And next:  The good stuff!  The salad was topped with:

• Sliced Apple
• A sprinkle of cheddar cheese
• Crumbled TJ's bacon
• Brown Sugar Pecans (ughhh...too good to skip:)
• Craisins

JUST SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good!  The salad looked like that pretty spoked wheel for all of the snap of the camera before I got to choppin' and devoured that baby!  The smoke of the bacon, the sweet crunch of the apples, the tangy craisins, the sweet and savory maple dressing & the LOVELY decadence of the brown sugar pecans just can't be beat for all your Fall flavors:)  I have a feeling Monday will be graced with a LOT of these salads:)...

And in OTHER apple news....I started off my day yesterday with one of my Hungry Girl Chunky Apple-Cinnamon Muffins.  These really are the best low-cal muffins I've ever made/tasted.  They're SUPER moist and ya gotta love ANY muffin with a cinnamon topping:)

Buttttt...don't think ANOTHER Fall flavor wasn't too far from my mind;)  I FINALLY found the elusive Pumpkin Coffeemate!!!!!  (still shocked it to me THIS long)....a little of this mixed with a little US Vanilla Almond Milk & some Pumpkin Spice coffee = One Awesome and SPICY way to start the day:) hahahahahaha....

And in non-Apple news....as part of my lunch yesterday, along with an Apple & Cinnamon Peanut Butter (ok, I had to sneak one in there again:)....I tried one of the new Chocolate Chip Brownie Larabars.....

Ok....I thought the Peanut Butter chocolate chip was good.  And THEN I thought the Chocolate Chip Cookie DOUGH could NOT be beat....but this one, my friends, Oh my God...was OUT OF THIS WORLDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!  Smoothhhh and sweetttt and just...WOW!  Run, do not walk, to the store to try these!  It was awessoomeeee!  

OK...and in non-food news entirely....I must show you the fruits of my 'gardening labor' thus far!  I'm so impressed that NOT ONLY have they not turned into shriveled brown stems, BUT they are actually THRIVING!!!  Maybe I have some green thumbs after all!!

OK...let's not get too crazy...maybe I just have some green thumbTIPS.  And for plants that ONLY need watering;) hahahahahhahahahah...

But anyway, they cheer me up when I come home and I thought they would cheer you up if you were also having a gloomy Tuesday like Jersey is!  Yesshhhh...hope you have a good day!  (& PS-more apples in the forecast for tonight's dinner;)  Stay tuned:)