Last week I had one of those days at work. You know the kind. I was so busy that when I finally got a chance to pee , I was surprised to hear a somewhat familiar voice coming out of the stall next to me. Turns out, it was the actress Emma Stone. You know…from Easy A, the movie that made us all feel like we were back in the eighties watching a John Hughes movie again? By the time I emerged from the ladies room, I was only able to catch a glimpse of her leaving the station. (Always wash your hands, ladies. Even when stalking a celebrity!)
Normally I would run back to my desk and email everyone I know. But, that day was so busy that I didn’t get a chance to tell anyone about my bathroom encounter with Ms. Stone until…now. Pitiful, I know.
By the time I was done with my crazy day at work, I was exhausted. It was too beautiful to go to the gym, and I just couldn’t muster the energy to go for a run outside. So, I strapped my camera around my neck and decided to power walk the hills of a local cemetery to get my “something active” for the day.
It always seems a bit morbid to take pictures in a cemetery, but there are so many beautiful views.
What a gorgeous sky!
All the "roads" in the cemetery had street signs. Some were more ornamental than others.
This rock looks to be shaped by nature, but the paint job reminds me of my mom's Valentine's meatloaf. She'd shape it into a heart, which would always get a bit lopsided in the oven. An extra thick smear of ketchup would give it it's color, and mashed potatoes arranged around the edge gave it that special lacy look!
The best views were on the way home.
Who knew the Charles River was so beautiful? Oh, yeah. I did!
By the time I got home, I had perked up a bit. And, I had a fridge full of veggies from my last CSA pick-up. Sounds like a time for…
Green and not-so-green beans!
Tina’s Famous “Easy A” Green Beans
This is so incredibly simple, it shouldn’t even be called a recipe. Plus, I totally stole it from my friend Tina. She makes the best green beans.
Take your beans. Chop off the woody bits, and steam them. Lightly. You don’t want to cook them all the way. If you’re like me, you want them to still be pretty crunchy when it comes time to eat. You just want to soften them up a bit.
Chop up a bunch of garlic. Like, a lot. I did four little cloves for two servings worth of green beans. (Keep in mind that my vegetable servings are HUGE since I went back on Weight Watchers.)
Put a little bit of olive oil in a saute pan. Maybe 2 teaspoons. Maybe more if you’re feeling frisky. Get it nice and hot. Add the garlic and a handful of slivered almonds. Mmmm…gotta love some toasted slivered almonds.
To that end, be sure to actually toast ’em. Keep moving the garlic and almonds around until both start to turn a nice golden color. Then add in your green beans and toss it all around for a while. Add a generous dash of salt. (Green beans need salt! I’m sure there’s some sort of culinary explanation that I don’t know about, but just trust me on this.) Voila. You’re done!
So, so pretty!
See how I cleverly photographed only the smallest corner of the fish I ate with those green beans? Yeah, broiled tilapia smeared with stone ground mustard, honey, lemon juice and fresh thyme is healthy, satisfying, and tasty. But, it is not pretty. I can eat ugly food, but I cannot endorse it on this blog.
Oh, one last thing. Do you want to know what put a happy topper on my super-busy, super-stressful day?
The first pretty little tomato from my patio garden!
Yes, it’s supposed to be that small. Yes, it’s supposed to be orange. Straight from the vine, still a little warm from the afternoon sun, I popped that little tomato into my mouth like a piece of candy. Yay! I love summer tomatos!
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