What I am addicted to now.......

As the seasons change, so do the little luxuries I find myself indulging in.
And, becoming addicted to.  
Of course, my Starbucks Chai Latte addiction continues to be a constant.
Iced or hot.....it's my go-to all-season addiction that feeds my soul and my heart as much as it feeds my taste buds.
I don't even consider the calories when it comes to my darling venti non-fat chai lattes.
They are non-fat and I am addicted, that's good enough for me....
Same goes for martinis and wine....shhhh. 

This is where I am in my head......

In the summer, I find myself seeking out fresh, yummy foods and drinks that feed the SUMMERGAL that lives inside me.  You know, the girl who would rather be picnic-ing on the beach with a refreshing bottle of wine, some fun foods, a stack of magazines and that carefree summer feeling.....instead of the girl who is eating lunch shackled to her computer in a windowless office....

Oh well.... I make-do until I can be that girl on that beach....

On one of my recent grocery shopping trips at a new market in my area, I  discovered  what will soon go down in history as some of my Summer of 2013 must-haves.....
-Seafood Salad (at the deli)---Yes, I know, it contains what they call imitation crab meat. So, beat me.  But, it's low calorie, high protein, fresh tasting and really not imitation food (yes, I checked!).  And, it tastes like summer.  Perfect to tote for those lovely summer lunches at my desk.  I spice it up with some Old Bay seasoning and I tell myself I am eating at a little ocean side cafe or having a picnic on a blanket in the sand (I  put a beachy scene on my computer so I think I am really there....)
- Fresh Market Thin and Crispy Cookies---TO DIE FOR---The chocolate chip ones and the peanut butter ones.  Yes, I could possibly eat BOTH entire packages in one sitting.  So far, I haven't done that.  But oh I could! I'm packing up 2 each day for a snack at my desk.   They are 60 calories a piece---not so bad to eat when my 3 pm snack attack hits.  Much better than the candy bar from the vending machine.  And, did I mention they are thin and crispy? 
-Garlic butter and thyme flavored rotisierre chicken--Okay, I admit it, I was swayed by someone who wrote about it on a foodie blog that I follow.  So, I didn't try out any of their other flavors.  Even so--let me tell you--this chicken is seriously good tasting. It's so good, you can just pull hunks of it off and eat it!  Anything with butter should be fab--right?

Then, of course, I found a few new loves at Trader Joe's.......thanks to some insider tips from my son the doctor....
-Trader Joe's Low Calorie Lemonade---This stuff seriously tastes like summer.  I have put it over shaved ice and pretended it was a lemon ice, I've guzzled it right from the fridge and yes, I have experimented with adding some gin (addingTanguery Rangapour is oh so heavenly!).  All yum!  Whichever way you choose....it is the perfect, low calorie summer thirst quencher. BTW, I bet tequila or vodka would be great too...
-Trader Joe's Greek Feta Salad Dressing---So, yeah, I can't believe I never bought this before!  But, when my son the doctor came home recently, he directed me to go straight to TJ's and pick up a bottle so he could use it to douse his roasted garbanzo beans and walnuts for a quick meal after his run.   Whoa...it  was so yummy.  The leftovers were especially delish straight from the fridge.  Then, as if that wasn't a good enough reason to buy this dressing, the next night, after his late night run, he fixed up a quick chicken on the grill with the remainder of the bottle.  Before he left for his run, he threw some boneless chicken breasts in a ziplock bag with the dressing to marinate.  Then, when he got home (about an hour), he grilled them up and ate them with extra feta sprinkled on the top.   I managed to hi jack a taste and just swooned.  This dressing is seriously tasty!  I have now stocked up on it and have been dreaming up new ways to use it!   
-Trader Joe's Lemon Curd--I have absolutely NO IDEA why this amazing stuff would be called something as awful sounding as curd but oh well.... I will  force myself to forget about it's name and just drown myself in it's deliciousness.  Seriously, it's a lemon-lover's dream-come-true.   Especially at this price.  Several years, ago, I fell hard for Williams Somona's much, much  pricier lemon curd.  The summer I found it, I think I drizzled it on everything---including a memorable little martini that I will have to locate the recipe for!  Remembering my lemon curd romance, my son  mentioned that TJ's has their own version (how I missed it, I will never know) and suggested I try it out.  I hopped in the car and before I knew it, I had it in my hot little hands.  That night,  when a few neighbors stopped by to be neighborly (and have a drink on our porch!) I blopped it on a package of softened cream cheese, dressed it up with a little blue berry jam and served it with none other than TJ's Ultimate Vanilla Wafers.  I was then crowned Queen of the Neighborhood.....


Did I ever mention that I have an addictive tendencies?
I think it's been documented.
Somewhere.