How is it Monday already! We have been in Punta Cana soaking up every last bit of paradise since Thursday and we catch a flight back home this afternoon. These last few days, just my husband and I have been absolutely amazing. Before our trip we have both been extremely busy and haven’t spent a lot of quality time together for quite some time. This trip allowed us to get away from the craziness of everyday life, disconnect and destress, and just be together. The best part of the trip for me was not having a rigid schedule to follow and being able to just go with the flow. I am a scheduled person by nature so letting go of some of that has made me feel so relaxed and refreshed.
Last night street vendors were lined all along the walking path and we found the cutest watercolor abstract elephant canvas. We ended getting two of them for baby’s room. The nursery has begun! One thing I realized I am not good at on this trip, bargaining. Nope. I learned pretty quickly that anyone walking around asking you to do something will want money for it and they will ask for a lot of it. The first day we were here we were on the beach and a guy was walking around with a monkey on his shoulder and a lot of people were getting pictures with it. Naturally, I wanted a picture with the monkey. After getting a few photos, the dude asks for $40. Excuse me… $40 for a picture with a monkey? We ended up giving him a few dollars and walking away! We watched as he deceived the next couple and they didn’t give him any money at all! So, it you are going on an international vacation, watch out for those types of people. They will nickel and dime you any chance they can get.
We get to soak in a few more hours of paradise yet today. We are headed to catch the sunrise now so I gots to go! This salad is so simple to make and can be either made for a lighter dinner or a side dish to your dinner. The leftovers keep very well in the refrigerator. This will be a good to salad of mine. With the temps getting warmer I have been craving fresh salads lately and this one was perfection!
- 2 zucchini, made into noodles using spiralizer
- 1 avocado, cut into cubes
- 2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and chopped
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- Combine the zoodles, avocado, cherry tomatoes, jalapeno pepper and green onion in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Place a skillet on the stove over medium high heat and add the ghee. Once the ghee is melted, add the cubed chicken and cook until fully coated. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, add it to the salad bowl. Then add the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Gently toss until all ingredients are mixed and fully coated with olive oil and lemon juice.
- Enjoy!