A Sharp Knife: a must-have

I've given a lot of thought to what I would like to be doing with my life if college was not in the picture. For those who know me well- or for any random person I've met and held at least a 20 minute conversation with- you have probably heard me mention how cosmetology school is something I've always desired to do. I'm all about doing what you love, because you love it. I'm not the kind of person who could stick with a job I don't even enjoy simply because of the paycheck or benefits. What a lot of people don't know, however, is that culinary school might have been my next option. I greatly enjoy cooking, trying new recipes, and coming up with my own, though my busy college life has forced me (at least 80% of the time) to stick to making simple, fast, and healthy meals. This usually includes the following daily line-up:

Breakfast:
a grain...cereal, oatmeal, or toast
a dairy product or a protein... yogurt or eggs
a fruit... usually berries, a banana, mango, or an apple

Snack:
a nut... usually almonds
or whatever I find in the snack drawer at work

Lunch:
sandwich... whole wheat bread (Nature's Own), turkey (deli meat... not the prepackaged crap), some sort of cheese (i prefer Munster over anything), dressing (either mustard, Greek salad dressing made from olive oil, or my personal favorite- Veganaise) and any sort of fresh veggies to top it all off (cucumbers, tomatoes, pickles, lettuce)
something crunchy... Flat Earth tangy tomato ranch veggie chips, or nuts if they weren't my snack
something green... usually Bird's Eye Steamfresh brussel sprouts
something sweet... Jell-O sugar free pudding

Dinner:
protein... usually grilled or baked chicken with my choice of seasoning (lemon pepper, Italian herb, or creole)
veggie... sauteed squash, zucchini, and mushrooms
grain... brown rice or maybe some whole wheat pasta

Point being, my daily plate has bored my pallet. I need to mix it up a bit.
I'm looking forward to tonight. I'm getting together to cook with my friend Kristen and watching Big Brother- a show I've maybe caught one episode of ever since its debut in July of 2000. We plan on baking seasoned pork chops and I'm in charge of veggies. So I got on the Bird's Eye website and found an idea for "faux mashed potatoes," if you will:
1 package Birds Eye Steamfresh Cauliflower , (12 oz) (cooked according to package directions)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Asiago cheese, shredded
1 tsp chives, dried
Mash together... and voilà! A healthier version of mashed taters.

Dessert, perhaps? I've been dying to make a fruit pizza. Perfect for summer, super sweet, an old Pampered Chef recipe I used to make with my mom:
the crust...1 roll of sugar cookie dough, rolled out into a pizza shape (one giant cookie), baked at 350 degrees, and cooled
the sauce... a mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a tiny splash of orange juice
the topping... any kind of fruit you like, sliced and diced.
After it's all neatly arranged, brush some apricot preserves over the top for a pretty glazed look and to keep the fruit fresh!

Looks like I have a grocery store run to make! Keep me posted about any delicious, healthy, and quick recipes you have. In the mean time, I'll be sure to let my creative juices flow and hopefully concoct some award-winning masterpiece of a meal...
Dream big, right?

For Tasty Tuesdays,
Kate