Happy Friday All!!

What is everyone up to this weekend?

Our weekend forecast includes taking the girls to the dog park, sleeping in, and catching up on some work (we party HARD around here in case you hadn't noticed).

This week kept me pretty busy however, so a lazy weekend will be a much welcomed break.

Tuesday night, I met up with my Yelp Elite Squad to enjoy great company, fried chicken, and beer at Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken in Ft. Worth.

This Tennessee chain has been using their secret family recipe since the 60s, and it's a classic for a reason. The batter is light, almost tempura like, and the amount of hot sauce they add gives it just the right kiss of heat.

(It may be Louisiana hot sauce, but that's a Texas sized jug!) *The word 'jug' made me giggle, because apparently I'm a 12 year old boy*

This place is full of both rustic charm and southern hospitality.

I loved seeing all the local Dallas brews on their menu as well such as Revolver and Bishop Cider Co.

Revolver's Blood and Honey is one of my favorites. It's similar to a Blue Moon with citrusy notes of honey and blood oranges. Best enjoyed frosty cold in the summertime.

Crackberry Cider is my newly discovered drink of choice however, as it tastes like an adult version of Fruit Punch. This one is going to get me into trouble, I can already tell.

**Does Not Contain Crack, in case you were curious** ;-)

Shortly after drinks were served came the appetizers which were a parade of all things fried.

Fried Green Tomatoes:

Fried Pickle Spears:

And my favorite of the three, fried okra:

It seemed apparent at our table that okra was either a love it or hate it type food. Those who hate it, HATED IT. There was no grey area which I found assuming.

Next was our main course and what we all had been waiting for, the chicken!!

I could tell by simply looking at it that the level of spice would be on point given it's lovely red hue. The chicken on the top row was bone in, while the bottom row was boneless tenders. I am a weenie when it comes to bone in meats (chicken, ribs, etc.) so the tenders were the perfect choice for me.

Along with our delicious chicken, came a bounty of sides including mac and cheese, collard greens, coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans which I thought were an odd choice. I see baked beans all the time at BBQ joints, but not so much at a chicken place. Is that a Tennessee thing?

I needed a forklift to escort me out of the restaurant that night, but it was worth it.

To offset my fried chicken feast, I decided to make myself something much lighter for lunches this week.

Having been a fan of avocado toast for a while, I came across this Skinnytaste recipe using Lemon and Kale and just knew I had to try it.

Essentially I used all the same ingredients she did, simply tweaking it more to fit my style.

The results?

Here's what I did:

First I took a tablespoon of olive oil and heated it in a skillet with a generous pinch of red chili flakes.

Then I found the biggest garlic clove I had and thinly sliced it into pieces.

I threw a handful of kale (pre washed and chopped from a bag) into the skillet with the oil, added salt and pepper to taste, then cooked it on medium heat until the kale started to wilt slightly.

I add the garlic to the pan when it looks like the kale only needs another minute or so on the heat. You don't want to get the garlic too brown because then it produces a bitter flavor.

When it's cooked through enough to your liking (about ten minutes for me), take off the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, toast up two slices of your favorite bread.

I'm really into the Sourdough Archer Farms bread from the bakery section at Target right now. It's the perfect amount for 4-5 lunches and saves me from wasting a full loaf I would buy and only use half of.

You can add a little butter or drizzle of oil to the bread after it toasts if you'd like, but I prefer to leave mine dry.

While the toast cools, wash 2-3 radishes and roughly chop them into chunks.

They add such a nice crunch and pop of color. Gorgeous! I would paint my walls in that.

Next cut a slice of lemon; I save the rest of it to add to my water throughout the day.

Now add your cooked kale and garlic to the bowl with the radishes and mix everything together. Squeeze the juice of the lemon slice in, being careful not to let any seeds get through.

Grab and avocado and slice it open lengthwise.

I seem to keep having the worst luck with finding good avocados lately. This is what I got when I cut into the first one. I've tried all kinds too. Organic, ripe, non-ripe, and somehow still seem to get the bottom of the barrel in terms of quality. It's beyond frustrating.

The second one I tried was (only a tad) better, so I trashed the first one and used it instead.

I basically chopped around the funky parts and used only those that looked kosher.

I then added that to the bowl along with the radishes and kale:

Once everything was well mixed together, I spread it evenly onto the two slices of toast.

I add more salt and pepper just before serving for a more even distribution.

And that's it! My new easy and healthy go to lunch (assuming I can find decent avocados). It does a great job in keeping me full, especially if I have some fruit with it on the side like an orange or chunks of watermelon. Try it for yourself and tag me in your photos on Twitter or Facebook! I'd love to know what you like to add to your avocado toast.

Until next time friends, have a good weekend and eat well!

<3 Elyse