So I may have had a bit of a meltdown last night as the thought finally hit me that I was about to turn 32. Suddenly, year 31 seemed like such a failure and I was terrified of what year 32 was about to bring me.

Yes, I was that kind of girl.

It’s ok, I give you full permission to laugh at and judge me all you want because, believe me, I totally realize how ridiculous I was being.

(Source)

But in the resplendent light of day, things sure seemed different, and as my morning progressed, my mood continuously lightened.

I woke up to Len playing Happy Birthday to me on the guitar. Seriously, how could my day not get off to a good start after that? 🙂 Oh, and he also declared that it was my “2^5th birthday” (2 to the 5th power). Math Nerd Alert! =) Nerd or not, I decided that sounded like a way cooler age to be at.

Then I made myself a giant Green Monster in a bowl. It contained a banana, lots o’ spinach, flax seeds, milk, frozen watermelon, and frozen blueberries.

Wait, wait, wait…while it may look like a big bowl of green sludge, I assure you it was ridiculously tasty! Especially when I topped it with granola, brown rice crisp cereal, almonds, and fresh blueberries:

Yum! My morning was indeed getting better and better…

Then as I savoured my breakfast, I read the many loving and funny birthday messages from my friends and family, and I just felt so blessed to have such amazing people around me.

And then the doorbell rang. Look what my loving husband had delivered to me:

Am I the luckiest girl or what? 🙂

I went on to putter about the house and snap some pictures in our garden. Oh, remember that vegetable garden I was so gung-ho on starting a few months back? Yes, well, my enthusiasm proved a bit short-lived. So all I managed to grow was a whole lotta lettuce…

And that’s it. Nothin’ else.

Ah well, there’s always next year, right?

Then I came in and made my favourite hummus for lunch. I have made other versions of hummus, including my Black Bean and Orange Hummus (which I love), but this easy and original version is still my all-time favourite. It’s super simple, and can be enjoyed in a multitude of ways… as a sandwich spread, with veggie sticks or crackers, on toast, on salads, on meat, licked straight off your finger…whatever floats your boat. You’ll get no judgement from me!

Saucy’s Favourite Hummus

1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed well

1 – 2 cloves garlic (depending on how garlicky you like it)

2 TB (heaping) tahini

2 TB fresh lemon juice (juice from approx 1 lemon)

2 TB extra-virgin olive oil

2 TB water

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt (we have a pretty low-sodium diet around here, so adjust to your taste–can use up to 1 tsp)

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp chili powder

freshly ground black pepper to taste (I used approx 1/4 tsp)

I love that the PC Blue Menu line has a variety of canned beans with no salt added.

Mmmm tahini. Love this stuff. It’s also really good in salad dressings. Speaking of which, I sometimes also like to thin out my hummus with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and add a touch of honey, for a simple salad dressing.

Ok, back to the hummus… Right, so just throw all the ingredients into a food processor, and give it a whirl for a good minute or two until the hummus is smooth and creamy. You can add more water or oil if you like your hummus with a thinner texture, and adjust all the seasonings to your taste. And that’s all there is to it!

Oh, and sprinkle on some paprika for a garnish if you like.

I had a hummus, spinach, tomato, and cucumber sandwich for lunch and it was just what this birthday girl wanted. 🙂

After work, I came home to Len making me a scrumptious dinner, with a dreamy lemon cake for dessert. (Which I unfortunately didn’t remember to photograph cuz I was too hungry!)

This birthday has been just lovely. So maybe 32 isn’t so bad afterall… 🙂