***This giveaway is now closed. Thank you for entering!***
Hi everyone – hope you had a nice weekend!
Ben and I have been here, there, and everywhere over the past couple of days. Sit down and stay awhile, I’ll tell ya’ about it! 
Double your pleasure…
I was whipping up a new flavor combo of mini quinoa cups this weekend (recipe coming soon!) when I cracked open an egg and two yolks popped out. Twins, Basil – twins! 
I was horrified, but am hearing that this is actually good luck?! I’ll take it!
Speaking of…
Ben and I were browsing at a book store today when I turned a corner and audibly squealed. SWEET VALLEY HIGH TEN YEARS LATER?!?! I can pretty much die happy! This may will absolutely “accidentally” end up as an Amazon one-click Kindle purchase in the very near future.
Time is on my side…
Although I don’t love working out on the weekends, I have to admit it’s awfully nice knowing I can take as much time as I want to at the gym on Saturdays and Sundays, which I’m not able to do during the hectic work week. When I have the time, I like to run through longer treadmill routines like this 50 Minute, 5.45 Mile routine I huffed & puffed through on Saturday. Sweaty and engaging – the 50 minutes actually flew by.
(click image to print larger)
Grilling Gods…
The grilling Gods, aka Mr. BBQ, heard my cry and sent Ben and me a new grill cover to replace the crappy, no-name cover that had blown itself to bits over the winter. We easily slipped the cover on and into place this afternoon – fits like a glove. Hallelujah! (and go Hawkeyes!) Thanks Mr. BBQ!
Sugar and spice…
Ok, not so much something we did this weekend, but I can’t believe I haven’t told you guys that Ben and I are going to be an auntie & uncle for the second time later this month, when my brother & sister-in-law welcome a new baby girl! We’ve had so much fun with Finn over the past two and a half years and can’t wait to snuggle the newest addition to our family. 
Nothin’ like noodles…
Nobody ever said eating low-carb was an exact science, so when Ben and I got a carby craving this evening we headed over to Noodles & Company for dinner!
Ben had heard that they got a new “grown up” Mac & Cheese line and, well, I never met a noodle I didn’t like, so we stopped by and got a couple dishes to go.
His & hers!
I heart Noodles’ Udon Noodles dish, but tonight I was really feeling their lighter Pasta Fresca.
Penne pasta is sauteed with balsamic, white wine and TONS of roasted garlic, then topped with feta cheese & shrimps. It has a teeny-tiny kick of heat that I just adore.
Ben went ahead and did the damn thing and ordered their new Bacon Mac & Cheeseburger dish.
Ummm, omg. Buttery noodles with cheese sauce, bacon & meatballs, topped with fresh tomatoes and crunchy breadcrumbs. I helped polish this off in a pretty significant way. It was too good!
In case you’re experiencing a carb craving too, Noodles & Company is giving away a free dish of your choice to 2 IGE readers!
Enter to win one free Noodles & Company dish of your choice by tomorrow, Monday, March 12 at 5pm central by telling me what your favorite pasta dish is in the comments section below.
Have a great week everyone!
Definitely mac and cheese. It’s just a classic comfort food.
I’m a huge fan of pesto!
I really love making smoked salmon pesto capatavi! YUM
It’s so hard to pick just one favorite! I’ll have to go with Vodka Cream Pasta though! It’s so good and I love the way the basil melds into all the flavors!
I love seafood alfredo! There is another kick on the “grown up mac & cheese” Carraba’s has mac and cheese with pieces of lobster in it… so yummy =)
I love a good rose meat sauce!
I love PESTO! Anything with pesto is a winner. I really love the Noodles Pesto Cavatappi.
I am new to your blog and tried one of your treadmill workouts over the weekend – definitely helped me beat treadmill boredom – thanks!
I love pad thai!
All the way…pad thai with shrimp! Yum! Now I really want some Noodles!
I love their penna rosa!!! It has that little kick of heat like you were describing in the penne fresca. YUM!
Definitely the Japanese Pan Noodles – way healthier than you would get at most places and so fresh!
I love chicken pesto and the more garlic, the better!
It is one my husband makes – turkey sausage with penne, peppers and balsamic vinegar. Soo good.
Mac and Cheese hands down.
Mac and Cheese!!
Sweet Valley ten years later??? If you read this… you absolutely, positively, must tell us about it. I used to read the sweet valley high and then SVU books.. my friend and I even used to play a kind of “house” game. I was either twin because I have blonde hair and blue eyes, and she was always valerie from Beverly Hills, 90210… I know, makes no sense.
Elizabeth was my favorite twin because I thought we were more alike.. who was yours?
Spaghetti (or any noodle really) and my momma’s zesty tomato sauce. Yummmmy
I love baked zitti!
Their Bangkok Curry is SO YUMMY!
Ahh, I *LOVE* Noodles! I could live on their Japanese Pan Noodles. And their Snickerdoodle cookies, of course. As for my all-time favorite pasta dish – baked ziti! Thanks for the giveaway!
No matter what I try, I always go back to the classic Mac and Cheese (with chicken). It’s so simple and so delicious!
Sesame noodles! Yum
from Noodles & Co? Penne Rosa! But now I’m DYING to try the truffle mac!
I’m a pad thai girl, but love all sorts of things at Noodles! Especially anything I can add Sriracha to!
Pad Thai with chicken!
My favorite pasta is classic spaghetti (family friendly) or spinach lasagna (if it’s just for me)!
I do LOVE Pad Tai, but your Pasta Fresca looks delicious! I think I would try that!
Definitely buffalo Mac and cheese !
I had the pesto cavatappi on Friday. My all time fave!
i read it. it was great!
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