After working through the morning, I took a little breather around lunchtime to throw together a hot meal.
I sautéed an onion in a bit of olive oil before chopping up two al fresco sweet apple chicken sausages and adding them to the pan. I then added thinly sliced Honeycrisp apple slices and let them cook until they softened.
It was a great lunch!
I followed it up with some homemade almond butter granola.
I currently have eight cups of granola on my hands! I made a bunch for Mackenzie, the winner of my granola in Gina’s Sweets for Sandy auction, and prepared a batch for us to enjoy as well. This stuff is addicting!
After lunch, I ran a quick errand to the library to pick up The Happiness Project to read for this month’s book club.
I had it placed on hold and got an email notification this morning telling me it was ready and waiting. I can’t wait to start reading it this evening. I always like having a book to read and felt a little lost this weekend without something to read before bed. Reading helps me settle down and drift off to sleep, so I was a little restless. Have any of my fellow book club readers started this book yet? Thoughts?
Time to cram in a few more hours of work before a Junior League meeting tonight!
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Mmmm that lunch looks super tasty!
I too love reading before bed–but it can’t be too thriller-murder-esque or else I have nightmares and/or can’t sleep well. Ugh.
I put that book on hold, but I’m like 4505959 in line. Yah. So I just got the Gone Girl and am going to start that! Love the ideas that come from your book club!
i supposed short wait times at the library is a perk of living in a small town. 🙂 hope you like gone girl! it’s intense!!!
I never thought to cook apples actually WITH the chicken apple sausage!! That flavor is a favorite in our house, so it might have to go on this week’s menu 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
i loooove cooked apples. i also love them with pork chops. mmm!
Oh wow… you enjoyed two of my favorites for lunch, yum! I love those Al Fresco sausages & honeycrisp apples are one of my favorites (besides macintosh)! Might have to try this sometime. Good luck w/that granola! Looks amazing… I love it, but can’t keep it in the house because I’ll literally eat it all in one sitting… I’m addicted!
I love reading before bed; it helps me relax and unwind after a long day. Plus, it helps me fall asleep quicker!
So interesting. I never would think to add apples and sausage together, but it kind of sounds good! I adore the Happiness Project, it such an amazing read! I love the positivity it created in my life.
I have yet to try making my own granola, and I think it’s time I remedy that! I really enjoyed The Happiness Project. It really makes you think about small areas of your life that could use improvement.
I think I’m actually going to follow along with this month’s book club, so excited! I’m lazy, so I will probably purchase it for my kindle. Since I got my kindle, I haven’t borrowed a single book from the library, so bad. Its just too easy to download them!
I love those sausages – thanks for introducing me! I used them this weekend to make a super delicious sweet potato apple soup with chicken sausage.
I tried reading that book this summer and just couldn’t finish it. It’s the first book I’ve ever returned to the library unfinished. It was just very blah for me which makes me sad because I’ve heard so many great things!
I’ve been loving simple lunches like that too lately! Your looks delicious~And once upon a time when I used to read till I fell asleep, I too felt lost if I didn’t end up reading. Sometimes they give crazy dreams too! 😀
I just got an email that my book for our Chicago book club is ready, I’m surprised! Haha I was afraid I’d just have to buy it since usually it takes months for me to get a book I wanted from our public library!
The Happiness Project literally changed my life. You are going to love it.
this makes me excited!!
I loved the Happiness Project, Julie! It’s what actually motivated me to start my blog last spring. It is such a light, fun read, but very fulfilling nonetheless. It actually made the journey with me to Australia two months ago in our “books and office supplies box”, as I know I want to re-read it within the year.
She has a new one called “Happier At Home” that I am looking forward to reading soon as well.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307886786
I started the book but have yet to finish it. I actually began reading one chapter per month (it’s written a month per chapter format) but never made it past July. I have some thoughts but don’t want to taint anyone’s experience before they get a chance to read it themselves. My co-workers loved it and read it in one weekend.
Next time add some fresh sage into the mix. It’s delicious with the apples and the pork. Perfect combo!
oooh! thanks for the suggestion! sounds great.
Hi Julie, I was wondering if you’re officially stopping doing dinner posts. I can’t help but wonder what sorts of things you have made for dinner lately! Hopefully that doesn’t sound creepy, haha
not creepy at all! i’m not really sure what direction i’ll take, but for right now 2x a day seems to be working for me. i am trying to focus more time on freelance work and studying, but someone suggested i post dinner recaps in the morning on occasion, so i’d love to do that!
Those sausages look delicious – where did you pick them up from?
I love apple chicken sausage, it’s so good with pasta and veggies too. And so easy to cook up super fast. I love reading before bed too, lately I’ve been so tired that I fall asleep after about 3 pages haha. I have a stack of magazines that have backed up, and I want to get started on the Happiness Project too, hopefully I can get to it!
I just started The Happiness Project this week and I’m loving it so far. It’s so inspirational. Also, I would definitely recommend reading her introduction before chapter 1. I usually skip over it but I read her’s and it was great! Excited to hear everyone’s thoughts!
Wow… I was anxious for the recipe when I read your title, but as I read on I realized how simple your lunch was. Sounds excellent! Thanks for sharing.
Wahh I treid to win your Almond Butter granola on Ginas Fundraiser bakesale but was outbid after I went to sleep 🙁 Thats what I get for being such a dork and going to bed early on a Friday night!!
Wow, apple and sausage is such a good combo! I have this awesome recipe for apple sausage stew, but unfortunately I haven’t ever found chicken sausage over here in the UK. :/
I love baked apples in meals, a great way to add some sweetness without overpowering it. In fact, i am making a vegan meatloaf tonight and it includes shredded apple. Such a delicious fall addition!
I read that book and enjoyed it for the most part. She had some good ideas and it’s a quick read.
I love cooking up apples. I need to give it a try with the sausage. It would be great topped over a salad. I am so loving The Happiness Project! I don’t usually go for nonfiction, but this book has surpassed my expectations!
Love that lunch idea. Perfect for the fall! I love those chicken sausages that you can buy at Target or Publix. They make such good and quick meals!
I really need to start getting books from the library. I have a bad problem with buying them from Goodwill. I keep saying I need to read more of the books I have bought from there before I get more, but I’m such an impulse buyer.
Your lunch looks delicious!
Julie and other readers:
I am an avid reader, and can NEVER check out books at my local library due to the population (Miami=busy busy!). I can’t wait to read this book, and wanted to let you know I bought it (used- very good condition) from half.com (It’s part of e-bay) for $2.89, with shipping it came to $5.00! I love to keep the books I read, but HATE spending $5 million dollars at Barnes and Nobles.
I read it! It was really inspiring and I was motivated to change up my life for around two weeks after I read it .. and then went on to my normal routines lol. It was a really fun read though.
Every time you make chicken sausage I’m like, “Dang that sounds so wonderful!! why do I always never buy any?”
I’ve made sometHing similar with pear (instead of the apple) & feta- love it!
Ohhh the book looks good! I’ll have to keep an ear out for your recommendation!
I am a big fan of reading before bed. It’s one of the only things that actually works to make me ‘sleep sleepy’, not just ‘get into bed sleepy’. I’m reading a great book at the moment called ‘The Chaperone’ by Laura Moriarty. Highly recommend!
I need to go get a new book to read, I miss reading!
I love apple chicken sausage. It’s definitely my favorite. I’ve never tried it with apples. I bet it tastes fantastic! Must try! 🙂
I will def have to check out that book! Sounds great from all the comments! Also, I didn’t know you were in the Junior League!! I am a member of the Junior League in Pittsburgh!!! : )
I have read this book before and was unfortunately not that big of a fan. But I did think the author brought up some good ideas!
I started the book a few days ago and so far I’m liking it. There have been several times while reading it I have thought, “Holy buckets!! That’s totally me!!”.
Julie! I love that lunch idea. I work close to my house and am always looking for sometime to run home and make on the fly! This is a great idea.
Also, I didn’t know you were in Junior League. It only makes my love for your blog and you even greater!
I’m so excited about this month’s book of the month! I haven’t participated in PBfingers book club before, but this book looks very optimistic and…happy! (:
I love baked apples in savory dishes and The Happiness Project looks so good!
Julie, I ended up making your lunch for dinner and it was so delicious! I had all the ingredients already and loved the mix of the apples with the onions. So tasty, thanks for sharing!
Love the idea of the sausage/apple combo! I really wanted to join in on the book club this month because I so want to read that book. But, alas, I am in the midst of a move and some big transitions so it’s just going to have to wait for now. Can’t wait to see what you and the other bloggers who join in think about it!
I am so happy I found your blog! I have been following your book club and have even read some of the “rejects.” I also reserve my books from the library. I hope the Happiness Project picks up, I am not digging it so far.
The Apple Chicken Sausage Skillet look delicious! I’m in college and I’m so excited for Thanksgiving break to be able to cook at home. I’m definitely going to have to add this to my list of recipes to make over break!