Heavenly Salad

It has been a while since I posted a recipe, so tonight I will post my recipe for Heavenly Salad.   You may wonder why I call this salad Heavenly Salad.  It has been deemed to be heavenly because of its wonderful sweet and tangy taste.  It is also a very versatile salad; it can be eaten with a wide variety of main dishes from turkey to beef to seafood.  It is a wonderful side compliment for many different meals.

This salad is composed of three food groups:  vegetable, fruit and protein (nuts).  Therefore it is also very healthy!  What do you need to make this salad?  Here is a list of the ingredients:

• 1 apple, cored and diced into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries
• 4 c. mixed greens ( I like spinach, romaine and leaf lettuce)
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

Ingredients for sweet and tangy dressing:

• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/8 c. rice vinegar
• 1/8 c. balsamic vinegar
• 1 t. sugar
• 1 t. lemon juice

In a bowl, combine chopped apple, dried cranberries, mixed greens and nuts.  In a separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients and whisk together until mixed well.  Drizzle dressing over salad and toss lightly to coat salad ingredients completely.

This salad is wonderful when served fresh.  It doesn't keep well in the refrigerator overnight because it is tossed in dressing.  Therefore, it is better to only make what you need for your meal at one time so the remainder doesn't go bad.

Just one taste and I know you'll be hooked!  This salad has quickly become one of my all time favorites!  I hope it will become one of yours too!  Bon appetit!

Recipe for Happiness

1 1/2 c. love1 c. prayer 3/4 c. enlightenment 3/4 c. acceptance 1/2 c. peace 1/2 c. wisdom 1/3 c. understanding 1/4 c. faith 1/8 c. discernment 4 T. gratitude 3 T. fortitude 2 T. goodwill to others dash of hope sprinkle with abundant laughter

Mix together. Add some dreams. Toss in positivity. Allow time to process!

The Colors Of Life

Today is a day to rejoice in the colors of life; a day when I recognize the beauty of the variations of colors in the natural world. So today I will celebrate nature by sharing a recipe for Colorful Cucumber Salad.

This salad is made in a sauce; a type of marinade. Just as I love to soak in the beauty of nature, so this salad soaks in a slightly tangy but sweet sauce. It delights the taste buds just as a beautiful day delights the senses!

In this salad, I add crisp, green cucumbers which remind me of the beauty of trees and leaves. The cucumbers are the base of the salad just as trees and leaves and all things green are the base of nature! Then I add a sampling of purple cabbage and carrots; the colors of sunsets, birds and blooms. I think of the perfect touch these colors add to my natural surroundings  as I mix the ingredients together. The swirling of the blending colors in my bowl reflect the beauty of nature mixing with my perspective, giving me peace and comfort.

Life is colorful.  And expressive.  And profound.  Simple things hold great meaning in the natural world like the gift of life and breath the trees and plants offer us.  And the gift of love and beauty the flowers and birds grace us with.

This recipe is a simple gift of life and love from me to my family. Feel free to give it a try and pass the love offering along!

Colorful Cucumber Salad

• 2 cucumbers, peeled and diced
• 1 T. minced garlic ( you can use more if you like)
• 1/8 c. shredded carrots
• 1/8 c. chopped purple cabbage
• 3 T. rice vinegar
• 2 T. sugar

Mix together. Enjoy!

Today Is A Day For Chocolate Pie

I am craving a chocolate pie.  I love chocolate pie. First of all, I am a chocoholic. But I prefer the taste of chocolate mixed with other flavors, like strawberries or bananas or even a touch of vanilla in one form or another. Usually when I make chocolate pie, I put it in a graham cracker crust and top it with whipped cream and grated semi sweet chocolate crumbles. The combination of the different flavors is amazing.

Today, I shall compare my life to a chocolate pie.   At the moment, I am the chocolate; content, creamy and smooth.  My family is the topping, adding a sweet compliment to my life. My friends are the crumbles on top, a welcome surprise to my taste buds as I rejoice in how they add to the overall experience.  My beliefs are the graham cracker crust holding everything together.  When I prepare the pie and place it on the table for my beloved family, my heart has been poured into its preparation.  My pie is my offering.

Cooking is a metaphor of life;  when we cook we prepare, plan, offer and receive.  We make our food special for loved ones and guests.  We commemorate our time with each other by gathering together to enjoy creations made with love out of our favorite ingredients.

I love the tastes and varieties of life. And I love to experiment with new ways to make chocolate pie. Maybe a new experience will be strawberries on top. Or perhaps a new realization will be like nuts ground into the graham cracker crust to give it a tastier foundation. Then according to my mood, I adjust my pie.  It may taste quite different from day to day, but that's the beauty of cooking and living!

What is one of your favorite recipes? A dessert, a hot dish, a salad? Maybe your prefer something simpler like a delicious piece of your favorite candy? Whatever the flavor of your favorite recipe, it describes you and gives a bit of insight into who you are.  Do you prefer a complicated, detailed recipe or something easy and tasty?  It may vary from day to day, even moment to moment.  Thank goodness the tastes and combinations are endless!  We can share and adapt according to who we meet,  where we go and what our prevailing mood is at the moment! The abounding variety of recipes makes life itself into a bountiful buffet!

Share your recipes with loved ones and friends, perhaps even new acquaintances! You may just inspire someone to try something new!

Simply Delicious Chocolate Pie:

• 1 graham cracker crust
• 1 1/2-2 cups milk ( you can use vanilla flavored soy or almond milk as a substitute if you wish)
• 1 box of instant chocolate pudding
• 1 small container of whipped topping
• semi sweet chocolate squares, grated

Combine milk and pudding.  Prepare according to directions.  Pour prepared pudding into graham cracker crust. Chill 30 minutes until pudding sets firmly.  Top with whipped topping. Grate semi sweet chocolate squares over the top.  If you are in an imaginative life perspective at the moment of cooking, decorate with fruit or nuts or candies!  Enjoy!