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Ginger Jewel Salad
Ginger Jewel Salad Summer = salads! You can have fun with this delicious and light dish by experimenting with any dried fruits, just try to imagine if it will pair well with ginger and go from there. This recipe uses a festive combination of dried fruits with leafy red romaine lettuce and some little gem lettuce. You can use whatever lettuce looks the most vibrant at the store or from your own garden. Feel free to make the vinaigrette the day before.
Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger juice, made by grating a 4-5-inch piece of ginger into a pile and then pressing it against a strainer to extract the ginger juice
• 2 tablespoons white wine or Champagne vinegar
• fine grain sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon jalapeno, very finely chopped
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup dried figs, stems trimmed, quartered
• 1/3 cup dried pluots, chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
• 5 big handfuls of leafy salad greens, washed and dried
To Prepare:
1. In a Mason jar or medium bowl make the ginger vinaigrette by whisking together the ginger juice, vinegar, jalapeno, and a couple big pinches of salt.
2. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the jar, whisking all the while. Stop when the dressing takes on a slightly creamy appearance. Taste and adjust the flavors if needed. Set aside. NOTE: Hold off dressing the salad until just before you are ready to serve it. This will help to keep the lettuce vibrant and lively.
3. In a large bowl toss the figs, pluots, hazelnuts with a generous splash of the dressing. Once they are nicely coated, add the lettuce, a bit more vinaigrette, and a pinch of salt. Gently toss until the lettuce is evenly coated. Taste and adjust if needed. The little bits of fruit and nuts tend to fall to the bottom of the bowl, so before serving scoop them back up from the bottom so you end up with plenty of rice and fruit on top.
4. This recipe also works well with some blue cheese or goat cheese.
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Mallards in the Morning
Yes, 5:30 AM is a bit early to be out walking. And let me tell you this: the birds are singing so sweetly at that hour, the air is cool and fresh and damp, the pink in the sky is soft, and Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are cautiously paddling about in the water, sending ripples of contentment through the moon reflection. Ah, this is a delightful time to walk–in the quiet morning, before human noises encroach, I am able to engage in a mindfulness practice that invites all my senses to participate.
I smell the richness of spring: damp earth, sweetness of the wildflowers, strong sage aroma, wet grasses; I see the sunrise, the soft green of the tender oak leaves, the white of the dogwood flower, the deep purple of the lupine; I feel the cool morning air and the gentle breeze; I hear the birds and am able to differentiate a few special songs; and I taste, metaphorically speaking, the delicious flavors of the morning: gratitude, joy, and reverence.
The Mallards return every year–that they become eternal mates is endearing–to bring new life to the world. They are very timid, aware of their precarious situation in the forest, and do not let me or Grace get too close, which makes that that much more precious to me. I walk, I reflect, I feel my heart filling with calm peacefulness and my mind quietly savoring the details of this ordinary magnificence.
What has brought you joy and calm on this glorious morning?
What’s Bringing You Joy today?
Just me, my dog, and the sliver of the moon–oh, and about a thousand birds–on our morning walk. Out early, in anticipation of a long and full day, savoring the symphony of avian song, the changing light in the sky, the gentle and still-cool morning breeze of spring…ah, no matter what else comes up, my day has begun with joy and gratitude. What’s bringing you joy today?
Savvy Shopping, Smart Cooking
Eating Better at a Price You Can Afford … What an appealing idea! I am partnering with Wendy Van Wagner of In the Kitchen fame to provide this practical and fun food shopping tour and cooking class– all in one spectacular morning! We’ll meet and shop at Briarpatch from 9 – 10, during which time we’ll review labels and what ingredients to look for, explore grains and legumes and other interesting bulk items, and much more! We’ll then pop over to In the Kitchen for a cooking class (from 10:30 – noon) that will utilize some of the Basic Buy items being offered as an affordable purchase at Briarpatch. You’ll come away with a New Pantry shopping list, information to shop smart and sensibly, recipes, and a happy stomach–as the meal is included in the price! What a deal! Space is limited to 8, pre-registration and payment is required. Register here: http://wendyvanwagner.com. See you there!
Morning Music: EverGlades Birds Greeting the Day
It’s my pleasure to share a brief glimpse of the glorious sounds of morning song in the EverGlades… Happy Friday! EGlades birdsong
Tags: Birds, Birding, and Mindfulness
The Varied Thrush. Now I know. For the past couple of weeks however, I didn’t know, I couldn’t identify the bird responsible for making the “whistle” sound I was hearing while walking through the forest. I searched online for “birds that make whistling sounds” and “what bird sounds like a referee’s whistle”., to no avail. I stood still in the forest, waiting, listening, looking; I would hear the whistle and could not, no matter how much I peered into the foliage, find that bird.
Then we were walloped with winter storms. Two major snow dumps with lots of rain in between. Power outage. Trees down. Big trees down. Using saved bath water to flush. Heat from the wood stove. Roughing it — 21st century style.
My twice-daily dog walks took on a different tone; dressed in gortex armor (me, not her), out we’d go into the deluge of rain or the dumping of snow. The only sounds I heard for days was that of big winds in the treetops, giant clumps of snow hitting the ground, and my labored breath as I tromped through 12+ inches of heavy, wet snow.
Until today. We woke to a brightness in the sky — not sunshine, but the promise of it. No precipitation. As soon as I stepped outside, I heard the birds — all of them, singing their celebration of the non-precipitation-ary state — Chickadee, Robin, Stellar Jay, Towhee, Mourning Dove, White and Red Breasted Nuthatch, and from deep in the forest, the coveted song of the Piliated Woodpecker. Then: the whistle. And again. I took a few tentative steps on the path and there, perched on a broken oak branch, was a magnificent bird making a referee whistle sound. I saw it clearly, remembered the dominant characteristics, and looked it up as soon as I got back from the walk. When I clicked on the “listen to the call” button on the WhatBird.com website, I was so pleased to have matched the sound with the bird!
In my round-about way of telling a story, the point here is to share with you that birding is a truly mindful practice. Standing still, watching, observing small movements, following sounds, watching, waiting some more…it is an invitation to be in the moment. To be mindful.
What will you be listening to today?
Have a listen to the Varied Thrush: whatbird.com 
HeartMatters and What Women Over 40 Want to Know…
I enjoyed a blog radio interview with Wendy Hanlan, the founder of What Women Over 40 Want to Know, as we discussed physical and emotional heart health. Have a listen…
