Confession: I have not been in the least bit motivated to blog this past month.
Largely because I was burnt out trying to accommodate my husband's new vegetarian diet. He has since brought chicken back into the rotation, mostly because completely eliminating meat did not make a noticeable difference in how he felt. The good that came from it was his openness to cutting out all red meat, while learning to enjoy a few new fruits and vegetables that he would normally never touch.
It also built in him more of an awareness of the toxicity in products that are marketed as safe to use. In fact he taught me something - did you know that, like chemicals in plastic, aluminum leeches into food when exposed to high temperatures? Small amounts are not harmful, but at high levels, aluminum can cause brittle bones, heart disease and iron deficiency, while also being linked to diseases of the nervous system such as dementia and Alzheimer's.
Second confession: I could have been blogging, but instead spent my time on newly acquired hobbies.
After talking about it forever, we finally picked up some bikes, hitting the local trails whenever possible. We bike an average of 16-23 miles per trip. Just about all my legs can handle at this point because, as with everything, my husband and I run on two different speeds. I maintain a decent athletic clip on the first leg of the trail, knowing that I'll be racing to keep pace on the return. Whereas my husband sets his speedometer to "haul ass," slowing down only to eat or get back in the truck to head home.
The eating part of the bike ride is what got me back to this blog. I love picnics. With so many vegetables coming in from my garden, and the weather still reasonably warm, salads are not yet off the menu. This recipe right here is one of my favorites from one of our recent outings. Bon appetit!
Largely because I was burnt out trying to accommodate my husband's new vegetarian diet. He has since brought chicken back into the rotation, mostly because completely eliminating meat did not make a noticeable difference in how he felt. The good that came from it was his openness to cutting out all red meat, while learning to enjoy a few new fruits and vegetables that he would normally never touch.
It also built in him more of an awareness of the toxicity in products that are marketed as safe to use. In fact he taught me something - did you know that, like chemicals in plastic, aluminum leeches into food when exposed to high temperatures? Small amounts are not harmful, but at high levels, aluminum can cause brittle bones, heart disease and iron deficiency, while also being linked to diseases of the nervous system such as dementia and Alzheimer's.
Second confession: I could have been blogging, but instead spent my time on newly acquired hobbies.
After talking about it forever, we finally picked up some bikes, hitting the local trails whenever possible. We bike an average of 16-23 miles per trip. Just about all my legs can handle at this point because, as with everything, my husband and I run on two different speeds. I maintain a decent athletic clip on the first leg of the trail, knowing that I'll be racing to keep pace on the return. Whereas my husband sets his speedometer to "haul ass," slowing down only to eat or get back in the truck to head home.
The eating part of the bike ride is what got me back to this blog. I love picnics. With so many vegetables coming in from my garden, and the weather still reasonably warm, salads are not yet off the menu. This recipe right here is one of my favorites from one of our recent outings. Bon appetit!
Ingredients:
olive oil
1/4 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 can cannellini beans
salt and pepper to taste
10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or parsley, minced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, optional*
3 tablespoons feta cheese
Directions:
Heat the oil in a fry pan over medium-high. Add the onions and zucchini, sauting for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the beans, salt and pepper, cooking for another minute. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl to cool.
Once the sauteed vegetables have cooled toss in the tomatoes and herbs. Add the lemon juice if using. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and serve.
Yield: 4-6 servings
olive oil
1/4 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 can cannellini beans
salt and pepper to taste
10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or parsley, minced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, optional*
3 tablespoons feta cheese
Directions:
Heat the oil in a fry pan over medium-high. Add the onions and zucchini, sauting for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the beans, salt and pepper, cooking for another minute. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl to cool.
Once the sauteed vegetables have cooled toss in the tomatoes and herbs. Add the lemon juice if using. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and serve.
Yield: 4-6 servings
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