Welcome Noah! ( and a blissful stuffed veggie salad sandwich)

Oh, what a week!  On the 13th, we welcomed Noah to this world, born at 1:10 in the morning.   I woke up at 3 am and nibbled my fingers, not knowing what was going on, and made muffins, unable to sleep.  A few hours later, we got the news, and gathered at the hospital to greet a tired Mom and a squeaky little boy.  Izzie bounced into the room, arms out, to hold her little brother, glowing with excitement, while I, as Grandma, was relieved .  Who remembered how wee those newborns are?  Not me.

Back and forth to the hospital, until they were released on Monday.  Monday, Patriots Day in Boston,  IRS day,  and the Marathon, and then the shock and sorrow of the bombings.  Visits to a settling in baby, sleepy parents, and several glasses of green smoothies while I tried to remember what families with little ones like to eat.  I've forgotten all that, to my surprise.  But I managed to make my favorite stuffed pitas with crunchy cabbage and spinach,  thinly sliced scallions and parsley, and tiny, wee grape tomatoes, a kale and lentil soup with cumin , and I've forgotten what else.  Honestly.  Clearly I have to get up to speed here.  But not just yet, not while the flag is at half staff, not when I think about that little 8 year old that died on a beautiful day in Boston.  

Veggie Salad Sandwiches:

You can use a very sharp knife or a Kitchenaid shredder cone to slice the cabbage.  

2 cups shredded fresh green cabbage
1 1/2 cups finely sliced de-stemmed spinach
1 container very small grape tomatoes, whole or halved
5 scallions (green onions) trimmed and sliced by hand
1/2 cup minced Italian parsley

Toss together in a large bowl.

Dressing:

4 T. mild olive oil
4 T. red wine vinegar or herb vinegar
1 t. dried oregano
cracked pepper and kosher salt to taste.

Optional:  1 cup cottage cheese, mixed in well

Eat as is, or stuff into pita halves.

A year ago:  carrotcake cupcakes - and a surprise!  Eeek!

veggie salad with that burger, please

You see that island in the top photo? I've lived one town over from the town this is in, and never had any idea what it was used for. Fishermen, sure, but not so much for the night in a sleeping bag. I finally asked at the local store, and discovered it was used, quietly, for overnights by the younger crowd. I see them parking trucks along the highway, and lugging rowboats and canoes - and coolers.

I'm sure it's a beautiful place to get away to, and no doubt the grills and burgers come out at dark, as well as refreshments. Which gets me waxing poetic about Veggie Salad. I've mostly been eating it for years packed in a container for a brown bag lunch. But lately I've been doing the most delicious burger and veggie salad, or sauteed chicken with veggie salad ( said chicken is marinating as I write), with a nice crunchy slice of red onion. Oh my stars, is it good! Fish fry? Sure! I've changed the recipe a little in the last year, adding in even more veggies: spinach, cabbage, parsley, scallions, tomatoes, and celery. Six veggies! Hope you enjoy!

To make:

Using a shredding cone on the KitchenAid or slice thinly by hand:

3 cups fresh green cabbage

2 cups fresh spinach, destemmed

1 1/2 cups celery, washed and trimmed

Add:

1 or two large tomatoes, chopped

5 or 6 scallions, sliced thinly

5 tablespoons finely minced parsley

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Mix the vegetables in a large bowl . In a medium bowl mix:

5 T. olive oil

3 T. red wine vinegar ( or lemon juice)

1 t. dried oregano

kosher salt to taste

freshly cracked pepper to taste

Whisk well, and pour over salad, mixing in gently.

Store in fridge.

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What I'm reading:

A Three Dog Life by Abigail Thomas

veggie salad

Yesterday I made the first batch of veggie salad in ages . Now that the weather is a little warmer, I'll make this at least once a week. It's healthy, delicious, and versatile - I use it in omelets, stuffed into pita pockets with tuna or thinly sliced chicken, on pizzas. And it's easy to pack for picnics, as well.

I now use the little grape tomatoes thrown in, instead of diced fresh tomatoes, so people who don't like tomatoes can easily pick them out. I also make a variation with low fat cottage cheese, but I leave that out if the weather is really warm, or if I'm serving it to the non-dairy folk.

How to make:

2 cups thinly sliced or shredded fresh cabbage ( I use the Kitchenaid shredder cone)

2 cups thinly sliced, de-stemmed spinach

a handful or two of grape tomatoes, whole or halved

6 scallions, trimmed and sliced thinly

4 tablespoons or more finely chopped parsley

1 cup low fat cottage cheese ( optional)

The dressing:

I find sometimes I need to add a little more olive oil, or more vinegar after the salad is dressed - it depends on the cabbage, I think, which changes from batch to batch.

3 T. red wine or herbal vinegar

4. T. olive oil

1 t. oregano or basil

several turns of the peppermill

kosher or vegetable salt to taste

Toss gently and serve. This also packs well for brown-bag lunches. It should keep well for about 5 days, properly refrigerated.

Enjoy Mother Earth Day!