Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Spring Wild Rice Salad


I am a huge fan of 101 Cookbooks. The recipes are always so fresh, healthy, tasty, and the pictures are gorgeous! I look at Heidi's recipes anytime I need some inspiration for dinner. A few weeks ago I happened to have all the ingredients for this delicious Spring Wild Rice Salad, so I made it! Scott and I loved it - the girls did not. But that just meant more for us! I'll make this again for sure!


Spring Wild Rice Salad

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments

4 cups cooked wild rice*

1 cup cooked yellow split peas**

1 bunch chives, chopped

1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled (optional)


Almond Dressing:

1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped

1/4 cup almond butter

zest of one lemon

scant 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

scant 1/4 cup hot water

scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt


Directions:

1. Whisk together the garlic, almond butter, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt. Set aside.
2. Bring a saucepan full of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the asparagus. Cook for just a minute - until the asparagus is just bright and tender. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
3. In a large bowl combine the wild rice, yellow split peas, asparagus, and about half of the almond dressing. Give it a good toss. Add more dressing if needed. Taste, and add more salt if needed. Serve topped with chives and crumbled goat cheese.


*I followed the directions on my box of wild rice for how long to cook it.

**To cook dried yellow spilt peas: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add 3/4 cup dried yellow split peas, and cook for 20 -30 minutes, or until tender. Drain, salt to taste and set aside.


***Heidi also suggested pan frying the cooked lentils for a minute or so to give it a little more texture. I did, and enjoyed it!


Sorry - I neglected to take any pics of this dish. But if you look at 101 Cookbooks, you'll see all the beautiful photos of Heidi's recipes!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Dangerous Reading for April

I'm so excited - I just signed up for the closest version of a bookclub I have available to me! I was perusing someone's cooking blog and saw a link to this: My Year of Reading Dangerously. It's a reading challenge for the year - one book per month. Of course, I'm starting it a little late in the game, but better late than never! I'm looking forward to reading and discussing the books! April's book is Transformations, by Anne Sexton - a book of poetry (not my normal reading material). I'll be looking for it at the library tomorrow morning!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Abby's big girl bed

It's a big month for Abby - another milestone happened yesterday. Abby went from her crib to a "big girl" bed! She did pretty well with it - it took her awhile to go to sleep, but once she did, she stayed asleep till morning. Let's hope tonight goes even better!



Abby loves her new pink comforter and flower sheets!



**I know, I know - there haven't been many recipes lately! Look out later this week - I'll post some old ones and hopefully at least one new recipe!


Friday, April 18, 2008

Abby's first day of school!

I know - April is a strange time of year for a first day of school. But Abby has been on the waiting list for the 1 year old class at the preschool since last July, and she JUST got in! She had a great first day today - she played well with others and didn't miss me at all! It was strange to drive away from the school without anyone in the backseat, but I had a good morning too! Its amazing how much more efficient I am at shopping for clothes without anyone under aged 5 with me!

Here are some pics from Abby's first day!





And here was Abby after a long tiring morning at school:



(Too bad the nap only lasted as long as the car ride!)

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Early Birthday Presents

We celebrated my birthday early last weekend, and I received some new cookbooks from my husband. I had been lamenting the fact that low carb vegetarian recipes were hard to find, so he found some for me!

The New Glucose Revolution : Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook and Carb Conscious Vegetarian

(Don't worry - I also received a morning at the spa for a massage and a spa mani/pedi, and a shopping trip and a dinner out to PF Changs, so don't think he only gave me cookbooks for "healthy"food for my b'day!)

The Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook has beautiful pictures of the food (which I love) and the first chapter is all about how to eat a healthy vegetarian diet, why lower GI foods are better for you, and even gives menu plans for vegetarian and vegan adults, teens, and children. The recipes look delicious in both books. I can't wait to try them out!

Thank you Scott, Emma, and Abby for a great early birthday!!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Army Ten Miler - Oct. 5, 2008


It's official - I'm registered to run the Army Ten Miler in Washington, DC on Oct. 5, 2008! I'm pretty excited about it. Even though I don't have much motivation to run right now, I'm glad I have a goal to work towards. It will be a good reason to run and work out even while Scott is deployed this summer!

My friend Heather from Harker Heights will be running it with me! Her husband is a Physical Therapist in the Army, and he is currently deployed. I think we'll have a good time! If anyone else is interested in running it (with me - or just starting it with me!), here is the registration page.

The proceeds benefit the Army MWR which is a comprehensive network of support and leisure services designed to enhance the lives of soldiers and their families.