I'm Back!

I'm back posting, for a longer spurt, I hope. I am trying to organize myself at age 43, while my grandmother is clicking along at 103 -- unstoppable. I have much work to do, and if genes are any indication, much time to do it in. My vows for health and long life, according to Nana's example, include -- eat mostly vegetables with lots of broth; eat soups; keep portions of meat small; eat slowly; exercise daily; nap when sleepy; keep up with the news; never forget the 4:00 P.M. bourbon and Fresca (yuk! another beverage may be substituted).




Although she's from Connecticut, Nana loves her green beans "cooked down," the way Southerners do, but with enough water or stock so that some is left. We all know that juice is hers. Same with the squash and onions -- "cooked down," with plenty of juice left. Corn, especially the fresh Silver Queen we get and cream, and the home grown tomatoes, from my garden and Mom's, thrill little Nana. Oh, and fresh cucumbers ... I could go on and on ... but you get the picture of vegetable islands surrounded by a sea of mixed juices, which she may sop up with a roll or mix in with a small mound of mashed potatoes.

My problem with meals, especially lunch, is that I have to stop what I'm doing and cook them. So, waiting until the last minute, until I'm famished ... I rush into the kitchen and look for a package, a jar -- anything taking less than five minutes and fewer brain cells to assemble. Sometimes a grilled cheese even takes too long. This habit I got into 10 pounds ago. I have a nice, homemade tomato-basil soup in my frig; but, alas, more than a week has passed and since it contains buttermilk, it's gotta' go. Other concoctions, too exotic for my husband's tastes, meet the same fate. For that lunchtime dilemma, my plan is leftovers -- I will always try to have something cooked/fresh that I can put my hands on quickly. For more flavorful dishes, however, I'll keep the size to 1 - 2 servings.

Today I modified a recipe for Tabbouleh Salad from Coffee and Cornbread. The recipe must be great with mint, but I used cilantro, as my only choice was chocolate mint which somehow doesn't sound right. I used lime instead of lemon, and substituted a Vidalia onion for a green one; I used garden-fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. This salad came together without a trip to the grocery store, making me very happy.