Things I'd Like to Ask my Sister...

I don't know why this hit me today. Well, yes, I do. My friend's sister's one-year anniversary of death is today, and I just saw a commercial on TV about Subaru's work with cancer patients. "When you have cancer, you want support."

Not always... My sister, sadly, retreated deeply into herself and got extremely panicked with the thought of anyone coming to see her. It was quick (while simultaneously seeming to be forever because we were shut out), and it wasn't peaceful. And we, her extended family, were distraught that we were unable to support her. 

So here's what I'd like to ask her:

• How long did you really know that you had cancer? You were an extraordinarily talented diagnostician as a nurse. You had to have a clue. 
• Why did you retreat? 
• Were you afraid we'd judge you?
• Please don't tell me you were too vain to let us "see you like that" because I don't want to believe it (though, to be honest, you had a wide streak of "vain" in you, not gonna lie!)
• Did you know back in September the year before that there was something wrong? That cough of yours...I should have pressed you more. And you said you had a "bug bite" that wouldn't heal. I should have asked about that. But I know your propensity to rip my head off if I come off as "giving advice that's not wanted."
• Would you have changed your mind if you knew how much this would rip our family up? You have siblings who remain devastated. 

And I'd like answers, though I'm not sure I will ever get them, this side of Heaven.

Which brings up a good question. My sister wasn't religious. So does that mean that if I believe in an afterlife, she doesn't and we'll never meet again? I can't quite wrap my head around that. It's something I do grapple with. 

Recipe...

I need, after the surgery, to get more veggies/fiber in my diet. That surgery really did a number on my bowels, to be honest. And I know that even though the doctors said I'm "borderline anemic," and they want me to eat more protein, I don't do well with a lot of meat in my diet. I never have; I asked my mom. I thought it was a "later in life" peculiarity, and she said that I never was one for eating a lot of meat. Nice to know. 

So I took a page from the Vegan Kid's book and I've made these "dump salads" before. Here's the latest version.

Vegan Dump Salad #4 (I have no idea which number this actually is, but let's just say it's the fourth version)

1 box Chickpea and Lentil pasta cooked per package directions

1 can of French-style green beans, drained

1 can garbanzo beans, drained

4 radishes, sliced thin and quartered (depending on the size of the radish)

2 pieces roasted red pepper, diced

4 green onions, sliced thin, white and green parts

1 can bamboo shoots, drained

Salt & pepper to taste

2 T. Penzey's Potato of Love

1 c. roasted Butternut Squash (optional)

1/2 c. slivered almonds or chopped walnuts (optional)

Balsamic Dressing (see below for recipe)

SMALL BATCH BALSAMIC DRESSING: (This is good for 2 large salads and can be refrigerated for a couple weeks)

2 T. balsamic vinegar

2 T. Dijon mustard

1 T. honey (or maple syrup if that's your preference)

1/4 t. kosher salt

6 T. olive oil

In a medium bowl, so you have some "whisking room," add everything EXCEPT the oil. Whisk to blend and make sure it's blended well. This is a small batch, so it's easier to whisk by hand. 

Add, BY TABLESPOON, the oil, mixing well after each addition of oil. 

SALAD: Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water. Dump everything into a large bowl (I use a Rubbermaid one with a cover so I can keep it in the fridge). Add about half the dressing and mix well. Let it cool for a couple hours. Upon serving, sprinkle with the nuts if you're using them. Serve with crunchy bread or crackers.

OPTIONS: I always love options. Normally, if I had them, I would add a can of corn, a handful of dried cranberries, maybe golden raisins. You can use regular pasta in any variety or shape if you want, and you can add chopped chicken if you want - shrimp would be good, too, if you're not styling this as a vegan dish. Instead of pasta, try quinoa for even more protein. Add more beans. 

Guilty Pleasure...

I really don't have many vices. OK, excessive purchase of yarn and books. But I don't drink alcohol, I don't smoke or swear. Mainly I drink tea and water. I'm pretty boring. 

I have found Nutella. Yeah, I know - a gazillion grams of sugar in that stuff. But oh, my word! It's just addictive on English muffins. 

Just a random note about me, I guess. I have a sweet tooth. 

Random Picture...

Yesterday, I was "in the out." I sat outside while Hubby was putting together our little fountain. He was cussing. Apparently, the old pump motor froze up and it won't go. We have a spare one, but by the time he realized he couldn't make the old one go, he was pretty frustrated. 

I brought out my $10 solar fountain. Yeah - it's not exactly top of the line, and it needs to be replaced every year because our water is so hard and full of minerals. But it works well in our little bird bath, and it keeps the water moving. 

And we tried a "hack" I found on a gardening forum of putting 7 pennies in the bottom of the bird bath to keep algae at bay. We'll see if that works. 

The sky was beautiful. It was unseasonably cool for July in Illinois, and the birds were chirping. We sat for a while and just enjoyed the view. 

This morning, I saw a hummingbird stop briefly at my new feeders (we're pretty late in the season, but better late than never). Storms are supposed to move in later; I hope it's not a tease because we need the rain. 

Enjoy whatever today brings you! 

 

Not Word Salad...

I promised you a recipe... The other day, after having to scrounge for lunch for the 3rd or 4th day in a row (I just need to do a grocery run and plan better), I decided to make a Dump Salad. This was a recipe that I adapted from my Vegan Kid. 

DUMP SALAD

1 cup Wild Rice

3 cups water

1 Knorr Vegetarian Cube

1 (8 oz) container mixed mushrooms (can omit or use your favorite)

1 T. avocado or other neutral oil

1 c. frozen corn

1 can beans, drained (your favorite: garbanzo, kidney, black)

3 radishes, sliced thin

2 carrots, cut into 1/4" slices (If they're thick, cut in half first)

2 celery sticks, diced

6 spring onions, sliced - both green & white parts

1 navel orange, peeled and cut into portions (see directions)

1 bottle Farm + Field Basil Vinaigrette (oryour favorite recipe/bottle)

Put the water in a saucepan, add the Knorr cube and the wild rice. Bring to a boil, turn to a "strong simmer" and cover with a lid. Cook for 40 minutes.  In last 5 minutes, add the frozen corn to the rice and put the lid back on. When time is up, drain if there's still water left (I check after 20 minutes, just to see what's going on). 

In a saute pan, add the oil, heat to high. Add mushrooms (cleaned by removing root ends, chop if they're big mushrooms). Saute till cooked through, set aside. Add more oil if needed, sautee carrots and celery for about 5 mintues on medium-high. Then add the white part of the onion, and the sliced radishes. Cook for about 3 min. more, don't let them get too brown. Drain and set aside. 

When the rice + corn is done, dump it into a large bowl (I use a covered bowl so I mix & store in the same container). Add the mushrooms, beans, green part of the onion. Add about 1/3 of the bottle of the vinaigrette and stir together. Season with salt & pepper if desired, and you can add more vinaigrette. I tend to like mine a little on the "dry" side, but you do you. 

Pull the orange apart into sections and cut each section into 3 pieces; add, along with any juice off the cutting board, to the rice mixture. Chill or eat at room temperature. 

THIS CAN BE AS-IS. Or if you want more protein, add some chicken, chicken sausage, or low-fat kielbasa. 

This serves 6 people as a side salad or 4 people as a main dish salad. 

I love this because you can add whatever you have: broccoli, green beans, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, you get the idea. 

The Knitting...

Porch knitting tonight! I've figured out (with the help of the FB Shawl Knitting group) the one instruction that I was definitely over-thinking. I ran it past Hubby and we were both thinking along the same lines. I could've asked my knitting friend, but she's out of town, so there's that. 

I thought I'd get out there while it was nice, shady and before the pyromaniacs get started. It has been (dare I even jinx it??) quiet here for Memorial Day. 

I'm literally zipping along with this. Which means I may be wearing it by Fall, but hey - at least it'll be done, right? 

Next up will probably be a singleton sock that has the mate already done; I have to dig them out. And the Copland shawl, which is a WIP that I'm looking forward to finishing as a gift, hopefully for Christmas, but that could be a stretch. We'll have to see on that one. 

Postcard Project...

I'm back with the postcards again... Is it "doing something"? Who knows? It's something that's being done, that's for sure. I can't march, and I don't have the money to influence politicians, so I do what I can do. 

My friend came up with a pretty brilliant idea - she gathered up all the postcards she got from her own travels and those that people gave her from theirs. I have a bunch of them, and they mean nothing to anyone else. I may as well put them to good use. So she addressed them and shared them with us. I find it ironic that a few of them were buildings that meant a lot: for example, a picture of the historic Supreme Court building for Mitch McConnell and the stained glass for Ted Cruz. 

I wrote what I wanted them to do to curb gun violence. (Well, their JOB would be a start) And then I wrote a small prayer asking God to grant them the courage to DO their job. 

Hey, they're all professing to be Christians, right? So prayer shouldn't bother them. And I don't care if they ARE bothered. 

Random Picture... 

This is the garden as of today. It's been super windy (it's been like that since January...I'd swear my sister was coming back to try to tell me something...) and the middle cover is a bit twisted. 

Soon, we'll be putting on the tomato cages, and the racks for the bush cucumbers. I know - bush means not climbing, but so far, every time I've planted them (this will be my 4th go-round with them), I've needed to give them something to climb on. 

One of our tomato plants (in the far left bed) already has blossoms on it, so we should see something nice soon. 

Gardening is nature's prozac. If you have the space for even a couple pots on the patio, try it. You'll feel good getting your hands dirty and you'll have flowers or veggies. Win/win!