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Sounds Like a Broken Record

It’s starting to feel like I’m living through the movie Groundhog Day: another Sunday heralding a return of colder weather, with the prospect of intermittent bouts of snow flurries thrown in for good measure. Early on Sunday, the sky to the west of us looked bruised. That’s the direction our weather usually comes from, although last week it came out of the east.

I’m not really happy with what Mother Nature keeps throwing at us. Where are those April showers? Those are supposed to be rain, not snow! We need some May flowers to cheer us up. At least, I do.

Okay, so besides my geraniums blooming, one of my many amaryllis bulbs is flowering. This one has lipstick red blooms. The bulb in its flowerpot is residing this winter in a west-facing window, so I can look beyond the beautiful cheerful flowers to see the brown, decidedly uncheerful, dead lawn. I’m happy that (for now) the snow is gone. I’m afraid by morning there will be new white stuff trying to disguise that grass. If we do have to get more snow, I hope it’s wet snow.

I may have mentioned being back on the Whole Life Challenge last week - or maybe not. This session started the week after Easter. I’ve found, on Pinterest, a new salad recipe that is compliant on the Lifestyle level of play. I’m staying with that level as it is the “easiest” to follow. Which means it’s the level I’m most apt to actually (mostly) stick to.

Healthy Broccoli Salad

1 1/2# broccoli, in bite size pieces

1 C fresh blueberries

1/2 C dried cranberries

1/4 C red onion, finely chopped

1/4 C sunflower seeds

1 large apple, in bite size pieces

1 Tbl lemon juice

Toss the apple with the juice. Add the rest, using a large bowl.

Dressing

1 C plain Greek yogurt

1/4 C honey

1 Tbl lemon juice

2 tsp cider vinegar

1 Tbl poppyseeds

Whisk all together, pour over salad, mixing gently to combine. You can serve immediately, or refrigerate first. Will keep for a few days (you may want to drain off liquid).

I used both dried blueberries as well as dried, unsweetened cranberries. Both fruits were soaked in water to rehydrate to soften them. They soaked while I chopped the broccoli and measured the other ingredients. I drained them before adding to the bowl. I maybe should have saved the water I drained off, but I’m not sure what I would have used it for. The dressing is very sweet and tasty. I’m sure it would be great on lettuce salads, with nuts and orange sections. It made enough that I don’t think all of it needed to go on the broccoli, but then I’m usually pretty sparing with salad dressings.

On the WLC site, some kind person shared several recipes for alcohol-containing drinks that are compliant. So far I’ve only tried this one, but I may have another to share next week. Alcohol drinks are full of empty calories, so even though this is compliant, I’m limiting my intake. I will enjoy this one again. It’s a keeper.

Paleo-friendly Margarita

1/2 fresh lime

3 oz tequila

Soda water

Pour into a glass of ice, mix gently. Garnish with lemon or lime wedge.

I didn’t use that much tequila (about 2 oz), and I’d bought sparkling water, so that’s what I used. I added a few drops of liquid stevia, as well as a tablespoon or so of the juice from my thawed raspberries. The raspberries are dry when I freeze them, but upon thawing, they will release lots of juice. That juice made my drink very pretty. I could have added a little umbrella if I’d had one, and if I’d really wanted a froufrou drink. (I’m sure strawberries would also work. I’ll probably try some later on.)

So now that this chore is completed, it’s time to make some popcorn. That’s our usual Sunday supper. I add lots of melted real butter, and I’ll salt my bowlful. Dennis eschews the addition of salt to his. (Popcorn is not compliant on any level of WLC play, as they want to discourage “unmindful snacking,” but I’m mindful snacking, and willingly give up a nutrition point for popcorn.)

 

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