Life has been hectic. Work has lots of stresses and I am counting the days until my vacation. Isn’t it unfortunate that I am wishing my life away?
We had family in last weekend and I did not cook one single meal. We were traveling to many family obligations throughout the state and were either on the road or sharing a meal at another’s home. (At least that is my excuse and I am sticking to it!)
Then, it seems like neither of us have both made it home before 7:00 this week. It is just easier to drive through. Being the Take-Out Queen this week has been neither delicious, healthy, nor economical.
On a healthier note though, I have started to take yoga classes again after a three year hiatus. I am finding it hard to even make one night a week, but I am confident my schedule will change soon and I can at least make two nights a week with the ultimate goal of advancing to the power yoga classes.
It seems like this blog lends itself to many challenges (see the 12 Treats of Christmas posts and Soup Challenge posts). So, the new challenge? Get me rear end back in the kitchen. This goal should be more attainable as things in the garden start producing. My transplanted cucumbers took a hard hit from a pea-size hail storm, but after I reseeded in the garden, the new sprouts are up. The potatoes are visibly growing daily and almost all of the tomato and pepper plants we transplanted still look great and I think I can also measure their growth daily as well.
I look forward to the mornings when I can take a cup of tea down to the garden, pick some great tomatoes and peppers and cucumbers and go back to the kitchen and create!
It is also Farmers’ Market season and I love our Saturday morning ritual of grabbing a coffee and wondering the stalls. It is even more exciting when we can bypass each vendor and say, “Well, we already have that from the garden.” (We generally by a token something from each market, however.)
But, for now, I am getting bushels of radishes. I have a potato salad recipe that incorporates radishes so I was confident I could find some sort of other radish salad to make (and modify).
I found an interesting and simple recipe at Give Recipe. I thought it was fitting to try since it was a Turkish recipe. Let me explain: my sister has been taking Turkish cooking classes and has somehow wrangled an all-expense paid trip to Turkey out of the experience. Go figure!
I have a favorite columnist in our local paper. He is the fashion writer and is from Mississippi. I always look forward to Tuesdays for his take on fashion and all things pop culture. Every once in a while he will proceed on a writing tangent he calls lagniappe, which he describes as a little something extra and a little bit of everything. I guess this post is a small homage to him as well.
So here’s to JAW (from the local paper) and to Sis (who will travel to Turkey this summer).
Hope you enjoy my own take on this salad.
Simple and Fresh Radish Salad
3 c. radishes, sliced thin
2 green onion, sliced thin with green tops
1/2 T. fresh dill, chopped
1 lemon, squeezed
2 T. olive oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/2 T. flat leaf parsley, chopped
Slice radishes thin on a grater or mandolin.
Place sliced radishes and green onions in a sealable bowl. In a separate small mixing bowl, combing dill, lemon juice, olive oil, red pepper flake, salt and pepper. Wisk to combine.
Pour dressing over radishes and onions and toss. Garnish with parsley before serving.
(I got my radish seeds from Johnny’s Selected Seeds.)
