I've really been enjoying this month so far, and I feel as if the rest of the month will be just as fulfilling. There have been long walks with Tibbs, photo days at the dance studio, bike rides to the dance studio, bike rides to the North Shore Trails, sunshine, friends, family, wildlife, laughter and love. I couldn't ask for more!
I took a long bike ride this morning after getting the kids off to school. I headed down to the trails as far as the marina. I climbed off my bike and sat on one of the benches for a while, gazing out at the water and dreaming of owning one of the incredible houseboats that were docked there. The bay was very peaceful; barely any ripples. I spoke to a man who was fishing off the end of the boardwalk and had many stories of the abundance of fish he caught on the weekend.
I saw so many beautiful creatures on my adventures this morning. There were ducks guarding their nest. There was a blue heron soaring above the water with the most amazing wing span. There was a family of swans bathing themselves near the rocks in the middle of the Bay of Quinte. There were snapping turtles sunning themselves on logs. There were red winged black birds and robins flying out in front of my bike every few minutes.
The one thing that always has me marveling down by the water is just how happy everyone seems. The smiles are easy and I couldn't even count how many times I heard "good morning!" today. People go down to the trails for different reasons. Some go to sit on a bench and reflect, some go to rollerblade or bike, some run or walk their dogs or their kids. Being by the water definitely lifts your spirits. You can't help but feel so blessed in life. I live in such a beautiful place.
I have a couple of recipes to share from the past couple of days. No meals to share from the weekend, though. Fun Food Friday was a repeat dinner that we love - paninis! Saturday after photo day, we headed out to a birthday party for Tiernan's best friend. This friend of Tiernan's lives in the most serene location, wow! We had a great time there, and enjoyed some veggie dogs and a great vegetable spread. On Sunday we watched a two hour episode of 'So You Think You Can Dance' that we had downloaded from the previous Wednesday, and ate a pasta salad and a big bowl of popcorn! I love popcorn dinners. Yesterday I made a curried lentil loaf from the Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook (which I got from my lovely friend, Jill, for my birthday years ago) that was OMG SO GOOD, but... really not terribly loaf like. More like slop. Haha! I looked up some reviews online and apparently I'm not the only one with this issue. I think when I make it again (and I will! It's so crazy tasty!) I'll cook it in a more shallow dish and crisp it up more. With the loaf I made some quesadillas and some sliced cucumber with a splash of apple cider vinegar.
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Pasta Salad
2 cups small noodles
3 cups broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup medium cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
1 cup monterey jack cheese, cut into small cubes
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp mustard
4 tsp liquid honey
1 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp soy sauce
Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and place in a large bowl.
Add the broccoli, cheddar cheese, monterey jack cheese and mushrooms. Stir to combine.
Mix the red wine vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic powder and soy sauce together and pour over the pasta salad. Mix well.
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Curried Lentil Loaf/Slop
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large carrot, grated
1 medium sized yellow onion, grated
1 large potato, peeled and grated
1 small red bell pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped finely
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt, to taste
2 cups cooked lentils, drained and mashed
2 tbsp creamy natural peanut butter
1/4 - 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, potato, red pepper and garlic. Cover and cook, stirring a few times until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, curry powder, cayenne pepper and salt. Stir to combine well. Cook, covered, for another 10 minutes until the veggies are soft. Remove from heat. Add the lentils.
In a food processor, combine the peanut butter with 1 cup of the lentil mixture until smooth. Put it back in with the rest of the lentil/vegetable mixture. Add the bread crumbs, and combine well. Transfer to a lightly oiled 9x5 loaf pan.
Bake until firm - about 30-40 minutes. Let it sit at least 15 minutes before slicing.
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