Cantaloupe, Fig & Olive Salad

As I was making this salad, a thought occurred to me.

It cost $6.99 for the figs you see in this picture. There's no way the old me would have have dropped that for some figs.

The old me, however, wouldn't have balked at dropping that same amount on a Whopper with cheese, fries, and a Diet Coke. As a matter of fact, I might dine at Burger King one day and Wendy's later in the week. And then I would have dinner out with family or friends.

I wouldn't have spent $6.99 for some fresh, organic Brown Turkey figs because they were too expensive, but I would have easily dropped nearly $30 on fast food meals.

Crazy logic, huh?

After eating the fast food - and I enjoyed the taste of every bite - my stomach would feel heavy and full, yet I'd crave something else...something sweet. How could I possibly fit anything else in? But I could. Then I'd get upset with myself for hiding in a parking lot to eat my meal because I didn't want anyone to see me or say anything to me. Physically and mentally I was doing myself zero favors.

This lunch is a stark difference. After eating this salad, I felt good. No guilt for eating it. No need to eat anything else. No mid-afternoon slump. No need to hide what I was eating. I loved the colors; I loved the way it looked; and it made me feel happy. I also loved the added benefit that had for my body.

• Cantaloupe has one of the highest sources of Vitamin A of any fruit. It's also rich with beta-carotene, potassium, Viatmin C, and B vitamins.
  
• Figs have the highest level of calcium of any fruit, plus they are rich with fiber, potassium, iron, B vitamins, and magnesium.

I like to imagine the nutrients working as band-aids to help heal my body. I'm letting the Lupron do its thing, but I'd like to give it as much support as possible. And it feels good to do something positive for myself.

This salad is very free form. If the idea of olives with fruit scares you, feel free to leave them out. I used Black Beldi Olives - a brine cured olive - that is quite salty. I love the burst of salt with the juicy sweetness of the cantaloupe and fig. The basil adds a bit of bright licorice flavor. If you're not a fan of basil, try rosemary or mint. If you want to be extra decadent, drizzle the slightest bit of honey over the fruit. Delicious!

Local to the Baltimore area? I picked the organic cantaloupe, organic figs, and olives up at MOM's Organic Market in Jessup.

Cantaloupe, Fig & Olive Salad 

1/4 cantaloupe, sliced thinly
3 figs, quartered
4 olives, quartered
1 Tablespoon sliced almonds
2 fresh basil leaves, torn
pinch of black pepper 

On a plate or to go container (like me), lay the thinly sliced cantaloupe down first. Sprinkle with black pepper to taste. Arrange the fig quarters next. Sprinkle the olives, almond slices, and basil leaves on top. 

Eat in freedom and enjoy!

Last Leg Asparagus Salad

This was breakfast.

I don't know how it happened, but I some how ran out of fruit.

I mean, I know how it happened. I ate it. I watched myself eat it. And I even reminded myself that I needed to go to the store. But I think, deep down inside, I secretly hoped the Organic Fruit Fairy would magically visit over night and leave me a bounty of bananas, mangos, and strawberries on my counter.

Apparently the Organic Fruit Fairy doesn't exist. Or I've offended her. Or him. Organic fruit fairies can be boys too.

I started digging through what I had on hand and found some asparagus that was about two days away from being not awesome. Totally on its last leg. I paid $3 for that bunch, so I figured I'd better eat it up. Truthfully, I would have preferred to drizzle the asparagus spears with olive oil, sprinkle it with some kosher salt, and roast it at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or so. But I'm trying to do the raw food thing and not kill the nutrients by cooking it. But really...roasted...it's so delicious. Wrapped in some prosciutto and then roasted? Heavenly. And a little sprinkle of shaved parmesan cheese? Over the top. Ovvvver the top.

Back to reality. I also discovered some cauliflower as I was digging around. It was on its last leg as well. I'm really doing a good job of making my breakfast sound appealing, right? To be honest, I am proud of me because I chose to eat what was on hand instead of eating something not on the raw food plan. Waste not want not, isn't that the saying?

Some quick facts about asparagus (I'm not a genius - I just found this stuff on the web, which means it has to be true):

• Asparagus has 288 milligrams of potassium, 3 grams of fiber, up to 5 grams of protein, and only 40 calories per cup.
  
• Asparagus is high in folate, which helps reduce inflammation in the body and reduce the risk of heart disease.
  
• Asparagus is also ridiculously high in Vitamin K - almost 70% of the RDA is in one cup. Vitamin K keeps bones strong and helps in (healthy) blood clotting.
  

So this morning, I made what I call Last Leg Asparagus Salad, since most of the ingredients were on their last leg. Still pretty tasty. Don't skip zesting the lime. The zest really brightens the dish and makes it taste happy.

Last Leg Asparagus Salad

Salad
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces (approximately 2 cups)
2 Tbls finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
zest of lime


Dressing
1 Tbls olive oil
2 tsps lime juice
salt and pepper to taste


Directions
In a medium sized bowl, toss the salad ingredients together. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients together. Pour dressing over salad, toss, and serve.

Serves two.

Per serving: 3 Weight Watchers Points+

The Monstrosity In The Fridge

"What monstrosity did you make in here, Erin??" my dad hollered from the kitchen with his head half in the refrigerator.

"I'll have you know that monstrosity is a light and refreshing melon salad," I shouted over my shoulder towards the general direction of the kitchen, not budging from cushioned glider in which I had just made myself comfy.

"What's in this thing?" he said, emerging from the kitchen.

"Delightfulness. And awesomeness. And some honeydew, blueberries, cucumbers, lime, and mint and basil from our garden."

"Hmmmmmm...sounds...interesting."

My family doesn't like my food.

Seriously.

They call it "weird stuff" or "science experiments."

We have different definitions of delicious.

Ever seen Pixar's Ratatouille?

My little brother often compares me to Remy, the chef rat.

I overlook the fact that he's comparing me to a rat.

I love the part where Remy is trying to explain to his rat brother (which, theoretically, represents my little brother - heh, heh, heh) the textures and flavors of cheese and strawberries....