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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

I'm Back!

After the summer break, I'm finally back to writing. I didn't intend to stop but I was swamped with my children's summer sports schedule. While I stopped writing, I didn't give up on healthy eating or exercising and I hope you didn't either. I swam, lifted light weights, walked or did dance aerobics at least five days a week. We ate fresh vegetables and lighter meals.
Buying the farmer's weekly fresh produce was an adventure because I never knew exactly what I'd be getting. It forced me to try some things I might not have and to be creative with the things I received an excess of, like watermelon and peaches.
I'm including two recipes my family has particularly enjoyed and believe me, the watermelon salad is wonderful despite how odd it sounds.

Banana Peach Buttermilk Smoothie
2 large ripe bananas, sliced and frozen
2 cups frozen sliced peaches
1 cup fat free buttermilk
1/4 cup orange juice
1 TBsp. honey
Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve immediately. Makes about 4 cups.
Cultured dairy products such as buttermilk and yogurt help maintain a healthy digestive system. We often eat this as a dessert.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad
5 cups seeded watermelon cubes
1 1/2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, cubed
3 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Pepper to taste
Put watermelon and tomatoes in a large bowl, sprinkle with sugar and salt, tossing to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.
Stir in onion, vinegar, and oil. Cover and chill 2 or more hours. Sprinkle with pepper before serving.
Trust me, this is good and I have never served it to anyone who didn't love it. The key is good watermelon and tomatoes.