What’s in my lunch?
Today's lunch is one of my favorites, and especially nice this time of year when you're ready for something lighter and brighter.
Heather's Spinach Salad
Baby spinach leaves
Cashews (from Edson Farms)
Dried cherries (from Cherry Republic)
Feta cheese, crumbled
Alfalfa sprouts (my own!)
I like a creamy feta dressing (bottled--what can I say, I'm a working mom). Other ideas: greek, raspberry vinaigrette, or a vinaigrette with cherry balsamic vinegar.
On the subject of sprouts, recent chats with fellow yoga devotees and Yoga Journal's article in the April issue finally convinced me to get a sprouter. I opted to keep things simple, and just purchased the mason-jar type with a perforated lid. It came with a packet of organic alfalfa seeds and a lettuce mix. At first I thought the seeds wouldn't go very far, but I quickly found out that a teaspoon (or less) of seeds will last two people for a week!
I'm a pretty avid gardener and so sprouting seeds shouldn't be that big of a deal--after all, I've seen my "babies" outside through drought, frost, and whatever our weather throws at them. But--there's something weirdly satisfying about checking on the sprout jar and actually seeing the growing process in motion. It's very simple, I just put the seeds in the sprouter, rinse them in warm water, put the lid on, and set them up (lid side down) in a container under the sink. Every day I rinse them in the morning (while packing lunches) and at night (while fixing dinner). After they've sprouted I just set them near the kitchen window until they start to turn green. Then, they go in the fridge and are ready to eat! You do have to stick with the rinsing every day, but this small amount of work pays big dividends. The sprouts are fresh, crunchy, and more delicious than pre-packaged. I'm not a big lettuce-on-sandwiches person--too slithery and slimy--but I do love sprouts on sandwiches. They are also great in this salad!
