Nourish

Seemingly overnight the temperature here in Georgia has dropped. We're digging out our woolens, building fires and eating comfort food. On Halloween I sipped organic butternut squash soup with a little grind of fresh nutmeg as I was greeting the trick-or-treaters. Mulled apple cider is lovely this time of year. And sometimes I even like a little something warm with my salad!

I usually prepare my pot of wild rice with vegetable broth, but lately I've found the flavor to be too salty -- it's funny how tastes continue to change. The longer I'm vegan the less tolerant I am of sugars and salts, or maybe the natural, unadulterated flavors of foods are more appealing to me than ever before. In any case, I now use a vegan bouillon cube (Edward & Sons) instead of canned broth most of the time. It is subtly flavorful without being salty. This time I jazzed up my rice by adding a bit more water and some green lentils during the last ten minutes of cooking. The proportions were 3 cups of water, 1 cup of rice and half a cup of lentils. This rice was really quite different with the lentils  -- very satisfying!

Still warm from the pot, the rice and lentils made a delicious base for my lunchtime salad. I simply added a handful of arugula. I love the contrast of the cool, fresh, bitter greens with the warm grains. The arugula wilted slightly which may not appeal to everyone, but I've always loved greens this way. This bowlful was so flavorful I saw no need for a dressing, but I guess a little olive oil and lemon would be nice here too. Whole grain carbs, legume protein, dark green leafies -- This delicious salad was very nourishing and imparted a peaceful, comforting energy. I love eating this way!  I'm going back for another bowl!