Cold Peanut Noodle Salad + Soil Health
life is hard; food doesn't have to be #96 [vol3, 7.2]
Recipes on Repeat
1/ Needing a quick lunch, I tried this Cold Peanut Noodle Salad. My kids loved it. I added shaved yellow squash with regular noodles; the kids ate just noodles with sauce. Without limes on hand I substituted white wine vinegar. Twenty years ago I made something similar (except the sauce was warmed) and added a bag of frozen mixed veggies. The sauce is so yum, double it and use as a green salad dressing.
Bare bones recipe (if you don’t have other ingredients on hand):
1/2 cup peanut butter or other nut butter
1/3 cup fresh lime juice or vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water, maybe more
2T real maple syrup or honey
I cooked the noodles in InstantPot: one pound of noodles with 4 cups water and 2t salt, 5 min high pressure, quick release. The noodles needed stirring because those on top weren’t quite cooked through. Next time I might add more water then drain extra.
2/ This is the best, smoothest, hummus I’ve ever made. Perfect for dipping all the fresh veggies in this season!
3/ Outdoor pizza is a crowd fav. I make a giant batch of dough, which will last 2 weeks in the fridge, if we don’t eat it first.
I used to bake pizza in the kitchen but for Christmas my parents gave me a Big Horn outdoor pizza oven and we have loved it! It’s half the cost of an Ooni, which was recommended by a food blogger I love. I went with the inexpensive version because I wasn’t sure if we would actually make pizza outside. The Big Horn has worked beautifully. I made pizza for 10 this week and will do it again Saturday.
Soil Health, My Health
The veggies I’ve planted aren’t growing like expected so I reached out to an Instagram friend who is quite knowledgeable about gardening, healthy living and soil health. She recommended Dan Kittredge on YouTube and start with this 14 minute video. And recommended this RV water filter to add to my garden hose that will eliminate chlorine.
I need to have my soil tested for minerals. I think a greater issue is compaction. On my wish list is a broad fork. In the mean time, I have a smaller fork I use for turning compost that I can use in smaller areas.
In a follow up conversation I told Sarah that my biggest takeaway was the reminder that the goals I have will take years to achieve; especially on a small budget. I need to start small.
The same is with our overall health. Depending on where you’re starting, it could take years to get to what you want to achieve. Baby steps.
Here’s an article I wrote on ideas for baby steps for your health.
Chlorine in Water
Our bodies have more cells of bacteria than actual human cells because bacterial cells are much smaller than white/red blood cells or cells of tissue.
I work hard to introduce good bacteria to my digestive system and don’t want to kill it when drinking water.
Municipalities add chlorine to water to keep bacteria at bay. If your city adds chlorine, let your tap water evaporate about 24 hours before drinking it. A quick google search told me our new city uses chloramine - which is more stable and takes 3 days of evaporation. Here’s a helpful article if you want to read more.
Last weekend we bought an under the sink reverse osmosis water filter from Lowe’s. We like how the water tastes in Louisville — but I don’t want to drink chloramine or fluoride (which is especially harmful for those with thyroid issues).
John Isaac Update
My 17 year old son fell 40 feet in a mountain biking accident April 26. We are thankful he is alive. He spent a week in the hospital and had 3 titanium plates reconstruct his face.
Yesterday we saw an Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon who specializes in orbital surgery. We learned John Isaac will need more surgery because the position of his eye has shifted; he still has blurred vision. When he had the first surgery the ENT did not repair the orbit because he was hopeful the eye would heal on its own. It has not.
Last week he saw an orthodontist who recommended we see an oral surgeon. His bite touches only on one side and the orthodontist wasn’t sure braces would permanently fix his bite.
I am hopeful both surgeries happen simultaneously. The plastic surgeon said it is possible…we are also on a tight timeline. Our preference would be for the surgery to happen at least by early August so that John Isaac has 2-3 weeks of healing before going to Phoenix for college. Pray with us for the details to work out.
On a personal note, I was completely caught off guard by my emotions in the doctor’s office. The first few minutes talking with the doctor I had a hard time talking because of the strong emotions. I’ve not completely processed the accident.
On a lighter note, my son said, “Now when people say we look alike, you can tell them I’ve had plastic surgery.”
Life is hard, food doesn’t have to be.
Julie