Plum Vinaigrette over Wild Rice, Fresh Basil & Walnuts

I am craving cherries.  Every week I go to farmers’ market, hoping someone has a cherry orchard.  I have had no such luck, & it leaves me missing Utah a little.  I can’t get this idea of a cherry vinaigrette out of my head.  Oh well.

What farmers do have here, though, are plums — small, sweet & just the right amount of juicy.  It reminds me of our own little blossoming tree from my childhood.

From these a simple & vibrant plum vinaigrette was born.  Golden or white balsamic was the perfect match, & I would recommend opting for it over dark balsamic.  It’s lighter & sweeter than its darker counterpart, with a fruity, zesty flavor & subtle color that won’t overwhelm food.  Golden balsamic is one of my favorite vinegars & worth keeping on hand.

Plum Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup fresh plums, pitted & chopped
• 1/4 cup golden/white balsamic vinegar
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil
• sea salt to taste

Combine plums & vinegar in a blender & blend smooth.  I like to slowly whisk the olive oil in by hand, so I can easily taste & adjust the amount.  Taste & whisk in sea salt to taste as well.

This can be used as a dressing over mixed greens, but I thought it paired especially well with wild rice or other dark grain salad.  Just as cherries are perfect with wild rice, plums offer a similar sweet contrast.  I cooked half wild rice & half brown rice together for Dave’s benefit, but I forgot he can’t eat wild rice at all.  Next time I will do mostly — if not all — wild rice (& brown rice separately for him) or see if wild rice pairs well with red quinoa (cooked separately of course).  I love wild rice, & it goes so well with plum & walnuts; but use whatever dark grain you like best.

I tossed the vinaigrette with 3 – 4 cups cooked rice, 2/3 cup toasted walnuts & 1 – 3 chopped plums (dried cherries would also work here), then gently stirred in a couple handfuls of thinly snipped fresh basil.  I also added slices of ripe-yet-firm avocado on top of each serving right before eating.  Do not add it before; it will brown & make the salad mushy.  The avocado adds richness to the fruitiness & zest of the rest of the dish.

It might not be fresh cherries, but now I anxiously await next market for more plums…& keep my naive hope that cherries will somehow magically appear.

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What vinegars do you like best for making dressings?

Running in the Rain

If you have never run in the rain, you must — as soon as possible.

I was skeptical of Dave’s claim that few things live up to the joy of running in the rain — or even the mud — but it’s true.  I was wet; I didn’t care.  Raindrops misted my face; I wasn’t annoyed.  As my feet splashed the first shallow puddles, I was radiating.  Grey clouds cast shadows on the asphalt & grit; I felt empowered & liberated, ready to push out 8 insane intervals (I love intervals; I think they are fun but insane/hard): 30-second full on sprint + 1-minute moderate jog = 1 interval.  After my final interval, I was exhausted but not ready to leave the rain; so I sprinted one more minute, fighting to increase speed until the end.

Rain is Refreshing.

I felt empowered by the elements to make this run count, but you could always just go out, splash & have fun.  I still think you should push yourself harder than you think you are capable.  Consider it a dare.

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July Showers

I felt really grown up & accountable today.

I carried my umbrella with me, even though it was sunny when I left the house.

Walking from the office to the bus stop this afternoon, it was pouring.  I was quite pleased with myself.

Mid-shower, the clouds opened & just dumped over-sized raindrops from the sky.

I couldn’t stop smiling,

even though my feet were soaked.

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“earned”

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Sometimes, Dave & I like to give each other photo assignments.  This morning, he left me with instructions: a triptych of today.

So here is today:

Earned.

By noon, I had conquered our failing/overheating vacuum, dusted, swept, wiped, scrubbed, organized, discarded, rearranged & even laundered.  By noon, I had also enjoyed a cucumber cooler & bowl of white melon & blackberries poolside…before the lightning storm hit…because my sanity required it.

Now, Eisley & I are just hiding out, inside, listening to thunder & smelling the rain.

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What would your *triptych of today include?

*Triptych: a (paneled) work of art divided into three sections.

Happy 4th of July!

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We’ve spent the weekend wandering around with our cameras, antiquing, breaking in our mountain bikes & sweating in yoga.  Hopefully, we’ll be climbing soon if we aren’t rained out.

I hope you are enjoying your holiday weekend as well!

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