BACK TO REALITY!

Happy New Year! I am back from a two week hiatus! We spent time with out family and had the best time! Santa was good to everyone, except for our waistlines...too many candy canes...and he wants us all looking like him!

Seriously, we did have exceptional food and ate at a few good restaurants in Savannah. We even managed to sneak in the much needed exercise routines! In Savannah we played a lot with the Wii so that was really cool. I love the balance board thing and I WANT ONE! It is really good exercise.

Well, I did the one thing that I thought I would never do...eat okra. My sister-in-law's daughter invited us to her home for New Year's Day dinner. Well, being in the south, we had the whole southern food thing...collards, corn bread, black-eyed peas and yep...the dreaded okra. But, being the sport that I am, I tried it. And... it was good! And I am still alive! Actually, I have to get the recipe. She used Rotele tomatoes with chiles and her own homemade pico de gallo.
She may have even made it up! But it made me like okra!

We also had lentils which is the Italian tradition for the New Year. She did that as a favor to us and and my brother-in-law. I gave her the recipe and it came out quite well.

So now we are in getting back to healthier eating. One of the things I made for my dinner night in Atlanta was a fennel salad. I love to make this in the winter. It is so fresh tasting and is something different to serve in place of the usual tossed green salad especially when tomatoes are tasting like cardboard these days. Toss this up and serve it over a stack of arugula. Fennel and Apple Salad with Blue Cheese and Pecans

1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or try orange juice which is what I did this time)
1 ½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large fennel bulb – halved lengthwise, cored and sliced crosswise paper thin
1 tablespoon finely chopped fennel fronds
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
¾ cup pecan halves, toasted

In a large bowl whisk the lemon juice, vinegar and mustard. Gradually whisk in the oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the fennel, fennel fronds and apple and season with salt and pepper; toss. Garnish with the blue cheese and pecans and serve right away.

Makes 6 servings.

Well, my friends, it is good to be back. I wish you all a very Happy New Year that is filled with peace, joy and healthy eats!