Foodie Friday

Basil Pesto Pasta, Steamed Carrots with Mint, & Pan Seared Asparagus with Thyme

I was quite proud of myself when I made this meal for Andy.  Nope, I didn't eat any of it, but he assured me that it was wonderful.  I forgot to take a picture the day I made it; this is when he reheated it (please excuse the slightly dry carrots).

I'd never made any kind of pesto, but I needed basil pesto for a different recipe.  Since there was plenty left over, I added additional olive oil to it and put it on some cooked pasta.  This is the website that has the recipe I used.  I appreciated the recipes that they included.  My sister told me that her Italian father-in-law freezes his basil pesto even with the cheese.  I'm excited to try this when I make more.  FYI - you can freeze different sauces in ice cube trays and pop them into a bag to use whenever you need a small amount.

http://www.pickyourown.org/pesto.php

I also had never attempted to make asparagus before.  You don't even need to ask if I tried it...  Andy's never ordered it or requested it.  It turns out that he doesn't like the canned stuff but wasn't sure how he would feel about the fresh asparagus.  So, I went out on a limb when it was on sale at Albertson's.  This was a really easy recipe to make; I substituted dried rather than fresh thyme since that's what we had.  Andy really enjoyed the asparagus!  He ate it multiple times until it was all gone.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pan-Roasted-Asparagus-with-Thyme-241893

I've made plenty of carrot dishes but had seen this recipe when flipping through Bon Appetit.  When I had a little bit of fresh mint left from a different recipe, I decided to give it a try.  Again, according to Andy it was scrumptious.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Steamed-Carrots-and-Mint-241908

BENT BUT NOT BROKEN

I read a blog that written by a woman with dystonia.  She is involved in fundraising and awareness of dystonia.  She had an artist who wanted to make something for her and her efforts.  The slogan is BENT BUT NOT BROKEN.  It brought tears to my eyes as I read it.  I have so much to be thankful for.  My case is so mild compared to most.  I have been feeling better with the change in my medications.  I know that each of us has our own burdens whether physical, mental, or emotional.  Remember to be BENT BUT NOT BROKEN!

Just as a heads up, I've added to the right side of this blog a section with links to websites and blogs where you can learn more about the medical issues I am dealing with.  Many of the cases that are discussed are very extreme (mine are mild) and are the result of multiple problems (not necessarily ones that I have).