Summer Weekend Freshness-Sprouting Challenge

All of a sudden I just realized today was Thursday and last weekend’s Sunday Freshness post was still somewhere hiding in the deepest recesses of my mind. It’s been an ‘off’ week, with the kids home from school a week early. The first day off and kid number two has already given  me the standard ‘I’m Bored!’ line. I mentioned that the car needed cleaning and she suddenly had something really important to do. Yesterday I found a way to alleviate boredom and help flood victims at the same time. Our Siksika Nation about an hour East of us had some very substantial flood damage on their reserve. Many people are still displaced and living at the Deerfoot Sportplex. I signed up to help sort the huge gym full of donated goods (thank you Calgary and area!) and I figured this was probably one of the few ways the kids could help out. Many other opportunities require volunteers to be over 18. So anyway, we sorted away for four hours and there was still more donations coming in. Support and generosity are key in people’s hearts right now in this time of tragedy, especially in our province of Alberta. There are many people still not able to go home, especially in High River and significant damages to public and private property.  If any readers would like to help out, in anyway possible you can visit the Canadian Red Cross website for more information.

Now about those sprouts…

For the last couple of weeks I’ve been consciously trying to decrease the amount of fats and carbs in my family’s diet. I’ve made many meals which involve salads paired with a protein and so far no one has complained. I even bought some organic dandelion greens. I must be going mad. This Ten day Bio Snacky Sprout Challenge has been a huge factor in our food choices recently. I’ve grown the first batch of radish, mung bean and alfalfa sprouts with great results. Everyone has really enjoyed having them around so far.

For Summer Sunday Freshness this week I sat down Sunday afternoon to take some time to make some really vibrant and nice looking salads. I’m pleased to say the family also thought they were tasty. Mission accomplished!

I actually got out my mandoline and some fancy knives and peelers to make this salad. I spent a while arranging the salad, beginning with mixed greens underneath, then organic dandelion greens arranged on top of those. Next, I sliced some cucumbers and radishes and arranged those. I attempted to remember how to make a radish rose from a class I took so long ago…Lastly I sliced the golden beets and the baby carrots with a peeler. The salad had a few bitter and spicy elements so I served it with a poppyseed dressing and it was very nice. Those are the radish sprouts on top.

I saved this interesting roasted pepper jar with the express purpose of making a layered salad months before the Bio Snacky Challenge started. I was very happy to be able to build the salad to show off the sprouts I grew. The kids thought it was a neat picnic idea. Maybe next time I should remember to save the lid?