Wow! The weekend is gone just like that! A flurry of events came by and all too soon Sunday evening was just there staring at me like, ‘ So what are you going to do about it? ‘ Absolutely nothing I could do.
Church was a pretty blunt service. We ordained new Deacons into leadership roles and the guest preacher & ordainer ( I just created that word ) Rev. Charles Apah shot some bullets of truth into the congregation. You know how nowadays many preachers focus so much on prosperity messages and leave out the message of salvation? Well, this man of God went all out on our behavior as Christians with his message titled , “Are you a Plus or a Minus”? Is our attitude as Christians adding to the Kingdom, our lives and that of others or are we must causing loss to the Kingdom etc? Hard but useful lessons.
Back to Sunday evening, after a good lunch of turmeric rice with gizzard stew, I decided to go green with dinner. It takes very little (money & time) to make a healthy quick salad in Ghana. But in the dry season, it can be a challenge.
Have you been to the market of late? Vegetables & fruits are now very expensive. Like very. Even a trip to Agbogbloshie will not give you cheap ingredients. My Mom went there recently and she wailed at how okro was three pieces for GHC 1 cedi Nkontonmire was GHC5 for one bunch! Thanks to the poor attention being paid to the development of Agriculture in Ghana and our total reliance on rainfall; vegetables such as Nkontonmire and co. have gotten really pricey. Shall I repeat again that we need to go back to Operation Feed Yourself?
I whipped up a Cashew Green salad in a matter of 20 minutes which went brilliantly went with slices of toasted brown bread. The magic was actually in the vinaigrette I used. It is super easy and healthier to make your own vinaigrette. I am having trust issues with some imported products into this country.
Dig In More: How To Make Your Own HomeMade Spice.
There are various ways to fortify a simple green salad for added nutrients. My go-to extra-nutrients are to add nuts, some healthy meats or fruits to it. Works every time.
A salad is a great dish to have if you want to quit eating late at night and that’s exactly one of the reasons I made this.
Follow these easy steps to making this nutritious Cashew Green salad..
What You Need:
(Makes for two)
1 Crispy bunch of lettuce
1 Large cucumber
I White or Red Onion
Quarter of a cabbage
1 medium-sized tomato
1 cup of cashew or any nut preferred
For the Vinaigrette
Half of a lemon
3 teaspoons of white vinegar
2 teaspoons of brown sugar
½ Tsp thyme
1 Tsp olive oil
½ Tsp black pepper
a pinch of salt
Directions:
For the vinaigrette
- Combine all ingredients together and with a fork beat them in well. You can add in more vinegar or thyme depending on how flavorful you want it.
Cashew Green Salad
1. Wash all vegetables in a saline solution or with a vegetable wash.
2. Chop up cucumber, onions and tomatoes into big chunks.
3. Grate or slice cabbage.
4. Tear up or slice lettuce (however you want it to look. It’s a free world darlin’! )
5. Combine ingredients into a salad bowl
6. Pour cashew nuts over the lovely green landscape and mix it in.
7. Dash in the vinaigrette over that.
8. A crucial step: Eat & Enjoy :D
Chill in the refrigerator if not ready to eat which will allow the vinaigrette to sink into every ingredient.
Warm brown toast is all heart for me and it went exceedingly great with the salad. I think Shoprite supermarket makes the best brown bread in the city. Any challenger?
What meal do you prepare in the early evenings to prevent you from eating late? I would love to read from you in the comments below.