Friday is here again

Friday is the day of the week when you wish a little angel would arrive and say, "Let me give you a hand." It is a day of work, leisure and creating fun and good eats for the week end. I had a few bits of early morning shopping for vegetables and fruit, a challah and the newspapers.

A different day. The start of a week end. I visited a friend and we shared a great tea and meringue, then another visit to a friend who is house bound. He is a great guy and we enjoyed a chat about the sports, politics and the environment. Then off to lunch with friends who came back from the midnight sun visit at the North Pole.

What a super lunch, kasha and broccoli, with almonds and a salad of six fresh vegetables. I arrived home, and the humidity was a reason to relax and take some time off. Then I began a simple Friday meal for my family.

We had pasta, with a light olive oil and basil dressing. The cut up fresh spinach, fried with garlic, onions and spring onions was a quick three minute effort and I mixed it into the pasta. The protein part of the meal was almonds in the fresh lettuce, red peppers, tomatoes, red onions and radishes. This had an olive oil and balsamic dressing with pepper and herb salt in it.

For a humid night, I simply started the meal with a yogurt cold soup that takes two minutes to blend. Yogurt, with fresh cucumbers, a pickled cucumber, dill, salt and pepper. Serve with a few sprigs of mint. We ended the meal with a fruit salad and ice cream, after a break of an hour. The fruit was effortless. Cut up three or four fruits in season and add granadilla pips.

The secret of taking trouble to make the table look good should be natural and part of the cooking effort. When you sit down and everything, like glasses, serviettes, salt, pepper, salad dressing and a jug of mint and lemon water is on the table, it creates a relaxed atmosphere for everyone.,.

I have been a non meat and fish eater for over forty years and have enjoyed boundless energy, comfortable digestion and a great quality of pleasure cooking and creating meals. I have lectured for years on the benefits of good food and taking time to think of what you eat, how you buy the foods and create it in a spirit of feeling good about it all.

Cooking for people you love and care about is a privilege and pleasure. Make each day sane and simple, sensible and fun. Have a great week end.

I look forward to having you read my sight,
Love and light, Rona.