Weekend highlights & a side of Sweet & Crunchy Summer Slaw

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This past weekend was great for a few reasons.

First off, big congratulations to my brother and sister-in-law on the birth of their beautiful baby girl, Ava Rose.  I can't wait to meet the little peanut (in real life).  It will be along 5 months, but we had a great first skype date tonight and some other family members dropped in for a visit!  Talk about perfect timing.  Being away from family is hard, but it's skype dates like this that make you feel like you are still part of the action.  Nothin' like a good skype date.

First we got to meet baby and see mama:

Then my aunt Mary stopped by (while Ava napped in The Monkey Hat):

Then my aunt Jan & my brother Chris joined the party:

 Ava sure is one lucky girl!

Second great thing was that we had our 4 Mile Walk for Water event in Brussels.  It was supposed to be over Labor Day, but due to scheduling conflicts and the fact that there is no Labor Day in Belgium (in September), we pushed it up.  The fundraiser is still open and I encourage you all to walk this coming weekend where ever you are!  We had a great time.  I think it gave each of us something to think about.  We are all truly blessed and it feels good to help those less fortunate.  So far we have provided 24 people with access to clean water for life and raised $600!  If you do walk, please take a pic and send it over.

Here's a quick sample.  More pics to come :)

After the walk we had all of the participants over for a little BBQ action.  Have a BBQ to go to this Labor Day weekend?  Need to bring a side dish?  Try this Sweet & Crunchy Summer Slaw.  A little sweet, a little tangy, it's a palette pleaser. 

The dressing is mostly made up of a yogurt, honey, mustard and lime.  I can only make a slaw sans mayo, so this is key when looking for a dressing and I just so happened to stumble across a wonderful recipe by The Perfect Pantry.

I loved the addition of cranberries to this slaw.  It was a great added flavor.  A bit surprising, but welcome.

Perfect BBQ side after your Labor Day Weekend Walk for Water and perfect end to a wonderful weekend. 

Sweet & Crunchy Summer Slaw
As adapted from The Perfect Pantry

Ingredients:
1/2 small head of red cabbage, chopped
2 carrots, shredded
1/2 head of broccoli, with stem, chopped
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/3 c chopped almonds

Dressing:
1/3 c Greek Yogurt
Juice of 1 lime
2 T Honey
1 1/4 t Dijon Mustard
2 T white wine vinegar
Pepper

Directions:
Whisk together dressing ingredients.   Combine slaw ingredients in a large bowl.  Add dressing.  Mix.  Refrigerate a few hours before serving. 

There you have it a very simple slaw.  Bon Appétit!
 

 And my favorite pic from our skype date!

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Curried Avocado Egg Salad

Pin It Though I am not a big fan of egg salad in general (Mayo = biggest fear), this Avocado Egg Salad was über tasty and a perfect light, filling summer lunch.

It gets its creamy texture from a ripened Haas avocado and Greek Yogurt.  Packed with protein and healthy fat this version will keep you full longer than your average egg salad recipe.

Get perfect hard boiled eggs by placing eggs in a sauce pan just cover in water.  Turn to high heat and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, cover and turn off heat.  Let sit for about 13 minutes.  Perfectly cooked and no unappetizing grayish ring.

This recipe is proof that you don't need to spend lots of time and money in order to put healthy whole foods on the table.  In fact, this dish comes together in 17 minutes 37 seconds flat, including egg boiling time.

Curried Avocado Egg Salad
As adapted from Never Homemaker

Ingredients:
4 organic eggs
1 ripe Haas avocado
1/3 c Greek Yogurt
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 t curry powder (more or less to taste)
salt & pepper
2 whole wheat pitas

Directions:
Hard boil eggs.  Place in ice bath to cool.  While eggs boil mix mashed avocado, yogurt and pepper.  Peel eggs, chop.  Add to avocado mixture.  Add curry powder, salt and pepper.  Mix.  Serve in a whole wheat warmed pita.

Bon Appétit!

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4 Mile Walk for Water: Update - 9 days left!

Pin It Almost half way to our goal of clean water for 40 people (17 served so far!) at the Labor Day Weekend  Walk for Water Fundraiser.  Please make a donation (directly at the link), share the link, walk & conserve water so we can reach the goal and make a difference in the lives of 40 people.  Only 9 days left!  Can we do it?

The Below Graphic pretty much says it all:

Created by: www.OnlineAssociatesDegree.com

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Brussels Flower Carpet 2012

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Brussels Flower Carpet was going on this past weekend so we went downtown and checked it out.

Only happening once every other year in Brussels' Grand Place, the carpet is something to see.

Go early to avoid the tourists.  We didn't.

 Made out of Begonias, barks, precious materials, sands, soils and pigments, the carpets theme was Africa.

Unrelated, but also in the weekend's events, we kayaked down the Lesse River in the South of Belgium.  It's not everyday you kayak past an old castle.

 

Lots of people thought kayaking was a good way to beat the heat.  It was the hottest day ever in Belgium...I may be exaggerating, but I am not complaining.

In other events, I have officially become too lazy to make dinner so I am eating toast with butter and raspberry jam.  It tastes magnificent.... I think I will do this more often. 

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