Spring 2013

So spring has officially sprung in Abensberg.  Everything is blooming (finally) and the birds are up very early singing their hearts out.  We had the longest and darkest winter in recorded history.  Needless to say, it was long and gray!  Having grown up in New York, I don't have a feeling for when, what should be planted.  I buy my blooming plants each spring and plant them anew.  I have to date, killed every rose I've ever bought before the fall came or over winter.  I have, pat me on the back, managed to not kill a rose over this winter and am very proud to say that it's growing!  

My husband's mother is an avid gardner...  she's not interested in pretty or landscaped.  She wants produce!  She's into anything that will offer something to eat, make into a juice or jam, pickle, conserve, freeze etc.  You get the idea.  She has an inner clock that starts ticking very loud if the seeds and little baby plants don't get planted at the right time of the spring.  Yesterday, I spent the morning pulling out old tomato plants from last season, turning soil, and raking and weeding, and spending time with Oma and with nature.  Who has suggestions on what I should actually plant in my beautful vegetable beds?

It was nearing noon when I realized I didn't know what to cook...  after checking my stocks, I decided to make a cauliflower salad with avocado and oranges.

I gathered herbs from the garden and sweated them quickly with an onion and garlic in some olive oil.

 Added white balsamic and orange juice, salt and pepper and a touch of mustard.

Then I cut up a perfectly ripe avocado and two oranges.  Tossed it all together 

with half a head of cauliflower.

and this is what I got...

I've been crazy about these Chi Seeds lately...  I tossed a handful of those in the salad just for fun and for that extra kick of plant power, plant based protein and omega fatty acids.  It was absolutely delicious and my kids ate it too!  

Off to tennis and to my favorite organic farm to buy homemade tofu...  Her husband makes his own tofu; three different varieties...  natural, smoked and vegetable.  They also have seitan and tempeh (which I can't find anywhere else)!  

Of course my energy level was still up there, so I joined my friend for an hour of Zumba here... 

www.polesition.de

That"s not me...  She runs the the zumba studio and kicks it!  

I fell asleep with my boys at 8pm...