Wednesday, April 28, 2010

May Greetings



Gosh It's May already! Yikes just where is the Springtime going? It's been downright busy! Time flies when you're having fun! So much to do and lots of activities calling out for attendance and attention. The garden needs energy and thank goodness too because it is so comforting to work in the soil and then admire the work and the beauty of the flowers and veggies you've planted. Besides being such a busy and vibrant time....the Spring offers so much to nourish the senses.....that lush bright green when all the trees are newly leafed out, the sun setting through them and casting the serene shadows you only see at this time of year....the birdsong all around not to mention the farmer's markets are open again. It's so fun to visit with the farmers and the vendors and to buy all the fresh yummy produce again. The abundance of flowers and plants and local produce is almost overwhelming.

Going to my son's lacrosse game last week I was pleasantly surprised to be surrounded by the intoxicating fragrance of the locust trees in full bloom. Another highpoint this Spring was having breakfast with two dear friends at one of their homes. My friend's home was set back through hill and dale on the most lovely piece of land it felt like paradise to be there. We had a delicious breakfast with farmfresh eggs, and her homegrown sauteed garden spinach, simple yet sublime. I noticed my friend had a beautiful bouquet of lilacs on her table....before I left I asked her if I could cut some to take home. Of course she cut me a bunch and the fragrance and beauty of those lilacs fed me on so many levels. It is the simple things that take you the distance through all the busyness of life.

Speaking of farm fresh eggs....We get delicious eggs delivered to us every Wednesday by a local farmer who has lived in these rolling hills of Virginia all her life. Her hens are very happy free- ranging chickens. The yolks are as golden as they get. I've never eaten more delicious eggs in my life. She brings us 8-10 dozen eggs a week and we sell them dirt cheap at $2.50/ doz. It is a service we provide for our patients and we help her out also, it's a nice arrangement. The other nightafter a long workday I had no real idea in my mind for supper so I decided we'd just have egg pancakes. These pancakes were inspired by recipe in a Taoist cookbook but I winged it that night and oh boy were they ever good. My daughter Veronica liked them so much she said "I'm going to be making these alot Mom!"

Egg Pancakes/Eggrolls
These pancakes have no flour in them, just a random mixture of whatever veggies you have on hand and beaten eggs. I used probably 2 0r 3 scallions sliced fine, red cabbage, chopped fine, 1 cup of frozen peas, some minced chives and cilantro and a red pepper, chopped fine and 6 beaten eggs. I seasoned the mixture with salt and pepper. I heated 2 skillets (we were hungry and wanted to cook them faster)and swirled some extra virgin olive oil in the pans, then dropped spoonfuls of the egg/veggie mixture in the pans. I cooked them on medium to low heat and flipped them when the egg looked set. I removed them to a plate to keep warm till all of the egg mixture was used up. We served these by rolling them up in sheets of toasted nori that's when we call them eggrolls....so delicious and nutritous. These can also be served with toast or rice. This recipe fed 3 hearty appetites, just figure about 2 eggs per person and you can put as many veggies as you want in them.


Well I hope all is well with you on your side of the world and I trust that you are enjoying the simple pleasures that bring you joy and peace and a light heart,

May Blessings,

Lisa