Lettuce, Rejoice!

I love food. I love it because I like to savor tastes in my mouth. I will eat when I am not hungry because I need flavor, not nutrients. And when it comes to nutrients, I look at what food has, not what it doesn't. Like Doritos, if you look past fat and calories you'll find there's actually some riboflavin in them and that sounds good for you. Ice cream is a champ because everyone needs calcium. And does anyone ever really eat a 1/2 cup serving size? That's crap. I eat three weeks of calcium in one sitting.

I also have a tendency to love those comfort foods of winter. The warm soups and steamy casseroles complete with sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, and yes, two cups of shredded cheese. It is the Menno way. I live for carbs and dairy.


But come spring, I am strapping the baby on my back in search of wild asparagus that grows in our fields. I'm ready for fresh foods that taste brand new and refreshing. My body tends to crave what it needs and by May it needs green vegetables. Here are a few of the dishes we've been eating this week. Sometimes we have wine with it and it makes us feel very uppity. Then we remember the wine was five bucks.

Green salad with scallions, peaches, cranberries,

swiss, almonds and homemade dressing

Spinach quiche with red peppers and feta

Bruschetta with cream cheese, tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil

Sometimes it blows my mind to think that every nutrient we need can be found in the plants and animals God gave us. Often when spring hits I am reminded of what the earth was intended for. I look around our farm and see raspberries, apricots, apples, cherries, asparagus, and rhubarb growing. And to that we add what more we need. And if only Chris would use his bb gun for more than killing rabid skunks, we would have the meat we need.

We do not take for granted what has been provided to us. We appreciate it and savor it and most importantly ask God to watch over it so that our bodies may reap the benefits. After the heaviness of all things winter, there is refreshment in raw food. Let us rejoice.