Monday, October 17, 2011

Tuna Curry with Apples,Raisins,Almonds,Ect.,Ect.



Patio Beside My Cottage "Casa de Arte"


Flowers at the Santa Barbara Farmer's Market


The Santa Barbara Mission

Calvary Chapel Single's New Years Party



My French Class Having a Party Where I Lived

A year ago, I lived in beautiful Santa Barbara,California....the land of blue seas,palm trees,surfers,outdoor cafes,farmer's markets,avacados,and men in Hawaiian shirts.! (And a whole lot more !) I attended Calvary Chapel Church there,where we had small groups that met weekly to study the Bible,to pray for one another,and to eat good food as well !


I was in a group hosted by a sweet young couple who had their first little baby boy.One of the women in the group had a passion for cooking, and she decided that night to jazz up a tuna salad that she was going to bring. Her recipe grew in ingredients by the minute. She added to the tuna....mayonaise,raisins,almonds,curry powder,and some other ingredients,which I'm not positive about right now !
Anyway,my taste buds went zing,zing,bazaam when I tasted it,because of the addition of the spicey curry powder,the crunch of the almonds,and the sweetness of the raisins,ect.....the tuna salads I had been making were starting to be the same ol' thing,ya know what I mean ?

Today I made my version,laid it out on the patio table to photograph it,and who should hop on the table to help herself to a sampling of it,but my cat Poof ! I managed to shoot the photo right before she was able to snitch a nibble ! Afterwards,I had a delicious lunch,including some chocolate mint tea to drink ! I'll tell you how I make that too.

Tuna Curry Salad

1 can of tuna (Tongol tuna from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods has less mercury in it)
1/3-1/2 apple,diced
1 T. raisins,or dried cranberries,or dried cherries
1/2 t.curry powder,or more to taste (don't use old curry powder,it has no flavor)
1-2 T. chopped almonds
2-3 T. chopped spinach,or parsley,or other greens
1/4-1/3 cup mayonaise
a pinch of salt and pepper
1 T. capers (optional)

Mix everything together,TASTE it to see if you need to add anything to make it better, and dollop on open faced pieces of bread,toast,or avacado halves. To make your salad prettier,put a few raisins,chopped almonds,chopped apples,and pieces of the greens,ect. on top.Beautiful presentation is HALF the pleasure of eating !
Put some sliced tomatoes,fruit,ect.on the plate as well to add color and a healthy touch !


Chocolate Mint Tea

1 bunch of chocolate mint ( I buy mine at the Farmer's Market on Shaw and Blackstone in Fresno,Calif.,I hope you can find some !)
2 T. honey

Boil some spring or filtered water in a full tea kettle or a medium sized pan.Add a semi- large handful of washed chocolate mint sprigs.Let the tea steep for one hour or overnight.Add the honey,stir and sip this divine,refreshing tea ! I feel cooler when I drink it,so it is especially lovely in the summer time !

Then have a small piece of dark chocolate for dessert.Close your eyes and savor it as you indulge ! (Some people become happy eating chocolate,and some get a little moody.Which type are you ?


LOVE THOUGHTS.......

Yes,sometimes a recipe,like the same tuna salad made month after month ,gets tiresome and boring.And....speaking of men, women.... and ...... old tuna recipes....yes.....I have been reading the book called,"Finding Mr.Right (and how to know when you have)," by Stephen Arterburn and Dr Meg Rinck. I know...you're saying,"Where is she going with this ?"Well,I'm going to make the comparison between premarital sex and boring tuna salad,or does Mr. Right want to marry the easy woman ?

Mr.Arteburn and Dr. Rinck say......"Mr. Right is not looking for an easy woman.Despite the plethora of sexual imput in our culture today,not everyone is having sex before marriage.Men may be willing to mess around with women for a while,but when they are serious about marriage,they do not like" used goods." (or boring tuna salad !) (my words !)It may seem hypocritical,but it is a reality.Men who are the Mr.Rights of the world are looking for women who are moral,chaste,and able to be faithful.(Of course,Mr. Right must uphold the same standards.

It is never too late to become pure again after having been sexually active.Many people have decided to become abstinate,and to call themselves,"secondary virgins",hopefully saving themselves from an unwanted pregnancy,sexually transmitted diseases,and deep heartbreak. Just as one says no to drugs,one can say no to premarital sex,saving sex for the wedding night.My French teacher's wise Jewish father told her when she was younger....."Sex is the only thing you can do that creates a new life ,so save sex until you get married".I believe God blesses many marriages when the man and woman have chosen to wait. A pastor I heard on the radio said,"My wife and I can usually tell which couples at the wedding ceremony have waited to have sex.They are the most excited !"

I write these things because I care about you,and I don't want to see you make the same mistakes that the "Hippy generation" made ! So,God bless you and happy tuna fishing !