Meatless Monday and Happy Birthday ... to Aunt Shoe!

I almost forgot to celebrate Aunt Shoe's second birthday and the beginning of year three! It's been a fun journey and I have learned a lot about cooking and about myself! My sincere thanks to all of YOU, dear readers. I really appreciate that you come by my blog!

With the start of a new calendar year and a new blog year, I've decided to make a few changes in what I eat. I have resolved to - drum roll - cut out sugar, at least for a few weeks. I'll see how it goes and if I like it, I'll continue. My son, age 26, doesn't eat sugar. He's a pretty smart guy. If he thinks it's a good idea, there must be something to it! I'm going to try to stay away from processed foods and the harmful chemicals some of them contain. Turns out the best things to put in your mouth are 1-ingredient foods! WOW! What a great concept. But think about it. One ingredient. That's like a juicy orange or a ripe red Honey Crisp apple, or a plate of crunchy carrot sticks. How simple; one ingredient! And how easy! With that in mind, I put together a fresh, tasty garden salad. I added chick peas to boost the protein, plus they're chock full of fiber, keep your blood sugar levels stable, and last but not least, they provide iron. All that goodness in a little chick pea! My salad was delicious, it filled me up, it looked awesome and it was good for me! Woo-Hoo and happy new year!

Tomato & Cucumber Salad with Chick Peas
Ingredients:

5 tomatoes, diced
 (I used Roma tomatoes)
1 red onion, cut in slices
1 cucumber, sliced

1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 green pepper, chopped

handful chopped parsley

1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (optional)

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. 
Sea Salt

1/4 tsp. pepper
Directions
:
1. Combine all vegetables and the chick peas in a large bowl.

2. Mix oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Shake well and pour over vegetables.

3. Chill before serving.
PS - Green or black pitted olives would be a nice addition.