Next Meet Up: July 27 at River Heritage Park

Hello, Friends.

We had a nice Meet Up at Dr. James A. Dillon Park.  The splash pad was closed for maintenance, but things were pretty splashy anyway with the rain. It was nice to see everyone in spite of the weather.

We had some great conversations. Since we had two dietary professionals we had a lively discussion about fresh foods and seasonable availability, being adventurous about trying new foods, and what oils are good for cooking versus eating. This reminds me that the Farmer's Markets are all in full swing. Be sure to take advantage of the delicious, locally grown foods. Here's the link to the Carmel Farmer's Market that includes the listing of vendors. And, here is Kathy Petrovic's recipe for a wonderful, fresh chopped salad:

Green Chopped Salad 
1 bag of Mediterranean Salad  or Spring Mix or Field Greens (I cut the lettuce into smaller pieces)
1 apple - chopped
1 cup of chopped celery
4 green onions, chopped or ½ cup chopped red onion
½  cup of Craisins
½ cup of blue cheese / goat / gorgonzola/feta cheese (crumbled)
½ cup “Accents Sugared Almonds” (in produce department)

Dressing:(You might not need to use all of this dressing)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
4 Tablespoons sugar
4 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar

Gardeners, pay attention to what is growing in your garden; you may have milkweed! This plant is critical for Monarch Butterflies. You can pick up seeds at Cool Creek Park or you can harvest them later in the year to plant for the next year.

Our next Meet Up will be July 27 at River Heritage Park off of the River Road near 116th Street I. Carmel. This park has a beautiful picnic area.

Have a great July!
Carolyn

in spite of: regardless of
dietary: related to diet or eating patterns
lively: a conversation that is intellectually stimulating; lively can also mean full of energy or full of excitement
versus: as opposed to, in contrast to; use this word when making a comparison (verses-sounds the same-is the word for lines of words in a poem or song)
along with: including
harvest: collect for food or to grow