Hi everyone! Here I am once more! I know you probably saw the title of this post and felt extremely disappointed because you came here to see my grand World Cup Gourmet Series finale, but I’m saving that for later in the week. Also, an incident of my husband leaving the marinating meat out of the fridge overnight (in NYC summer heat) may or may not have happened and may or may not have delayed my Netherlands post… Oops! Anyway, I think it’s good that we take a break from all the fried/cheesy/fatty foods and eat a salad for a change. :-) Not that I’m a diet preacher, on the contrary. I’m a firm believer that we can (and should) eat whatever we want and enjoy all the good things in life… in moderation! I also think we should take in consideration not only how our tastebuds feel, but how our bodies feel. And although my tastebuds loooove some delicious fried coxinhas, my body needs its vegetables and fruits! Especially during the Summer…
Gosh, it is almost August and I feel that I’ve barely enjoyed the Summer. We had such a long Winter and, even though I hate the heat, I was praying for Summer to come fast. However, while everyone is out having fun at beaches, pools and barbecues, I’m inside a dark theater serving cocktails to tourists! Not that I’m complaining (Ok, maybe I’m complaining a bit), since I love some good old tourist money! But I really wish I could be barbecuing in my imaginary bikini (because I’m in no shape or color for a bikini at the moment) by my imaginary pool in my imaginary backyard! Sigh… In the meantime – while I’m still working on my bikini body, my house with a pool and a backyard and my free weekends – I “enjoy” the Summer through my husband’s car lacking an air conditioner, my rides through the Hudson River when I’m going to work on Saturday and Sunday morning (and everybody is out having fun), the hell-like heat in subway stations, the kids in my neighborhood playing with the fire hydrants and all the summer tourists in Times Square that somehow forgot how to walk, cross the streets and tip! (No, still not complaining! Kind of…) One thing I definitely do during the Summer is eat more salads. I really appreciate not having to turn the stove or oven on, as the natural Summer heat is already a lot to endure. (Warning: you do have to turn the stove on to make this salad though.. ‘Cause you have to cook the black-eyed peas, unless they are canned! Sorryyyyy!). I also really like fresh vegetables with its different textures and colors coming together in one single colorful dish. Oh, I’m so poetic today! My grandmother always says that you eat first with your eyes. She never ever serves anything that looks anything less than a $100 dish in a fancy restaurant. I, on the other hand, have to remind myself to make things look pretty because I’m always in a hurry to eat them! :-P
Black-Eyed Peas! What a weird name… But oh so tasty! And incredibly good for you too. These delicious beans (yes, they’re actually beans!) are a great source of protein and fiber while also rich in Potassium, Zinc and Iron! So not only they taste great, but they help decrease blood cholesterol (which reduces the risk of heart disease) and also help with your immune system! Score! I had half a bag of those that my mom brought from Brazil in April, thinking the US didn’t have them! (Thankfully, they do!) So I cooked them in my pressure cooker for 10 minutes (until they were al dente) and put together this incredible salad that works as a meal by itself. I had some for lunch and brought some leftovers with me to work. (That’s why I love meal-salads! You can bring them anywhere and you don’t need a microwave!) It was so delicious that I’m already planning to go to the grocery store to get some more black-eyed peas so I can create some other salads. For example, I think some corn would go really well in this salad. :-) I hope you guys can make this and let me know what you think! It is a great option for picnics, barbecues and potlucks as it’s different than everything people usually bring! (Seriously…who isn’t sick of quinoa salads? Just kidding! I love quinoa salads! lol) See you later in the week with my last World Cup Gourmet Series post! Happy Cooking!
