yuuummy summer salad

Despite the fact that there are only 3 warm months out of the whole year here in Moscow, there are many things I missed about this place while we were in Virginia Beach. Sidewalks. Local coffeeshops. No traffic. But maybe MOST OF ALL is the Moscow Food Coop. Part natural grocery store, part awesomest lunch spot ever, I have so many food obsessions to come out of there. Tabouli....Veggie pockets....tomato tortellini soup.

But perhaps my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE is their Bok Choy salad.

What is so awesome about this recipe is all the fresh CRUNCH. Check out all the PEPPERS and CABBAGE!!! cruchcrunchcrunch!

You can get this recipe, and the whole Coop Cookbook on their website, but just to do the homework for you, here you go!


Salad:

1/2 C. almonds, slivered and toasted
1 head Bok Choy, chopped
1 C. red cabbage, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 T. tamari (or soy sauce)
3/4 C. vegan mayonnaise (I substituted plain yogurt)

Dressing: (this is where the magic happens)

1/4 C. apple cider vinegar
1/4 C. tamari
1/4 C. canola oil
1/4 C. brown sugar.

Chop everything, toss it all in a bowl. Whisk the dressing together, pour over the salad, and toss it up! Hope you love it!

Hello Seattle

Dad E. took Ellis, Brody, Matt, and me on an awesome trip to see U2 in Seattle!! To get to see one of the biggest bands EVER in a HUGE Qwest Field concert was INCREDIBLE!

On the way over we had a few extra minutes, so we detoured to see the Fremont Troll, which none of us had ever seen before.

It was Brody's second time in Seattle, and he loved walking around with Dad!


The big U2 fans of the group. Neither of them was up for much talking during the show, as they considered themselves to be going through "spiritual experiences."

There they are!

Thanks, Dad, for an awesome opportunity! We love you!

Happy Fourth!!

So much to catch up on!! I pretty much never have the computer these days since Ellis is using it to study for the bar, but hey, who needs computers in the summer? :)

Ellis and I had an AWESOME Fourth of July. We went camping--without the Brode this time--with a big group of friends. SO MUCH FUN!!


We went to a GORGEOUS little reservoir called Spring Valley, just 25 minutes away from home and totally FREE!! We canoed and paddleboarded and talked LATE into the night around the campfire with a newfound friend, Mark, who showed us how to gut and cook fish.

Had a BLAST with Rachel and Lenora on the paddleboard!

Simon taking it easy

Ellis, Parker, Ethan, and Nathan

Parker, Mark, Rosalie, and Caleb gutting the fish

Fishing was pretty much the big event of the trip for a lot of the guys--they fished for dinner, fished in the dark, and Caleb was up at 6 AM Monday morning to fish!

Dinner was super exciting for me, because 1) I've never had fish caught fresh from the water, and 2) I've never even had fresh-water fish PERIOD. So I got to try something new, and felt pretty hardcore peeling fresh fish flesh from their creepy poky spines.

Here are some of us cooking dinner.

Such a blast! Can't wait to do a trip like this again!!