spring bouquets , or plants for her garden . The most treasured of those were flowers she remembered from her childhood in North Florida . One year I found pink-flowering Evening Primrose plants , and we planted them outside her bedroom . I remember her joy and delight as she watched them spread to fill the space and bloom profusely every year .
It ’ s been seven years since my mom passed from this life , but I remember her every day . Every time I see the flowers in my own garden or hear the birds she adored , I am reminded of her . I will always be grateful that I share her love for the beauty of nature .
It is the memories we make that are the true gifts we give our moms . And it is the experiences we share that create those lasting memories .
As much as my mom loved the experience of going out to dinner , she did not like to wait . As she grew older , she was less and less interested in being in noisy , crowded spaces . So sometimes I would bring dinner to her home , and other times I would cook for her in my home .
If she was still with us , I ’ d make her one of my favorites : a beautiful picnic lunch . Of course it would be healthy , but it would also be simple to prepare , beautiful to look at , and satisfying , but not too heavy . Above all , it would be delicious !
View my menu , with recipes and variations on the following pages .
A note about cooking quinoa : most package directions call for too much cooking time in too much water and some say rinsing your quinoa is unnecessary ( wrong unless you like bitter quinoa ). What works best for me is giving the quinoa a quick , thorough rinse in a fine-mesh strainer . To cook
1 cup quinoa , the package may say use 2 cups water , but you ’ ll have a soggy mess if you do that . Try 1 1 / 2 cups water to 1 cup quinoa instead . You can always add more if you need to . Most packages will also say to cook quinoa for 15-20 minutes . That ’ s way too long , and will result in that soggy , unappetizing mess . I cook mine for 13 minutes , then take it off the burner and let it sit for 5 minutes while keeping in covered . Your perfect cooking time may be different , but remember you can always add more . Experiment until you find what works best for you . With quinoa ’ s exceptional nutritional benefits , it ’ s worth it !
Whether you will celebrate Mother ’ s Day with your mom , your children will be celebrating you , or you ’ ll be remembering those who have gone before us , remember that you are amazing . Just like air , water , and sunlight .
Happy Mother ’ s Day !
Toni is a mentor , author , and connector who maintains an on-line coaching practice . She lives with her husband in Orlando FL where she is actively at work to raise consciousness around food and lifestyle for a healthier , happier tomorrow for all . To schedule a consult with Toni go to CrabtreeHealthyLiving . com or email her at toni @ crabtreehealthyliving . com
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