Friday, May 26, 2006
Cultivating Contentment
When I was a teenager my greatest ambition was to be a waitress in a diner or some small café or perhaps a street person. What others saw as malcontents I saw as happy people. I really thought that finding some wage-an-hour job and going home to my small apartment each night to read and drink coffee would be enough. I left high school to follow my dream. I seriously enjoyed the job and many of the skills that stand me in good stead today came from those years—anticipating problems, effective communication, conflict resolution, cooking, and making people laugh. After a few years, however, the boredom set in. It dawned on me that it was not the job that made the waitress I admired in my youth happy it was something she cultivated on her own. I’ve embarked on new careers, but I try to take that original lesson with me wherever I go. Happiness is not an external set of circumstances, but a choice that begins in our hearts and follows us wherever we go.
Today’s Lunch
Spinach salad with steamed potatoes and feta
Wash a cupful of spinach leaves and pat dry with a clean towel. Wash four or five Russian Banana Fingerling potatoes or small red potatoes and steam until tender. Drain and spray with cold water to cool. Chop 2 oz of feta cheese. Top spinach with potatoes and feta and serve with Annie’s Raspberry Vinaigrette. Serves 2.
Notes: Russian Banana Fingerling potatoes come from Baltic region of northeast Europe. They are similar to Yellow Finns and have a yellow skin and golden flesh with a smooth texture and a slightly sweet taste. I like to cook a huge pot of potatoes and eat them throughout the week. Steamed potatoes keep well and can be used in a variety of dishes. I mix varieties of red, yellow, purple, and sweet potatoes to make the mix more interesting.
Today’s Lunch
Spinach salad with steamed potatoes and feta
Wash a cupful of spinach leaves and pat dry with a clean towel. Wash four or five Russian Banana Fingerling potatoes or small red potatoes and steam until tender. Drain and spray with cold water to cool. Chop 2 oz of feta cheese. Top spinach with potatoes and feta and serve with Annie’s Raspberry Vinaigrette. Serves 2.
Notes: Russian Banana Fingerling potatoes come from Baltic region of northeast Europe. They are similar to Yellow Finns and have a yellow skin and golden flesh with a smooth texture and a slightly sweet taste. I like to cook a huge pot of potatoes and eat them throughout the week. Steamed potatoes keep well and can be used in a variety of dishes. I mix varieties of red, yellow, purple, and sweet potatoes to make the mix more interesting.
