Double Bonus Delicious -- Fresh Berries and Zuke Salad

Yum. Fresh berries. An expensive treat, but all three types were together looking so beautiful, so irresistible.

Ian has already left, for the morning, to go mountain biking. I reckon they're looking to get a head start on the heat. Point of the story, I was on my own for breakfast (unusual occurrence) so I kept it simple. Yesterday's coffee, rye toast with homemade apple butter, and a bowl packed with Oregon berries, fresh via the grocery store yesterday. Berries. berries. b-e-r-r-i-e-s. So many memories are packed into the taste of fresh berries. Especially black berries, since the first time I really had them was after college, when I lived in Bristol. 

It was winter then, so I would make oatmeal and pour (rice) milk on top and sprinkle on fresh blackberries. They were a weekly staple. Eating them now reminds me of all those lovely days in a borrowed city, walking about drawing postcards and joking with Shills.

I'm a bit more sentimental than usual, since today is my last day at the Portland Paper Zone. I'm typing up a nice long letter for my exit interview and looking back on the last two years is pulling at my heart strings a little. I ought to concentrate on what I'm going to stock up on with my last employee discount! Lots of Bookbinding supplies I reckon, bookcloth and handmade papers, and christmas presents. Oooh, pretty presents. There we are, all cheery and better again. On to the Zukes.

Yesterday, when Ian and I were making our list for grocery shopping this week, I realized we still had the zucchini and corn for the raw salad I was supposed to make last week. Throwing away rotten veg makes me feel immature, and unhealthy! Luckily, the corn and the zuke were still fresh and firm (the cucumber was not so lucky) Knowing it was a "now, or you'll be throwing away rotten veg, again" kind of situation, I started on this simple salad as soon as we were home again and all the new veg was safely stowed.

For this delightful side-dish, to serve 2 adults (with a healthy appetite):

1 corn on its cob
1 small zucchini
1 juicy lime
1 TBLsp olive oil
chopped cilantro (the one week we forget to buy cilantro)
salt and pepper to taste

Husk the corn and cut the kernels off the cob. I love the feel of the juicy kernels popping off into the bowl.

See that giant plant? That's a Rachel kind of plant. You water it when you remember and if it's summer, it's growing. No special instructions required!

Hey Dad! That's me, voluntarily preparing zucchini to eat! Slice zucchini thin and add to corn.

add the juice of a lime (two limes if they aren't very juicy).

Olive oil to coat and cover, stir.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Ready to hang out in the fridge until dinner! Ta-da! Delicious and nutritious.

And I took (almost) my fair share of zucchini (Ian only got a couple of extra slices)! This recipe can definitely go into the summer rotation. Leave out the pepper and it's a dish raw foodists would give a delicious thumbs up! I felt so healthy eating the delightful little kernels of juicy corn and the kind of crunchy, but sort of tasteless zucchini was nothing to be scared of! Next time I'll remember the cilantro.