Give Thanks!

I love Thanksgiving. There's just something about the turkey and all the fixins...and the tryptophan! Gratitude is so good for our hearts, our souls, and yes, our bodies. There is compelling research about attitudes and health. We are all struggling right now, but we still have oh so much to be thankful for. We have our freedom. We have one another. We have love and joy and faith. So give thanks!

This year we will celebrate Thanksgiving with some friends in our neighborhood. They are preparing quite a feast. I am bringing a simple salad that has become a favorite around here. It's not my original recipe. I guess it's kind of a classic. Here is a quick and easy salad that is sure to be a hit.

Blue Cheese & Granny Smith Salad

organic mixed baby greens
Granny Smith apple
crumbled blue cheese
candied pecans
balsamic vinegar
olive oil

Use desired amount of ingredients listed. We like our salads hearty, and I often say that we added a little lettuce to our salad :) Make it how you like!

1. Cut desired amount of apple into small chuncks
2. Add blue cheese and pecans
3. Toss all ingredients with baby greens, balsamic, and olive oil
4. Add just a bit of black pepper and cinnamon for extra flare (optional)

I often make this salad with raw pecans, or with Trader Joe's lightly sweetened pecans. (I stock up on these when we visit the mainland). But if you want to make them yourself, here is a nice recipe for candied pecans from my favorite gluten-free blog, Elana's Pantry. I made them tonight. I was out of yacon syrup so I used agave nectar. These nuts offer just a hint of sweetness to your salad or enjoy them all by themselves.

Candied Pecans

2 cups pecans
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons yacon syrup
½ tsp celtic sea salt

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl
Place in a pyrex baking dish
Bake at 350° for 15 minutes
Cool and serve

Here's to great food. Here's to gratitude. Here's to your health!

God bless you this Thanksgiving!