It’s back to the grind after a fun 4-day birthday weekend, another year older. But I had fun and got some great gifts.
Lots of eco-friendly goodies, books, and Blooming wrapping paper that grows from my mother-in-law, so sweet!
Tuesday my mom and I went to the California State Fair where I took in inspiration from the garden area and wished I had a big enough purse for these watermelons!
Fun way to re-use old tires.
Lunch was a simple Thai steamed rice and veggie dish with Sriracha and soy sauce.
There were probably more exotic vegan options like fried avocado and mango-on-a-stick, but I did not feel like battling the crowds while we checked out all the food stations around the fair.
For dinner, hubby took me to Il Fornaio and I had my favorite angel hair pasta dish again, always good.
And I’m back to healthy eating habits after a few splurges the last few days and trying to use up fresh basil from our garden. I created a lighter, sweet basil dressing to go with a heartier meal salad with chopped tempeh. This dressing is tangy, sweet, and has a fun mustard basil kick. But lighter being banana-based and without oil and sugar, of course.
Sweet Basil Dressing
- 1 banana, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 3 fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 tsp. oregano
- 1/4 cup cup water, as needed
- salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend to a smooth and creamy texture. Serve and enjoy. Makes 2-4 servings.
The color is a pretty, light green with a smooth texture.
It completed a hearty meal summer salad with a sweet and tangy basil flavor that went well topped with nutritional yeast and a smokey seasoning blend.
Linda @ Veganosity says
Happy Birthday, Christine! It sounds like it was a wonderful one. Fried avocado? That sounds decadent-haha!
christine says
Thanks, it was a great weekend! True on avocado, haven’t tried it yet, but grilled avocado is good. :-)
Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness says
4 day birthday weekend sounds nice! Happy birthday!
This dressing sounds amazing!!
christine says
Thanks! :-)