PART ONE:

1 head Lettuce, rinse shake dry and chopped. (Romaine is Best)
1 Medium Red Onion take off the bad looking stuff and slice thin.
2-3 Roma Tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 Small Jar pitted Kalamata Olives
1 Cup Feta Cheese, crumbled dice smaller
1 Small Jar drained Mezzetta Imported Garlic & Dill Peperoncini (Best)
1 large Cucumber, Sliced and cut again.

PART TWO:
1/2 Cup Olive Oil (extra virgin first cold pressed)
1 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp. Garlic Powder or Fresh garlic clove minced 1-2
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 tsp. Dried Basil
1 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp. Black pepper
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard or spicy brown

The FINAL PART

1. Add in large serving bowl, all the “Part One” ingredients, cucumbers last.

2. In a side bowl or the feta container, mix together all “Part Two” ingredients.

3. Pour over the salad, cover and chill. You can serve immediately but if you wait a few hours it is much better. Stir the oil from the bottom to the top every so often while chilling. NOTE: It is even better the next day.

4. cover while storing, otherwise your refrigerator will remember for a few days what your made!

Use olive oil that is Extra Virgin and has not been open for more than a few weeks. Better get a fresh bottle… It is worth it…

Online Resources:

• Healthy Heart Guide

• Healthy Recipes at the Cardiology Associates

• Recipes from the American Heart Association

• Healthy Heart Handbook for Women

• Heart Health projects in Maine

Author Margaret Byrd Adams tells us in her cookbook American Wood Heat Cookery that “whole clans of Scottish Highlanders came to settle in the United States after catastrophic crop failures in 1763.” They brought with them this soup recipe as a tasty and economical way to use their vegetables and livestock. Traditionally made with lamb neck or shoulder (very inexpensive cuts of meat), I’ve adapted this recipe to use dried mushrooms as a base for a flavorful and hearty meat-free meal made from readily accessible ingredients from our Bulk department and seasonal, local produce. The presence of the barley gives it a delicious, silky texture, in addition to being a great source of fiber, protein, niacin, thiamine, selenium, iron, and magnesium.
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Soup is not only a comfort food, it is an economical way to use leftovers from a roasted chicken dinner or a pan of roasted vegetables and get a delicious and nutritious meal. My family will often sit down to a satisfying bowl of steaming soup and a loaf of whole grain bread with a chunk of cheese on the side.

Cooking soup is easy once you understand the basics. Really great information is available through our local library system where you can take out cookbooks or cooking shows. Don’t forget about inter library loans.

My family has enjoyed watching the old Julia Child Cooking shows and I’ve discovered a really good book about making soup. It’s by Barbara Kafka and it is called “Soup, A Way of Life”.

You can also learn about soup making at the Belfast Co-op’s “Eat Healthy on a Budget” class at the UU Church on January 25th from 1-3 pm. At this free class, co-sponsored by the UU Church of Belfast, you will learn about basic soup making while enjoying hot soup and good company.

Empowering poor communities around the world is the number one goal of Fair Trade. Education, environmental concern, health care, worker safety, training, and business support are just some of the resources available to the communities who are producing products for the fair trade movement.

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Basic Cranberry Sauce Recipe (cooked)

Ingredients
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup water
* 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
* Optional Pecans, orange peel, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice.

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