Beauty in Nature

"First thing to do every morning is read or listen to something positive. Your mind is like a garden -- whatever you plant grows. Plant good stuff."

-- Alwyn Cosgrove 

The following poem is a Navajo song called "In Beauty May I Walk" which expresses the harmony of nature.

In beauty                                                               may I walk

All day long                                                           may I walk

Through the returning seasons                                may I walk

Beautifully will I possess again                                 

Beautifully birds                                                  

Beautifully joyful birds                                         

On the trail marked with pollen                              may I walk

With grasshoppers about my feet                           may I walk

With dew about my feet                                        may I walk

With beauty                                                          may I walk

With beauty before me                                          may I walk

With beauty behind me                                         may  I walk

With beauty above me                                          may I walk

With beauty all around me                                     may I walk

In old age, wandering on a trail of beauty,

                                                     lively,               may I walk

In old age, wandering on a  trail of beauty,

                                                     living again       may I walk

It is finished in beauty

It is finished in beauty    

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The following recipes come from my friend Maureen. I was lucky to enjoy both of them at a recent dinner in her home. Each one was delicious!.

Mandarin Orange Almond Salad

Cook's notes: The two best things about this salad for me were the flavorful dressing and the extra crunch from the cherry, cranberry, pecan mixture. The dressing makes a large amount. Save the extra dressing in a jar with a screw top lid in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 

Ingredients:

Dressing

• 1 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 TB. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 TB. ketchup
• 1/4 tsp.salt

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in blender

Ingredients: how much you use depends on the size of servings you need

Salad

• Mixed greens; such as Romaine or spinach or a combination
• 1 can Mandarin oranges drained and dried on a paper towel
• diced cucumber or celery
• 1 package of Salad Pizazz Cranberry, Cherry Pecan Mix (found in produce section) or Roasted Honey Almonds

To serve add dressing on salad mixture right before serving-start out with a few tablespoons for each serving 

Spinach Chicken Lasagna Casserole

Cook's notes: To lighten the calories and sodium use lite soup mix, reduced fat sour cream and reduced fat cheddar cheese or Swiss cheese and reduced fat mayonnaise.

This recipe is by Trish Yearwood (country singer) and it was originally published in Redbook Magazine September 2008 

Use a 13 x 9 greased pan

Ingredients:

• 1/2 to 3/4 package frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry with paper towels
• 2 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken
• 2 cups grated reduced fat cheddar cheese or reduced fat Swiss cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 TB. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 TB lite soy sauce
• 1 can lite cream mushroom soup
• 1 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1 small box of white mushrooms, cleaned and diced
• 1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 cooked lasagna noodles

Directions:

• Cook noodles and set aside separated on a paper towel
• Mix all the rest of ingredients together except Parmesan cheese
• In a greased 13 x 9 pan layer 4 cooked noodles to cover the bottom
• Add half of the spinach, chicken, cheese mixture over the top of the noodles
• Lay the last 4 noodles on top and then add rest of spinach, chicken cheese mixture on top of noodles
• Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top and cook 45-55 minutes uncovered