Florida is known as the sunshine state. Blue skies with varying amounts of clouds is our norm. We have a dry season which is late fall and winter. Our wet season starts in May ususally and lasts all summer. Based on 51 years of data from 48 weather stations here, the average weather station in the state has 252 days during the year in which there is no rain, or 69 percent of the year. Some Florida cities here have even more sunshine than the average. St. Petersburg, Florida is known as the sunshine city. It has an average of 361 days of sunshine annually.
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Easy Black Bean Dip
Beans are great. They’re delicious, filling and packed with good-for-you nutrients like vitamins, fiber and protein. Black beans are among the most frequently consumed legumes around the world. They’re considered nutritional powerhouses that are rich in plant-based protein, fiber, and antioxidants that help manage blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol levels. They retain their shape and texture well, so they’re perfect to use in stews, soups, dips, and salads. You can use canned drained beans to cut down on cooking time, but you’ll save money cooking your own using dried beans. Add flavor by simmering dried beans with an onion, garlic, herbs, or dried chiles. For this recipe, I would cook them until they’re very soft and almost falling apart. Drain them and allow them to cool slightly before you blend up the dip, and save the bean liquid. Use it instead of the water. For more information on the health benefits and instructions on cooking dried beans, see Health Benefits of Nutritious Beans.
There are two things I like to have in my refrigerator at all times – hummus and lemons or limes. In the past, I have shared several hummus recipes including Black Bean Hummus. I have several friends who cannot eat hummus because of the tahini (crushed sesame seeds). For those friends, I make black bean dip.
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April in Nashville, Tennessee
Today’s photos were taken by my friend Teri in Nashville, Tennessee. The flowers are in her mother’s yard. I do thank the ladies for sharing.
I met Marge decades ago at work in Nashville, when I was in my twenties. We hit it off, and she invited me home for dinner. For the next few years (until I moved to Florida), I was often sitting at the kitchen table with her and her family. Her oldest was a cute 10 year old named Teri. Needless to say time has flown, and Teri is now a grandmother. She’s a great help to her mother who is now in her eighties.
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Spring Asparagus, Tomato & Feta Salad
Spring is the time for fresh, tender asparagus. Today I’m adding them to fresh tomatoes with feta cheese. I am sauteing the asparagus in a little olive oil just a little bit, but you can steam, grill, or roast if you prefer. The goal is to limit the cooking so the result is bright green, tender asparagus, not over-cooked soft asparagus.
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Sunset on the Balcony
I’ve been absent from the blog for the last 4 days as I had my nephew, James, and his wife, Heather, visiting. It was such fun. We talked, went for a ride, went out for dinner Sunday evening. They were very sweet, and they cooked for me, cleaned up the kitchen, and even made the bed before they left. Saturday they had me sit while they brought each box left on the balcony and emptied it. I told them where to put the items and now have a clean balcony. They love the condo, and I reminded them, my will leaves it to them.
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Rainy Wednesday
Here I sit on Wednesday afternoon looking out at a dark and windy scene. I just returned from a trip to Walgreens and I feel wind-blown for sure. The dark clouds really limited the light outside. It didn’t feel like 1:30 PM in the afternoon at all. Luckily by tomorrow we should have the sun again.
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Taking Care of Yourself
I’ve always been interested in ways to help support good health, but this is especially true now that I’m a senior citizen. It is impossible to avoid every illness or prevent every disease, but there are steps you can take to improve your health and lower risks. Today I want to talk about a few reminders that most of us already know.
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It’s a Beautiful Morning to be Alive
On Monday morning, I came down to my car and was happy to see a deep blue sky. It was a beautiful morning to be alive. I know that every morning I should be thankful for life, but some days are just extra special with the beauty of nature. I grabbed my phone and took several photos.
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