Japanese Turnip Coleslaw and "so what"...

 Do you like the Poet Mary Oliver? I do. She is fierce.

When it's over, I want to say all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world


Today I was driving home after dropping M with her dad. I noticed how I don't cry every time I drop her off now. There are so many weird stages to this whole splitting up process, it makes me dizzy. One of my mentors said recently "When anything in this world bothers you, or anything happens in this world that you don’t like, you are to tell yourself these words, "so what." So I have been experimenting with that. Mostly to myself. But after I did this for a while, a funny image emerged from my brain of saying "so what" akin to life being an obstacle course. Each "obstacle" in life is actually a secret present.  Every person, every encounter, every moment becomes more akin to party favor. My own party's party favor. It makes heartbreak oddly amusing. It dissolves any idea that there is a right and wrong to things. And when the inner critic pipes up and starts yelling orders, I can say "so what" to that too. When I find my mind looping the same soundtrack of self-sabotage that tells us we are not good enough, beautiful enough, talented enough, I say "so what." It has made the world a more beautiful place when I find myself not needing to change others or myself.  And, easier to let go of expected outcomes. (says the uber type-A gal writing this). My mind can chat away to itself. My mind can infinitely loop the visuals of expected outcomes. My heart is the one saying "so what." Because I love you so much, that's why. And that is how I am releasing myself from being a visitor of this world, and becoming the bride married to amazement. Thank you Mary Oliver. Thank you obstacle courses.


Salad turnips or Japanese turnips are making their debut. Crunchy, sweet and earthy like a radish, these turnips can be eaten raw. I like to use the green tops on these beauties which are light in flavor. Keeping with the japanese theme, I decided to make a light salad that is versatile and bright with toasted sesame seed oil. Lemon, oil and salt. That is all you need. I did squeeze the turnips after I grated them to remove the excess juice that I did not want to water down the salad. As soon as salt is added to the mix, the carrots and turnips will start to release their juices and that will dilute the flavor of the lemon zest and olive oil. These first early summer vegetables are special gems that look like little white pillows signaling salad days. Great with grilled fish or shrimp tempura. I would eat it on a hot dog too. But not on pizza. Maybe in a burrito though. Or as taco filling. Tossed in a green salad....you get the point. See, having a type-A blogger gives you lots of ideas. My expected outcome for this salad is that it would be versatile for many dishes or none at all.....xoxo

Japanese Turnip Coleslaw
makes 2 cups

1 cup grated turnip
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 heaping cup green turnip tops roughly chopped
zest and juice of 1 juicy lemon
pinch salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil

After grating the turnips, squeeze out excess juice, then add to bowl. Toss all the ingredients together...Serve right away.