Evelyn's delicious Salad

Evelyn is my most favorite neighbor to the west and is an inspiration to me. I absolutely love her. She is near to my mom's age, and is one of my dearest friends in this town.


Three years ago, she began to lose weight. I never felt she looked overweight, but as she lost, she looked even lovelier (if that is possible) than before. She purchased new clothes and turned from a wonderful lady into an even more elegant woman.

I asked her secret. She said she changed her eating habits. She had started eating more fruits and vegetables, less meat and bread. She eats what she wants, but she makes sure she eats a good helping of her salad. I think this is her invention. It is something she makes every week. She makes a large batch and stores it in an air-tight bag, scooping out what she needs for each meal. As she told me about this salad, she opened her refrigerator and gave me a taste. It is all manner of vegetables and fruits chopped into 1/2 inch squares and mixed together. It needs no dressing. As you experience this, multi flavors burst in your mouth. You taste sweet, tart, onion (what kind of flavor is onion?), and crunchy all at once. I asked her how much she ate every day, and she replied "As much as I want."

Recently I popped over to visit Evelyn and as I was leaving she gave me a generous helping of this salad to take home and share with Sailor. That night I put a helping on each of our dinner plates and we were converted.

The next day I went to the store and purchased all the ingredients and began to chop. I use a  Williams Sonoma vegetable chopper to cut up my vegetables. It cuts the vegetables into 1/2 inch squares (and smaller if desired).

I demonstrated it to her and let her try it. She asked me to order her one right away. She figured it would save her hours of time chopping. Depending on how much vegetables and fruits you use, you can create a huge batch for the week, or a small batch just for tonight's dinner. I think once you taste it, you will feel like I do, that it is an essential part of the daily menu. Today I had two helpings for breakfast. mmmm

And so, without further adieu,  I give you

Evelyn's Delicious Salad

red, yellow and/or green peppers
green onion minus the roots
jicama
celery
chayote squash
radishes
Fuji apples
these next two she doesn't add, but I do      
 turnips                         
carrots
chop all above ingredients into half-inch squares
add a bag of crasins
mix together

Evelyn takes two of the vegetable bags and puts one inside the other to create a double bag, then she fills it. Try to get all the air out of the bag and twist closed. Place upside down in a bowl.

This gradually marinates and creates a most delicious juice by the end of the week.

Every day you have a salad ready to enjoy. If you would like to add other vegetables or fruits at the time of serving, such as oranges or when
tomatoes get ripe you can do this. But don't add these squishy fruits and vegetables to the original batch. All the above vegetables  are hard crispy vegetables and don't rot too easily.