JUST WANTED TO SAY "HI"

LET US NOW officially say "goodbye" to the SUMMER and I hope everyone had a great season. Mine was considerably wonderful and something to be grateful about despite of my BF's illness. I also thought I should pop in and say "HELLO" to everyone. It is gorgeous here in southern New England but our evenings are now dipping into the 40's or 50's.

I would also like to acknowledge everyone's continuous support, prayers and sweet e-mails about Joe. My posts are so scarce at this time but I just want to let you know that I still find time to visit yours.

Joe's spirits are surprisingly high after all that's been dealt to him. Although, it's been tough, we're taking it one day at a time.

Finally, some bounties from my tiny organic vegetable garden! I really thought that I wouldn't be able to reap and taste the fruit of my labor as it is now almost October.


And let me introduce you to the AMPALAYA (Momordica Charantia). Some of you might have recognized this veggie at your local farmer's market. It is both a nutritious vegetable and a trusted medicinal herb that grows abundant in many regions in Asia and South America. It is known in the west as CHINESE BITTER MELON or BITTER GOURD. The melon has a bitter taste due to the presence of Momordicin and it has the most documented scientific reports that cite its blood sugar-lowering benefit. It's really an ugly looking vegetable and considered an acquired taste because of its bitterness.


One way of enjoying this vegetable is to cook it with beaten egg - as an omelet or in scrambled eggs (fabulous!) or as a salad with onions, tomatoes, and cilantro in vinaigrette dressing. And the trick to minimize the bitterness? Rub the slices with rock salt. Rub them well! This part is fun...both me and the ampalaya get a salt scrub. When done, rinse ampalaya slices with water and let drain.