Mediterranean Lifestyle Part 7

 

Journal Entry 7:

In Proverbs 15:17 Solomon says, “Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.” When the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, they ate vegetables such as cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic (Numbers 4:5). Eating vegetables was a meal for the poor and eating the “fattened calf” was reserved for very special occasions. 

Salads are a go to lunch for my husband and myself. They are easy to prepare ahead of time and they are healthy and nutritious. I often prepare this Mediterranean salad on Sunday and we eat it for our lunches for the following week.

All the vegetables in the salad are organic and fresh. This salad is quite pleasing to the palate on these especially hot days.

1 organic cucumber, diced

5 organic Roma tomatoes, diced

1 cup Kalamata olives drained

1 organic red onion, diced

Feta Cheese, crumbled

Balsamic Vinegar

Place all vegetables in a large bowl and toss. Sprinkle in desired amount of feta cheese and toss. Then drizzle desired amount of balsamic vinegar and toss to coat.

One may substitute the balsamic vinegar with olive oil and vinegar instead. I have also added fresh salad greens to this recipe, and it is delicious.

According to the Gospels, a sponge soaked in wine vinegar was offered to Jesus twice while on the cross. Jesus refused the first offering containing a mixture of a pain-killing narcotic herb and vinegar. He accepted the second offering which was likely the common drink of soldiers called “posca.” It would have contained vinegar, water, and eggs.

Vinegar, including wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar, has been reported to slow the breakdown of carbohydrates in the digestive system, helping to support normal blood sugar health. Vinegar has also been shown to increase the absorption of calcium from the vegetables.