This Salad Was Almost a Cheeseburger

So....ever since I ended my 60-day juice fast three weeks ago, I have prepared every meal that I consumed except for two meals. It is aggravating that there is virtually no "fast health food" and the only way you can stay on course is to be forever chopping and marinating and cooking. I mean it just gets to you some days. So today I was hell bent on having a cheeseburger - part of it was the craving for all the things I don't eat anymore - cheese, bread, mayonnaise.....and since my husband had to give up meat, I haven't really been eating meat. But a major part of it was also just the fact that I could go out and get it and put it in my mouth.

Sigh. It is at these times that you have to go into the kitchen and stuff a tomato into your mouth - kind of like a roasted pig. Just cram the tomato right in there and let the natural sweetness calm your mind. While you are in this mute and satisfied state, breathe through your nose and lift up your culinary baton and begin orchestrating. I started with some mesclun greens, tomatoes, avocados, cucumbers, and onions. Then I tried tweeking my salad dressing by adding tomato paste, hot sauce and very finely chopped fresh tomatoes to the basic olive oil and vinegar mixture. I tossed the salad with the chunky dressing really thoroughly so the avocado could break down some and all the flavors stick to the greens. I then decided to steam some baby sweet potatoes - 9 minutes in a steamer bag in the microwave.  I chopped up the sweet potato and added it nice and warm to the fresh salad. The sweet potato really took it over the top.

I'll probably want a cheeseburger again tomorrow. LOL. But for today, I fought the good fight and won - and look at all these beautiful colors!!!  :)