Tuesday Tidbits No. 27

So we’ve all been doing the happy dance since Spring arrived but many of us are still  dancing in our winter coats and boots. right?  Well, we know it’s got to get here eventually so this Tuesday Tidbits is all about Spring recipes, Easter and some healthy tips tossed in for fun.  Let’s get started because we all know that standing in one place for too long these days could lead to frostbite!

This super tasty Black Sesame Salad Dressing is from Maggie at Omnivore’s Cookbook.  You’ve seen Maggie here before and I’m so thrilled that she’ll be moving to the US soon from Beijing!  Then she’ll be within visiting distance and I’ve just GOT to taste her cooking!

Black Sesame Salad Dressing from Omnivore’s Cookbook

This is a creamy sauce with a sweet, sour and nutty flavor.  Doesn’t this salad make you ache to be on your deck in your t-shirt and shorts?  Can’t wait!  One of the reasons I’m a big fan of Maggie’s recipes is because she’s all about big, bold taste and knows exactly how to achieve it.  Gorgeous!

If you’re wanting to ensure you’ve including lots of salads in your meal plan, check out this video at Cook Smarts.  This site is a great resource for healthy eating.  The videos are only 2-3 minutes long and packed with helpful info.

If you’re a vegetarian and wanting ideas for Easter, Vegetarian Times has some beautiful recipes that will satisfy everyone.   Their recipes are so enticing and if it wasn’t for my love of fish, I could definitely go the vegetarian route.

And if you’re new to vegetarianism (is that a word?), then you can check out this list of 12 Complete Proteins Vegetarians Need to Know About.  There is so much information available to us now that we can easily ensure our bodies are getting what it needs – love it and love Greatist!

Easter is almost upon us so here’s some fun stuff for the holidays.  If you want to dazzle your guests with your Easter Trivia knowledge, here’s a few facts that will get the dinner conversation going.

• Easter has been named after Eastre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess. The symbols of the goddess were the hare and the egg.
• Apart from English and German, the name of ‘Easter’ has been derived from Pesach, the Hebrew name of Passover festival.
• Right from ancient times, egg has been regarded as a symbol of rebirth in most of the cultures.
• The customary act of painting eggs is known as Pysanka.
• Just like Passover which is dependent on the phases of the moon and has different dates each year, Easter is also a movable feast.
• Easter always falls between March 22nd and April 25th.
• The first Easter basket was given the appearance of a bird’s nest.
• Chocolate eggs were made for the first time in Europe, in the 19th century. Till date, they remain one of the favorite Easter treats.
• Easter is the top-selling confectionery holiday in the west, second only to Halloween.
• On Easter, 76% people bite off the chocolate bunny ears first, while 5% bite the feet first and 4% eat the tail first.
• The custom of giving eggs at Easter dates back to the time of the Egyptians, Persians, Gauls, Greeks and Romans.
• As per the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest Easter egg made till date, was just over 25-ft high and was made of chocolate and marshmallow. Weighing at 8,968 lbs., the egg was supported by an internal steel frame.

If you’ve got lots of little ones, check out Activity Village for dozens of ideas for Easter egg hunts, scavenger hunts, free printables and more.  If it’s still snowing, (please…NO!) there’s lots of inside activities, too.

If you’re doing some decorating, Martha Stewart has some beautiful ideas.  Some are very simple like these lovely grass candles and others will take a little more time.  Don’t we all wish we had a team of chefs, landscapers, crafts people and designers like Martha does!

Now this has to be the prettiest door decoration I’ve seen for Easter.  So soft and lovely!  You can find this and other suggestions at Better Homes and Gardens.

And for gorgeous tablescapes, visit The Lush List.  I just found this website and it’s addictive as Pinterest!  I could spend all day browsing through the beautiful images. Click on the link or pic for more.

This recipe that I wanted to share comes from another blogger friend of mine that you’ve met before here – Michelle from Vitamin Sunshine.  I know you’ll agree that this Blackened Salmon and Mango Salad is perfect for this time of year.  Does it get any better than blackened salmon?  I know Bobbi, Mindy and Linda  will definitely agree with me.  I am positively drooling over this dish!

 Blackened Salmon and Mango Salad from Vitamin Sunshine

Michelle used a Summer Raspberry Vinaigrette and I can only imagine the fresh explosion of flavors.  I’m pretty sure if I were on death row, this would be my last meal, lol.

 With the warmer weather slowly moving in do you find yourself looking around and pondering new paint colours, a fresher look with maybe a new sofa or some artwork that might brighten up a room?  Here are some fun ways of Bringing Spring Time Colors into Your Home.

Don’t you just love the coziness of this space?  I never thought I could go for that bold colour of green on the lampshades but it works here. 

And we all need a little inspiration in our lives.  This woman inspires me….makes me smile….gives me hope for our children…and our world.  Get out the Kleenex!  Enjoy Spring and have a lovely Easter weekend, everyone!