Haaaaaaappy Monday!!! Right now I’m feeling pretty darn excited because I just finished my last mid-semester exam! I can breathe again (well at least for a little while). I’m also pretty darn excited for another reason…today’s post!!! Today the lovely Shira from In Pursuit of More will be taking over Motivational Monday and sharing a bit about herself along with an amazing recipe. Hope you guys enjoy!
Good Day Diva readers! So happy to be here and to be guest posting on Sarah’s awesome blog!
The blog world is so very full of amazing, driven, and passionate people – Sarah is no exception as she writes, stays fit, eats incredibly well all while studying hard to boot! Anyone that can successfully juggle all those things is an inspiration in my books, so with that, it’s a pleasure to be here, and a pleasure to meet you all!
When I started my blog in January, I was well underway with the much larger project which is the reason I am here today.
It was just over a year ago today that I took action to make changes in my own life that would help me heal from (what was becoming) a dangerous and un-fulfilling addiction to shopping. I was at a point in my life where I had everything I could ever want, but somehow was still struggling to be truly happy. If you like, feel free to read about it here at the IPOM site.
I set to work on setting up a non-profit organization called Not So Fast that would feed people who had less than me. And I started fasting. I thought if I could do it, perhaps others could too?
Since fasting simply means to abstain, I just called it ‘going without’.
One day a week I’d go without a store bought lunch. The next week I might skip a glass of wine with dinner. Other days I might fast for an entire day (if that was feeling good to me). The money I didn’t spend on food was donated to those who would otherwise go hungry.
Learning how to ‘live with less’ was something that was sorely needed in my life at that time, and it led me to start IPOM, a blog about ‘living with less’ and finding more while doing it!
Not So Fast has yet to officially launch, but while we set up (it’s quite a massive project), IPOM was started to start the celebration of the food we eat, and the blessings we have, knowing that not all are as fortunate as we. I’ve had so much fun so far and met so many wonderful inspiring people along the way – it’s been amazing to share in the journey!
Today I’ll share with you a wonderfully simple and tasty salad dressing recipe featuring extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil. Here in Canada, summer is about to start, and for those Diva readers in Australia, fresh basil is a wonderful last kick at the can for summer before the Autumn season moves in full force!
I hope you enjoy this little recipe as a simple, delicious way to get more greens into your life – perhaps just what we might need on this Monday! I’ll let you be the judge….now let’s get to it, shall we?
The Less:
Less bottled dressings for salad means fresher oils and ingredients all around. Less packaged goods means less waste and more fresh flavor. Less ingredients means a chance for ingredients to shine, so maybe you can shine (just a little) too 
The More:
More fresh herbs means more fresh green summer flavor. More olive oil based dressings means more heart healthy meals. More delicious reasons to eat salad means more good feelings all around, so you might just eat salad everyday!
Easy Fresh Basil Salad Dressing:
- (1/4) cup extra virgin olive oil
- (2) tbsp red wine vinegar
- (1) tbsp dijon mustard
- (1) tsp salt (or to taste)
- (1) tbsp sugar (or alternative sweetener)
- 8 leaves of fresh basil
- (1-2) tbsp water (optional)
Combine all ingredients (except water) in a blender, and blend on high until fully emulsified. Taste to correct seasonings, and add water to thin if desired.
Voila! The bountiful, sweet taste of summer is easily at hand to dress your greens, grains, or even on a cold noodle salad! I enjoyed it over the weekend with fresh bitter frisee, cubes of raw firm tofu, avocado and gomashio.
It was incredible!
No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted.
~ Aesop
Enjoy this recipe – and thanks so much for reading! Also, a huge thanks again to the Diva for the invite!
Wishing you all a wonderful Monday full of more!
Yours in Less,
Give us the less and more in your life. Anything you wish to cut back on? What would you add instead?
I’ll go first. Less food wasted at the end of the week, and more hearty soups to use up the odds and ends. Also less paper towels for cleaning and more reusable washcloths instead!
Love that recipe, sounds so fresh and tasty!
I need to cut back on how much jerky I buy…it’s an addiction haha But I would love to have more time to learn to make my own on a dehydrator!
Have a great Monday girl!
i would love a dehydrator too…kitchen toys are too much fun! Happy monday to you as well xox
oh yea for finishing!! hope you are getting some R&R now.
xxoo
Great post ~ thanks for sharing. I definitely have had some similar feelings about going without. Less really can be more sometimes. Looking forward to checking out more from Shira
Glad you enjoyed it! She writes some great stuff
Looks great Sarah! Hope you had a super fab Monday! xo!
Thank YOU shira…it is super fab! As an aside…I actually made some baked goodies for a sale at uni to support live below the line (ever heard of it?). Hoping we can raise lots of money for those who have a little less so they can have a little more
That’s so awesome! Great to hear!! I haven’t heard of them, can you share a link? It’s the little things and they sure add up…I bet that feels good! Thanks again for having me..you rule….keep it up girl!! xo!
Hey Sarah (and Shira!) – so strange to see Shira writing on a Sydney-based blog… feels like she’s here! I’m a regular IPOM girl, so Canada kinda’ led me to you, Sarah! Now that I know you’re here, I’ll check in more often! Cheers!
Glad to meet you!!! So nice finding other sydney blogs. Be sure to keep in touch x