Metirement at Day One is like standing at a crossroads. At last you’re not going to the office every day and you have a choice between (A) starting your retirement off on the right foot, that is, being healthy– physically and mentally– instead of (B) spending your new-found free time sitting around all day doing crossword puzzles and baking cookies. There is nothing wrong with doing crossword puzzles (some believe they even ward off or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s) nor is baking cookies something to avoid; however, if you don’t decide on day one of retirement to embark on a new exercise routine and a healthy diet, you will miss the opportunity to do so later. It’s like buying a house and deciding that one day in the future you will finish the basement or tear off all the wallpaper. If you don’t do it before or soon after you move in then you just don’t get around to it.
One of the reasons I like to focus on the idea of being at the crossroads is that it puts into perspective the concept that you have new choices available now that you are retired that you didn’t have before. It is a bright line between old and new. This isn’t just like any other day, or any other time. This is all new and different. You no longer have to take care of the house or children and your responsibilities at work. This is truly the beginning of MEtirement and you should make it the best it can be and you the best you can be.
Start yoga or go more often. Learn to spin. Watch exercise videos and work out at home. CHANGE IT UP NOW. On day one. Now is your chance to change your life. Move away from the same old habits and make up your MEretirement mind and acquire new ones. As I like to frequently remind myself, experts say it takes 21 days to find a new habit and stick with it. Well now is your chance. For me it will be walking 4 miles every morning (instead of after work when I am lagging and exhausted and hungry) and taking a yoga class. Maybe I will take a pool workout class at the gym. Happily, I am starting my life over by not scheduling anything I don’t want to do. And I will find mornings for once. All these years mornings have been for other people. Now they are mine and I am not going to waste them.
Today, while I am doing many new things at new times, I have been thinking about combining two favorite recipes. I MEAN, why not have the BEST OF ALL SALADS WORLD? Two faves. Combined into one delicious bowl of tasty morsels.
Antipasto Panzanella Salad
The best of two Italian salad worlds. The traditional antipasto ingredients combined with the trinity of what gives panzanella its identity--bread, tomatoes and olives. This is easily constructed and it can be easily doubled or tripled for a crowd. This will be a big hit at a potluck or holiday barbecue.
Ingredients
Salad Dressing
- 7 cloves garlic divided for dressing and bread cubes
- 1/3 cup parsley leaves
- 2/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
- 5 T. red wine vinegar
- 3 T. sherry vinegar
- 1 T. honey
- 10 basil leaves
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 t. tabasco sauce
Antipasto Panzanella Salad
- 1 loaf sourdough bread cut into 1" cubes
- 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
- 8 Campari tomatoes or any other medium tomatoes, very ripe and chopped into a medium dice
- 1 seedless (English) cucumber chopped in medium dice
- 8 oz pitted Kalamata olives and olive mix from olive bar roughly sliced
- 2 oz Piquillo peppers thinly sliced
- 4 oz Italian hard salami sliced into thin strips
- 4 oz buffalo mozzarella cut into small cubes
- 12 basil leaves finely julienned
Instructions
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Salad Dressing
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In a small food processor, process 5 garlic cloves until finely chopped and set aside in a large salad bowl for the bread. Add the remaining 2 garlic cloves and parsley to the food processor and process until finely chopped.
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Add all remaining ingredients and blend until everything is fully emulsified. If dressing is too sharp, add a bit more honey. Set aside while you make the salad.
Antipasto Panzanella Salad
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the garlic and olive oil. Add all of the cubed bread and toss thoroughly until all of the bread is coated.
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Put the bread cubes on a foil-lined cookie sheet and put in the oven. Do not wash the bowl. Bake for 20- 25 minutes until browned all over but not hard. They should be just crisp and brown.
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Remove bread cubes from oven and set aside to cool completely in the same bowl you mixed them with the garlic and oil. At this point you can wait to make the salad. About a half hour before you want to serve the salad, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, peppers, salami and mozzarella and add 1/3 of that mixture to the bread in the bowl. Add 1/3 of the dressing and toss. Add the next 1/3 of the tomato mixture and 1/3 of the dressing and toss. Repeat for the last 1/3 of the ingredients and dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste and the basil.
If you like a panzanella salad and you also like antipasto, why not put them together? RECIPES WITH SYNERGY. I made that up. Why not think creatively now that you have so much free BRAIN TIME? It isn’t all cluttered with the mandatory demands of your working life.
Enjoy the (relatively) empty brain that lets you start and nurture bright, new ideas! Like this salad. Looks pretty delish, doesn’t it?
I really enjoyed reading this blog. What a wonderful way to greet this new phase of live and share your ideas and responses with others. Jane, You are of to a great new beginning of an adventure
Wow! Panzanella is a favorite for sure 🙂