Rainbow After The Storm + Recipe

---

Last week we experienced a short but intense summer storm. It was the kind of storm that makes the early afternoon skies suddenly darken, the wind shake the heck out of the trees, and the powerful rain beat down on anything in its path. The storm started quickly and was was over almost as quickly as it started. 

When the rain stopped, I walked outside to assess any damage to our property.  I looked up in the sky and there it was!!  Clear and and beautiful, hanging over the rooftops as bright and bold as could be! A huge gorgeous rainbow!

Over my house

Excitedly, I called my husband to come and see it, but by the time he got his shoes on and came outside, it had already started to fade. Gone in an instant!!

That’s the thing about rainbows. They never last long. You have to catch them at just the right moment. One second they’re glowing across the sky, and the next, they’ve slipped away like a dream you are still trying to remember.

Over my son's house a few miles away

I've always loved rainbows. There's something endlessly captivating and almost magical about them, but in actuality they are based on pure science.

Where Do Rainbows Come From? 

It made me curious—where do these little miracles actually come from? Turns out, it’s pure science: sunlight hitting raindrops at just the right angle, bending and reflecting the light until it splits into that beautiful spectrum of color. It’s happening all the time, really—we just don’t always see it. The light has to be behind you, the rain in front, and everything has to line up just so.

And that’s part of the magic. Rainbows only show up when conditions are just right. Not too early, not too late. You can’t chase them or plan for them. You have to be lucky to see one!!

Some places get more rainbows than others—Hawaii, for instance, is  famous for them. It’s all that mix of sunshine and showers. I see them  from my Florida balcony after a storm stretched across the ocean which is really quite spectacular.

View of the double rainbow from my balcony after the storm in Florida

                                                view from my balcony with the storm coming in

Night view from my Florida Balcony

Hawaii – Rainbows are so common, it's nicknamed The Rainbow State

Iceland – misty waterfalls and long days create ideal conditions to create rainbows.

Ireland – rain and sun in constant rotation provide lots of rainbows  (it's the land of leprechauns and pots of gold at the end of a rainbow!)

The Pacific Northwest – mix of rain and sun makes rainbows frequent in spring and fall

How do you feel about rainbows? Is it just me or are you excited when you see one? 

I'm sharing a recipe for a delicious interesting summer salad

My Rainbow Salad ( link to recipe)

Do you eat salad every day? If you are getting bored with the same old same old salad, try including more interesting vegetables such as sweet crunchy jicama, sweet raw off the cob corn kernels, etc.

There’s something magical about a salad that looks as joyful as it tastes. This raw rainbow salad is a celebration of color, crunch, and fresh-from-the-garden goodness. With crisp jicama, juicy tomatoes, sweet corn kernels, peppery radishes, and fragrant herbs like mint and basil, every bite bursts with flavor and vibrance. It's the kind of dish that feels like summer in a bowl—bright, refreshing, and  nourishing.

Click Here For The Recipe which is vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free

Happy July 4th !!

IN MY KITCHEN - JULY

At the beginning of every month, Sherry from Sherry's Pickings invites bloggers to join her in a blog post linky called "IN MY KITCHEN" where you can get a peek into many kitchens. Anyone can join in.  I like to join in when I can. 

The past week has been brutally hot and very humid here in Pennsylvania, so we've been eating a lot of salads! This is a red cabbage, cucumber and cherry tomato salad was delicious with a lemon dressing ! See what else has been happening in my kitchen!

Chunky Chickpea Vegetable Spread- Healthy Doesn't Need to Be Boring

Healthy recipes don't have to be boring this 4th of July 🎆🇺🇸
I'll be making my easy Chunky Vegetable Chickpea Dip -a fresh, creamy, and totally plant-based dip—made with chickpeas, veggies, and zingy Dijon mustard for a bold, satisfying bite. 

This recipe has no mayo, cream cheese or sour cream which would be way to heavy in fat to actually be healthy in my opinion!!

I will serve it with crudités instead of chips, and I'll be very happy! Truthfully, so will everyone else. I've served it before and it was a hit with the crowd!! It's perfect for those watching their weight.

Japanese Steakhouse Onion Soup Made Vegetarian

A Japanese Steakhouse Onion Soup for Vegetarians- Clear, Comforting, and Unami-Rich

I know it's summer in the US, but I still eat soup in the summer. If you don't, then tuck this recipe away for the fall. If you live in Australia- this is perfect timing I think!

 

If you have ever eaten in an American Japanese Hibachi style steakhouse, your first course may have been a small bowl of clear onion-based soup that was light, warm, and full of onion flavor.  Americans have come to know this type of soup as Japanese onion soup. Continue for the recipe