Grated Radish and Apple Salad (Easy & Refreshing)

It’s amazing how endlessly creative salad making can be. This grated radish and grated apple salad became a new favorite of mine after I bought a bunch of red radishes and quickly realized I had no plan or idea what to do with them. 

Then I remembered my grandmother used to grate radishes to make a simple crunchy radish salad. That memory inspired me to grab my grater and let a salad evolve from there.

The result ended in a fresh, vibrant, and a little unexpected combination based on what I had in the kitchen: crisp well chopped romaine lettuce, grated red radishes, grated sweet red apple, a hint of freshly grated ginger, and raw cashews for crunch. 

The variety of flavors hit all the right notes for me—peppery, sweet, bright, and slightly spicy. Whenever I add grate apple into a salad, I feel like I don't need to add salad dressing because the apple is sweet and juicy. 

If you are looking for a little more salad dressing taste- try squeezing some fresh lime juice on top too and olive oil if you must.

Serve this salad for lunch alongside a warm bowl of soup, or offer it as a light, refreshing starter to any meal. It’s proof that sometimes the best recipes are the ones that come together naturally. 

Makes a nice starter for any vegan/ gluten-free meal.

Ingredients: 

1/2 salad bowl of chopped romaine lettuce

1 teaspoon of grated ginger

1 small grated apple (I did not peel)

4 grated red radishes

8-10 raw cashews

Optional: a little freshly squeezed lime juice and chopped scallions

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients and toss 

My Notes:

The radishes I bought were not real peppery- which suited me well.

Do you like radishes? How do you eat them? Do you use them in recipes? 

Another Refreshing Radish and Kirby Cucumber Salad  (link to recipe)

Here is another recipe for a salad I made with radishes and Kirby cucumbers

My Notes: 

1. Both radishes and apple grate very quickly and easily

2, I like to grate the ginger first (and don't clean the grater)  and then grate the apple and radish which both get a little of the ginger flavor when they are grated.

3. Since this recipe is gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free, it makes a suitable side dish for guests with allergies. If someone has a nut allergy- leave out the nuts and replace with raisins. 

Easy Mushroom, Pepper, and Onion Pasta Sauce (One-Skillet Comfort Food)

Craving a tasty pasta dinner that’s big on flavor but low on effort? This hearty mushroom, pepper, and onion pasta sauce delivers comfort, convenience, and serious savory goodness—all in one skillet.

Let’s be honest—no matter how good the pasta is, the magic is always in the sauce. And this one? It’s one of my go-to favorites.

This hearty mushroom, pepper, and onion pasta sauce is completely plant-based, full of savory flavor, and comes together fast in one skillet. It’s the kind of simple, comforting sauce that tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did. Low-fat, healthy, and deeply satisfying—basically everything I want to add to my pasta.

This sauce is super flexible, too. I used cubed tofu to keep it plant-based, but you can easily swap in cooked chicken or whatever protein you have on hand. 

And here’s the funny part: we actually had a cold snap in South Florida. When I made the pasta, it was 46 degrees, damp, and windy, which immediately sent my cravings straight to comfort food. When I think comfort food, I often think pasta and a good sauce.

I call this my shortcut sauce because I cheat a little making it—but in a good way. I use organic frozen peppers and onions to save on chopping, cleanup, and time as well as a jar of organic marinara sauce from 365 Whole Foods. I like their zero fat marinara sauce but you of course can use whatever is your favorite jarred marinara sauce.

I do chop a little garlic, fresh mushrooms, and tofu. If you can't find a bag of frozen organic pepper and onions- chop your own.

For those on a low carb diet or those who don't eat pasta, this sauce is also delicious over spaghetti squash or spiralized zucchini. Sometimes I eat a bowl made up of half pasta and half spiraled zucchini. 

This sauce tastes better than it photographed!!!

Ingredients For The Pasta Sauce

2 cloves of fresh garlic, pressed or chopped

1 cup of frozen colorful pepper and onion mix

6 large cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/2 jar of organic marinara sauce

1 cup of cubed extra firm or firm tofu

optional: 1/2 cup of sliced zucchini

 cooked (gluten-free) pasta (about half pound)

Optional garnish: Chopped scallions

Directions: 

Add garlic, peppers and onions, and mushrooms to a large rimmed skillet and saute for 5 minutes stirring. Add marinara sauce and tofu and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes until sauce is hot. Ladle over cooked pasta of your choice. Garnish with chopped scallions and enjoy.

My notes: 

1. I use gluten-free pasta for all of my pasta dishes. 

2. I sauté in 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup of water or broth. The object with water or broth is not to drown the vegetables. They too will emit some juices for the sauté. I use water or broth to cut down on calories and truthfully, I find sautéing this way still tastes wonderful. 

What's your favorite comfort food? Do you like heartier food in cold weather? 

Happy New Year 2026: A Stunning Miami Fireworks Display Seen From Our Balcony

Happy New Year 2026!

The highlight of our New Year’s Eve celebration was an unforgettable fireworks display over Miami and surrounding areas. My husband and I chose to stay in and enjoy a quiet, cozy evening at home in our Florida condo—a perfect way to welcome the New Year.

Christmas Sightings Around Miami

 I'm sharing some of the Christmas sightings that I.have seen around Sunny Isles Beach in the Miami area. Sunny Isles is actually North Miami. We are 9 miles from South Beach

Sunny Isles is a beach town with lots of condos with lobbies. I took photos of some of the trees I have seen around town in condo lobbies.