Who loves a roadtrip? Vacations without flight delays and lost luggage. Trips without bad food choices at exorbinant prices. Travelling without the "hurry up and wait" syndrome required of plane schedules.

Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against flying as a mode of transportation. I have been flying since I was a toddler. My Mom use to put my brother and I (and her leap of faith) on a plane each summer and send us off to our grandparent's house. We got to visit the pilot and collected wings. Heck, we use to get all dressed up to fly. It was an event.

Today, flying is a means to an end; to get to a destination in the shortest time possible. What I dislike about flying is the total loss of control. You have to be at the airport two hours in advance, but they certainly do not have to be on time. You now get to pay them for the privilaedge of flying your luggage, yet they no longer take it from you at ticketing. You get to drag it to another line where they will weight it to see if you get to pay even more! It almost seems as if it would be more convenient to Fedex your bags ahead of you....and possibly cheaper too!

And if waiting around at the airport isn't boring enough, the food choices are horrendous and expensive.

Driving is definitely the best. You can pack as much as your vehicle will hold or pack nothing and wing it. You can take side trips and explore whenever it suits you. If one road is closed, you have options. If you are open to it, you can meet interesting, friendly people along the way. And the kicker.....you can pack a cooler!

We just finished a trip to my mother's; a 1200 mile trip. We drove it in two days with our dog, Vegas. This was her first road trip and she was a star. No complaints. She was so happy not to have been left at home, she had a great time.



Here, Vegas is enjoying a "cookie" that grandma made her! See how comfy she was?

Packing the cooler is as important as packing your clothes. It takes some thought and preparation. Of course I packed enough food for a week. (I hate to think we may not have enough.) It is a great way to finish cleaning out your fridge so that you have less to throw away when you get back.

So what is essential in your cooler?

We packed some easy breakfasts, lunches, and a variety of snacks. For breakfast I decided on granola and some almond milk. Mix that up with some fruit and voila! For lunches I made a Curry Chickpea Salad and a Dill Egg Salad. This provided some variety in flavors and textures. I made some tea for easy drinks plus we packed water. There was some mixed nuts and dried fruit. I made hummus to be eaten with some veggies or rice crackers. We packed some easy fruit like bananas, apples, and tangerines.

When we stopped at the rest stop, out came the cooler. Here is Vegas at her first picnic! She was too excited to eat, but, oh the smells!



Tell me about your favorite roadtrips. How do you like to travel. And best yet, what are you favorite travel/picnic foods?

Curry Chick Pea Salad

Mash 2 cups of cooked chickpeas with a potaoe masher until they are coarsely broken up. Slice up some salad veggies like celery, carrots, or cucumber and add those to the chickpeas. Add a few tablespoons of your favorite mayonaise, a teaspoon or two of vinegar and lemon juice, and a few squirts of stone ground or dijon mustard and mix it all in. Add two teaspoon of curry, a half teaspoon of turmeric, and some salt and pepper to the mixture. Enjoy it on a salad, in a wrap, as a sandwich, or with crackers. Simple and easy!

Dill Egg Salad

Peel and mash four to six hard boiled eggs. Add 2 tablespoons mayonaise, one teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard. Slice two to three celery stalks and add to the mixture. Add one to two tablespoons of fresh chopped dill. Mix it all up until smooth and creamy. Enjoy it on a salad, in a wrap, as a sandwich, or with crackers. Simple and easy!

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Lunch anyone?



A sandwich should tell a story. It should be a personal expression of your tastes and your creativity using layers of flavor. Anything goes. There are no rules, not even in the bread.

The following is a visual presentation of the newest variation of my personal favorite, the cucumber sandwich. First off, I started with two slices of French Meadow Bakery bread. This bread is yeast free but tastes like any conventional freah baked loaf. Here are some coupons if you are interested. The bread is lightly toasted so it stays flexible, but has that toasty texture. I spread some Veganaise on both pieces of toast. I put down a layer of daikon radish sprouts (underneath the cucumber in the picture) to add some bite and a layer of fresh chopped dill on the other side.



Next a layer of "blue cheese." I use to be a cheese fanatic. Currently, I am dairy free. I do not like many fake cheeses because, quite simply, they don't taste very good. The brand Sheese has a blue cheese variety that has a very nice, sharp flavor.



So you can see we are layering and building the sandwich with flavors that will delight individually as well as work well together.



Now, for some roated red pepper. This adds some nice sweetness and a light smoked flavor to the mix. I buy the Whole Foods brand that is packed in water only.



Now some greens of your choice. I have some lovely greens from my garden, but whatever is your favorite will work. Arugula or other bitter lettuces will accentuate the sharp flavors in the sandwich, while bib lettcues or baby greens will enhance the crispness of the cucumber. Whatever, works for you.



Put the two sides together, and, Voila! A sandwich is born! Slice in your favorite direction or not at all. Enjoy with a nice soup or a side salad, or maybe, some hummus and pita chips......the possibilities are endless when you let your imagination flow.



What is your favorite?

Living a life of personal balance, moderation, education, and connection.

Tags: sandwich, cucumber