I'm back from vacation. It's seriously amazing what a few days away can do to the mind and body. I took two naps! TWO!

This morning, my lovely husband took the lion's share of kid-care responsibilities so that I could get in a run at the gym. This is good news for him, of course, because I'm not a good companion if I go too long without a workout. It was a quick run, but a satisfying one. And all kidding aside, it went well because I was properly caffeinated.

Upon my return home, I threw together what my tastebuds called out for and to my surprise, it was delicious. This post-workout salad has just four ingredients: wheat berries, avocado, fresh sage and lemon. Last night I cooked a big old batch of wheat berries to use in a variety of salads all week. And as I've mentioned before, I'm pretty much obsessed with avocados these days. I have fresh sage in the house to use on tonight's roasted chicken thighs and lemons are a kitchen staple I cannot live without. Check it out:

I find the chewiness of wheat berries to be incredibly satisfying. They are versatile and can be a great addition to sweet ensembles (think: cinnamon and fruit) as well as savory salads. How perfect does that avocado look?! It tasted great too; earthy with a slight give. The fresh sage was the wild card. I had my doubts about it and made just a small batch of this salad but it came together so pleasantly. The sage gave this salad a wonderful fruitiness. Fresh lemon juice and a bit of salt completed the dish.

After my run this morning, this salad had everything I needed; richness from the avocado, fiber from the wheat berries and a lightness from the sage and lemon. And it was ready in minutes. Perfect.
Here's the exact recipe as I made it:
1 cup cooked wheat berries
1/4 avocado, cubed
2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients and enjoy immediately!

Having guests over for New Years Eve? Dips can be a quick and delicious addition to any celebratory table and many times, they're quite healthy too. I dont know about you but my kids are fond of dipping - though lately their go-to dip is ketchup. I'm hoping to broaden their dip horizons with this yummy white bean sage dip - and it literally took me 5 minutes to make.

Best wishes for a happy new year!

White Bean Sage Dip

1 can of great northern beans
1 can of chick peas
1 1/2 TB fresh sage
1 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
juice of one lemon (or to taste)
1 TB olive oil
1 clove of garlic (or to taste)

Drain the beans. Add all ingredients and puree. I used a stick blender and it was done in 2 minutes. You can leave this slightly chunky or make it smooth, as I've done. Enjoy!