Confession and a Recipe

It's been a few years, but here I am again in a familiar place, the Juror Holding and check-in room.  I arrived at about 7:15 and went through the security check point. It was a different entrance this time - the side door which lawyers and employees used the last time I was here. I checked in and began my routine of people watching.  People from all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds.  Some in suits, others in shorts.  There is an odd couple who catch my attention and I'm ashamed to say my judgement.  She is in a wheelchair and he is barely ambulatory pushing her. By their speech, I assume they are mentally as well as physically challenged.  I wonder why they are here.  Most bring something to do whether magazines, e-readers, hand-held games, or even crochet projects.  There is a new snack bar and coffee shop that smells good. The same blind man who has run the place since my first time walks around assuredly, going about his business (it is run by a blind organization). I had my usual fruit and veggie smoothie on the drive in so I'm not tempted by the goodies.  I settle in and anticipate the usual course of events - called for the morning case, picked to be on the jury.  Trial will last three days.  That's been my pattern.

At 8:30 the process begins. I haven't recited the pledge of allegiance since the last time I was here.  I can proudly say I still have it memorized.

By 10:30 I hadn't been called to a panel. Lunch is 11:45 so it looked like I may not be called up until after lunch or not at all.  It's so quiet in here, much more than the library.  Everyone is serious and knowing we aren't supposed to talk about cases, we don't talk at all. Mood was equivalent to outside, cloudy and cold.  Finally,10:50 and my name was called along with the woman in a wheelchair, a minister, and a lawyer/former prosecutor.  The first question, by prosecution, went to me. Yep, I'll be on the jury.  I was juror #1 but got a reprieve to be foreperson when another woman said, "so who wants to be foreman?" while everyone stared in silence at the papers. Then the elderly gentleman answered, "first person to speak gets it."

I won't discuss the case, it's irrelevant here. My day, however, gave me a lot of time to think. The woman in the wheelchair didn't have to come.  She chose to.  Her friend stayed all day. She was in a manual wheelchair and many of us gladly stepped up and pushed her wherever she needed to go, in and out of the juror deliberation room, up and down from holding room to courtroom.  Yes, she was picked to be on the jury!!  The woman didn't communicate well and I assumed we were going to have difficulties in deliberating and reaching a verdict, however, I'm happy to say she proved me wrong.  On my way home I asked God for forgiveness for judging her, assuming the worst.  I truly was ashamed of myself. She was so nice, always smiling and saying thank you.  I won't (I hope) be doing that sin again.

So what does all this have to do with food?  I was starving by the time I got home! During the wait periods (of which there were many) I had been thinking of how I was going to cook all the asparagus in my fridge before it went bad since I'm the only one who eats it.  And, to correlate to my story - I prejudged asparagus, used to never eat it until I set aside my prejudice and actually tried it (fresh, not canned).

I'm not sure how asparagus soup is supposed to taste, but I think it's pretty good. You be the judge.

RECIPE:
32 oz vegetable broth
2 large red potatoes
3 cups asparagus
1 tsp ground ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 c coconut milk
1/4 c grated/shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp salt

Dice potatoes with skin on.  Remove woody ends of asparagus and chop into about 1/2 inch pieces.  Add to broth in large stock pot and cook on medium high with lid on for 15 minutes.

Step one of Asparagus soup.

Add remainder of ingredients and simmer with lid off for 15 minutes.  Using an immersion blender, purée smooth.  Yield approximately 7 cups.  

Minced garlic, ground ginger, coconut mild and coconut flakes.

Simmer until veggies are soft.

Puree until smooth.

Enjoy your asparagus and potato soup with coconut.

PS:  I've been working on several #Runergy bar recipes.  I'll post the preliminary recipes next post. I also have a cook-book that I need to update with all my dairy-free #Runergy recipes.  If interested in purchasing ($2 plus postage), leave a comment or PM on my FB page.  https://www.facebook.com/cewait.