Lisa Saunders, Mystic Nice Girl

Lisa Saunders. Photograph by Nice Girl Cindy Barry

Loud Lisa 

By Lisa Saunders

I’ve been told more than once since moving to New England that I talk too loud—even by shop keepers who are supposed to be nice! I’m not sure why I talk too loud--maybe because I'm from New York? 

Although I found being told to lower my voice embarrassing at first (see link above for how this launched the Club), the Mystic Nice Girls celebrate my loudness--because they are nice!  When it's time to make an announcement to a group of noisy Nice Girls at a potluck, who else but me is asked to do it?

In addition to being accepted by the Nice Girls, and having ready-made fun at my fingertips, I love our group because of the many collaborators I’ve found  Nice Girls have offered to drive me to places when I feel overwhelmed (I hate changing lanes), come on my TV show, have me on their TV show, proofread my writing, and help me raise awareness on how to prevent the leading viral cause of birth defects, congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), which causes at least 4,000 disabled newborns each year in the U.S. They even helped me get Connecticut become the second state in the U.S. to pass a law aimed at battling the disease. One Nice Girl even wrote a song to help protect unborn babies from CMV. You can hear “Had I Known” by Nice Girl Debra Lynn Alt by clicking here (you will also hear Nice Girl Connie Howard on keyboard and singing harmony). 

I also love hearing about the projects Nice Girls are involved in, such as animal rescue, gardening, sailing, performing, poetry, photography, painting and authoring books.

Since I'm lazy in the kitchen, these are some of easy dishes I bring to potlucks:

Lazy Girl Arugula Salad

By Lisa Saunders

I get a request for this easy salad recipe every time I take it to a potluck, so I'm giving it to you.

The salad dressing is olive oil, balsamic vinegar and the spice "Vege-Sal." I found this brand of the spice, "Spike Gourmet Natural Seasoning, Vege-Sal," on Amazon. My other ingredients are arugula lettuce, craisins and toasted slivered almonds. 

I toast the almonds on a cookie sheet with nothing on or under them in the oven for about 10 minutes until brown at 350 degrees. You can also buy them pre-toasted, but I don’t think they taste as good. 

Before adding the almonds to my salad, I toss the lettuce and craisins with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Vege-Sal. Then, I lay the almonds on top to avoid them getting soggy.

Enjoy (and don't let people know how easy it is)!

Apple, Almond, Broccoli Slaw Salad

By Lisa Saunders

I often bring this popular, easy dish to the Mystic Nice Girls Club potlucks because the ingredients are easy to keep on hand. 

Ingredients

·                  Broccoli slaw, one package

·                  Whole salted roasted almonds, one big handful

·                  Dried cranberries, one handful

·                  Mustard, one dab

·                  Vinegar--the clear kind (balsamic vinegar tastes good, too, but it makes the colorful salad look too dark and dingy to bring to a potluck)

·                  "Light" mayonnaise, big spoonful

·                  Apple (one) cut up with skins on

·                  1/4 cup of sugar (I use a sugar alternative, Whey Low, but I have also used four packets of Splenda).

Mix everything except the almonds together. Throw the almonds on top so they don’t get soggy before serving.

aBOUT lisa saunders

Lisa Saunders is an award-winning writer and TV talk show host living in Mystic, Connecticut, with her husband, Jim. She is the author of more than 10 books and is the content coordinator for the magazine, Groton-Mystic Neighbors. She is a part-time history interpreter at Mystic Seaport Museum and the leader of the Childcare Providers Education & Outreach, National CMV Foundation. Visit Lisa at: www.Authorlisasaunders.com