“While I’m out recovering from surgery, I’ve asked a few friends to step in and fill my shoes. I hope you enjoy what they have to share with you! If you like what you see, stop by their blogs and tell them!”
—
When you think of cactus, what comes to mind? Prickly. Sticky. Beautiful. Ugly. Inedible….right?
I think I’m the only librarian who eats (and enjoys) cactus every now and then. Not too long ago, I visited a little store up the street and saw two Hispanic girls chopping and cleaning cactus leaves. I couldn’t believe it. I had to be nosey and ask them what they were doing. I then guessed that it was cactus and they nodded yes. I knew then that I had to go back for it, since I didn’t have $1-something cents to purchase it. I guess you could say that I was either broke or being seriously frugal.
Fast-forwarding the story to a week later, I was home with my little sandwich bag that was overstuffed with diced cactus leaves. I was about to make a cactus salad! The butcher at the store where I bought the stuff told me that I could prepare cactus either in a salad or boil. I chose to make a salad. Never would I have thought that it would be me eating the stuff that I admired from afar and in old Western cartoons. So….I just got my favorite ingredients together and made it happen! The salad ended up being more than delicious. I couldn’t believe how tasty it was! Cactus.
Cactus has a slimy texture, like okra. It’s edible, though. Can you guess my salad ingredients?
CHEAT SHEET
– cactus
– black beans
– corn
– baby spinach
– tomatoes
– shredded cheddar cheese
– an extremely succulent salad dressing (bbq sauce, seasonings, veggie oil)
Neely Terrell is an academic librarian who is obsessed with the color orange, nonfiction, documentaries, and laughter. You can find her on YouTube (@thebrownorange), Instagram (@neelyneely), Facebook (@NeelyBee), or hiding out in her apartment, eating something delicious in front of the television. Unfortunately, she is an undercover couch potato….AND PROUD OF IT!
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I feel like I’ve seen cactus on menus in restaurants out west, but I’ve certainly never tried it. Thanks for sharing something unique!