Boy, I never get tired of that headline. Right up there with "The fungus among us."

Freak of nature vegetable garden is still fairly pathetic thanks to the cool weather and the neighborhood cats. I think I've sowed carrot seeds three times now.

What has been doing great are these: pots filled with lettuce and other herbs.

The cats and slugs stay out of them, I'm able to monitor their progress closely and they like the heat. It's so great to step out my back door and snip some greens for a salad.

This isn't the food blog but here's a salad dressing I came up with after reading various books and other materials on lowering blood pressure. It uses oil but is salt free and all its ingredients have reputed health benefits.

2 tablespoons flax seed oil
1 tablespoon pumpkin seed oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
As many crushed garlic cloves as you want

Mix the ingredients and pour it on your salad.

Some tips:
- Store the oils in your fridge
- You can use less flax and more pumpkin if you like. The pumpkin isn't cheap but it's good. I found mine at Marlene's.
- Use whatever kind of vinegars you like. Raspberry, rice, balsamic all offer different tastes and intensities.
- Same goes for the juices: Lemon will make it tarter, the orange juice will make it sweeter.
- I put in five cloves of garlic because I can't get enough of the stuff (I grew up in Gilroy, Calif.) But, adjust to your tastes. If you don't own a garlic crusher I seriously suggest you get one. And don't get the cheap ones. I have a self cleaning version (so to speak) that makes life much easier.

You won't miss the dairy fat or the salt with this dressing.