Mandarin Almond Salad —rsquo; The Rabbit Food That Is the Love

My week with the kids. Pop's not doing well. Mama called Tuesday. He's having neuropathy in his feet — he can't feel his toes, and the doctor says the kidneys are starting to slip too. He's sixty-seven. He's been retired for two years and was doing odd jobs and now he's not doing those. He sits in the recliner. He watches the Tigers. He sleeps in the chair more than he sleeps in the bed.

I drove over Wednesday after my shift just to sit with him. Aiden and Zaria came. Aiden put his head on Pop's shoulder for a long time without saying anything. Pop patted his back. He said, "Aiden. You taking care of your daddy." Aiden nodded. Pop said, "Good man."

Mama's been monitoring his diet with the precision of a chemist. Less salt. Less sugar. More vegetables. Pop hates every change. He told me Saturday, "Son, your mama's trying to keep me alive on rabbit food." I said, "Pop. The rabbit food is the love." He laughed. He coughed. He laughed again.

Sunday at Mama's. Baked chicken with herbs. Steamed greens — no fatback, which Pop noticed. Cheryl pretended not to hear his complaint. He ate.

The Lions on Sunday. The quiet desperation of Lions fans returns.

Aiden had school the next week. Practice Tuesday and Thursday. The ordinary continued alongside.

The Tigers were on at the bar Sunday. Lost in extras. The Detroit reflex. The bar was half full. The bar is always half full. The half full is the city.

A reader emailed about the cornbread recipe. Wanted to know why I use buttermilk instead of milk. I wrote back: because buttermilk is what Mama uses. The reader wrote back: that is the only reason I needed.

Plant Monday through Friday. The line did its work. The paycheck did its work.

The week ended quiet. The kitchen ran. The food fed. The chain extends. The chain has been extending for thirty years and will keep extending after I am gone. That is what chains do.

I sat on the back porch Sunday night with a beer. The smoker was cold. The yard was quiet. The body had carried a lot this week. The body would carry the next week. That is what bodies do.

Jerome called Friday. We talked for fifteen minutes about the restaurant — or the future restaurant, or the past restaurant, or whatever phase we were in. The friendship is the broth. The broth simmers regardless of which phase we are in.

Mama called Tuesday. She said, "Eat something good. The week is long." I said, "Yes, ma'am." I ate something good. The good food was a pot of red beans and rice. The pot fed me Tuesday and Wednesday. Mama would have approved.

Pop was good Sunday. Sugar in range. Mama said grace. The standard.

I sat with Aiden's old basketball trophy from 2024 on the kitchen counter Saturday. I do not know why. The trophy was cheap plastic. It said "Most Improved" with a sticker. The sticker had peeled at the corner. I pressed it back down. The trophy went back to the shelf.

Drove down Livernois Sunday afternoon. The corridor has changed in ten years. New restaurants. New shops. The same street my pop used to drive me down to get a haircut at Slim's. Slim's closed in 2019. I still drive past the building.

I cooked through the rest of the week without much thought. The hands knew what to do. The hands always know. The hands had been learning since 2021. The learning had become muscle. The muscle had become reflex. The reflex was the inheritance.

Pop’s situation has me thinking hard about what we put on the table and why — less salt, less sugar, more of what the body actually needs, even when the body protests. Mama’s been doing the heavy lifting on that front, and Sunday’s meal showed me you can feed someone with love and still feed them right. This Mandarin Almond Salad is what I’d bring to that table — sweet from the citrus, satisfying from the crunch, and light enough that Pop could eat it without the doctor raising an eyebrow. The rabbit food, done with care, is still the love.

Mandarin Almond Salad

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 5 min | Total Time: 15 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 6 cups mixed salad greens (romaine, spinach, or spring mix)
• 1 can (11 oz) mandarin orange segments, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (or omit entirely for strict low-sodium)

Instructions

1. Toast the almonds. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sliced almonds for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
2. Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, black pepper, and salt (if using) until fully combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
3. Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the greens, drained mandarin segments, red onion, and celery. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
4. Add the almonds and dress. Scatter the toasted almonds over the salad. Drizzle the dressing over the top just before serving and toss lightly to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 195 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 75mg