The sense of connectedness that we experience during a family meal is such a valuable part of the human experience. Cooking for my family is one of the ways that I nurture and show affection for my loved ones. One of the common threads of "Blue Zones" (areas on the planet which have the highest concentration of centenarians) is that meals are communal and there is a tight network of social support. I was blessed to be born into a large family and I am so grateful for my own tribe. We spent the entire day at the beach with friends and then my parents came over for Sunday dinner. Tonight's fare was guava and ginger grilled pork tenderloin, asparagus spears, tomato and avocado salad and grilled pineapple. If you notice a bowl of peas in almost every dinner photo I post, it is because Scout is the pickiest member of the tribe so she is allowed to opt out of other veggies and make herself a bowl of peas. I choose my battles.