Peppadew peppers

Since peppadew peppers are new to me, I thought that others are probably unfamiliar with them. They have a delightful tangy and slightly sweet taste. Lately I have been unable to make a sandwich without slicing a few and adding them along with the other vegetables. They are just over an inch long. I don't know how well they keep because they just don't stay in my refrigerator long enough for me to find out.

The Whole Foods where I shop has them.

Grilled and chilled veggie stack

A celebratory lunch took four of us to Prime Catch, a restaurant on the Intracoastal in Boynton Beach. Trying to be healthy we ordered the only vegetarian meal on the menu and ended up with this delightful salad. Three of us also had a layer of fresh mozzarella cheese, which the Vegan at the table (me) asked to have left off. How easy this would be to make at home! So we asked the server what she could find out for us. When she returned she said it was her second day on the job. Obviously, not her first job as a server since she did so well.

She reported that the chef said the stack was pretty much what it looked like: 4 stacks of layers of red and yellow tomatoes, a layer of marinated portabella mushroom, a few fresh basil leaves, arranged around a field green salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette, all topped with marinated grilled red onion. The chef, through the server, added that marinating the portabella and onion slices in balsamic vinegar before a brief grilling was important. Drizzle with a fine balsamic vinegar and you will have a fabulous meal to serve with warm whole grain rustic bread.

Fast Food - busy day

It is still possible to have a quick and healthy meal in a hurry even if you have stopped doing takeout or going to fast food places. The other day I was too busy quilting to cook. This should not be a surprise since the only way I have ever completed a quilt is to work on it constantly for days.

A veggie burger on a whole wheat roll with mustard, lettuce, pickle, and sliced tomato and onion provides a grain, some veggies and soy in a hurry. Our favorite faux burger is the original burger made by Boca Foods, but you will need to try out some brands to find your own favorite from local stores.

French fries are replaced by a serving of potato salad made with fat-free mayonaise and a mixed green salad dressed with fat free balsamic vinaigrette fills the plate. The food is so basic it almost doesn't need a recipe except for the salad dressing. It is really hard to find fat free dressings without tons of chemicals so I include one below which you can make yourself.


Balsamic Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons Balsamic vinaigrette
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, quartered
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)


In a small bowl or jar with a cover, combine the ingredients. Whisk or shake until smooth. Remove the garlic before storing the leftover dressing in the refrigerator.

Lunch on the patio

The bright sunshine and perfect temperature lured me to the screened-in patio for my lunch. I scavenged lunch from leftovers and the freezer to avoid going to the market. Usually a trip to The Boys Farmer's Market is one of my favorite activities, but not when I am already totally starving. After a few times of doing that and buying way too much food, I have finally learned that the conventional advice not to shop when hungry is advice that needs to be followed.

HUMMUS AND ON A SPINACH EVERYTHING BAGEL

1 spinach everything bagel, sliced and toasted
1/4 cup chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1 tablespoon fat free yogurt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sesame tahini
2 Peppadew peppers, sliced
tomato slices
6 spinach leaves

While the bagel is toasting, mash the chickpeas with the yogurt, lemon juice, and tahini. Spread the mixture on the bagel, layer with pepper slices, tomato and spinach leaves.

Peppadew peppers can be found in grocery stores with olive bars. For information on Peppadew peppers check out this Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppadew.