The nice thing about the doctor's appointment is it takes me near Whole Paycheck, and I come away with wonderful things like nice fresh strawberries. I had them for dessert the first night, with some Greek yogurt and a spoonful of Nutella. Then I started thinking of various recipes I've seen and tasted and put the following together:
Mix of baby lettuces
fresh sliced strawberries
slivers of chevre (soft goat cheese)
freshly ground black pepper
touch of light oil (not flavored)
balsamic vinegar.
This blend is fun, sophisticated and has a great mix of textures. I've seen recipes for strawberries with pepper and balsamic over ice cream or by themselves, but I thought the tartness of the goat cheese would make a good counterpoint.
And one more with protein!
Toasted pine nuts
fresh basil (though I often make it with dried in the winter)
a crushed garlic clove or two
chopped cold chicken
just enough mayo to moisten
salt and pepper to taste
a scoop over salad greens makes a nice low-carb lunch, and the nuts help make it filling. If you have a nice multi-grain bread, it makes a fabulous sandwich. With some good parmesan or provolone and said bread, you can grill it (or press it) for a hearty lunch that won't leave you feeling heavy.
I hope you've enjoyed July's salad days. I had a lot of fun putting these recipes together.
Next week starts a couple of weeks of spice rubs. Stay tuned!
As always, comments, questions, et cetera are welcome.