Rethinking The Cold Salad

I admit it. I used to be a salad hater. This may seem odd, being that I am a vegetarian but I think the sentiment followed over from my meat eating days when a salad meant some wilted iceburg lettuce, a few tomatoes and some slices of yellow onion. Maybe there would be some bell pepper in there. The only way to make that seem interesting to me was to drench it in salad dressing at which point the healthiness of eating a salad became null and void.

After giving the cold salad a second chance over the past few years I've learned that it wasn't the food genre that is salad I was against but rather the poor representations, the bland tasting, too watery or wilted versions.

As a vegetarian the salad is sometimes the best way to get a good meal fast. I've found that a squeeze of lemon over spinach or Romaine lettuce can make a world of difference when coupled with some olive oil, salt and fresh ground pepper. Even the greens can vary. Try throwing in a handful of Arugula, red onion (instead of the yellow or sweet type) or avocado. For protein kidney beans from a can, white or red, make a great addition.

This past weekend I made a great salad for a family dinner and used a recipe from Giada De Laurentiis. Despite her penchant for low cut shirts and sensual background music, to be seen on her show Everyday Italian weekday afternoons at 4:30 p.m., De Laurentiis offers consistently delicious recipes. I whipped together the Tuscan Salad in 15 minutes. Give it a try!

DIY Veggie Patties

The spring break hiatus has ended and so has my writing drought.

Today I had a yummy meal of handmade veggie patties tonight and decided to link the recipe for all of you creative eaters out there for those times when Boca won't cut it. Nothing against Boca; they make some great eats but making your own veggie patties is a good experience.

I like this recipe (from Guy Fieri of the Food Network) because it's simple and it's the equivalent of fresh hamburger meat for us non-meat-eaters. It has a cool story too. Apparently Guy decided to make the patty after his vegtarian sister (Morgan) was dissatisfied with frozen alternatives (I watch waaaay too much Food Network, I know).

There's a little bit of dicing involved with the bell peppers and artichokes for example but other items, like olives, can be bought diced and canned. Throw it together and you have get to see exactly what goes into the vegetarian version of the hamburger.

One tip that Fieri offered when he made the recipe during the show involved shaping the veggie patty in a small, round left-over container. Line the Tupperware (or whatever brand you have) with plastic wrap, place the patty mixture in, place another layer of plastic wrap over the top of the patty and press the patty into shape.

I sandwiched my patty with a Publix bakery French roll and topped it with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard and a garlic/mayonnaise mix. Tater tots for the side. Only regret: I forgot to buy ketchup :(