This Week's Menu

Boy it's a scorcher out there... which makes me want to make entirely raw menus all week so I don't have to heat up the kitchen.  I compromised by making a couple of cool salads as well as seasonal veggies that are at their peak of flavor.  I love this time of year!  except, of course, for the heat. :)

The cold entree on this week's menu consisted of two high-protein salads that also packed a ton of flavor.  The Edamame and Black Bean Salad is tossed with a tahini-lemon dressing which adds a lightly creamy texture and tangy taste.  This is accompanied by a Quinoa Tabouleh made with a heaping mound of fresh parsley and mint from my garden.  In the center are some crispy jicama sticks, a perfect raw snack that I always forget to make... except this time.

The second entree is a Curried Lentil Stew with Brown Basmati Rice and Green Beans tossed with Shredded Coconut.  It' almost green bean season, and I've been seeing piles of them lately at the grocery store.

The final entree is also a little bit of wishful thinking, as I can't wait for my zucchinis to start producing, so I made Ratatouille the feature in this dish.  It was accompanied by creamy butter beans and Baked Polenta, which makes a nice substitute for the ubiquitous pasta, and topped with some fresh basil from the garden.  Ahh... the tastes of summer...