Sometimes it's just what this family needs. Nothing complicated. Simple, fresh vegetables. A salad. It's a relief. A lesson, even, in the art of simple eating.
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The temperatures soared the other day. It was the second day of high 90 degree heat and very high humidity. While driving home from an Essence of Tuscany cooking class at Johnson & Wales University I thought about making something light for dinner.
I imagined pairing the gorgeous red lettuce I had picked up at our local farmers' market with the plump luscious-looking strawberries growing in my garden.
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| Kale, swiss chard from Confreda Greenhouse & Farms Red lettuce, onions, cherry tomatoes, radishes from Oakdale Farms See links mentioned below |
As I drove home from class, I pictured the deep rich colors together, like the palette of a masterful baroque era oil painting.
Well, when I got home, my dreamy salad never turned into that beautiful painting I pictured in my mind. I went out to pick the strawberries and they were all gone! All of them. Poof! Gone. Nothing left. I guess some little creatures had the same dreamy idea.
Thank goodness I had picked up some other terrific vegetables at the farmers' market. Broccoli from Confreda Greenhouse & Farms. In addition to their red lettuce, I had cherry tomatoes from Oakdale Farms Country Barn & Garden Shop.
The cheese is also local, "Atwells Gold" from Narragansett Creamery. It felt good to make the meal from mostly local food, local businesses and farmers.
Chickpeas, while not local, are always a staple in my pantry closet and were a nice addition for a little added protein.
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