Summer is the season of fresh flavors. Delicate flavors juxtaposed against the rich and sometimes brash tastes of summer's green crops. My kids lean towards those sweet and delicate flavors-----juicy peaches, bright red strawberries, fancy cherries, dripping watermelons; the expectation of summer in one bite.
Often to my children's consternation, I try to pass off vegetables more readily than even those wonderfully sweet fruits. We are beginning to harvest vegetables from our little garden, so my vegetable repertoire is growing steadily.
My kids turn their noses up at arugula, claiming it is "too spicy!!" I find this confusing since they absolutely love pesto made up of spicy basil. Recently, I made a pesto out of the arugula leaves from our garden and amazingly they ate it right up! The recipe was like this one only I substituted arugula for the basil and toasted walnuts for the pinenuts. I also drizzled a bit of sweet balsamic vinegar over the top. Stirred into warm, pixie-like pinwheel pasta, they found it a little more than passable.
I also keep cooked quinoa in the refrigerator, ready for a quick saute' with seasonal vegetables. I saute' the veggies in a wide skillet with some olive oil and garlic, adding some good-quality curry powder and a bit of fenugreek. I then add the cooked quinoa and stir it all around a bit to mingle those fresh flavors. To make it more pleasing for the rest of the crowd, I toss it with this feta cheese (the BEST!). It is great served at room temperature which lends itself to picnics and potlucks. This Yumm-y Sauce is absolutely GREAT on top!
