Quick Summer Salad

Quick "summer" salad- roasted eggplant- chopped, red onion-chopped, parsley-chopped, chickpeas- (I soaked dry ones and cooked in water for 10 min, then drained, or you can use canned, rinsed and drained), 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives, 1 avacado-chopped and sprinkled w/ half a lemon, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 tbs olive oil, 1/2 english cucumber-chopped, 1/2 carton cherry tomatoes-cut in half. I made a big batch and mixed with different things each day for lunch- tuna, leftover grilled chicken, artichokes, leftover grilled salmon and served with mixed baby greens.

Herb Vinaigrette dressed baby greens and shrimp, asparagus, fresh green beans with dipping sauce

This meal couldn't be easier. And the entree all cooks in one pan.
Herb Vinaigrette:
bunch cilantro
bunch fresh mint
fresh dill (handful)
half lemon, sqeezed
half orange, squeezed
1/4 cup xtra virgin olive oil
fresh cracked pepper and sea salt
1/2 clove garlic

Pulse all ingredients in a mini chopper (except olive oil) Slowly add olive oil and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Tonight's salad is baby greens, grape tomatoes, orange slices, strawberry halves, english cucumber slices.
Shrimp, asparagus, green beams with dipping sauce
Rinse and trim beans and asparagus, remove shrimp shells and devein. In a large skillet fill wiht water to 3/4 full. Add beans and asparagus and bring to boil. Simmer for 4 min until crisp tender. Remove and add shrimp. Simmer until shrimp are cooked. Drain and arrange on platter.
Dipping sauce:
1/4 cup siraccha chinese hot chili sauce
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp grated ginger
pepper

mix all ingredients and serve in a bowl as dipping sauce, or can be poured over the platter.

Mediterranean Pizza

I like making pizza's (alot) so I usually have some dough pre-made sitting int he freezer. I frequently use Ina Garten's pizza dough recipe and make it with half whole wheat flour/half unbleached flour. I take it out in the morning , put it in a lightly olive-oiled bowl and when I'm ready tto make it, it's ready. I also roast my red peppers by putting them on a sheet pan lined with foil in a 400 degree oven for 40-50 minutes, turning once until skins are black. Then I let them cool, and peel the skins and discard seeds, and slice into strips.
Ingredients:
1 log fresh goat cheese
1-2 red peppers, roasted
Mediterranean seasoning- about 1- 2 tsp (or use mixture of lemon pepper, basil, oregano)
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
sea salt- 1/2 tsp
1/2 - 3/4 cup mushrooms slices that have been browned in butter
1 small package frozen spinach that has defrosted and drained (squeeze in a toel or paper towel to get most of the water out)
few tomato slices
2 tbsp olive oil
crushed red pepper flakes
handful grated cheese
corn meal
Sprinkle sheet pan with corn meal. Roll out dough to fit, as thick as you like it, but not too thin or it will get soggy with all the toppings. Rub crust with the garlic and brush the edges with olive oil. Cover wiith vegetables, sprinkle seasonings and add goat cheese slices or crumbles. Sprinkle wiht a little grated cheese and crushed red pepper flakes. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven until crust is lightly browne and cheese has melted slightly.
Note- you can also use fresh baby spinach leaves (I didn't have any today)