eat your (summer) vegetables

Vegetable Ceviche (adapted from Food & Wine)

1 cup fresh baby lima beans or edamame beans
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup EVOO 1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (raw, from 2 ears)
2 nectarines, cut into thin wedges
1 Hass avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large orange bell pepper, cut into narrow/short strips
1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Course salt

Prepare the lima beans or edamame and set aside to cool (blanch in boiling water until cooked). Gently toss together corn, nectarine, bell pepper, and tomatoes in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk lime juice, EVOO, shallot, jalapeno and bit of salt. Dress salad gently. Add cilantro, salt to taste, mix and gently add avocado, fold so dressing is evenly dispersed. Chill for at least 2 hours and served cold. We had this delicious salad when my brother, Bill, and girlfriend, Kathleen came to visit over Labor Day. It is a nice alternative to a normal lettuce salad.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

3 cups prepared quinoa, cooled

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/3 cup chopped mint

half shallot, minced

1/2 cucumber, slightly peeled, seeded and cubed

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

juice from 1/2 large lemon

2-3 tablespoons EVOO

S&P

Goat cheese (optional topping)

In large bowl, combine quinoa, cilantro, mint, shallot, cucumber and tomatoes, mix well. Whisk lemon, EVOO and generous about of S&P in a separate bowl. Dress quinoa mixture and top with a bit of crumbled cheese.