Happy May Day Feast



Beet, mint and lentil salad served chilled.

Fresh hot brussel sprouts pan-seared with a coating of asiago cheese, grated right before it goes into the bowl.

Mesquite grilled pork loin.

What a dinner on Sunday evening!

The brussel sprouts came home with me on Saturday from Inglewood Farm Harvest Barn, and they are so pretty. Like tiny cabbages.

Cut in half, they're rolled in a bowl with a generous dollop of olive oil before going into a hot saucepan.

Cooked flat side down first to get a nice crust, then rolled over to let the back side get toasted too. It doesn't take very long, but it adds so much to the flavor cooking them this way. When they come out of the pan, the fresh grated asiago cheese is sprinkled over them while they're still warm.

Best eaten right away, crispy and good!

There's a recipe you can check out here.

The beets also came from Inglewood Farms. I cut the tops off but saved those for a salad later. There's also fresh picked mint and dried lentils to be added to the beets.

Look at those bright red beets. Beautiful!

Boil until tender, cool slightly then cut up into small cubes. Once boiled, the outer skins just peel right off, and they are shiny red globes!

Lentils don't have to be soaked before cooking like so many dried beans. They cook up very quickly, in 20 minutes or less.

 Spread out flat into a clear pan, they will cool off quickly so they can be added to the waiting beet cubes.

Vinagrette dressing in a mason jar, fresh and waiting to go over everything, to give a lift and a zing to the flavors. Add all the dressing ingredients, put on the jar lid and give it a good shaking to mix them up well.

Rolled mint leaves, cut into thin strips, are put over the top of this salad just before serving, with the addition of the vinaigrette dressing to boot. All put together, it has a beautiful color and tastes just wonderful. Served cold, it does improve in taste the next day. All the fresh vegetables provide a flavor boost that's impossible to beat!

And healthy ... Here's a recipe to get you started.