I prefer to eat my food inside. It all stems from a traumatic lunch experience that I had at the beach when I was 3 years old.

Picture this….Summer 1983. Roger Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett, RI (aka Sand Hill Cove to anyone from Rhode Island). Beautiful summer day. I’m 3 years old and at the beach with my family. I just finished my lunch of baked chicken and rice. At this point you may be asking, why would anyone bring a hot meal liked baked chicken to the beach? That is an excellent question and 28 years later, your guess is as good as mine.

Anyway, after I finished my hot lunch, my Mom gives me an Oreo cookie. As I am about to take a nibble, a filthy seagull making a high pitched squawk swoops down and snatches the cookie right out of my hand! Naturally, I did what any toddler would do. In a moment of unbridled anger and disgust, I shook my fist at the sky and demanded justice….and another cookie.

What does any of this have to do with a recipe for watermelon feta salad? Very little in fact. Watermelon is simply summer food to me. Whether you carve out the seeds or ball it up and make a salad, it’s delicious and also good for you.

Watermelon Feta Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups of watermelon (balled)
• 1/2 English cucumber (peeled, hollowed, cut on bias)
• 1/4 or less of a red onion (thinly sliced)
• 4 fresh basil leaves (chiffonade)
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of agave
• sprinkle of feta cheese
• sprinkle of sea salt (optional)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the watermelon, cucumber, onion, and basil
2. In a separate smaller mixing bowl, combine the vinegar, olive oil, and agave
3. Add the bowl with the dressing to the bowl with the watermelon
4. Sprinkle with feta cheese and sea salt (optional)
5. Makes 2 servings
6. Enjoy as an appetizer or side salad

What does summer food look like to you?

This is a simple and fresh summer salad that can be ready in under 5 minutes.

I was inspired to make this salad from a recipe that I saw in one of my favorite cookbooks . The original recipe is baby arugula with pears, Pecorino Romano cheese, fennel, parsley, and olive oil and vinegar. The sweet cherries are a good balance for the sharp baby arugula.

Ingredients & Directions

For each individual salad toss all ingredients together:

• 1.5 cups of baby arugula
• 1/2  cup of Rainier cherries (pitted and cut in half)
• Fresh Parmesan shavings
• Honey balsamic salad dressing (this is a local product that comes already prepared but would be fairly simple to prepare. The ingredients are olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, sugar, and some fresh herbs and spices)

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Bring on the whole grains! Today I would like to feature a recipe using wheat berries.

What are wheat berries?

Wheat berries are a complete whole grain (whole wheat kernels). That means that they include the bran, germ, and endosperm – all three parts are needed to be considered a true whole grain. Wheat berries are relatively inexpensive (i.e. one cup of wheat berries at Whole Foods Market cost me $0.70) and are easy to prepare.  They taste delicious as an ingredient in both savory and sweet recipes.

Why are wheat berries good for you?

Wheat berries are packed with protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, and vitamin E. All of which are needed to maintain a healthy body.

What can you make with wheat berries?

Wheat berries can be easily be found at Whole Foods Market in the bulk grain section, at health food stores, or in the “natural” section of most large grocery chains. Wheat berries are prepared like pasta – in a pot of boiling water that has been salted. Wheat berries have a nutty flavor and a great chewy texture (kind of like brown rice) and can be added to soups, stews, and salads, or served with fresh vegetables or dried fruit. The only thing to consider when preparing wheat berries (and many whole grains) is the prep time. Wheat berries take about 45 minutes to cook (until they become tender), but they can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for several days. Trust me, like most things, they are worth the wait.

The recipe below has been adapted from a recipe by Pompeian Olive Oil featured in Food Network’s April 2010 issue

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup dry wheat berries
• 1/2 cup of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen, shelled edamame, thawed
• 1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil (or Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium sized sauce-pan, combine water and wheat berries and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes or until wheat berries are tender.
3. Place in a strainer and run under cold water to cool quickly, drain well.
4. Combine the wheat berries with the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
5. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours in advance.

What have you made with wheat berries?

Have you ever felt determined to make a meal from all of the random leftover foods in your kitchen, before spending money on more groceries?

Today, I did just that. I felt motivated to make a meal using whatever ingredients I had in my cupboards and refrigerator. I did this for a few reasons. First of all, I am from a family that believes that it is disgraceful to waste even one morsel of food. If I were caught disposing of any of these leftovers, I would surely be shunned for weeks. Secondly, food is expensive. I enjoy my meal more when I know that I did not go into debt making it. Finally, I wanted to prove to myself that I could make a tasty meal without splurging on expensive ingredients. I am proud to announce that this fancy sounding salad is shamefully simple to make. Don’t let this salad fool you. It is the result of a half used bag of baby spinach, one sorry looking red bliss potato, a can of black olives, a can of tuna, a couple of hard boiled eggs, and some cherry tomatoes that were ready to call it a day.

Every once in a while it’s good to prove to yourself that you’re capable of accomplishing something that you didn’t think was possible.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of mixed greens or baby spinach
• 4 cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
• 2 hard boiled eggs (sliced in quarters)
• 1 small red bliss potato (boiled with the skin and sliced into wedges)
• ½ can black olives
• 1 can of tuna (drained)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the tuna, olives, tomato, potato, olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper.
2. Place the greens on a plate or in a bowl.
3. Place the tuna mixture on top of the greens.
4. Garnish with hard boiled eggs.
5. This recipe makes 2 bowls of salad (about 2 ½ cups each)

What do you make with your leftovers?