Forgetful

I can be very forgetful. To the point of embarassment.

I can fool you pretty well by being out-going, jovial, mischevious, and sarcastic. I am all of these things, but it's a small corner of me.

My true self is a detail-oriented introvert who needs to recharge her batteries fairly frequently. This means an extreme tendency to fixate on the details, usually a few in particular at any given time.

This blog is a place to share recipes, but it's also a place for me to write: long or short, complex or simple. I've always wanted to be a writer, and I don't want to lose sight of that even if it's not in my cards at the moment. In the hustle of my daily life, I am forgetting to write to you as I share my ideas and my photographs.

Foods don't escape my forgetfulness either (or my obsessiveness, but that's a story for another day). This introverted foodie has an experienced palate but she also forgets about foods she loves for long periods of time.

Chickpeas are one of those foods. They are my favorite legume and sooo yummy, but I can go long periods without eating them. When they land on my plate I inevitably say "why don't I have these more often?" Alas, I am forgetful.


I am proud of the brilliance of this salad, the coincidences that fell into place before I put it together- the right combination of ingredients in my house, the perfect weather.... getting home from work early enough to make it....

After several days of working late and grabbing noodle soups from the pantry, I was delighted with this light dinner over some chopped romaine lightly dressed in olive oil and lemon juice.

The following day I brought some to work for lunch, once again over a bed of romaine lettuce and a few cherry tomatoes. It was even better the next day after some time to sit in the fridge. Today I have some with a little cooked quinoa and more tomatoes and lettuce. The remainder I will probably eat by itself, straight from its container.

The fresh mint and basil are really important, I do not recommend skipping either one. I love a bit of salty feta cheese as a garnish. Try fresh goat cheese or cotija for some variation.

Grilled Eggplant & Chickpea Salad

1 large eggplant, sliced

1 red bell pepper, cut into four pieces

olive oil and salt

1/4 small red onion, sliced

2 Tbs fresh mint, chopped

2 Tbs fresh basil, chopped

juice from 1/2 lemon

drizzle of olive oil

1/2- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (your preference)

1 tsp red pepper flakes

crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan until very hot. Brush the eggplant and pepper with a tiny bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill for about 5 minutes per side until soft and dark with grill marks. Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes before dicing the slices. Put them in a large bowl.

Add the red onion, chopped mint and basil, lemon juice, olive oil, chickpeas, and red pepper flakes to the bowl and toss until everything is combined. Serve garnished with a sprinkle of feta cheese if you want.

~:::~