Dried Lime Adventures: Part III

In the final chapter of our Dried Lime Adventures, Thom and I reconvened back at Studio Q , his writing studio in Dupont Circle, for another heavy lunch in the afternoon.

We never have particular recipes in mind. We choose our adventure in the moment using my Live Deliciously formula for easy, healthy meal preparation.

Don’t think recipes, think formulas…

When I cook, I follow a formula.  I always incorporate greens.  And then I select a grain or a bean. I’ll typically then embellish a bit with cheese, dried or fresh fruit, sprinkles of finishing spices, squeezes of citrus like lemon or limes, and swirls of  oils, vinegar, and syrups.

So today I brought my green, arugula, and my chickpeas stewed in dried black lime and my trifecta of aromatic spices. Other seasonal veggies included shitake mushrooms and carrots.

Then I rely on a well-stocked pantry to do the rest.  We have filled the pantry at Studio Q with dried fruits (like cranberries, currants, figs) and nuts and seeds (sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachios) and have them handy for easy meal planning embellishments.

I decided a flavor profile to use, based on ingredients I had on hand.   I decided to make a hearty East Asian inspired salad.

For the Salad: 

Green: Arugula. – a spicy, delightful salad green

Bean: Chickpeas stewed in dried lime

Seasonal Veggies: Green Beans and Shitake Mushrooms lightly sauteed, and raw shredded carrots

Squeezes of Lime (yes, additional lime...)

Sprinkles of Sunflower Seeds

Swirls of Sesame Oil and Soy Sauce 

And it was a crisp lovely spring day… so we took it outside.

Check out Part I and Part II of the Dried Lime Adventures for more inspiration and instructional stories.