The weekend passed

in a hot blur. We have been sweltering here on the prairies. It would be nice to remember in the dead of winter when we are all complaining about the cold, but that never happens. We are a society of weather whiners.

We have been spoiling ourselves with all the fresh produce that is so readily available. After succumbing to the lure of a flat of tomatoes, and a super pack of zucchini, I have a couple of new signature dishes, perfected by repetition! My favourite is ripe tomatoes sliced on a pretty platter, then sprinkled with Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, a few drops of extra virgin olive oil , balsamic vinegar, then finished with crumbled Feta cheese and a chiffonade of basil. This makes a simple addition to a barbecued salmon fillet, chicken breast or chop. Friday night's lamb chops were brushed with pesto a few hours before grilling and wowed our dinner guests. I made stuffed zucchini boats, but far too fussy to do again. But they were tasty little devils, filled with Basmati rice , finely diced mushrooms, onion and topped with more Feta. So much easier to slice zucchini diagonally, then grill them with a bit of olive oil, and a sprinkle of cheese.

It never ceases to amaze me how well and how much you can eat when dieting. However, the amount of time spent in the kitchen increases, and I am left to wonder if the change in weight is due to dietary habits, or the fact that you are on your feet twenty-four seven shopping, cooking and cleaning up after cooking!