I realize that this sounds like a mouthful but trust me it’s worth the effort.

Instead of going gluten free I’ve decided to stay away from all wheat; Dwarf Wheat in particular, and opt for other grain varieties.

I happen to love rye bread and the added benefit of flaxseed made this a great choice.

Although Rye does contain gluten, it is much less than what is found in dwarf wheat which is consumed today.

Let’s get back to this sandwich!

The avocado, fresh basil and tomato are sprinkled with sea salt and a large dollop of mayonnaise.

This is a huge treat for me.

The mayo is the only real dietary indulgence….everything else is so healthy!

It is a filling, delicious lunch that leaves plenty of room for watermelon later in the day!

Enjoy and share!

I remember growing up in my European immigrant family with great food.

Some from Italy and some from Eastern Europe but all of it driven by the freshest ingredients and much of it, meatless.

My grandmas and aunts always had their own gardens and were “putting up” or canning something at any given time.

For me summertime always means tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches.

These were not gourmet growing up.

They were just any bread with mayo, fresh tomato and “crunchy” salt on top.

I spruced these up a little by grilling artisan whole grain bread with olive oil to give crunch and texture to the bread and I’ve also added big fleshy leaves of basil for that peppery edge that basil can give.

Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise is my favorite with this sandwich.

Even a few slices of avocado would be delish!

Get creative and keep it meatless. The possibilities are endless for a tasty, light and nutritious meal that says, “Summertime” in every bight!

It is hard to find a better breakfast than oatmeal.

For the money it is a big nutritious bang for the buck.

It is also tasty, filling and healthy!

I lightly toasted 2 cups of steel cut oats in 2 Tbspns of unsalted butter.

Then add 1 cup raisins and 1 cup walnuts.

Let everything toast until it smells like popcorn and has a deep golden brown color.

I then added 6 cups of water and 2 cups of light coconut milk.

Add a pinch of sea salt; nutmeg and cinnamon to taste!

Allow to cook on medium to low heat for about 1/2 hour or until all the liquid is absorbed.

I added some shredded coconut.

This breakfast will get you through your day with energy to spare!

I will even have a bowl for dinner or a snack.
It’s that delicious and satisfying!

This little discovery was made at the home of my dear friend M. She had me over for a dinner party one evening and really pulled out the stops. I will leave the trout and the cilantro potatoes for another day, however, the fried cauliflower really got my attention. And it was a good excuse to buy a deep fryer.

This was a new presentation for me. I’ve had fried cauliflower and other veggies before but they were always coated with an egg and flour coating or tempura batter. This was simply, deep fried cauliflower; vegetable oil, cauliflower. That’s it.

It is served with lime wedges and sea salt. Squeeze on the lime, sprinkle with salt and enjoy as a snack or as a side dish.