Sister Jennifer is coming for lunch a few times next week and I want to prepare Mediterranean meals to try to convert her, lol, so they need to be impressive. She's a vegetarian, and I'm mostly meatless. We both love a really good salad and/or soup and/or sandwich. We also love to try new things. Obstacles: Jen can't eat ginger, and I can't eat cauliflower.(really!)

I'm considering making a small grilled veggie and goat cheese pizza with a nice salad one day.

What would you serve for lunch to convince someone that Mediterranean was the only way to go?

Putanesca is a good all around tomato sauce. Sounds impressive, just a few ingredients, and very fresh tasting.

2 fresh tomatoes coarsley chopped
1.5 tsp capers, rinsed
2 minced garlic cloves
2 oz coarsley chopped black olives
1/3 C finely chopped parsley
5 anchovy filets (you can leave these out if you think they're "icky")

Saute the garlic in extra virgin olive oil until golden. add the rest of the ingredients plus 2 T water and let simmer just until flavors meld.

You can serve this on pizza crust, with pasta, as a dip for bread, as a topping for grilled chicken... etc. Use your imagination.

Plus, might i mention that "putanesca" means "ladies of the night"? So, it's got a bit of a 'saucy' past. (corny pun totally intended)

Jordon, that sauce sounds absolutely scrumptious. I'm going to try it this weekend.

A clean pasta sauce with semolina pasta is always a safe way to go. How about what I had for lunch yesterday:

pasta and red sauce (I make my own... but it usually does have meat in it if my honey is going to eat it.. (sausage and anchovies... I prefer it without the sausage)... I think Jordan's sounds so yummy.

Have it with your salad or grilled mixed veggies. It only takes me a few minutes to cut and wrap the following in foil and grill.

Summer squash, onions, garlic, mushrooms, or whatever else I have on hand.. drizzled with olive oil, a turn or two of sea salt and pepper.

ah... but grilled portabello are heaven.

I mix soy sauce, sesame salt (crushed sesame with sea salt), sesame oil or olive oil, chopped garlic in a bowl.. let sit for a little bit then brush onto portabello mushroom caps. I can never seem to cook enough of this to go around.

Suzanne, are eggs or fish ok? If they were and you eat a lot of fish, I was going to suggest salmon salad made from leftover grilled salmon. Once you try this you'll never go back to tuna again.

Grilled veggies are yummy. Maybe I'll make a small grilled veggie and goat cheese pizza with a fancy schmancy salad on the side!

Jayde, your mushrooms sound delicious! I usually just marinate mine in balsamic vinegar and olive oil, but an Asian twist would be good. I don't think I've ever seen sesame salt, I'll look for it.

Can I come for lunch too?!!!!!! YUMMM! Are you doing the pizza dough yourself?

Sesame salt needs to be fresh so most people make it at home. Just grind roasted sesame seeds in a mortar and add a little sea salt. The salt adds flavor but also helps with the grinding. I usually leave it out.. maybe cause I'm lazy. With or without the salt.. ground sesame seeds are called "sesame salt".

I always make my own pizza dough Though I don't talk about it much on the forum because I prefer the texture of a white pizza crust, which can be a bad word around here I want to try the new white whole wheat flour which is supposed to be softer and yield a better texture than regular whole wheat. I like to make individual size crusts and par-bake them, then freeze them for whenever I get a craving.

Anyway, I love to make pizza, but I don't like standard pizza toppings. I never add mozz cheese or pizza sauce. I love roasted garlic, various mushrooms, fresh sliced tomatoes, any kind of veggie, and I love goat cheese or a few fresh shavings of parmesan. If I do make a pizza that needs a tomato sauce, then I use good quality crushed tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Thanks for the tip on sesame salt! I'm so curious about it now, and am putting sesame seeds on my shopping list

Brushetta mmmmmmmmmmmmm !

Great suggestions so far...I'm copying recipes as we speak. Pizza sounds good. But don't forget the wine! That's the best part of a med diet. Eat outside if you can and emphasise that its the lifestyle the goes with the food that makes it so good!

Casey