A break in the summer heat and we have the rains now, cooling everything down quite a bit. As in many parts of the country Santa Fe has experienced day after day of record heat and no rain. Dry as a bone here. I remind myself that I need to adapt my cooking styles for this climate. I have no interest in cooked cereal in the morning, the thought just does not energize me. What I am wanting and having are green juices. Made with spinach and kale and green apple, sometimes beet, sometimes apple, these liquid breakfasts fill me and satisfy me.
I am also eating more raw salads, the thought of turning on the stove burners for every meal just does not suit me at this time. Grated beets and jicama add color and crunch to salads, as do pan roasted seeds. Topped off with a homemade vinaigrette it is just the thing to sit with on the porch as the evening cools the air. Grain and bean salads balance meals, using our more traditional pressed and blanched salads. The farmer's market in Santa Fe is just beginning to burgeon with the flavors of Northern New Mexico, so summer soups of corn and yellow squash help keep the digestion running smoothly.
But as I mentioned, the cooling summer rains are here and with that my thoughts turn to some lightly cooked dishes....mmmmm Nishime!
