here are our favorites. Chop up a few tomatoes (to get about 2 cups). Add chopped (fresh is best!) basil, sliced black olives and a few t olive juice from the olive can, crushed or chopped garlic (i use a few cloves for good karma), a few t of olive oil (or grapeseed oil), stir and put aside. You want this too sit for a while to get the flavors to mix and get to know each other. Prepare your favorite pasta like normal. Now spoon some pasta on your plate or bowl and add the tomato-basil stuff over it. Wah-lah. Dinner is served. Goes well with wine :-)

#2 Feta-Garbonzo Bean Salad I think i got this off the back of a feta package... enough for 2.5 people in a bowl add: 1 can (2 if sassy!) of drained garbonzo beans (chick-peas), chopped scallions- about 1/3 cup, lettuce, ground peper, chopped tomatoes, and the key ingredient- one package of tomato-basil feta. I use the block (not crumpled up stuff!) and mush it around in the package before i open it. Add all this stuff, stir and again, let it sit. I think it is the best for lunch the next day :-)

Bonus #3 Falafel (sp??) falafels are a garbonzo bean pan-cake things. You can get the mix at your local co-op or health food store. I get mine at waremart (aka Winco) in bulk for about $2.79lbs, where the health food store has it for $7.50/lbs! I used to follow the directions, but this works better. Mix the powder mix with water until you get a pancake batter thickness. Pan fry (with a bit of olive oil or butter) like a pancake on medium heat. Cook until very light brown and the innards are solid. We will break ours up with the spatula in the pan to get crumbles. Now in a torrilla or a pita, add the falafel with sliced pickels, cheese, bell pepers, feta, sprouts, tomatoes, etc. I then add a tiny bit of Ranch salad dressing. Dinner is served. Goes well with beer.

Cheers! Matthew

Matthew Pollard http://www.uidaho.edu/~poll7356 Dept. of Chemistry http://www.chem.uidaho.edu University of Idaho http://www.uidaho.edu