Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Pesto Panini with Pear and Arugula Salad topped with caramelized Walnuts.

The past few days, M and I have been eating unsubstantial food - Eating on the go while finishing off chores. It just did not feel right.

While shopping this afternoon at the local store, we came across freshly baked warm artisan subs and the idea of lunch came together around that.

I had a bag of pre-washed bitter greens from Trader Joe's along with a few ripe Pears. My overflowing freezer had an unopened pack of roasted red peppers, again from TJ while Basil Pesto was not too hard to locate since it is a staple at my home. and this gave me a chance to use one of my favorite kitchen appliances - the Breadman Panini maker. It took all of 30 mins to prepare the Panini and the Salad.

Pear and Arugula Salad topped with caramelized Walnuts.

Dressing-
Balsamic vinegar - around 4-5 Tbsp
Fruit Juice Concentrate 2-3 Tbsp ( Instead of buying Raspberry vinegar, I like to mix a little raspberry concentrate with my balsamic vinegar - tastes better to me)
Crushed Black Pepper 1/2 tsp

Salad-
Your choice of bitter greens ( Radicchio , arugula etc. The bitterness provides a great contrast to the sweetness of the pears)
walnuts - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
1 Pear

Method-

Heat a frying pan . After the pan is thoroughly heated, add the walnuts and dry roast them for over medium flame 2-3 mins. Spray the walnuts with a non-stick cooking spray and add the 1 tsp sugar. Continue heating until the sugar melts and coats the walnuts ( around 2-3 mins). Take the pan off the flame and allow the walnuts to cool.

Meanwhile, peel and slice the pears. Add the greens to a large bowl. Pour the dressing ingredients over the greens and toss well to coat. Top with the warm caramelized walnuts and serve.
Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Pesto Panini

Ingredients-

1 large sub / 1/4 French Load
Couple of slices of Roasted red pepper
Basil Pesto to taste
1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
Red pepper flakes for heat( Optional)

Method-

This is very simple. Heat the panini maker or the grill. Meanwhile, slice the sub / French loaf. Spread basil pesto to taste. Add the roasted red pepper and top with Mozzarella cheese and red pepper flakes. Coat with non-stick spray and place it in the panini maker and press down the lid. Grill until the golden crust is formed. Serve with the salad.

Definitely a "repeat again" no-fuss meal for me!

The Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago is located in Lemont, a suburb of Chicago. The wooded surroundings add to the serenity and tranquility of this temple.

There are two temples that are linked by a hallway. The temple's website further elaborates - "The Rama temple is built to specifications in the authentic style of the Chola dynasty (a 10th century dynasty of Indian Kings). The temple’s architecture is a perfect blend of the ancient with the modern. Its magnificent 80-foot tower (Gopuram) is a potent symbol of Hindu spirit. A large hall in the lower level of the temple has facilities to stage cultural events. A smaller temple north of the Rama temple is the Ganesha-Shiva-Durga temple. This temple is built in the architecture style of the Kalinga dynasty (1st century B.C.)."

The temple also has a small library , among other facilities. I found many "Amar Chitra Katha" comic books that I absolutely adored as a kid! Bought back some wonderful memories...

The temple "cafeteria" is suprisingly very good!! Modest and unpretencious dishes that are pretty close to what home cooked food would taste like , and the prices are unbelievable!!

I am not very ritualistic but visiting this beautiful place makes me feel that I am not alone or too far away from home...

Its been more than a month since I blogged - I have been tied up with House hunting , here in beautiful and cold Chicago. But I decided its time to get back into the swing of things :-) M ,especially, is looking forward to my blogging since this way he can atleast look forward to a couple more home-cooked meals.

This year, I would like to focus on , among other things,

1. Cooking healthy & well balanced meals.
   
2. Making a gradual transistion to organically grown food
   
3. Getting rid of the Teflon coated cookware & moving to Stainless Steel.
   
4. Getting more organized and getting rid of the clutter that I save around the house ( Like the collection of "Self" magazines from 2001)
5. Learning about the art of photography
6. And Blogging regularly!!!

So stop by & share your thoughts!! Thanks for reading!