i confess, i'm a picky eater

I know, I should be ashamed of myself! But truth be told, I'm just not fond of some foods and I may even get a bit squeamish when push comes to shove. Sure, I've overcome many a food-dislike (believe it or not, I hated strawberries but now, I can't get enough of them!) When I was a kid, I would never dream of eating a tomato....and now I can almost say that I like that darn fruit (well, with very specific rigid guidelines in the care and preparation of said fruit). I wish I could give every fruit or vegetable or dish it's fair shake, but old habits die hard. Take the simple greek salad as an example. When I go to a Greek restaurant and it comes with my dish, I'll gladly eat the onions, olives, feta and green peppers, but I'll only peck at a cucumber or a tomato. I've already been won over with having tomatoes and cucumbers in sandwiches, but I'm still not keen on them appearing in my salads. But, ooooh, I love me a greek salad and sometimes modifications are necessary for the picky eater. Carrots replace tomatoes for colour and every colour pepper (not just green) go into my salad for sweetness and crunch. And while it may not be traditional, my mock "greek" salad has converted many a guest over the years. This salad is one of my favourites and nothing ever gets left on the plate but the olive pits. And that is a very, very good sign.

mock greek salad

1 red pepper, large dice
1 yellow pepper, large dice
1 green pepper, large dice
1 small red onion, large dice
2 carrots, cut into coins
1/2 c black kalmata olives
1/2 c feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c red wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 T dijon mustard
1/4 t white sugar
1/4 t dried oregano
salt & pepper, to taste

1. Place the first five ingredients in a large bowl. Add in the olives and the feta and toss well.

2. Prepare the dressing. Mix together the olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, sugar, oregano, salt & pepper. Shake vigorously in a tightly lidded jar until fully blended. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Pour over salad and toss again.

This salad is best if left marinating for a couple of hours and served chilled, but it's also delicious served right away.