Italian Vegetable soup, yellow daal with spinach, blackbean and walnut patties, French style lentil & walnut pate, "Florentine" Oatmeal cookies fit for a Duchess..PHOTOS

The weather is beautiful now, the skies have cleared of smoke from last week's bad fires and the heat is almost gone... a good ocean breeze and temps today in the mid 80's.

The menu for tomorrow is a varied one, creating dishes influenced by  Spain, Italy, India and South America...this is the prep so far, more photos to follow tomorrow.

Also oatmeal  cookies that  remind me of The Duchess of York's all time favorite, Florentines..these are  crispy thin and "caramelly", these are flavored with fresh orange zest and chopped pecans, and would be wonderful half dipped in melted dark chocolate..however as I am trying to keep my client's calories down, these will be served without chocolate.

The menu:

Italian style fresh green bean and white bean soup, with pasta stars

A French style lentil-walnut pate, prepared in the same way as a traditional chicken liver pate without the meat.

Entrees:

Yellow daal with Spinach served with cumin scented steamed brown rice

Black bean and corn patties ( to be baked at client's home) with Bonito yam (large, orange fleshed yams) wedges and a green salad ( from my garden)

The black bean and corn mix for the patties

Pasta with a zucchini-tomato sauce and also one with a lemon and garlic saute with green beans



The side dishes are:

Fresh green beans, zucchini & pecans

Kale with raisins and smoked paprika


Desserts/Breads:

Orange and pecan "Florentine" oatmeal cookies

My now famous, wholewheat sourdough, flax seed, banana, pecan waffles ( dairy free)