NOW it is hotter than June in LA!..warm, grilled vegetable salads

In June we (Los Angeles) are usually socked in with low clouds..known as 'June Gloom', this week we have desert winds blowing in and the day time temps are going to reach 80f's over next few days!

Thankfully I am preparing a great "summerish" menu for tomorrow;

own grown bean sprouts

2 light and luscious soups

a French Lentil ( blue-green small lentils) with cumin, ground coriander, ground cardamom..gives the soup a nice citrus spiced flavor.The first photograph above is the lentils washed and rinsed, before cooking.

A "French" tomato-vegetable with hints of anise, very nice and chunky

A great "warm" salad..grilled eggplant "steaks" with  grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and a roast potato salad with a cumin and cashew dressing and cooked turemeric Lima bean  & greens  and /or steamed brown rice..the cashews are soaked overnight then blended with lemon juice, cumin, olive oil and adds the look of a creamy dressing (cashews although called a nut are actually a dried legume)

Amazingly I picked the mini tomatoes from my garden yesterday!

Eggplant to be salted washed and rinsed then grilled tomorrow

Desserts :
 Oatmeal cookies with toffee chips 
 A glazed lemon-poppy seed cake with fresh local strawberries