I mentioned in my “P” post that I’m a pretty good cook. In addition to knowing how to make a variety of dishes, I am quite knowledgeable about the preparation of almost any food, especially vegetables. I love almost all vegetables. I have even toyed, at times, with the thought of becoming a vegetarian. However, I know that I need protein that goes beyond tofu, nuts and dairy, so I don’t see becoming a true vegetarian any time soon.

My husband and kids aren’t huge vegetable lovers. Most everyone in the family likes the Midwestern farm vegetables: corn, potatoes, peas, carrots and salad. Beyond that I can usually only find one other person in my household to share my veggies with. Nobody likes spinach in my family. I absolutely love it. Sauteed, creamed, in a salad. Even canned like Popeye! I love spinach. One of my girls likes kale chips but greens beyond that don’t appeal to anyone else like they do to me.

Two of my girls like artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower and the like. I like cabbage and brussels sprouts but nobody else does. I also like root vegetables: turnips, beets, etc. I especially love them roasted! I also like squash of all kinds.

With my latest round of dieting, I discovered the miracle of the Paderno slicer. It is much like the Veggetti in that it spirals slices foods and makes zoodles, which are an amazing lo-carb/lo-calorie option when making pasta and Asian noodle dishes. There are some great recipes using zoodles on Skinnytaste.com. I highly recommend them.

My favorite way to eat vegetables is in creative salads. One particular salad that I love, especially in late summer when the tomatoes are at their peak, is Tomato Potato Salad. I hope that you give this salad a whirl and enjoy, now that the weather is becoming more conducive to picnics.

Italian Tomato Potato Salad (Serves 4)

Ingredients: 2-3 fresh tomatoes (the fresher, the better), 2-3 boiled potatoes (redskins are nice because you don’t have to peel them), 1/2 red or sweet onion, sliced very thing, the juice of 1/2 fresh lemon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2-3 tablespoons of cold water, 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano, salt and pepper to taste. A good crusty Italian bread for soaking up the juice. Instructions: Cube the tomatoes and potatoes into bite size pieces and combine in a large bowl. Juice the lemon and add it to the vegetables. Add the oil, water, oregano, salt and pepper. If you want more juice, double the lemon, oil and water. Toss the salad, cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. The flavors mingle better and more juice is produced when the salad is refrigerated overnight.