Herbivore

Some things are so good in concept, seeming to totally make sense. Leggings (oh, the comfort and ease!), Segways (I don’t even have to walk anymore!), and Starlight Express (Andrew Lloyd Webber…on roller skates!) all spring to mind. But in the end, they bring nothing but disappointment.

For me, the ultimate letdown has always been marijuana. Now, no one needs to mellow their harsh more than me, but this is one vice I simply cannot take up. An asthmatic since adolescence, pot simply tears my chest apart. It is probably for the best; moderation is not a word I have ever become intimately acquainted with. I would live a life surrounded by empty Frito bags. This affliction has caused me to utter the most pathetic little phrase known to mankind more times than I would care to admit: “No thanks–it makes me wheeze”. It seriously sounds like a phrase from an after school special or public service announcement (“I learned it by watching you!!”), but it is the sad truth.

I have acquired another type of herb aversion with this recipe. I have made this creamy Greek salad before; I originally ate something vaguely resembling this at a party last summer and I threw this adaptation together. Results have always been great. Then, I had to go screw it all up; I can never leave anything well enough alone. I usually use chives as the fresh herb component to this recipe and results are always mellow and delicious. Instead, to “Greekify” it, I decided to use fresh oregano this time. Turns out I hate fresh, raw oregano and it was a horrible match for this dish. It tasted like…stale ass that had sat in the sun for a day. It left a fuzzy feeling in my mouth and tasted kinda pungent and was way too aggressive for the simple, but delicate dish… and yeah…eww. Don’t try this at home kids.

So this recipe is written using chives, which I know do NOT taste like ass. This is a simple, but delicious side salad that I often pack for lunch, but is refreshing alongside grilled meats. A few quick tips: strain your Greek yogurt through a coffee filter to make it extra thick, rinse the canned beans and artichokes to control salt levels and making a garlic paste will help the garlic distribute much more evenly throughout the creamy yogurt.

Just back away from the oregano…

Creamy Greek Salad

A Lemmonex Original

3/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt (I like Fage), strained

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (Presidente makes a great fat free feta)

1 – 14 oz can artichokes, quartered and rinsed

1 – 14 oz can chickpeas, rinsed

1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped

1 garlic clove, made in to paste

2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Chill for about an hour. Serve.