Today was one of those days. I ate two pickles and a cookie for lunch. Not good!  So much that my new beau (which you will hear more about soon) told me that I could have gotten more nutritional value from eating a legal pad. He speaks the truth. And, on top of that, summertime vegetables are too good to be fooling around with Jimmy Johns cookies while cooped up in the office for eight hours straight. So, I blew out of the office at 5pm for a trip to the gym, a run to The Fresh Market produce section and some much needed time in my garden.

For a nutrient packed dinner, I stocked up on and improvised with tomatoes, greens, garlic and goat cheese!  This recipe included tomatoes stacked between a meaty grilled portobello with bitter arugula dressed with sweet fig balsamic vinegar.  Tomatoes are like candy this time of year – so I doubled up with two varieties – but you could use less. A thousand variations on this recipe could be made so be creative (or just follow the simple recipe below). The point is, pack in summer produce while we’ve got it. In the meantime, I’ll back away from the pickles and cookies.

Grilled Portobello with Sauteed Spinach, Tomato & Goat Cheese over Greens with Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette 

• 1 (or more) large portabello mushroom(s)
• 1 bag, baby spinach
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 large summer tomato
• 1 small log, herbed goat cheese
• small handful, fresh basil, chopped
• arugula or mixed greens
• yellow and red grape tomatoes (optional)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• fig balsamic vinegar (I used this really great one at The Fresh Market!)

Lightly oil and season the mushroom with salt and pepper.  Light your grill! Grill the mushroom on both sides until tender with good grill marks.

Meanwhile, saute spinach with a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Wilt the spinach and cook until any liquid evaporates.

Once the mushroom is grilled, place on a baking sheet. Top with sauteed spinach, a slice of tomato and a tablespoon (or so) goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Place under the broiler until heated through and cheese begins to brown.

Season arugula lightly with olive oil, fig balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning. Add halved yellow and grape tomatoes for color. Top with mushroom and fresh basil! Enjoy!