I hate them veggies

That's right. I am a vegetarian and super picky about my veggies. Not picky as in "smell each vegetable at the grocery store before bagging it" (although I should probably do that). But picky as in, "what's the point of zucchini, squash, steamed carrots and cucumbers thick-cut with skin on"? Also what's the point of that pretty mint leaf on my sorbet at the fancy restaurant? I am just going to set it aside anyway. Carrot cake? No thank-you. As for spinach in my pasta, urgggggggh. (Spinach cooked Indian style - that I love.)

I've been rightly labeled as a picky eater and I am not going to deny it. And as I set aside leaf after pretty grean leaf during each course of my three-course meal at a girl's dinner at Aquarelle recently, one of my friends kept pointing out how I set aside the most nutritious parts of my meal.

As for salads, I detest chowing down (like a cow) on romaine lettuce, kale and all those sharp tasting leaves. That's why it irritates me when the first thing a Maitre D' at a restaurant tells me is, "Oh we have a few salads to choose from..." The two places (thus far) where I've discovered good salads are Gumbo's and Sullivan's (love the iceberg wedge).

But I have now found some yummy ways to make my salads at home more fun and interesting. I usually throw in some nectarine slices and a bunch of nuts into a cole slaw mix (of veggies), and spritz it with a Raispberry Vinagrette salad spritzer. Add a bread crouton or two on top, some multi-colored tomatoes, and serve in a wide wine glass for effect;) Makes it fun!