lunch with a friend
On Saturday, I had a friend over, ostensibly so we could prepare for an upcoming one-day chess tournament. We didn’t get much study in, but we did share a healthy impromptu meal, a beer, and good conversation.
Earlier in the week, as we planned our get-together, I asked what he wanted for lunch. He insisted anything I made would be delicious. Aw, shucks. 
He then offered to bring ingredients to help. So, I turned it around and suggested he pick up any veggies he might feel like on that particular day, and we’d whip up something on-the-fly. His contributions: butternut squash and a good local beer. Sweet!
It must have been good, because by the time I got the camera out, after serving him first, he had already eaten most of the roasted squash, made with my favorite 3 C’s: cinnamon, cumin, and a touch of chipotle. Not only that, he self-consciously rolled over his corn to show the most uneaten side. LOL. 
The meal consisted of a mild, yet flavorful, Indian dahl made with yellow split peas, corn on the cob, the aforementioned roasted butternut squash, and a salad of mustard greens with balsamic vinegar. We got a few laughs from the absolutely stunning sinus-clearing abilities of the raw greens, like that of good wasabi at a Japanese restaurant.
Here are the numbers. Aside from the beer, a relatively low-cal, yet nutritious and hearty meal.
| calories | protein | |
|---|---|---|
| yellow split peas | 230 | 16 |
| corn on the cob | 78 | 2 |
| butternut squash | 60 | 1 |
| mustard greens | 14 | 1 |
| 12 ounce beer | 145 | 1 |
| miscellaneous* | 48 | 1 |
| TOTALS | 575 | 22 |
(*) tomato puree, onions, peppers, and
Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread with Flax Oil
