About the Recipe
Smothered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery
Alene worried that talk of bombs and war might lead to a potentially polarizing political discussion, but then Lillian asked Miles about his background. He was from a west suburban town that Alene had never heard of. He’d worked in hospitals before becoming a fitness trainer and had done a lot of research into supplements and vitamins. Slathering his slice of spinach pie with a bright roasted red pepper tahini, he talked about microgreens, mushroom beta-glucans, and functional foods. Maybe he’d be helpful in getting Heather to eat like a normal person.
“I’m grateful to be a personal trainer,” he said, although nobody had asked. “At least I don’t have to work in the food industry.”
Well, that was kind of tone-deaf since that was what she and Ruthie did. The adults in the room looked down at their plates, uncomfortable. Ruthie smoothed everything over by saying, “I always like hearing when people are grateful about the work they do, but we all have to remember that it’s not the work that defines you, it’s you who defines the work.” She was a little preachy sometimes, Alene had to admit.
Ingredients
5 or 6 large red peppers, seeded and cut into quarters
1 small or medium onion, any kind, skinned and quartered
Olive Oil spray
1 orange
2 TBSP Tahini (or 1 TBSP toasted sesame seeds + 2 TBSP water)
1/4 cup olive or sesame oil
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp basil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Spray baking pan (or line with foil and spray the foil)
Place onion and red peppers skin side down and spray lightly
Bake for 20-30 minutes until peppers are soft and edges slightly browned
Remove from oven and toss into food processor with other ingredients
Taste before serving – might need a little extra salt