Power Lunch

Have you ever had something so delicious, so exactly right for the moment, that you subsequently wanted to eat it every day? (Hopefully, your answer is yes ... in spades.) Well, that happened to me last Wednesday.

The husband and I popped into The Madison Brewing Company, in Bennington, for lunch - a lunch so yummy I exclaimed: "I want to eat this every day for seven years!" He laughed, but I was only half joking. In fact, I set about recreating it as soon as we arrived home.

Today's post isn't so much a recipe as it is an ode to this dish; a shout-out to the kitchen at Madison Brewing. I'm sorry, and a bit shocked, to find that they don't actually have a website of their own - so I can't link you. But I can, and do, urge you to check them out if you find yourself in Bennington. They brew their own beer, (the variety changes seasonally), the service is warm and friendly, and the food is really, really good.

The Madison Brewing Company

428 Main Street

Bennington, VT

(802) 442-7397

No doubt you've heard of "the three martini lunch" ... but how about a three protein lunch? This simple little repast is packed with protein, thoroughly delicious, and 0h-so-satisfying. It will keep you full for hours. I can't remember what it was called on the menu, but I'm calling it ...

The Veggie Burger Supreme:

• one veggie burger of your choice (I like MorningStar Farm's Spicy Black Bean)
• some good quality hummus
• some tabbouleh - traditional style, made with bulgar
• lettuce
• bean, alfalfa or any sprout of your choice

Cook the veggie burger according to package directions. I like to throw mine in the grill pan. When its ready, place it atop a bed of lettuce, spread on a nice thick layer of hummus, top the hummus with as much tabbouleh as you can handle and garnish the dish with a handful of sprouts.

As you can see, this time I forgot the sprouts ... but that won't happen again. They're too good to leave out. I like to drizzle the finished product with a bit of lemon, but you could certainly sprinkle it with sriracha or glaze it with green goddess dressing .... whatever floats your boat!

I suspect the veggie burger at Madison was homemade, it was too good to be pre-fab. That said, I'm well-pleased with the Spicy Black Bean patty. I don't like veggie burgers that taste like fake burgers, and this one doesn't. Use whichever brand you like, or, hell, make your own! Just make it. Really.

I did, however, make my own tabbouleh; this time with bulgar instead of quinoa. You can use the quinoa recipe, found here, and just substitute the cracked wheat. Alternately, any standard tabbouleh recipe will do.

It may not look like much, but this is a quick, healthy and delectable meal. I hope you'll try it! While I may not have eaten it every single day this week ... I'm running 3 for 5 and counting.

Bon appetite!