The upside of going meatless

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Since starting our meatless regimen on Sunday, I've enjoyed a lot of cheese -- glorious cheese.

Cheese is one of those fatty foods I have been careful about. Although I have never met a cheese I didn't like, being lactose-intolerant has never made it an easy choice.

Usually, I had only Parmigiano-Reggiano (photo) in the fridge, because it is made with skim milk, and a sliced yogurt cheese with jalapenos I buy at Trader Joe's. Lately, I've expanded to a thin-sliced, lactose-free Swiss cheese from Costco.

Two farms in North Jersey, Bobolink Dairy in Vernon and Valley Shepherd Creamery in Long Valley, have wonderful, artisanal cheeses I have enjoyed occasionally, and I've lost count of the "lunches" I've made of the free cheese samples at Jerry's in Englewood.


Looking for a meatless lunch today at The Famished Frog in Morristown, I chose the vegetable panini, and it was filled with a gooey cheese, probably mozzarella, along with a meaty mushroom and other veggies. It was a little bland until I added Dijon mustard.

Our meatless meal tonight was Canadian flounder fillets, which cooked in under 10 minutes in a covered pan with Mexican green salsa, and gourmet fingerling potatoes, boiled and then sauteed in oil with onion and sweet pepper.

The Famished Frog in Morristown

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If you're famished in Morristown, head for The Famished Frog for a quick, tasty and healthy meal.

My lunch, which I ate in about 20 minutes, started with a thick, cream-less soup of butternut squash with a surprising apple finish ($4.99). I followed that with salad Bouchard -- organic greens topped with whole walnuts and a poached, sliced pear in a balsamic dressing ($8.99).  The waiter ground fresh pepper over both soup and salad.

The only negative was a roll on my salad plate that seemed only half-baked, but was good enough to soak up the last bit of dressing.

I wasn't charged for two seltzers with lime wedges. I was in such a rush I didn't notice the restaurant offers $6 lunches.

The Famished Frog, 18 Washington Ave., 
Morristown; 973-540-9601


http://www.famishedfrog.com/