haiku

Bánh Mi Wannabe

/ Karina Pinella / 9 Comments

Planned to make bánh mi,
But too many substitutes
No bánh mi for me.

Just a stacked sandwich,
So ban me for no bánh mi,
Though not a bad sub.

I had no baguette,
I used pain de campagne,
A pseudo-bánh mi.

My bánh mi wannabe ingredients for this classic Vietnamese sandwich:

  1. Sautéed Swiss chard, onions, and fresh basil sprinkled with tamari sauce
  2. Thinly sliced cucumbers
  3. Fresh mint
  4. Sweet pickle relish
  5. Leftover roasted chicken
  6. Mayo mixed with sriracha sauce spread on two slices of pain de campagne (aka “French sourdough”)

Eggplant Pizza

/ Karina Pinella / 27 Comments


Gluten-free pizza
Use eggplant as pizza crust,
Top with favorites.

 Stack or lay them flat
Either way won’t make you fat,
A mean aubergine.

(The cheese doesn’t look fully melted because I used alternative cheese — coconut-based with pea protein isolate)

Ingredients:

  • Italian or Indian (aka baby) eggplants
  • Shredded cheese
  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • Green onions
  • Olive oil mixed with garlic powder
  • Fresh basil

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees F
  2. Cut the eggplants in round slices
  3. Coat both sides of the slices with olive oil mixed with garlic powder
  4. Place slices on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil
  5. Place baking sheet in oven with eggplant slices and time for 15 minutes
  6. After 15 minutes, turn slices over and time for another 15 minutes
  7. After second round of 15 minutes, take out baking sheet
  8. Turn slices over again and put on your favorite toppings and put back in oven for 5 minutes

When Carts Cry

/ Karina Pinella / 8 Comments

Six-word story version:
Cartwright realized he will never sail.

 Expanded version — 12-word story:
Land bound, Cartwright accepted his destiny — never to sail the high seas.

Haiku version:
The cart that couldn’t.
On the boardwalk with no sail,
Only treads for wear.

Close to Closing

/ Karina Pinella / 12 Comments

Solve a problem now?
Late afternoon humdinger
Just before closing.

5 ‘til 5 P.M.,
Weekend about to begin;
Leave it for Monday.

Why am I still here?
Should have left right after lunch;
I woke up too late.

Father

/ Karina Pinella / 4 Comments

Image: Pixabay

Vater, padre, pa,
Or by any other name,
You’re honored today.

Thanks for all you’ve done.
Ev’ry day is a blessing
With you in our life.

Grill man, dishwasher,
Among other roles you play;
Happy Father’s Day!