our new nest & an autumn salad.

4 November 2013

Apologies for the long intermission between posts, and what seems like a cooking strike. September & October were a whirlwind, I can't believe how the time flies & the seasons change.  After what felt like a long stint of living out of bags and working out of stacks, Jediah & I finally moved into our new nest in the city. We unpacked with haste, riffled through the cluttered, purged & reorganized. In the quieter moments, we have been exploring the nooks-and-crannies of our neighborhood: discovering the best brunch spot, where to get a delicious sip of coffee, & of course, searching for what will be our go-to bar.

This move recalls my favorite childhood book, The Best Nest by P.D. Eastman. In the book, Mr. & Mrs. Bird are on the quest to find the perfect nest. They try many, but there are flaws in each one: whether it is the noise of a ringing bell tower or the menacing ferocity of a house cat. In the end, after all the searching & frustration, Mrs. Bird realizes that her home was with the ever constant Mr. Bird along. It was never about the place, but the one that you share it with. Although I am thrilled for a new nest my self, I know my home is always where my love & my heart is.

Now that I have my kitchen, my pots, pans, wooden spoons, & all the gadgets that make me quite content, I have been feeling inspired--& positively excited to cook again. I am delighted to partake in laughter, conversation, & meals with my friends, family, & the visitors that stop by here. Today I share with you a simple salad that sings the flavors of the harvest. Since the ingredients are hearty, this is a great one to pack for a lunch as it can stand up to being put together a early & eaten later. Enjoy!

an autumn salad: red kale, roasted beet, apple, red onion, & roasted honey-walnuts

serves 2-4

1 bunch of red kale, leaves torn & stems discarded
4-6 small beets (your choice), roasted, peeled, & sliced
1 small apple (I used a local honey crisp), sliced or diced
1 small red onion, sliced
1 cup roasted honey-walnuts (recipe below)

1. In a large bowl or platter, either toss the ingredients together or arrange them "decoratively."
2. Serve with the house dressing. 

roasted honey-walnuts
1 cup raw walnuts
1 TBL olive oil
1 TBL raw honey
1/2 tsp Maldon sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together the oil & honey. Thoroughly fold in the walnuts.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, & evenly lay out the walnuts. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for about 10 minutes. Keep your eyes on them--you don't want them to burn. Let them cool a few minutes before you start snacking on them.

house dressing
makes 1 cup

1/3 good balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
1 TBL raw honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
a pinch of sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Whisk vinegar, honey, mustard, & seasoning. Slowly add the oil until the dressing is thoroughly combined.

happy eatings & cheers!

apple, cabbage, & tuscan kale slaw. with a creamy lemon dressing. {grain-free & vegetarian}

14 September 2013

This beautiful salad is inspired by a side dish from our friends, Dustin & Natasha's, wedding. Their wedding was catered by a local (to them) BBQ called Spring Creek. The slaw was a simple BBQ style with crunchy sweet apples in it & I instantly adored the cabbage-apple combination. Here, I omitted carrots (which would be fantastic too), made the shreds & matchsticks bigger, added hearty Tuscan kale, some scallions, & early autumn apples. I elevated the usual sweet slaw dressing to a creamy, bright lemon dressing that compliments the sometimes dull flavor of raw cabbage. This very simple salad really exemplifies the teetering of the seasons, & would be perfect next to a decadent cheese burger or even a cozy, chilly evening meatloaf.

apple, cabbage, & tuscan kale slaw. with a creamy lemon dressing.

serves 4 as a side dish

for the slaw:

6 cups of green cabbage, shredded
1 heaping cup of lacinato kale (or any variety of kale that you prefer), shredded
1 medium sized apple, cored & cut into match sticks (I used a Paula Red apple)
1 scallion (green & white parts), cut on a bias
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

1. Add all of the ingredients into a large bowl & mix the dressing in thoroughly with your hands. Just roll up your sleeves & get your hands dirty--It is the best way to really cover everything with the dressing!

for the dressing:

1/4 cup of your favorite mayonnaise (I always use Vegenaise just because I love it's clean taste)
2 TBL extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, grated
zest & juice of half of a lemon
sea salt & cracked pepper to taste (but don't be too shy because the heartiness of the greens will need to be well seasoned)

1. Whisk all of the ingredients in a bowl, until combined.

happy eatings & cheers!

turkey club salad. with creamy Old Bay dressing.

This meal has all the components of comfort food, but it is a salad. The dressing is amazing. It is a great dip for gluten-free pretzels, veggies, drizzled on a turkey burger, the possibilities are endless. It is all apart of my Old Bay obsession (Old Bay on popcorn is the best!). This is filling & looks gorgeous.

turkey club salad with creamy Old Bay dressing.

serves 4

for the salad:

1 heart of romaine, roughly chopped

1 small head of red leaf lettuce, shredded

1 avocado, diced

1 ripe beefsteak tomato, diced

1/4 lb. of deli turkey, in thick slices, rolled up like a cigar & sliced into 1/2" strips

1. On a large platter, layer the lettuce, avocado, tomato, the bacon (recipe follows), the croutons (recipes follows), & nestle the turkey rolls into the salad. Serve with the creamy Old Bay dressing (recipe below).

for the bacon:

4 slices of turkey bacon

1 TBL maple syrup

1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard

1. Preheat the broiler on high. In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup & mustard. Line a pan with parchment paper or tinfoil & lay the strips of bacon down. Brush the maple-mustard mixture on the bacon.
2. Broil for about 5 minutes. Flip the bacon, brush the other side with the rest of the mixture & cook for another 4 minutes.
3. Cut the bacon into small strips.

for the croutons:

2 slices of sprouted grain or gluten-free bread

extra -virgin olive oil

sea salt

1. Toast the bread in the oven , in a toaster, on the grill, or in a toaster-oven--whatever you fancy. When the bread is done. Drizzle each slice with extra-virgin olive oil & add a pinch of sea salt. Stack on top of each other & cut off the crusts. Cut into 1/2" squares.

for the dressing:

1/2 cup vegenaise or mayonnaise

1 clove of garlic, minced or grated

1 TBL grapeseed or olive oil

1 TBL water

2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Whisk ingredients together in a bowl.

happy eatings & cheers!

garbanzo bean & raisin salad.

Classes are officially over, but I still have a bit more work to finish up. Needless to say, it has been really insane around here. We have a mountain of laundry, & I feel like the pile of dishes never seem to make it back into the cupboard. Luckily, we have remained in good eating habits, otherwise I would probably be even more exhausted.

Here is a quick, delicious lunch or side dish with bright flavors.

garbanzo bean & raisin salad.
serves 2

1 15oz can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup raisins
1 avocado
spinach or arugula for serving, roughly chopped

1. In a bowl, combine beans, raisins & half the dressing. 
2. Serve over a bed of greens, with avocado wedges & the rest of the dressing on the side.

dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 TBL chives
2 TBL fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 TBL maple syrup or raw honey
a pinch of cumin
sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Whisk together. 

Some pictures from a lovely spring Sunday frittata. For a similar one, click here.

happy eatings & cheers!

white bean, asparagus, & tomato salad with arugula pesto.

Thanks Latara for remembering to take a picture!

Happy May! Can you believe how time rushes us along?

Here is a healthy, Springtime salad that is a satisfying lunch or a perfect sided to maple-mustard salmon or  roasted balsamic chicken. 

white bean, asparagus, & tomato salad with arugula pesto.
serves 4-6

1 15oz can of cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1lb asparagus, ends trimmed & cut into 2" pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes (preferably mixed colors for aesthetic purposes), halved
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
a handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment & toss asparagus with a little olive oil & season with sea salt & cracked pepper. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the asparagus is tender, but still a little crunchy. 
2. In a large serving bowl, combine cannellini beans, asparagus, tomatoes, scallions & 1/3-1/2 cup of the pesto (recipe below); add pesto to your taste preference. Season with salt & pepper, & scatter with parsley to serve. 

arugula pesto

4 cups of arugula
3 TBL raw sunflower seeds
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Add arugula, seeds, garlic, sea salt & cracked pepper into a food processor. With the motor running, add oil. Store in the refrigerator, with a little olive oil to cover the pesto. There will probably be a some left overs from the salad. Suggestions: add to some Vegenaise for a pesto-mayo to use for a veggie dip or on sandwiches, use on a pasta, slather on some toast with some tomato slices, etc. 

happy eatings & cheers!

clementine & avocado salad with citrus dressing.

Fresh local greens, sprouts, sweet clementines & creamy avocado...I'm in.

clementine & avocado salad.
serves 2

4 cups of mixed greens
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup of clementine slices from a can or jar
1/2 cup sprouts
2 scallions, chopped
1 TBL sesame seeds, toasted

1. Toss all ingredients in a bowl with a 2 TBL of the citrus dressing. Serve the rest of the dressing on the side. 

citrus dressing. 
makes 3/4 cup

Juice from 1 lime
2 TBL juice from clementines
1 TBL rice vinegar
1 TBL pure maple syrup
1/3-1/2 cup of olive oil
a pinch of sea salt

1. Add ingredients into a bowl & whisk until combined. Adjust taste by adding a little more maple syrup if you want it sweeter or a little more vinegar if you want it a little more zingy.

happy eatings & cheers!

beet & avocado salad. {grain-free & vegan}

16 April 2013

Here is a delicious, dead simple salad from Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook It's All Good. I have been working my way through it, and have no complaints so far. I have made the Thai chicken burger twice...they are packed with delicious flavor. Besides, who doesn't love a burger? It really is all good!

beet & avocado salad.

Recipe from It's All Good

dressing: I found that this was way too much dressing for my preference, so I only used half on the beets. It is delicious, so the rest of it will be perfect on a nice, bitter greens salad. You could even whisk in some honey for a honey-Djion thing...

2 TBL Djion mustard
3 TBL white wine vinegar
2/3 olive oil
sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Whisk together in a bowl. 

salad:

1 lb. beets (steamed or roasted), roughly diced

1 avocado, diced

2 scallions (white & light green parts only), sliced

1. Toss the beets in with the dressing. Put on a serving platter. Scatter avocado & scallions on top. Serve immediately. 

happy eatings & cheers!

power salad with creamy dressing.

Jediah loved this salad. It is hearty & filling, it has great texture & colours. It's the bomb. To make this vegan or detox, skip the eggs.

power salad with creamy dressing.
serves 4

1 lb. arugula
2-4 roasted beets, diced (depending on how big they are)
8 soft boiled eggs
1 avocado, diced
3/4 cup of millet
1 1/3 cup of veggie or chicken broth (or water, broth just gives the millet more flavor)
sea salt & cracked pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup roasted-salted sunflower seeds
creamy dressing*

1. To make the millet, add to a dry pot over medium heat. Toast for about 5 minutes. Slowly add broth. Bring to a boil, & simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, & keep the lid on for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Season with salt & pepper, & a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
2. To serve, put everything out on a board, to let people make their own power salad. This would also be a great take away lunch, because everything can be make ahead. It can be eaten warm, cold, or at room temperature.

creamy dressing.*

3/4 cup Vegenaise

3 TBL water

1 TBL canola oil

1 TBL apple cider vinegar

2 scallions, chopped

2 TBL parsley, chopped

1 clove garlic, grated

sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Whisk ingredients together in a small bowl. 

happy eatings & cheers!

day 5. detox. lunch.

Spinach, roasted beets, onion slices & chopped walnuts with detox house dressing. 

happy eatings & cheers!

day 1. detox.

chicory salad with jasmine tea

Okay, so here's the deal. Back at the beginning of the year I did a detox/ cleanse, but honestly, I half-a**ed it. I did great with the food part, but not so much with the wine part, and that kind of defeats the purpose of a detox right? Plus I only did it for 14 days, whereas this time I will do the 21 day detox like I did back in the fall (which was amazing).

So anyway, I am half way through my final semester of my undergraduates program, I am exhausted, and feel not-so great. I am ready to be committed, so that I can push through until the end of the semester without completely losing my mind.

I will update you everyday, even if it is just a quick pic. The recipes, snack options & meals I share will be delicious, even if you are not detoxing.

lunch. chicory salad.
serves 2

1/2 head of leafy chicory, leaves torn
1/2 avocado, diced
1 small cucumber, diced
1 small carrot, peeled & then peeled into ribbons
1/4 of an apple, peeled into ribbons
1 TBL sunflower seeds, toasted
1 TBL of detox house dressing for each person

1. Toss all ingredients together in a serving bowl.

detox house dressing:
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 TBL raw honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
a pinch of sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Put ingredients in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid & shake vigorously. 

happy eatings & cheers!

brussel sprout, pear & goat cheese salad. {grain-free & vegetarian}

12 March 2013

Here is a quick & simple twist on your usual brussel sprouts. For this salad, I keep the sprouts raw, but you could always blanch them for a minute if you prefer. This is hearty, filling, but not too overwhelming...it reminds me of broccoli salad, especially with the play between sweet & savory. You can eat this simply, for lunch or as a side to a roast.

brussel sprout, pear & goat cheese salad. 

serves 4

1 lb. brussel sprouts, shaved
1 d'anjou pear, diced
1 shallot, diced
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted & chopped
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 serving of creamy house dressing
2 TBL flat leaf parsley, chopped

1. Toss ingredients together. Serve. 

happy eatings & cheers!

avocado & roasted sweet potato salad.

This warm salad has some great flavors & textures. This is great for lunch or would be perfect next to a simple roast.

avocado & roasted sweet potato salad. 
serves 4

2 large sweet potatoes (or 4 smaller ones), cleaned, dried, & cut into half moons...it doesn't have to be perfectolive oil
sea salt & cracked pepper
1 avocado, pitted & sliced
1 shallot, peeled & sliced
4-6 cups mixed greens
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 TBL sesame seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl add sweet potatoes a drizzle of olive oil, a generous pinch of sea salt & cracked pepper, and toss together. Place potatoes on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flip potatoes, & cook for another 15 minutes. The potatoes should have nice little char marks. 
2. Meanwhile, place greens on individual plates. Add about 4-6 sweet potato slices to each plate. Then add a few shallots on top of the potatoes. Then a few avocado slices. Drizzle 1-2 TBL of dressing over the sweet potatoes. Scatter 1 TBL of parsley over each plate & a pinch of sesame seeds. 
3. If you want to make it more casual, you can put the individual ingredients out on the table for people to make their own salad. 

creamy house dressing.
makes about 1 1/4 cup

2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 TBL plain Greek yogurt or creme fraiche
2 TBL maple syrup
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Combine in a medium sized bowl & whisk together. Or add to a mason jar & shake vigorously. 

happy eatings & cheers!

sweet sesame broccoli salad.

January flew by. I can't believe we are already venturing into the short month of February. It will be spring before I know it (yay! asparagus!).

While I am in classes, I like to have salads like this, & bean dips, packed in the refrigerator for a quick bite. This is a twist on my usual broccoli salad. It is a bit lighter, & the dressing is awesome. It would be perfect on some greens with grilled chicken.

sweet sesame broccoli salad.
serves 4

2 crowns broccoli, cut up into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup apple, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 TBL toasted sesame seeds

1. Toss broccoli, apple, onion & sesame seeds in a large bowl. Toss with dressing.

dressing:
4 tsp. tamari
4 tsp. rice vinegar
4 tsp. raw honey
2 tsp. chili-sesame oil
cracked pepper

1. Add ingredients into a mason jar & shake vigorously. 

happy eatings & cheers!

mediterranean quinoa salad.

Here is simple, refreshing salad for lunch or dinner. It is perfect for anticipating the heavy foods of Thanksgiving... 

mediterranean quinoa salad.
serves 2 main courses or serves 4 side dishes

for the salad:
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup red grapes, halved
1 English cucumber, diced
1/4 cup katamala olives, chopped
1/4 red onion, diced
3 TBL toasted almonds, chopped
3 TBL fresh dill, chopped
1 TBL fresh mint, chopped
sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Add dressing carefully, adding to your preference. 

for the dressing:
2 1/2 TBL Greek yogurt
2 TBL olive oil
1 TBL honey
1 TBL cider vinegar
a pinch of dried oregano
sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Add all ingredients in a bowl & whisk. 

happy eatings & cheers!

pink & green.

I love the textures happening here in this beet & quinoa salad. So lovely & simple. I basically got most the veggies from the farmer's market too. 

beet & quinoa salad.

serves 2-4

adapted from the Sprouted Kitchen

6 beets 

1 cup quinoa, cooked & cooled (cooking the quinoa in broth gives it a little more flavor)

1 leek, chopped

1 avocado, chopped

a handful of spinach, roughly chopped

a handful of cilantro, roughly chopped

a small handful of roasted, salted almonds, roughly chopped

agave dressing*

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rub olive oil over the beets & place them in an tinfoil packet. Put on the bottom rack for about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven & let cool. When they are cool enough to handle, peel them (the skin comes right off) & dice them. 
2. Meanwhile in a serving bowl add the rest of the ingredients & toss. You can add the beets in, or if you don't want everything to turn pink, you can add the beets right before serving (sprinkled on top of the salad). But either way, feel free to let it sit for a while & let the flavors develop before eating. 

agave dressing.

2 TBL extra virgin olive oil

1 TBL agave syrup

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

a super healthy pinch of sea salt & cracked pepper

1. Whisk together in a small bowl. 

happy eatings & cheers!

vietnamese chicken & cabbage salad.

I am always on the prowl for cool & easy summer salads...& being a sucker for salty-zingy Vietnamese flavors, this is a winner. I found this recipe & adapted from Momofuku's old blog Momofuku for Two. Their new blog is totally fantastic too, it's called I am a Food Blog--how brilliant!

Vietnamese chicken & cabbage salad.

2 cups cooked shredded chicken, cold

1/2 head of a small cabbage, shredded

1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1/2 cup basil, roughly chopped

3/4-1 cup fish sauce

juice of two limes

cracked pepper

1. Mix the fish sauce and lime juice together and toss all the ingredients. Taste and season with more fish sauce is needed. Enjoy cold!

happy eatings & cheers!

summer salad favorites.

 Mediterranean Inspired White Bean Salad 

 Greek Salad with Pita Bread

 Garden Salad with Grilled Pesto Chicken

 Tabbouleh 

Classic Chopped Salad with Bacon & Avocado with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette 

I love delicious, satisfying salads. These are some of my favorites that are perfect for hot weather & healthy choices. Win-win. 

Mediterranean Inspired White Bean Salad 

Perfect for a quick put together. Beans are a great source of protein & fiber. It is a great sided to grilled vegetables or an easy lunch...sometimes I even add a can of oil packed tuna.

1 can of your favorite white beans (I used Navy), drained & rinsed

1 organic tomato, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

a handful of olives (I used Spanish), pitted & torn

a handful of parsley, chopped

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 TBL red wine vinegar 

sea salt & cracked pepper

Garden Salad with Grilled Pesto Chicken

Easy & laid back. It can work for any time of year, just mix up the ingredients to whatever is in season--whether it is a summer fare, like here, or roasted root vegetables & spinach in the winter. 

2 boneless chicken breasts

homemade pesto or your favorite store-bought brand

olive oil

sea salt & cracked pepper

the garden salad is really based on what is in season, local or whatever you have on hand...

a head of lettuce or a spring green mix or even spinach

a big ripe tomato, sliced or cherry tomatoes, halved

spring onions, chopped or a sweet vidalia onion, sliced

a cucumber or peppers from the market, sliced

creamy dressing

--Preheat your grill or broiler. Brush olive oil over the cleaned chicken & season. Put the chicken directly on the grill (or on a baking sheet with a baking rack if it is for the broiler; and place under the broiler).

--Cook for about 7-8 minutes, then flip. Cook for another 4-5 minutes. Then add pesto over the chicken & continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. 

--Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes, then slice. 

--Put the chicken over the plattered salad & serve the dressing on the side.  

Classic Chopped Salad with Bacon & Avocado with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette 

This is one of our absolute favorites. It is like comfort food & the small amount of blue cheese is a perfect richness to the creamy avocado. So EASY, but feels so special .

3-4 cups greens or spring mix

1 tomato, sliced into wedges

3 scallions, chopped

1 avocado, chopped

2-3 slices organic turkey bacon, cooked on a cast iron or grill pan & chopped

cracked pepper

--Add all the ingredients in a large bowl or on a platter & toss together. Serve with the blue cheese vinaigrette. 

for the vinaigrette:

4 TBL olive oil

2 TBL red wine vinegar

1 tsp grainy honey mustard

1/4 blue cheese, crumbled (I used Blue Castello) 

a pinch of sea salt

--Put all the ingredients in a mason jar & shake until combined.

happy summer eatings & cheers!