on the menu : deconstructed fish “taco” salad

DECONSTRUCTED FISH “TACO” SALAD

Note to self:  When making fish tacos, do not forget the tortillas .  This is how my deconstructed fish “taco” salad came about.  I came home excited to chow down on one of my all-time favorite meals and realized halfway through cooking that I had forgotten to buy the tortillas.  So much for tacos!  But no worries, I quickly decided to turn my dish into a salad.

Actually, this all worked in my favor.  I was cooking with Turbot (only fresh wild caught white fish available that day) which is not ideal for fish tacos anyway (flakes way too easily, and too buttery in texture).  The crunchy cabbage and peppery arugula were exactly what the Turbot needed as it would have disappeared in a tortilla.

The purple cabbage is dressed in a zesty avocado vinaigrette to make the spiced up Turbot really scream ‘n’ shout bold flavors.  I think the saying goes, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.”  Likewise when you forget a seemingly important ingredient on your shopping list, just go with the flow, and you won’t be disappointed.

on the menu : sprouted “noodle” soup + strawberry fields salad

SPROUTED “NOODLE” SOUP + STRAWBERRY FIELDS SALAD

Sometimes, a simple soup and salad make the perfect meal.

The salad is a bunch of organic salad greens (baby kale, power greens), strawberries (still a little tart so perfect in salads), baby oranges (to balance the tartness of the berries), and dried fruit.  The vinaigrette is a concoction of lime, honey, balsamic, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

The soup was not supposed to be a soup at all, actually, but turned into one last minute.  I started out by sautéing red onions (for the salad).  Then I decided to quickly sauté some raw sprouts & legumes with the onions; just to impart some flavor.  I then thought it would be a good idea to add some liquids… before I knew it, I was pouring in a whole cup of vegetable broth and the sprouts turned into ‘noodles.’  It was the coolest thing and tasted awesome, so I went with it!

on the side : red cabbage slaw salad w/ zesty, creamy (vegan!) green dressing

RED CABBAGE SLAW SALAD W/ ZESTY, CREAMY (VEGAN!) GREEN DRESSING

First of all – HELLOOOO SPRING!  I’m taking full advantage of the beaming sunshine and warm temps.  After soaking in all of that vitamin D, I find myself yearning for something fresh and light.  Hmmm.. what to make.  What to make.

I saw a pretty red head of cabbage sitting in the fridge and my taste buds immediately told me to go with a slaw/salad.  I added some sweet (apples + raisins), texture (cashews + black sesame seeds), color and zest galore (see dressing).  The secret to my creamy yet super refreshing dressing is frozen green peas.

So easy, so delish, and leftovers the next day will be even better as the flavors fully marry into each other.

INGREDIENTS:

• Red Cabbage (1 head)
• Yellow Onion (1)
• Apple (1)
• Raw Cashews (Handful – chopped/crushed)
• Raisins (2 tbsp)
• Black Sesame Seeds (1 tbsp)
• Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper
• Dressing
  • Frozen Green Peas (1/2 cup)
  • Jalepeño Pepper (1/2)
  • Lime (1/2)
  • Meyer Lemon (1)
  • Honey (1 tbsp)
  • Vinegar (1 tbsp)
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Shred up red cabbage and place in a large salad bowl.
2. Finely chop up the yellow onion.
3. Drizzle some oil into a small sauté pan and add the chopped onions.  Turn the heat on medium low, season with salt + pepper, and allow the onions to caramelize.  Once done, remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, make the salad dressing by puréeing all ingredients in a food processor (remove the seeds from the jalepeño pepper prior to blending unless you’re yearning for heat).  Add a little water to thin out the consistency (your preference).
5. Cut up your apple into bite-sized pieces.  I peeled mine but feel free to leave the peel on if you so desire.  Add to the red cabbage and immediately spoon in some dressing to bring in acidity so the apples don’t turn brown.
6. Also add to the salad bowl the remaining ingredients – chopped cashews, raisins, black sesame seeds.  Toss together as you spoon in almost all of the dressing (leave a few spoonfuls for topping).

on the menu : weekly recipe round-up part… who knows?

WEEKLY RECIPE ROUND-UP PART… WHO KNOWS?

Welcome to another batch of home cooked meals, bundled up into one big post (aka I openly admit to procrastination in posting these when I made them).  Alas, enjoy .

WASABI SHOYU RAMEN

Inspired by a semi-recent trip to Ippudo in NYC, I made a healthier version of their only vegetarian ramen – wasabi shoyu ramen.  The broth is not overbearing in wasabi heat, but has just the right amount of kick to keep you going in for more.  I used brown rice noodles instead of traditional ramen noodles, added lots of vegetables, scallions, ginger, and sesame seeds for a no-guilt “ramen” dish.

KALE SALAD W/ BAKED MUNG-A-LAFELS, APPLES, + RAISINS

My go-to detox beans – mung beans make great imitation falafels.  I sautéed some onions and mixed them into the mung bean “batter” to add another layer of flavor, but these guys taste great with just their mung bean selves.  This time around I’ve added mung-a-lafels to some nutrition-packed kale (found aplenty this time of the year), crispy apples, and raisins.  The vinaigrette with a lemon juice base plays double duty by brightening up the dish and keeping the apples from browning.  Fun, colorful, playful, forkfuls of vitamins/nutrients/minerals/etc. = add this to your dinner menu now.

LEEK MUSHROOM + SPINACH QUICHE

A gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian quiche held together by silken tofu.  You don’t taste any tofu thanks to the fragrant leeks, earthy mushrooms, and leafy spinach.  Quiche is often associated with breakfast or brunch, but I find it makes a perfectly fitting dinner as well.  Minimal prep time, leave it alone while it cooks in the oven, all sorts of deliciousness and goodness packed in each bite.

THAI BASIL COCONUT RED LENTIL CURRY

I obsess over Thai basil – it’s crazy how the aromatics in this herb almost get amplified with heat.  This curry came together with a few simple ingredients – onion, scallions, garlic, ginger, red bell pepper, bean sprouts, red lentils (which turn orange/yellow when cooked) – all dancing in a smooth coconut milk base.  This is a nice, light curry that can easily be enjoyed on its own or with a side of brown rice.

DRESSED UP DOSAS

A lover of Indian food, I took the concept of dosas but gave it my own twist.  The sauce is a purée of beets, chickpeas, and lots of spices.  To combat the heat, I made a simple cucumber and tomato salad dressed with a little lemon juice and scallions.  I used a mixture of chickpea flour and water to create the dosas and dinner turned into ‘dosa night.’  You know, kinda like taco night, but with dosas.  We live on the edge .

CITRUS + AVOCADO ZEN SALAD

What makes a salad ‘zen?’  Nothing… really.  It’s just a marketing ploy, but hey, got me!  The zen mixture has some Asian salad greens mixed with traditional herb greens.  Sitting atop the zen greens are some pretty winter grapefruit, oranges, avocado, and lightly toasted pine nuts.  The vinaigrette is an emulsion of the citrus juices, balsamic, a little honey, a little mustard, salt + pepper.  This is a great way to take advantage of those bulk citrus sales at your local store.  Citrus pairs beautifully with avocado and will keep them bright green.  #namaste

PASTA CON LE SARDE ALLA PALERMITANA

My guess is that many of you are not huge fans of sardines or anchovies.  I’ll admit, growing up, I associated anchovies with anchovy pizza and that’s not the most attractive means of enjoying those omega 3 and calcium-packed guys.  I highly encourage you to ease into cooking with anchovies or sardines because they’re divine.  They don’t taste as fishy as they smell, they add a natural infusion of salt, and impart a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

This pasta is an inspiration from Palermo, Italy.  Primary ingredients aside from the anchovies and sardines are fennel tops, golden raisins, onion, saffron, dried red chile, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt + pepper.  Super simple, right?  And so delicious.  A true Palermian party in your mouth.

on the menu : roasted carrot salad

ROASTED CARROT SALAD

A little something light for the holidays, this salad still has those traditional sweet notes we often crave this time of year.  The sweetness of the carrots is balanced by the acidity of the vinaigrette and peppery arugula.  The crunch of toasted pine nuts is the perfect, nutty textural complement to each bite.

INGREDIENTS:

• Carrots
• Pine Nuts
• Raisins
• Arugula
• Maple Syrup
• Herbes de Provence
• Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper

on the side : jersey tomatoes w/ tomatillo pesto

JERSEY TOMATOES W/ TOMATILLO PESTO

New Jersey tomatoes at their peak are sweet, juicy, and plump.  Soft to the touch, they should be bright ruby red when you cut into them.  Their smell should waft throughout your kitchen.  They come once a year, and for that we patiently wait.  You can make this simple dish with home grown tomatoes as well.  The key is simply to harvest tomatoes at their peak and enjoy them in simple dishes like this one where you allow the fruit to shine.

INGREDIENTS:

• Jersey Tomatoes (2)
• Tomatillos (4)
• Lemon (1/2)
• Scallions (2)
• Basil (1/4 cup)
• Garlic Clove (1)
• Pine Nuts (1/3 cup)
• Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 F for the tomatillos.
2. Remove the husks off of the tomatillos, wash them well, cut in half and place face down on a baking sheet.
3. Roast the tomatillos in the oven until charred and bubbling.
4. In the last few minutes your tomatillos are cooking (give them roughly 15-20 minutes, maybe less) toast the pine nuts in the oven as well.
5. Place the roasted tomatillos and pine nuts in a blender or food processor.
6. Squeeze into the blender the lemon.
7. Chop up the basil, scallions, and garlic.  Add these chopped ingredients to the blender along with olive oil, salt + pepper.  Blend until smooth.
8. Dice up the tomato into bite-sized pieces and serve with the tomatillo pesto.

on the menu : citrus quiona salad w/ raisins + almonds

CITRUS QUINOA SALAD W/ RAISINS + ALMONDS

White quinoa is a grain that tastes just as good cold as it does warm.  Some grains need to be heated to be tasty (i.e. brown rice), so this is just another reason why I gravitate toward quinoa for so many of my dishes.

I also love that quinoa acts as a sponge to everything else going on in dish.  The flavors of this dish resonate with every bite thanks to the bind of quinoa.  The rest of the ingredients are just a classic combination of flavors I love in any salad – cucumbers, raisins, almonds, oranges – the right balance of sweet, savory, and above all fresh.  Think of your favorite salad and take those flavors to a bowl of quinoa. I guarantee you’ll love what you taste!

INGREDIENTS:

• Cucumber (1)
• Orange (1)
• Raisins (Handful)
• Lemon (1/2)
• Honey (1 tbsp)
• Sliced Almonds (Handful)
• Quinoa (1 cup)
• Oil
• Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook the quinoa according to package.
2. Quarter the cucumber, spoon out the seeds, and slice thinly.  Place in a salad bowl.
3. Cut up the flesh of the orange and add to the cucumber slices.
4. Also add to the bowl the raisins and sliced almonds.  Toss together.
5. Whisk together the lemon juice and honey with salt + pepper until emulsified.  Add to the salad bowl and mix with the ingredients.
6. Add the cooked quinoa to the salad bowl and toss all ingredients together.  Serve chilled or immediately.

on the side : raw broccoli + green bean salad

RAW BROCCOLI + GREEN BEAN SALAD

Searching for a fast, simple, healthy, tasty side dish for your next dinner?  Look no further!  I’ve got one for you that takes advantage of the bounty of summer green beans in your garden, at your farmers market, or on sale at your local grocer.

All you need to do in composing this dish is taking a few minutes to clean and chop up the vegetables, and another few minutes to create the vinaigrette.  So easy and can be done in advance and kept in the fridge too!  All of that simplicity and you’ll still find plenty of textural contrasts and flavor profiles to satisfy your taste buds.

Enjoy those warm summer nights while they’re still here .

INGREDIENTS:

• Broccoli (2 crowns)
• Green Beans (Large Handful)
• Sliced Almonds (1/4 cup)
• Orange (1)
• Miso Paste (1 1/2 tbsp)
• Honey (1 tbsp)
• Balsamic Vinegar (2 tsp)
• Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Chop up the broccoli and place in a salad bowl.  Slice up the stems as well and add to the bowl with the crowns.
2. Trim the ends off of the green beans and cut any long pieces in half.  Add to the broccoli and toss.
3. Place in a blender or food processor sliced oranges, miso, honey, balsamic, oil, salt + pepper.  Purée until smooth then pour into the salad bowl.
4. Mix together the broccoli and green beans; cover all pieces with the dressing.
5. Throw in the almonds, do another toss and serve.

on the menu : cantaloupe + jicama salad

CANTALOUPE + JICAMA SALAD

Mmm raw salads are perfect for hot, humid summer nights pushing 90+F temps.  I posted another savory cantaloupe salad the other day but yearned to do something more with the abundance of this succulent, sweet fruit.  So this time around I paired the cantaloupe with some jicama and a yummy pistachio vinaigrette.

One of my biggest goals, aside from sticking to the whole foods credo, is composing dishes that I have never tasted before.  This is an example of that and I was so pleasantly surprised by the outcome!  This is one of those #lickthedishclean meals.

Here’s a play-by-play.  Cantaloupe is juicy and incredibly sweet.  Jicama is starchy with sweet undertones, but needs the juice from the cantaloupe to bring out its flavor.  The two therefore go hand in hand.  The pistachio vinaigrette adds a pop of citrus, texture, and acts as a great bind for the jicama.  The capers tie the dish together with hints of salt.

INGREDIENTS:

• Cantaloupe (1/2)
• Jicama (1)
• Capers (1 tbsp)
• Raw Pistachios (Handful)
• Honey (2 tbsp)
• Lime (3/4)
• White Balsamic Vinegar (2 tsp)
• Water (2 tbsp)
• Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Remove the skin off of the jicama, cut in half or quarters (up to you!), and use a mandoline slicer to create thin slices.
2. Place the jicama slices in a bowl.
3. Place in a blender the raw pistachios, honey, lime, white balsamic, water, salt + pepper and purée until smooth.  The pistachios won’t and don’t need to grind down smoothly; I like the crunch that results from the bits being left.
4. Pour the pistachio vinaigrette over the jicama and gently toss to coat the slices.
5. Add the capers to the jicama, do another toss, and allow to sit for a good 20 minutes.  This will allow the starches in the jicama to break down and soak in the flavors of the vinaigrette.
6. Meanwhile, slice up the cantaloupe.
7. Plating – get creative!  I started out by creating a gallette out of the jicama slices and topped with cantaloupe.

on the side : raw vegetable salad w/ peanut vinaigrette

RAW VEGETABLE SALAD W/ PEANUT VINAIGRETTE

I get excited about raw salads in the summer.  What other season is it totally appropriate and sometimes necessary (hot, humid temps…) to stay away from the stove??  As we head into mid-August, there’s no excuse not to take advantage of summer’s fresh produce and eat raw.

This would also be great with bean sprouts or green papaya.  Really, dinner can’t get any easier and healthier!

INGREDIENTS:

• Zucchini (2)
• Celery Stalks (2)
• Carrots (4)
• Cucumber (1)
• Scallion (1)
• Peanut Vinaigrette*
• Sesame Seeds
• Nori

*Peanuts, Honey, Soy Sauce, Miso, Brown Rice Vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Thinly julienne all of the vegetables lengthwise (think thin spaghetti noodles) and place in a salad bowl.  Season with salt + pepper.
2. Place in a blender the peanuts, honey, soy sauce, miso, and brown rice vinegar.  Purée until well mixed (doesn’t need to be completely smooth).
3. Pour the peanut vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss to combine.
4. Allow the vegetables to marinade in the vinaigrette for about 15 minutes.
5. Toss in the sesame seeds and shredded nori.