Category Archives: Recipes

The Anatomy Of A Salad

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Today the what is the anatomy of a great salad question came up again and I said ya know…. I should just post it, that way in the future it’s simply a link away!

The Anatomy Of A GREAT Salad:

purchase local and organic whenever possible.

start with salad greens – iceberg doesn’t count

add additional greens or bitter:  spinach, swiss chard, arugula, amaranth, kale, beet tops ..other?

rotate this from day to day, in other words – note: spinach is not the ONLY dark leafy green available

add fresh herbs: parsley, cilantro, dill  - other?

add 3-5 different colors of veggies: tri-color peppers, beets, carrots, purple cabbage, cucumbers, celery – cauliflower or broccoli sprinkles ( chopped fine vs florets), radishes, think color and think variety – the potential is endless – rotate this from day to day

add crunch: nuts, seeds, fried noodles

add fun: artichoke hearts, sprouts, cheese, avocado

consider also adding dried or fresh fruit

a salad combo i love to make – red leaf lettuce, baby spinach leaves, rainbow swiss chard strips, cilantro, hand sectioned grapefruit, avocado, green onion, pomegranite seeds and slivered almonds  ( seriously beautiful – this seasonal around thanksgiving – refreshing too )

another is greens, arugula, parsley mandarin orange, cucumber, red pepper w/ gorgonzola cheese and toasted walnuts

i make my salad dressings – i want to avoid sugar, artificial sweeteners and additives – in the fridge i currently have a thin buttermilk based blue cheese dressing  - i use yogurt instead of sour cream and i apply very little to a salad

another version of buttermilk salad dressing has serrano pepper in it – uh YUM!!

i make an avocado dressing also

a core vinegar and oil dressing is olive oil, modena aged balsamic vinegar, ( i use a 3/2 T oil to vinegar ratio) a small bit of prepared dijon mustard, clove of garlic smashed w/ salt and pepper rubbed into the bowl…any herb that catches your fancy …the one i have now has tarragon in it !!

LOTS of recipes online. I am certainly not a salad expert but folks seem to always enjoy them!

Voila – salad!!!

 

Do You Make Taboule?

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I get the hankering for Taboule a few times a year, perhaps it’s the “seasonal” ingredients I adore, or perhaps it’s the fact that it’s a refreshing and filling salad!!

Taboule is made with Quinoa – say KEEN _WA – a versatile high protein nutrient rich whole grain from the Andes, and one that is often tolerated by those with allergies to grain.

Cook one cup dried Quinoa in 2 cups water. Takes 12 minutes.

Mix with 1 C chopped parsley, 1/2 C chopped scallions, 2 T chopped fresh mint ( I always use more)  1 T chopped fresh basil, 1/2 C juice of a lemon, 1/4 C olive oil, 1-2 cloves Garlic chopped, 1/4 teas salt – i use sea salt and find a pinch is enough, loads of fresh ground white pepper.  I often need to add chopped tomato and crumbled feta cheese to my taboule. My version also smacks with garlic and mint, just my personal preference.

Ingredients for this salad were sourced from the certified organic Ackerman Farm - Angie promises me she will someday make this recipe, always asking me why I buy mint.   I love how Angie ties her bunches of herbs with yarn – a loving gesture somehow.  It makes me happy. She and her husband Tom are an integral part of my Saturday mornings at our Farmers Market.

 

 

Avoid Butter Packaging To Reduce PFOA Exposure

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20 years ago I started shifting my cooking, my pantry and my consumer choices to that which I felt was better and more healthy for me and my family.

At the time, like most folks I ate junk, drank pop, and I wondered why I didn’t feel very well.

The shifts started out small, one thing at a time. Took me two years before I felt my stride.

Since I’ve been an advocate for cooking scratch, eating organic, local and the alternative food market.

Many many years later, I am still making changes and still learning.

Goes to say that healthy living is a life long project, eh??

Last year I stopped buying canned beans and began making my own from dried to avoid BPA found in the lining of the can.  It’s not a hassle at all to make my own!! I save money, avoid the chemical and contribute in a small way to less in the landfill.

Recently in a green moms yahoo group it was shared that PFAO was in the wrappers of butter.

What??

The same chemical that coats teflon is what butter comes in ie; coated food packaging?

Geesh!!!

Beth Terry of a Plastic Free Life shared a link to this post/article.

Part of the article states: Food packaging is an egregious example of hidden PFC exposure.

UGH.

The article further talks about how most of us ( 98%) have traces of this chemical in our blood.

This food packaging chemical leaches into the butter.

Boy that makes me mad.

The solution?

Make your own butter!!

I thought,  I could do that !!

There are three ways I found to make butter, the food processor, a stand up mixer or a in a jar.

Loved the options – and the videos!! I chose the stand up mixer version because he said butter in 10 minutes and he was right!!! Each person had their own little nuance or different way, but the bottom line is it all ends up as butter!!

It was super easy and boy is this homemade butter ever delicious.

 

 

Kale, White Bean, Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup

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My taste palette is shifting to the savory, as the weather begins to shift to cooler temps.

are you finding this too?

this recipe is adapted from the back of a fava bean bag – something about it seemed like it would work with the kale and white beans i had on hand. add the sweet potato and italian sausage and this soup is seriously yummy.

I make my own beans, verses using canned. simply soak over night, simmered – one cup dried yields enough for my soup and enough for an additional jar of beans to freeze in the freezer.

Saute onion, garlic, and 3 links of italian sausage – i use mild, from a purveyor i trust who uses no additives and quality pork.

add cubed sweet potato, rosemary, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, and cracked black pepper

add 4 cups of stock- veggie or chicken, and 1 cup water – more if needed

add white beans, about 2 cups drained and a head of chopped kale

simmer until kale is wilted and potato is cooked through.

I’ve been promising to write this recipe up for here, i truly hope you enjoy!!

Swiss Chard

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the neighbor said take some chard.

happily!!

I use chard everywhere I use spinach. It’s a tad bitter – which I personally like. I adore it cut into strips in a salad, added to a veggie packed frittata and on it’s own I like it wilted w/a bit of garlic and topped w/ hard boiled egg and balsamic!  I use those amazing stems like celery for color and crunch.

Do you have any great recipes for chard??

image by karen hanrahan