Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Freekeh Salad

I haven’t been able to post in ages, but if I don’t post this recipe, I’ll forgot it and I DEFINITELY want to make it again.  This salad is delicious.  It’s complex without be fussy, unusual without being weird.  There are a few steps for a salad, but it really doesn’t take too long and you probably have most of the ingredients at home.  [Note: I substituted balsamic vinegar for the saba.]

Blue Apron recipe, serves 2, (I tripled the amount of Brussels sprouts)

https://www.blueapron.com/recipes/roasted-brussels-sprout-freekeh-salad-with-pickled-raisins-shaved-parmesan-hazelnuts

Miso-Roasted Vegetable Salad

Ingredients serves 2

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 sweet potato, about 1/2lb (Japanese sweet potato recommended)
• 1 purple top turnip (8oz)
• 2 scallions, white part only
• 1/4 cup sweet white miso paste
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp spice blend that includes white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, kibbled nori, and aleppo pepper)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Prep the vegetables.  Thinly slice the scallions on an angle, separating the white bottoms from the green tops. Remove and discard the kale stems; roughly chop the leaves. Cut the turnip and potato into 1/4-inch rounds.
3. Mix together the miso paste and 1/4 cup of water.
4. Place the  sweet potato and turnip on a sheet pan and drizzle with the miso-water mixture.  Toss thoroughly to coat.  Arrange in an even layer and roast, stirring halfway through, 20 to 22 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Combine the kale, sesame oil, white bottoms of the scallions, roasted vegetables, and spice blend.  Season with salt and pepper.

Original recipe from Blue Apron.

Asparagus, Avocado, Basil Salad

My friend Christina brought this salad to a party last weekend and I begged for the recipe.  It’s just so good!  She made the paleo diet version (no quinoa), but I added the quinoa to make it a bit more substantial (for a light lunch)– either way it’s quite tasty.

 

Ingredients

• 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (or so) pieces
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 ripe avocado, cut into cubes
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup quinoa (optional)
• mint leaves, handful (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the quinoa as per package directions (I like the pasta-type method, pot of boiling water, 15 minutes, drain and done).  Set aside to cool (spread on a baking sheet).
2. Steam asparagus for 5 to 7 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
3. Mix together in a large bowl all the ingredients.  Enjoy!

Thai-Style Grain Salad with Crunchy Seeds

I am absolutely delighted with this salad!  It is layered with flavor, relatively easy to throw together, and full of nutritious ingredients.  We have Bon Appetite magazine to thank for this one.

Ingredients serves 4

• 1 1/2 cups grains, freekeh is suggested but I used (and recommend) spelt, other substitutes include farro or wheat berries, cooked according to packaging (the cooking of these grains can take awhile, so plan ahead), cooled to room temperature
• 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted
• 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds, toasted [Note: I didn’t have any sunflower seeds on hand, so I just doubled the pumpkin seeds and loved the result, plus pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc.]
• 1 tsp lime zest (roughly one lime)
• 3 Tbsp lime juice (roughly two limes)
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp fish sauce (it’s smelly, but tasty)
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook grains and set aside to cool.
2. Toast seeds in a small, dry skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
3. Whisk together in a large bowl the lime zest, lime juice, oil, and fish sauce.
4. Add everything else to the bowl and mix.  Season generously with salt and pepper.

Roasted Cauliflower & Hazelnut Salad-Side

I have been completely remiss with maintaining this blog lately.  I’ve moved (back to the beachy ‘burbs) and although I’ve been cooking, I haven’t been able to justify time typing away when half my wardrobe is still sheltered in cardboard….  But I always forget about great recipes if I don’t etch them into my cyberspace recipe box, so I’m going to try to do a bit of catching up this weekend.  [Psst… I also want to mention that my new kitchen is far superior to my tiny cupboard NYC one, so cooking is even better now! I have my very first pot of splet simmering away at this very moment.]

I adore Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s cookbook Jerusalem (hence the multiple recipes I have already posted from this beautifully photographed book), but their terminology is not the same as mine.  This recipe is classified as a salad in Jerusalem and, to be fair, it is a salad.  However it’s not the type of green and leafy dish that conjures salad in my mind, so before you make this (very tasty) dish, think side or starter or some other liberal definition of salad.  One more note, I might have noshed on a good deal of the cauliflower before actually tossing everything together… so, you can always just stop at roasted cauliflower if it’s that type of day.

Ingredients serves 2 – 4

• 1 head cauliflower broken into small florets
• 5 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1-2 celery stalk cut at an angle into 1/4-inch strips
• 5 Tbsp hazelnuts
• 1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 Tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• salt and pepper
• Optional: to make it more salad-esque, add a few handfuls of salad greens like arugula or similar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
2. Mix the chopped cauliflower with 3 Tbsp of oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and some black pepper.  Spread out on a baking sheet and roast on the top rack for 25 – 35 minutes, until the cauliflower is crisp and parts of it have turned golden brown.
3. Decrease the oven temperature to 325ºF.  Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly and then coarsely chop.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the cauliflower, nuts, and all remaining ingredients including remaining oil.  Stir, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve at room temperature.  It tastes even better the next day.

Salad Dressing: Pomegranate-Apple Vinaigrette

This is my new favorite salad dressing.  It takes a few minutes to put together, but then you have this delightful sweet (but not overly sweet) and healthy vinaigrette.

Directions (Quantities here are pretty flexible, so experiment with it.)

In a blender, add the following and blend until smooth:

• Pomegranate seeds, about half a pomegranate
• 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed apple juice
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 – 4 fresh basil leaves (more if the leaves are tiny)
• 2 tsp honey
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp or less mustard (Dijon or powdered)
• a generous palmful of flat leaf parsley

 

This dressing goes well with shredded Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced apples, and crumbled blue cheese.

Lentils in Oregano Oil with Tomatoes

This recipe is filling and easy.  It is a great at home lunch (I can’t broil tomatoes at work, I don’t know about you) and it is certainly healthy.

Ingredients for 2 servings

• 1 tsp fresh oregano
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup cooked lentils
• tomatoes (2 or 3 small or medium, more if you are using cherry tomatoes)
• fresh dill (just a sprinkling)

Oregano-Flavored Olive Oil

1. Put approximately 1 tsp of fresh oregano is a mortar and pestle.  Add 1/4 tsp sea salt.  Smash and grind.
2. Gradually work in 2 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (the best you have on hand).
3. Work in 1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (or a bit more if you like lemon flavoring as much as me).

Avocado and Lentil Salad

1. Cook the lentils (1 part lentils to 2 parts water for cooking).
2. Toss some olive oil, salt, and pepper on the tomatoes and pop into the broiler (I use the toaster oven broiler for this) on an aluminum foil lined tray.  Depending on size, the tomatoes will be ready in 1o – 15 minutes.  The skin should start to shrivel and they should be fragrant and juicy.
3. Combine 1 cup of cooked lentils with 2 Tbsp of the flavored olive oil, season to taste.
4. Chop the tomato and add (juice and all) to the lentils.
5. Sprinkle fresh dill over the top (dried is not a good substitute; skip if fresh dill is not available).

Kale and Farro Salad

As the winter offerings at my local farmer’s market grow scarce, the bundles of kale grow bigger.  I think it’s a silent thank you for continuing to brave the winter winds to shop the market even after much of the color has vanished from the offerings.  There are still apples, cabbages, onions, and greens, but the vibrant hues of fresh produce has thinned.  In any case, I have an enormous quantity of kale in my fridge and so while I usually juice my kale, I thought I would try this unusual salad.

You must like coconut to proceed.  Toasted coconut flavor will dominate every mouthful of this salad and under that there will be a layer of Asian flare from the sesame oil and soy sauce.  I wasn’t certain after my first bite, but then I went for more, more, and eventually, a second helping.

This recipe, like so many of the ones I have been making lately, is from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Every Day.

Ingredients for 4 servings

• 3 1/2 cups lightly packed kale, chopped (or a bit more, be generous with your kale servings)
• 2 cups cooked farro
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut or 1 1/2 cups unsweetened, large-flake coconut (the first time you might want to go light on the coconut)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce (alternative suggested by Swanson are shoyu or tamari sauce, but I have never cooked with either of those)

Directions

1. Cook the farro and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
3. Whisk together the olive oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce.
4. In a large bowl, toss the kale and coconut.  Mix 2/3 of the oil mixture in and coat evenly.
5. Spread the kale across a baking sheet or two.  Bake for 12 – 18 minutes, until the coconut is golden brown.  Toss occasionally and make sure the kale doesn’t become too brown.
6. Mix in with the farro and add the remaining oil.  Serve warm.

Brussels Sprout Salad

After eating this delicious salad at Bar Americain, I tried to recreate it here with delightful success.  The original salad called for goat cheese, but I had blue cheese on hand (it tastes good either way).

Your tools and ingredients

•  The mandoline is VERY helpful for this recipe.  It cuts the Brussels sprouts and apple super thin. Obviously, you can make   this with just plain old knife skills, but I’m a fan of the mandoline.
• My Blue Cheese Apple Cider Vinaigrette is kept in the handy-dandy Mason jar.
• You know the rule about retrieving pomegranate seeds, right?  Slice in half, pare back white membranes, beat away (I use the flat end of a meat mallet), and, of course, be patient.
• A few Brussels sprouts go along way when shredding them, use your own judgement on quantity.
• A single apple, thinly sliced with yield several salads.
• Cheese, goat, blue, or other

Directions

1. Slice the apple and layer on the bottom of each bowl (this is the type of salad that is better platted in the kitchen– it will look impressive and everyone will receive the right ratio of ingredients).
2. Slice Brussels sprouts and mound on top of apple.
3. Add dressing and lightly toss (I am very sparing with the dressing).  Sprinkle more cheese on top if desired.
4. Top with pomegranates and enjoy.

Here’s my finished product (I am not, however, an expert– or even particularly good novice– photographer.  I will have to work on my iPhone skills

Another Variation

If using goat cheese, substitute the pomegranates for roasted beets.  In this variation, use an apple cider vinaigrette rather than the blue cheese one.  Here’s one option for a cider vinaigrette, mix together:

• 2 Tbsp apple juice or cider
• 3 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 5 Tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• black pepper to taste (I like a lot)

 

Or use my new favorite dressing: Pomegranate-Apple Vinaigrette