Broiled Zucchini Ribbon Salad

I'm sneaking this in before the last remnants of summer completely sneak away. I've been meaning to post this dish all season since I've made it so many times that it's embarrassing to say and even more impossible to calculate.

I first made this salad when the inspiring Simran gifted me what has become one of my favorite (and at times most treacherous) kitchen tools: the mandoline. I wanted to ribbon and shred everything. I owned a (much more expensive) mandoline before, but it was clunky and difficult to use. This one is elegant, easy to use...and featured on Ratatouille! Just be extremely careful with your precious digits, I've had my own severe accident...or two.

To put my mandoline to good use, Simran sent me a recipe, "...thin strips of zucchini under the broiler then mixed with lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, capers, olives, roasted red pepper, roasted tomatoes, s&p." I ended up making many variations of this salad all season long; the broiled olive oiled zucchini ribbons dressed with lemon and salt alone is brilliant. I also started playing around with broiling everything instead of baking. Pita chips: broiler. Green beans and shallots: broiler. Crispy tofu: broiler. Zucchini ribbons: broiler!

Although this salad is amazing in its simplest form, here is my ultimate favorite variation. I've enjoyed it alone as a meal, wrapped up in a toasted tortilla, served as a side to guests, mixed in with dill and quinoa - just some ideas.

INGREDIENTS
zucchini (2 per person) thinly and uniformly ribboned; a little thicker than paper thin
cherry tomatoes halved
olive oil
coarse salt I use ground pink Himalayan or Kosher
black cured olives cut into pieces; I use kitchen scissors
capers
lemon

DIRECTIONS

1. Toss the zucchini and tomatoes separately with olive oil and salt.
2. Lay zucchini out on baking sheets; don't overlap otherwise they'll cook unevenly. Then lay the tomatoes out on a baking sheet.
3. Pop your sheets in the oven, broil on high and watch closely since broiling burns food easily. Every broiler is different, but make sure you only use the one rack closest to the heat. Cook until just golden. 
4. Toss zucchini and tomatoes together with lemon, olives, capers.

That's it! Enjoy with the last bit of zucchini you have left!

xo, J

Crispy Tofu & Peppery Shaved Celery

This is based on a dish from Mark Bittman's 101 Summer Salads. I've had this list magneted to our fridge for almost a year, but its recipes truly shine during the summer. I've tried about a dozen of these salads, and so far, they vary in greatness. But man, the tasty ones are so brilliant, it's worth some trial and error to sniff them out. The genius of these salads is their SIMPLICITY; their minimalist ingredients, instruction, and effort. Bittman gives you a great starting place and it's playtime from there. I had a lot of fun with this one. The celery is a refreshing crunchy contrast to the warm crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside tofu. It's filling, a standalone meal. You could throw in some orange juice and zest for the tofu glaze, serve over rice/quinoa or by itself.

INGREDIENTS
celery (1 stalk bunch) sliced a little thicker than paper thin; I use my mandolin for this, but can be done by hand or maybe with food processor attachment
organic (preferably sprouted) extra firm tofu (15.5 oz) pressed between paper towels with weight on top for at least 30 minutes to soak up the water (this allows the tofu to crisp up and absorb flavor better), then diced into small cubes
peanut or olive oil (1 T) or as much as you want; I always use as little oil as I can get away with
peanuts (1/3 cup) crushed
chili flakes (1/4 t)
freshly ground Szichuan or regular peppercorns
tamari or soy sauce
toasted sesame seeds
lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Beat some oil and tamari together. Spread the diced tofu out on a baking sheet then brush them with oil/tamari mixture. Pop in the oven and broil until golden crispy.
2. In the meantime, heat up oil in a small saucepan until slippery, then add red chili flakes to infuse the oil. After a minute or so, add the crushed peanuts and stir until golden and aromatic.
3. Toss shaved celery, sesame seeds, spicy peanuts, crispy tofu, fresh ground pepper, and tamari together, finish with squeezed lemon to taste.

Enjoy! xo, J

Plum & Avocado Salad

Spring and summer are about salads. Fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs all in crazy mix. Stonefruit is my favorite star of the season, so I am thrilled to find this dish dreamed up and posted by the talented Lena on Food52. I have a few adjustments for my taste (and belly) - dial down the buttery avocado so it just accents the forkful of plums, kick up the garlic to nudge everything in a more savory direction, and drastically reduce the olive oil since I don't need a lot (and it doesn't compromise the integrity of the dish). I also assemble the ingredients in one bowl (laziness) instead of prepping the dressing and avo/plums separately. The lemon and finishing salt really bring the whole medley to life. This has become a summer staple for me this season - breakfast, lunch or dinner.

INGREDIENTS
garlic cloves (2) crushed
cilantro (1/2 cup) 
olive oil (1-2 T) I use just enough to make a nice chunky paste, but feel free to add as much as you want to get more of a dressing consistency 
chili pepper flakes (1/2 t) or more if you like it hot
finishing salt I love Maldon or pink Himalayan
plums (2-3) peeled (a peeler works great) and cubed into small chunks; you want the plums firm enough so they hold their shape, but ripe enough so they develop sweetness; pluots are great as well
avocado (1/2) cubed
lemon (1 small) freshly squeezed



INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mash up the garlic with a little salt, chili pepper, cilantro and olive oil into a chunky paste.
2. Add the plum and avocado chunks, squeeze the lemon juice on top and sprinkle some pinches of salt. 
3. Without mashing the avo, gently toss everything together by hand.
4. Let rest for a moment so the flavors have chance to settle.
5. Add more salt and/or lemon to taste.

Enjoy!

Moroccan Carrot Salad

I have great affection for this salad. My Israeli roots are partly to blame. I grew up visiting my family there and frequenting restaurants where warm pita and a meze of vegetable and pickled salads were complimentarily served. The moroccan carrot salad was usually among them. This culture of immediately serving a guest with several dishes started in the home; whenever I visited someone's house, they would immediately bring out a collection of different foods - olives, nuts, cheeses. It made a huge impact on me, being fed, taken care of in someone's home. And with enough options to ensure there was something for me to enjoy. Ever since then, whenever a guest comes through our door, I immediately (and excitedly) put out a mix of grubbery for them.

The moroccan carrot salad is incredibly popular across Middle Eastern cuisine and can be served raw or cooked. Although the raw is more nutritious, I am a sucker for the savory flavor of the cooked variation. It's spicy, refreshing, and has become a staple in our home.

INGREDIENTS
carrots (8-10) peeled (it's important to peel them otherwise the skin becomes dry and flaky after cooking)
garlic cloves (2) crushed
cayenne pepper (1 t)
fresh lemon squeeze (2 T)
oil (1 T)
salt (1 t)
ground cumin (1/2 t)
flat or curly parsley chopped
zhug or harissa (1/2-2 t) optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Get a pot of water boiling.
2. In the meantime, stir all ingredients together except the carrots and parsley and set aside; this will give the dressing some time to harmonize together while the carrots cook.
3. Once the water is boiling, drop in the carrots until they soften. About 20 minutes. Don't overcook, it's nice to have some firmness in them (plus you retain more nutrients as a bonus).
4. When they reach the desired softness, strain and let cool.
5. Slice the carrots into coins and toss with the dressing and parsley. Let cool in the fridge for at least an hour. It makes a big difference in overall flavor.

Enjoy! xo, J

Arugula & Roasted Asparagus with Sweet Potato Chips

I shamefully don't cook with asparagus nearly enough, but after getting some in our farm delivery this week and making this salad, I want to cook with them all the time. Asparagus is awesomely versatile, so this is just one of many ideas. I found it on this fantastic Colombian food blog (where you can find things like Tres Leche Rice Pudding and Empanadas) and changed it up a bit to my taste.

SALAD INGREDIENTS

arugula

asparagus cut at a diagonal into 1" pieces

sweet potatoes (2 small) sliced into chip size, about 1/4"

olive oil

salt

DRESSING INGREDIENTS

dijon mustard (1 T)

fresh lemon juice (1/4 cup)

olive oil (1/4 cup or less to taste)

cumin (1/4 t)

garlic clove (1) minced 

salt 

pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 400°.
2. Mix your dressing ingredients together so it has time to settle and come together.
3. Toss your sweet potato slices with oil and salt. Pop into the oven. 
4. Toss your asparagus with oil and salt.  Pop into the oven.
5. When the asparagus is tender yet still crisp, take out of the oven and cool.
6. When the sweet potatoes are golden and crispy, take out of the oven and cool.
7. Toss the arugula, asparagus, and dressing together. Lay the sweet potato chips on top.

Enjoy!

xo, J

Arugula Mint Salad with Curried Tomatoes

The chopped mint and arugula are fresh and bright, the cherry tomatoes sweet and savory. I pulled it from Mark Bittman's 101 Simple Salads that we have magneted to our fridge. Like all the salads on this list, the flavor combination is simple and surprising; something I wouldn't have thought of, but makes wonderful sense. I encourage trying any of the salads on this list that speak to your palette. None of them have disappointed me yet. And there's something for everyone on there if this one freaks you out.

INGREDIENTS

arugula chopped

mint chopped

fresh lime juice

olive oil

cherry tomatoes

curry

DIRECTIONS

1. Saute whole cherry tomatoes in olive oil on high heat. When the start to brown, sprinkle with curry. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. Toss tomatoes with chopped arugula, mint, and squeezed lime to taste.

Enjoy!

xo,

J

Delicious Lentil Salad

You can't beat this lentil salad, it's easy, great eaten hot or cold and is absolutely delicious! Serve it as a side or eat it as a meal...this salad is soooo good. I usually double the recipe and eat it all week.


INGREDIENTS
green lentils (1 cup) rinsed
water (2 cups) warm
broth (2 cups)
garlic cloves (5) lightly crushed and peeled
bay leaf (1)
olive oil (2-3 T)
white wine vinegar (2-3 T)
kalamata olives (1/2 cup) pitted and chopped
fresh parsley (1/2 cup) chopped
large shallot (1) chopped
lemon (1/2)  juiced
crumbled feta cheese (1/2 cup) optional


DIRECTIONS
Soak lentils in warm water for 1 hour. Drain lentils then put them in medium pot with chicken broth, bay leaf, garlic and salt. Bring to boil, then simmer for 30-45 min. or until soft. Meanwhile, make dressing mixture. Drain lentils, remove bay leaf and garlic. 


Dressing mixture:
Whisk olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice. Combine mixture with shallots, olives and parsley.
Pour over lentils and mix well. Add feta.


Serve hot or cold.


Bon Appetito.
Robyn

Tahini Salad with Roasted Chickpeas

I've been going garbanzo crazy since starting a plant-based diet. They're chock-full of fiber, iron, calcium, a bit of vitamin C, and have a very low GI for slow-releasing energy. I've always loved them (hummus holds a special place in my heart), but am newly discovering their incredible versatility (i.e. vegan cookie dough). I came across roasted garbanzo beans on the Whole Foods site and thought it would turn any romaine-type lettuce into a great salad. I looked up tahini dressings until I found this one by Mark Bittman. I've had it two days in a row now for lunch. Cheap, nutritious, filling and delicious.



INGREDIENTS
Roasted Garbanzos
garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
pimenton or paprika
cayenne
olive oil
lemon juice
salt
Tahini Dressing
tahini (2 Tbls)
cumin (1/4 tsp or to taste)
lemon juice (1/2 tsp or to taste)
garlic (1 small clove) minced
salt
water


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 425º, mix all garbanzo ingredients together, spread out on a cookie sheet and pop in the oven until crispy. About 40 minutes. Shake cookie sheet a couple times to prevent burning. (Make sure they retain a bit of softness in the center, otherwise your jaw will get a strenuous workout - I made this mistake when Brent & John came over the other night for dinner.)
2. Whisk dressing ingredients together. Use drops of water to thin consistency. Hand massage into lettuce. Garnish with roasted garbanzos (and flaxseeds if so inclined).

Ready to serve! xo, J

Blanched Spinach Salad with Sliced Almonds

Everything I cook, I ask Justin to rate it on a scale from 1-10. Things generally fall in the 7 category for him, sometimes they strike a 5 or a 9, and nothing has yet to reach a 10. There are good recipes and great recipes. This is a great recipe.

We are pulling from Mark Bittman's 100 Simple Salads list these days for the greens in our fridge and I came across this recipe and revised it a bit. The softened spinach maintains some form and bite, the dressing is subtly rich and sweet, the capers add an elegant brightness and nuts a warm, crunchy, meatiness. I was blown away, maybe you will be, too.

INGREDIENTS

spinach preferably fresh, not bagged; cleaned of stems and dirt

olive oil

balsamic vinegar I use a gluten/sugar free variety

capers

sliced almonds the original recipe called for pine nuts, but I didn't have them and used sliced almonds instead - really delicious

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl large enough to toss your spinach, whisk together olive oil with just a bit of balsamic.
2. Blanch the spinach. Timing is key to get the texture right; the second you dunk the spinach in boiling water, immediately drain and plunge in iced water to stop its cooking process. Make sure your water is strongly bubbling before submerging the spinach and your colander and super cold iced water is ready to go.
3. Gently squeeze spinach dry (careful not to mush it) and maybe even soak up some extra water with paper towels. Roughly chop.
4. Toast some slivered almonds until golden.
5. Add the spinach to the oil/vinegar dressing and fold in the capers using your fingers to toss everything together. 
6. Top with the hot golden almonds. Serve immediately.

xo, J

Mustard Garlic Salad Dressing

INGREDIENTS 
fresh lemon juice
olive oil half the amount of lemon juice used, but I prefer 1/4 of the lemon juice used 
dijon mustard 
garlic finely minced
salt
pepper
parmesan cheese coarsely grated
flax seeds optional, I am on a flax seed kick these days for the crunchiness and texture
whatever veggies you want


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Whisk all ingredients together (except for the parmesan and flax seeds).
2. Hand massage into lettuce, then add the cheese and flax seeds.

Love, J

Beans Beans (they're good for your heart...)

Toot toot!  We all know what beans are really good for, but for those of us who don't mind a little musical chairs, I've recently concocted my own recipe for a yummy, easy bean scene that actually doesn't make you fart (that much). Furthermore, this recipe employs my go to arsenal for deliciousness, and is comprised of hard hitting antioxidant super foods.  So with or without beans you can mix the rest of the ingredients up for a salad dressing with a nice kick, a great marinade, and pretty much anything besides cupcakes.

First of all, I was resisting the consumption of beans for a long time now, for the aforementioned reason, however, I've been reading all these books about nutrition and trying to lean into a more plant based diet and away from meat as my go to protein source.  As such, I've recently commenced a love affair with legumes and this is what I do.

INGREDIENTS
eden beans (1 can) any kind of  Eden beans, but garbanzo is great - this company is recommended for a less gassy experience, available at Whole Foods
onions
garlic
lemon
vinegar
salt
pepper
cumin
paprika
parsley
basically any other spice you like

DIRECTIONS
I rinse the beans and get the water as clean as possible and then soak for a few hours or even overnight.


I then FINELY chop up 1/4 onion, a clove of garlic, and the parsley, squeeze half a lemon, throw in some vinegar, all my spices and mix it up with the beans.  Be conservative with the spices and then add more to taste.


Presto, the beans hang out in my fridge and when I'm hungry and need a little protein, or want to throw in a salad for  a little extra oomph, it's my go to.  Really filling and really tasty.  Of course you'll be a little garlicky/onionish breath wise, but all in the name of one of the most nutritious, filling, low cal food options out there.


xx Karinee Weenie

Lemon Pecorino Kale Salad

This is the dish people have actually called me up about to get the recipe (maybe because it feels so good on the belly). And it's absurdly easy. 

INGREDIENTS

curly kale (1 bunch)

olive oil (1 tablespoon)

lemon juice (1-2 tablespoons*) fresh

pecorino cheese (1/3 cup) thinly grated, but not too fine otherwise it will dissolve in the dressing

flax seeds (to taste, optional)

salt (to taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat the olive oil and lemon juice together so it makes a dressing. 
2. Remove all the stems from the kale (they are bitter), stack the leaves, and slice onto 1/4" strips (this is key for texture and getting it well dressed).
3. Mix the kale, dressing, grated pecorino, and flax seeds all together with your hands. Salt to taste.

*I use more lemon than oil for my palette.  If it's too lemony for you, use more oil.

Fennel Salad

I am giving life without gluten and high GI foods a try. I developed some acne after hitting my late 20s / early 30s, and wanted to give this remedy a whirl after speaking with the lovely Natalie Lapointe. This is day one, and I am already inspired by my forgotten veggie recipes. It's crazy how much there is to eat out of the ground. Even if I eat a snickers tomorrow, it's really nice to shake up my food rut a bit.

Serves 2

fennel bulb (1) sliced paper thin

lemon (1 tbs) freshly juiced

olive oil (splash)

thyme (1 tsp) chopped

parsley (1 tbs) chopped

salt (to taste)

Cut off the fennel fronds, base, and core. Slice paper thin. Throw in everything else and mix with hands.  

If you want, experiment with more thyme and parsley, the flavor changes tremendously with these quantities.

Israeli Salad

Nothing fancy, but close to my heart.  I dice the veggies as finely as possible (without making it into a gazpacho) - that way each bite is nicely balanced.  Israeli Salads are deeply personal.  The ratio of everything is completely up to your palette, but this is the recipe my tongue personally loves (Serves 4):

Not the finest dice, but yummy still!

persian cucumbers (5) diced
small tomatoes (5) diced
red onion (3/4) diced
olive oil (1 T)
lemon (1) squeezed
salt & pepper to taste


*Word about the tomatoes: one of my all time favorites is the Japanese aka Tough Boy aka Momotaro tomato. It is super sweet and flavorful...and expensive and usually only available at Farmer's Markets or the like.  So!  I usually end up using tomatoes on the vine from any grocer.