Bird Bars

I recently visited my good friends Betsy, Fipp, and their newborn son James in Bloomington, Indiana (if anyone is a Parks & Rec fan, you understand why this was doubly exciting). The wonderful Betsy wanted to make sure I was well-fed for my plane ride home, so we stopped by the speciality co-op grocery store to grab some snacks on our way to the airport. Who knew there would be such a plethora of gluten / dairy / processed-free cuisine in Indiana? It's true. I had as many options as any kale-laden California Whole Foods could dream up. One of the things I grabbed was this housemade sesame and sunflower seed bar. I loved it; chewy, crunchy, rich, sweet, satisfying (Betsy, on the other hand, wasn't interested since she had Isabella's cookies at home). 


I had been meaning to make something like this for a while - an "energy" bar for a sweet super filling portable snack / dessert. And the sesame seed based dessert appealed to the Israeli in me. So the next morning back home, I found a similar seed bar recipe, cooked it up...and have been making them every week since. 


The combinations are endless, like granola. Pick your nuts, seeds, dried fruit if you like, binding agent, mix together and set in the fridge. This is just one variation, but we love it. Plus, it has oats for fiber and flax for brain to balance out the seed/nut fat content.

INGREDIENTS
oats (1/3 cup) gluten-free version if desired
unsweetened coconut (1/3 cup) I use shredded coconut, you can also use flakes
peanuts (1/4 cup)
cashews (1/4 cup)
sunflower seeds (1/4 cup)
toasted sesame seeds (2/3 cup)
ground flax (4 T)
honey (1/3 cup) I use Acacia honey for a low glycemic index; vegans can use maple syrup
peanut butter (1/3 cup) salt and sugar free

DIRECTIONS

1. Finely grind oats and coconut in food processor and then pour into mixing bowl.
2. Pulse peanuts and cashews in food processor until evenly ground. Leave slightly chunky. Add to oat/coconut mixture. 
3. Add sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and flax.
4. Melt and mix together honey and peanut butter in small pan. Remove from heat, let cool, then add to seed/nut mixture and combine with hands. Make sure everything is evenly mixed, it takes a sticky second.
5. Pour into 8x8"-ish glass dish and press down firmly (this is key) until it forms a solid brick mass. Cover and pop in the fridge.

Enjoy! xo, J

Basmati Rice with Peas & Curry Leaves

Justin's Aunt Jackie bought us a great Indian cookbook for the holidays (Best Ever Indian Cookbook) and it inspired us to stock our cabinet with the staple spices necessary for making most Indian dishes. This is the first rice we tried and it came out wonderfully. It's definitely a side dish more than an entree, so we paired it with a "South Indian Lentils & Vegetables" recipe we found in the book (to be posted soon).

INGREDIENTS
basmati rice (1 1/2 cups) wash well and soak for 30 minutes; I use brown basmati rice to maximize nutritious value
oil (1 T)
curry leaves (6-8)
mustard seeds (1/4 t)
onion seeds (1/4 t)
fresh fenugreek leaves (2 T) I have only tried this with dried leaves
garlic (1 t) crushed
fresh ginger root (1 t) grated
salt (1 t)
peas (1 cup) I used frozen, but fresh would be even better; do not used canned, however - they don't maintain as much nutritious content and they are too mushy
water (2 cups)


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Saute all seasonings with oil for 2-3 minutes.  
2. Drain the rice after soaking for 30 minutes and add to the pot stirring gently.
3. Add the peas and water, bring to a boil, then lower and cover for 15-20 minutes. You'll know it's done when you see little air holes punctured in the rice.
4. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork careful not to mush the rice.

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

Lebanese Collard Greens & Cinnamon Lentil Soup

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com by Farah Momtaz. I can't find much about her other than 1) she hails from Beirut, Lebanon and 2) she concocted this mean soup recipe I really love. The ingredients are simple with a very flavorful result. 


INGREDIENTS
olive oil
onion (1 large) chopped
salt (2 generous pinches)
dry red lentils (1 cup) thoroughly rinsed
water (6 cups)
collard greens (1 bunch) stems removed (they are bitter) and thinly sliced
ground cumin (1 T)
ground cinnamon (1 t)
garlic (2 T) minced
lemon juice


INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a soup pot, saute the onions and salt until translucent. Add the lentils and stir for a minute. Add water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover until lentils soften, about 15 minutes.
2. While lentils are cooking, saute collards until wilted.
3. Add collards, spices and garlic to lentils. Simmer for 10 more minutes or so. Serve with freshly squeezed lemon juice, maybe some zest.

xo, J

Chia Pudding

I need snacky things around the house at all times. I eat constantly throughout the day and crave a variety of options that cover the sweet and savory spectrum; things I can scoop, spread, or just spoon by the mouthful. I've been meaning to try this recipe for a while, and finally got around to it today. If you like gelatinous pudding (similar to many Asian dessert and beverage specialties), then you'll love this. It's also very nutritious (packed with omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fiber) and filling. It's meant as a foundation recipe and you can build the flavors from here. 


INGREDIENTS
chia seeds (2/3 cup)
almond milk (2 cups) or any other dairy-type liquid you want
vanilla extract (1/2 - 1 tsp)
honey or maple syrup optional, but it will not be sweet without


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix everything thoroughly combine. Refrigerate overnight. 
2. To serve, stir well. Top with desired garnishes.

VARIATIONS
cocoa powder 
cashews blend together with the chia seeds before refrigerating overnight
tea chai, earl grey for spiced or earthy flavor; heat up the milk, infuse it with the tea, and re-cool
cinnamon


TOPPINGS
shredded coconut
maple syrup
fresh or dried fruit
sliced almonds
flax seeds
honey
lemon rind

xo, J

Radish Avocado Open Faced Sandwich

The radish is one of those things I never really know what do with. I roast them, slice them for crudités or salad extras...but the star of a main dish? I found this great open-faced sandwich recipe on Martha Stewart. I made it the other day for lunch and many more times since. The radish and lemon are bright and refreshing, the avo buttery and meaty. It also manages to stretch a few radishes and a little bit of avo into a full meal.

INGREDIENTS

avocado sliced (so it lays on the bread properly without wriggling around like slippery fish)

radishes super thinly sliced

olive oil

lemon juice

lemon zest

salt

pepper

bread toasted; I use Food For Life brown rice bread and pick it up at Trader Joe's

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Toss the radishes with everything (except the bread, of course). Do the same with the avocado in a separate bowl. Season to taste.
2. Pile the avo on the toasted bread, then the radishes. Finish with some zest.

If you want to bring this to work, just keep the radishes and avo separate until you assemble the meal. Enjoy!

xo, J