Spring Kohlrabi Salad

So I don't really remember why we got it going, but somehow an old college roommate and I have started a little farmer's market Facebook game.  It's called "Can you guess the vegetable?".  The whole thing cracks me up because before I met this roommate, she was never into cooking.  A few lessons in our tiny apartment kitchen started what I like to think of as a deep appreciation for getting her bake on, and I'm happy to take all of the credit!

Our game goes a little something like this-

1. I visit the weekly market here in town.  I generally get inspired to take a bunch of photos while wandering from tent to tent, so I snap a few as I go.

2. I post a picture of something odd or particular to Germany and she guesses what it might be (though she has gotten it right, more times than not).

I usually get some odd looks from the Germans selling their goods when I break out the camera or my phone.  It's like they can't figure out what could be so picturesque about their crates and stacks of fruits and veggies.  Of course, to me not much (except my gorgeous kiddos) could be any prettier.  Sometimes stealth is the wisest way to get a great photo, as is the case with the lovely older lady who had no idea I was taking pictures of the gently stacked flowers in her shopping basket this morning (so pretty!).

Last week's guessing game centered around the kohlrabi.  It's a totally alien-looking veggie that I had never encountered before moving to Germany.  Though I've noticed it's growing popularity in the US.  My roomie didn't know what it was, but my awesome sister guessed it right away.  I love kohlrabi raw- it's crunchy and juicy very much like an apple but with a sweet earthy flavor reminiscent of broccoli (it's a cousin after all) and cabbage.  But it's also great tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted along with root veggies.

The conversation that ensued after  disclosing the identity of the "mystery veggie" last week inspired me to make sure I picked up some kohlrabi this week.  As I walked around the market this morning I found several farmers selling giant green heads of it so I had my pick.  Yea me!  My basket also filled up with all sorts of late winter and early spring stuff and I could absolutely feel the transition in the air.  The warm sun, the bushels of tulips, radishes, spring onions.  It was like a perfect storm of inspiration.

I could feel the hibernation of winter shaking off.  The salad that I created when I got home was only the first step.  Hopefully the next few will take me towards asparagus and strawberries.  Then on to the beautiful apricots that lead the way to everything that is delicious and wonderful about summer.  In the meantime, the leftovers of this first salad of many are waiting for me to dig into again tomorrow.

Sweet!

Spring Kohlrabi Salad
Serves 6 as a side dish.
For the printable recipe, click here.

This crunchy salad is more like a slaw than a traditional salad.  Lots of texture and a great balance of flavors.  The dressing is light and slightly tangy with buttermilk and lemon.  I like the nuts in the salad, but you can certainly leave them out if you have nut issues.  Today I used almonds but would have tossed in walnuts if I had them.  Both are equally delicious in the salad.  And as a bonus, this is one salad that keeps well so it's perfect to make ahead or take along to a potluck or BBQ.  One further note- kohlrabi has very thick skin so you definitely need a good sharp peeler.  It might even take two passes to get all of the skin away.

1 pound kohlrabi (1 large head), peeled and sliced thinly into matchsticks
1 medium sweet apple such as honeycrisp or pink lady, sliced thinly into matchsticks
2 or 3 radishes, diced or sliced into matchsticks
1 small spring onion or 1 scallion, thinly sliced
2 tbs chopped parsley
3 tbs sliced almonds or chopped walnuts

1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp honey
1 1/2 tsp whole grain or dijon mustard

Place all the salad ingredients into a large bowl.  In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk, lemon juice, honey and mustard.  Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently.

The salad can be kept in the refrigerator overnight in a sealed container.

Honey Poppyseed Salad Dressing

I've been playing a bit of a disappearing act lately.  In the words of Indigo Montoya (who doesn't love The Princess Bride?).  "Let me 'splain...No, there is too much.  Let me sum up."

The third trimester of this pregnancy has hit me hard.  Between the 90 degree days that completely sap me of any energy and the crazy humidity that comes with weeks of pouring rain and causes amazing swelling in all my joints, I've been a bit out of commission.  Then there's the incredible back pain that seems to hit somewhere around noon every day.  But the thing that's been the biggest struggle of late is trying to get my high blood sugar under control. 

If you've been a reader for a while, you will by now recognize that I have a bit of a sweet tooth.  And it's hard for me to pass up a slice of bread or croissant if one crosses my path (okay, I really mean near impossible).  How can I just ignore the breadbasket sitting on my counter?  But I know how to seek out whole grains and, fortunately, am able to make my own breads and have a whole variety to choose from at my fingertips here in Germany.  Interestingly, I've found out that I enjoy spelt quite a bit.  Testing my blood sugar 6 times a day has made me accountable for every little thing I pick up to eat and I have to think about the smallest snack I might grab.  I've been working hard at it and don't always make the right choices, but after a few weeks I think I might be getting the hang of it.  Even making changes to my diet hasn't helped, though, and I'm still struggling with what my body is failing to accomplish every day and frustrated that I now have to rely on extra insulin too.

In all honesty, even though much of my waking day is spent concentrating on the food that goes into my body (and definitely what doesn't) I haven't exactly felt that I have a lot to contribute here.  I'm too tired and fixated on little details to have much left for photographing the few things I might find exciting enough to share.  Yesterday, though, I kicked my own butt into gear and forced myself to see that it isn't necessarily the complicated baking that makes for the best post, but the food that I am actually making for myself and my loved ones.  So even in the rain I found a bit of nice light and whipped up a simple salad dressing for a very summery salad.  One that fits into my new diet, but also one I think anybody would enjoy.  So I'm sharing- and I must say that's it's nice to be back.

Honey Poppyseed Salad Dressing
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
For the printable recipe, click here.

I am not giving a recipe for the salad or grilled chicken that I served with the dressing.  Mostly because they're so simple they don't really need a recipe.  I used mixed baby greens, a handful of sliced almonds and some strawberries and blackberries for the salad.  The chicken is a boneless, skinless breast that I simply marinated for about a half hour in lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic and olive oil then grilled until cooked through but still juicy.  My favorite part of the salad?  The strawberries.  I think I could have eaten them in a soup of the dressing.

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs honey
1 tbs lemon juice
2 tsp poppyseeds
1 small shallot, grated on a box grater or microplane with larger holes
a pinch of sea salt

Whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Serve chilled with your favorite salad ingredients.

Herb and Greek Yogurt Egg Salad

It's been a rough few weeks here folks.  I won't go into specifics, but needless to say there have been a lot of long, sleepless nights and many days spent in bed or vegging out on the couch recuperating from one illness after another.  I've found it impossible to find the time or mental where-with-all to make any food of note during this whole time.  There have been a lot of chicken soups and simple pastas.

But we're back in working order around our house and the sun has been shining here in southern Germany for the past few days.  It's made me feel much more optimistic after the bleary and rain sodden winter we've been having.  The market in the town square this morning was bursting with early spring beauty.  Everyone was selling tulips, spring onions, radishes and baby artichokes.  It seems the Earth is reviving herself at the same time that my family has shaken ourselves free of illness.  It seems fortuitous.

So I'm slowly working my way through the recipes that have been brewing in my head.  Starting small, I think, is the way to go here.  And, honestly, I can't think of a simpler way to introduce the first signs of spring.

This just happens to be the very first egg salad that I have eaten let alone made at home.  It always seemed a bit odd to me, a salad of chopped eggs and mayonnaise.  I've never been a mayo fan so that's probably the first reason why I shied away from egg salad.  But I thought I might give it a try the other day and was thoroughly surprised with how much I enjoyed the simple salad.  Lightened up with some herbs and Greek yogurt and paired with quite possible the best roll in the world- the German pretzel roll (or laugenbrotchen around these parts), this is an egg salad for the novice.  But truly, everyone will enjoy it.

Welcome to spring.

Herb and Greek Yogurt Egg Salad
Makes 4 servings.
For the printable recipe, click here.

I had a disastrous time trying to peel my eggs for this salad.  Perhaps that's what inspired the salad in the first place.  Craggy hard-boiled eggs are just not pretty enough for deviled eggs, so I needed an alternative.  Also, I didn't quite cook my eggs through enough so only a few of the yolks make it into the salad which is why the salad in the photos looks so pale.  I was fine with that, but yours will be a more traditional yellow color.  I suggest chives and parsley for the herbs here, but feel free to go with dill or tarragon if you prefer.  If you can't find pretzel bread ( I found it showing up at stores in the states before we left for Germany), a whole grain bread would be just at home in this sandwich.  Don't forget some sliced cucumbers- you will enjoy the freshness and crunch.


6 large eggs
2 tbs mayonnaise
2 tbs Greek yogurt

1tsp Dijon mistard
2 tsp chopped herbs (chives, parsley, dill or tarragon)
salt and pepper to taste

Place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan.  Fill the pan with water to about an inch above the top of the eggs.  Bring the water slowly to a boil over medium heat.  Once the water just begins to simmer begin a timer.  Cook the eggs for 10 minutes. 

Remove the eggs from the heat after the 10 minutes.  Carefully pour the hot water from the pot and fill it with cool water to stop the eggs cooking.  When the eggs are cool, carefully peel and chop them to 1/2 inch dice.

Gently stir the chopped eggs, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt and herbs together in a medium bowl.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Keep the egg salad covered and in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Watermelon, Cucumber, Arugula and Feta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

                       

So you can take the girl out of her home and kitchen, but apparently you can't take the food blogger out of the girl. I thought I wasn't going to have anything to say or share for quite a while with this move. But I was sooo wrong. It started with a suggestion from my mom, continued through a dinner out with my family and ended up as an obsession. This recipe was one that I just couldn't shake the need to attempt on my own. 

And when I spend my free moments (miraculously I do have those- 5 hours on a plane, many long wait times for cars and shuttles, the evening hours where quiet is necessary because I'm sharing a room with my sleeping children...) trying to memorize the ingredients and work out the ratios of a salad I had for dinner one night on the road, it becomes more and more of an obsession.  I just needed the opportunity to take it from my memory to the plate. 

I was admittedly a skeptic when I first heard about this whole watermelon and feta combination. It just seemed odd in a way that I couldn't quite work out. But the rest of the food world didn't share my opinion and I had been seeing similar salads all over the blogs and Pinterest. When my mom mentioned the salad to me not that long ago, I gave her that look of "really?" but thought if she liked it, maybe I was missing something. 

Fast forward to a dinner out with my family and the salad from that dinner that I've recreated here. It was mind blowing to me how perfectly balanced the watermelon and feta were. So this is what I had been missing all along!  I will never doubt my mother or all of those other foodies out there again (ok, I still haven't been sold on the idea of Brussels sprouts yet, no matter how much bacon goes along with it). But this salad is my new favorite and I offer my thanks to whomever put these unlikely ingredients together in the first place. You are a genius. 

                          

Watermelon, Cucumber, Arugula and Feta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette 

Serves 6

For the printable recipe, click here.

I did my best to measure the ingredients in the vinaigrette, but the salad is one that you can throw together so that it tastes good to you. I've given a rough estimate of ingredients below, but feel free to amend them to your liking. 

2 large handfuls of baby arugula

1 small seedless watermelon cut into 1 inch cubes (about 5 cups)

2 medium cucumbers, halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick (about 2 cups)

2-3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Zest and juice of 1 large lime (about 1 tsp zest and 3 tbs juice)

6 tbs olive oil

2 tsp honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Lay the arugula on a serving platter and top with the watermelon, cucumbers and feta. 

Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the lime zest and juice, olive oil and honey. Add a pinch of salt and crack of pepper to taste. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and serve immediately. 

Spring Pea Shoot Salad with Lemon Honey Ginger Vinaigrette

 

It's easy to get caught in a game of one-upmanship in the blogging world.  There's a nagging presence in the back of my mind that to get noticed I need to come up with the most complicated, unusual or exotic recipe.  I often feel as if an idea that I have is too simple or that it's been done before.  And the whole motivation here is for people to read and like what I present, right?  So if someone else has already done it, than what's the point?

But what's occurred to me recently is that even if it has been done before, it hasn't been done from my perspective, with my eye and my voice.  And that's what makes it unique to me.  If only 12 people read my posts and no one else ever tries out the recipes here, then so be it.  I've made myself proud by what I present and that's all that really counts, right?  Don't get me wrong, I'd love for all sorts of people to take notice and find me interesting enough to come back for more.  But I'm also realistic.  That sort of thing is tough to come by here in the food blogging world.  You've got to have just the right timing, point of view and that certain unnamed "it" to really make it.  Even if I never have "it", I'm happy just to be me.

Spring Pea Shoot Salad with Lemon Honey Ginger Vinaigrette

Makes salads for two.

For the printable recipe, click here.

I decided simple was best here to let the fresh, perfectly seasonal ingredients shine.  So I didn't add a whole bunch of components to the salad and the dressing is only a few ingredients.  I suppose a few nuts (maybe pecans or walnuts) or a sprinkling of fresh goat cheese would be appropriate if you want to add just a little something to jazz it up, but if you have really great ingredients, you don't need much more.  I had the salad all by itself for lunch, but I can imagine it would be lovely alongside a serving of roasted salmon (drizzled with a bit of the vinaigrette, too) for a satisfying supper.  I used a ginger infused white balsamic vinegar, but have included in the recipe a measurement for added ginger as my vinegar isn't widely available.

2 packed cups pea shoots (save the flowers if you have any- they're edible too!)

2 cups mixed baby lettuce or arugula

3-4 french breakfast radishes, thinly sliced

1 lemon, zested and juiced (use a Meyer if you can find one)

2 tsp honey

1/8 tsp dried ground ginger or a pinch of grated fresh ginger

2 tbs white balsamic or champagne vinegar

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Wash, dry and roughly chop the pea shoots and lettuce or arugula.  Place into a medium bowl.  Toss in the radish slices. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and zest, honey, ginger and vinegar.  Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking to incorporate and emulsify the dressing.  Add salt and pepper.

Toss the salad with half the dressing and distribute to two plates.  Add additional vinaigrette and salt and pepper to each plate to taste.

Peach Vinaigrette

 I was a very picky eater growing up.  Considering my adventuresome eating habits these days, that's hard to believe.  But as a kid I knew what I liked and I hardly ever strayed from that short list.  A list which included peanut butter sandwiches every day for lunch (hold the jelly, please), but certainly did not include tomatoes, any kind of squash, and most especially peaches.  And heaven help you if my plate came to the table and one potion was touching another.  I was not going to eat food that touched!

 I'm thrilled to say that these days most of the no-nos from my childhood "won't-eat list" are regular visitors to our dinner table.  And it especially excites me that my oldest son will try just about anything I put on his plate.  It's such a joy to be able to teach him about different veggies and fruits, and even food from different cultures.  My little man has even tasted olive oils with me straight from the bottle.  The saleswoman was amazed that he had such a sophisticated palate- he much prefers the spicy, heady oils to the smooth fruity ones.  I'm a proud mama, to be sure.

 Lest you think I have an easy time of getting dinner on the table with no complaints, let me set the record straight.  My little one is another story all-together.  He's on a strict peanut butter (and jelly!) and fruit diet.  It's frustrating, but hopefully, like me, he'll grow out of it and come to appreciate all the things his mother tried to put on his plate when he was little.  At least I have no trouble getting him to eat fruit.  And peaches, the fuzzy-skinned fruit I abhorred as a child, are high up on his list of faves.  Even he approved of the peach infused vinegar his big brother picked out on the day of our olive oil tasting.  We all loved the fruity tang and peachy aroma of the custom mixed white balsamic vinegar the moment it touched our lips.  Now if I could just get my husband on board with it.  Ah well, more for me.....

Peach Vinaigrette
Makes about 3/4 cup.
For a printable version, click here.

I used the peach infused vinegar we found on our tasting day for this vinaigrette.  I think a champagne or white balsamic vinegar would work just as well in its place.  If you want to try making your own, here's a description of how to make the infused vinegar from Martha Stewart.  The peach is the star of the show, so make sure it's perfectly ripe and has a fresh, strong peach aroma.  I've used the vinagrette both to dress a salad of mixed baby greens as well as over a peach and mozzarella caprese salad.  It would be fantastic drizzled over a grilled pork chop or roasted chicken as well.

1 ripe peach, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
3 tbs peach infused vinegar
1 tsp honey
pinch of sea salt
3-4 tbs light flavored oil such as canola (to make it really special, use a nut oil such as hazelnut, pecan or walnut oil)

Place all ingredients except the oil in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.  The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for one week.

To make the peach caprese salad, alternate slices of peaches and fresh mozzarella cheese on a plate.  Sprinkle with torn basil leaves.  Drizzle the peach vinaigrette over the top.

Radish and Cucumber Salad

It's been a non-stop summer here.  A continuous go, go, go.  Truth be told, while I'm having a wonderful time and enjoying all the new friends and adventures, I'm exhausted.

I think it's time to slow down and enjoy my days.  Maybe I'll read a book, or putz around in my garden or watch a movie with my kids. 

Or perhaps combine a few of my favorite things and get my boys to help me out in the garden.  They love to sneak through the snaking vines of the watermelon plant and search for the newest baby melons.  Finding a cucumber hanging from the trellis is a magical treasure for them.  And it's one of my favorite things to watch- the joy they get from watching mother nature get her groove on in our backyard garden.

My kiddos have a habit of getting so excited about the growing veggies and fruit that they forget to wait until something is ripe to pick it.  Several times this spring and summer, I've come out of the shower to find my little one with a bouquet of tiny carrots or a handful or unripe strawberries that he has just harvested all by himself.  It's hard to get angry when he has the look of someone who has just brought you a magnificent treasure and is intensely proud of himself.  So I laugh and thank him for his gift, then remind him how we can tell when things in the garden are ready to pick and remind him to wait for Mommy next time.

One day, when the little one had gotten way too excited about picking the growing radishes, this salad was born.  My oldest loves radishes (there are very few things he won't eat) and cucumbers.  So I sliced them up,  made a quick dressing and tossed them all together.  The salad was quickly gobbled up- it's amazing how excited kids will get to eat something that they watched grow from a seed in their very own yard. 

I don't have any radishes left in the garden now, but we can surely hunt down some cherry tomatoes or gigantic cucumbers.  Sounds like a great way to spend a lazy day with my boys...

Radish and Cucumber Salad
Serves 4 as a side dish.
For a printable version, click here.

1 bunch radishes ( I used about 6 large french breakfast radishes)
2 persian cucumbers or 1 medium english (seedless) cucumber
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds (if you can find black mustard seeds use them, I only had brown mustard seeds and they worked just fine)
pinch of kosher salt

Thinly slice both the radishes and the cucumbers.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, and coriander and mustard seeds.  Add salt to taste.  Toss in the cucumbers and radishes and stir to coat with the dressing.  Serve immediately.

Potato and Green Bean Salad with Creme Fraiche Dijon Dressing

It's been an incredibly busy week for me.  From the visiting with friends, fireworks and street fairs to finally finishing the wood floor in the foyer.  Oh yeah, and then there's this little Etsy shop my sister and I opened yesterday....

It was days and days of searching for the right tools and materials.  Long hours of dragging my kids through flea markets and vintage shops hunting for things that I never did find and getting excited when I found something unexpected and cooler than my original idea.  And then the final rush to get all the items sanded, glued, painted and finishing details perfected before the grand opening yesterday.

You know that nervous energy you get when you're about to try something new and have no idea how it's going to turn out, but you're still hopeful?  Like that feeling when you walk into your first day at a new job that you really hope you'll love. 

That's what I feel like with this Etsy shop.  It came about on a whim, but I enjoyed every second of using my creativity to make the items in our shop and even surprised myself with how well things turned out.  I just hope it's successful for both my sister and me.  We deserve a break.  We deserve to be successful at something we enjoy doing.  Fingers crossed...

In the meantime, my poor little blog got neglected, I'm sorry to say.  So today I remedy that with a simple side dish perfect for a busy summer evening.  It's one of our favorites, made even better with the addition of home made creme fraiche, and perfect to stand along side some hearty BBQ fare.  It's on the menu tonight at my house for sure.

Potato and Green Bean Salad with Creme Fraiche Dijon Dressing
Serves 4-6 people.  Created by tweaking and combining 2 recipes- one from Bon Apetit and one from Salad for Dinner, by Tasha DeSerio.
For a printable version, click here.

3 lbs new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
8 ounces green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half
2 tbs white wine or champagne vinegar
1 medium shallot, finely diced
1 tbs creme fraiche (see how to make home made creme fraiche below)
1 tbs course-grained dijon mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs chopped fresh herbs ( I use a combination of flat leaf parsley and chives)

Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water until just tender enough to pierce with the tip of a knife, 12-15 minutes.  Add the green beans to the pot for the last 4 minutes of cooking.  Drain the vegetables well.  Keep warm.

While the vegetables are cooking, make the dressing.  In a large bowl whisk together the shallots, vinegar, creme fraiche, dijon mustard and salt.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make a creamy dressing.  Add the vegetables to the bowl and toss the dressing with the warm potatoes and green beans.  Gently stir in the herbs and transfer to a serving bowl.  The salad can be served warm or at room temperature.

Home Made Creme Fraiche
This tangy version of sour cream is a snap to make.  Unlike sour cream, it can be whipped so you can use it very much like you would heavy cream (I like it whipped with a pinch or sugar and vanilla for a  fruit dip or used instead of cream in an ice cream base) or it can be used as a substitute for sour cream.  To print a recipe, click here.

1 cup heavy cream
2 tbs plain yogurt or buttermilk

In a jar or lidded container stir together the cream and yogurt or buttermilk.  Loosely cover the top with parchment paper or a paper towel and let the cream sit on the counter for 8-12 hours or overnight.  When the cream reaches the consistency you want (should be thickened but not stiff), cover the container with the lid and place in the refrigerator.  The creme fraiche will keep for 2 weeks.

Chicken Satay Lettuce Wraps

This space has been very quiet for the past week.  I felt guilty about it, to tell you the truth.  Well at least I did at first.

Last week was the first full week of summer vacation for us.  We had no plans, I was just going to do what I usually do in the summer- wing it.  Maybe we'll go to the zoo, maybe the library, maybe just stay home and let the kids play with their neighborhood friends.  But at the last minute, we got invited to go camping with some of my oldest's school buddies.  Four days at the beach with nothing but games to play and waves to body surf.  Perfect.

And while there were plenty of marshmallows to roast and camp dinners to grill, I let my cooking mojo take a vacation.  It was nothing but campfire nachos, hot dogs and burgers.  Simple, good food that you don't need a recipe or fancy cookware to make it delicious.  I did feel anxious to get something on the blog- to not let a whole week go by in silence.  Once you get into the groove of this blogging thing, it's tough to just stop.  A little addiction of sorts.  But then as I got more sand between my toes, walked the tide pools, and watched my boys play from sun up to way past sundown I let go of my anxiety and just enjoyed being unplugged for a while.

My batteries needed the recharge.  And now I'm back with a vengeance, cooking up a storm and trying to figure out how to use my new (to me) fancy camera to get really great shots.  I'm not quite ready to show them off yet (confession- I can't figure out how to upload them!), but in the meantime, I've got some good stuff in store for you.  First up, spicy chicken satay wraps.

Chicken Satay Lettuce Wraps
Serves 4.
For a printable version click here.

Walking through our local farmer's market recently, I came across a couple of young cute guys selling natural peanut butter.  They had all sorts of flavors, from cocoa and honey to curry.  My favorite, however, was the chipotle.  It had a great spice and kick and it really amped up the peanut flavor.  I used it for the marinade in this recipe and couldn't be more pleased with the flavor.  If you're ever in my neck of the woods, check out Handsome Carver's peanut butter at the Channel Islands Farmer's Market, or be daring and buy one of their great peanut butters online. You won't regret it.

For the marinade:
2 lbs chicken breasts, sliced into 1 inch thick strips
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/3 cup chipotle peanut butter (or 1/3 cup natural peanut butter, 3/4 tsp chipotle chili powder and a pinch of smoked paprika)
2 tbs low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp dark sesame oil

Place the chicken strips in a large, zip-top bag or a shallow bowl.  In a food processor, blend together the marinade ingredients.  Pour over the chicken and toss to coat the chicken well.  Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.

Thread the chicken strips onto skewers and grill for 4-5 minutes per side until completely cooked.  Let the chicken cool and then slip the strips off the skewers.

For the peanut sauce:
(adapted from The Parsley Thief)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
1 tbs low sodium soy sauce
3 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs brown sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
water to thin

Blend all of the sauce ingredients in a food processor.  Use water to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.

For the wraps:
1 head butter lettuce
2 persian cucumbers or 1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half moons
1 large carrot, shredded or cut into matchsticks
2 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced

Layer the chicken and topping in a butter lettuce leaf.  Drizzle with peanut sauce and enjoy!

Grilled Pluot, Red Onion and Goat Cheese Salad

Lest you all think all I can do is make sweets, here's a fresh and seasonal salad for you.  I was completely inspired to make this salad by a fellow SoCal blogger, Yummy Mummy's Marina.  Marina lives in probably what is one of my most favorite towns ever, Santa Barbara and she is equally beautiful inside and out.  Her photographs are full of light and her food, well check her out and see for yourself! 

Yesterday, Marina posted the recipe for a beautiful salad made with grilled apricots.  I've grilled pineapple before and I've heard people sing the praises of grilled peaches, but for some reason it never occurred to me to try to grill other stone fruit.  Of course, they're great roasted, so why not grilled?  Having been blessed by a plethora of stone fruit by my CSA, I decided right then and there that I was going to try it for lunch.

I was fresh out of apricots (they make fantastic smoothies with orange juice and frozen raspberries!), so I grabbed a plout from my fruit bowl and headed to the backyard grill.  A few more ingredients foraged from my refrigerator and I was sitting down to one of the best salads I have ever eaten.  The star of which was a sweet, tart grilled plout to die for.  It was salad heaven.

Grilled Plout, Red Onion and Goat Cheese Salad
Serves one.  Inspired by Yummy Mummy.
For a printable version, click here.

Don't have a plout (which is a hybrid between a plum and an apricot and my favorite stone fruit in the world)?  Grab a nectarine, a peach, an apricot, or a plain old plum and go to town.  I'm giving directions on making the salad for one, because that's what I made for myself.  But you guys are all smart enough to figure out how to make this for as many servings as you need.

1 firm ripe plout ( you don't want a plout that is too soft to the tough or it will disintegrate on the grill)
1 1/4 inch thick disk sliced from a small red onion
1 handful of leafy greens or arugula
1 slice bacon, cooked and crumbled
small handful candied pecans or walnuts
crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese
extra virgin olive oil
good quality sweet vinegar, such as orange champagne or balsamic vinegar

Core and quarter the plout.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the red onion.  Place both over a medium hot grill and cook until there are grill marks on both sides, about 4 minutes.  Cut the disk red onion in half.

Place the greens, bacon, grilled red onion, and candied nuts in a medium bowl.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil and vinegar over the salad and toss.  Place the salad on a plate and top with the goat cheese and grilled plout quarters.

Fava Bean, Radish and Feta Salad

Every once in a while, life throws you a curve ball.  Question is- what do you do about it?

Do you let it throw you off your game?  Allow the unexpected (and perhaps unwanted) occurrence to make you doubt yourself and the path you were on?  Or do you look at it as an opportunity to go in a direction you hadn't planned on?  A direction which might just lead to bigger and better things?

I usually fall into that first category- I'm a big time self-doubter.  I can self-doubt myself right out of all sorts of things.  Things I desperately want to try or that I think could be good at.  By the time I've realized what I've done, it's usually too late.  The opportunity has passed me by.  And the self-doubt cycle starts all over again.

Recently though, I've decided that I'm going to try to embrace that other side of me.  The one that sees the opportunities and wants to go for it.  At 35 years old, I feel that it's time for a change.  Time to start getting what I really want out of life instead of accepting what has been offered me.  Sometimes, if you're open to it, those life curveballs can offer clarity instead of doubt.  So hit me with it, Life.  I'm ready.  I'm open.

Perhaps I will enroll in that professional pastry course after all...

Here's the part where I make the transition from the philosophical and meaningful to the food.  I find that my food tends to reflect my mood and this salad sure does.  I found a big pile of fava beans in my CSA box this week and had no idea of what to do with them.  Really, the only thing I know about fava beans is from Anthony Hopkins' famous line in "Silence of the Lambs".  And I didn't have any Chianti in the house.  So I just decided to wing it.  It's a spring veggie, right?  So pair it with some other spring veggies and a light dressing and perhaps it will result in a nice salad.

I found that I LOVE the nutty flavor of the fava beans and couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome of my little culinary experiment.  And I'm loving this new, adventurous me.  Because, really, what's the worst that could happen?  And what you learn about yourself in the process makes it completely worth it.  You might just find out that you love fava beans too.

Fava Bean, Radish and Feta Salad
Serves 4 as a side dish
For a printable version, click here.

I didn't really measure my ingredients here, so I'm giving approximate amounts.  I just used up the favas that I had in my box and added the other ingredients until it seemed right.  In the interest of time (and because others have done it better), I'm not including the method for shelling the fava beans.  If you'd like a well photographed illustration, check out this link. 


2 cups blanched and shelled fava beans (from about 1 1/2 lbs unshelled pods)
1 cup thinly sliced french breakfast radishes
1 1/2 tbs chopped chives
3 oz crumbled feta cheese (the fresher the better, preferably made from sheep's milk)
Juice of 1/2 large lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
pinch dried red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp fine sea salt


In a medium bowl, toss together the fava beans, radishes, chives and feta.  In a separate small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, black and red pepper and salt.  Pour the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.  The salad is a lovely accompaniment to grilled chicken or pork.

Shaved Asparagus and Arugula Salad

I love to entertain friends at my house.  It's the ultimate challenge to me- coming up with a menu that makes people feel welcome, that is easy enough to pull off so that I'm not stressed to the point of not enjoying myself, but that still pushes me to try something new.  I suppose it's like an adrenaline junkie getting ready to jump out of a plane.  You plan and prepare, but there's no telling how it will go and you can only hope it's exactly how you imagined it would be.  All you can do is take that step out of the plane (or up to the stove in my case) and enjoy the ride.

So when I decided to host a brunch last week for a few of my friends, the preparation began.  It started with a frenzy of looking through magazines, trolling Pinterest, and sifting through my favorites blogs for inspiration.  I had a basic idea of what I wanted to make pretty quickly, which included some of my own classics like a Swiss chard and leek tart and a few new recipes.  I had a gorgeous cocoa nib coffee cake from Ashley at not without salt and a blood orange and blueberry jam (I'll be sharing that recipe later this week) with biscuits and goat cheese.  I was just missing a salad and getting no inspiration whatsoever from the usual places.

I woke up the morning before the brunch with absolute certainty that asparagus would be at the center of my salad solution.  Don't ask me where the idea came from, I just knew it was right.  Once I had the beginnings of an idea, the rest just fell into place according to what I had in my fridge.  I was thrilled with the end result and my guests were pretty darn happy with it too.  A glimpse of a friend going back for seconds is always a good sign.  My (proverbial) jump from the plane was a great ride and I'm happy to report that the landing was smooth.

Shaved Asparagus and Arugula Salad
This is a very easy salad to make and absolutely captures the best of spring flavors.  It's is a bit tangy, salty and bitter and wonderfully green and light.  You can serve four with the proportions given here, but the recipe easily doubles.

1 bunch of asparagus (about 20 spears)
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
large handful of arugula
Pecorino or Parmesean cheese for shaving over the salad
arugula blossoms or other edible flowers (optional, but they make the salad something special)

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste (use less salt than you would usually as the cheese adds some saltiness as well) and whisk again.

Cut or break off the tough lower portion of the asparagus stems.  Using a sharp vegetable peeler, begin shaving off strips of asparagus turning the stem in your hand as you go.  You can also very thinly slice the asparagus lengthwise if you like.  Toss the asparagus strips along with the arugula into the bowl and mix with the dressing.  Pour the salad into a large plate and using your vegetable peeler, shave strips of cheese over the top.  If using the flowers, sprinkle them over the salad.