salad

Mustard-Roasted Cauliflower!

Jennifer 1 Comment

mustard-roasted cauliflower

The roasted cauliflower absorbs the mustardy vinaigrette, hot from the oven. It’s a warming and healthful dish, as we seem to be caught in between winter and spring these days. Cauliflower, like other cruciferous veggies, is associated with a lower risk of some cancers. It is only second to broccoli in its level of glucosinolates, which activate the body’s detoxification system. Now is the perfect time to detox through clean eating in order to be beach-ready! 🙂

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into medium-sized florets
1 red onion, small dice
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon stone ground mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Sea salt
Black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
2. For the vinaigrette: Whisk together the Dijon mustard, stone ground mustard, and red wine vinegar.
3. Spread the cauliflower and red onion out evenly on a large baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the cauliflower for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring and rotating the pan halfway, until lightly browned and tender.
4. Whisk the remaining tablespoon of olive oil into the vinaigrette and toss with the cauliflower as soon as it comes out of the oven. (It’s important to dress the cauliflower while it is still warm.) Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Adapted from the Food52 recipe

Purple Asparagus Salad!

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asparagus salad

Asparagus is a sign of spring to me, so when I saw purple asparagus at the coop, I had to have it! I love my purple veggies (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, kale..). Asparagus is a rich source of folates, B vitamins, antioxidants, and vitamin K. This recipe is so easy and doesn’t require any cooking. The simplicity allows the star ingredient to really shine and the asparagus ribbons are beautiful.

2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
pinch of salt
1 bunch purple asparagus, trimmed

1. Whisk together the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Cut off asparagus tips and halve lengthwise. Then use the peeler to shave the rest of the asparagus spear into thin strips.
3. Add asparagus to dressing and toss well, making sure each piece is lightly coated.

Spiralized Beets!

Jennifer 2 Comments

beets

I didn’t realize that you could eat beets raw until I took the Living Foods class in culinary school. They are a good source of B vitamins and manganese and the fact that you’re eating them raw instead of cooked allows you to absorb more nutrients. If you don’t own a spiralizer, you could just shred the beets with a grater or in the food processor. These are gorgeous over mixed greens with blood orange segments!

2 medium beets, peeled and spiralized
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
zest of small orange
salt to taste

1. In a large glass bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, mustard, and oil.
2. Add the spiralized beets and massage the dressing into the beets to evenly distribute.
3. Add orange zest (save some to garnish) and mix well.

Persian Cucumber Salad

Jennifer 1 Comment

pickled cucumbers

Although cucumbers are not in season right now, lately I’ve been craving pickled veggies. Adding some pickled veggies to a salad or as a side dish really brightens up the plate. These are quick-pickled, so they’re ready to eat in under an hour! I really love the crispiness of persian cucumbers, but kirbies could easily be substituted here. Cucumbers are a good source of potassium, which helps regulate the amount of sodium in your blood. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 dried chile de arbol, torn
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dill seed
2 cups halved and sliced unpeeled Persian cucumbers
2 tablespoons dried currants or golden raisins
3 sprigs of fresh dill

Procedure:
1. Combine vinegar, water, chile, sugar, salt, and dill seed in a small sauce pan.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes
2. Meanwhlie, place cucumbers and raisins in a shallow glass dish along with dill sprigs.
3. Carefully pour the hot liquid over the cucumber mixture.
4. Cover and refrigerate, stirring once, for 20 minutes.
5. Strain and discard the chile and dill sprigs, reserving the pickling liquid. This liquid can be
used to pickle more veggies or whisked with olive oil as a dressing.

Shaved Fennel Salad

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fennel salad

This salad is so beautifully simple, light, and delicious, a welcome break from all of the heavy winter squash salads. The few ingredients really highlight the fennel and make it great as an appetizer with mixed greens or as a side dish. The best way to thinly slice the fennel is on a mandoline.  Fennel is a good source of Vitamin C, potassium, and folate. It also has phytonutrients that have been shown to reduce inflammation and prevent cancer. We are also in peak fennel season right now  (fall through early spring). Serve this at your next dinner party!

Yield: about 2 servings

Ingredients:
1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced (save fronds for garnish)
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Procedure:
1. Place fennel in a medium bowl. Using a sharp vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan in thin shards over the fennel.
2. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the salad gently, then adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if necessary. Shave more Parmesan on top, sprinkle with the fennel fronds, and serve immediately.

Cancer-Fighting Crucifers!

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brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts and wasabi are cruciferous plants, like kale and broccoli, which means that they have phytochemicals that have been shown to repair DNA cells and even block the growth of cancer cells. I usually simply roast brussels sprouts in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper, but when I came across this recipe with wasabi and miso, I was intrigued. The wasabi packs a punch and will surely clear your nasal passages! I love this recipe and have already made it a few times in the last month.

Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ingredients:

1 pound brussels sprouts

2 green onions, sliced

Miso Dijon Sauce:

1 tablespoon white miso

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons pure water

ÂĽ teaspoon wasabi powder

1 teaspoon avocado oil 

Procedure:

1. Wash and slice Brussels sprouts into strips with chef’s knife. If you have a food processor, save time by running your sprouts through the shredder blade. Place them in large glass bowl.

2. In a small bowl, mix together sauce ingredients. Set aside.

3. Heat skillet to medium-high and then add oil. Place sliced green onion and brussels sprouts into pan. Sear veggies for 2 to 3 minutes and then stir. Sear another 3 minutes and then stir. Repeat one more time and remove from heat.

4. Fold in sauce. Serve warm.

Cauliflower Couscous!

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cauliflower couscous

While in culinary school, one of my classmates mentioned making a cauliflower fried rice which sounded really interesting. That’s what prompted me to try this unique recipe. Cauliflower is a cancer-fighting crucifer and an excellent source of Vitamins C and K. Even my Mom, who is always skeptical of my healthy food, liked it! Success!

Cauliflower Couscous

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 head cauliflower, broken into florets

½ cup almonds, toasted and roughly chopped

1 bunch cilantro, de-stemmed

1 bunch parsley, de-stemmed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Juice of 1 lemon

ÂĽ cup sliced habanero-stuffed green olives

Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a separate large bowl, make an ice bath.

2. While the water is heating, place some of the cauliflower florets in a food processor. Working in batches, pulse until the cauliflower has broken down into coarse pieces around the same size as couscous.

3. Transfer the cauliflower to a large fine-mesh strainer and carefully submerge into boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer the cauliflower (still in the strainer) to the ice bath until completely cool; remove and drain well. Place the cauliflower onto a clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove excess moisture.

4. Mince the parsley and cilantro leaves in food processor.

5. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Then add cauliflower, almonds, cilantro, parsley, and olives. Stir together ingredients, breaking up any clumps of cauliflower.