If you’ve always reserved butternut squash for roasting and soups here is a new recipe for you. I’ve never been a huge fan of coleslaw, usually its too sweet and so laden with dressing that it’s a soggy mess. This is a version of coleslaw that I can really get into, sweet, crunchy and utterly refreshing. Butternut squash julienned into whisper thin slices, dressed lightly with a sweet vinaigrette and topped with cranberries and sunflower seeds it’s the perfect alternative to any slaw. It’s low calorie, chock full of nutrients and vegan so it makes the perfect potluck or party salad to take along. If you don’t have a julienne slicer use a large box grater instead, it won’t be quite as pretty but will still be delicious! If you don’t need it to be vegan a little crumbled feta or goat cheese would make it more substantial and be a nice counterpoint to the sweetness.
Butternut squash slaw
Ingredients:
- 3 cups butternut squash (about 1/2 of a 2 lb squash)
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Peel the butternut squash, use a box grater or julienne peel to get 3 cups of butternut and place in a medium sized bowl. Combine the honey, apple cider vinegar olive oil and lemon. Season with salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasoning as needed, you may want to add more lemon or honey. Add the parsley, cranberries and sunflower seeds to the butternut squash, top with the dressing and gently toss.
Growing up in southern California my parents loved to spend their weekends up to their elbows in dirt, cultivating what I realize now was a beautiful labor of love. When I was a kid, I just didn’t get it, why would I want to spend time outside toiling away when I could sit on my ass and watch cartoons instead? Now that I’m all grown up with a garden of my own I regret that I didn’t jump in with them, benefiting from all their experience and knowledge.
I have lots of regrets in my life but one of my biggest ones is that my dad didn’t live long enough to see my garden. He loved to create with his hands, in most of my memories he’s involved in some big project, digging a pond in the backyard, teaching himself cross-stitch, making me a beautiful jewelry box for my 21st birthday. I realize now that I am a lot like him, I love to work with my hands and have spent the last few years learning how to garden, cook and knit. He would be surprised and delighted to see me follow in his footsteps.
This time of year I think of my childhood garden and am reminded of the pomegranates and persimmon trees that dominated the yard, heavy with fruit just begging to be picked. The persimmons with their vivid orange skins, like miniature pumpkins weighing down the branches. I would take them inside and freeze them until they were solid and then attack them with the spoon, eating the pulpy flesh, their sweet, honey flavor better than any ice cream I’ve ever tasted. Or even better, straight from the tree, still warm from the sun, still firm, with a texture more like an apple, sweet and crunchy, the perfect snack. I’ve yet to find persimmons in Oregon that live up to those memories. Their season is relatively short and I have only been able to find ones that are mottled and soft, having already turned to mush.
Luckily, I visited my mom recently and there was the tree, full of more fruit than I ever would have thought possible and she insisted I bring some of them home with me, smuggled inside my suitcase like buried treasure.
I knew that these were special, and I had to treat them as such. This salad was the perfect way to savor them, pairing their delicate floral flavor with salty prosciutto and tart pomegranate seeds, a match made in heaven. I just wish I had more of them so that I could make this salad and revisit those childhood memories, again and again.
Persimmon, prosciutto and pomegranate salad
Ingredients:
- 1 medium persimmon
- 8 thin slices of prosciutto
- 4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted pistachios
- 4 cups baby arugula
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper
Method:
Combine arugula and persimmons in a medium bowl, add half the pomegranate seeds and pistachios to the bowl and toss to combine. Prepare the dressing by whisking the vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the dressing with the arugula mixture a tablespoon at a time until everything is lightly coated, you may not need all the dressing. Divide the mixture between four plates, add two slices of prosciutto to each serving and sprinkle with the remaining pomegranate and pistachios.
Here is the savory dish that I promised to share with you, Freekeh salad with a blackberry vinaigrette. What is freekeh, you ask? It’s a smoked green wheat that is harvested young so it has more protein, vitamins and minerals than it’s mature counterparts. It is low on the glycemic index, low in carbohydrates and high in protein, making it a great alternative to white or even brown rice. If you can’t find freekeh you could easily substitute wheat berries which have a very similar texture but it won’t have the same smoky undertones that are distinctive to this ancient grain. I was lucky enough to purchase some at my local farmers market last week and am hoping that I will be able to track some more down soon! The blackberry vinaigrette pairs really nicely with the the licorice spice of the fennel, for a non-vegan version a little crumble of goat cheese would put this salad over the top!
Freekeh salad with blackberries and pistachios
Ingredients:
for the blackberry vinaigrette:
- 1/3 cup blackberries
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
for the salad:
- 1 cup freekeh
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1/2 bulb fennel
- 4 cups mixed salad greens
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
Method:
For the vinaigrette:
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. The flavors should be a nice balance of salty and sweet, feel free to adjust the amount of vinegar or honey. You may need to add a little bit more water if the dressing is too thick.
For the salad:
Prepare the freekeh by bringing 5 cups of cold water and the tablespoon of salt to a boil and cook uncovered until the freekeh is tender but still retains some bite, about 45 mintutes. Drain the freekeh and toss with 2 tablespoons of the dressing and set aside to let the flavors develop while you finish the salad. Thinly slice the fennel with a mandoline reserving the fronds for garnish. To serve gently toss the greens, fennel and blackberries with the freekeh adding a little extra dressing to lightly coat everything, sprinkle with the pistachios and fennel fronds and serve.
Here is a great use for the garlic scape pesto from my last post. This is my idea of the perfect lunch, quick healthy and tasty. I have to confess that I love to eat…a lot. Big salads are my way of stuffing my face to my hearts content without feeling like I have to run and spend extra time at the gym. Salads are a way to eat a large quantity of food and big flavor with minimal calories and guilt. This dressing is delicious and it goes beautifully with the kale.
Nutritionally, kale can be considered a superfood, it’s high in fiber, antioxidants and is an excellent source of calcium, magnesium and vitamins A, B6, C and K. If you’ve never tried it raw in a salad this is a great way to start. Kale can be slightly tough and hard to chew and this dressing really helps to tenderize the leaves.
This is a very easy salad to adapt for different tastes. If you don’t want to take the time to roast the beets it’s delicious with raw shredded beets or carrots. For a non-vegan version you can add some grilled chicken and parmesan cheese. If you can’t find garlic scapes or don’t want to make the pesto, you can substitute 1/4 cup of hazelnuts, 1/2 cup fresh herbs (i like to use a combination of basil and parsley) and 1-2 garlic cloves instead of the pesto.
Kale tahini salad
makes 4 small or two large servings
Ingredients:
For the dressing:
makes about 1 cup
· 1/4 cup tahini
· 2 tablespoons garlic scape pesto
· juice from ½ lemon
· ¼ cup water
· ¾ teaspoon salt
For the salad:
· 1 bunch of lacinto kale
· 1 large or 2-3 small roasted beets peeled *
· ¼ cup chopped hazelnuts
Method:
Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender, puree until smooth and check for seasoning. You may need to adjust the amount of lemon juice or salt if the flavors aren’t popping.
Remove the inner rib of the kale, tear into 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Add ¼ cup of the dressing to the salad then knead the salad with your fingers to really incorporate the dressing into the kale, it’s helps break down the leaves and makes them more tender. Add the beets and half the hazelnuts to the bowl and toss gently to incorporate. Garnish with the remaining hazelnuts and serve.
To roast the beets:
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil and sprinkle with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and fold the foil into a packet. Roast the beets for 25-50 minutes depending on their size. Let them cool slightly and then peel the skins off with your fingers or a small paring knife. I like to roast a few extra since they do take awhile. Roasted beets are delicious tossed with a little olive oil and a splash of vinegar.
Here is the first of hopefully several posts that utilize those cured lemons I was raving about. This recipe is really a kitchen sink kind of recipe that is perfect for using up any leftover vegetables you may have wilting away in the fridge just begging to be made use of. I used broccoli raab and roasted beets since that was what I had but anything would be nice, zucchini, asparagus, peas or you can make it more substantial with some chickpeas. If you don’t want to take the time to cure your own lemons, it’s pretty easy these days to find preserved lemons in most upscale grocery stores. I would encourage you to cure your own since it’s dead simple and only takes a couple of days before they are ready, but if you get the urge and don’t have the time feel free to substitute preserved or even fresh lemon juice and zest instead, you may just want to increase the salt a little. This is just the kind of thing I turn to when I don’t feel like a leafy salad but want something healthy and fresh. Hope you enjoy it!
Lemon Couscous
serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 cup water or stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bunch broccoli raab trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 roasted beets peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice*
- 1 tablespoon cured lemon, rinsed and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Bring the water or stock to a boil with the salt then stir in the couscous, take off the heat, cover and let steam for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a medium skillet until hot and then add raab. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender but still with a little bite. In a small bowl combine the lemon peel, vinegar, honey and extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
To assemble take the lid off the couscous, fluff with a fork add the raab and pour half the dressing over the couscous, mix well and taste, you may need to add more salt if the flavors aren’t popping. Mix the rest of the dressing with the beets and scatter over the top.
To roast beets: Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil and sprinkle with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and fold the foil into a packet. Roast the beets for 25-50 minutes depending on their size. Let them cool slightly and then peel the skins off with your fingers or a small paring knife. (Beware that the beets with stain your skin, use a paper towel to rub the skins off if don’t want red fingers)
I have always said that I hate beets. Granted, the only experience I had ever had with them were the canned Del Monte variety. That metallic taste, the mushy texture, the weird color, everything about them turned me off. In the last year or so I have discovered that not only do I like beets, but I love them. Roasted, pickled, or raw, beets are incredibly diverse, easy to prepare and delicious.
I found the recipe for this salad on the Guardian news website. They have this amazing series called the new vegetarian that has some of the most original and innovative dishes I have seen in a long time. I am slowly trying to make my way through them. The salad is really simple and there are lots of ways to make it easier to prepare. Don’t have time to roast beets? Trader Joe’s has prepared beets in their produce section, so you have no excuse not to try this salad. I’ve made it with thinly sliced onion and fava beans but I find this version to be quicker and the ingredients are super easy to throw together with minimal time. The dressing is a great combination of sweet and spicy and with the addition of the avocado it’s super satisfying. So if you are on the fence about beets I hope that you’ll try this salad, it might just change your mind.
Beet and Avocado Salad
adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi
serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 4 medium raw beets
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 4 tablespoons good quality olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1-3 teaspoons chili sauce or paste (any kind of hot sauce you want, I used chili garlic paste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 2 medium avocados
- cilantro for garnish
- 2 cups pea shoots (you could substitute with baby spinach or lamb’s lettuce)
Method:
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil and sprinkle with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and fold the foil into a packet. Roast the beets for 25-50 minutes depending on their size. Let them cool slightly and then peel the skins off with your fingers or a small paring knife. (Beware that the beets with stain your skin, use a paper towel to rub the skins off if don’t want red fingers) Thinly slice the beets and place them in a bowl.
- Add the vinegar, oil, sugar, chili paste, salt and pepper in a bowl with the beets and toss to coat. Let the beets marinate for a few minutes to let the flavors develop.
- When you are ready to serve, spread half the beet mixture onto a plate. Slice the avocado and place half on top of the beets along some of the pea shoots and cilantro. Place the rest of the beets on top and finish with more avocado, pea shoots and cilantro.
