summer salad

I just love summer. It's a season that has always been overshadowed by Spring in my opinion. But this year, maybe because of the giant (green) tomatoes in my garden, I've learned to appreciate it a little more. A week or so ago, I whipped up this salad when I was craving some fresh fruits and vegetables. Obviously after a long day of work + gym + dog walking + who knows what else, I had to add a little lean protein. So I threw in some chicken breast that I had cooked the night before. (I'm really  getting into food prepping on Sundays!)

This salad reminds me of one I had a couple of months ago on a vacation to the Washington coast. We stayed in the beautiful town of Pacific Beach, WA and got some sand between our toes. There was a charming little restaurant, called Mill 109 that we visited for dinner and brunch.

One night I had a starter salad with pears, almonds, and a honey vinaigrette dressing. It was divine. I tried to recreate that dressing here. Although it wasn't spot on, it was very close, and in my opinion, perfect for summertime.

Another inspiration for the salad was from one of my favorite blogs, Iowa Girl Eats. I know I've said it before, but I just adore that blog. I've made so many recipes from there, I think I've lost count. The Triple Berry Salad made my mouth water just looking at it! I'm usually not a huge fan of mixing fruit in salad, but fresh berries and spinach is definitely something I can get behind!

This salad is very simple with loads of good nutrients to get you through your next adventure!

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh spinach

2 cups fresh kale 

1 cup organic raspberries

1 sliced pear

1/2 c. sliced almonds

for the dressing-

2 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

1/4 c. olive oil

3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Method:

In a large bowl combine the salad ingredients, in no particular order. Next, in a mason jar or bowl, whisk together the ingredients for your dressing, mixing well.

It's that easy, now get started!

Coconut Quinoa Granola

I happen to love quinoa. I love it's flexibility in recipes, it's healthy, grainy taste that makes you feel almost instantly healthy. It feels good to nourish your body, doesn't it? When I recently found this recipe on Running to the Kitchen, I knew quinoa would work as a snack too. We're definitely a granola group in my home, sprinkling it on yogurt, bringing it to work as a snack, and as a pre-workout snack. Homemade granola is so simple and will last you through the week. I recommend you try it!

Ingredients
adapted from Running to the Kitchen

3/4 c. uncooked quinoa
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
2 c. old fashioned oats
1 c. finely chopped medjool dates
1 c. finely chopped nuts (I used almonds)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. melted coconut oil

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients (quinoa, oats, nuts, cinnamon, salt) in a large bowl, then add coconut oil and honey, tossing until combined. After spreading onto a large baking sheet in a thin layer, bake for 12-15 minutes. Check on granola and flip lightly with a spatula, clusters are okay. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes then store in airtight containers. This granola is especially tasty with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sliced banana.

There you are, another way to use quinoa! Don't be deceived by the bird food-esque appearance, this stuff keeps a full grown husband energized!

St. Patrick's Day 'get up and go' Smoothie

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

I am indeed half Irish, so I certainly can relate to the merriment and pride of this day. To celebrate, we're having some friends over for corned beef (in the slow cooker!), sweet potato fries, Guinness, and some green ice cream! I had grand plans of making whiskey chocolate bundt cake, but I got a little sidetracked with the St. Patrick's Day Dash 2013. I started doing this race last year and think I'll stick with it! It was a beautiful sunny day in Seattle, which is quite rare for March and we had an amazing brunch after at Cal's. If you haven't headed to the new foodie scene in South Lake Union, you're seriously missing out! We've already hit up Cactus, so our next venture will be Tom Douglas' new Bravehorse Tavern.

Anyways, enough with this rambling. I recently concocted the most delicious smoothie. It's dreamy. All you need is the green (to make it Irish... and extra healthy) and the rest of the ingredients you can vary. I've made a tropical variation and a straight banana and spinach version. While it is certainly perfect for St. Patrick's Day, it is also fitting for breakfast, lunch, or a post workout snack.

One thing is not to forget is to freeze your bananas, people, freeze them! As soon as I pick them up from Top Banana or the Ballard Market, I usually take about half and break them all into bite sized pieces. You can use them for banana peanut butter ice cream or throw them in a smoothie, like here. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:

2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
2 c. soy or coconut milk (I prefer coconut)
1 large frozen banana (cut into chunks pre-freezing)
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
1 1/2 c. frozen berries of your choice
1/2 of a ripe mango
Juice from 1 large orange
Sprinkle of powdered ginger
Any other ingredients, such as almonds, oats, or grapefruit juice

Method:

First, grab your handy dandy blender (I've had mine since college, and I treasure it!). Then dump your milk in first, followed by the other ingredients. Blend. If you have difficulty reaching the correct consistency, add more liquids or more solids (bananas or spinach.) Drink.

Don't be surprised you experience a productive work day, followed by a exhilarating workout. All the vitamins and antioxidants flooding your body will get you through any rough day, I promise. I've found that I don't need coffee on the mornings I have this for breakfast. It's that impressive.

Also pictured here is some Ezekiel bread topped with homemade almond butter (recipe to follow soon!) As you can guess, it was a productive day.

Cheers to your St. Patrick's Day and the morning after!

Easy Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

It's this easy:

2 frozen bananas, sliced
2 tbsp. peanut butter
Optional: 1 tsp. shredded coconut or nuts, or a dash of cocoa powder

Place bananas in food processor and purée until smooth. Add peanut butter, purée a little more, then scoop! Garnish with anything and be amazed at this clean ice cream.

It's so simple.

Comfort Food

The other day, I was feeling run down and tired. I knew I needed a boost of vitamins, and fast. I quickly roasted a sweet potato and then broiled a grapefruit. The result was a flood of vitamins A and C, pectin, and lycopenes. If you're feeling run down, just grab your nearest vegetable or fruit, add some sugar, spice, or salt and you'll have a satisfying, healthy treat. These two snacks are my new comfort foods, good for a chilly, rainy, Seattle day.

Broiled Grapefruit

I recently stumbled upon this beautiful blog post  from Gimme Some Oven and was quite inspired. I was not disappointed. I think next time I will add some cinnamon and sugar, as in this recipe, so as to add a little more flavor. All in all a wonderful idea and quick too!

Ingredients:

1 large ruby red grapefruit
1-3 tsp. brown sugar
Optional: 1 tsp. ginger or 1 tsp. cinnamon

Method:

Slice your grapefruit in half and cover with sugar and spices. Broil fruit about 2 inches from the heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the edges turn brown, your sugar sizzles, and you can't stand the smell any longer!

Roasted Sweet Potato

For my birthday, a dear friend gave my husband and I some black truffle oil, specialty sea salt, and vanilla salt from Sugarpill, an apothecary in Seattle. Delighted and excited to try all these treats, I sprinkled the coarse salt on my roasted sweet potato. Combined with the creamy Kerrygold Irish butter (hey, I'm half Irish), it was perfect. There is nothing like a roasted sweet potato with just a teaspoon of butter and salt. To me, it tastes like sitting in front of the fire, or waking up warm on a sunny Saturday morning in April. If this sounds too dramatic for you, just try it.

Ingredients (makes one serving):

1 large sweet potato

1 tsp. butter

1 tsp. coarse sea salt

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In an oven safe bowl or on a baking sheet, place your sweet potato and puncture with a few holes to release the heat. Roast for about 40-60 minutes until soft and the skin is crinkly. Slice open and cover with sea salt and butter. And last but not least, enjoy! 

Spicy 'Cajun Chicken with Mardi Gras Salsa'

I am always so inspired by my daily inbox greeting from Iowa Girl Eats. This blog is not only pleasing aesthetically, but also, the recipes are healthy, filling, and simple. I also thoroughly enjoy Friday Favorites and look forward to what Iowa Girl has to share!

One of the latest recipes, Cajun Chicken with Mardi Gras Salsa, had me so inspired as I checked my e-mail this A.M., that I set out to make it as soon as I got home. My lovely husband had already done an insane amount of mundane chores by the time I got home, so I thought I'd cook him up something healthy and fulfilling before he headed out to hockey practice. Not only was this meal husband approved, it was me-approved, as a recent clean eating devotee. My salsa isn't quite the same as Iowa Girl's, but I loved the Mardi Gras "theme" so I kept it!

Ingredients:

1 lb. skinless, boneless, organic chicken breast, halved and pounded (if desired)
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. cajun seasoning (one tbsp. per side of chicken)
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
sprinkle of homemade taco seasoning
Juice of 1 lime

Salsa-

1 small can pineapple rings, diced
1 medium sized mango
1/2 yellow, red, or orange bell pepper, sliced
1 tsp. sea salt
1 c. medium-hot salsa, I used Trader Joe's Salsa Authentica (no preservatives! no thickening agents!)
Juice from 1 lime

Method:

Heat oil in large skillet on medium high heat for a minute or two. Add thinly cut chicken breasts to the pan and season them, adding more spices if desired. Cook for about 6 minutes, then flip and season the other side of meat.

Meanwhile, combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl and let the fruit absorb the juices. Check your meat, it should be golden brown and should have developed a crust from all the seasonings and olive oil. Scrape the bottom of the pan and sprinkle with lime juice. Turn heat off and transfer to plates. Top with salsa and chow down!

Quinoa Cakes

A week or so ago I made these Cheesy Quinoa Cakes. YUM.

They were crisp and refreshingly healthy. That feeling of feeding your body something wonderfully nutritious definitely is an after effect. I varied the recipe a bit, and omitted the aoli sauce, but the original is great I am sure. I added a side of garlicky kale, and for lunch, included some salsa. Although they were delectable with their own cheesiness and a little taste of olive oil, I would imagine most people would like to add a sauce or dip of some sort, so go ahead and experiment!

Ingredients (adapted from here):

2 cups cooked quinoa
2/3 cup grated gouda cheese
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

Method:

For the cakes:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place all ingredients, except for the oil, into a mixing bowl and stir together until well combined. Season with salt and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Pour oil into a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Form ¼ cup patties with the quinoa mixture and place in the heated pan. You may have to do a few batches, but it'll be worth it! Cook quinoa cakes for about 5 minutes on each side, until the the edges have browned and they look crisp. Flip carefully with a spatula and place on a warming plate in the preheated oven. Repeat with the remaining patties until all of the cakes have been cooked. 

For the kale:
Throw in four to five handfuls of roughly cut and washed kale with a clove or two of garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, cover, and leave to simmer on medium heat for about fifteen minutes. Voila!

Feed them to someone you love, your child, your husband, your momma. They'll thank you for these crunchy and flavorful patties. They'd be perfect for a party appetizer or alongside some tomato soup.

Coming soon to a blog near you... DIY Larabars and Baked Oatmeal... !!

Italian Wedding Soup

Pop Quiz: What makes two people's three dinners, two lunches, and fills a whole leftover Martha Stewart BPA-free glassware? The answer, my friends, is Italian Wedding Soup. You didn't hear it from me, but this stuff fulfills all the food groups, ensures your fill of kale for a day, and pumps you up full of vitamins. And, it's delicious. After my mother mentioned the other night that she was making this delightfully cultural (I mean it has the word Italian in the title), I decided to embark on the journey that is soup making myself. I was prepared for an arduous trip, full of blending, food processing, slicing, and dicing. But I was wrong.

Approximately 40 minutes later, I had a delicious meal and used only 2 pots and one mixing bowl. Since we live in a pretty adorable retro house (I'm talking 1920's), there isn't a ton of counter space, though it is more than enough for me. So, it is a testament as to how simple this soup can be. My husband didn't even blink when he walked into the kitchen. Now that's a good sign.

Some Italian wedding soup recipes call for orzo, which I think would be good, but I chose to use barley, after seeing it in the grain aisle at Trader Joe's. Plus, I'm frighteningly adventurous. I also added a few chopped mushrooms to my own recipe, and made the meatballs a little bigger than I have had in the past.

The result was fabulous. Like I said, it fed my small family of two for days and days. Now we're moving on to something else, like chicken. But we'll be back to that soup.

*Note: I based my recipe off this one from The Kitchn. However, I lightened it up quite a bit, omitting the cheese, eggs, garlic, and onion. I used a pinch of garlic salt, and that quickened up the process.

Ingredients:

1- 1 1/2 lb. ground turkey, or chicken (white lean meat)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 c. Italian flavored dry breadcrumbs (I love Progresso)
8 cups organic chicken broth (low sodium is OK)
2 1/2 cups dry barley
4 cups kale, torn into small to medium sized chunks
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

Method:

Heat two burners to medium heat. Coat a large saucepan with olive oil, swirling to cover all surfaces. In a large mixing bowl, combine pinch of sea salt, breadcrumbs, and ground turkey and mix thoroughly. Form into meatballs. You will likely have around 20 meatballs, 30 if you make them smaller. I made mine about the size of a large tablespoon. Place them in the well oiled pan, which should be relatively hot by now and cover loosely with a lid.

In a large 3.5 quart or bigger pot, bring chicken broth to a rolling boil, then add barley. Allow to boil for a minute or two, then bring to a bubbling simmer. Add kale, carrots, and mushrooms. Allow to simmer with the lid on your pot for about 15-20 minutes. The barley will cook itself, which is a nice little time saver. After about seven minutes, check your meatballs and flip them so that they are evenly brown. Since I didn't want to use two pans, I lined a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and baked the remaining meatballs at 400 degrees for about ten minutes total, flipping them halfway through.

Once your meatballs are cooked through (you can check by cutting one open), add them to the broth and vegetable mixture, and let simmer for about ten minutes, so the flavors can meld together.

And there you have it! We had some tasty multi-grain crackers from Trader Joe's with it last night, and I added some eggplant hummus. Yum.

I think I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow!

Ciao,

k