Those of you who know me “off the blog” know that I eat a lot of baby spinach.  I buy a huge 16 oz. tub once a week, and I use it every day - in smoothies, steamed lightly, chopped up in frittatas and egg dishes, raw in salads with lots of additions . . . I can’t get enough.  Spinach is packed with nutritive benefits.  I love other greens too, but I think that pre-washed baby spinach is the unsung hero of the prepared-food world.  Move over, Chef Boyardee!

Yesterday I talked about moving on to spring and summer.  A slow process here in New England, full of ups and downs and teases.  But I’m starting to think salads, and right now while there are no local, tender and tasty salad greens, I love the more substantial bite of a salad made with baby spinach.  Healthy, fast and easy, too.  What more could a girl wish for?

Here are some ideas for additions to your spinach salad – tweak them to your liking, and make your salads smaller for use as side dishes, or huge for use as main courses.  Maybe you try taking a salad for lunch this week?  Just pack components separately to avoid soggy wiltingness . . . small glass jars leftover from jams are great to reuse this way.

1. Spinach salad with sweetened dried cherries, chopped walnuts, crumbled feta and fig vinegar/EVOO vinaigrette.  Note, goat cheese is great here too.
2. Classic spinach salad with chopped hard-cooked eggs, halved grape tomatoes, crumbled bacon (please use the real stuff!) and dijon vinaigrette.  Add sliced button mushrooms if you like them, or try Marjorie Drucker’s (NE Soup Factory) updated take which boasts a warm pancetta dressing.
3. This spinach salad with toasted chickpeas and pomegranate vinaigrette is on my list to try – POM sent me a case of pomegranate juice that I’m looking to use!
4. Spinach salad with strawberries and pecans – my sister-in-law got me on the strawberries and spinach salad thing and I am still in love with this combo.  This is a good recipe.
5. Easiest ever – baby spinach topped with sweetened dried cranberries, crumbled bleu cheese, chopped walnuts and Newman’s own light raspberry walnut vinaigrette.
6. Indulge a little and top your baby spinach with grilled chicken (or pull your chicken from a supermarket rotisserie bird), pieces of brie cheese, halved grape tomatoes and a honey-mustard vinaigrette.
7. This recipe from Bon Appetit is on my to-try list – who can resist this zany combo of spinach, pear and avocado? Or this one with warm feta dressing?

What’s your favorite spinach salad?

© 2011, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Don’t you just want to put your face in it?  THIS is what healthy food looks like, and it’s EZ.  Baby spinach + blueberries + raspberries + this DELICIOUS and relatively LOW-CAL creamy balsamic dressing.  Get crazy and scatter a few sliced almonds on top.  Pair it up with a couple of Wasa crackers slathered with Laughing Cow Lite/goat cheese/little nut butter and you have a lunch (or dinner) you can be proud of.  Eat up!

© 2011, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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This spring and summer, I have the pleasure of being part of the Picadilly Farm CSA.  Each week, I get to pick up a box of goodies, grown organically in New Hampshire.  This past Wednesday was my first pickup, and the box was packed with salad greens, radishes, hakurei turnips, cilantro, bok choy, pea tendrils and some lovely red Russian kale. 

I started getting creative from day one – I love the challenge of being presented with ingredients and having to dream up recipes.  I had a rotisserie chicken in the fridge and so we had whole wheat rollups with lettuce, cilantro, chicken, grated sharp cheddar and enchilada sauce.  The next night was steamed tofu with bok choy and pea tendrils over rice, with a sauce made from low-sodium soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, tabasco and chopped cilantro.  It was tasty, and it was pretty:

Saturday night, I sauteed the kale and added spicy Italian chicken sausages, tomatoes and garlic and served that over whole wheat penne with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.  Delicious comfort food – and the kale was tender and sweet.

And last night, it was giant salads.  Red leaf lettuce topped with halved cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes and salad turnips.  I added some buffalo chicken meatballs from Trader Joe’s (pretty good and heat ‘n’ eat to boot!) and this delicious ranch dressing, inspired by a recipe in Eating Well magazine:

Combine all those in a jar and shake it up – preferably a little bit before dinner so that the flavors have some time to mesh . . . it’s creamy, tangy and a great compliment to the spicy meatballs and crisp lettuce.  Here’s what the final creation looked like:

 So hearty, and healthy . . . and once you start making your own ranch dressing, you’ll never long to go lookin’ for that hidden valley again!

Eating veggies this fresh spoils a girl . . . even for premium produce the likes of Whole Foods’.  There is just no substitute.  I’ll keep filling you in on what I’m doing, and for even more inspiration, check out this great blog, A Bushel of What? 

Do you belong to a CSA?  What’re you whipping up from your spring share?

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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I love salads, but for me, salads need heft if I’m going to have one as a meal.  This one’s got it goin’ on:  A great mix of greens and protein, with sweetness from the mango, savory flavor from the chicken, a wonderful peppery bite thanks to the arugula . . . . all wrapped up with an easy, super-flavorful dressing and the surprising crunch and flavor of cumin seeds.  If you’d like a bit of starch with this, serve warm naan (which you can even get at Costco, now – wow!) on the side.

Arugula Salad With Chicken & Mango (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Whisk the oil, chutney, lemon juice and curry powder in a bowl to blend.  Add the water to thin it out – if you need more water, that’s fine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Put the arugula in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 of the dressing.

Divide the arugula between plates and scatter the chicken and mango over each.  Drizzle with remaining mango dressing (to taste, you may have extra).  Top each serving with a dollop of the yogurt and sprinkle with the cumin seeds. 

Serves 2 – can easily be scaled up.

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Hey friends, remember me?  Despite what you might think, I haven’t forgotten about the blog . . . truth be told, I’m actually beginning to miss blogging.  I miss interacting with people about food.  Lately I’ve been interacting with people about floor refinishing, wall-painting, hauling our crap from one house to another, end-of-year teacher gifts, etc.  etc. etc.  All good, but as you know, food’s my real passion.  

Despite the hubbub, I haven’t quit cooking entirely – in fact, this past week was a breakthrough in that I tried some new things again.  D.’s been home more and I’ve had a little more mental and logistical space to be creative in the kitchen.  Today’s recipe is an easy, healthy dinner salad that could easily be made with chicken if you have tofu-haters in the house.  Fear not the mayo . . . D. (who despises the stuff) had no idea there was mayo in the dressing – it’s creamy, zesty and flavorful and not at all mayonnaisey-tasting (‘course, if he takes time to read this, I’m hosed).  And only 30 minutes from counter to table, without much kitchen heat-up in the process?  Great summer dinner, baby!

Teriyaki Tofu Salad (adapted from the Nutrition Action Healthletter)

Slice the tofu in half lengthwise, then cut each slab into 8 triangles.  Place on a plate between sheets of paper towels and place another few plates on top to remove some of the water.  Let sit at least 10 minutes, up to 30 if you’ve got the time.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the tofu and fry until golden, turning once.  Add 3 T. of the teriyaki sauce between the tofu triangles (not on top).  Simmer until sauce is thickened, 1-2 minutes.  Add the rice and scallions.  Gently stir to mix and remove from heat.

To make the dressing , mix together the mayonnaise, ginger, lemon juice, 1 T. of teriyaki sauce and the pepper.

Arrange the salad greens on 4 plates.  Top with the edamame and carrot and the tofu mixture from the skillet.  Drizzle the dressing on top.

Serves 4.

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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 So I mentioned that I wanted to make more salads, with really good dressings, right?  Well, in my usual type-A way, I’m going nuts trying all sorts of different vinaigrettes. Today, I’m sharing two of my latest favorites.  I gotta tell you – I’m struck by just how good a salad can be if you use homemade dressing.  Like restaurant good, in your own lil’ kitchen.  It’s really, really worth the effort.

The first recipe is for a delicious, creamy feta vinaigrette from an old issue of Food & Wine.  I used this on giant Greek dinner salads – I chopped up a bunch of romaine lettuce, diced up bell pepper, cubed cukes (for me, remember D. is a cuke-phobe), sliced up cherry tomatoes and grilled chicken cutlets (sprinkled with S&P and oregano) to put on top.  It was delicious.   Here’s what you do:

Feta Vinaigrette (adapted from Food & Wine magazine)

Put the cheese, lemon juice, water, oregano and olive oil into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.   Makes ¾ cup.

Now this next one – this is the dressing I’ve been nomming all week since I made it.  I am literally craving salad.  Craving a salad?  Yes – it is that good . . . it’s crazy-good – I mean, look at that picture up top – that’s my salad, folks.  Baby spinach leaves topped with sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and baby beets – then dressed with sliced almonds and this most luscious sweet vinaigrette.  How can you not love a bowl of healthy goodness like that?  Health in a bowl, I tell you! Here’s what you do:

Honey Vinaigrette (adapted from Delicious Dishings)

Combine the oils in a measuring cup. Place the vinegar and honey into a blender or food processor. Start the machine and add the oils while the machine is running.  This dressing can be stored in the fridge for a month.

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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I have a little kitchen crisis every year when the weather turns nice.  I want to maximize time outside goofing off and I don’t feel inspired to cook.  Or at least I don’t want to cook complicated, heavy food.  I develop a yen for convenience food (hello, Trader Joe’s?) and a devil-may-care attitude that leads me to consider feeding my kid dinner from the ice cream truck.  But I know I need to get it together, because I feel crappy when I eat out too often, and frankly, I even find take-out to be boring after too many nights.  So as I resolved to eat more soup this winter (and sure ‘nuf, I’m souped out), I resolve to find more quick-but-delicious items for this spring and summer. 

This salad’s a start.  This is a salad that’ll make you psyched to eat salad.  It’s got a unique collection of ingredients and a tangy yogurt dressing.  It’ll all go together in 40 minutes or fewer, and it won’t mess up your kitchen too much.  I’d put this in the springtime category, though, because you need to use your oven . . . and who wants to do that when the weather gets hot?

 Baby Greens Salad With Roasted Sweet Potatoes (adapted from Everyday Food Magazine)

Preheat the oven to 450.  Toss together the potatoes, onion and oil and spread on a large rimmed baking sheet that’s been covered in foil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Add the beans and the walnuts to the potato mixture and toss to incorporate.  Roast about 5 more minutes, or until the beans are tender.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt, vinegar and garlic.  Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. 

Top the lettuce with the roasted veggies and drizzle with the dressing.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Do you have some protein lovers who might feel snubbed by this as a main course?  It’d pair nicely with some pre-cooked chicken sausages – choose a mild flavor – apple, cherry and apple, etc.  Or if you’re veggie, you could bake some tofu steaks alongside your potatoes and serve those alongside.

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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What do you eat when you eat alone?  Do you pick and nibble and eat at the counter or in front of the t.v.?  Or do you make yourself a full-on meal?  Although we all need an occasional junk-food feast, I advocate eating a real meal, even if you’re by yourself.  Chances are, you’ll feel more satisfied and that you’ll eat better if you do.

Although we’re a family of 3, I make a lot of meals just for me.  D. travels a lot, and L. won’t eat anything interesting or reasonable (most of the time), so I’m stuck eating makeshift suppers or else biting the bullet and cooking a meal for myself.  In the wintertime, I do big batches and eat them during  the week, but now that the weather’s getting nicer, I want lighter, fresher fare. 

Last night’s dinner was so fast, and so tasty, I had to share it.  I had everything in the pantry or the freezer, and in fewer than 30 minutes I’d whipped up a lovely, healthful meal for myself (along with leftover noodles and plain chicken plus an apple for L.).  The Lemon-Tarragon chicken has a sunny taste and cooks up super-fast thanks to pounding it out.  The salad is fruity and bright as well – and can you say “antioxidant blast?”  Spinach, beets, oranges, walnuts . . . this’ll set you up right.  Better than that bag o’ Doritos you were thinking about,  for sure.

Lemon-Tarragon Chicken (adapted from Cooking Light)

Place the chicken breast in a heavy-duty Ziploc bag, or between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness with a meat mallet or a heavy skillet.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt.

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice and tarragon in a small bowl and whisk to combine. 

Coat a small skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat.  Once hot, add the chicken and cook for approximately 3 minutes on one side.  Turn the breast over, and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side, or until no longer pink.  Drizzle the lemon-tarragon mixture over the chicken and turn to coat in the pan.  Serve.

Serves 1.

Spinach Salad with Beets & Oranges (adapted from Cooking Light)

Peel the orange, segment, and cut each segment into 4 pieces.

Place the spinach in a salad bowl.  Arrange the beets and orange pieces over the spinach. 

Combine the oil, vinegar and pepper in a small bowl and pour over the salad. Top with walnuts.  Serve.

Serves 1.

If you’re cooking for 1+, I’m sure the recipes as written would be terrific.

What’re your favorite solo meals?  Share them in the comments!

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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I came home ravenous from Pilates yesterday.  But I didn’t want to start raiding the cupboards for “whatever” – I wanted a healthful lunch.  On Sunday, I found organic pea shoots at Trader Joe’s – they come in a 4 oz. clam shell container, and if you haven’t tasted these, they taste like springtime.  That’s them up there in the picture – they’re delicate, yet crunchy, and they’re a glorious green color.  What’s more, they’re super low-cal and they pack a nutritional punch, too.  Per serving, pea shoots have 7 times more vitamin C than blueberries, 8 times more folic acid than bean sprouts, and 4 times more vitamin A than tomatoes. 

I whipped up this delicious little salad in 10 minutes, and now you can, too.

Pea Shoot & Edamame Salad

Combine the pea shoots and edamame in a large bowl.  Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the pea shoots/edamame mixture.  Enjoy!

Serves 1, but could easily be scaled up.

In case you’re wondering . . . that wasn’t all I had for lunch.  I also about 3/4 c. 0% Fage yogurt topped with 1/2 c. organic blueberries, 1/2 c. All-Bran cereal, and a little agave drizzled over the top . . . .

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Last night’s recipe was a winner.  Less of a salad and more of a happy mix-up, the tangy mango chutney dressing and pinch of cayenne turn every-night chicken and potatoes into something a lot more memorable.  This’ll take you about 45 minutes from counter to table if you roast your potatoes, but if you need to shorten it up, see my directions for steaming the potatoes following the recipe.  Two thumbs up from D. on this one!

Roasted Potato Salad With Chicken & Chutney (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Scrub the potatoes and quarter them.  Combine the potatoes and 2 T. of the oil in a baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.  Roast, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, rub the chicken with 1 T. of the oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and curry powder to taste.  Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.  Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes each side.  Remove from heat, let rest 5 minutes.  Cut into bite-sized chunks.

Meanwhile, make the dressing.  Measure the chutney, cutting up any large pieces (kitchen shears work well for this).  In a small bowl combine the chutney, 1 T. olive oil, the cayenne pepper, lemon juice and 1 t. curry powder. 

Place the spinach in a large bowl.  Add the hot potatoes and chicken to the spinach and toss gently to wilt the spinach.  Stir in the chutney dressing (you may not want to use all of it – use some and add more to taste).  Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.

Serves 4.

If you wanted to short-cut the potatoes, I think this would be just as good if you quartered the potatoes and steamed them for 20 minutes or so over hot water.  For richer flavor, you could toss them with a little olive oil after steaming, and definitely don’t skip the salt and pepper.

By the way, are you buying conventional (i.e., non-organic) potatoes?  You might want to spring for organic.  A potato get its nutrients through its skin, so it’s like a little sponge for any toxic chemicals that come down the food and water pipeline – and there are lots.  Taters are treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they’re dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting.  That’s a lot of crud for you and yours to ingest . . . and since organic potatoes are only slightly more expensive than conventional, why take the risk?

© 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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