I’ve been emboldened by my successes with raw kale salads. I know that if I massage the kale with the olive oil and the acid (lemon, vinegar), the kale will get tender and melty. The flavors have been incredible. So when I got a big, beautiful bunch of Swiss chard in my CSA box last week, I thought, “why not?” and onto Google I went. Up popped the inspiration for this salad, which D and I enjoyed on Saturday night. The perfect foil to the birthday celebration food we enjoyed on Friday for L’s big family birthday celebration.

This served the two of us as a meal salad, although D did have about 3 ounces of turkey tips with it. I found it filling enough to eat on its own – plenty of protein from all those greens, the hemp seed and the walnuts. Lots of rich and satisfying flavor from the avocados (loving the 5/$5 avocados at Whole Foods this past week!). Definitely one I’ll make again.

Avocado Massaged Swiss Chard Salad (adapted from the Good Food Collective)

Greens:

1 bunch of Swiss Chard, stems removed
Other salad greens as desired (I used red leaf lettuce from the farm share)

Dressing:

1 avocado, divided (mash one half for dressing, other half set aside for salad topping)
1 1/2 T EVOO
1 1/2 T balsamic vinegar
Juice from 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad Toppings:

2 carrots, shredded
1 large tomato, diced
1/8 c. hemp seeds
1/2 c. walnuts, very roughly chopped
Reserved half of avocado, diced

Tear chard and other salad greens, rinse well and spin dry.  In a large bowl, mix mashed avocado, oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pepper.  Add salad greens and stir, completely coating greens with dressing mixture.  Use your hands!

Add and stir in all desired salad toppings, excluding any of these you don’t like, adding what you do. Hemp seeds are a great source of vegetable protein, but hard cooked eggs or cooked chicken/turkey would be good too.

Allow salad to “marinate” in dressing mixture for 10 minutes before serving.  The avocado and olive oil soften the greens up nicely, making it very easy and enjoyable to eat the chard raw in a salad. This would work great with kale, too.

Serves 2 – 4, depending on if salad is used a meal or as a side.

© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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This sounds like some sort of a throwdown from the Food Network: How many superfoods can you fit in one dish? I was inspired by my CSA haul at the end of last week. I had two bunches of kale, one lacinato, one curly. A ton of tomatoes. What could I make? A perfectly ripe avocado beckoned on the counter, my crisper was full of fresh organic lemons . . . what came together was a melange of superfoods that was creamy and flavorful and so, so good for us. This is my second foray into the world of raw kale salads, and I have to say, I’m officially over my fear. It might sound funny, but “massaging” the chopped kale with your fingers really does tenderize it. You do not feel like you’re chewing on rubber bands. Trust me. It’s toothsome but tender, and the rich flavor of the avocado and the brightness of the lemon will make your tastebuds sing. Enjoy.

Kale & Avocado Salad With Quinoa (adapted from Thrive Foods, by Brendan Brazier)

Using your hands, toss all the ingredients except the quinoa together in a large salad bowl. Massage the ingredients together so that you wilt the kale and cream the avocado. Taste and add salt and pepper to you liking. Divide the quinoa between two large bowls, and top each with one half of the kale salad. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

© 2012 – 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Again with the cabbage. I love the stuff! And napa cabbage is very mild tasting . . . so for those of you who shy away from those big, tough-looking heads of green or purple cabbage, try napa. It’s the kinder, gentler, softer cabbage (see also, savoy). But it’s still very low in calories and high in nutrients – in fact, it has the highest concentration of folate of all the cabbages. A lot of bang for the buck with this one, my friends!

This is a quick and easy slaw to throw together on a hot night. Pair it up with some pre-baked tofu (I like the Teriyaki flavored one from Trader Joe’s) and fill your belly while keeping your kitchen cool. Or, do your own baked tofu – slice a block of organic firm tofu into four slabs, press it, and then throw it in a 9×13 pan with a little sesame oil and a little soy sauce. Gently turn the tofu to coat and throw it in a 375° oven for 30-45 minutes, turning half-way through. It won’t be as dense as the pre-baked TJ’s stuff, but it’ll have a nice soft texture and great flavor. Now, on to the slaw!

Napa Cabbage Slaw (adapted from Food & Wine)

In a dry skillet, toast the almonds for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.

 In a bowl, mix the oil, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. Add the cabbage, scallions and cilantro and toss. Add the almonds and season with pepper. Toss again and serve.

Serves 2 as a dinner salad, with the tofu, otherwise, can serve 4 as a side salad.

© 2012 – 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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It’s summer. It can get HOT. You might be cranky. You definitely don’t want to turn on your oven, or even stand over your stovetop. But you want fresh food that’s good for you, right? Here’s a recipe that solves all the problems. It’s vegetarian, but has a lot of protein for those hung up on that stuff (I admit, I am). You could even veganize it if you wanted to (take out the cheese – the horror!). This is a 30 minute deal that’ll leave you cool, calm, collected & satisfied.

Feta, Lentil & Cilantro Salad

Cook the lentils according to package directions until tender, but still a bit firm to the bite, about 20 minutes.

Drain the lentils, place them in a large bowl, and dress with the olive oil, lemon juice and the garlic. Add the remaining ingredients, stir and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 2 generously as a main dish, 4 as a side dish. Can easily be doubled.

© 2012 – 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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What? How could I not know this? March 26, 2012 is National Spinach Day?? Did you know that my Baby Spinach Salad, 7 Ways is one of the most popular posts of all-time here on Semi-Sweet? Check out scads of other delish spinach recipes right here, right now! Let’s party down, Sweeties.

Spinach is a superfood that’s ridiculously easy to incorporate into your repertoire – whether you like it cooked, raw or both. Baby or mature, it comes pre-washed and pre-bagged for EZ daily use. I “eat” about 4 cups of organic baby spinach every a.m. in my green smoothie . . . what’re your favorite ways to enjoy this lovely leafy?

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© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Ahhh. Today, my friends, is my 6 month surgerversary! Yes, 6 months ago I was amputated and rebuilt and although it seemed like it took for-evah, I am back to what feels like normal. Maybe in another 6 months I’ll tell you I have more energy and can rebound more quickly, but I know I’m driving myself HARD right now, and I’m holding my own with the best of ‘em. Big gold star for me (and my amazing healthcare team)!

I’ve also closed out week 3 of my intense exercise and dieting plan and I am feeling so, so good. It hasn’t been a walk in the park, but I’ve pushed through the trouble spots and am being rewarded – I am stronger, leaner and I have more energy than I have in months. I can wear my skinnier skinny jeans again. I can now do sissy push-ups with the best of ‘em – moving forward into “big boy” push-ups now. Remember, my goal is to do at least 10 big-boys in a row by the end of this year – so long as I don’t stop, I’ll meet that goal WELL before December. Best yet, I’ve been allowed back into Pilates classes for “normal” people – my strength is back all over my body, and I’m now stronger than ever in my upper body, despite those parts being removed and replaced 6 months ago. I feel, in a word, vital.

It’s a helluva lot of work though. I won’t lie. And there are days (afternoons, mostly) when I say to myself, “This sucks. It’s boring, it’s hard and it’s just not that much fun.” I want it to end. Many days it feels like it’s going too slowly, but I haven’t met my goal yet. 9 more weeks to go. Weight loss done the right way is necessarily slow – 1-2 lbs. a week are all you should lose if you want it to stick later, people. To combat these feelings, I need to spice it up – and you can’t take the foodie out of the girl – so I’m entertaining myself by trying to cook up delicious, but dietetic food. Four words that do NOT always go together. And honestly, this is not as yummy as biting into a cheesy gooey pizza. But it’s got vibrant flavor, is interesting texturally and it’s got lots of protein and fiber to fill you up. There is no substitute for a burger and fries, but maybe this’ll keep you interested enough to go another few days on the healthy eating plan? I hope so. You will feel light and clean and satisfied after eating this, and really, what more can you ask for when you’re dieting?

Peanut Chicken Salad (inspired by The Ultra-Metabolism Cookbook)

Dressing

Salad

If you don’t have cooked chicken on hand, quickly poach your chicken breast by placing it in a saucepan with water to cover. Heat until boiling, sprinkle a little salt in the pan, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep covered for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan, let stand for 5 minutes, and then cut into bite-sized pieces. This is a great technique to have in your back pocket when you want to cook chicken with NO extra fat or calories.

Prepare the rice noodles according to package directions (this usually involves pouring boiling water over them, letting them sit for a few minutes, then draining them and rinsing them with cold water and draining again – very very easy).

Combine the peanut butter, rice vinegar, lime juice, ginger, garlic and lime zest in a small bowl or jar and stir or shake vigorously until smooth.

Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl along with the rice noodles and toss well. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again. Eat up!

Serves 2, but this could easily be doubled.

© 2012 – 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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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 – 2013, 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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