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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Happy Friday, everyone! Here’s a roundup of my most popular pins this week.

This Pina Colada fruit salad recipe would be a great addition to a summer brunch:

Source: tasteofhome.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

Avocado & lime & cantaloupe salad? YES!

 

Source: theppk.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

I have 5,000 lbs. of CSA tomatoes on my counter – this Southeast Asian tomato salad would be a tasty & creative way to showcase them:

 

Source: yumsugar.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

 What about carrots? I have a ton of those, too, from my CSA. This duo of shredded carrot salads (one sweet, one savory) is a treat for the eyes, as well as for the palate!

 

Source: kblog.lunchboxbunch.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

 The addition of corn is an interesting twist on the classic Caprese salad:

 

Source: simplyrecipes.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

 I’d add a can of rinsed & drained pinto beans to this Mexicali raw corn salad with beans & lime to create a light, vegetarian lunchbox item:

 

Source: care2.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

And my most popular workout pin? This rockin’ 5-superset Arms & Abs workout . . . summer’s not over yet, my friends!

 

Source: theleangreenbean.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

Enjoy!

P.S. Not following me on Pinterest? That’s just wrong. Find me here!

© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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Summertime is a great time for pesto – you can make up a big batch, use it lots of different ways, even freeze it for a treat come wintertime. I can’t tell you the joy we got pulling out a container of garlic scape pesto in the dead of winter, tossing it with some pasta, and reminiscing about summer.

Today’s pesto is an exotic departure from your traditional basil, walnut & Parmesan blend. The Thai basil lends a slight anise flavor, the toasted pecans add depth and richness. Whip up a big batch of this versatile, vegan concoction and keep it around for dipping, drizzling and dressing. It’ll keep in your fridge for about a week – and bonus! The lime juice helps it keep its bright green color.

Thai Basil Pesto (Adapted from Healthful Pursuit)

Place nuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until broken down, about 30 seconds. Add basil, lime zest and juice, fish sauce and garlic. Pulse to mix, until basil leaves have been incorporated with the nuts. With the processor running, add the olive oil through the feed tube and process until combined and until pesto has reached desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste, mixing and tasting after each addition.

Yields about 1.5 cups.

What’re you gonna do with it?

• Great on pasta. Why not try zucchini “pasta”? I used a vegetable peeler to peel long strips of zucchini, heated them up quickly in a frying pan, and tossed them with the pesto. Delicious, a great way to use your zucchini, and a healthful, low-calorie alternative to pasta.
• Slice a tomato, spread the pesto on top, and hit it with the broiler
• Sandwich spread
• Try it over fish or chicken – we ate it over simple baked cod and it was delicious
• Veggie dip
• In a vinaigrette
• Pizza sauce
• Spread on crackers
• Freeze for later – either in small containers or in an ice cube tray.
• More good ideas here!

What’re your favorite ways to use pesto? Have a favorite pesto ingredient combo? Share in the comments!

© 2012 – 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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I’ve posted before that I have a lot of kitchen stuff. Like so much that I have a giant Ikea armoire in the basement to house pie plates (I think I have 6), special pans (bundt, train cake pans, you get the idea), multiple waffle irons (yes, multiple), cookie cutters, etc. etc. etc. So I’m loathe to buy a single-use tool – there are usually other ways to accomplish the same task (I’m looking at you, mango pitter!). But then there are some essential single-use tools – the egg slicer comes to mind. And now, the TofuXpress.

I’d never heard of this thing, ’til one day a Semi-Sweet reader emailed me that her husband & daughter had gotten her one at Sur La Table. Intrigued, I checked out the site – a tool that squeezes the heck out of your tofu? Was small-ish? American-made? Dishwasher safe? Sign. Me. Up. I emailed the good folks at TofuXpress to see if they’d be willing to send me one to review, and guess what? They said yes!

Now yes, you can press your own tofu – here’s what I used to do:

Lots of paper towls (cringe-worthy from an environmental perspective), the cookie sheets, lots of plates . . . it works, but it also only goes so far. Unless you take time to change the towels, they get saturated quickly and your tofu will still have a significant amount of moisture in it. This doesn’t matter for some preparations, but say you want to get it crispy? Or really saturated with marinade? Or just want it to be firmer and more flavorful? The TofuXpress is your new go-to girl.

 You just put in your block of tofu, snap in the top (there is a heavy-duty spring in there, that’s what does the pressing) and let it go. The instructions say to put it in the fridge and let it press for an hour, or overnight, but I find the results to be awesome (and far superior to my old method) in as few as 15 minutes.  When you’re ready to remove the tofu, you just tip the unit upside down over a sink, remove the accumulated water, and free the tofu. So simple.

The TofuXpress also comes with a lid that conveniently attaches to the base for storage – use this for marinating. You need to press the tofu first, then remove the liquid, insert the tofu with the marinade into the base, and cover with the top – place in the fridge for the desired time, and voila! You can even press the marinated tofu to achieve a denser texture that’s more meat-like.

I haven’t tried this yet, but the instructions say that you can also use the TofuXpress to press other vegetables, like eggplant, or defrosted frozen spinach, for example. Check out all the details, including a video demo, at the TofuXpress site. If you eat tofu on a regular basis, this is $39.95 well spent. Two thumbs up!

What’s your favorite kitchen gadget? Something innovative like the TofuXpress? What would you like to see me review here for you?

{Disclaimer: I was sent the TofuXpress free-of-charge to review, but TofuXpress did NOT solicit my review – I contacted them. All the opinions in this review are my own.}

© 2012, 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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My CSA has been churning out bok choy this season, and it is delicious. This past week, we also received a big bunch of tatsoi, another Asian green.  To me, these were meant to be used together, so I dreamed up this little number. I know I have a lot of recipes with peanut sauce, but I’m just such a sucker for Asian preps with peanut sauce. A little sweet, a little spicy and a little creamy (I made this with real peanut butter, not PB2, and man, it tasted indulgent). I kept the fat here low by not using any oil except for what’s in the peanut butter – used broth for stir-”frying” the greens. This is a bit of chopping, but not much – all in, about 30 minutes to the table!

Soba Noodles with Asian Greens & Peanut Sauce

For the dressing:

Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water, drain again and set aside.

Pour approximately 1/4 c. of the broth into a large frying pan or wok. Heat over medium-high heat. Add the tatsoi stems, bok choy stems, scallion whites, garlic and ginger and stir-fry until tender, about 4 minutes. Add more broth if the pan begins to get dry.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking together all the dressing ingredients. Set aside.

Add the bok choy and tatsoi leaves, along with the scallion greens to the pan with the stems and toss to wilt – again, add more broth if the pan gets dry.

Combine the greens mixture with the noodles and toss with the dressing. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your taste.

Serves 4.

¿What can these veggies do for you?

Let’s start with bok choy, a cruciferous veggie (like broccoli and cabbage). This nutritional darling provides large amounts of vitamins A, C, and K as well as folate and calcium. A recent study detected 28 different polyphenols – antioxidant phytochemicals – in bok choy. The most prevelent was kaempferol, a molecule shown to have anti-cancer properties. Like all cruciferous vegetables, more cancer-preventive compounds are produced when bok choy is chopped before cooking.

Bok choy is uniquely beneficial for its calcium availability – bok choy is lower in oxalate, a substance that binds up calcium and prevents it from being absorbed, than most other leafy greens. 54% of the calcium in bok choy can be absorbed by the human body – compare this to 5% in spinach, a high oxalate vegetable, and 32% in milk. You can actually absorb calcium better from bok choy than from dairy products. With the bad news on calcium supplements and heart issues, it’s important to try to get your daily calcium requirements from food, not supplements, if you can. Bok choy can help!

What about this tatsoi? I have to admit, this is a new-to-me veggie and I really liked it. Tatsoi, AKA spinach mustard, spoon mustard, or rosette bok choy, is another proud member of the brassica family. It has dark green spoon-shaped leaves which form a thick rosette. It has a soft creamy texture, a sweet aroma and a mild mustard flavor. Tatsoi is often compared to spinach because of its similar appearance, and because it shrinks significantly when cooked. The taste, however, is entirely different. Tatsoi’s flavors are sweet and earthy, and it has a more cabbage-like texture which I like for stir-frying. Spinach gets too slimy for my taste. Like other crucifers, it contains phytochemicals that can act as powerful antioxidants, detoxify carcinogenic substances, induce cancer cell death, and block the formation of new blood vessels necessary for the proliferation and metastasis of malignant tumors.

WHAT is not to love about these two? Try ‘em!

© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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This is a quick vegan meal that can be served straight up or over rice or quinoa. The cumin and coriander give it a lovely earthy flavor. Use whatever sturdy greens you have on hand – I had baby kale that needed eating up, but grown-up kale or spinach would be equally as delicious.

Tofu with Chickpeas & Greens (adapted from She Knows Vegan)

1 (14-oz.) package firm tofu, drained of liquid
2 t. sesame oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. minced fresh ginger
1 t. ground coriander
1 t. ground cumin
6 c. spinach/kale/Swiss chard/or other hearty green you like
2/3 c. vegetable broth
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas or 1 (10 oz.) bag frozen green chickpeas

Drain the tofu and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. Place a double layer of paper towels on a plate or a rimmed baking sheet. Set the tofu cubes on the plate/sheet and cover with another double layer of paper towels. Place a heavy object, like a stack of plates, on the top plate to press the liquid out of the tofu. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the sesame oil and the tofu, then add the cumin and coriander and cook, turning occasionally, until tofu is lightly browned. Transfer tofu and onions to a plate and keep warm.

Add the greens and most of the broth to the skillet. Add garlic and ginger and toss the greens to wilt. Cook until the greens are tender – your time will vary depending on what sort of greens you’re using. Add more broth if the skillet gets dry. Stir in chickpeas and the tofu mixture and cook until heated through. Taste and add Kosher salt and/or freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Serves 4.

¿What are green chickpeas, anyway?

I came across these in the freezer section at Whole Foods one day a while ago, and they’ve been lingering in my over-stuffed freezer for a while now. Green chickpeas are fresh, young chickpeas, picked in their infancy – as opposed to the beige orbs we most often see. Those are left to ripen on the plant and then shrivel into the blonde pebbles that we buy in cans or bags. These young chickpeas are still  green and encased in thin, pliant pods, much like edamame. Typically, fresh chickpeas are available only a few weeks a year in farmer’s markets and ethnic/specialty stores (I’ve never seen them, have you?), but as I did, you can find bags of fresh chickpeas in the freezer case. I’ve even heard they have them at Costco!

© 2012 – 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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The other day, I did a group presentation on “superfoods.” You know, nutrient-dense, health-promoting foods? And when we came to a pause, I asked the crowd, “What is your biggest barrier to eating healthy?” “Time” was the overwhelming answer.

The women there talked about not being organized with their meal planning and grocery shopping, their kids not buying into new foods being prepared, about trying to avoid mutiny at 6 p.m. on a Wednesday, etc. And I told them, as I tell anyone who’ll listen, that it’s a misconception that cooking with real, healthful foods must be a time-consuming process. I’m not talking about making your own condiments – I’m talking about throwing together a few healthy ingredients to make a complete meal in a matter of thirty minutes or fewer. I can’t guarantee your kids’ll like the recipes. I can’t guarantee you will, either – but unless you try (and isn’t this what you’re always telling your kids, if you have them?), you’ll never know.

And I assure you: It. Can. Be. Done. We have the technology, my friends . . . and in the case of this recipe, it’s dried whole wheat pasta, pre-cooked lentils and pre-washed baby spinach. This is an amazing meal that tastes fresh, is good  for you, and all you have to chop are a few leeks. My 8-year-old did that part – I KNOW you can do it. Have some faith in yourself!

Now did my 8-year-old eat this? No. I won’t lie, and I didn’t to that group, either. L. picks and chooses what she eats from a range of healthful options, but she almost never eats the meal exactly as I make it for me and D. When I made this, she ate, as usual, a component of the meal – the pasta – and she had it with jarred spaghetti sauce and ricotta cheese slopped on top . Apple and sliced strawberries on the side.

Pasta with Lentils, Spinach & Leeks (adapted from the Power Foods cookbook)

Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 c. cooking liquid.

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and thyme and cooking, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft but not browned; about 5 minutes. Add the cooked lentils and garlic and a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook for another minute.

Add the spinach and about 1/4 c. of the reserved pasta cooking liquid to the pan. Toss the spinach to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add more water if needed. Add the pasta to the pan, toss to combine. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serves 2, but easily double for 4.

So how ’bout you? What’s your biggest barrier to eating more healthfully? Did you know that I can help? Email me and learn how I can take you through meal planning and marketing, step-by-step, to help you create a system that’ll work great for your family (kids or no kids) and your lifestyle. I’ll even escort you to the supermarket and help you navigate the maze . . . and/or go through your cupboards and fridge and help you weed out the junk, make room for delicious time-savers and health-promoters and leave you with a customized shopping list so you can do it all on your own. Want to start cooking with some new-fangled ingredients and not sure how? I can show you that, too, and even pull together recipes that’ll meet your taste preferences and dietary restrictions. All with the down-to-earth, no-nonsense attitude you’ve come to love from Semi-Sweet!

© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

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