Grapefruit is currently in season and I couldn’t be happier about it. There’s something warm and bright about citrus in the winter, no? It almost makes you forget about the freezing, icy air outside.  About a week ago,  I got a sudden craving, picked up a bag of juicy, ruby reds and ploughed through them without coming up for air. Grapefruit for breakfast and dessert. Grapefruit in the morning and afternoon. We are on our second bag this week with no sign of slowing down. 

But grapefruit isn’t filling on its own. I eat one, two, three and, still, I’m hungry! (Though now I understand the allure of the new year’s grapefruit diet- so tasty.) So, I added a bit of avocado and arugula to the mix for a tasty, citrus salad that satisfies. Now I can have grapefruit for lunch!

Ingredients: (1 large salad)

1 grapefruit, peeled and chopped

1 bag of arugula (about 3 cups)

1 avocado, chopped

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper

Directions: Build your salad starting with the arugula. If you’re not a fan of arugula, you could use mache or sprouts or whatever you like.

Add the chopped grapefruit and avocado. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.

Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss.

Serve as a light meal or heavy snack. This would make for a tasty and refreshing mid-morning break at the office.

Or with a side of crispy pita chips.

Yet another way to enjoy grapefruit.

Related posts:

1. Chopped Pear and Watercress Salad with Goat Cheese, Cranberries and Walnuts
2. Crab and Avocado Salad
3. Greek Lentil Salad

Ok, so this is my last post for a little while (I’m getting married on Saturday!). So I wanted it to be a good one. Something tasty and healthy. And seasonal. Did you know pears are in season right now?

You can make this salad with any kind of lettuce you like. I use bib lettuce because it’s mild in flavor, rather than bitter like mixed greens can be.  I also have a soft spot for bib lettuce. When I lived in France, I used to buy it from a local grocer who owned a small produce shop. It was actually two grocers, a crazy old couple who insisted on selling me lettuce with spots and bugs and all that natural “goodness.” Silly Americans like their lettuce pristine.

Watercress gives the salad some bite, a crisp, peppery flavor. If you can’t find it, you could sub in arugula instead.

Ingredients: (makes 2 large salads)

2 heads bib lettuce, washed and chopped

1 bunch watercress, washed and chopped (discard stems)

3 pears cored and chopped

1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries

1 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

2 Tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled

2 Tablespoons olive oil

juice and zest of 1 small lemon

pinch of salt and pepper

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, combine the lettuce, watercress, pear, and cranberries.

Next, add the toasted walnuts. (To toast the nuts, heat them on the stove top on medium heat until they become fragrant and slightly oily.)

Toss together with the lemon juice, zest, olive oil and goat cheese. Crumble the goat cheese before adding it to the salad.

Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Serve with toasted pita or a French bread.  This salad is large enough to serve as a main meal, but you could half the portion size and serve it as a side salad instead.

Now I’m off to enjoy my last week as a “Miss!”

Related posts:

1. Pear and Goat Cheese/Apple and Cheddar Hand Pies
2. Fresh Fig and Arugula Salad with Creamy Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans
3. Greek Lentil Salad

I apologize for my infrequent posts of late. I’m afraid things are going to be this way for a touch longer, just another month or so. I beg your patience. I’ll still be posting regularly, just a bit less often. Blame it on the wedding, I find myself doing that for everything these days.

Now, on to the good stuff! I conjured this salad after a strong craving for a chilled caprese salad without all the cheese (trying to keep things light around here!). Plus I’m a huge fan of wheatberries. They are chewy and nutty and burst satisfyingly between the teeth. They are also packed with protein and fiber and give nice bulk to this salad.

It’s so flavorful, you could easily leave out the parmesan for a vegan version. You could even sub in small bits of mozzarella for the parmesan. It’s great for work lunches, travels like a dream, and can be served at room temperature.

Ingredients: (makes 1 to 2 servings)

1 1/2 cups wheatberries

1 ripe tomato, chopped

5 basil leaves, finely chopped

3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions: To prepare the wheatberries, boil them on the stovetop until tender. Drain and add to a mixing bowl.

Chop the tomato and add to the wheatberries.

Next, add the basil and combine.

In a small bowl, make the dressing. Add the balsamic vinegar.

Pour in the olive oil and whisk vigorously.

Pour over the wheatberry mixture.

Combine until the mixture is well coated.

Add the parmesan cheese and mix well.

Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Garnish with a bit more basil and enjoy.

Related posts:

1. Chopped Pear and Watercress Salad with Goat Cheese, Cranberries and Walnuts
2. Stew of Eggplant, Tomato, Onions, and Fennel
3. Greek Lentil Salad

One of my favorite things about cooking is taking seemingly incongruous ingredients and combining them to discover that they work together perfectly. On some level it makes sense that if you like foods separately, you’ll like them together, but it’s pretty amazing how often it just doesn’t work- ketchup and ice cream anyone? Actually, that might not be so bad…sounds like the latest hipster food craze- spicy tomato sorbet. If this ever happens, I totally called it!

Anyway, this couscous salad is tasty. It may sound weird, but trust me, it’s goooood. Great for lunch or dinner and leftovers too!

Ingredients: (about 4 servings)

1 cup dried Israeli couscous

1 11 oz can of mandarin oranges

1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup almond slivers

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 packed cup of mache rosettes (or arugula)

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

juice of 1/2 a lemon

salt and pepper

Directions: First, prepare the couscous.

Bring 1 cup of dried couscous to a boil in 1 cup of water. Cover, reduce heat and cook for about five minutes and then fluff with a fork. The couscous will look plump and chewy. Set aside.

Next, make the dressing. Drain the juice off the mandarin oranges into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and olive oil to the orange juice and whisk together. Set aside.

In a large salad bowl, toss together the couscous, mandarin oranges, almond slivers, mache, red onions, and white beans. 

Pour the orange juice dressing over top and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill and serve.

I love the chewy couscous pearls.

This couscous salad is truly one of my favorites. The red onion balances out the sweetness of the mandarin oranges, the beans add bulk, and the almonds and mache give it great crunch.

I hope you like it as much as I do!

Related posts:

1. Black and Pinto Bean Salad with Lime and Cilantro Dressing
2. Easy Orange Creamsicles
3. Spicy Almond Green Beans

Sea scallops are one of those foods I used to avoid making because they seemed…I don’t know…elitist? They’re sophisticated and delicate and so intimidating. I’m terrified of turning them to rubber in the pan, so I usually only go for them at restaurants. But the other night, after one too many of these, my confidence was up and I decided to go for it. On a salad. With a zesty, cilantro dressing. Dreamy. And, it was actually pretty easy.

Ingredients: (makes 2 salads)

1/3 to 1/2 pound large sea scallops (2 to 4 scallops per salad)

3 Tablespoons clarified butter

3 oz baby lettuce (about 2 large handfuls)

course sea salt

1 large tomato, sliced

1 large avocado, sliced

1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced

1 cucumber, sliced

For the dressing:

1 bunch of cilantro, rough chopped

juice of one lemon

1 clove of garlic

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

a pinch of sea salt

Directions: Start by preparing the sea scallops. Don’t be intimidated! Rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a paper towel. If the scallops have a little foot, cut it off. My scallops were footless…or footloose? Hmmm??? Ok, I’ll stop.

Next, sprinkle both sides with sea sea salt. In a pan, heat the clarified butter on high heat. Once the butter is hot (almost smoking hot), add the scallops to the pan.

Cook the scallops for 2 minutes on each side. The sides should have a nice brown sear, like so (from the hot butter).

Once cooked, remove the scallops from the pan. Set aside while you make the dressing.

In a food processor, blend the cilantro, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt until smooth and creamy. If the consistency is too runny, add more olive oil.

Assemble the salad with the sea scallops on top.

Drizzle the dressing over top.

Dig in.

See, that wasn’t so hard was it?

Related posts:

1. Black and Pinto Bean Salad with Lime and Cilantro Dressing
2. Super Simple Summer Salad-II
3. Greek Lentil Salad

Lately, I’ve been riding my bike to and from work everyday. It’s great exercise, but it’s hard to ride with a packed lunch- unless that lunch is light.

In the summer, I like cool salads like this tangy lentil salad. It’s filling yet light and is an absolute cinch to travel with. You could eat this plain or atop a bed of lettuce. It would even be great over rice. Love versatile summer dishes like this one.

Ingredients: (makes 4 servings)

2 cups lentils (soak for several hours to reduce cook time)

1/2 cup chopped onion

juice and zest of 1 lemon

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup chopped back olives

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil lentils on the stove top until tender.  In a skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until fragrant and tender. Stir in lentils and lemon zest and remove from heat.

Add the tomatoes, feta, and olives. Stir until well combined.

Next, add the lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Chill and serve.

This dish is great with a side of hummus and grape leaves. Enjoy!

Related posts:

1. Lentil and Rice Salad
2. Lemon Pepper Asparagus Salad
3. Simple Lentil Soup

Let’s lighten things up a bit, shall we?

After back to back posts of sugary cocktails and fudgy cookies, I think we need something healthy and refreshing. A light, bright bean salad sounds perfect. And it’s ideal for summer picnics and potlucks.

Ingredients:

1 can of black beans, drained

1 can of pinto beans, drained

1 yellow pepper, diced

1 orange pepper, diced

1/3 cup purple onion, diced

1 bunch (a good handful) of cilantro

zest and juice of 1 lime

1 clove of garlic

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:  In a mixing bowl, combine the beans, onions, and peppers. In a food processor, pulse the oil, garlic, cilantro and lime juice until it forms a creamy dressing. Pour the dressing over the bean and pepper mix. Add the grated lime zest and toss. Chill if desired.

Garnish with a bit more cilantro and a sliver of lime. Serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, or simply eat by the spoonful!

Related posts:

1. Spicy Lime and Cilantro Coleslaw
2. Pan Seared Sea Scallop Salad with Cilantro Dressing
3. White Bean Hummus Soup

I love pickled veggies, especially purple cabbage which is a staple in our house. We put it on everything from salad to tacos to soup. The texture adds a nice crunch to a dish and the vinegar gives it bite. Not to mention roughage. Too much?

I’m not big on canning, so I make this dish to order and usually it’s gone in only a few days. It’s perfectly easy to whip up and only takes about an hour from start to finish.

Ingredients:

1/2 head of purple cabbage (wrap up the other half and store in the crisper for next time!)

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp ground cloves

1/2 cup apple juice

Directions:

Chop or shred the purple cabbage. When I want to get the job done quickly, I break it down into wedges and toss into the food processor. This makes a finer consistency cabbage as opposed to the stringier version you find in slaws recipes or on salads. It’s up to you.

Pour the cabbage into a large mixing bowl and coat with the red wine vinegar and toss. The cabbage will soak up the vinegar, but you want just enough so that it’s slightly soupy at the bottom of the bowl. Add more vinegar if needed.

Next add in the apple juice and cloves and mix well.  (If you don’t have ground cloves, you could use whole cloves, just don’t forget to fish them out later!)

Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

Serve and eat as a side, snack or condiment. My favorite way to eat this cabbage is on falafel salad- recipe coming next time!

Related posts:

1. Quick Pickled Veggies
2. Black and Pinto Bean Salad with Lime and Cilantro Dressing
3. Lemon Pepper Asparagus Salad

I’m kind of fixated on this dish as of late. Isn’t spring a lovely time for asparagus?

I made a hearty Italian meal the other night and wanted a little something green to serve with it. A cold asparagus salad sounded perfect. Something simple and easy of course.

I’ve noticed a few other asparagus recipes on the web lately. Smitten Kitchen boasts a gorgeous plate of ribboned asparagus.  As much as I love the presentation, I hate peeling vegetables. I avoid tedium at all costs. And I’m especially ungifted at peeling asparagus. Believe me, I’ve tried.

I opted to chop mine into tiny buttons. Take a bunch of rinsed asparagus and line em up like so.

And off with their heads!

Ouch!

Once you’ve chopped the stalks into symmetrical bits, toss them into a pan that has a good fitting lid. Add a splash of water and cook them on medium heat until they turn bright green. This should only take a minute or two. Then blanch them by transferring the asparagus to a bowl of ice water.

This technique is called blanching and is used to stop the cooking process immediately. This allows the asparagus to retain their gorgeous green color and crunchy texture. It also makes the dish more vibrant and interesting.

Once they’ve cooled, strain the asparagus and transfer them to a mixing bowl. Add a teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of pepper, two Tablespoons olive oil and the juice and zest of half a lemon.

Give it a good stir and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

This dish is so versatile and really great for leftovers. You could easily make a pasta salad version of this for picnics and potlucks. You could also spruce it up with tomatoes and corn for a colorful, playful twist.

Here’s a recap of the recipe with instructions.

Ingredients: (makes 4 servings)

1 bunch asparagus (rinsed)

zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

2 teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

bowl of ice water (for blanching)

Directions: Chop the asparagus into small pieces. Put the asparagus and a splash of water in a pot on the stove top. Cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until asparagus turn bright green. Turn off the heat and transfer the asparagus to the ice bath. Allow to sit in the ice water for a couple of minutes. Drain and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice and stir well. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish with extra lemon zest if desired.

Related posts:

1. Greek Lentil Salad
2. Lentil and Rice Salad
3. Lemon Yogurt Muffins

This time of year it’s all chocolate bunnies and jelly beans everywhere you turn. And though I’m a big fan of all things candy and sugar, I simply couldn’t conjure the appetite or insulin production required to feature an intoxicatingly sweet recipe that you might’ve come to expect this time of year.

Just when I had considered throwing in the towel and completely giving up on any hope of writing a post for the Easter/Passover holidays, my co-worker Tiffany told me about Charoset. It’s a Passover food served at the Seder meal and consists of fruit, nuts, honey, and wine. No chocolate. No bunnies. No marshmallows. I was sold.

I did a bit of internet research and found that this dish can be made a variety of ways, so I opted to get creative and make it my own. I incorporated pears, mango, orange juice, and balsamic vinegar (in lieu of wine), but ultimately stuck to the Charoset framework.

Ingredients: (makes 4 to 6 servings)

1 Tablespoon honey

Juice and zest of 1 lemon (divided)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 apple (cored and chopped)

1 pear (cored and chopped)

1 mango (peeled, cored and chopped)

1/2 cup walnuts (rough chopped and toasted)

1/3 a 170z bottle of orange juice (feel free to go with an orange combo juice such as orange mango or orange pineapple, etc)

Directions:  Lightly toast walnuts in a small pan over low heat and set aside to cool. 

Place chopped/peeled/cored fruit in a bowl. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 the lemon over top, mix and set aside.

In a small sauce pan on low heat, melt the honey and balsamic together to form a syrup. Add the remaining lemon juice and 1/2 the lemon zest. Stir until heated through then pour over top of the fruit and mix well.

Then, add the remaining lemon zest to the fruit.

Add in the orange juice and walnuts and mix well.

Serve family style or in individual fruit cups.

Dive in immediately, or allow the fruit to marinate a bit first. Either way, it’s very tasty.

It’s actually a great spring or summer salad ,for breakfast, picnics, or any occasion. Light, refreshing, and sweet. No chocolate. No Bunnies. No problem.

Related posts:

1. Chopped Pear and Watercress Salad with Goat Cheese, Cranberries and Walnuts
2. Omar’s Honey Nut Granola
3. Lemon Pepper Asparagus Salad