Citrus Salad with Goat Cheese

Spring can be a frustrating time of year.  The weather is unpredictable and most people just want the warmth of summer to get here asap.  I personally love spring, the air is crisp, the sun is warm, and the smell of hyacinths is all I need to make me close my eyes and smile.  It's also a great time of year to enjoy fresh spring greens and early spring vegetables.  For me, that first taste of green is such a relief, it means that the earth is waking up and getting ready to feed us again.

This salad is so flavorful and fresh tasting, it's just what I needed after some heavy winter meals.  I was lucky enough to start the base of my salad with some super crisp Yukina Savoy and slightly spicy Arugula that we are growing in the greenhouse at the farm.  From there, I just added a few ingredients that I had and came up with a delicious salad.

Ingredients:

Three large handfuls of fresh salad greens

2-3 small radishes thinly sliced

1/2 of a naval orange- cut into segments

1/2 of a grapefruit- cut into segments

1/2 of a ripe avocado, scooped out of the shell and cubed

About 2-4 Tablespoons of Goat cheese

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

2 Tbsp. pine nuts

2 Tbsp. toasted pumpkin seeds

Salt and Pepper

Drizzle of Olive Oil

Divide the greens onto two plates.  Roll the goat cheese in the chives.  Top the greens with equal amounts of each of the ingredients. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with Olive Oil.

Makes two servings.

 This recipe goes out to Katie who is spending a semester abroad in India and is missing some comforts of home, like goat cheese.   The goat cheese in this salad really completed the dish, it blended well with the tang of the citrus and the spiciness of the chives and arugula.  You really can't go wrong with some good Chevre! 

Vegetable-y Bean Dip

There came unto me a thought that I might make some sort of dip. I really love the thought of making a dip for vegetables out of vegetables.  Throw some beans and tahini in there for a bit of protein and fiber and you got yourself a delicious treat!  It's a great nutritional pick-me-up if you need a boost in the late afternoon, but don't have time for a meal.  I just pull it out of the fridge and dip in a few carrots, radishes, or cucumbers.

The nice thing about this recipe is that you can completely customize it with any kind of bean and vegetables you have.

Ingredients:

1- 15oz. can of Great Northern Beans- drained

               OR

1/2 cup of dried beans soaked and cooked.

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 small onions, chopped

5 cloves of Garlic, chopped

1 Jalapeno

10 mushrooms, sliced

3-4 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed paste)

1 tsp. ground cayanne (optional)

Drizzle 2-3 Tablespoons in a large skillet and toss in the onion, pepper, garlic, and jalapeno.  Saute about 8-10 minutes until the veggies are soft. Throw in the mushrooms and saute another 7 minutes.  Let the mixture cool about 10 minutes.  Drain all of the liquid off that you can.

Use your blender, cuisinart, or food processor to combine the vegetables, tahini, beans, and ground cayanne until smooth.  Taste, add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy this snack with crackers, cucumbers, radishes, turnips, carrots, peppers, or spread on bread.

Salmon Salad- Kicked Up!

I had a strange urge to make Salmon Salad today when I got home from work.  I think I was just in the mood for a simple, flavorful, protein rich lunch option.  I looked through my fridge and cupboards to come up with the ingredients.  I love the way it turned out.  There is so much crunch, tanginess, and just a hint of spice.  

I had mine on a slice of Chia Seed Bread made by my great friend and amazing baker, Anna- Daily Loaf, and topped it with a little slice of avocado. (isn't everything better with a little avocado?)

Ingredients:


1 can (7.5 oz.) of salmon
1 small can of water chestnuts, chopped
2 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
1/2 cup mayo, yoghurt, or sour cream
1/8 cup of chopped fresh dill, chopped finely
3 scallions, chopped
6 radishes, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. capers, chopped
1 tsp. lemon juice
1-2 tsp. Sriracha (optional)


Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix thoroughly.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  That's it!


Enjoy!