Citrus-Parsley Cucumber and Tomato Salad

This is a very classic recipe that you can see all over the place. I made this as a simple and brightly flavored accompaniment to BBQ Veggie Pizza for dinner one night and we enjoyed it. Leftovers were very delicious the next day after it had sat overnight in the refrigerator.

The feta cheese is optional, but delicious. If you use the feta, do not add in salt. If you don't use feta, you might want to add a pinch or two.

Citrus-Parsley Cucumber and Tomato Salad

• 1/2 small red onion
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 cucumber
• 6-7 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 lime
• 2-4 ounces feta cheese (optional)

Slice the red onion very thinly. Cut the tomato into reasonably sized wedges. Halve the cucumber and slice into 1/4 inch half moons. Mince the parsley. Toss it all together in a bowl. Squeeze the lime juice on the top (you'll want 2-3 tablespoons) and mix again. Let sit for about 15 minutes, then add in the feta right before serving.

Fresh, Simple, Delicious

Double Green Curry Salad

I made this salad tonight and immediately wanted to post it on here. I came up with this combination after staring at this week's farmer's market merchandise for a few minutes. It has a crispy, fresh crunch; pleasing green, orange, red and white colors and plenty of bright flavors from the citrus. If you like things spicy, use more curry paste, or you can tone it down a little.

We ate this salad as a meal along with some roasted fingerling potatoes. I melted some butter, tossed the raw potatoes in it and spread them out on a baking dish. Then I covered them with sea salt, ground black pepper and four or five cloves of chopped garlic - baked at 450°F until they were done. I love to do fingerlings this way - in fact I often put down my fork to just pick them up and eat them like fries! The skins get nice and crispy and the insides stay creamy and moist. Deeelicious.

Double Green Curry Salad

• 1/2-3/4 pound fresh green beans
• 6 red radishes, sliced
• 1-2 carrots, shredded
• 1/4 cup tablespoons olive oil
• 3-4 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon Bragg liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon (or more or less) green curry paste
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley or cilantro

Bring a pot of lightly water to a rolling boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice and cold water. Trim the straggly ends off the beans and cut them in half if they are very long. Boil the beans until they are bright green but still crispy, about three or four minutes. Drain and plunge into the bowl of ice water.
Combine the olive oil, lime juice, liquid aminos or soy sauce and green curry paste in a small container with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously until well mixed and smooth.

Drain the green beans and pat dry. If you have a salad spinner, you could give them a whirl in that to make sure they're really dry. In a large bowl, toss the beans, radishes and dressing until combined. Garnish with the sliced almonds and minced herbs. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Bright and Fresh Chickpea Salad

It's growing season again! Every Saturday morning from here until winter will be spent at the Kansas City Farmer's Market, where I will buy produce from my favorite farmers! See the "Food Sources" page to see links to my favorite stalls and farms. There isn't too much available just yet, and a lot of my favorite stalls (such as Hun's Garden) were still only selling plants, but I did come out with some good buys! Here's the loot I came home with this week!


Bryson's Farm:
- 4 red, juicy tomatoes
- 2 lovely bunches of asparagus
- 1/2 pound of creamy fingerling potatoes
- 3 exquisite heads of garlic
- 1 bunch of crisp red radishes


Goode Acres:
- 1 bag of crunchy baby romaine lettuce
- 1 bag of delicious curly green kale

I saw a stall I had never seen before, drawn in by the signs declaring "RAWSOME DELIGHTS." They were selling two different kinds of raw cacao treats! One was a coconut chocolate truffle and the other had dates and pecans. I went for the dates! Ingredients:
coconut, pecans, cashews, cacao, walnuts, dates, agave, coconut oil, sea salt
All organic. $3.50 for three treats - we haven't eaten any yet. I think I'll save them for late at night ;)

Carollo's Gourmet Grocery is a fantastic little Italian deli and shop in the farmer's market area. From there I brought home:
- about a pound of mixed olives: Sicilian green, Greek black and Gaeta olives
- (what I was really excited about!!) THREE POUNDS of dried cannellini beans!!!! I can hardly ever find these anywhere... so when I saw them, I bought three pounds! I'll be giving some to my mom. I'll probably be making a pasta fagioli soup with the kale from Goode Acres very soon :)

Another part of Market Saturdays is coming home and making lunch out of all the produce left in the kitchen from last week. I must use the old stuff before touching the new! I had a lot leftover this week and managed to make a very delicious salad from it.

This salad is light, fresh tasting, crunchy and nutritious. The dressing is slightly spicy and dances on your tongue. My husband says he is going to use the leftovers to make a pita sandwich for dinner this evening. I used leftover white basmati rice, but I can imagine that any sort of rice will be great, or even another grain like quinoa or kamut that you may have sitting around.

I hope some of you get as excited for growing season as I do. Here's to months and months of farmer's market Saturdays! CHEERS :)

Bright and Fresh Chickpea Salad

• 2 cups cold, cooked chickpeas
• 1 cup cold, cooked rice
• 1 medium carrot
• 1/2 a zucchini
• 1/2 tomato
• 1/2 bunch green onion
• 1-2 romaine lettuce leaves
• 1/2 a jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons or so of fresh parsley leaves
• small chunk of fresh ginger, skin removed
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon stone ground or dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Chop the carrot and zucchini into very small pieces. Dice the green onions and tomato and tear the romaine lettuce into bite size pieces. Toss in a bowl along with the chickpeas and rice.

Roughly chop the jalapeno, garlic cloves, parsley and ginger and add to a food processor. Pulse a couple of times, then add in the lime juice, dijon mustard and olive oil. Combine until they form a thick, creamy dressing.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix thoroughly. Let sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator for about fifteen minutes before enjoying.

(P.S. I know my pictures are never exactly professional - haha - but lately I've just been using my camera phone. So believe me, this salad is much brighter and delicious looking than the pictures allow for :)

Green Rice

I always have a large variety of green vegetables and seasonings hanging out in my kitchen - today I decided to use them all together! This recipe is very easy and quick to make and very filling. Serve it hot or cold!

The specific pesto sauce that I used in this recipe is my own Spinach and Squash Pesto, however, feel free to use your favorite pesto - homemade or store bought.

Green Rice
Serves 3-4

•  olive oil
• sea salt and ground black pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried peppermint
• 1 cup green peas (thawed)
• 1 cup baby lima beans (thawed)
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon kelp powder
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
• 2 cups cooked brown rice

Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onion, oregano, basil, thyme and peppermint and saute until the onion is soft and translucent, about ten minutes. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Add in the peas, lima beans, brown rice, pesto sauce, kelp powder and lime juice and mix well. Taste, and add in more lime juice, salt and pepper, if desired.

Beautiful green nutrition!

Citrus Fish with Subtle Garlic Lime Vegetables

I love to eat fish. When I first started cooking, I had a lot of trouble replicating the delicious fish I had in restaurants. It would stick to the pan, it would be overcooked, it would be flavorless, something was always wrong. One day I decided to bake it, and I have never turned back. With baking, it is much easier to ensure the fish doesn't loose its seasoning and tastes lighter and fresher (like it should) because it hasn't been covered in oil in a frying pan.

Fish is a bit more pricey, especially if you are concerned about sustainable fishing practices. When I notice that fish is on sale, I buy a ridiculous amount - twenty pounds sometimes - and keep it in the freezer in single portion bag. This way I have delicious fish until it goes on sale next. White fish is my favorite, as its texture is light and flaky and it lends so easily to all sorts of subtle flavors.

For fish, vegetables are a match made in heaven, as is citrus and fresh herbs. I made this specific meal for lunch. If you'd like to bulk it up for dinner, add a side of brown rice or quinoa.

Citrus Fish with Garlic Lime Vegetables
serves 2

• one half pound firm white fish fillets (such as tilapia, pollack, swai, flounder, etc) - each portion should be about 4 ounces
•  one small red onion, sliced into very thin rings
• two cloves garlic, minced
• one clove garlic, smashed
• one lemon
• one lime
• 4 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
• one small Japanese eggplant
• one zucchini squash
• sea salt and ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Arrange the whole rings of red onion at the bottom of a baking pan. Sprinkle a little bit of olive oil onto them (very little). Place the fish fillets on top and sprinkle with the black pepper and minced garlic. Halve the lemon and the lime. Squeeze about 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice from the lemon, being careful to avoid seeds, and spread over the fish (this should use the whole lemon). Squeeze about a tablespoon of lime juice from the lime and spread over the fish (this should use half the lime - save the other half). Place the used lemon and lime halves at the edge of the baking dish and place in the oven. Cook the fish until it is firm and flakes easily, about 15-20 minutes.

Serve the fish fillets on top of the crispy-sweet red onion rings, each portion topped with a tablespoon of chives, alongside the vegetables.

Subtle Garlic Lime Vegetables

Cut the ends off the eggplant and zucchini. Halve lengthwise, then cut into 1/2 inch half-moon shapes. Sprinkle liberally with the sea salt, making sure to coat the pieces well. Leave to sit for about 20 minutes in order to draw out excess moisture and bitterness. Rinse the salt off, then pat dry.

Heat about two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Add the smashed clove of garlic and saute just until browned and fragrant, then remove from the pan and discard. Add in any leftover red onion you might have had from the fish and the completely dry eggplant and zucchini pieces. Saute over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 5-10 minutes. Squeeze the remaining lime half over the top and toss in about two tablespoons of the chives, mix to coat and remove from heat.

Beautiful fish and vegetables, pictured here with a wedge of Spinach Asiago bread from Bread of Life Bakery