Cabbage, Carrot, and Cashew Slaw

Simple slaw that is warming this time of year.
This makes about 4 servings.

Ingredients
Juice of half a lemon (5-6 teaspoons)
3 teaspoons soy sauce
6-7 teaspoons olive oil
2-3 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
sea salt to taste
1/2 head fresh cabbage, shredded
2-3 medium carrots, washed and shredded
1 cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped
handful of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Mix first five ingredients together in a jar with tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously. Set aside.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in medium size bowl.
3. Shake dressing. Taste. Adjust seasoning as needed.
4. Shake dressing one last time before pouring over slaw.
5. Toss to coat evenly.
6. Enjoy!

Tomato, Cucumber, Kohlrabi salad with Cilantro Pesto

The Easter Bunny was good to us this year bringing several little pots of herbs. One in particular has done extremely well--cilantro. So glad this one decided to be the herb of choice, because it's one of my favorites. I decided to use a chunk of our harvest to make pesto to serve as the dressing for the veggies multiplying in my fridge. It turned out so yummy I had to distract my four year old with a homemade popsicle to keep him from eating all the pesto on crackers (our preferred taste-test method). Hope it's a winner at your house, too!

Ingredients
1-2 garlic cloves
2 cups cilantro, washed*
1/2-1 cup parsley leaves*
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4-1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
sea salt to taste
Veggies that need eating--couple of tomatoes, cucumber, summer squash, kohlrabi, etc.
a little feta cheese ('cause feta makes everything betta!)
*I decided not to get anxious about the stems of the cilantro or parsley, because it was quite a lot of leaves to pull. Didn't seem to make a difference in the final product, so pull the leaves away from the main stem, but do it several leaves at a time to keep it simple. Also, small hands can help here!

Directions

1. Add garlic to bowl of food processor or blender and chop.
2. Add cilantro and parsley to garlic, chop, then add pumpkin seeds and chop.
3. With the blade running, add olive oil and sea salt.
4. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. Combine chopped up veggies and feta and toss with pesto to coat well.
6. Enjoy!

Chick Pea Spring Salad

Let me start by saying I have already made this recipe twice--in one week. I foresee this one becoming a regular in our spring and summer rotation. I'm not sure whether it's the avocado (healthy, yummy fat) or the Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil (another great fat source) or the fresh cilantro and salad greens (I love our Farmer's Market!), but whatever it is, it's a total party in my mouth. And with spring in full swing, I'm ready for a party to celebrate the change in seasons!

Ingredients
1/4 cup Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil (email here to order)
2 T rice vinegar
1-2 t honey
1/2 t sea salt
1/4 generous t coriander
1/4 generous t cumin
1/8 t crushed red pepper flakes (optional or to taste--be careful, a little goes a long way!)
2 (15 oz) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, shredded or chopped
1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
juice of 1 lime
handful of fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
salad greens, handful chopped and additional for serving

Directions

1. Make dressing by combining first 7 ingredients (through red pepper) in a jar with tight fitting lid and shake it up baby! Set aside.
2. Combine beans, onion, carrot, avocado, lime, cilantro, and chopped salad greens (I like to add some greens to the actual salad, because my son doesn't "like" lettuce--although he's eaten it straight from the fields and said, "Yum!") in a large bowl.
3. Give the dressing one last shake (it's ok if it separates) and pour over bean salad. Toss to coat.
4. Serve over salad greens and enjoy the taste of spring!

Halloween Chili

I made this for a few friends before trick-or-treating and realized it's the perfect Halloween dish, because it's black and orange. It's also filling, makes a pot full, and uses seasonal favorites. Meat could be easily added, if desired. And I would certainly add or serve it over greens.

Ingredients
Grapeseed oil*
1 onion, finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-2 T chili powder
3-4 cups sweet potatoes, washed and cut into bite size chunks
1 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly (optional)
32 oz box low sodium chicken stock (or enough to cover potatoes)
3-4 cups cooked black beans (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
salt to taste
cilantro (optional)
sour cream (optional)
* email here to order

Directions

1. Place oil in bottom of stock pot and warm over medium heat. Add onion and saute 4-5 minutes until translucent. Turn the heat to medium low.
2. Add the garlic and saute a couple more minutes before adding the chili powder. Stir to coat well.
3. Place sweet potatoes and quinoa in pot and cover with chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes. No need to stir--just set a timer.
4. Add the black beans, tomatoes, and salt to taste and warm through.
5. Serve topped with cilantro and/or sour cream.
6. Enjoy!

Wild Rice and Winter Squash

I am so ready for fall. I'm actually willing it to get here. I've been avoiding the oven or any high heat cooking, because the car thermometer keeps reading 97, but last night I broke down and cooked up something super delicious that I might suggest we add to our Thanksgiving dinner this year. It was THAT good. A little labor intensive, but it makes a great side dish, and I added edamame to make it a stand alone leftover meal.

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash (or other winter squash or pumpkin), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
Natural Grapeseed Oil (email here to order) or other high heat oil
sea salt
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
1 small bunch of fresh greens (collards, kale, spinach), washed and cut into bite size pieces

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
pinch of salt
1 T honey
5-6 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped (or cilantro)

Instructions
   1. Preheat oven to 375.
   2. If wild rice is not cooked, get it in process (some takes 15 minutes, while other takes 50).
   3. Place squash on one end of a cookie tray and onions on the other or on separate trays. Add a generous splash of grapeseed oil and sea salt to both. Toss to coat. Roast for 30-45 minutes (until they are soft and caramelized) turning every 10-15 minutes.
   4. Meanwhile, make the dressing by placing the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, honey, and a few of the basil leaves (saving the remaining to sprinkle across the top of the finished dish) in a jar with tight fitting lid. Shake to mix, taste, and adjust to your liking.
   5. Steam up your greens and set aside (try this basic recipe).
   6. Place rice and onions along with 1/2 of dressing in a casserole dish or large bowl and toss gently. Add the greens and pumpkins seeds. Toss again once or twice. Add squash and remaining dressing. Toss one last time (carefully, especially if squash is extra soft) and top with remaining basil leaves.
   7. Enjoy!

Guac that rocks

I find it interesting that since I've moved to Tennessee the best peaches I've had come from South Carolina. Now, I grew up in Alabama on Chilton County Peaches and have ancestral roots in Georgia so there was a fair share of Peach State peaches around each summer, but I can't get any from either state that are any good here in Tennessee. What's up with that? We only live 15-20 minutes from both AL and GA.

Regardless, I have some succulent South Carolina peaches in my house right now. I'm not kidding--these babies are juicy and over the top sweet. I plan to make a crisp for the holiday weekend, but tonight, I treated myself (literally just me--shared with no one else) to a bowl of divine guacamole. Here's how it breaks down:


Ingredients
1 slightly ripe avocado, sliced open, seed removed
1 ripe South Carolina peach
a little red onion, finely chopped
a little cilantro, finely chopped
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions
Scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon. Mash with a fork.
Add remaining ingredients and blend well.

I ate the whole bowl. No guilt on my part, though, because peaches are a good source of fiber and vitamins A & C and avocados have really healthy fat. Oh, and I put a spoonful or two on some romaine lettuce leaves, just to get my greens in!