Arugula and Watermelon Salad

They’re giving out samples in the markets and people are selling it out of their trucks on the side of the road.  Watermelon is in season and summer is officially here!

As the temperature keeps rising, I find that I’m craving lighter foods, and my salad routines can get boring and repetitive.  Lettuce, tomato, and cucumber can’t sustain me for too long.  I suspect that Ina Garten encountered this same issue in her lovely Hamptons lifestyle when she developed this recipe.   The arugula has just the right amount of kick to balance the sweet watermelon, and the salty parmesan cheese adds just the right amount of flavor.  I added some heirloom tomatoes, which really complement the watermelon (and I just really can’t resist buying them as they begin to come into season).  I also threw in some pistachios for an extra boost of texture and flavor.  As for the dressing, I tried to get a little funky by pureeing some watermelon and mixing it in with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and olive oil.  It came out pretty good, but the watermelon puree sorta neutralized the acid, which was surprisingly unnecessary.  The salad is also delicious without the watermelon puree so my best advice is to use the puree sparingly and focus on the lemon juice and vinegar.

This salad is a great addition to any memorial day BBQ, and a wonderful recipe to add to your summer repertoire.  Simple wedges of watermelon are delicious, and of course you’re likely to find it in a fruit salad, but mixing it in with greens is refreshing in both style and taste.  Plus, watermelon is a delicious antioxidant that’s packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and lycopene.  So good for you, so eat up!

Happy Memorial Day!!

Arugula and Watermelon Salad

Adapted from Ina Garten’s How Easy is That

• 1/2 pound Baby Arugula
• 2 pounds Seedless Watermelon, 3/4-inch-diced (3 pounds with rind)
• 3 Heirloom Tomatoes, sliced into wedges
• 1/2 cup shelled Pistachio Nuts
• 3 ounces shaved Parmesan Cheese

Combine arugula, watermelon, tomatoes and pistachios in a large bowl and top with parmesan cheese.  Use a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife to slice the cheese into chards.  Toss with vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Watermelon Citrus Vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup “good” olive oil
• 1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup pureed watermelon (optional)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Whisk ingredients together in a small bowl or in a food processor.  Toss onto salad and enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Toffee Matzoh Brickle

It’s that wonderful time of year again…matzoh madness!!!

As Jews, we really show our creativity in the way we incorporate matzoh in to any possible dish.  Many of you have your standard favorites- matzoh pb and j, matzoh lasagne, and of course matzoh kugel, but in it’s many incarnations, matzah really shines in this dish.  My friend Abby brought it to at a seder three years ago and since then I can’t allow the season “pass over” without making it.  Like a good Manischewitz, this recipe only improves with age.

This sweet and buttery mix of heath bar, chocolate and brown sugar is in no way healthy, but it’s a guaranteed  game changer on any Passover seder dessert spread.  Toss that potato starch cake in the trash and consider your Passover prayers answered!  The best part is this recipe is beyond simple.  It only takes about 20 – 30 minutes max…I’ve had macaroons that take longer to chew.  So I’m sending you some matzoh love just in time before your guests arrive.  My version of this recipe tastes fabulous with dark chocolate and toffee bits, but you can really diversify your toppings by adding coconut, almonds, dates, peanut butter, marshmallow, whatever you like.  Dare to make this seder different from all other seders and indulge in a matzoh brickle binge!  This holiday only comes once a year…the matzoh tummy ache, however, may or may not stay for a week.  Blame Pharaoh.

Happy Pesach!

Passover Matzoh Brickle

• One box matzoh
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 12 oz package toffee
• 1 12 oz package semi sweet chocolate morsels, or 12 ounces of your favorite chocolate (I used dark)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Line the baking sheet with matzoh as tight as possible.

In a sauce pan over low heat, melt butter and then add brown sugar.  Stir constantly until fully incorporated, then spread over the matzoh.  Do not overcook.

Place the baking sheet in the oven for 6 minutes.  Remove from the oven and turn it off (be sure to do this because you don’t want the chocolate to bake in the next step).  Top with chocolate and toffee.

Return to the warm oven for about 5 minutes more, or until the chocolate is melted.  Remove from oven and spread the mixture around using a spatula.

Place in the freezer to allow it all to harden (this will only take about 10 minutes, but I recommend at least an hour to make the matzoh really cold).  Remove from the freezer, peel off the aluminum foil and break the matzoh into pieces.  Store in the freezer in a ziplock bag.

Indian-Style Roasted Eggplant (Baingan Bharta)

It’s been too long.  After an unintentional 8 month hiatus, we’re back in business and A LOT has changed.  However, the most important characteristics of this blog remain the same – I still love to cook healthy, delicious food, and I’m still working my way through this quarter life crisis.  Only now I’m operating out of Miami (and missing the Union Square Farmers Market terribly), and I’ve upgraded my work space, so enjoy the new scenery.

To kick things off, I decided to go out on a limb and try something completely different.  When I came across an Indian Cooking Challenge in one of my favorite food blogs, Tea and Cookies, I was inspired to throw in my (chef’s) hat.  So here it is…Baingan Bharta, also known as roasted eggplant, but that doesn’t sound nearly as cool as it’s Indian name.

 I was really happy to find this recipe was not too spicy (although chiles can be added to change that), and relatively easy.  In comparison to other Indian recipes, this one has relatively few spices so if you’re new to cooking Indian food, this may be a good place to start before you invest in an entirely new spice collection.  Roasting the eggplant over the stove is the most difficult part, and the recipe suggested that an electric stove would work just fine, but I beg to differ.   My entire kitchen was up in smoke, and I’m still surprised the alarm didn’t go off.  Last minute I ended up sticking the eggplants in the oven at 450 degrees for about 20 min.  It was an acceptable save, but if you have a gas stove, you’ll probably have better luck.

All in all the Bharta was pretty good, but it didn’t blow anyone away.  I’d say it would be a nice side dish – not a centerpiece.  I served mine to my favorite Satsang (group of righteous companions), and it was paired with chana masala, curry spiced cauliflower, stewed green beans with tomato and tarragon, and mango chutney.  These dishes, on the other hand were all fabulous, yet unfortunately this blog post was not dedicated to them.   If I posted about each one, I’d be here forever so enjoy the pics – it was quite the feast from the East.  Best plan?  Find a Satsang of your own, put on the Slumdog soundtrack, and get creative.  You may be surprised by your secret Indian culinary talent, just waiting to be discovered.

Baingan Bharta

(Adapted from the Tea and Cookies interpretation of Madhur Jaffrey’s original)

• 2 medium eggplants
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 piece fresh ginger (about 1 inch)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 5 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
• 1/2 hot green chile (optional, and I opted to leave it out)
• 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro (plus some for garnish)
• 2 medium canned tomatoes, coarsely chopped, plus 1 cup of juice
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp garam masala

Over medium heat on a stove (electric or gas), or a BBQ, roast eggplants until they are charred on all sides and the insides are soft.  It was recommended to us long thin eggplants because the shorter, round shape doesn’t cook as well.  This should take about 20 -25 minutes.  Use tongs to gently turn the eggplant, trying not to pierce the skin.  When the eggplant is cooked, either peel the skin off under cold, running water, or slice in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh.  Chop coarsely and place in a strainer to allow water to drain.

In a blender or a food processor, combine the onion, garlic and ginger plus 3 Tbsp water into a paste.  Add oil to a skillet and heat over medium.  Add the onion mixture and cook, stirring frequently until it begins to brown – about 5 – 10 minutes.

Add the cilantro (and the chile, if using) to the mix, then add the tomatoes and the tomato juice, lowering the flame to medium low for about 10 minutes.  Finish by adding the eggplant and season with the salt, lemon juice, and garam masala.  Raise the heat to high and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve warm with cilantro garnish.  (Also enjoyed topped with a dollop of yogurt.)

 

Zucchini-Quinoa Lasagna

Lasagna.  It has such a lovely ring to it.  For many, it conjures up memories of eating a delicious Italian feast with your family.  That memory is often followed by another very familiar memory of ridiculous fullness.  A slightly uncomfortable, yet wonderful fullness that only a pasta, meat, sauce, and cheese combination can provide.

Vegetable lasagna.  Hmm, doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.  Many fear that adding veggies to this beloved dish compromises its integrity, thus ruining all the positive memories it evokes.  Some say, don’t mess with a good thing.  I say, if messing with it makes it healthy, then I’m ready to have seconds (and maybe thirds)!

This dish not only allows you to reconnect with your neglected, lasagna-loving inner child, but it also tastes so good that all of your veggie-fearing friends and family will be shocked and amazed.  Trust me, if my zucchini-loathing brother went for another helping, then you know we’re in business.  In addition to its great taste, I’d also like to tout the health benefits we’re working with here.  

 First off, there’s no pasta.  I know what you’re thinking.  How can I call this lasagna without the noodles?  Well, my friends, quite proudly because instead of the carb overload, the recipe substitutes thinly sliced zucchini to act as the layering support beams.  Next, it has a layer of quinoa that gives this dish the heartiness you crave and an unexpected protein boost.  The quinoa is cooked in a vegetable-tomato-onion broth giving it tons of flavor you’ll love.  (You may even want to prepare quinoa this way for an awesome side dish to any meal!)  There’s also a hidden layer of greens giving us a nutrient-rich iron boost and also adding some texture to the dish.  I used some left over beet greens I had in my fridge, but kale, chard, or spinach will also do the trick.  Lastly, I topped it with a light layer of mozzarella cheese.  This step is optional if you wanted to keep it vegan or cut down on your cals.  Some say that the cheese makes the dish (thank you Maggie), while others say they could do without it (thank you Mom), and I say its great both ways so sprinkle as generously or as sparingly as you like.    

Before you begin, make sure you invite plenty of people over to partake in this feast with you.  Eating alone could cause a dangerous food coma and I will not be held responsible.  I will, however, accept credit for bringing lasagna back into your life without bringing back the pounds.  Eat up, you crazy Italian. 

Zucchini-Quinoa Lasagna

(adapted from peasandthankyou.com)

• 2 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into 12 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons goat cheese
• 1 25-oz jar marinara sauce
• 2 handfuls leafy greens (beet greens, spinach, kale or chard)
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place zucchini on a bed of paper towels and sprinkle with salt.  Cover with paper towels and let sit to release moisture while preparing quinoa.

Add the quinoa, broth, tomato sauce, onion and oregano to a pot.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low.  Let it simmer for about 25 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat, stir in basil, parsley and goat cheese.

Spoon 1/3 cup marinara on the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking dish.  Blot remaining moisture from zucchini and lay 4 slices on top of the marinara.  Spoon half of the quinoa over the zucchini, top with a handful of greens, then add another 1/3 cup of marinara sauce.  Repeat with 4 more zucchini, the rest of the quinoa, greens, and another 1/3 cup of sauce.  Add the last 4 zucchini, remaining sauce, and top with mozzarella.  Bake for 3o-40 minutes, or until zucchini is tender and top is bubbly.  Devour your healthy italian feast!

Golden Summer Squash Muffins

Yellow squash.  Not the most exciting vegetable.  Versatile, yes, but on its own kinda bland.  Despite my lack of enthusiasm for this poor, underappreciated vegetable, I’m still eager to buy some when I see it glistening in the sun at the farmers market.  Usually, I’d just roast it up in the oven and call it a day, but this week things are different thanks to the latest issue of Vegetarian Times.

That’s right people, not only does such a magazine exist, but yes, I am also a subscriber.  Call me a food nerd, but these recipes are no joke.  They’re good.  Real good. Especially this one.  It comes from an article spotlighting up and coming bloggers (et-hem) and this one is from urbanvegan.net.  (No, the QLK was not featured in the article, but apparently they’ve yet to experience this hidden gem in the blogosphere!)  So yes, it goes without saying that these muffins are not only delicious, but they’re vegan too!

If you’re skeptical to try these due to unfair, preconceived notions about vegan food, then it’s time to expand your horizons.  When it comes to baked goods, I’m an equal opportunity employer.  I’ve been around long enough to know that just because it’s animal product-free doesn’t mean it’s taste-free.  Taking my job ever so seriously, I’ve tested these out for you and I give them the QLK stamp of approval.  As a matter of fact, I’ll go a step further and just say they’re awesome.  They’re light, fluffy, flavorful, and have a perfect cinnamon-sugar-salt ratio.  AND they’re a perfect vehicle to utilize that lovely yellow squash you’ve been eyeing.  Made without any butter or refined, white flour, these muffins are healthier and tastier than any junk you’ll find in a store.  The best part is this recipe is so easy that you can whip them up in less than hour, start to finish.

To make sure my taste buds weren’t deceiving me, I brought a dozen muffins to my Brooklyn cousins, Ruthie and Jess, who are 88 and 95 years old, respectively.  Ruthie and Jess are definitely not vegans, and they’ve certainly had their fair share of baked goods in their lifetimes.  Knowing that they’d be the perfect unbiased, taste-testing team, I sat back and let the muffins speak for themselves.  As expected, the muffins said “we are delicious and we won’t let you leave a crumb!”  Message heard.  Ruthie told me she couldn’t stop “noshing” on them, and even went so far as to ask for the recipe!  She told me she had never heard of spelt flour, and I told her there’s a whole world of healthy baking waiting for her to delve into.  And that world is ready for you, too!  So whether you’re making these for yourself, your elderly relatives, or your token vegan-baked good-skeptic-friend, you can be confident that your product will be scrumptious.  Brooklyn-tested, QLK approved!

Golden Summer Squash Muffins

(adapted from urbanvegan.net)

• 2 cups shredded yellow squash
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 cups spelt flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raisins, optional
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Drain the squash in a collander for about 30 minutes to remove excess water.  Press down and squeeze it out.

Combine squash, sugar, applesauce, vanilla and oil.  Mix to incorporate.  Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Mix until all the ingredients form a thick batter, then fold in the raisins and nuts if you choose to use them.

Spray a cupcake pan with nonstick cooking spray (or use cupcake papers).  Fill each compartment 2/3 full.  Bake for 18-24 minutes, until golden brown.  To check for doneness, make sure a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Pickles!

Happy Summer everyone!  If you’re wondering how to celebrate, I suggest beginning by putting on your bathing suit and preparing this recipe immediately.  Get to the market, buy some fresh cucumbers, then marvel at how easy it is to make the most delicious pickles you’ve ever tasted outside your grandmother’s kitchen (if your grandma is anything like mine, by kitchen, I mean her favorite deli).

If you haven’t started already, many of you will be hittin up the BBQ circuit and these are an absolute must for the party list!  Crunchy, tangy, slightly salty, and a hint of sweetness – these pickles are a million times better than your average supermarket jar.  The best part is you can modify the recipe to suit your own tastes.  Want them spicy?  Add some hot peppers?  Like em sour?  Leave out the sugar.  Want some middle eastern flare?  Add some tumeric to the brine.  Like em Jewish?  Add MORE dill.  The possibilities are endless!  You can even expand your horizons with the veggies you choose to pickle.  Don’t stop with cucumbers, you can pickle carrots, tomatoes, onions, fennel, peppers…anything your heart desires.  I encourage you to start with the vinegar water ratio and then create your own dream pickle.  If pickles aren’t part of your dreams, just go with the directions below.  This is the pickle of my dreams and I’m willing to share it with you.

Another great thing about this recipe is that these are refrigerator pickles, aka quick pickles.  That means that you combine all the ingredients and after about an hour of soaking, they’ll be ready for you to enjoy.  It also means that you won’t have to waste your time boiling jars that will stay preserved for eternity.  If, however, once you find your inner pickle chef you decide you’ll need a stash in your pantry at all times, by all means, boil your jars and keep them preserved.  Since this is such an easy process, I prefer to keep em fresh and enjoy them jar by jar.  Quick pickles can stay in your fridge for up to three weeks.

So what are you waiting for?!  Start pickling and prepare yourself to gain some popularity at those summer BBQs you’ve got scheduled on your calendar.  Impress your fam, impress your neighbors, and impress that special someone with your gourmet pickling skills.  In fact, you better get your fill of these before you share them with your friends because that jar will be empty before you can say shtikel.  If you have no idea what that means, go find a Yiddish dictionary.  Then have a shtikel of pickle whenever you please.

Refrigerator Pickles

• Fresh cucumbers and any other seasonal veggies
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 3 Tablespoons sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon mustard seeds
• 3 garlic cloves
• Dill (or any other herbs) to taste

In a small saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and mustard seeds and bring to a low boil.  Meanwhile, prepare your vegetables and place in a clean jar with the garlic cloves and herbs.  As soon as the brine comes to a boil, pour mixture over the vegetables in the jar and seal.  After about 30 minutes, eat em up!  Keep in the fridge for up to three weeks.

Not Your Freezer’s Veggie Burger

Nothing screams summer quite like a BBQ.  Hangin out poolside in the blazing sun, cold beer, good music, all your friends and your token grill-master servin up the usual fare – hot dogs and hamburgers.  Sounds like a dream day for everyone involved, except for the lonely vegetarian.  So what do we do?  Reach for the frozen box of Garden Burgers that’s been sitting in the freezer for months, of course.  Yay.  Sounds really exciting.

Have you ever been to Houstons or 5 Napkin Burger?  These guys make the frozen things seem like a joke.  Seriously, eating a freshly made veggie burger with ingredients you can actually discern is an eye-opening experience.  It may leave you thinking, hmm, this is great, I never knew I liked veggie burgers! Or, perhaps you may be inspired – why can’t I just make this myself?  Well now you can, my friends!  Lucky for you, all the hard work has already been done, as my co-conspirator/mom and I have come up with a stellar recipe that would impress even the most dedicated carnivore.

We started out with zucchini, carrots, mushrooms and beets as a colorful base that adds plenty of flavor and a nice texture.  Then we added wheat berries and lentils for some heartiness.  Why wheat berries, you may ask?  Well, wheat berries are literally, whole kernels of wheat that contain both protein and fiber.  They’re filled with vitamins and minerals because they still contain the bran, the germ and the endosperm of the wheat kernel.  Very filling and very delicious.  I recommend soaking them first to speed up cooking time, although some directions may leave that step out.  Prepare them like rice, twice as much water as grain, boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until all the water has been absorbed.  You can test them during the process and strain them early if they reach the desired consistency – chewy and soft.

Lastly, we added egg and panko to hold this mixture together.  The egg does wonders.  For our first round, we used less egg and the patties ended up falling apart.  Winning equation: more egg equals more success.  As I mention in the recipe below, its also extremely important to use regular oil if you’re going to pan-sear.  Non-stick cooking spray will not do the trick; the burger will just simply NOT STICK.  We realized that regular hamburgers have fat, which is exactly what our lean, veggie patties were missing to reach restaurant-quality status.  But don’t worry, adding a little bit of olive oil won’t tip your scale too much.  Think about how many calories you’re avoiding by not consuming processed beef!  Now you can head to your next BBQ feeling confident and excited to share your meat-free alternative with all your friends.  4th of July is only a few weeks away, so if I were you, I’d start preparing these now.  Everyone is gonna want to get their hands on one!

Veggie Burgers 

makes about 12 medium patties

• 1 large zucchini, shredded
• 4 carrots, shredded
• 1 pint of mushrooms, shredded
• 5 beets, cooked and shredded
• 1 cup of cooked lentils
• 2 cups of cooked wheat berries
• 1/2 cup panko
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon of thyme, oregano, or your favorite herb
• 3 – 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• Generous amount of black pepper

In a medium saucepan, place whole beets (leaves trimmed) into boiling water.  Boil for about 45 minutes or until tender.  Drain and peel off the skin.  Once skin is removed, shred in a food processor.

Note – peeling beets will undoubtedly dye your hands red.  To avoid this, I suggest wearing plastic food handler gloves.  You can also try holding them in paper towels, but its much more difficult and tends to get a little messy.

Meanwhile, using a food processor, shred your zucchini, carrots, and mushrooms, one at a time.  Place each shredded vegetable on a platter, but try not to mix them because cooking times will vary.  Next, saute each vegetable, separately, using 1 tablespoon of olive oil for each.  Add cooked vegetables to a bowl and mix.  Don’t forget to add the shredded beets.

Add lentils and wheat berries to vegetable mix.  Add panko, eggs, herbs, salt and pepper.  Mix all ingredients together and begin to make patties.  Line a cookie sheet with foil, take a handful of mixture, place on the cookie sheet and shape into a burger pattie.  The patties will most likely fall apart if you attempt to shape them in your hands.

These patties can be wrapped in the foil, frozen, and grilled later, or cooked immediately on a stovetop.  If you plan to cook them right away, add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a pan and heat for a minute or two before gently transferring the burger.  The fat in the olive oil is essential to the cooking process; please do not try to substitute with cooking spray because it will not hold the burger together as well.  Over medium-high heat, cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until surface is evenly browned.  For an alternative cooking method, you can use the oven broiler.  Make sure to brush each side with olive oil and broil for 5 minutes per side, until lightly browned.  Add ketchup, mustard, fixins’ and enjoy!

Strawberry Custard Tart

After nearly seven straight days of rain, we’ve finally caught our first taste of warm, summer weather.  What better fruit to welcome us to this world of sunshine than the perfectly ripe strawberry?!  Yes, we certainly deserve a reward for making it through the ridiculously long winter, and the rainy, disappointing spring (if you could even call it that).

Strawberries are already at the top of most people’s favorite fruit list, and when they’re freshly picked, it doesn’t get better.  I stop by a stand at the farmers market to pick up a pint, and before I know it, I’ve left with three!  No big deal, I’ll be lucky if I make it home with two, and I’ll probably be ready for another few pints in a day or so.  The challenge is to hold on to them long enough so that I can do something with them other than eat them whole.  Trust me, it’s very difficult.

So I decide to celebrate the arrival of summer and her strawberries by making a simple strawberry tart (QLK-style)!  Those of you who know me well know that I’m not about to use white flour and refined white sugar so I worked hard to come up with a recipe that uses natural ingredients, yet still showcases these lovely berries in all their glory.  For the crust, I tested two different gluten free flours: brown rice and almond.  The brown rice version had a nice flavor, but the texture was way to grainy.  The almond flour, on the other hand, blew me away by how much BETTER it was.  It’s basically a giant almond cookie and it’s claimed to be delicious by both health freaks and purists, alike.

The custard is a simple mix of unsweetened coconut milk, agave syrup, and vanilla, with a pinch of sea salt and some arrowroot for thickening.  I must warn you, the recipe says to sift the arrowroot, (which on my first try, I did not), and learned the hard way that clumpy custard is gross.  So don’t be lazy and try to skip the sifting.  I also want to mention that this tart is 100% vegan!  Although I’m no longer a vegan, myself, I chose this recipe because most pastry creams include heavy cream and egg yolks, which I’ve discovered are not absolutely necessary.  Coconut milk is packed with nutrients and much lighter on your digestive system, and thus a delightful option.

The recipe is so insanely easy that you’ll be wondering why you don’t make tarts all the time.  The hardest part is waiting for the custard to chill because you’re so excited to put it all together.  First bit of advice – go outside and play and leave it in the fridge for a couple hours instead of checking every five minutes like I did.  (Mine ended up in the freezer to expedite chill time, which is okay too.)  Second bit of advice – when you finally assemble it all together, make sure you have other people around to a) marvel at your kitchen talent and b) help you eat it because you’ll be tempted to finish it off yourself…hmm, forget that, no one’s gotta know about it.

Strawberry Custard Tart

1 1/2 pints fresh strawberries

Custard:

• 1 can (13.5 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
•  pinch of sea salt
• 5 tablespoons agave syrup
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Shell:

• 1 3/4 cups almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

In a small saucepan, bring the coconut milk and the sea salt to a simmer.  Add the agave, sift the arrowroot and whisk constantly for two to three minutes or until there are no more clumps.  Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and stir in vanilla.  Cover with plastic directly on the custard and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or longer) until mixture has chilled.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine almond flour, sea salt and baking soda.  Add the maple syrup and grapeseed oil and stir until everything is incorporated into a dough.  Spray a 9″ pie pan (or tart pan) with nonstick cooking spray and press the dough to shape the crust.  Bake the crust for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Cut the tops off the strawberries and slice lengthwise.  When chilled, fill the tart shell with custard.  Starting at the edge, arrange strawberries in concentric circles with the tops facing inward.  Slice and enjoy.

Roasted Spring Asparagus Salad, Two Ways

What do you think of when you picture Spring? Flowers, trees, birds, bees?  Perhaps, but if you’re me, the first image that comes to mind is tall, bright, tasty asparagus.  It’s quite simple, Spring time = asparagus time.  Take a walk around the Union Square Farmer’s Market and you’ll find it difficult to avoid.  These sexy, green stalks are just begging to be purchased, chopped, and then sauteed with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper…mmm, delicious.  Excuse me, but I seem to have gotten ahead of myself.  If you didn’t notice already, I’m quite the eager cook, and to convey my excitement I’m going to give you not one, but TWO recipes to take full advantage of this delightful vegetable at the peak of it’s season.

Yes, it’s true, you can get these skinny ladies year round, but something about asparagus in December just doesn’t seem right.  I assure you, eating them in season is worth the wait, as they’re perfectly sweet right now and full of Spring inspiration.  Yep.  I credit asparagus with infusing my fellow NYC foodies with positive energy and vigor.  Ok, that may be a bit extreme.  Let’s keep it together and just celebrate the Spring veggie harvest by enjoying a yummy asparagus salad (or two).  

When I began researching recipes, I was torn between using grains or lettuce as a base.  Both of these options seemed appealing so I chose to experiment with them both.  For the first salad, I picked farro because I believe it’s totally under-used, and incredibly tasty.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with this Italian grain, it’s similar in texture to barley, but it has a bit of a nutty taste.  This salad was inspired by the one and only Marcie Marks, who happens to be one of farro’s biggest fans, so you can thank her after you’re delighted with your kitchen success.  (If you really get on her good side, she may even bake you some granola!)  Marcie also came through with the winning mustard vinaigrette.  After being utterly dissatisfied with the original recipe I had chosen (which used way too much lemon and left out the garlic and vinegar), I woke up to find this recipe magically waiting in my inbox.  Perfect timing.  It’s from an old LA Times article she had saved, and as expected, it is GREAT.  I recommend using it on as many salads as possible, or just drinking it.  Whatever you prefer.

I found the second salad on another food blog, which credits Southern Living for the recipe.  I didn’t bother reading the original recipe until after making it, but it turns out, the SL version adds chopped red pepper and balsamic vinegar.  Don’t get me wrong, these days I don’t usually sneer at red peppers, but I have to say there’s something really great about the simplicity in this salad without them.  If you hate tomatoes, go ahead and substitute them for peppers, or feel free to use both, but I promise you won’t be disappointed either way.  As for the dressing, my recipe uses champagne vinegar, but you can use whatever you have in the cabinet and I’m sure it will turn out great.  Obviously, the asparagus steals the show.

Farro with Roasted Asparagus, Mushrooms and Spinach

• 1 cup farro
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 bunch whole asparagus
• 10 cremini mushrooms, sliced in half
• 2 – 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• large handful of fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 3 Tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

Mustard Vinaigrette (adapted from La Grande Orange Cafe, courtesy of LA Times)

• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons champagne vinegar (or more, if desired)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3/4 cup olive oil (I only used 1/2 cup)
• salt and pepper to taste

Put the farro and the water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 20-30 minutes, until tender.  Pour farro and excess water into a strainer and set aside to cool.

While farro is cooking, roast asparagus and mushrooms.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Trim about an inch off the bottom of asparagus, then place on a large roasting pan with the mushrooms.  Coat evenly with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast for about 15 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

Make the dressing.  Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor, or whisk together in a medium bowl.  (If whisking, make sure you drizzle olive oil slowly to emulsify.)

Slice the asparagus into thirds and add to the farro along with the mushrooms and spinach.  Add the thyme, sunflower seeds, and vinaigrette.  Mix to incorporate and serve.

Chilled Roasted Asparagus with Grape Tomatoes and Champagne Vinaigrette

(adapted from Southern Living)

• 1/2 bunch whole asparagus
• 1/2 container grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 head bibb lettuce
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar (any vinegar can be substituted)
• 7 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Trim and discard the tough ends of the asparagus.  Place on a roasting pan and coat lightly with about 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Bake for about 15 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes or more.

While asparagus is roasting, make the dressing and prepare the lettuce.  Combine garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Whisk together to emulsify the oil.  Add the tomatoes and onions to the bowl and set aside.

Wash lettuce and place on a platter.  When the asparagus has cooled, place on top of the lettuce.  Top with the tomato-onion-vinaigrette mixture.  Garnish with basil and serve.

Chopped Veggie and Quinoa Salad with Mango Cilantro Vinaigrette

It’s the beginning of salad season, hooray!  Sorry potatoes, winter squashes, and root veggies galore, we’re so sick of you.  It’s all about greens right now and I’m ready to graze.  Now it’s time to ask ourselves, how many delicious combinations of raw veggies can we come up with?  After a long, heavy winter it’s our moral obligation to take advantage of these yummy spring harvests…eat a salad or two, lighten up.

This particular salad has a lot going on and I assure you, it’s a winner.  The quinoa makes it the perfect bridge from winter to spring – hearty enough to fill you up, yet still light enough to keep you feeling like you can hit the beach this weekend (or next, if you’re still workin off that matzah kugel from last week…no judgement).  Of course, quinoa also provides protein, as do pumpkin seeds, both of which give this salad a nice, nutty flavor dimension.  Additionally, you get a good dose of healthy sweetness from the tomatoes and raisins.  Then, there’s the jicama.  If you’ve never tried it before, now would be a good time.  It’s crunchy, slightly sweet, and almost similar to a cucumber, although they’re not the least bit related.  (Picture if a potato and a cucumber had a baby, this is what you’d get.)  Just be sure to peel it first.

Lastly, we top it all off with this marvelous dressing.  It’s so good, you may want to start putting it on every vegetable you’ve got.  The mango-citrus-cilantro combination works wonders.  It keeps the taste fresh, tart and sweet all at once.  I followed the exact recipe below, but if you’re not into overly sweet dressings, try leaving out the maple syrup.  Anyway you look at it, you’ve definitely found something flavorful.  This can be your vehicle to nutrition, whether you’re a veggie lover or not.  (And if you’re not, I appreciate that you’re still reading this blog!)  Eat up, my friends.  You’re one salad closer to your day at the beach.

Chopped Veggie and Quinoa Salad

(adapted from Native Foods Cookbook)

• 1 cup sliced grape tomatoes
• 1 cup peeled and chopped cucumber
• 1 cup chopped jicama
• 1 cup chopped avocado
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds
• 4 tablespoons raisins
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled

Combine tomatoes, cucumber, jicama, avocado and onion in a bowl.  Toss with sea salt.  Add the seeds, raisins, greens and quinoa.  Toss with Mango Cilantro vinaigrette and serve.

Mango Cilantro Vinaigrette

• 1 cup chopped fresh mango
• 1/2 cup sunflower, flax, or olive oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.