FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Chop Therapy

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I want what you’re having.  Not the entire thing, just a bite.  If tonight didn’t happen, I would continue to think you’re dish earned extra tasty points for one reason only – it wasn’t prepared by me.  And I’m not saying that I won’t continue to ask for bites, I will, but at least after tonight I’ll understand why.

My impatience is not subtle and probably borders on extreme for prior roomies.  I alone can be too many cooks for one kitchen.  And to this “rule”, I can only think of one exception – everything salads with Lex.  Everything salads are never the same and always have too many ingredients to repeat in the same order twice.  And apparently one life changing light bulb moment is the limit for tonight, because I can’t for the life of me provide a logical explanation for why, in all of my 26 years, there is one scenario in which I prefer to share a kitchen.

Tonight I prepared an everything salad for the first time sans Lex.  It wasn’t the same.  I chopped finely, patiently, and with purpose.  And it was as I prepared my plate for its photo opp that my “Aha!” moment occurred – I want your dish because you took your time!

Finely chop the following until you “Aha!”, mix in a bowl, and set aside.
–  1/2 green pepper
–  1/2 red onion
–  1/2 cucumber
–  one can of hearts of palm
–  1/2 can of artichoke hearts
–  1/4 cup of green olives
–  1/2 – 1 cup of steamed asparagus
–  1/2 can of garbanzo beans
–  1 lb cubed chicken breast
–  gorgonzola cheese crumbles
–  balsamic vinaigrette

Place baby greens and baby spinach leaves on a large plate.  Spoon chopped veggie mix over greens.  Keeping the veggies separate will prevent soggy lettuce and ensure even distribution of goods.  Top greens with chicken, cheese crumbles, and dressing.  Enjoy!

Feel Good Tuna

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One of my best pals was in town for a weekend of wedding madness and graced me with her presence today before heading back to capital country.  We managed to cram all of our favorite activities in a seven hour span as we are the most efficient of friends.  Brunch, mimosas, outdoor shopping, online shopping, grocery shopping, green smoothies, and feel good tuna are all deserving of big, fancy check marks on yet another productive Sunday to-do list.
Between her wedding festivities and my, well, Friday festivities, we were both in dire need of some super charged food.  My tuna salad recipe is a sure shot to fixing your bad behavior blues from the inside out.
–  1 lb fresh tuna, cooked and chopped
–  2 celery stalks, chopped
–  1/2 red onion, chopped
–  1/2 bag of broccoli slaw
–  1 tablespoon of capers
–  light mayo or vegenaise, just enough to moisten
–  salt and pepper to taste
–  baby spinach leaves
–  sprouted wheat bread, toasted
Mix the tuna, celery, onion, slaw, and capers with the mayo until it’s a second past dry.  Spread on sprouted wheat toast, top with baby spinach, and enjoy!

All Hail Kale

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With 206 %DV of Vitamin A, 134 %DV of Vitamin C, and 684 %DV of Vitamin K per serving – kale’s got it going on as far as veggies are concerned. If you’re a spinach lover like me, you might consider swapping out your current leafy goodness for this powerhouse green.

Rushing to toss kale in your next super salad may be a bit of a disappointment; however, adding steamed/boiled kale to pastas and raw kale to smoothies will give you the tasty, nutritional boost you’re looking for. Beware of its less than satisfactory fridge life, even though sources claim that it’s none the worse for freezing.

The recipe pictured above, “Pasta with Greens”, can be found at vegetariantimes.com. Follow my lead and toss the milk, leave the food processor in the cabinet, and replace spaghetti with quinoa elbows for an even healthier fare.