Green Couscous

I'm a big fan of herb(s).

Not the kind you smoke, silly... the kind you eat.  Then again you can eat the stuff when simmered in butter and incorporated into a bake good, but that's not where I'm going here.

Last time I smoked herb there was lawn gnomes, midgets and Begali tigers involved.

Let's just say that I haven't touched the stuff since that day. No explanation needed.

Fresh herbs, on the other hand, are a whole different story.

I like to keep a variety of different herbs on hand, depending on the season.  Fresh basil in the summer can be tossed with pasta or tomatoes or even muddled with some cucumber and gin for a refreshing beverage.  Sage, thyme and rosemary are great to have in the winter and fall. Add a couple sprigs to soups, roasted vegetables, or even baked goods.  Dill, parsely and cilantro are great any time of the year.  Throw a handful of chopped herbs into a green or grain based salad, mix into goat cheese, sprinkle some on scrambled eggs, or make one of my favorite condiments, chimmichuri.

Added bonus: Fresh herbs are sooo good for you!

Dill is a very good source of calcium, fiber, iron and magnesium and has the ability to prevent bacterial overgrowth.
Cilantro is a powerful anti-inflammatory, promotes healthy liver function, boosts immunity, acts as an overall digestive aid and is high in antioxidants.
Parsley is high in vitamin C, folic acid and beta carotene.  It helps boosts immunity and helps to neutralize carcinogens in the body and can inhibit the formation of tumors.

Not too bad for something that's typically used as a garnish.

As much as I love having fresh herbs on hand, I usually only use a handful here and there often times have a difficult time using them up before they are past their prime. 

I was tickled pink when I came across a recipe that would save all of the herbs in my refrigerator that were on their way out if I didn't use them asap. Couscous is tossed with a mixture of fresh dill, cilantro, parsley and extra virgin olive oil.  The addition of some sauteed red onion, toasted pistachios, and baby arugula turn this into a delicious lunch or light dinner.


Green Couscous
Adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
serves 4

1 c. couscous
1 c. vegetable stock
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. ground cumin

Herb Paste:
1/2 c. chopped parsley
1 c. chopped cilantro
1/3 c. chopped dill
4 T. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 c. toasted salted pistachios
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 c. baby arugula

In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a boil.  Add the couscous, cover and remove from the heat.  Let sit for ten minutes, then transfer to a large bowl and fluff couscous with a fork.
Meanwhile, fry the onion in the olive oil on medium heat until golden and completely soft.  Add the salt and cumin and mix well. Leave to cool slightly
To make the herb paste, place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth.
Add the herb past to the couscous and mix everything together well with a fork to fluff it up. Now add the cooked onion, the pistachios, scallion and arugula and gently mix. Season with extra salt and/or cumin if needed.
Serve at room temperature.

Sardine Sandwich

It only took me 32 years to discover sardines deliciousness.

Only 32 years.

I didn't know what to expect. Are they super fishy? Do you eat the bones? Do they still have a head.. and do you eat the head?  Water packed or oil packed? What do you eat them with? Can you make a meal of them?

Just thinking about eating them gave me a headache.

Then one day I plopped a tin into my cart vowing to give them a try.

That was 3 months ago.

Sardines are high in calcium (they contain twice the amount of calcium as milk), and vitamin B12 which boosts your mood and helps aid concentration.  They are high in protein and are packed with omega 3 fatty acids. These essential fats reduce inflammation, help to lower cholesterol and have been demonstrated to protect against several forms of cancer. 

Sardines are low on the food chain, so they are very low in contaminants, such as mercury, which is the problem with most seafood. Generally speaking, the bigger the fish, the higher on the oceanic food chain, the more mercury.

These suckers had way too many health benefits for me to NOT give them a try.  I scoured the internet for some recipes but fell short.  Most people seemed to enjoy sardines as a snack, served with crackers and a bit of hot sauce. I was looking for something a bit more substantial.  I wanted to make them the showcase of the meal.  Pasta and sardines was a viable option, until I realized that I had nothing more than some bread, greens, one single egg and some condiments in my fridge.

I figured that canned tuna can make one hell of a sandwich in a pinch, so why not pile some sardines on some crusty bread? Add some grainy mustard, baby arugula, red onion and capers for a little bite and a hard boiled egg, because, well everything tastes better with an egg, and you're in business! This ended up being one of the best sandwiches I have had in a long time, and with the first bite, I instantly fell in love with sardines.

Sardine Sandwich
(Serves 1-2)

ciabatta bread
grainy mustard
arugula
sliced red onion
capers
1 hard boiled egg, sliced
1 oil packed tin of sardines, drained, oil reserved
lemon
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Toast a couple decent sized pieces of bread. Slather on some mustard. Top with arugula, sliced hard boiled egg, sardines, a little red onion and some capers.  Drizzle with a little reserved oil from the sardines, a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper to taste.

Pasta Salad with Roasted Fennel, Artichokes and Arugula

Pasta salad usually conjures up memories of mayonnaise laden elbow macaroni (with a dusting of paprika for color.. it was the 80's.. paprika was HUGE) that was served at every picnic, party or family reunion that I attended as a child. 

For all of you that know me on a personal level, store bought mayonnaise skeeves me out.  I don't know what it is about the stuff, I can't go near it with a ten foot pole.

Maybe its the fact that it jiggles when you shake it. 

So you can imagine how I feel about pasta salads made with mayo.

Shudder....

Then in the early 90's some random relative (or maybe it was my mom... sorry, mom) started making a vinaigrette based pasta salad.  I think it contained tri colored pasta, feta, black olives, and tomatoes.. maybe cubed ham (random), and it was oh so good. It instantly became one of my favorites.

A vinaigrette based pasta salad is a great thing to take to parties, potlucks and picnics. It's quick, easy and usually sits well at room temperature for awhile, which is probably why previously said unknown relative made this salad year after year.

Although I usually opt for a gluten free and vegan salad to bring to potlucks (thank you, quinoa), pasta salad is one of those familiar dishes that everyone seems to love. So I make it... and people eat it.

It's a win-win situation.

This pasta salad has alot going on...  Artichoke hearts, gigande beans (giant white beans packed in oil), roasted fennel, fresh herbs and some arugula all tossed with a simple vinagrette. Bring it to your next party or eat it in an air conditioned apartment watching back to back episodes of breaking bad.  Either way this salad is delicious.

Pasta Salad with Roasted Fennel, Artichokes and Arugula (makes enough for a parrrr-tay)

4 c. dry penne pasta
1 can artichokes, drained and rough chopped
1 fennel bulb, cut in 1/4" half moons
2 large handfuls baby arugula
1/2 c. gigande beans (opt.), chickpeas or cannelini beans would be a good substitute
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 c. fresh dill, chopped
1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped
2-3 T. extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and cracked pepper

Vinaigrette:
6 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 cloves grated garlic
4 t. dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cook penne in boiling salted water till al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again, then transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and toss with a spoon to prevent the pasta from sticking together.

Place sliced fennel in a small bowl. Toss with 2-3 T. extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt and some fresh cracked pepper. Transfer to a sheetpan and bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until fennel is soft and beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Add the roasted fennel, artichokes, red onion, gigande beans, dill and parsley to the penne.
In a small jar combine the ingredients for the vinagrette. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds until well combined.  Pour the dressing over top and sprinkle with sea salt and lots of cracked pepper and toss to combine. 

Just before serving, gently fold in the arugula.

Strawberry Arugula Salad

After laying in bed for two straight days with a head cold I decided I needed to get out of the house and do something productive...

Of all the things I SHOULD have done (laundry, grocery shopping, taking the dogs for a much needed long walk) I decided to say screw it and go strawberry picking instead.

Priorities.

Plus.. strawberies are FULL of vitamin C, which in turn will help boost my immunity, so I think I made a very wise decision. 

I ate my fair share while I was picking.  You know how it goes: Pick one, eat one. Pick two, eat two... You think I would have learned my lesson when I chomped down on a piece of sand from my unwashed "stolen" berries, but no, I just kept eating more.

So.... by the time I got home I was kinda sick of berries, but those fresh picked babies have to be eaten pretty quickly or else they get all nasty.

I had to think of some ideas...

Strawberry shortcake? Unless homemade buttermilk biscuits and fresh whipped cream appeared at the snap of a finger, it wasn't gonna happen.

Strawberry margaritas?  No tequila in the house. Note to self: buy some tequila.

I wanted some greens for dinner (no brainer), but had to use my berries. A salad... with strawberries? Yes, please!

Strawberries and spinach are a classic combination, but I'm not a huge fan of raw spinach and I had some arugula on hand, so I went with it.  Throw in some toasted nuts and a little cheese (I used walnuts and feta in this case) and make a simple vinagrette and you have a damn tasty lunch or light dinner.

Strawberry Arugula Salad (makes 2 large salads)

5 oz. arugula (one of those clamshell containers worth)
2 c. strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, toasted
6 oz. feta cheese

Honey Champagne Vinaigrette:

2 t. honey
1 1/2 T. champagne vinegar
2 1/2 T. extra virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt and black pepper

Combine honey, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper in a small jar and shake until emulsified.  Place the arugula and strawberries in a large bowl and toss with half the dressing. Divide between two plates and top with the walnuts and feta.  Drizzle the remaining dressing on top, if desired.

White Bean and Tuna Salad with Radicchio and Parsley Vinaigrette

It all started with an $11 jar of tuna...

Because I'm classy like that.

I've also been known to drink a 40 oz. out of a paper bag on the train, so I guess I ain't THAT classy... I'm just smart.

Spending that much on a jar of tuna was a bit of a splurge (especially when I only got two servings out of it), but it was sooo well worth it. It's hard to find a good quality canned tuna packed in extra virgin olive oil, so when some was recommended to me by my gay boyfriend/food aficionado I HAD to have it.

I decided to make a salad, 'cause that's what you do when you buy expensive jarred tuna.

I looked on bon appetit for some inspiration and found an amazing recipe for what is now my new favorite salad.

Bonus: It's super healthy (aka not topped with lots of cheese and homemade croutons, like my typical salads) and can be thrown together for a quick dinner.  Radicchio, cannelini beans, arugula, celery and tuna are tossed with a delicious parsley vinagrette.
That's it!
Pair it with a glass, uhhh I mean bottle of cheap white wine and you are good. to. go.

Expensive tuna... cheap wine.

Yup, that's how I roll.

White Bean and Tuna Salad with Radicchio and Parsley Vinaigrette (serves 2-3 as a main, 4-6 as a side)
slightly adapted from bonappetit

Parsley Vinaigrette:


2 c. packed flat leaf parsley (stems and leaves)
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 T. champagne vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
sea salt and black pepper, to taste


White Bean and Tuna Salad with Radicchio


2 medium heads radicchio, cored, leaves coarsley torn
6 oz. baby arugula
2 15 oz. cans cannelini beans, rinsed and drained (or 3 1/2 c. cooked beans)
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced on an extreme diagonal
1 1/2 c. good quality olive oil packed tuna broken into chunks
sprouts or pea shoots (optional)


To make the parsley vinaigrette, place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until wellcombined.
Place radicchio and arugula in a large bowl and drizzle with enough parsley vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large serving platter (or individual plates). Using the same bowl, toss 3-4 T. parsley vinaigrette with the cannelini beans and celery. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the beans mixture on top of the arugula and radicchio. Top the salad with the tuna and drizzle on more vinaigrette. Pile on some sprouts or pea shoots if you've got 'em.

Arugula Salad with Pear and Fennel

Sunday mornings.

In my dream world Sunday mornings go a little something like this:

Wake up without being dragged out of bed by my two dogs. 
Drink copious amounts of tea while preparing a huge brunch.. you know pancakes, french toast, eggs or something else decadent that will sit in my gut like a rock until dinner time. 
Then... I would sprawl out on my bed, read the New York Times and start drinking mimosas when the clock strikes noon (Don't judge... at least I wait 'till noon). 

Real life:

Wake up to the sound of dogs whining like they haven't eaten in weeks. Roll out of bed, trip on something, swear loudly.
Make some tea while feeding the dogs.. decide to take them for a long walk so I don't feel guilty if I don't leave the house the rest of the day.
Get harrased by my neighbor for letting my dogs poop in front of his house despite the fact I pick it up. Attempt to NOT go off on him, which rarely happens.
Come back inside. Drink my tea while trying to keep my dogs from humping each other (I told you... real life). Start to get hungry, then realize I have nothing to eat for breakfast in the house despite the fact I dropped $75 at the grocery store the day before.  You know.. on vitamins, flax oil and fancy salt. The necessities.
Think about eating popcorn and a drinking a beer at 10:30 a.m.
Decide I should eat something healthy to counteract all the martinis I had last night.. you know.. like a salad.
Pray that I have something I can throw together in less than 10 minutes.

Pull out some arugula, half a bulb of fennel and a bosc pear. Chop, chop, chop.

Make a quick dressing. Shake, shake.

Enjoy my salad while watching old episodes of real housewives of Atlanta, wishing I had some champagne to wash it down.

Arugula Salad with Pear and Fennel (serves 1-2)

This makes a great first course salad. If you are looking to make it a bit more substantial I think adding some shaved parmesan and a handful of roasted almonds would be amazing.


4 oz. Baby arugula (a couple large handfuls)
1 bosc pear, cored and sliced into thin pieces
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thin
Shaved parmesan cheese (optional)
Roasted almonds, rough chopped (optional)

Simple champagne vinaigrette (this may make a bit more than you need, but keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days)

2 T. champagne vinegar
1 t. stoneground mustard
1 1/2 t. honey
1 T. minced shallot
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in a small glass jar and shake it up.

Place arugula in a large bowl, add some dressing and toss to combine.  Transfer to a plate.  Add the fennel and pear to the bowl, toss with some dressing and pile on top of the arugula. Top with a little more dressing and some fresh cracked pepper.  If you're feeling naughty top with some shaved parmesan and chopped roasted almonds.