Baby Greens and Pear Bowl with Za'atar, Yogurt, and Fried Egg

"Be a tennis ball, not an egg."

These were the confusing words written on a sign.  A sign located in Pennsylvania. A sign that was seen while riding in a vehicle with my mom and my child.  And most importantly, most unfortunately - my sister.

For as long as I can remember, my sister has considered me to be an egg. It has never been quite clear to me why this is so.

I can't believe I need to point this out, but I am not an egg. I do not have a shell and/or a yolk.  I'm fairly certain I have a brain.  I think therefore I am, and all that.  Also in my favor of not being an egg, I can use my vocal cords to speak and communicate.  I'm going to go out on a limb and say that an egg can't do all of that.
Upon reading the sign, my sister displayed some sympathy for me, and told me that it was okay to be an egg, it was okay to be me.  I thanked her for her concern, as I was experiencing an unusual mixture of emotions - 1) amusement by the extremely roundabout way the sign owner tried to convey his/her wisdom 2) apathy, as it has absolutely nothing to do with me, because I am not an egg 3) indignation, as it should be perfectly okay to be an egg, 4) horror at the thought that I have perhaps conceded the egg point to my sister.

Upon arrival to our destination, I called Seth and told him about the sign we had passed in our travels.  His response was "Oh, bounce, not break, well in that regard you may be a bit egg-like." I thanked him for his faith in me, as well as for hopping on board my sister's egg train.

Now we are here with a lunch bowl.  One filled with baby greens (I used baby kale)and pears, and a bit of scallions and parsley for some flavor, coated with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.  And sunflower seeds.  And a dab of Greek yogurt and zaatar.  And of course, most importantly, a fried egg.  I broke that egg into a hot frying pan, cooked it with some salt, pepper, and smoked paprika,  placed that broken and fried egg in the bowl as well, then topped it with a sprinkling of chopped mint leaves.  An egg may break not bounce, but it sure is delicious.

Ingredients
2 cups baby greens
1/4 cup diced pear
1 tablespoon scallions
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon roasted sunflower seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pinch kosher salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon za'atar
1 fried egg, sprinkled with a pinch of salt, smoked paprika, and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon mint leaves, chopped

Instructions
Toss baby greens, pear, scallions, parsley, and seeds in a bowl.  Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle just a touch of salt and pepper.  Add a dollop of Greek yogurt and sprinkle with za'atar.  Top with the fried egg sprinkled with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.  Finish with chopped mint leaves.

Chicken and Bacon Chopped Salad with Avocado Garlic Jalapeno Dressing

Like an earworm playing the bars of a song over and over, ideas too get stuck in your head, repeating themselves until you are either driven mad or you are finally forced to act upon them.

Like when you get it in your head that you need some sneakers. And not the kind that are useful for athletics. But the Keds kind, emblazoned proudly with stars. Basically, shoes that a seven year old would wear. These will complete your life.

Or when your best friend starts going on about doughnuts and how it is really sad that there aren't Dunkin Donuts near you, or any other doughnut establishment for that matter. I should note that there was a delicious one in town. Then it closed and my doughnut supply dried up. And after this conversation with your best friend you absolutely cannot stop thinking about doughnuts and so you find yourself in line at the grocer store with a dozen donuts from the bakery section and you know in your heart of hearts that these will not actually be good but you physically are unable to force yourself to put the box down.

And so it is with this chopped salad. Or... I suppose it is a chopped salad.  I'm actually quite unsure on what exactly makes something a chopped salad, but I must have heard the term and it just burrowed into my thoughts until I couldn't stand it any more. I decided to interpret the chopped salad as a salad with some heft, not leafy greens with a vinaigrette.  A substantial and filling salad.  A salad full of romaine lettuce and chicken and bacon and hard boiled eggs with an avocado and garlic buttermilk dressing.  And now I'm unable to get the salad out of my thoughts.




Ingredients
For the salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
handful cherry tomatoes
sliced purple or red bell pepper
1 avocado, peeled and pitted, diced
4 cooked bacon strips, crumbled
1/2 pound of cooked chicken breast, sliced *
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 cup julienned jicama

For the dressing:
2 small avocados, peeled and pitted
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon lime zest
juice from 2 small limes
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
To cook the chicken, I sprinkled both sides of the chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Place in cast iron skillet with cooking oil (I actually used the bacon fat) and put flame on high. Add the chicken pieces.  Brown one side then flip.

In a big bowl, toss together romaine, tomatoes, bell pepper slices, avocado, bacon, chicken, eggs, celery and jicama.

For the dressing: Place all ingredients in a bowl and blend with an immersion blender until creamy.

Pour desired amount of dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

Steamed Asparagus and Radishes with an Espresso Rose Spice Mix

We weren't sure what to expect when introducing our pig cat to his little sister - the puff cat.  Maybe he would take her under his wing (or paws, I suppose), and show her the ropes.  Or maybe he would be offended by her presence, thinking we were trying to replace him with a fluffier, tinier version.  Or maybe he would be sort of a bully, defending his territory against this miniature intruder.

Rambo chose to go with the latter of these options. The defending against a super tiny puff thing that looked more like a cottonball that an actual cat.  That was, apparently, the logical option.  Though in his defense, we do think JiJi can be a bit of a drama queen, reacting to offences that were never even made in the first place.  But I digress.

Sometimes, introductions can be weird.  Or awful.

These seemed like very likely outcomes when I introduced instant espresso powder, ground dried porcini mushrooms, and ground dried rose petals to some steamed asparagus and radishes.

It wasn't weird, or bad, at least to me!  The flavors combined to give a floral, sultry note to the veggies.  A generous douse of melted butter gave them a luxurious feel.  The spicy edge of the radish is tamed in the steam, playing quite nicely with the earthy flavors of the asparagus spears.  All in all, I would say the introductions went quite well, indeed.

And though Rambo and JiJi had a rocky start to their relationship, they get along quite well now.  Rarely are they found more than a couple of feet apart.

Do you also have the problem of being completely incapable of resisting the allure of radishes?  And then you bring them home and are like, oh wow, I'm totally sick of eating these alone as a snack, what else can I do with them?  Fear not! Cooking Light has a slideshow of recipes using those adorable little root vegetables!

Ingredients
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed
1 bunch radishes, leafy tops removed, halved
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon ground dried rose petals
1/4 tesaspoon ground instant espresso
3/8 teaspoon vanilla salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch ground clove

Instructions
Bring a medium pot of water to boil.  Add the asparagus spear on one side of a steam basket and the radishes on the other.  Place on top of the boiling water.  Remove the vegetables once they reach your desired tenderness (I did my asparagus for about 6 minutes and the radishes for about 8 minutes).

Whisk the melted butter and lemon juice, and pour desired amount over the steamed vegetables.  In a small bowl, stir together the ground mushrooms, ground rose, espresso, vanilla salt, black pepper, and clove. Sprinkle and toss with the veggies.

Cantaloupe Strawberry Salad with White Wine Lime Dressing

Composed. The word itself even sounds so elegant, so controlled. So poised.

Not surprisingly, these words do not describe me.

I hurt my ankle on the linen closet somehow, That "somehow" sneakily obfuscates the major role I played in my own injury. I do actually know what happened.

I attempted to stuff a pillow on a shelf that quite clearly did not have enough space. The pillow was aware of this, and didn't really want to be there. But I can be ridiculously stubborn, so I carried on with my futile task, resulting in the pillow rebelling by popping open the door on my ankle with surprising force.

Later that day, I made some bacon for Max, keeping a slice for myself to use in a grilled cheese, and used the bacon grease to cook the sandwich. It turned out to be a delicious grilled cheese. But it really was not one of my best ideas. As one can imagine, this sandwich provided some wonderful stomach pains.

To top it all off, something began irritating my left eye, resulting in a red eye that would barely stay open. The irritation also led to some side effects like a runny nose.

By the end of the day, I was a hobbling woman with one eye open, face in a tissue, hunched over from the pain of the grilled cheese.

Composed I am not. Composed people do not stuff grilled cheese sandwiches with bacon and then cook them in bacon grease. Composed people probably eat quinoa and kale salads exclusively. Composed people do not fight pillows to stay in closets. Composed people probably have special closets dedicated solely to storing pillows. Composed people do not allow eye irritations to occur.

Since I am not elegant, or poised, or composed, I attempted to live vicariously through produce. Some cantaloupe, strawberries, macadamia nuts, slices of Parmesan cheese, and basil leaves arranged "artfully" (a term I use very very very very loosely, by the way) on the plate, drizzled with a lime and white wine dressing and sprinkled with just a bit of freshly ground black pepper. This salad is everything I am not. The self I wish I could be.

Melons, all juicy and round and fragrant are just so much fun to eat! Here, Cooking Light has a super informative slideshow about how to best pick out melons and recipes to use them in! So check it out!

Ingredients
shaved slices from cantaloupe wedge
sliced strawberries
roasted and salted macadamia nuts, halved
shaved Parmesan slices
basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon dry white wine
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
Arrange the cantaloupe, strawberries, macadamia nuts, Parmesan, and basil leaves on a plate.  Whisk the olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, and white wine together.  Drizzle desired amount of the dressing over the salad.  Sprinkle the salad with black pepper.

Mixed Green Salad with Strawberry Blue Cheese Dressing

I find myself being possessive these days.  Words like "mine" and "mommy's" are being bandied about so often you would think I was getting paid to catalog the entirety of the contents under this roof.  Even my friend Jess has commented on my possessiveness.

This possessiveness probably is a result of:
a) The commandeering of my unicorn.
b) The recent attempts to kidnap the moose that was given to me to replace the stolen unicorn.  I would just like to point out that the moose actually came with a baby moose.  And the baby moose was given to Max.  So Max actually has his own moose.
c) The encroachment on my headband collection.  Yes I still wear headbands. And I recently purchased a 6-pack of polka-dotted headbands in various colors.  Max loved the green one so I handed it over to him.  But that apparently isn't enough.  He wants them all.  As though he is concerned about properly accessorizing his wardrobe of striped tee-shirts and sweatpants.

So after playing defense against all the toddler invasions, it is nice to have something that is mine.  Jenn's salad.  A salad with strawberry blue cheese dressing.  A category of food that is safe from the hands of the little guy.  It has turned me into one of... them.  But only for a minute.

I'm totally loving this article on Cooking Light - they have categorized some dishes on the basis of "mood!" Though I didn't see a category for "possessive," they've totally got you covered if you are feeling nostalgic, romantic, adventurous, relaxed, or happy!

Ingredients
scant 1 cup chopped strawberries
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 ounces blue cheese
1 tablespoon roasted and salted pepitas
freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:
1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
4 cups mixed greens
2 chopped scallions
1/2 cup torn basil
handful sliced strawberries
1-2 tablespoons roasted and salted pepitas
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions
For the dressing: Blend the dressing ingredients together with an immersion or regular blender.

For the salad:  In a large bowl, toss the lettuce, scallions, basil, sliced strawberries, and pepitas.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.  Toss the salad with desired amount of strawberry dressing.

Watermelon, Lime, Cotija and Basil Salad

My pastimes include making loud, obnoxious noises.  Like beast noises.  Seth just yells "beast" when I get on a roll.  He occasionally makes a remark about me needing to stop being so beasty, but we all know that he secretly loves the absurd soundscapes I create.

Possible reasons these ridiculous sounds include:
-my way of filling up the space with my essence even when I have nothing to say
-my subconscious is creating performance art
-I just love the freedom in making primal, beastial sounds for no apparent reason
-I enjoy the contrast of making loud beast noises while wearing a dress
-I relish in Seth's annoyance
-all of the above
-none of the above

On Netflix, we see this documentary called "Thunderbeast" popping up in recommendations.  At first it was a joke, like, "Haha, look, Netflix even knows that I'm a beast, maybe I'm even in the movie."

Then Thunderbeast became a fixture.  Always sitting there as a recommended title to watch.  So eventually I was like, huh, what is Thunderbeast even about? Oh buffaloes/bison?, I don't actually know anything about this animal.  Maybe I should learn something.

So it was played.  But between Max, and okay, lets face it, Max, the documentary never got my full attention.  But I was interested.  Thunderbeast is an oddly compelling animal.

Thunderbeast was played again. And again.  Like ten more times.  I still haven't finished it.  I'm sure the NSA is wondering why someone would keep playing this documentary over and over and over again.  Especially when the person supposedly watching it still knows nothing about the animal except that the buffaloes were quite mean to a  lost fawn and left her to some wolves.  And that they have a keen sense of smell.

One of these days I will finally finish it.

Until then, I have a salad.  Pink watermelon chunks sprinkled with basil, cotija cheese, lime juice, and lime zest..  So bright and loud and refreshing.  Just like the noises I create.

Ingredients
watermelon chunks
cotija cheese
lime juice
lime zest
basil

Instructions
Just toss some watermelon chunks with torn basil leaves.  Sprinkle with a bit of cotija cheese and lime zest.  Finish with a drizzle of lime juice.

Cantaloupe Drizzled with Lemon Cardamom Yogurt Sauce

As I get older, one thing that seems to get increasingly higher is my threshold of what constitutes "embarassing" behavior in public places.

In my middle school years, I would never leave home without my self-defined "mall outfit" - a fun shirt and jeans, makeup, and copious amounts of baubles emblazoned with smiley faces, yin-yangs, and peace signs (oh my god what were we thinking). Having parents in tow was an automatic source of embarrassment (for no logical reason).  All behavior was directed at the goal of "fitting in."

Eventually, things start to ease up.  You realize that no one actually dies if you decide to wear sweatpants out of the house.  And the mere fact that you have parents no longer seems to be a source of shame.

And now I am the girl who leaves home with giant knots in my hair.  As well as the person who traipses around markets, sniffing each melon to find the most wonderfully fragrant one.  Picking them up to make sure they are dense. Examining the color of the rind.  This is all very important work.  A bad melon is a bad melon.  But a good melon is transcendent.

But one could make the case that this behavior is quite odd.  Embarrassing, even.  Which I'm sure I will be told by Max sometime in the near future.  But that will be his problem, not mine.

Ingredients
Cantaloupe chunks (or slices, which would be prettier, but not as easy to eat )
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
zest from small lemon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon honey
pinch cardamom

Instructions
Mix the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, coconut milk, honey, and cardamom together in a small bowl.  Spoon over cantaloupe chunks.

Rice Paper Salad Rolls Recipe

Rice paper salad rolls are basically salads wrapped in rice paper. You probably already have plenty of salad ingredients in your fridge, but what about Vietnamese rice paper?  It's one of those pantry ingredients I've sometimes bought and used once, and then forgot about. And that's kind of a shame because it has a lot going for it. It's cheap, keeps forever and is easy to use.

Rice paper is traditionally used to make Vietnamese "Summer rolls" but like tortillas, it's extremely versatile and shouldn't be limited to only Vietnamese cuisine. Use it as a wrapper for pretty much whatever you like and you've got a great appetizer, snack or meal. While tortillas are served warm, rice paper rolls are served at room temperature.

I believe eating outdoors is more fun than eating inside, and that eating with your fingers makes everything taste better. So that makes rice paper salad rolls perfect for picnics (or take from home lunches). I have used all kinds of different fillings and this is a combination I really like, but experiment! Try sprouts, shredded chicken, smoked salmon, enoki mushrooms--the possibilities are endless. 

Rice Paper Salad Rolls

Makes 2 rolls

Ingredients

4 sheets rice paper

1 English cucumber, peeled

1 small carrot 

1 daikon radish
Avocado 

1 piece marinated or baked tofu, (or use homemade gluten free baked tofu)

4 lettuce leaves

Peanut sauce 

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables by peeling long lengthwise strips of each the cucumber, daikon radish and carrot using a vegetable peeler. The number of slices will vary depending upon the size of the rice paper you have. Then slice each strip into long skinny slivers. Cut the tofu and avocado into thin strips. 

Fill a bowl with warm water. Dip two rice paper sheets into the water, making sure the water flows between the sheets. Let the water drip off the rice paper, and then lay it on a flat surface. You want the sheets to be just softened enough so you can roll them. 

Lay one lettuce leaf on the double layer of rice paper. Top with thin strips of vegetables and tofu, but don't overstuff. Roll up like a burrito, either tucking the ends in or leaving them open. Serve with peanut sauce

Enjoy!

Spinach, Strawberry and Asparagus Salad with Lemon Saffron Dressing

Spring is a season of contrasts.  Days full of sunshine and cheer, punctuated with periods of gray skies and rain.  Crisp, chilly mornings give way to afternoon warmth and that fresh feeling of being alive, which then hands the reins back over to the coolness to close out the day.

Or, at least, that is the spring that lives in my memory.  The one formed by living on the East Coast for 23 years. At first glance, it appears that we now live in a land of eternal spring.  Occasional forays, perhaps, into some hot or cold (relatively) weather, but mostly smooth sailing with blue skies and warm temperatures.

But it isn't quite spring.  Or if it is indeed spring, it is one with some blandness, one with less roughness around the edges.  In other words, one with less contrast.

This salad embodies the memory of spring.  Cool earthy green veggies interspersed with some fiery red from the strawberries and radishes.  Crunchy asparagus and celery sharing space with soft berries.  Warm floral saffron dressing coating some crisp greens.  Spicy radishes with sweet strawberry.

A salad full of contrasts.  Which makes it particularly well-suited to serving with a big, greasy take-out pizza, all bendable and delicious, which is what we did...

Ingredients
For the salad:
3 cups spinach leaves
1 scallion, chopped
4 radishes, sliced
handful of pencil thin asparagus spears, tough ends removed, then chopped
2-3 tablespoons chopped celery
handful of strawberries, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
bit of lemon zest

For the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 small shallot, minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
bit of lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions
In a medium bowl, toss spinach, scallion, radishes, asparagus, celery, and strawberries.  Sprinkle a bit of salt, pepper, and lemon zest.

In a small pot over low heat, combine the olive oil and saffron threads.  Once the mixture is fragrant - about 5 minutes, take off heat and add the minced shallots.  Let the mixture cool a bit, then whisk in the white wine vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and mustard.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Pour desired amount of dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

Mango Kiwi Cashew Chicken Salad in an Avocado Coconut Sauce

Regrets litter our lives.  Words spoken in haste, sentiments left unspoken.  Ideas remaining only ideas.   Bad decisions made. Actions rashly performed.

Recent regrets include, but are not limited to, the following:
-Choosing to wear flimsy pink ballet flats while spending approximately 12 hours walking around outside.
-Teaching our offspring about the wonders of popcorn and ice cream so that every single day of the week involves toddler demands for these two items.
-Adding butternut squash to macaroni and cheese, tainting the glorious cheese and pasta combination with a cloying sweetness.
-Eating marinara sauce while having a giant canker sore.
-Failing to put sunblock on my back, resulting in painful redness.
-Adding butternut squash a second time to a batch of macaroni and cheese.
-Eating a Granny Smith apple while having a giant canker sore.
-Wearing the flimsy pink ballet flats AGAIN while spending copious hours walking outside.
-Doing that super embarrassing mom move where you lick your hand to pat down a renegade hair on a child, the repercussions of this involved tiny saliva filled hands being wiped on my skin and hair.
-Eating Granny Smith apple in a salad containing both vinegar and lemon juice while having that giant canker sore.
-Picking up way too many avocados at the exact same stage of ripeness, forcing us to eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two days straight.

I am not a quick learner.

Future regrets include:
-Watching the upcoming season of Secret Life of the American Teenager.  Now would have been perfect time to stop the addiction.

Looking back, one good thing did result from this surfeit of avocados.  A salad of chicken, mango, kiwi, cashews and cilantro coated in a gingery coconut and avocado sauce.  Most definitely not a regret.

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
canola oil
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced
3 kiwifruit, peeled and diced
1/2 cup roasted and salted cashews
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 avocado, pit and peel removed
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
2 teaspoons lemon juice
bit of lemon zest
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
Sprinkle chicken with curry powder, salt, and pepper, brown each side in canola oil over high heat. Turn heat to low to finish cooking.  Once it has cooked, take off heat and let cool.  Slice into chunks. Place in a bowl with the mango, kiwi, cashews, and cilantro.

In a medium bowl,  stir the avocado and milk together.  Add in the ginger, lemon juice and zest.  Mix in the chicken mixture.  Adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.  Serve with baguette slices or on a sandwich.

Pistachio and Apple Salad with Gingery Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

As the tot and I ambled to the nearby park for "lets shovel some sand in the castle-shaped bucket" time, I noticed a lemon wedge.  As did Max.  He politely gave me the used lemon wedge, and I threw it back on the ground, distracting his attention by pointing out the helicopter overhead.  I, of course, did not want to appear ungrateful.

When we actually arrived at the park, I noticed a wedge of lime and a slice of orange.  Used.  Luckily, Max did not notice these and happily began shoveling .  It was strange - finding these lonely remains of fruit scattered on the sidewalks and through the park.  What happened to the rest of these fruits?  Is this a sign that I should be making something with citrus today? Why such variety in citrus?  Is there an outbreak of scurvy?

These questions will forever remain unanswered.  And while this story is rather random and rambly, the mix of pistachio and apple should never be viewed as such.  These aren't two strangers passing through the night.  Pistachio and apple are like two people who just meet, but instantly find that comfortable, well-worn rapport of long time best friends.

I wish I had noticed their amiability before.  Though I have an unfortunate habit of not noticing things around me. I sometimes need to be pulled back from walking into oncoming traffic.

This combo occurred to us one morning while eating a "breakfastable," a morning homage to our beloved Lunchables we delighted in finding in our lunchboxes as kids.  When putting together a "breakfastable," we place crackers, fruit, nuts, cheese, and bacon on the table and have at it. It is during one of these that we discovered the phenomenon of pistachios and apples.

And I took the morning citrus wedge sightings as a sign.  I made a lemony poppy seed dressing with a hint of ginger to coat a salad made with pistachios, apple chunks, mustard greens, arugula, and browned chicken.

Ingredients
1/2 pound chicken breast, chopped
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
ground ginger

2 cups mustard greens
2 cups spinach
2 cups arugula
2 minced celery stalks
1-2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup roasted and salted pistachios
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
black pepper, to taste

Instructions
Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and some ground ginger.  Place canola oil in pan over medium high heat and add chicken.  Brown the sides, and take off heat once the chicken has cooked through.

In a big bowl, toss cooked chicken, mustard greens, spinach, arugula, celery, Parmesan, pistachios, and apple.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, poppy seeds, salt, mustard, honey, ginger, and black pepper.  Pour desired amount of dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

Warm Winter Farro Salad

When I first got married  I used to ask my husband if he wanted salad with dinner, the answer was usually "no." After a few years I wised up and started serving him salad without asking first. But often he didn't eat much of it, despite my raving "Have some salad! It's delicious!"  Lately I've hit upon a solution. I serve salad as a main dish, or pile everything onto it so it's an integral part of the meal. Main dish salads, if only someone had told me 12 years ago! 

During the Winter or whenever it's cold outside salads, either side salads or main dish salads are not top of mind, but they should be. Just as Summer is the perfect time for cold soup, Winter is the ideal season to try a warm salad. I like to start with a cooked grain like farro or quinoa then use seasonal fruits or vegetables and add some heartier elements too, in this case feta cheese and almonds. 

I have to admit, this salad sounds a bit like a parody, it's filled with trendy ingredients and super foods, all that's missing is a little chocolate and kale! I love the sunny colors and hearty crunch to this salad, it's kind of the antithesis of a tossed green salad all floppy and wilted. It's bright and cheerful and yet very hearty. I like combination of citrus, pomegranate, almonds and feta with a touch of ginger but feel free to change up the ingredients in the salad or use a different dressing or spice if you prefer. 

Warm Winter Farro Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup pearled farro

1 cup pomegranate seeds

1 cup diced feta, about 6 ounces

1 cup toasted sliced almonds

2 tangerines peeled and segments cut in half 

3/4 cup sliced celery about 2-3 stalks

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to boil and add the farro, cook for 10- 15 minutes or until al dente (or cook according to package instructions). In a bowl combine the feta, almonds, tangerines (remove any seeds) and celery. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and ginger in a bowl. 

When the farro is cooked, drain it and toss it in a bowl with the other ingredients and dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Enjoy!

Grilled Cheese with Fontina, Pear, and Walnut Spread and Mixed Greens

I should probably just go ahead and call this "the lunch I ate the other day."  With the key word there being "I."  This was all mine.  Almost everything else we eat is for sharing, it's communal, it is for togetherness.  It is all so lovely and nurturing and familial.  I mean, we are super huge fans of dipping for this communal aspect!  But sometimes you just need something to call your own.  Like a room.  But instead of a room, I had some lunch.  A good something, though fleeting.  

Max was asleep, blissfully (or so I assume) asleep in his bed.  Alternatively, he could have been scampering around his bedroom pulling out books to "read" and toy cars to play with and diapers to drape over his arms.  Either way, nary a peep was heard from him.  Seth was the opposite of "blissful," putting in yet another round of weekend hours on a project at work.  

So I made this - and for 15 wonderful moments I savored each and every bite.  I stood at the kitchen counter with food in one hand and flipped through a magazine with the other.  Multitasking at its finest.  All while standing on one leg (It has come to my attention that I am often found standing in a weird birdlike position - on one leg with the other bent out, and I know this because I have caught Max copying me and realized what I was doing).  I somehow even managed to get all the dishes cleaned up before Max awoke.  It was as though it never happened.  But I at least know it did.

Ingredients
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1 peeled pear
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch kosher salt

Fontina cheese, sliced
slices of pear (to cover the cheese)
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
dollop of honey
2 cups mixed greens

Instructions
To make the sandwich: Start by making the chunky walnut spread.  Throw the walnuts, pear, olive oil, and salt in a food processor.  Pulse for 30 seconds to a minute, until a chunky spread forms.  Save any unused portion for later.  Spread on a slice of bread.  Add pear slices and fontina cheese to taste.  Top with the other slice of bread.

Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Once one side has turned golden-brown, flip to brown the other side.

To make the salad:  Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt, pepper, and honey together.  Toss the mixed greens with the salad dressing to taste.  Add toasted walnuts, if desired.

Kale, Walnut, Plum Salad with Plum-Walnut Dressing

So I thought I was going to be all smug and self righteous this summer and not post a salad.  Since salads weren't really floating my boat these past few weeks...  For some reason, I apparently thought this made me rebellious.  I am unable to account for how I got this notion.   I picked up some kale at the farmers market recently, and thought to myself, I'm going to make some fresh pasta and then toss it with the kale and some other things.  That sounds yummy!  Then it got hot.  And stayed hot.  Like, oh my god, I wish I had an air conditioner hot.  We live near the ocean; we're not supposed to get hot like this!  Come back ocean breeze!  My tolerance for heat must have plummeted since moving here...  But anyway, I realized that rolling out some homemade pasta would be like a mild form of midieval torture, which cooking really shouldn't be.  So I made a salad to use up the kale, and surprisingly (or not surprisingly), I really liked it!

Ingredients
For the salad:
1 bunch curly kale, stem removed and chopped
2 pieces of bacon
1 scallion, chopped
1 plum, pitted and sliced
bit of shaved Parmesan cheese
bit of shaved carrots
handful of toasted walnuts

For the dressing:
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
2 plums, peeled and pitted
1/4 cup canola
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions
For the salad: Fry up bacon slices on a griddle over medium heat.  Once both sides have crisped, remove from griddle and place on a paper towel. Place kale, scallions, plums, Parmesan cheese, carrots, and walnuts in a medium-sized bowl.  Chop the bacon pieces, and those into the bowl as well.  Toss everything together.

For the dressing: Place everything in a food processor and pulse a few times until it all comes together.  Then drizzle over the salad and mix together.

Duck and Mango Soba Salad

Duck and Mango Soba Salad is a big bowl of deliciousness--slithery noodles, succulent roast duck, juicy mango slices and vibrant green herbs. The dressing relies on just a few pantry staples. Asian pantry staples that is. I recommend you keep on hand six basic items--Chinese chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, miso and coconut milk. You can expand that list as you see fit. I always have various types of soy sauce and Chinese vinegars, oyster sauce, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, Mirin, Chinese sesame paste, shelf stable packages of tofu, Asian noodles and some Thai curry pastes. A few pantry staples, a stop to pick up a duck at a Chinese deli and a swing through a produce market and you're on your way to making Duck and Mango Soba Salad!

I shop on Clement Street frequently because there are lots of produce markets with a variety of fruit and vegetables I can't find elsewhere (such as Chinese greens and fresh lychees) shops where I can find dim sum to-go and Chinese delis. I know some people like rotisserie chickens, but I prefer Chinese roast duck. Where I live in San Francisco they cost about $12 for a whole and $7 for a half duck. Roast duck is about as versatile as rotisserie chicken but so much tastier and not expensive.

This week I bought some firm green mangoes for a dollar a piece. You don't have to wait until a mango is soft to use it. In fact, some dishes are better if you use a firmer, less ripe mango. This is one of those recipes. If your mango gets very soft, scoop the flesh from the skin and pit, and freeze the pulp. It's great in smoothies, ice cream and baked goods.

Note: Test the noodles before the package instructions indicate they are done.

Duck and Mango Soba Salad 
Serves 4 as a main dish

Ingredients

6 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese chili garlic sauce (please tell me you have this, if not, you need it)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 7 - 8 oz package buckwheat or cha green tea soba noodles
1 cup Chinese roast duck sliced
1 large firm mango, sliced into matchsticks
4 green onions, slivered
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped or more to taste

Instructions

Whisk the first five ingredients together until sugar is dissolved.

Cook the soba noodles al dente according to package directions. Do not overcook! Once cooked, drain, rinse, and place in a large mixing or serving bowl.

To the soba noodles add the duck, mango, green onions, and cilantro. Add dressing and toss again before serving.

Enjoy!

Mango Blackberry Salad

If Seth had his way, we would be posting a picture of a bowl filled with blackberries.  And only blackberries.  And actually, it wouldn’t be a whole bowl filled with them.  Probably just a small handful.  Seth is very picky about fruit...  The list of fruits he will eat consists of Granny Smith apples and sometimes a tiny bit of blackberries.  Extensive, isn’t it?  (Editor’s comment: This is completely false by the way.) Vegetables are a different story.  He eats them happily.  But since it is mother’s day, I am getting my way and mixing some blackberries with mango (the horror!) and then drizzling with some lime juice, zest, and fresh mint.  A refreshing, simple salad.

Ingredients 
6 ounces blackberries
1 large mango, diced
½ teaspoon lime zest
1 ½ teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

Instructions 
Mix all the ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl then serve.

Avocado Tofu Salad with Ponzu Recipe

This is a zen salad. For one thing, like meditation, it requires slowing down. Normally salad is something you throw together at the last minute. Not this one. Patience, little grasshopper. You need to marinate the tofu overnight. It's also simple and straightforward. And it requires no oil. I know what you're thinking, what does THAT have to do with being zen? I'll tell you. This is an enlightened salad. The avocado is rich enough that you really don't need any additional oil.

I know there are people out there who don't like tofu, but I wonder, have they had any good tofu dishes? I like tofu with something to really give it flavor and tang. Ponzu sauce is perfect. The extra firm texture of this tofu really shouldn't bother even people with "texture issues." But if you or your guests really are adversed to tofu, you could certainly substitute diced chicken breast or chunks of seared tuna.

This salad is perfect for when your are trying to eat healthy or to enjoy on a warm day. It's very light and refreshing but at the same time hearty and filling. If you try it, let me know what you think!

Avocado Tofu Salad with PonzuMakes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 large avocado, firm, not too soft
7 ounces of extra firm tofu (1/2 of a standard package)
1 small Persian cucumber
3 Tablespoons ponzu sauce (Kikkoman's is fine or make your own)
Salad greens, preferably baby lettuce
1 green onion, minced
Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Slice the avocado in half, remove the pit, cut into medium size chunks and place in a mixing bowl. Drain the tofu and cut into chunks, roughly the same size as the avocado. Add to the mixing bowl along with the ponzu sauce and toss, gently. Allow to marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Use a mandolin to slice the cucumber into thin slices, or cut with a knife. Line each plate or bowl with salad greens, top them with cucumber slices. Place the avocado mixture on top of the salad greens and top each serving with green onion and sesame seeds. Drizzle each serving with a bit of the ponzu sauce.

Enjoy!

Green Fruit Salad with Orange Yogurt Dressing

A tangy, citrus mixture coats sweet and sour bits of fruit to create an explosion of creamy, sweet, and zesty flavors in every bite. The emerald color of this fruit salad looks festive for the upcoming holidays, and it is super easy to toss together.

Ingredients

2 cups green grapes

2 green apples, cored and diced

3 kiwis, peeled, halved, and sliced

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon orange zest

3 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

Instructions

In a large bowl, toss fruits together.  In a small bowl, whisk yogurt, orange juice and zest, and sugar.  Coat the tossed fruit with yogurt mixture.

Curried Chicken Salad

Nobody could blame you if you thought of chicken salad as boring.  Quite frankly, it often is.  But bring in a bit of Eastern influence, and chicken salad can become something else, something very not-boring.  Something fresh, something exciting, something that activates your taste buds.  This curried chicken salad brings together a variety of flavors and textures – crunchy and sweet apples, spicy red onions, buttery chunks of melt-in-your mouth chicken, and a cacophony of peppery, earthy, fiery, savory, sweet seasonings.

Ingredients
2 pounds boneless chicken breast
turmeric
cayenne pepper
garlic powder
paprika
cumin
butter
2 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 granny smith apple, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 scallions
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon spice mix, recipe below

Spice Mix:
1 ½  teaspoons coriander, crushed
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon ancho chile powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
Mix all the spices together in a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.   Cover each piece of chicken with a pat of butter and sprinkle a bit of turmeric, cayenne, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin on each.  Bake for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.  Turn the pieces over about half way through baking so both sides can get browned.  When cooked, let the chicken cool then shred or cut into chunks.  In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, apple pieces, red onion, and scallions.  In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and spice mix.  Add the mayonnaise mixture to the ingredients in the large bowl and mix together.  Refrigerate.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Soy Vinaigrette

Hot off the grill, this chicken has a flavor that is powerfully umami. It is a classic recipe from Jenn's mom’s kitchen, and it is usually the last thing we’ll throw on the grill at night. It requires almost no effort to cook, and it’s a great way to stretch our cookout into the next day, when we’ll chop it up and mix it into a fresh salad. The balance of smokiness, spices, herbs, veggies, and soy vinaigrette makes this the one salad we look forward to. We like to use a lot of parsley in this dish to help complement the soy and red wine vinegar.

Ingredients

Grilled Chicken:
Marinate ½ – 1 lb of chicken breast in

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup canola oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp basil

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp parsley

¼ tsp ground pepper

Dressing:
¼ cup soy sauce

1/8 cup canola oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 ½ tsp honey

¼ tsp Dijon mustard

splash of Franks red hot sauce

1/4 tsp pepper

¼ tsp oregano

Salad:
1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped

2 carrots, shaved

½ cucumber, sliced

2 scallions, chopped

1 cup parsley, chopped

¼ red onion, sliced

grilled chicken, sliced

Instructions

Marinate the chicken for at least 8 hours. Heat grill to medium high. Once hot, spread canola oil on grill grates, and place chicken down over the hot coals (or gas flame). Cook until one side has started to caramelize, and flip. Cook again until both sides are slightly charred. Remove from grill and chop into half-inch thick pieces. If you are refrigerating the meat for later, wait to chop until after you heat it back up.

In a large bowl, toss all salad ingredients.

In a small bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients until emulsified. Drizzle over the salad.