Cauliflower and Brussels Sprout Salad

I love arugula more than most human beings (let's make this a competition).  I probably eat it almost every day, in various ways, and I swear to god it's delicious with nothing but olive oil and salt and pepper.  That said, it's even more delicious topped with all sorts of yummy ingredients, like this wintery salad I made last week.  Roasted cauliflower, shredded brussels sprouts and red onions are combined with crumbled feta, toasted pine nuts and a dijon vinaigrette and all of it served on top of, yes, arugula.  It's superb!  I love hearty salads that stand on their own.  Although you could add grilled chicken and make this even more of a meal.  

In non-salad news, thank you for all the incredible feedback on my book cover!  Every comment makes me giggle and blush, like I'm some sort of tiny, cartoon kitten (that was weird).  I can't wait to possibly meet some of you once it's officially for sale and I'm out and about promoting it!  Until then, let's continue to connect here and on Instagram about important food things.  Later gators.        

Cauliflower and Brussels Sprout Salad

Serves 4-6

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, florets removed

2 cups shredded brussels sprouts

1 small red onion (or half of a big one), thinly sliced

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

5 oz arugula

1/3 cup crumbled feta

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

Juice of half a lemon

2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On two sheet pans, place cauliflower on one and sprouts and red onion on the other.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on each pan, season both with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.  Place cauliflower in oven first and roast for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, shake up cauliflower a bit with a wooden spoon or spatula.  Add the sprouts and red onion to the oven at that time, and continue to roast for another 15 minutes.  While roasting, make dressing by whisking together 1/4 cup olive oil with dijon mustard, lemon juice and white wine vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.  To assemble salad, place arugula in bowl and top with roasted veggies, feta cheese, pine nuts and toss with dressing.    

Mozzarella Panzanella

When is a celebrity going to name their kid Panzanella?  It's about time, right?  There is a human being named Reality Winner living amongst us, after all.  We could call her 'Zanella' for short.  Or him, I'm not trying to assume Panza would be a girl.    

What am I saying.  I'm so tired I don't even use question marks when I'm supposed to anymore.  I type nonsense about children being named after bread salads.  I blog once every 17 days (but don't worry, almost every day I have that moment when I'm not sure if I put on deodorant).

Let's be serious, though, and less gross, and talk about how underrated bread salads are.  A leafy green usually takes the spotlight when it comes to salads but in this case a crusty, crunchy bread is paired with sweet, juicy tomatoes, crunchy peppers and onions and a tangy, garlicky dressing.  I added loads of creamy mozzarella and some diced avocado to mine, because I win at life.  I followed Her Highness Ina's recipe, however this is a really versatile salad that's easy to throw together with a number of things in your fridge.  You can use store-boght croutons or toast up a nice sliced bread or baguette you happen to have on hand.  My favorite part of this particular recipe are the salty capers and the fresh basil - it's really the perfect summer dish or future name for your child.         

Recipe HERE.

How to make a great Chicken Paillard

The other day I put up an Instagram story about our dinner and got so many requests for the recipe.  So here you go!  Your wish is my command!  Well, it's sort of my command, because I'm not actually going to write out a recipe... because I'm too lazy.  Sorry not sorry.  However, I will be as descriptive as possible on just how I make this salad that has become a weekly staple in our house!

It's all about the chicken.  I like to buy boneless, skinless, thinly sliced breast cutlets, but breasts or tenders would work as well.  Whatever chicken you have, the key is to pound it so that it's as thin as can be.  I place my breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and I pound it with a meat tenderizer, however you can use just about anything: wine bottle, soup can, your fist (this is particularly fun if you have anger issues).      

Next, you need to set up a breading station (of course, you can skip this step if you'd like to just grill your chicken as is, but I like a little crunch to mine).  I use flour, whole wheat breadcrumbs combined with Parmesan, and two egg whites.  IMPORTANT: salt and pepper each bowl.  This will help with developing flavor.  The order for dredging is: flour, egg whites, breadcrumbs.  Get your skillet ready by covering it with olive oil, about 1/4 inch deep, over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken for no more than 3 minutes a side, less if you're using cutlets or tenders.  You'll know when to flip because the bottom of your chicken will become nice and golden.    

As for your salad, anything goes!  Last night I used arugula, cherry tomatoes, sweet yellow peppers, toasted pine nuts, leftover corn, avocado and grated Parmesan.  I make the same dressing almost every time: 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, about 1/4 cup of good olive oil and salt and pepper, all whisked together.  Chicken on the bottom, salad on top, voila!

CPK Chopped Salad

When I moved to California after college, my roommates and I went to California Pizza Kitchen, a lot.  We were creatures of habit, and went to the same places (that we could afford) over, and over.  If I wasn't with my roommates, I was picking up food for all of the writers at the TV show Frasier, where I worked as a production assistant.  It was always fun stumbling out of there with 8 giant bag cutting off the circulation in my arms.  

I really don't miss the pizza (especially now that I live near some of the greatest pizza in the world), but there was a salad that we would ALWAYS get.  It was a basic chopped, with uniform-sized strips of crunchy lettuce, sweet basil, salty salami, creamy mozzarella, buttery garbanzo beans and THE most perfect, tangy dressing.  My friend (and old roommate) found a copycat recipe so I made it at home and it was a PERFECT match to the real thing.  I will make it again, and again (because I am still a creature of habit).    

Recipe HERE.

Arugula w/ Avocado, Parmesan & Lemon

This ain't rocket science, but I eat this salad so often that I thought I should share it with you guys, my Internet Friends!  It's simple, simple, simple, and really doesn't require a recipe.  With a few, fresh ingredients, you will have a salad you can whip up for lunch all week long.  I take peppery arugula, creamy avocado, and salty shaved Parmesan and top it with lemon and good olive oil!  I know, I sound like Ina when I say "good olive oil" but it really makes a difference (I usually have two types of olive oil on hand, a cheaper brand that I cook with and a nicer brand for dressings or drizzling).  Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and pepper and you have the tastiest, healthiest salad.

It also felt appropriate to share on Earth Day.  Since it's so green and leafy.  

By the way, I had a different plan for today's post, but as soon as I learned of Prince's death yesterday I was pretty much useless for the rest of the day.  I wandered around my house, forcing my kids to listen to his music, and thought about growing up in Minnesota where his music was born.  So many important memories were accompanied by his songs, the least of them being my high school graduation in, yes, 1999.  It feels weird knowing he took his last breath yesterday, but his music will always be a humongous part of this world!  

Kale Caesar Salad

So I finally finished this season's Homeland, and I was depressed about it all weekend.  Not only because of the ending (no spoiler alerts, don't worry), but because it was OVER, and now I have to wait however long for more of it.  Does anyone else experience this type of TV-related depression?  Don't even get me started on the finality of Breaking Bad ending...

Ok, I don't really know where I'm going with this.  I'm tired.  I've had insomnia for two nights in a row, and I'm not sure why.  Is it Homeland related?  Maybe.  Am I pondering that I'm about to turn 35, which seems like a really big number?  Probably.  It's a good thing I had yummy food to eat this weekend, otherwise I'd be a zombie.  Like this Kale Salad with the most delicious and HEALTHY Lime Caesar Dressing.  It's made with greek yogurt and Parmesan cheese and anchovy paste for that familiar, salty Caesar flavor.  It was so good and very easy to make.  I topped my salad with shredded Parmesan, sliced tomatoes and homemade croutons (and followed this recipe for everything else).  

Ok... Monday, let's do this.

Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad

I have two minutes before the bus comes.  Do you think I can write about this salad in two minutes?  Well, technically it's two minutes, but when it's nice and cold outside the bus tends to run late because I think the universe thinks it's funny that moms and dads are wusses in the cold.

*Update: the bus was 10 minutes late DAMMIT.

Okay, now I'm back and I have ALL the time in the world to write about this salad.  Well, technically I have 30 seconds because after school snack, homework, dinner, tubbies, emails, wine... etc.

THIS SALAD IS DELICIOUS.  Roasted broccoli in garlic, fluffy quinoa, chopped spinach, crunchy pistachios, salty feta and all of that drizzled with olive oil and lemon.  Oh, and I added avocado.  

Truly wonderful, hot or cold.  Recipe here.

Crunchy Taco Kale Salad

Day 2 of Salad Week!  I barely made it!  (By the way, you should know that 6pm is practically midnight in my world.)  Also, I'm terribly disappointed in myself, because in my "hangry" haste last night I forgot to take many pictures of Day 2 Salad.  You're just going to have to take my word that it was delicious.  We typically partake in Taco Tuesday cuisine, but rarely do salads.  However, after viewing this recipe for a Crunchy Taco Kale Salad (and in our ongoing effort to eat slightly better, at least during the week) I decided to go for it.  Homemade Chipotle Lime Avocado Dressing??  Yes please.  And it was as creamy and (subtly) spicy as you would imagine.  Drizzled atop a kale salad with chopped cilantro, black beans, shredded white cheddar and a variety of veggies... and I also roasted some shrimp for protein.  Oh, and did I mention the homemade tortilla strips??  

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Welcome to Salad Week!  That's a thing, because I said so!  Five full days (maybe) of different kinds of salads.  Let's start with this delicious orzo pasta salad with mediterranean flavors like crunchy cucumbers, bright lemon, dill and salty kalamata olives.  I loosely followed this recipe here, adding whatever I had on hand (like yellow tomatoes and diced red pepper) and I chopped up everything into very small pieces so it would be toddler friendly.  This is a great salad to make in large batches because you'll eat it all week long... add some shrimp or chicken for protein!  Salad!  

Black Kale Salad from L&S

On one of our recent trips to Los Angeles, we went to the restaurant Love & Salt and fell in love (as seen in this post).  They have the type of menu that makes you want to go back every day to try something new.  Nothing disappoints, and I mean NOTHING.  Like their salad that's made up of black kale, soppressata, olives, pickled peppers, breadcrumbs and ricotta salata.  Everything about this salad is perfect, especially the way they julienne the ingredients so they are perfectly uniform.  When everything is the same size it's just easier to eat!  That's my jam.  And then let's talk about the breadcrumbs which, if I had to guess, are toasted in olive oil or butter until they reach a crisp, golden perfection.  The crunch they offer the salad is beyond... and such a nice change from biting into a big crouton.  The pickled peppers and olives give off the perfect, salty bite.  I can't imagine a better protein than the soppressata or a lovelier, creamier cheese than the ricotta salata and the black kale is the perfect vessel for this salad... a sturdy, earthy green that holds everything together.

My son would say, why don't you marry this salad??        

Maybe I will, son, maybe I will.   

As you can see, I tried to recreate it at home using a red-wine vinaigrette and it was pretty damn close to the restaurant version.  Excuse me while I pat myself on the back.  If you decide to try this combination... make sure to julienne your ingredients and do NOT forget to toast your bread crumbs.  In fact, I took leftover focaccia bread from our pizza delivery, put it in the food processor and THEN toasted it in the best olive oil I had!  I made a ton and now I put it on every salad.  The End.  

Roasted Cauliflower & Corn Salad

When I'm on vacation and in an unfamiliar kitchen without my own arsenal of kitchen ingredients, I love to make up recipes.  Oh, when you're on vacation you love to relax, shop, get facials?  You sound normal.  I sound not normal.  However, I gotta be, gotta be, gotta gotta be me (all I listen to is the Teen Beach 2 soundtrack).  I made up this salad the other day, and while it may not look very appetizing (I think it could use some chopped chives on top?), it really, really was.  Roasted vegetables, fluffy quinoa and crunchy garlic croutons... a perfect side dish for just about anything!     

Roasted Cauliflower & Corn Salad

(Serves 6-8)

Printable Recipe

1 head cauliflower

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more to make croutons with

1 tsp cumin

Zest of one lime, plus juice for salad

Salt and pepper

4 ears corn

1 box quinoa, cooked

4 pieces bread, chopped into small pieces 

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Break up cauliflower into florets and place on a baking sheet.  In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, cumin and lime zest.  Pour over florets and toss with hands.  Season with salt and pepper.  Wrap each ear of corn in foil.  Roast corn and cauliflower in oven for 30 minutes.  I use this time to make my croutons.  In a large skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Add bread and garlic, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until bread is golden and crispy.  Once veggies are roasted, place cauliflower in large bowl.  Let corn cool enough to handle, and then slice kernels off and add to bowl.  Add cooked quinoa and croutons to bowl, and toss.  Finally, add cotija cheese and squeeze some lime into bowl.  Season to taste with salt and pepper!   

TODAY tonight: Cauliflower Steak

If you're unfamiliar with my "TODAY tonight" series, it's when Carson won't stop talking about something he ate at work, so I make it at home to shut him up.  However, this time around, I didn't even have to wait to hear him rave.  I was watching Aarti Sequeira on the show and I instantly wanted everything she cooked.  She made cauliflower three ways, and I could practically taste the vibrant, Indian flavors through my TV screen.  

It was the "cauliflower steak" with a lime yogurt sauce that made me run to the store for the vegetable.  I cook cauliflower a lot, but something as simple as cutting it differently and marinating it with different spices completely transformed it for me.  I am obsessed.  Even my son loved it!  I will make this again, and again, and again.  Recipe here.

And speaking of Today Food and vegetables, I will be there tomorrow trying to get Carson to eat a particular one he doesn't like... wish me luck!

We served it with a version of this salad because we just can't get enough.

Kale, Quinoa and Chicken Salad

People, it's hot.  Like, real hot.  Like, I thought I'd sit outside for a minute with my computer and let my just-showered-hair (after 3, fine 4 days) dry in the summer breeze until I realized my boobs were already sweating HOT.  When it's this hot, I feel the need to eat really light, probably because my body feels bloated and heavy and I also want nothing to do with the kitchen.  This is, eat lots of vegetables (and sip white wine for lunch?) type of weather.  But I always forget how easy it is to throw a salad together for lunch.  For some reason it doesn't SEEM easy, but with leftovers involved and some minor weekend prep, a week-day salad can be effortless.  See the one I just made below...

Kale, Quinoa and Chicken Salad

Serves 3

Printable Recipe

1 bag frozen quinoa with vegetables* (or 2 cups cooked quinoa)

3 cups baby kale

1 cup shredded roasted chicken

1 avocado, diced

3 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted

1/3 cup crumbled greek ricotta** (or goat cheese, or feta)

Balsamic glaze

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Prepare quinoa as instructed on bag (I did this Sunday night and kept it in tupperware).  Assemble rest of ingredients and toss.  Drizzle with balsamic glaze and olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

*Found this in the organic section of the freezer.

**Sometimes I get in a feta/goat cheese rut, so I tried this Greek ricotta the other day and I'm OBSESSED!  So creamy.

The Perfect Chopped Salad

Moms and Dads!  Any tips or tricks for a baby who wants to get up at 5am?  Listen, I'm not complaining that she's sleeping soundly (usually) from 7pm-5am, but is it really necessary to wake up with the sun and the mother f'ing birds??  I feel like today has been eleventy hours long already, and yes that is my favorite made-up number.  

    Well, if I don't fall asleep mid-post or start spastically dancing from too much coffee, I will attempt to talk about my favorite chopped salad.  I am a BIG fan of salads with as many ingredients as possible.  Every bite is like a little party in your mouth.  I love a good restaurant chopped salad but it's just as easy to make your own version at home.  Throw anything and everything you have into it!  To me the most important thing is a variety of fresh flavors and textures.  Something crunchy, something smooth, something salty, something bright.  Another important part: chop everything roughly the same size.  No one wants to cut their salad with a knife, unless it's a wedge, because wedges win at life.  This particular salad has diced salami, crumbed cotija cheese, sliced cherry tomatoes (both red and golden), fresh corn cut off the cob, chopped up sweet red peppers, toasted pine nuts, finely chopped basil and diced avocado... all atop a bed of baby arugula.  I like to keep my dressing simple... a drizzle of balsamic glaze, a splash of olive oil and some freshly squeezed lemon.  Salt, pepper, done.  Goodnight.  Oh, the day isn't over?  Blarghdjskh  

Buffalo Chicken Chop Salad

The following guest post was written by my BFF (can I still say that at 33?) Katy.

Minnesota beauty, mother of two girls I miss every day, best photographer ever... can't get through the day without texting her one billion times.  

Check out her photography and blog, you will not regret it.

Hello Siriously Delicious People!  

A friend was coming for lunch the other day and my hostess skills are so very rusty that I was a bit panicked about what I would whip up at the most loco time of day: kids at my feet, house a mess, laundry piling, to do list creeping in the creepiest way.  Basically a circus.  Welcome to the circus, guest of mine.  Thank goodness old trusty came in to save the day.  It always saves the day.

BUFFALO.

This is a recipe I've shared and over shared and I'll keep doing it because our love never falters.  It's healthy and sinfully scrumptious, too.  Ladies and Gentlemen, let me reintroduce you to:

Buffalo Chicken Chop Salad

Printable Recipe

Chicken, chopped or shredded

Buffalo sauce (I prefer Frank's Red Hot but any will do)

Cucumber 

Tomatoes

Greens

Red onion

Bleu cheese or Gorgonzola

Other toppings: beets, peppers, jalapeños, herbs, apple, beans, avocado, etc.

Dressing: dollop of greek yogurt, splash or two of red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Top with crumbled chips or nuts for crunch

And how to swing a lunch date with two minis at your feet:

1. Prep chicken with dinner the night before (marinate in Buffalo sauce).

2. Day of, wait until baby is asleep.

3. Occupy three year old with sprinkles, peanut butter, graham crackers.

4. Chop veggies.

5. Arrange in a shallow (preferable for presentation) bowl.

6. Serve and enjoy!

  

*All photos taken on iPhone.  Go here for some great tips on upping your food pic game!

Green Goddess Chopped Salad

Two salads in a row, can you handle it?  Are you like, Siri, make a cronut already you idiot.  Don't call me an idiot!!  I'll get to the unhealthy stuff, but another salad I wanted to recreate from our New York trip was one we ate at a restaurant called Quality Meats.  If you're ever in the city, go there, and order the Broccoli Cheese Bites.  But also order the Green Goddess Chopped Salad, it's so good.  I tried to remember the gist of it - chopped romaine and spinach, granny smith apples, avocado, parmesan cheese and sunflower seeds - and I made it at home with a store bought dressing.  But you could also make your own dressing here.  It's a delicious salad and you are a delicious person.

Pesto Quinoa Salad

WHAT UP BLOG?!  Sorry, it's been awhile, I've forgotten how to do this.  I should probably not start by sounding like a tween.  Is that how tweens sound?  I'm a cool mom.  ANYWAY.  I've missed you guys!  Last week, in New York, all I could think about were things I wanted to cook and share with you.  Like this salad we ordered in our hotel room one night.  It was so simple and delicious and I knew it would be easy to recreate and I was right.  I'm usually right, except for when I'm wrong, which is most of the time.  

Pesto Quinoa Salad

(Serves 6-8)

Printable Recipe

2 cups quinoa

4 cups water

2 T olive oil

2 small zucchini, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

3 cups arugula, chopped

1 7oz. store-bought pesto, defrosted

Salt and pepper

In a medium-sized pot, combine water and quinoa and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.  Uncover, fluff with a fork, and remove from heat.  Set aside.  While quinoa is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add zucchini and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add arugula and cook for another minute or so.  Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.  In a large bowl, toss quinoa and vegetables and add pesto.  Stir, and season with salt and pepper to taste.