My Chopped Chef Salad

Fall has finally arrived in Los Angeles... and I sure hope it sticks around!

This month should also be officially renamed "Rocktober." It feels like every major artist and band has been playing the southland this month. In the last two weeks alone I've seen—Florence + The Machine (amazing!), David Byrne & St. Vincent (also amazing), Neil Young and Crazy Horse (words cannot describe the amazingness), a tiny private Deadmau5 show (set to air on KCRW in November), and Peaches (love her). And I only had to pay for tickets to two of them!

I love music and find it great inspiration for cooking and writing. I almost always have it on when I'm making a meal, or sitting at my computer (I'm listening to Yeasayer right now). Today's recipe is one of my favorite dishes to throw together for a healthy, protein-packed lunch.

It's my take on a Chef Salad. I like my salads chopped—more yumminess in every bite. This salad combines high protein ingredients, such as salami, turkey, feta cheese, and quinoa. And lots of great vegetables, like cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, and arugula. The secret ingredients? Fresh chopped dill and hearts of palm (though artichoke hearts would be great, too). As a note, I love using leftover quinoa (or other grains) by throwing them into salads the next day.

As for dressing, I love Annie's Naturals Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette, but any sort of vinaigrette would taste great. You can also just whip up your own dressing (this is my fast lunch recipe, so occasionally shortcuts can really make a difference).

Chopped Chef Salad

Serves 2 people
Prep time: less than 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup sliced deli turkey, chopped
1/4 cup salami, chopped
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup hearts of palm, chopped
vinaigrette of your choosing (such as Annie's Natural Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette)

Directions

1. Place ingredients in a salad bowl and add the vinaigrette. Toss the salad well.

2. To serve, distribute the salad evenly between two bowls. Garnish with a little fresh chopped dill and freshly ground pepper, if desired. Enjoy!

Late Harvest Raw Corn Salad

It's been a whirlwind of family and travel!

First up was Portland with my husband and his family. I LOVED this city—more restaurants and food trucks than I could count. I feel like I barely scratched the eating surface Favorites included Ox, Woodsman Tavern, and Salt and Straw for homemade ice cream in unusual flavors.

I can't wait to return for a more extended trip.

My parents just arrived in LA yesterday for a few days, before we all jet off to Hawaii. We'll be visiting the beautiful island of Kauai for the first time. We've rented condos, so we'll be cooking in residence as I like to call it. My chef brother is also flying out from SF.

Should be some yummy food coming out of our kitchen!

I will report back.

In the meantime, here's a great recipe for Late Harvest Raw Corn Salad. It's simple and clean, really showcasing corn in its purest form. I paired it with red bell pepper and arugula, with a touch of lemon juice and cilantro. This makes for a great side dish (I served it with BBQ chicken).

Late Harvest Raw Corn Salad

Serves 4 people
Prep time: less than 10 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients

2 ears of corn, kernels removed
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
2 cups baby arugula
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil
pinch of cumin
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Place the corn, pepper, arugula, and cilantro in a bowl. Add the pinch of cumin, lemon juice (more may be added to taste), and olive oil. Toss well to combine.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Seared Ahi Tuna Nicoise Salad

Still hot, hot, HOT in Los Angeles!

So is there anything better than a composed salad? Especially when said salad contains delicious bits like seared Ahi tuna, spindly green beans, briny capers, olive oil cured olives, creamy eggs, and poached red potatoes. Welcome to the Nicoise Salad, one of my favorite dishes in the world.

For the dressing, I whip up a mustardy-lemony dressing. I thinly slice red onions and pickle them slightly in the dressing, which I heap generously onto the salad.

Now I'm hungry—I may be making this for dinner again!

Seared Ahi Tuna Nicoise Salad

Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
Gluten-free; dairy-free

Ingredients

4 cups organic mixed greens
1 pound Ahi tuna
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/4 cup black olives cured in olive oil
10 small red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered and boiled until tender
4 eggs, boiled until cooked to desired wellness, peeled, and quartered
2 cups haricot vert (green beans), blanched
salt and freshly ground pepper

dressing:
juice of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or more if desired)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons capers
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. To make the dressing, whisk the lemon juice, garlic, capers, and mustard together in a bowl. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in the thyme and red onion. Set aside, allowing the red onion to pickle slightly.

2. Meanwhile, season the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the grapeseed oil over medium high heat. Quickly sear the tuna, turning once. Cook to desired wellness (I prefer to leave my rare in the middle). Set aside to rest for a few minutes, before slicing.

3. Make the composed salad by placing the mixed greens in the bottom of four large bowls, dividing it evenly. Repeat the process with the haricot vert (green beans), potatoes, olives, eggs, and sliced tuna. Finish by spooning the dressing generously over the top. Enjoy!

Quick & Easy Greek Salad

Some of the best recipes are the simplest. 

As I have mentioned, this is also true for many of the best things in life.

There are few things I love more than a great Greek Salad. In fact, this is what I'm planning to make for lunch today. The combination of heirloom cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, crisp red bell peppers, grassy dill, and tangy feta just works.

I toss these great veggies and cheese with mixed greens (or occasionally arugula). The dressing—just fresh squeezed lemon juice and good extra virgin olive oil. Salt and pepper. That's it. Really.

It takes only minutes to make, but you'll want savor it for even longer.

Quick & Easy Greek Salad
Serves 2 people
Prep time: 10 minutes
Vegetarian; gluten-free

Ingredients

• 4 cups mixed baby greens 
• 1/2 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Place the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, dill, and feta into a salad bowl or mixing bowl. Add the lemon and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss well.
2. Add the mixed greens and toss again.
3. Transfer the mixture to bowls. Top with a little fresh ground pepper if desired. Enjoy!

Meatless Monday Features My Recipe for 'Arugula Fig Almond Salad'

Happy Meatless Monday!

Meatless Monday is featuring my recipe for Arugula Fig Almond Salad this week! It's a lovely, light salad that's perfect for the season right now. From MM:

Sweet figs, tangy feta and spicy arugula don’t need much help to shine in this salad celebrating fall’s bounty. A simple balsamic vinaigrette seasons the greens, while almonds add an earthy crunch. 

While you're over there, check out their great articles like how to Savor a Seasonal Meatless Monday.

And as always, one day a week, cut out meat.

Here's the direct link to my article

Heirloom Tomato Bread Salad (Panzanella) with Wild Arugula

Heirloom Tomato Bread Salad

According to my calendar, it's September, but you wouldn't know it from the triple digit temperatures in Los Angeles.

The Adorable Monster and I are huddling up by the air conditioner, avoiding the dog park (much to his chagrin), and doing out best to stay cool. Ironically, our Labor Day weekend was filled with work! I finished polishing my manuscript and sent it off to my agent this morning (Yay! Can't wait to see how it all unfolds!).

So hold a positive vision for the novel finding the right publisher...

When it gets hot like this, I always gravitate toward making cool dishes, like today's recipe for Heirloom Tomato Bread Salad. Also known as Panznella, this recipe is based on the Florentine dish that combines tomatoes with stale bread, olive oil, and vinegar. Basil and onions often accompany it, too.

Fortunately, heirloom tomatoes are still going strong at my local markets, and I'm always looking for any way to use them. Another thing that I love about this recipe is that it makes use of stale bread (waste not, want not!).

In addition to the bread and tomatoes, I added some lovely purple basil and wild arugula, but feel free to make it without those flourishes. It's great either way! Also, if I'm feeling extra fancy, I sometimes saute the bread cubes with a little olive oil to crisp them up slightly, but this step isn't required.

Heirloom Tomato Bread Salad (Panzanella) with Wild Arugula
Prep time: about 10 minutes
Serves 4 people
Vegan
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 medium heirloom tomatoes (about 2 cups), chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 1 cup stale bread, cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup wild arugula (optional)
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Place the bread in the bottom of a bowl. 
2. Top with the tomatoes. Drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. 
3. Allow to rest for about 30 minutes, until the bread soaks up the liquids from the tomatoes and softens. 
4. Add the basil and arugula (optional) and toss to combine. Serve right away at room temperature. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients

• heirloom tomatoes, purple basil, and wild arugula from the West Hollywood Farmers Market
• sourdough baguette from La Brea Bakery 

Meatless Monday: Avocado & Radish Salad

Avocado & Radish Salad

Made fresh ingredients from the farmers market, this is my favorite salad to make. It combines creamy avocados with crispy radishes. The key ingredient is a generous portion of fresh lemon juice to finish the salad off. Enjoy!

Avocado & Radish Salad
Serves 2 people
Prep time: 5 minutes

vegan; gluten-free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pit removed, and sliced
• 1 cup radishes, trimmed and sliced
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Layer the avocados and radishes in a bowl.  
2. Drizzle each bowl with half of the lemon juice and half of the olive oil. 
3. Season with salt and pepper. 

Source for Ingredients

• avocados, radishes, and lemons from West Hollywood Farmers Market 

Meatless Monday: Baby Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Baby Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

For this special edition of Meatless Monday, click on over to West Hollywood Patch to view my recipe for Baby Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette.

This lovely salad combined roasted baby beets with a Greek-style goat's milk feta cheese, organic mixed baby greens, and sunflower seeds. The whole salad is topped with a light citrus vinaigrette. It's a healthy, delicious recipe that's perfect for lunch or a starting appetizer for a dinner party.

Going forward, I'll be writing a regular column called "Farm to the Table" for Patch featuring weekly recipes based on my finds at the West Hollywood Farmers Market. So stay tuned -- I have some great stuff planned!

Here's my recipe for Baby Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Meatless Monday: Butter Lettuce Salad with Feta and Pomegranates

Butter Lettuce Salad with Feta and Pomegranates

One of the things I love about salads is that they have a thousand different iterations, each one just as fabulous as the last one. This jives with my focus on seasonal eating. Winter salads can rival summer salads.

This salad makes use of the beautiful pomegranates, which are in season right now. This ancient fruit, famous for mentions in Homeric Hymns and The Book of Exodus, typically grows in the Northern Hemisphere between September and February. Even better, pomegranates are chocked full of vitamins (especially C & B), fiber, and antioxidants. Oh, and they taste fabulous, too.

Meatless Monday: Arugula Salad with Figs, Feta, and Marcona Almonds (Plus Tasting Notes on the 2005 Alban Syrah Lorraine Vineyards)

Happy Meatless Monday!

It's a blustery day in Los Angeles, but at least it's a break from the rain. I did manage to sneak in a trip to the Hollywood Farmers Market yesterday, so I've got more great recipes coming in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, here's my favorite salad that I made recently. For years, I've dedicated myself to the art of the salad. There are so many different combinations of ingredients and flavors. Who needs the same old iceberg lettuce salad? There are summer salads, fall salads, winter salads. Your imagination is your guide.

The inspiration for this salad came from the lovely organic figs that have been showing up at my grocery store. For this "fall" salad, I paired the figs with baby wild arugula from Kenter Canyon Farms, one of my favorite organic lettuce and greens producers from Ventura county (available at both Whole Foods and local farmers markets). To complete the flavor profiles, I topped the salad with a raw goats milk feta from Redwood Hill Farms, which has nice tang, and Marcona almonds. The dressing was a simple balsamic vinaigrette.

Now, I bet you're wondering, "What the heck is a Marcona almond?" If you've never tasted them, then you're in for a treat! Here's from Wikipedia:

"The Marcona variety of almond, which is shorter, rounder, sweeter, and more delicate in texture than other varieties, originated in Spain and is becoming popular in North America and other parts of the world.^[17] Marcona almonds are traditionally served after being lightly fried in oil, and are also used by Spanish chefs to prepare a dessert called turrón."

Both Kuzak and I were "ooohing" and "ahhing" over this salad. Not only was the presentation beautiful, but the flavors were spot on. Even better, this is a healthy dish with plenty of fruit (figs), greens (arugula), healthy fats (olive oil, almonds), and protein (almonds, feta) to go around. I loved it so much, I made it again for dinner the following night...

Arugula Salad with Figs, Feta, and Marcona Almonds
Serves 4 people
Prep time: 5 minutes
Print Recipe

Ingredients
1 pint figs, quartered
4 cups organic arugula
1/2 cup Marcona almonds
1/4 cup goat's milk feta

balsamic vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons good balsamic vineger
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions
To make the balsamic vinaigrette, place the balsamic vinegar in a bowl. Slowly, whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Layer one quarter of the arugula and figs on a plate. Repeat with remaining ingredients, placing them on three more plates. Top each plate with one quarter of the almonds and feta cheese. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
organic figs, Kenter Canyon Farms organic baby arugula, Redwood Hill Farms raw goats milk feta, Marcona almonds, balsamic vinegar,  and extra virgin olive oil from Whole Foods

Wine Pairing
Arlight, I'm not writing about this wine here because it pairs amazingly with this dish (in truth, it may be a little too bold). I'm writing about it because it's one of the best wines I've tasted recently -- the 2005 Alban Syrah, Lorraine Vineyards. This seminal wine was rated the coveted 100 points (a perfect score) by Robert Parker, who tends to be a lover of big Central Coast Syrah. Alban is a Central Coast producer who specializes in Rhone varieties.

We decanted this bottle, which is still considered to be drinking on the young side (and should drink well until 2022), for over two hours before drinking it. One first taste, it was clear of the quality of this wine. It was mellower and smokier than I'd anticipated, the fruit on the more subdued side for California (blackberries, darker fruit). The real sensations were the smokey, almost bacon-y smells and tastes. This was it -- I'd found another bacon wine! And the finish on this wine. It lasted for almost a minute, slowly unfurling over my palate like a plume of smoke.

Thank goodness we have two more bottles lurking in our cellar. We'll let them lurk for a while longer...

Meatless Monday: Toasted Farro with Zucchini and Tahini

Happy Monday, Divas!

I'm off to Chicago on Wednesday, but I thought I'd make sure to leave you with a fabulous meatless recipe I whipped up last week for dinner. Don't you get tired of eating the same old grains? Well, I've made a concerted effort to incorporate more farro (pearl barley) into my life. It has a rich, nut-like flavor and a chewy, pasta-like, satisfying texture. It's also chocked full of a special type of fiber that acts as food for the "friendly" bacteria in the large intestine and lowers cholesterol.

To make my farro more interesting, I toasted it before I cooked it, giving it an even richer, nuttier flavor. Then, I stirred in roasted zucchini, heirloom cherry tomatoes, shallots, and chopped mint. I finished it off with a delicious lemon-tahini sauce, giving the dish a slightly Mediterranean flare.

This was a satisfying, filling, healthy dish that worked as a main course for dinner. It's also a great side dish for any meal. So give it a try!

Toasted Farro with Zucchini and Tahini
Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Print Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup farro (pearl barley)
1 1/2 cups filtered water
2 cups zucchini, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
salt and pepper

tahini sauce:
2 tablespoons sesame tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place the zucchini in a roasting pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, tossing to combine. Roast uncovered in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until softened and slightly caramelized. Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the farro in a dry saute pan and toast it over medium high heat until aromatic. Set aside to cool. Boil the filtered water in a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Stir in the farro, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. If the liquid is gone and the farro still uncooked, add a little more water and cook a little longer. Barley should have a chewy texture with a slight crunch. Set aside.

To make the tahini sauce, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, and cumin in a bowl. Add water as needed to thin to a nice consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble the dish, place the farro, roasted zucchini, tomatoes, and shallots in a large mixing bowl. Top with the tahini sauce and toss to combine. Check seasoning (salt and pepper). Finish with the chopped mint. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
organic pearl barley (farro) and organic sesame tahini from Whole Foods

organic zucchini, heirloom cherry tomatoes, and organic shallots from the West Hollywood Farmers Market

Wine Pairing
With this meal, we drank a fabulous bottle of Copain Pinot Noir (Hacienda Secoea, Anderson Valley, 2006).  The 2006's appear to be drinking great right now, and this bottle was one of the better pinots I've tasted recently.

Simple Suppers: Chopped Salmon Salad

Divas, I've just returned from San Francisco, where I had fabulous meals at my Top Chef Bro's Pizzeria Picco and the brand spanking new Zero Zero. It was a veritable pizza, pasta, and ice cream orgy.

So now I'm in my post-trip detox mode, making clean, simple food. I thought that I'd share a recipe inspired by my friend, Mike. It's a chopped salmon salad that's a cinch to throw together. The key ingredient is canned, unsalted, boneless, skinless wild caught salmon. Now, most of us are more familiar with canned tuna, but it can be high in mercury, making canned salmon a much better option. Not only does it have all the health benefits of fresh wild caught salmon, but it costs a fraction of the price and keeps for eons in your cupboard (I always have it on hand).

The salad is kind of like a chopped Nicoise Salad, made with blanched potatoes, green beans, fennel, bell peppers, and hard-boiled eggs, all tossed in a simple vinaigrette. This is a complete, protein-packed, satisfying meal that can be whipped up in under half an hour. It's great for either lunch or dinner.

Chopped Salmon Salad
Serves 4-6 people
Prep time: 10 minutes
Print Recipe

Ingredients
2 cans of skinless, boneless wild caught salmon
2 hard-boiled eggs, shells removed and chopped
2 cups fingerling potatoes, blanched and chopped
2 cups green beans, blanched and chopped
1/2 cup fennel bulb, blanched and chopped
1 cup bell pepper, seeded and chopped

vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon apple cider or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon fennel tops, chopped
salt and pepper

Directions
To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drain the salmon of water and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and vegetables and toss with the vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
canned wild caught salmon, organic apple cider vinegar, and whole grain mustard from Trader Joe's

organic fennel, organic red bell pepper, fingerling potatoes, organic Blue Lake green beans, and organic eggs from Hollywood Farmers Market

Meatless Monday: Late Summer Salad with Sweet Corn, Romano Beans, and Macadamia Nuts

Divas, it's Meatless Monday time again!

Today, I'm bringing you a salad inspired by a dish I had at Cube, one of my favorite Los Angeles restaurants. The salad is made from Blue Lake green beans, Romano beans, sweet corn, and toasted Macadamia nuts. I got the nuts from Oh! Nuts, a fabulous wholesaler of nuts and dried fruit. They were huge and rich, just how you want Macadamia nuts to be. I toasted them, reserving half of them to make into a paste to whisk into the dressing, and chopping the other half to toss into the salad.

This dish turned out so fabulous! It's healthy, full of fresh summer produce, and healthy fats, and protein from the nuts. Macadamia nuts "contain 78% monounsaturated fats, the highest of any oil including olive oil," and no cholesterol, making them a great choice for your heart. I finished the salad with some shaved parmesan reggiano cheese. This dish is a true winner!

Late Summer Salad with Sweet Corn, Romano Beans, and Macadamia Nuts
Serves 4 people
Cooking time 10 minutes 
Print Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup Romano beans, blanched and chopped
1 cup Blue Lake green beans, blanched and chopped
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
3/4 cup Macadamia nuts, toasted (hazelnuts would be a great substitute)
shaved parmesan reggiano for garnishing

dressing:
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Macadamia nut paste (see directions below)
salt & pepper

Directions
Place half of the toasted Macadamia nuts in a small food processor and grind into a paste. Add the vinegar and olive oil and blend together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the salad, chop the remaining macadamia nuts into halves or quarters. Place the Macadamia nuts, Romano beans, green beans, and corn in a bowl. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Check seasoning (salt and pepper).

To plate, scoop some of the salad into a bowl. Top with shaved parmesan. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
raw Macadamia nuts from Oh! Nuts

Blue Lake green beans and extra virgin olive oil from Hollywood Farmers Market (Sunday)

yellow Romano beans and sweet corn from West Hollywood Farmers Market (Monday)

Simple Suppers: Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Cucumber, and Yogurt Salad

Divas, there's been a lot happening in the world of Domestic Divas!

Hopefully you caught my new column, "Don't Rush the Risotto," published in the Hawaii Women's Journal and my recipe for "Rustic Peach Pie with Whole Grain Spelt Crust" published by KCRW's Good Food Pie-A-Day blog. I'm also starting to post Sous Vide recipes using my Sous Vide Supreme (check out this one for Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin with Sherry-Shallot Vinaigrette).

On the dining front, I'm heading up to San Francisco for Labor Day weekend, my favorite dining city by the sea. I'll be hitting up my Top Chef Brother's restaurant Picco! He's taken over the joint, and I can't wait to sample his cuisine. It will also be the Adorable Monster's first big road trip. We're booked into a pet friendly hotel. Hopefully, he'll be more adorable than monstrous, but we'll see...

And I just booked my ticket to Chicago for the end of September. I'll be going back to... wait for it... Alinea!!! Yes, that's right. I had the best meal of my life there two years ago, and I'm going back for seconds. For you curious folks, we'll be eating "The Tour." When I heard we got a reservation, I literally stood up and did a happy food dance. I can't wait...

And tonight, I'm hitting up Breadbar on W. 3rd St. in Los Angeles for their "SobaPop" Artisanal Noodle Pop-Up Bar. It's this week only.

In the meantime, here's a great, light summer recipe for Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Cucumber, and Yogurt Salad. It's healthy and refreshing, perfect for lunch or a lovely dinner. So check it out!

Grilled Shrimp with Spinach, Cucumber and Yogurt Salad

Ingredients
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
4 cups raw spinach
1 cup cucumber, peeled and seeded

salad dressing:
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat the grill.

Skewer the shrimp, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Once the grill is hot, quickly cook the shrimp, turning once (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool. Remove the skewers from the shrimp and set aside.

Meanwhile, to make the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, dill, and garlic. Slowly, whisk in the yogurt. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed by adding more lemon juice.

To plate, toss the spinach and cucumber with the salad dressing. Place in a serving bowl and top with the grilled shrimp. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on top if desired. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
raw frozen shrimp, organic spinach, organic cucumber, organic Greek yogurt, organic dill, and organic lemons from Whole Foods

Snap Pea, Bell Pepper And Sesame Salad

It's June, summer is here, the temperatures are creeping up the mercury.  Every year, when I feel the weather shift, I shift my diet, too.  I stop braising and start grilling.  I trade in roasted vegetables for all manner of salads.  Here's a great one I made the other night as a side dish.  It's simple--filled with raw snap peas and yellow bell peppers--and tossed with lemon juice, sesame oil and sesame seeds.  The combination is stunningly scrumptious and refreshing.

It's also super healthy.  For starters, snap peas are bursting with health benefits.  They're loaded with 8 vitamins, 7 minerals, dietary fiber and protein.  Brightly colored bell peppers, like the yellow ones used in this recipe, are health superstars, full of Vitamin C and A, as well as a host of other nutrients.  Meanwhile, sesame seeds are no slackers in the health department.  Not only are they "a very good source of manganese and copper, but they are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber." 

Snap Pea, Bell Pepper And Sesame Salad
Serves 4 people
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups raw snap peas, larger ones halved
2 yellow, orange or red bell peppers, julienned
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
salt and pepper

Directions
Toss the snap peas and bell peppers with the sesame seeds, lemon juice and sesame oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
snap peas, organic yellow bell peppers and organic lemons from Trader Joe's

black sesame seeds (Gomasio) and toasted sesame oil from Whole Foods

Music On Tap

The National - High Violet

"High Violet, the new full-length record by the National, is a nervy, melodic, explosive and beautiful set of songs that find the band at the height of their collaborative powers. The music is wide-ranging in its moods, by turns intimate and rough, expansive and spare, full of stark angles and atmosphere."
--From Amazon

Meatless Monday: Southwestern Quinoa And Black Bean Salad

Oh, Divas, what a lovely weekend!

Kuzak's parents were in town, which meant lots of dining, and incidentally, a lot of horticulture. I'm happy to report that I'm now the proud owner of an herb garden, out on my deck.  I just hope it doesn't perish (I do not have a green thumb, not even a slightly brown one).  For foodie activities, we had a fabulous meal at Lucques (one of my favorite LA restaurants), an authentic taco lunch at Pinches Tacos (I eat here at least once a week), a trip to the Hollywood Farmers Market (my fridge if full of everything from fava beans to baby squash), but we saved the best for last.

It all began on Sunday morning with a close encounter of the Mario Batali kind.  That's right, my dear readers, when we pulled up to the hotel to pick up Kuzak's parents, the unmistakable Mario was waiting right in front.  There was no doubt--ginger hair, ponytail, shorts, orange crocks.  You'd have to blind to miss him.  Yes, I said hello to him like an over-enthused groupie (I had met him once before) and told him that as fate would have it, we were dining at his restaurant, Osteria Mozza, that very night.  Yes, I shook his hand (soft as butter).  And yes, I thoroughly embarrassed myself, but I don't care.  I'm in love with his food, and there's no reason to be embarrassed about that.

Dinner at Mozza was, in a word, spectacular, but isn't it always?

The fresh burrata and mozzarella, the pastas (I could write an entire essay on the bolognese alone) and the entrees, fatty, tender veal breast, duck al mattone (cooked under a brick, served on a cutting board with lemon meyer jam) the hailbut with green peppercorns (the secret is veal stock in the sauce, as my waiter whispered in my ear), the desserts with gelato, gelato and more gelato.  This was my second meal there in under a week, and I know I'll be back soon.

Alright, onto Meatless Monday, which Mario Batali has adopted into all 14 of his restaurants (nice segue, huh?).  I made this little gem of a salad last week for lunch.  It combines the high-protein whole grain, quinoa, with black beans, also a good protein source.  I also added chopped bell pepper, purple onion, cilantro, lemon juice, olive oil and cumin to it, and served it cold.  I loved this Southwestern inspired salad so much, I might make it again this week!

Southwestern Quinoa And Black Bean Salad
Serves 4-6 people
Prep time:  10 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups quinoa, cooked
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions

Mix the quinoa, black beans, peppers, onion, cilantro and cumin together.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive and lemon juice.  Then, pour the lemon-olive oil mixture over the quinoa mixture.

Toss well and then season to taste with salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
organic quinoa, organic red bell peppers, organic cilantro from Trader Joe's

organic red onion and organic lemons from Studio City Farmers Market

organic cumin from Whole Foods

Meatless Monday: Chickpea And Quinoa Salad With Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Happy Meatless Monday!  Today, I thought I'd share with you a simple salad recipe for Chickpea And Quinoa Salad With Lemon-Tahini Dressing that's healthy, delicious and easy to throw together on the fly.  There are plenty of reasons to load your diet up with chickpeas, including their high fiber content and virtually fat-free source of protein.  Likewise, quinoa, an ancient grain with a nutty taste, is also high in fiber and protein.

What else?  To help boost the health properties of the dressing, I've added tumeric, the superstar of the spice world, which is a potent anti-inflammatory that has been shown to decrease the risk for certain types of cancer.  The salad is essentially a composed salad with an array of fresh vegetables and fruit, including tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, red bell pepper and avocado.  The final ingredient is a light sprinkling of fresh dill (one of my favorite herbs in the whole world).  So give it a try - this recipe makes for a delicious complete lunch!

Chickpea And Quinoa Salad With Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Serves 4 people
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup quinoa, cooked
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
8 small radishes, halved
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

lemon-tahini dressing:
2 tbsp sesame tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground tumeric
salt & pepper 

Directions
To make the lemon-tahini dressing, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, tumeric and cumin in a bowl.  Add water as needed to thin to a nice consistency.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

To make the salad, put 1/4 of quinoa in the center of each bowl.  Arrange the vegetables around the quinoa, dividing them evenly and grouping each kind each together to to make a composed salad.  Pile 1/4 cup of chickpeas in the center of the bowl.  Drizzle with the dressing and top with the dill and a little fresh cracked pepper.  Enjoy

Source For Ingredients
organic radishes from Sage Mountain Farm (Hollywood Farmers Market)

organic tomatoes, organic cucumber, organic avocado, organic lemon, organic bell pepper from Hollywood Farmers Market

organic canned chickpeas (Eden Organics), organic cumin, organic quinoa, organic tumeric and organic sesame tahini from Whole Foods

Meatless Monday: Organic Mixed Greens with Apples, Walnuts & Chevre (Goat Milk Cheese)!

Hope all you lovely Divas had fabulous weekends filled with fabulousness!

I know mine was!

It began with the Adorable Monster's first birthday.  For this blessed event, I whisked him off to the Laurel Canyon dog park where he had a blast, rolling around in the dirt, humping other smaller, unsuspecting dogs (ball surgery has not deterred him in the least) and generally acting like a maniac.  You gotta love him!

I also attended a fabulous workshop, hosted by my BDFF Kate, where I gave a talk on Domestic Divas and brought a batch of my freshly baked Apple-Walnut Corn Muffins (CLICK HERE for recipe) and hit up the Hollywood Farmers Market as always, stocking up on tons of goodies including grass-fed rack of lamb from Healthy Farmily Farms CSA, local yellowtail, organic pea tendrils, baby shitake mushrooms, organic mustard greens, organic blueberries, organic walnuts and much more!  I'll be cooking some amazing recipes and sharing them all, so stay tuned!

Today for Meatless Monday, I'm sharing one of my favorite winter salads.  As I explained at the workshop yesterday, making a hearty salad is one of the best ways for busy women who feel they don't have the time to cook dinner to still prepare themselves a healthy dinner.  There are endless variations on the salad, and they can be served as a side dish to a bigger meal or prepared in a bigger portion and eaten as an main course!

This salad makes use of the wonderful organic apples that are at the peak of their season right now!  Choose whatever variety floats your boat.  I toasted walnuts and threw them into the dish for a dose of healthy fats and protein, but almost any nut from hazelnuts to pecans to almonds would taste fabulous.  Finally, I crumbled in some award-winning chevre from one of my favorite local producers, Soledad Farms, and tossed it all with organic mixed greens and a balsamic vinaigrette.  For the dressing, I used Villa Manodori aged balsalmic vinegar (CLICK HERE to read my article about it) and Ruben's Mission local olive oil made from the first press of hand-picked estate-grown olives (CLICK HERE to read about it).

Note: For a fun twist on this salad, try substituting pomegranate seeds for the apple!  

Organic Mixed Greens with Apples, Walnut & Chevre (Goat Milk Cheese)
Serves 2 people

4 cups organic mixed greens
1/4 cup raw walnuts
1 apple, chopped
2 tbsp chevre (goat cheese)
1 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp good olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the walnuts in a pie dish in an even layer and toast in the oven for 4 minutes.  Remove, allow to cool and then chop.

To make the dressing, pour the balsamic vinegar into a bowl with the minced garlic.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the apples, walnuts and organic mixed greens into a salad bowl.  Crumble the goat cheese on top (note:  if you place the goat cheese in the freezer for a few minutes, it will make it easier to crumble).  Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until evenly distributed.  Top with some freshly ground black pepper and enjoy!

Businesses Mentioned:

Soledad Goats
6501 Backus Rd.
Mojave, CA 93501

Producers of award-winning goat cheese (literally the BEST fresh chevre I have ever tasted), they can be found selling their artisanal cheeses at the Hollywood Farmers Market on Sunday.  Stop by their booth for a free sample and I promise you won't be able to leave without bringing some home with you!

Source for Ingredients:

organic mixed greens from Kenter Canyon Farms (Hollywood Farmers Market)

chevre from Soledad Farms (Hollywood Farmers Market)

organic apples, organic walnuts, organic garlic & Ruben's Mission olive oil from the Hollywood Farmers Market

Music on Tap:

Sufjan Stevens - The BQE

One of the most unique, talented and fiercely independent musicians around today, I've been in love with Sufjan Steven's work since I first heard Michigan many years ago when Kuzak was still attenidng in college in that very state (Sufjan is also an alum).  While Seven Swans remains my favorite of his albums, this brand new one, a symphony-like opus commisioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music, sounds like nothing you've ever heard before, and that's a great thing when it comes to Sufjan!

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT SUFJAN'S NEW ALBUM!

Domestic Diva's Late Summer Composed Salad

Oh, Divas, what a crazy world! Los Angeles is on the cusp of burning to the ground, I just pray the Monster survives. My thoughts and prayers go out to the firemen bravely battling the blaze. Today begins my trip up the coast from San Francisco to Portland, a three day odyssey, that may or may not bring me Internet access. So please bear with me, and in the meantime, here's a great recipe to celebrate the end of summer. It's inspired in part by Alice Waters, in whose restaurant I had the pleasure of dining last night - what a spectacular meal!

Ever go to the farmers market and just get absolutely overwhelmed by the bounty late summer offers? Huge, bulging, succulent heirloom tomatoes the size of a child's skull, crisp, tangy lemon cucumbers, bright red bell peppers, butter lettuces! I could go on and on, but here's a great way to make use of these ingredients. Make them into a composed salad! For protein, I added some quail eggs from the market, but regular eggs would work, too! I also threw in some high quality yellowtail tuna packed in olive oil. This salad is hearty enough to be dinner all by itself!


Domestic Diva's Late Summer Composed Salad

1 head butter lettuce, washed and torn into pieces (any other lettuce will work)
1 large heirloom tomato, chopped
2 lemon cucumbers, peeled and chopped (can sub regular)
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
6 small yukon gold potatoes, blanched and halved
1/4 cup basil, chopped
6 quail eggs
1 can high quality oil-packed tuna
1/4 cup black olives, pits removed

vinaigrette:

1 egg yolk
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 tsp mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
salt & pepper

Directions:

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the egg yolk, vinegar and mustard. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Finally, whisk in the garlic and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the composed salad, first cook the quail eggs by placing them in boiling water for about 2 minutes and then into cold water. Allow to cool, and then peel shells (their shells are much thinner then normal eggs). Once cool, cut in half. The whites should be cooked and the yolks soft.

Next, place the lettuce in the bottom of a large serving bowl. Arrange each of the ingredients grouped together around the bowl. Place the quail eggs in the middle. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and enjoy!

Source for Ingredients:

organic butter lettuce, organic lemon cucumbers, organic heirloom tomatoes, organic basil, organic bell pepper, quail eggs from Hollywood Farmers Market

organic yukon gold potatoes & yellowtail tuna packed in oil from Whole Foods

Music on Tap:

Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
Fleetwood Mac - Greatest Hits
Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam
Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
Air - 10,000 Mgz Legend
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish
Mojave 3 - Out of Time

The road trip begins today, so these are just a few of the albums I intend to play!

Panko-Crusted Soft Shell Crab with Spicy Aioli

Summer continues to blaze on in SoCal, and that means hot, hot, HOT temperatures, creeping into the triple digits, and the faint smell of fire on the smog-filled air. Ahh, the joys of Los Angeles! The Monster and I are going to go huddle in my one air conditioned room, but first I want to share a new recipe with you divas!

Summer, besides being synonymous with hot weather and wild fires, also brings soft shell crabs into our lives! Ever wonder what a soft shell crab is exactly? Well, crabs do a nifty thing called molting where they shed their shells and then harden into their new shells. However, for a few precious hours, they are "soft" and that's when they're harvested to be eaten! The great thing about them, is after their gills are removed and and they're cleaned, they can be eaten whole, for lots of extra crabby goodness. While there are other methods of preparing them, I think they taste the best when they're fried. For breading, I prefer using panko, a thick Japanese breadcrumb.

I purchased my soft shell crabs at Fish King and gladly accepted their offer to clean them for me (they'll also bread and fry them for you for an extra $1). To cook them, I breaded and fried them in a saute pan, topped them with a spicy aioli sauce and served them over a generous portion of watercress! The result was one of the most delicious meals I've had all summer long. Just writing it up right now is making my mouth water. So without further ado, here's my recipe!

Note: If soft shell crabs aren't available, shrimp would make a great substitute in this recipe.


Domestic Diva's Panko-Crusted Soft Shell Crab with Spicy Aioli

2 soft shell crabs, cleaned
1 cup panko breadcrumbs (regular will work, too)
1 cup flour (I used a spelt flour)
1 egg, whisked
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
salt and pepper
2 cups watercress

spicy aioli:
2 egg yolks
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4-5 tbsp lemon juice (fresh is possible)
1 1/2 cups olive oil
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce
salt & pepper

Directions:

To make the spicy aioli, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Then, slowly add the olive oil, a little bit at a time, continuously whisking to form an emulsion. Once all the olive oil is added, the mixture should have a texture similar to mayonnaise. Then, whisk in the remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.

If the sauce seems too thick, it may be thinned out with a little water to aid in drizzling it on the crabs.

Note: Instead of whisking by hand, this can be made in a blender for great results!

To make the soft shell crabs, sprinkle them on both sides with salt and pepper. Then, coat them in the flour, dip them in the egg and finish by coating them with the panko breadcrumbs. Repeat with the second crab.

In a large saute pan, heat the grapeseed oil over medium high heat until almost smoking. Add the crabs and cook for a few minutes on each side until browned and crispy. Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes.

To serve, place a bed of watercress on each plate and top with one of the crabs. Drizzle with the spicy aioli. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients:

soft shell crabs from Fish King

organic eggs, watercress, and organic panko breadcrumbs from Whole Foods

Music on Tap:

Green Day - American Idiot

I just saw the BEST Green Day concert last night! It was the last date on their North American tour and the Forum was completely sold out. They played for no less than 3 hours, complete with a final acoustic set for the third encore by Billie Joe. While I love many of their albums, their epic opus, American Idiot, remains my favorite, and last night the songs held up. Highlights included Holiday, American Idiot and Jesus of Suburbia.