Every now and then I do a cooking class or cook for small dinner parties and a version of this salad has happened a handful of times lately. It's not so much that it's a life changing combination of ingredients, as it is an example of how I build a green salad in general. A friend called it "my spiritual gift" so I suppose I may be in the field I was made to be in. I start with greens, often mixing lettuces for monochromatic shades of green (kale and romaine, arugula and butter lettuce etc.). I add another fresh, seasonal vegetable (here, shaved fennel), something sweet (here, both corn and roasted tomatoes), crunch and fat (nuts and cheese). I also keep color and texture in mind, using my mandoline frequently for raw vegetables because a huge chunk of carrot throws off the loveliness and ease in eating a green salad. Dressings are a wild card but this is where I can tie things together. Maybe it only needs oil and vinegar and salt if there is plenty going on or kale slaws can handle something extra lemony. I like heat with corn and tomatoes so I threw a jalapeno into an otherwise basic vinaigrette below. I add a sprinkle of parmesan for depth of flavor and to thicken it up a bit but it by no means tastes super Italian. Perhaps this all makes more sense in my head than written but I feel like once you have a general proportion you like, you can make a great salad with whatever is in your fridge. Sometimes it's helpful to start with a recipe, so tweak the one below however you'd like.
ROASTED TOMATO + CORN SALAD // Serves 4
I understand roasting the tomatoes takes some time, but I do a double batch in advance and have them on hand for both salads and eggs. You could substitute ripe peaches or nectarines here, as they can stand in for your tender and sweet element (I also love this salad from the archives while we're talking nectarines). I have been really into pine nuts lately but am bummed they have become so pricey. You could sub in almonds or walnuts here.
1 pint baby tomatoes 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper 1 head of butter lettuce 1 small fennel bulb, shaved thin 1 ear of corn, grilled and cooled 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts 4 ounces sheeps feta cheese
// jalapeno dressing //
1 jalapeno handful of cilantro 1 clove garlic 1 tsp. honey 1 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar juice of half a small lemon 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350' and line a baking sheet with parchment. Halve the tomatoes and toss them in the olive oil, salt and pepper. If they aren't good ones, you know the type, I'll sprinkle a bit of sugar. Spread them on the baking sheet cut side up and roast for 20-25 minutes until dried on the edges. Remove to cool completely. They will dry up more as they rest. Blend all dressing ingredients together and set aside. The dressing can be made up to a week in advance. The remaining salad ingredients are written prepped, so from this point, you just need to dress and assemble. Because butter lettuce leaves are larger, this salad plates best with the lettuce and fennel being dressed, and then the tomatoes, corn, pine nuts and feta cheese sprinkled on top of each portion. This prevents all the heavier goodies from falling to the bottom.
I rocked Cleo for a solid hour in that stained, suede chair. Nursing on either side of that just to try to calm her down while she screamed at me. She screamed even more at boobie-less Hugh. Pecking at his collar bone searching for one anyway while refusing to take a pacifier. Baby cries may not have a ton of gusto to them yet, but man can they grate on you. They make you empathetic for a little while but progressively become really frustrating. So I made cookies at 10pm because the only other sweet around here were date-coconut ball things and I needed something more serious than that. I didn't measure anything, I just eyeballed and trusted my experience to come up with something close. I referenced a recipe for how much baking soda or powder to use because it's the one piece of a cookie recipe I can't seem to log to memory. I added crisp rice cereal per Tara's instagram post and cut up a chocolate bar with scissors so I didn't have to wash a cutting board. We baked off a large one in the toaster oven to share as a late night snack and Cleo started crying again before it cooled. I know emotional eating is a real thing and that our relationship with food can greatly affect our long term health but sometimes, cooking for what you need in that moment, can be just the thing. Maybe it's cookies, but the next day, in light of a fresh start, I chopped up the vegetable drawer to make this easy lunch. You wore me down last night, little girl, but today is mine! That is how I felt as I stood over my largest salad bowl, eating this with a serving spoon. If food didn't connect us to things, to see the ebb and flow of what happens in our own kitchens, cooking would be nothing but a responsibility. The cookie nights versus the salad days, the big enough pots of pasta that I can treat someone to a last minute dinner delivery or share bits of "toddler food" with a friend who isn't sure what to feed her son. It's more than a responsibility. It's a gateway to so much more when you stand back. I know at first glance it may look like a lot of ingredients here, but I think you'll find they are mostly pantry staples and it's more chopping and less cooking. When I asked a few months back what you all were looking for here, many of you requested easy, week-night, real-life sort of stuff and this is that for us. It's an even quicker version of this if you have rice leftover. I know I should probably just be cheerleading for salads here, but if a cookie is what you need, I hope you find that too. The sweetest spot is right in the middle.
CRUNCHY TOFU CHOP
I resisted avocado here because I wanted it to stay crunchy in the fridge but use one if you have it and may be eating this immediately. This could also be wrapped in a tortilla if you are going for a handheld situation. I used leftover rice, but quinoa could be a quicker cooking option. Most of the work here is the chopping as listed in the ingredients. Otherwise, it comes together in minutes.
Serves 4
1 14 oz. pack extra firm tofu 1 heaping Tbsp. coconut oil 1 Tbsp. sesame oil sea salt and pepper, to taste 2 large carrots, grated 3/4 cup cooked and cooled brown rice (or quinoa) 1 small hothouse cucumber, seeded and diced 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced 3 green onions, thinly sliced 1 small bunch cilantro 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds 1/2 cup toasted cashews, roughly chopped
// dressing //
1 minced garlic clove 1 Tbsp. agave nectar 2 tsp. sriracha 1 tsp. tamari juice of one lime 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Drain the tofu and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut it into small cubes.
Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Warm the coconut and sesame oil and once they are hot, add the tofu. Season generously with salt and pepper. Saute for 5-8 minutes until the outsides are just browned. The longer you cook it, the drier/crunchier the tofu cubes get so time it to taste. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the carrots, cooked rice, cucumber, bell pepper and onions. Very roughly chop the cilantro and add it to the mixture.
In another bowl, whisk all the dressing ingredients together and toss desired amount with the salad to mix. Season to taste. Add the sesames and cashews. The salad may be kept dressed in the fridge for 2-3 days, slowly loosing some of it's crunch but still enjoyable.
I have photos and thoughts to share of the newest addition to our team, baby Cleo Jane, but will get my act together on that next week. She blazed her way into the world three weeks ago and it is taking a little time to adjust, as expected - the rough nights paired with day time toddler tantrums - but I have been finding myself craving some sense of routine and normalcy regardless. It's a funny thing to carry on with life per usual after another person joins your family. I know the long nights slow, and then end, eventually. I can only say after doing this once before that newborns are easier than a walking, talking, child but also so hard in a completely different way. So, in an effort to keep moving forward, I have been cooking a little between the meals our gracious community of friends have brought by. I am trying to go on walks, slow ones and we have someone watching Curran one day a week so we can get some work done. Slowly but surely, we'll get there.
This is a quick take on a veggie taco salad that I made in hopes that it would keep well in the fridge and Hugh could wrap it up in a tortilla and add chicken to make a quick meal of it. It feels healthy but still rich enough with the cheese, chips and avocado to actually satisfy. I imagine adding lentils or another bean of choice would help fill it out but I have a newborn with enough of a gas problem that this is likely to set her off in the middle of the night as is. So use this as a starting block or leave it as written. When trying to eat a little lighter, it's salads like this that don't leave me eating a grilled cheese after. Perhaps a personal problem ;)
SPICY BUTTERNUT + KALE CHOPPED SALAD // Serves 4-6
As it goes with salads, you can alter the amount of add-ins to your taste. A little more cheese, add shredded chicken or roasted tofu or beans if you'd like, but it is plenty of a meal as it is in my opinion. The dressing is light and very simple. If you like extra to keep on hand, simply double or triple the numbers below.
1.5 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed 2 Tbsp. coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil 2 heaping tsp. taco seasoning (I like Penzeys or make your own) 1 large bunch of lacinato/Tuscan kale 3 green onions, sliced thin 1/3 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, plus more for garnish 1 avocado, diced handful of tortilla chips
// dressing // juice of one juicy lime 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. agave nectar 1/2 tsp. sea salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400'. Put the squash on the tray and drizzle with the olive oil, taco seasoning and a few pinches of salt only if your seasoning does not contain salt. Toss to coat and spread in an even layer. Roast in the upper third of the oven for 25 minutes or until just softened and the edges begin to brown. Remove and cool completely.
Remove the stems from the kale and chop it well. Put it in a large mixing bowl with the green onions. Whisk your dressing ingredients together, pour it on the kale and massage it into the kale with your hands. This will soften up the leaves. You may do this a couple hours in advance, keep covered in the fridge.
When ready to assemble your salad. Toss the pepitas, feta, avocado and cooled squash with the greens to combine. Crumble the tortilla chips on top along with a little extra feta cheese.
