EMERALD SALAD

Earlier this week I had some lady friends over for dinner. I enjoy cooking for other people, but it’s definitely a bit of a challenge to make things that will please all taste preferences.

If you're over the age of five, there's a good chance you're alright with broccoli and everyone loves the flavor of leeks, even if they've never technically purchased one. So we're off to a good start with this one...

You can only cram so much on the grill, so these veggies are fit for the oven. If the chopping is done before hand, this salad requires little time and attention while you are finishing the rest of your meal. As far as entertaining goes, I like to make things that I can prepare as much as possible ahead of time, so I don't have to leave friends to work. Not only was this big bowl of green-ness a crowd pleaser, but it saves well, so you can throw in a protein of choice and take it for lunch. I had enough leftover to fill a family size tupperware and ate the entire thing the following day. True story, I am a known veggie-binger.

I improved the original with a bit of good quality feta cheese. It's pretty salty, so no need to add salt elsewhere. I'll say it again, using good ingredients yields a better end product. I don’t consider myself a brand snob, but sometimes the generic grocery store cheese will not suffice. And neither will their yogurt, salad dressing, pesto or dark chocolate. or ice cream. OK...only sometimes a brand snob.

EMERALD SALAD // Serves 4

1 lb. Broccolini

1 lb. Broccoli

1 Lemon, zest and juice

1 Large Leek

3 tbsp. Olive Oil

2 tsp. Black Pepper

3 Cloves Garlic

6 oz. (about 3 Cups) Fresh Spinach, roughly chopped

3/4 Cup Flat Leaf Parsley, Chopped

3/4 Cup Sliced Almonds, toasted

1/2 Cup Feta Cheese

Oven set to 475'

1. Cut the broccoli and broccolini into roughly two inch chunks, on a bias. Using the white and light green parts of the leek, slice length wise and rinse out the dirt. Slice thin. Toss the veggies with the olive oil, pepper and lemon zest.

2. Slice the garlic cloves as thin as possible, no mincing. Add the broccoli mix to a large roasting pan. You don't want to cram them in a dish as they will end up steaming in their own moisture. Give them space. Sprinkle the garlic slices on top so they feel the direct heat in the oven.

3. At this point, you could cover and wait until you're getting ready to eat. Or, pop that pan on the top rack of the oven for 12 minutes.

4. Pull out the baking pan, and toss in the spinach, almonds, parsley and lemon juice. Toss in the pan so the heat wilts the spinach and the dressing it's created, distributes. Put in your serving dish and crumble the feta cheese on top.

* This may seem like a lot of parsley, but it's a lot of broccoli. I tend to make things how I like them, use less if you're not partial to the parsley kick. You and Hugh can be friends.

SPELT AND OAT FIG BARS

Let me tell you what you have to look forward to in the next couple weeks. Fresh figs! They seem to always be dry at the regular markets or tease you for a stiff price at Whole Foods and farmers markets. However, they linger on the lower produce shelves at Trader Joe’s with a humble sweetness, both in flavor and price. It may be a different story where you live, but that’s the song I’m going to sing as I encourage you to start eating fresh figs… wherever you choose to find them.

After I graduated college, I spent some time working at Villa Lucia, a little bed and breakfast in the heart of Tuscany. Lots of stories, lessons learned and certainly a number of cooking tips acquired. Days were spent cooking for dinner parties, bottling tomato sauce and, in the fall, harvesting olives from sunrise to sunset. Hugh was there in the summer and fell in with the ex Italian Special Forces Paratrooper turned groundskeeper- but that is another story, and a far less glamorous on than mine. The property has ginormous fig trees, hence canning fig preserves. No sugar, no preservatives, just boiled figs. A few jars made their way home with me, and that is what I used in this recipe, but you could use any fruit preserve that is naturally sweetened. If you really want to be rustic, you could make your own (simmer berries in their own juices on low heat for about an hour+). This recipe is lowfat, high fiber and much more of a breakfast/snack bar than a dessert.

SPELT AND OAT FIG BARS // Makes 12 Bars

1 ¼ Cups Spelt Flour

1 ¾ Cups Oatmeal

1 tbsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp Baking Soda

½ tsp Salt

1 Large Egg

1 tsp. Real Vanilla Extract

½ tsp. Almond Extract

¾ Cup Brown Sugar

½ Cup Applesauce

2 tbsp. Butter (to ensure a crisp crumble topping)

1 ¼ Cups Fig Preserves (or any other fruit preserves, naturally sweetened)

1. Oven to 350’. In a large bowl, sift all dry ingredients together (spelt flour, 1 ½ cups oats, salt, cinnamon, baking soda ).

2. In a second bowl, whisk the brown sugar, egg, vanilla and almond extracts and applesauce. Add in the dry mixture, and mix to incorporate. It should look like cookie batter at this point.

3. Spray a 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Spread the preserves evenly over the bottom layer.

4. With the remaining mix, add another ¼ cup oats and 2tbsp of butter. Mix with your fingers. Crumble it on top of the preserve layer.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is a bit crispy. Let them cool a bit before cutting.

*Enjoy with some greek yogurt or ice cream to balance this fibrous bar :)

PESTO VEGGIE MELTS

I’ve come a long way from the days when Ma would make us tuna melts. You know, the Costco croissants with canned tuna and melted cheddar? Anyone? We led a strict, low cholesterol diet at our house.

Anyone can make a good ol’ brown bag sandwich, but when a sandwich is warm, and with homemade pesto, it makes me want to snuggle up and have another. I think that's one of my favorite things about days off... I get to spend time cooking food that is warm and tastes yummy. The beauty of the open face sandwich is that you get to enjoy the goodies, as opposed to just tasting bread. It seemed the perfect day to blend up a pesto with all of my basil, and was just the flavor punch these veggie melts needed. If you use store bought pesto, you don’t get the kick back that the fresh stuff gives you. It is worth the time, as you can double the recipe and use it in eggs, as a dip, dressing etc.

I layered the lemony pesto with fresh greens, then another flavor punch (caramelized onions), then a thick layer of fresh (heirloom tomatoes) and topped it off with just a bit of crispy mozzarella. Post picture indulgence, Hugh and I wished there were more. It was like having a healthier version of pizza… you don’t need mounds of cheese when you have a great pesto and tasty onions.

PESTO VEGGIE MELTS // Makes 2

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Yellow Onion, chopped

2 Slices Ezekial Bread (or whole grain of choice)

1 Big Heirloom Tomato, cut into 4 thick slices

1 Cup Arugula

4 Thin Slices Fresh Mozarella Cheese

Black Pepper

The Pesto

4 Cups Basil Leaves

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

½ Cup Lemon Juice

1/3 Cup Toasted Pine nuts

1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 Large Cloves Garlic

1 tbsp. Black Pepper

In a blender or food processor, add the pine nuts, garlic and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Add in half of the basil leaves and pulse to combine, add the rest of the basil leaves and pepper and with the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Stir in parmesan cheese. Leave the pesto a bit chunky, does not need to be totally smooth.

1. In a sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the chopped yellow onion and sauté on medium until caramelized, about 10 minutes. In the meantime, prepare above pesto.

2. Oven to broil. Toast the bread for one minute. Assemble on each: toast, generous spread of pesto, arugula, caramelized onions, two heirloom tomatoes, sprinkle of black pepper and fresh mozzarella cheese in the center (it will melt down).

3. Broil on top rack for about 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and a bit crispy on top. Then make another one if you have leftover ingredients because you will want it.