CHOPPED SALAD WITH QUINOA, SWEET POTATOES + APPLES

sprouted kitchen

I knew it would work it's way into my writing at some point, but I have yet to mention here that I spend some of my days working at Trader Joes. While the blog and cookbook are my love and dream, I really enjoy being around people, having that routine and the great healthcare benefits :) This is relevent because I spend a majority of those days at the demo station. If you shop at a Trader Joes market you know the sample booth in the back. Everyone loves a free snack, it's a popular corner. I waver between loving and hating it, for reasons that those who have worked in the service industry can likely relate to. As you may assume, I meet a lot of people in the work of giving away free food. I've explained food allergies and a number of diets, I've walked aisles helping an older fellow just learning to cook for himself, whose wife had passed days earlier and I've planned a romatic dinner menu for a man surprising his wife. But I also meet people who solely have mac n' cheese and frozen orange chicken in their carts, some who refuse to cook with anything but microwave, or those enraged that in mid-December, our strawberries are white (the NERVE!). I have seen and heard the gamut of relationships that people have with their food. I love ice cream and dark chocolate peanut butter cups as much as the next guy, but eating well is your responsibility. Sometimes I want to scream from behind that corner, it is not always easy or quick or cheap or tidy but you taking care of your insides is important. Period.

The more I hear, the more I am thankful for good food. I'm thankful that I have been inspired to learn to cook, that I enjoy the process, that we can afford good quality ingredients, and the knowledge to know the difference. I have a community, you people, who engage me in this passion and send me emails and leave comments that you care about good food too and that makes me want to share it. Thank you for nurturing this in me. Yes, we offer you recipes and photos, but you give me so much.

Wishing you a Christmas filled with wonderful food, even better company and time to soak it all in. 

sprouted kitchen

CHOPPED SALAD WITH QUINOA, SWEET POTATOES + APPLES // Serve 6

Barely adapted from Food + Wine November 2012

I am bringing this salad to two Christmas meals as I imagine it will hold well. Everything can be prepped in advance, kept in bags and then tossed all together when it's time for dinner. It's a simple salad, so take the liberty to add some toasted nuts, shaved asiago or chopped hard boiled eggs if you want to make it even more filling. As with most things around here, alter to your taste. 

• 2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes (about 2 large), cut into 1/2'' cubes
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• salt + pepper
• 2 large apples, diced (granny smith, fuji, honeycrisp etc.)
• 8 cups packed baby greens (arugula, kale, red romaine...a mix looks pretty)
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
• 1/4 of a medium red onion, thinly sliced

• // dressing //
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1-2 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• pinch of salt and pepper

sprouted kitchen

Preheat the oven to 400'.

Put a drizzle of olive oil in a pot and add the quinoa to toast over moderate heat for two minutes. Add 1 1/3 cups water and bring it to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15-18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the quinoa and set aside to cool. 

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and hearty pinches of salt and pepper. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 25 minutes until golden. Let them cool. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the cider vinegar, mustard, olive oil and pinch of salt and pepper. Add the cooled quinoa, potatoes, apple, greens, parsley and onionand toss everything to coat. Serve immediately.

sprouted kitchen

BUTTER LETTUCE SALAD WITH TAHINI-HONEY DRESSING

This seems to be the season of new cookbooks because I have quite a few I want to share with all of you. This recipe hails from the soon to be released cookbook Keys to the Kitchen by Aida Mollenkamp. It arrived on my doorstep shortly after I had a passionate conversation (on my part, of course) over breakfast with Hugh about how important it is for cookbooks to be practical. In a generation where a lot of people lean more towards convenience food, I find it so important to encourage the actual cooking of real foods, which seems most successful when offering approachable, healthful recipes. Of course I love when there are lots of pictures and the design is attractive, (duh) but I really appreciate when the recipes featured are ones you would make for a weeknight dinner, something special when guests come over or a new idea for a sweet treat to have on hand for coffee breaks. Aida's book reminds me of a modern day Joy of Cooking. It's equally, if not more so, a resource as it is a book of recipes. She goes through tools, cuts of meat, pantry staples, ingredient substitutions, quick dinners, and any other question that a cook may come cross in the kitchen. I think it would make a wonderful gift for someone just learning how to cook, or wanting to get the basics down. It is definently text focused, but I find that to be a strength and consistent with the book's title.

I made this salad because I adore tahini dressings. I upped the lemon a bit, added some sunflower seeds as Aida suggested and it was the perfect accompaniment to some grilled albacore tuna. So simple and clean with that "healthy" flavor profile (I may be one of the few who enjoy eating at the cafes in health food stores, but their house salads always seem to have carrots, sunflower seeds and a tahini dressing, yes?). The book comes out on October 24th, but is available for preorder now. Congratulations Aida, it's a gem and a true testament to your hard work. 

BUTTER LETTUCE SALAD WITH TAHINI-HONEY DRESSING // Serves 2-4

Adapted from Keys to the Kitchen by Aida Mollenkamp

This made about twice the amount of dressing I needed but that's ideal for me. It's so nice to have a great dressing on hand for next time I make a salad. I get the ribbons on the carrots and cucumbers with a veggie peeler but I'm sure a mandoline would do a great job as well. 

• // tahini-honey dressing //
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. honey or agave
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• big pinch of parsley or chives
• 2/3 cup water
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 large head (7 oz.) butter lettuce, cleaned and dried
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 persian cucumber, halved and thinly sliced or shaved
• 1 carrot, grated or shaved
• 1 cup sprouted (broccoli, pea, sunflower, radish etc)
• sunflower seeds, optional

Blend all the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Rip the lettuce into large pieces and combine it in a large bowl with the avocado, cucumber, carrot and half of the sprouts (saving half for garnish). Toss the salad ingredients with desired amount of dressing. You'll likely have more than you need. Garnish the top with remaining sprouts and sunflower seeds.

BEET GREEN CHOPPED SALAD

"Beet's concentrated jewel-like color is both its joy and its downfall. It is Murphy's law that it should marry so happily with the virginal white of goat cheeses, mascarpone, and thick puddles of creme fraiche, none of whose looks are improved by a pink stain curdling the outer edge" - Nigel Slater, Tender

I love them for their boldness. For their unmatched flavor and unapologetic way of making everything pink (when using the red ones), like Slater mentions. They are what they are, without reservation, a concept that I've been wrestling with on a personal/career level this past week. I likely sound nutty, but there are lessons to learn in the growing, cooking and serving of food aren't there?

Beet greens are not for the faint at heart. For years I threw them away, not knowing they were perfectly edible. They boast a subtle sweetness, assertive in their vegetable taste and along with that lovely essence of dirt that the whole beet has, leaving no person to waver on liking them or not. The greens beckon the same taste buds, someone who is not afraid of their vegetables tasting of vegetable. They are tough, kind of like swiss chard, but cook down as tender as any green, can wiggle themselves into frittatas or stand up well in a green salad with a bold dressing. I like to chop mine pretty small, and would even go so far to say that I like when they have some time to marinate in the dressing before I dig in, as they have a certain sturdiness to them. This is another one of those salads that can sit in the fridge for a couple days to snack on, take to work, add a protein to, and will travel well. It's not for everyone, and you could use any other salad green if you just want to stick with the roasted beets sans greens. 

BEET GREEN CHOPPED SALAD // Serves 4 as a side

1 bunch of beets, including fresh looking greens

olive oil for cooking

4 scallions, white and light green parts

1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa

1 small avocado, diced

1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds

// tahini dressing //

2 Tbsp. tahini

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1-2 tsp. agave nectar, depending on desired sweetness

3 Tbsp. water, or as needed

hefty pinch of salt and pepper

1 clove of garlic finely minced

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives

Preheat the oven to 450'.

Cut the greens from the beets at their stem. Rub a bit of olive oil on the skin of the beets, sprinkle with salt and wrap them all in a foil pack. Set on the middle oven rack and cook for 45-55 minutes until you can easily piece through with a knife. Set them aside to cool.

While the beets roast, clean and dry the greens. Chop off and discard the long red stems. Chop the greens and put them in a large mixing bowl. 

To prepare the dressing, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, vinegar, agave and water. Mix in the garlic, hearty pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle in the olive oil while whisking. Add more water if you prefer it thinner. Mix in the chives. Adjust to your taste and set aside. 

Once the beets are cool enough to touch, you should be able to just push the skin off with your fingers. Use a paring knife to help it along. Dice the peeled beets. Thinly slice the scallions. Add the beets, scallions, quinoa and avocado to the mixing bowl and toss with a generous amount of dressing (note: the salad will turn pink from the beets. If this bothers you, you can toss everything without the diced beets, and sprinkle them on top). Sprinkle in the sunflower seeds, give it one more toss.

I prefer mine to sit a few minutes before digging in. Will keep up in the fridge for two days.