Black Eye Peas Salad

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This black eye peas salad is not the usual Southern side dish. I took a Mediterranean spin on this dish and added sweet paprika and olives. The result was fresh and delicious with creamy beans and crunchy veggies. And it's so quick and easy to make.

You'll need:

• 1 cup dried black eye peas (or 1 15-ounce canned black eye peas, drain and rinsed)
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 25 to 30 black olives, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• juice from 1 lemon
• salt to taste

A note on cooking dried black eye peas: I like cooking my beans with my trusty pressure cooker. It cooks beans perfectly without all the soaking and boiling for hours. I use a Fagor Duo 8QT. Pressure Cooker and place it on the high setting for 10 minutes for perfectly cooked black eye peas. But if you don't have a pressure cooker, you should soak black eye peas overnight and boil in a medium pot with a lot of water gently for 1 to 1.5 hours. I know... it's a pain in the butt. Makes me even more thankful for a pressure cooker.

Once you cook the black eye peas, toss together with the remaining ingredients. Let stand in room temperature for 30 minutes before serving or refrigerating.

Cauliflower and Leek Pasta

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Why do we keep buying cauliflower? I don't even like them! Anyway, our orange cauliflower was in the fridge staring back at me. So I had to cook them. Something simple maybe?

You will need:

• 1 head of cauliflower (I used orange cauliflower), tough stems removed
• 1 medium leek, white part only, sliced thin
• 3 gloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter or butter substitute (I used Earth Balance)
• 1 tablespoon apple cinder vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• chopped parsley for garnish
• 1 pound whole wheat pasta

In a medium pot, melt butter or butter substitute with olive oil. Add leek and garlic. Saute gently until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add cauliflower. Stir. Add dry white wine and vinegar. Bring mixture to boil and then turn down to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to boil. Season with salt. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain. Toss pasta with cauliflower mixture and toasted pine nuts. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

I think the orange cauliflower was sweeter than regular. I like it more than regular cauliflower. But it's been years since I've had a regular white cauliflower that I struggle to remember what they actually taste like. VB thinks that I actually like cauliflower but for some unknown reason have denied that fact most of my adult life. Maybe I just need something to hate on. I mean, I can't like to eat everything, can I? Can I?

Oh, remember kohlrabi? We liked it so much that we bought it again at the farmers' market. This time, I peeled them and sliced them thinly along with a couple of granny smith apples. Then I tossed them simply with some vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. It's fresh, slightly sweet, crunchy and really delicious as a side salad/slaw.

Zucchini and Artichoke Farro with Kale Pesto

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I think I might be addicted to kale pesto. I mean, I really liked kale before I discovered its potential as pesto, but I find the pesto to be so versatile. I added it to some pasta and tossed it with some asparagus and tomato. That was delicious. This time, I added kale pesto to some nutty, chewy farro and tossed it with some garlic sauteed zucchini, marinated artichoke hearts, chopped parsley, and some lemon juice. So good and such an easy and healthy meal.

Check out my kale pesto recipe while I think up other dishes in which to use the pesto.

Mystery Produce of the Week: Chinese Cauliflower

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I was told at our local farmers' market that this funny looking cauliflower is "Chinese cauliflower." Immediately, two shoppers, myself included, chimed in and said "I've never seen that before." I tried googling, but couldn't find a definitive name for this cauliflower. But I'm glad that I took a chance and brought it home. This tastes like no ordinary cauliflower, which I detest mostly because I don't like the flavor of the florets. This is the perfect kind of cauliflower for a hater like me -- tiny florets and the stems are so sweet, crunchy and not fibrous at all. I took a bite and decided the best way the showcase its natural sweetness is to consume it raw. I chopped it fine and mixed it with some quinoa for a delicious salad. AND! I used another ingredient that I've never used before -- tarragon. The licorice flavor complemented the sweetness of the cauliflower really well.

For this cauliflower tarragon quinoa recipe, you will need:

• 1 medium head cauliflower (I guess regular will do if you can't find this kind), finely chopped
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 spring tarragon, finely chopped
• zest of 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
• juice from 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons butter or butter substitute
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt to taste

Begin by bringing butter or butter substitute and vegetable stock to simmer in a medium pot. Once simmering, stir in quinoa. Simmer gently until liquid evaporates and quinoa becomes cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together quinoa with cauliflower, tarragon, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Finish by drizzling olive oil and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cheese and Beans Pupusas

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When we're not eating at home, we like to try new things. I especially like to go to one of those authentic hole-in-the-wall eateries with no English on the menu and just point. I'd eat what I end up with -- it could be soup, weird animals parts, whatever. It doesn't matter what ends up on the plate. Chances are, I'd love it (even if I don't, I'll just point to something else next time). Recently, we tried a Savadorian restaurant in Mountain View that is exactly one of those places. And it makes awesome pupusas. So much so that I have random cravings for them. So why not make some at home?

My recipe is pieced together by reading a bunch of recipes online. The technique, however, comes from gawking at the ladies who make pupusas behind the counter.

For these cheese and beans pupusas, you'll need:

• 3 cups masa harina
• about 2 1/2 cups water, divided
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
• juice from 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon canola oil plus more for greasing the pan/griddle
• about 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese mix (mozzarella, monterey jack, cheddar or something like that)
• salt to taste

Mix masa harina and 1/2 teaspoon of salt with about 2 cups water. Mix in the water a bit at a time. The texture of the dough should be smooth and easily formed into a ball. If it crumbles or breaks easily, add more water. Knead for 5 minutes and set aside.

Heat up a tablespoon of oil in a medium pan. Add red chili pepper fakes, onion and garlic. Stir frequently until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add beans, oregano, cumin, chili powder, Bay leaf, lime juice and about 1/4 cup water. Season with salt. Stir. Let the mixture cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure there is sufficient liquid at all times to cook the beans. If not, add a little more water. Once the beans are softened, mash them into paste like consistency. Mix well with any remaining liquid. You should have pasty but not runny beans.

To make pupusas, you'll need to the masa mix into balls that are a bit smaller than tennis balls. Mold the masa mix into a cup shape by pressing the middle of the ball with your thumbs. Add cheese and bean mix. Push the sides together and form a ball. Pinch off any excess masa mix. Pat the ball lightly into a pancake by transferring them back and forth between two hands. Place pupusas into hot pan or onto hot griddle greased with a bit of canola oil. Flip pupusas over when browned, about 5 minutes. Serve with cabbage slaw, sliced avocados and/or salsa.

The cabbage slaw is traditionally served with pupusas. You just need some shredded cabbage and carrots, white vinegar, salt, sugar, dried oregano and cloves. I sort of just threw it together without measuring, but it tasted like what was served at the restaurant. The cabbage slaw is best if made a bit ahead of time and allowed to marinate.

Warm Farro Salad with Yam and Kale

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I've been so busy recently that I can barely dress myself in the morning, nevermind cooking. We subsisted on veggie burgers and leftovers for awhile, but enough is enough! I will not let 12-hour workday and 2-hour commute deter me from having a good meal. So we have here a warm farro salad with some nice winter produce and herbs. It's surprisingly delicious with various great textures. I added mint in the herb mix for the hell of it. It's an ingredient that I tend to shy away from for fear that it might overpower the dish. But it turns out, mint complemented everything quite nicely.

And! I worked with farro for the first time. It's a small grain that looks a little like pearl barley but cooks much faster, about 25 to 30 with no soaking time -- perfect for a busy girl like me. This recipe is inspired by a similar recipe from Coconut & Quinoa, a vegetarian food blog that I discovered recently, but I made it my own with various substitutions and additions.

You'll need:

• 1 cup of dried farro (try your local specialty food store or Whole Foods), rinsed
• 2 medium garnet yams, peeled and 1-inch diced
• 1 bunch of kale, thoroughly cleaned, stem removed and sliced into 2-inch strips
• 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups of water
• 10 mint leaves, chiffonade
• 5 to 8 large basil leaves, chiffonade
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• juice from 1 lemon
• 6 ounces of feta, diced small
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil,divided
• big pinch of red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper

Begin by adding water and farro plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt into a medium pot. Bring to boil. Cover and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary. Drain and set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss diced yams with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and generous amount of black pepper. Make sure yam pieces are well coated with olive oil. Spread yam out in a single layer in an oven-proof pan or on a baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes or until tender.

In a large skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil and red pepper flakes. Add kale and season with a pinch of salt. Reduce to low and cover for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Kale is cooked when tender and tastes less bitter.

To a large mixing bowl, add farro, roasted yam, wilted kale along with chickpeas, mint, basil, parsley, and feta. Drizzle lemon juice and toss. Serve warm.

Summer Panzanella

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Californians are absolutely spoiled rotten. While the rest of the country sweat it out in record heat waves, we've been enjoying temperate and comfortable weather all summer long. It's 76 and fabulous every day here. Another great thing about California is the quality and abundance of fresh produce. Since moving back to the Peninsula, we've been reunited with my favorite local grocery store -- the Milk Pail in Mountain View. It is always well-stocked with the freshest local produce and some exotic finds as well.

(Now if we can just do something about the horrible traffic, high cost of living and state budget shortfalls...)

When you have access to amazing produce, dinner practically cooks itself. I made this super simple panzanella with the freshest seasonal vegetables and added some canned ingredients. This dish offers so many different textures and tastes -- each bite has a different combination of the sweet tomato, crunchy cucumber, tangy lemon vinaigrette, creamy cannellini beans and fragrant basil.

For this recipe, you'll need:

• 1 15-ounce can of white navy beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
• 3 medium/large ripe tomatoes, diced
• 4 or 5 medium cucumbers, cut into half-inch slices with skin on
• 1/2 cup of basil leaves, torn
• 1/2 cup of Italian parsley, chopped
• 3 tablespoons of capers, drained
• half a loaf of crusty bread, cut into 1 inch cubes and toasted
• juice from two lemons
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 spring of fresh thyme, minced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Whisk to combine lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, thyme, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the lemon vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Adjust seasoning. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for half an hour before serving.

Ta-da!

So easy and so delicious. And no stove required.

Cannellini Beans and Artichoke Dip

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Okay, I admit it, the recipe is just fancy beans on toast. But it's still very good and super easy. I whipped this up one night after a long day at work. It takes 10 minutes and requires almost no cooking. VB enjoyed it so much that I made it again a few weeks later. This would be a good recipe to entertain with as an appetizer. It's as simple as Beans. Toast. Done.

You'll need:

• 2 or 3 large marinated artichoke hearts (thawed frozen artichoke hearts will also do), roughly chopped
  
• 1 15-ounce can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• juice of a small lemon
• bread, sliced into 6 to 8 1/4-inch slices and toasted
• loose arugula leaves, about 4 or 5 leaves per slice of bread
• extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• coarse flaky sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Saute garlic in a little bit of olive oil until fragrant, about a minute. Add beans and artichoke hearts. Cook until heated through. If you don't mind cold bean dip and raw garlic, you can even skip this step. I prefer to cook the garlic a little bit to take out the sting of raw garlic.

Put mixture into a food processor and add lemon juice. Pulse. While pulsing, drizzle in about 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Spread dip onto toast, top with arugula leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.


As a side dish, we had a roasted beets and pear arugula salad with orange lemon vinaigrette. Fresh, easy and seasonal. It would be even better with some goat cheese on top.

For fans of the F Word, you can check out this Gordon Ramsay beans on toast with cheese recipe. It's very Michelin star fancy pants.

Orzo Garden Salad with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette

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It's hard to make a bad dish using summer produce as long as you keep it simple and use fresh ingredients. And that's what I've done with this dish -- just a simple and classic way to bring out the ripe flavors of fresh summer produce.

For the lemon thyme vinaigrette:

• 1 shallot, chopped fine
• juice from 3 lemons
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 sprigs of thyme
  
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• salt to taste
• lots of fresh ground pepper

For the orzo garden salad:

• 1 pound of orzo
• 3 medium tomatoes (preferably vine ripened), chopped
• 1 large seedless cucumber, chopped
• 3 cups of loosely packed baby spinach
• salt and pepper to taste

Whisk to combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette. If the vinaigrette does not emulsify, add 2 teaspoons of warm water and whisk. Set aside.

Cook 1 pound of orzo in seasoned water until al dente, about 8 to 9 minutes. Drain. Add tomatoes and cucumber and toss with half of the lemon thyme vinaigrette. Cover and let cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. When the salad is cool, add spinach and the remaining vinaigrette. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

When making such a simple dish with very few ingredients, it's important to season properly and use fresh quality ingredients. I tried adding some cheese to the pasta salad but it doesn't need any cheese to be delicious. To me, this is the best kind of summer food -- simple, refreshing and easy to make.

Spicy Chickpea Salad

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This is a middle eastern twist on a Rachael Ray recipe. Someone out there just rolled his/her eyes at the mention of her name, but I've been quite happy with the few Rachael Ray recipes that I've tried. I like the original recipe and made it a couple of times. The main complaint that we both had was the addition of raw onions. After 5 minutes into dinner and for the rest of the night, all we'd taste would be raw onions. I like the recipe enough that I thought I'd tweak it and give it even more flavor.

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• a small bunch parsley, coarsely chopped
  
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Just toss everything together. Make sure everything is well coated and the spices are evenly distributed so you don't end up with a mouthful of cayenne pepper. Let salad sit at room temperature for 30 minutes for even more flavor.

This salad has rich bold flavors but is refreshing and light. I love the combination of crunchy celery, sweet bell peppers and creamy chickpeas. The best part? No raw onions! Yay for fresh breath.

Thai Pomelo Salad

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It's too hot to turn on the stove or the oven. I want nothing to do with them. I want light, refreshing food with a beer or two. So, it's another salad for me today. This time, a tangy spicy Thai pomelo salad.

• 1/2 of a large pomelo, peel, pith and membrane removed
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice (about half a lemon)
  
• 2 teaspoons of soy sauce
• 2 1/2 teaspoons of brown sugar
  
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 teaspoon of Sriracha sauce
• 6 large mint leaves, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped fine
  
• 3 tablespoons of toasted peanuts, chopped

For the dressing, combine lime zest, lime juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and Sriracha sauce. Drizzle over pomelo, mint leaves, cilantro and chopped peanuts. Toss to combine.

Similar recipes would require a dash or two of fish sauce. But really, you won't miss that at all because this salad is so tangy, spicy and sweet. The flavors combine so well together and hit your taste buds in all the right places. Now, all I need is an ice cold beer. And a tub of ice water that I can sit in. Mmmm... Beer.

Grapefruit Avocado Salad

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This is a super simple salad that celebrates spring. Okay, "spring" is a code word for "I'm too lazy to cook and wash dishes." But, this salad is very refreshing and vibrant despite the minimal effort that I put into it.

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1 large grapefruit, supremed
• 1 large avocado, pit and skin removed and sliced
• 3 cups of mixed spring greens
  
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of honey
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper

For the dressing, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, lime juice, lime zest, honey, salt, pepper and olive oil in a medium bowl. Combine by whisking with a fork. Drizzle the dressing over avocado slices, grapefruit and greens. Toss to coat. Pretty easy, eh?

The creaminess of the ripe avocado provides textural contrast to the sweet juicy grapefruit. The citrus juices really enhance fresh and crisp greens. This salad makes a light, healthy and delicious spring lunch.

Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad with Croutons

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All of a sudden, it's spring! When it's so warm, sunny and breezy outside, I want food that's light, flavorful and easy to prepare. This roasted tomato caprese salad is just the perfect thing for a day like this. It takes almost no cooking at all.

I make a roasted tomato caprese salad according to Ina Garten's recipe and toast some stale bread to make croutons. Drizzle some olive oil over the top to finish it all off. The result is a flavorful salad with sweet caramelized tomato, crunchy croutons, fresh basil and creamy mozzarella.

Look! The perfect bite.

Cabbage Radish Slaw with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

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I don't eat enough cabbage probably because I don't really like it. I don't hate it like I do cauliflower (with a passion). But I probably didn't give cabbage a fair shake. So I thought, why not make a cabbage slaw for a change?

I followed this recipe but made a couple of modifications. First, instead of using two types of cabbages, I used red cabbage and a medium carrot instead. Second, for the dressing, I used about a tablespoon of agave as a sweetener instead of sugar. I love agave in margaritas, so I know that agave complements lime juice very well. The result is a crisp and refreshing slaw -- just a little spicy and tart. Perfect for a warm spring day.

Soybean Carrot Salad with Ginger Sesame Dressing

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This is a culinary disaster with a happy ending. Since we're having leftover Udon from yesterday, I thought I'd stick with the Japanese theme. I consulted some cookbooks and picked a recipe that would incorporate some of my pantry items (namely soybeans, shiitake mushrooms, and seaweed). I came across one recipe that seemed perfect. Of course, not being detail-oriented, I didn't read all the way through the recipe. By the time I'm ready to make dinner, I realized that it was a recipe for a stew. But we're already having noodle soup for dinner. Um, what to do...?

I remembered a particular ginger sesame dressing that I used to get at Japanese supermarkets. I decided to make a home version of it and turn this stew into a salad.

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoon of ginger, grated
  
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of mustard
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon each of the soaking liquid for the shiitake mushrooms and seaweed
  

The salad:

• 2 cups of soybeans, canned or cooked
• 3/4 cup of dried seaweed, soaked in cold water
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water and chopped small
• 1 large carrot, grated

This would be better if I cooked the soybeans more and made more dressing. But otherwise, it's a good way to boost protein in a vegetarian diet.

Zucchini Lemon Pasta

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This is my favorite pasta recipe of all time. It's so simple. Just a few ingredients, but tons of flavor. It's from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home.

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  
• 3 medium zucchinis, sliced thin
• 6 basil leaves, julienned
  
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of Pecorino cheese, grated
• 1/2 pound of pasta
  
• salt and pepper

Saute garlic and sliced zucchinis in olive oil until zucchinis are soft, about 5-10 minutes. Add lemon juice, basil leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Toss together with pasta and Pecorino cheese. That's it!


As a side dish, we had chickpea celery salad. Just a can of chickpeas, tossed together with chopped celery, parsley, red bell pepper, onion, lemon juice, lemon zest, chili powder, olive oil, salt and pepper. I have to remember to leave out the onion next time. I don't want to taste raw onions in my mouth for the next two days.

Apple Arugula Salad with Blood Orange Dressing

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It sort of looks like I put Pepto Bismol on some arugula and call it a salad. The color of the dressing is the result of a make-shift blood orange goat cheese dressing that I made.

The dressing:

• zest of half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon of blood orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of mustard
• 1 teaspoon of herb goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
  

The salad:

• 3 cups of arugula
• 1/2 a Fuji apple, cored and cubed small
• 1/2 cup of walnut bits
• several pieces of baby artichoke

It's sweet, tart, and tangy. The blood orange is less acidic than lemon or vinegar, with just enough sweetness to balance out the tangy flavor of goat cheese. It's a simple and delicious way to eat veggies and fruits.