Black-Eyed Pea and Spinach Salad

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound dried black-eyed peas, or 2 cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water (if using dried peas)
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery (2 stalks)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
4 cups baby spinach (about 2/3 of a 6-ounce bag), sliced into thick ribbons


DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, cover peas with 4 inches of water and soak a minimum of 6 hours, or overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly.
Place peas in a 4-quart saucepan with chicken broth or water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer peas between 45 to 55 minutes, or until peas are cooked but not mushy. Drain excess liquid and let peas cool to room temperature.
Combine buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, hot sauce salt and pepper in a bowl, and whisk to incorporate.
In a salad bowl, combine beans, red onion, celery and chives. Pour dressing over bean mixture and gently stir to incorporate, being careful not to break up too many of the beans. Add spinach and toss to coat. Season with additional salt, pepper and hot sauce, to taste. Serve immediately.

Artichokes, Asparagus, and Watercress Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

FOR THE SALAD:
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 (12-ounce) can artichoke hearts in water, drained and halved
1 tomato, cored and chopped
1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed


DIRECTIONS

To prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar mustard, cumin, and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Whisk to blend. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, mixing until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Set aside.

To prepare the salad: Fill a medium bowl with 2 cups of ice cubes and cover with cold water. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and blanch until tender but not mushy, about 3 minutes. Drain the asparagus in a colander and transfer to the ice water bath to stop the cooking. Drain again and place on a paper towel-lined plate to dry. Cut the asparagus stalks into thirds.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the blanched asparagus, parsley, artichokes, tomatoes, and watercress. Whisk the vinaigrette to combine and pour over the salad. Toss to coat and serve.

Raw Asparagus Salad

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Serves 4

Salad greens for four

1 pound thin spears of fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons good olive oil (1 tablespoon if you're not dressing greens, too)
1 tablespoon good balsamic vinegar
Zest of a lemon, preferably in strips (vs fluffy stuff from a Microplane), reserving a few strips for garnish, if desired
Salt & pepper to taste

Wash and tear the greens. Spin dry (do you use a salad spinner? I love mine!) or tamp gently with paper towels. (Why do we want dry greens? So the dressing will adhere evenly.)

Wash the asparagus well, especially the tips where grit can accumulate. After washing, place on a double layer of paper towels to siphon off water. (This is so the oil/vinegar dressing can adhere.) Snap off the woody ends and discard. Line up the tips of as many asparagus as you can manage, cut off the tips. (Use these in the salad itself or save for something else where the tips are so coveted.) Cut the asparagus in tiny bits, maybe 1/8 or 1/4 inch lengths.

Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper, lemon zest (don't forget to reserve a few for garnish). Stir in the asparagus. Toss the asparagus with the greens. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 89 Cal (64% from Fat, 12% from Protein, 24% from Carb); 3 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 6 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb3; 40 mg Calcium; 3 mg Iron; 8 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point

KITCHEN NOTES
It's likely that an over-the-top-good raw asparagus salad is dependent on the right collection of ingredients: very fresh tiny-thin spears of asparagus, great olive oil, great balsamic vinegar. To my taste, as well, the lemon zest is essential.
The asparagus bits do tend to drop to the bottom of the salad bowl so if presentation is important, think about dressing the greens separately, arranging on plates and then topping each plate with the raw asparagus -- and a few strips of lemon zest, for extra prettiness!
UPDATE Try adding some sliced strawberries and going heavy on the pepper: double gorgeous!

Roasted Broccoli, Arugula and Lentil Salad

A very green salad with roasted broccoli, brussels sprouts, arugula, black lentils and a lemony vinaigrette.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds broccoli
3/4 pound brussels sprouts (or more broccoli)
olive oil
1/2 cup black beluga lentils (or green/Puy lentils), picked through and rinsed
several handfuls arugula
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
Lemon Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch red pepper flakes
sea salt and ground pepper

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line your largest rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. Trim the ends off the sprouts; cut the small sprouts in two through the stem, and the large sprouts into quarters. Toss the florets and sprouts in olive oil so they are lightly coated, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the florets and sprouts in a single layer on the baking sheet (be sure not to overcrowd). Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and well caramelized on the edges.
In the meantime, bring 3/4 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the lentils, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still retain their shape.
Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients while the roasted vegetables and lentils cool a bit. In a large serving bowl, combine the roasted vegetables, cooked lentils and arugula. Drizzle with vinaigrette, sprinkle in the Parmesan and toss well. Taste and add more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice if needed. Best served immediately.
Notes
Salad is best served immediately, but you can store leftovers in the fridge, covered, and brighten them up with another squeeze of lemon when you’re ready to polish them off.
Serves 2 as an entrée or 4 as a side.

Anti-inflammatory Sesame Sea Noodle Salad: Serves 2

Salad:
200g kelp noodles
1 tablespoon dulse flakes
1 cup of shredded carrot (I used orange, yellow and purple for colour)
1 radish
12 snow peas
Thinly sliced red onion, add enough to your taste
A few teaspoons of sesame oil
2 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Sauce:
1 avocado
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons of dulse flakes
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1-2 inches (depending on your taste) of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
Freshly cracked pepper


First, put the kelp noodles in a bowl of water for 10 or 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Then, rinse and drain them, and gently untangle with your fingers. Pull them apart into threads, you can even use kitchen scissors to cut them into more manageable strands. Toss them with the sesame oil and the dulse flakes and arrange on a plate
Layer the shredded carrot, radish, onion and snow peas over the kelp noodles

For the sauce, simply add everything to the blender till nice and creamy, then pour over the noodles
Sprinkle lots of crunchy black sesame seeds over the top and serve

Endive and Watercress Salad with Apples and Herbs

4 medium heads Belgian endive (about 1 lb. total) 
1 medium shallot, finely diced (1/3 cup) 
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice; more as needed 
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar; more as needed
Kosher salt
6 Tbs. heavy cream
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch watercress (about 4 oz.), thick stems trimmed, cut into 3-inch sprigs (5 cups)
1 large, crisp apple such as Pink Lady, Sierra Beauty, or Granny Smith, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
1 Tbs. chives, cut at an angle into 1/4-inch lengths
1 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh chervil (optional)
1 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1/3 cup almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped 


Pluck off any bruised or damaged outer leaves from the endives and then cut the heads in half lengthwise through the root ends. Holding your knife at an angle, cut the endives crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Discard the root ends.

Combine the shallot, lemon juice, vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the cream and olive oil, and season with a few grinds of pepper. Taste with a piece of endive and season the vinaigrette with more lemon juice, vinegar, or salt if necessary. Set aside.

Put the endives, watercress, apple, tarragon, chives, chervil (if using), and parsley (if using) in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Gently toss the salad with just enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat. Season to taste with more salt if necessary. Gently transfer the salad to a platter or individual serving plates. Scatter the almonds on top and serve, passing any remaining vinaigrette at the table.

variations

Make this a meal by serving seared, sliced chicken breast along with the salad. 

Kitchen Recipes

Hello, my name is Noeme but on the internet I like to use Emion. Last year I was diagnosed with gallstones. The biggest was about 2.4cm.. My doctor immediately suggested for me to undergo surgery to take out the stones because I was really in pain. But I refused. I thought maybe there is a chance for natural remedy. So I started searching on the internet and found Apple Cider Vinegar as effective remedy for gallstones.

So I was okay but then I forgot that I am not to eat pork, fatty food or oily and I ate tocino which my brother cooked. So thereafter I was rushed to the hospital and I really felt the doctor being so annoying. Going back and forth telling me to say yes for the operation which I declined again.

So I started to watch my food intake. I take the apple cider vinegar mixed with apple juice daily. I eat less of fatty food (I just can't say No) and when I feel like I had too much I will have a glass of ACV and apple juice as my water to make sure I won't be in pain later on. 

Imagine the diet the doctor gave me. No more coffee, cream, dairy, meat/pork, oil. No more saute, milk, less rice. I even told my doctor, "I think it would be best if you kill me than not to eat all these. These are the food that completes my daily food intake." then the doctor responded, "Well you have been eating them all your life and that is the reason why you got those stones in the first place. So why not start to forget about them and start looking around you for those healthy food that you always reject".

In January this year I decided to have another ultrasound and this time I don't know if I would feel blessed and happy but the ultrasound says they got smaller (now .8cm). Although the doctor said it is still risky because chances are since they got smaller they are easy to flush out from the bladder and into the intestine which might cause jaundice and a bigger problem. So I was finally convinced to undergo surgery, then I was scheduled. 

Unluckily, my blood pressure did not permit it. They said it would be too risky. I might get comatose if during operation my BP shoots up. So I have to stabilize it first and reschedule. 

I have friends in India and they have been convincing me to try Vegan diet for a year now. Of course it is hard to do it because I was born a meat-lover. Bu I tried and still trying. I also started my exercise...walking around the subdivision. 

So I want to share those recipes that I have tried and those that I want to try.

I hope you will like it. It's time to be healthy.



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