Category Archives: appetizer

Broccoli in the Tabbouleh? Crazy!

23 Monday Aug 2010

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This week at the Farmer’s Market one of my favorite farmers, Tom (pictured below in the Farmer’s Market pics) said that this might be the last week he would have broccoli. Well broccoli really wasn’t on my list this week but I couldn’t pass up fresh broccoli or Tom, knowing full well he probably had a special bag of broccoli just for me. So lucky for me I was going to make Tabbouleh for this weeks lunches. I did this trick a few weeks back when I made this dish for my two girlfriends Sadie and Alisa after they had just had their babies, it’s a fresh dish that can be made ahead and know one would ever know there was broccoli in it, sneaky I know. But if you eat out of my kitchen you should know I’m always hiding extras in the food.
I take the broccoli, cut away the stems, take the florets and put them into the food processor and pulse it down until it’s about the size of the Bulgar wheat. I don’t cook the broccoli, I kind of like different textures in my food and thought it was a great way to add something raw to the Tabbouleh, as well as hide vegetables in my husbands lunch.
So when you get to the part in the recipe when the Bulgar has had time to soak up the water, lemon and olive oil, add the chopped broccoli along with the fresh herbs and mix. I hope this trick works at your house. Enjoy!

P.S. The original Tabbouleh dish was posted 07/01/09.

White Bean Salad- Farmers Market Inspired

15 Sunday Aug 2010

Posted by in appetizer, beans, salad

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So sometimes I need a quick fresh dish that I can whip up in minutes after work. It’s usually late so it needs to be healthy and light, this white bean salad is a great choice. You can serve it with a large green salad or with a side of wild salmon or free range chicken. It would also be great for a picnic because it won’t go bad in the heat.

-White Bean salad- Serves 2
1 can organic great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. onion, chopped- FM
2 cloves garlic, minced- FM
1/2 pint small tomatoes, cut in half- FM
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced – FM
handful basil, torn into salad- FM
handful parsley, torn into salad- FM
2 T. olive oil, 2 T. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1. Toss all the ingredients in a large bowl and dress with olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper.
2. Serve as soon as possible either alone or as a side.

Remember that you can change up the proportions and make this dish your own, I guarantee I wasn’t the first to think this up. I am however going to double this and pack it for my lunch this week, and for Billy I’m going to use garbanzo beans for his lunch version of this dish. ENJOY!

Happy Easter- Asparagus Salad

05 Monday Apr 2010

Posted by in appetizer, salad

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So I woke up looked outside, and guess what? MORE SNOW. Usually I don’t complain about the weather but I’m a little over the snow, let’s get on with SPRING! At least it is Easter and that makes it feel like spring and I had my mom’s famous Lasagna to look forward to later.
Earlier in the week my mom called and asked us to come over for a family get together on Easter, we were in ofcourse. Then she said “are you guys interested in eating meat?” sounds funny right? But here’s the thing we (Billy and I) don’t eat much meat at our house, just a personal choice. The cool thing for us is that when we do decide to partake in meat it’s usually something special like Thanksgiving turkey or my mom’s famous Lasagna, and it didn’t disappoint. Thanks mom and big Mike for a great get together and mom your Lasagna is amazing, so worth abandoning my veggie ways for a classic homemade dish of love.

P.S. I made an Asparagus dish to take to my mom’s, here’s the recipe ENJOY.

-Stalker Salad-

1 lbs. asparagus
1/4 c. finely minced red onion
1/4 c. minced red or yellow pepper
3 T. olive oil
1 T. Dijon mustard
3 T. white wine vinegar (I used a apricot wine vinegar that I got at the Farmers Market, yummy)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Trim the ends from the asparagus and steam for 5 minutes until tender, but not mushy. (I roasted mine, seasoned with olive oil in a 400 degree oven for 17 minutes)
2. In a medium mixing bowl combine the rest of the ingredients. When asparagus is ready lay them in a shallow dish and drape with the mixture in the bowl.

*This dish came from one of my long time clients Mary Strickland, thanxMary.

Lunch for the week… Tabbouleh

02 Thursday Jul 2009

Posted by in appetizer, pasta, Snack

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I am so glad I found some time to catch you up with this wonderful light and refreshing dish. Every week I crave something different and it seems to me that this weeks recipes are about simple fresh flavors. Also I was wanting meals that make us feel refreshed like my ‘green drink’. I had a crazy month and my husband just got back from a boys weekend in Vegas! That’s right Vegas need I say more?! This has made a great lunch for us, you could make it for a side dish with chicken or fish or take to to a party with some pita.
I got this recipe from one of my favorite cooking show ladies, The Barefoot Contessa. She makes this all in a big bowl, refrigerates it and then stuffs pitas with the mixture and adds a slice of feta. I on the other hand layer the ingredients in our lunch containers starting with the feta, then the tabbouleh, I add brocco sprouts (not in the recipe), then the cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. It a fresh party in your mouth, Enjoy!

-Tabbouleh-

1 c. bulgar wheat (I get it the bulk section)
1 1/4 c. boiling water
1/4 c. lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 c. olive oil
kosher salt
1/2- 1 c. scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch), I used the ones in my garden!
1/2 c. chopped mint (fresh)
1/2 c. flat leaf parsley, chopped (fresh)
1 cucumber, seeded and medium diced, I use 6 little ones for our lunches.
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 t. freshly ground pepper
3/4 lb. feta cheese (I got mine from the farmers market)
pita (if making sandwiches)

1. Place the bulgar in a large bowl, pour in the the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil and 1/2 t. salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature about an hour.
2. Add scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 t. salt and the pepper, mix well. Season to taste and serve, or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve went the tabbouleh sits for a few hours.
3. If making lunches refer to above blog, if making for side dish add feta and serve. If making sandwichesstuff the tabbouleh and feta into the pita breads. Enjoy

Trying Again!- Quinoa Salad

20 Saturday Jun 2009

Posted by in appetizer, dressing, Snack, vegan

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It’s a rainy Saturday afternoon and I am just getting time to re-update from Monday Housewife Day. I didn’t sleep at all that night thinking about the fact that I wouldn’t be able to get back to this until now. Life was happening this week I’m moving locations of my job and finishing my enrollment and loan process for school, all of which I am very excited about. So thanks for being patient with me, I love that I have taken this step to share my food and local endeavors. So let’s get on with it. Monday Housewife Day used to frustrate me, I would get so worried that I was spending all this time in the kitchen and neglecting the rest of the house. I had to let it go and tell myself how lucky I was to be able get this time to devout to our health and well being, along with piece of mind that this part of our life is simple the rest of the week. Well enjoy these recipes and tomorrow’s blog will be all about Farmers Market. See you then.

–Quinoa Salad- Makes 6 1/2 c. servings

1 1/2 c. quinoa
2 1/4 c. water
2 T. liguid aminos or light soy sauce
zest and juice of one lemon
handful of scallions (green and white parts)

1. Place all of this in a medium sauce pan and turn oven on high. When this mixture begins to boil turn heat down to low and cover with a lid, cook for 10 to 15 minutes until liquid absorbs. When done take lid off and let cool.

In the mean time prepare all the other ingredients.

1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 to 1 c. edamame, cook according to directions, drain and cool
1 and 1/2 cucumbers, diced
1 package brocco sprouts or any other sprouts

2. When the quinoa is cooled get ready to layer. In six containers start with 1/2 c. of quinoa in each container. Next add the sprouts and then layer the rest of the vegetables. Put on lids and and place in the fridge.

* If you haven’t tried quinoa give it a try it has a fun texture like couscous. It’s a super grain that the Inca’s have been eating for centuries, and it’s a complete protein and gluten free!

-Dressing- I divide this into 6 little containers ( just so the salad doesn’t get nasty by the end of the week)

2/3 c. lemon and or lime juice
2 T. liquid aminos or light soy sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. chili oil
pepper