For a Thanksgiving dessert this year, I decided to bring a fruit salad, inspired mainly by the pomegranate that is becoming available in the grocery stores right now. Coupled with some Florida citrus and kiwi, the colors and flavors combine to make a tart yet sweet, jewel-y treat. Additionally, I've been craving gingerbread so I made a batch of gingerbread-inspired pecans to top the fruit salad.
A few words about pomegranate: I tried this fruit for the first time while living in Turkey, where it is quite ubiquitous. It is available in markets, juiced for drinking, added to desserts, and used to make a type of sour sauce that is sometimes used in the way that one might use vinegar. My neighbor showed me how to open one and pull out the seeds, and I grew to love this delicious tart fruit. The seeds are beautiful - they look like rubies - and delicious - they pop with juice when you bite into them. I eat them by the spoonful, or mixed with plain yogurt. I still make a holy mess when I cut into one and pull the seeds out, but it's well worth it. Toasted Gingerbread Pecans 2 cups pecans 1 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp powdered ginger 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp maple syrup Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Once well combined, dump onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Bake at 400 degrees, stirring every 10 minutes twice for the first 20 minutes, and then every 5 minutes after. For the fruit salad, I combined several cups of peeled and sliced oranges, red and white grapefruit, kiwi, and the seeds from two pomegranates. Top the fruit salad with the nuts right before serving.
0 Comments
I'm often elected - or elect myself - to bring salad to gatherings. Green salad is great, but can get monotonous - and tricky to eat with plastic utensils from paper plates. I wanted to bring salad to a cookout today, but wanted something different. Something that will still star vegetables (not pasta), and that will be tasty and easy to eat. This recipe is grain-free, heavy on the veggies, and easy to put together. I don't have a spiralizer or any other fancy gadgets for creating veggie noodles. Instead, I used an attachment for my OXO grater that juliennes things. I did that to one yellow squash and one zucchini, and it created several cups of squash noodles. In another iteration, I also did this to carrots to add extra crunch. I tossed them with the remaining ingredients, and the salad is ready to eat. It is chilling in the fridge now. You could really use any fresh veggies you have hanging around. This was what I happened to have, but I can imagine many variations of this recipe. Leave the feta out to make it vegan and dairy-free. Ingredients: 2-3 medium zucchini, summer squash, or any combination of both 1/2 cup chopped red onion 1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 1 cup frozen corn 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled 1/3 cup olive oil 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp sugar Salt and pepper to taste 1. Julienne the zucchini and/or squash and place in large bowl. 2. Add onion, tomatoes, pepper, corn, and feta cheese. Toss until well combined. 3. Add oil, vinegar, sugar, and seasonings. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. This is a paleo-friendly makeover of a summer potluck classic. I first had this over a decade ago when my good friend made this for a cookout, but in its classic form. Old school style involves broccoli, bacon, shredded cheddar, raisins, sunflower seeds, and a slightly sweet and tangy coleslaw-type dressing. I overhauled the recipe just a bit for a gathering we hosted on the fourth of July, taking the cheese out to keep it dairy-free, cutting down on the sugar in the dressing, and adding grated carrots for extra crunch and color. I made a huge bowl and it was gone by the end of the night. It was such a hit with my own family that I actually made another big batch this morning. This is the type of salad that can keep for a few days, and actually tastes better after the flavors have had an opportunity to meld as it chills. One important piece: chop things very, very small. It tastes better. I don't know why - something about surface area and being able to get more little bits of different things into one bite. Ideally the dressing would be made with paleo-friendly mayo - either homemade or purchased. I used conventional because I have never mastered the art of mayo making. I would love to get good at it, but I have wasted many high quality products trying a few times and, sadly, have given up that fight. But I would imagine any number of alternatives would work fine in the recipe, even skipping mayo altogether, though it lends a creaminess I really like. Ingredients 4 cups of well-chopped broccoli 1/2 cup chopped red onion 1 cup grated carrots 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup sunflower seeds For the dressing, combine the following in a separate bowl: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup white vinegar 2 Tbsp sugar 1/2 tsp salt Mix veggies and dressing in a large bowl. Toss well to combine. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Will remain delicious for about 1 week in the fridge. A good friend at work and I have recently started a "salad club". We take turns bringing in salads for each other to eat at lunch time. This has a number of benefits, including not needing to pack a lunch once in a while, and giving both of us, busy moms and teachers, a great excuse to try new recipes. I'm much more apt to whip up an exciting salad when I'm making it for someone besides, well, me. It's been successful so far, except for that one time when I dumped half of one of her beautiful salad onto my lap and the floor of my office. (Classic move for me, by the way.)
Balsamic vinagrette+ feta cheese + sandals = slimy toes for the rest of the day. And a stained skirt. And a big spot on my office carpet. Oops. I decided to experiment with a Waldorf salad this week. It's very simple, and satisfying. I used a rotisserie chicken, but you could always just gently cook chicken, let it cool, and chop it up. Ingredients 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 cup celery, diced 1 cup grapes, halved 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup chopped or halved walnuts 4 Tbsp mayonnaise, sour cream, or yogurt, depending on your dairy/paleo preferences Salt and pepper to taste Serve over a bed of lettuce greens, or wrapped up in Romaine leaves with pickles and other salad toppings. |
AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
All
Archives
June 2019
|