Niçoise Salad

If you eat eggs you can add them in.  This is a delicious salad with or without eggs. The dressing is makes everything come together.  Something about mustard and potatoes!

Niçoise Salad

Serves 2 with enough dressing for another time. Or another salad. :)

10 olives 
1 cup green beans, halved
2 cups small potatoes, chunked
3 cups mixed salad leaves
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 small cucumbers, chunked
1 ripe avocado, diced
2 tablespoons capers

dressing:
3 tbsp white wine vinegar 
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup
5 tbsp olive oil 
an assortment of fresh herbs, parsley, basil, dill

Toss it all together.

Asian Style Eggplant

 

I threw some vegetables together that needed some attention. I was excited that it actually worked.  I love it.  I went right out and bought more eggplant from the farmers market.  going to the farmers market for me now is like a kid going to the candy store.  I go crazy and often go a little overboard but we end up eating all of it.

Asian Style Eggplant 

3 small eggplants, chopped in 1 inch dice

2 green bell peppers, chopped in 1 inch dice

1 onion, chopped in 1 inch dice

1 Chile, chopped fine

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Sauce

3 tablespoons broad bean paste

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 white pepper 

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

1 tablespoons maple syrup

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tapioca powder

1/4 cup water

Sauté the bell pepper and onion and chili and olive oil for 10 minutes. Add chopped eggplant and cover. Continue to cook for 10 to 15 minutes until eggplant is wilted.

Make sauce while waiting for the bell pepper for the eggplant to cook when just about done add and sauce until thick. Serve with basil over top.

Deconstructed Sushi Bowl

 

This is one of my faves when I am wanting some Asian flavors.  Most ingredients are available in the Winter so its easy to have then. But with some summer fresh cucumbers, its the BOMB!

DECONSTRUCTED SUSHI BOWL

2 to 3 cups mixed greens

1/2 cup purple cabbage

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 cup cucumbers

1 cup rice

1 avocado, chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup pickled ginger ****

1/4 teaspoon wasabi

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

**** make your own pickled ginger. 

Pickled Ginger

9 to 10 ounces ginger

⅓ cup plus 1 ½ cups sugar

2 teaspoons fine sea salt, or 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt

⅔ cup rice vinegar

Peel ginger and cut into super thin slices, use a mandoline or very sharp knife. Cut across the grain and aim for nearly see-through pieces.

Transfer the ginger to a saucepan or heatproof bowl. Toss with the 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes to reduce its harshness.

About 10 minutes before the ginger finishes mellowing out, bring a kettle of water to a boil. When the ginger is done, pour the just-boiled water over the ginger. Use enough water to cover the ginger. Gently stir and let sit for 20 seconds to further reduce the harshness. Dump into a mesh strainer. Don’t rinse. Shake a few times to expel water, then transfer into a 2-cup capacity glass jar.

In a saucepan, bring the mixture of sugar and vinegar to a boil. Stir once or twice to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and pour into the jar of ginger.

Push down with chopsticks or a spoon to submerge. Cool, uncovered, then cap and refrigerate.

Indian Style Bowl

I am going crazy for bowls right now.  Throw it all in, mix it all up and enjoy.  Its kinda what I did on my plate anyway.  Much easier in a bowl.  I figured I would gather up a few of my faves for ideas in the future when I forget what I did.  Ha!

KERALA STYLE BOWL

1 cup prepared Thoran

1 cup mango, chopped

1 cup tomato, chopped

1 cup rice

1 to 2 cups mixed greens

1 tablespoon evoo

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup cilantro

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup water

Toss all ingredients together.  You can add some garam masala if you like for a little flavor boost.

Cabbage Thoran

2 tablespoons coconut oil 

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
10 curry leaves if you have them
3 small green chilies, halved lengthwise or whatever hot pepper you  like
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 cups green cabbage, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut

Saute cumin seeds, curry leaves and mustard seeds in oil.  Lightly toast and add 1/2 cup water right away so they dont burn and become bitter.  Add cabbage and onion, cover and let cook.  Stirring occassionally.