Posts Tagged ‘salad’

  1. Just Ran: Short Run + Brussels Sprout Salad

    June 9, 2011 by justgathering

    Tonight’s run was literally a recovery run; I’d had a bad day and needed to (a) process it and (b) turn it around.

    My destination: New York Road Runners headquarters on East 89th Street to pick up my race number for Saturday’s NYRR Mini 10k.

    I mapped a 1.5 mile route through Central Park from my apartment to NYRR. It was near 100 degrees and I was one of the only runners in the park. I actually love the heat, so I was reveling in it.

    It was a hazy, cloudy heat. Toward the end of my run, I could tell it was about to storm; you could just feel it in the air.

    Not a bright sky. I cut back through the park the short way, since it was clear that a summer storm was brewing. I made it home before the crazy thunder and lightning struck. Just 2 miles in all, the first in 8:55 and the second in 9:30, but it was exactly what I needed.

    Dinner was last minute and delicious. It made up for last night’s attempted curry, which looked beautiful but was WAY too spicy.

    Daniel and I made this with our friends Jayme and Roaine, and we’d done something similar before… just throwing together lots of veggies to simmer in some coconut milk and experimenting with the spices. We messed this one up though. It was pretty much inedible and had us all in tears. Ah well.

    So I suppose tonight’s dinner was a recovery dinner too. We had a salad at a restaurant in Chicago last December that was amazing and we’ve been talking about recreating it ever since. This wasn’t exactly it, but it incorporated the element we loved: raw brussels sprout leaves.

    Daniel diligently tore all the little leaves off the sprouts, while I chopped up some roasted beets and whipped up a dressing (grainy mustard, balsamic, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper). We added finely sliced onion, slivered almonds, and goat cheese. So good.

    You know what else is good? The awesome t-shirt I get to wear on Saturday.

    A pink race t-shirt that is actually cut to fit? It may not be a technical t-shirt, but this is already my favorite race tee of all time. Adorable.

    Can’t wait to show it off on Saturday. Anyone else running the Mini?

    Category run., write. | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,, | 4 Comments

  2. More Crazy Sexy Eats

    March 31, 2011 by justgathering

    Guess whose lecture I attended last night? I’ll give you a hint: it was entitled Crazy Sexy Miracles.

    That’s right. Danielle and I were two very lucky ladies; we went to see Kris Carr and Gabby Bernstein talk about their books (Kris’s Crazy Sexy Diet made a pretty big impact on me), health and happiness, and their perspectives on living fully. The night was overflowing with powerful words of wisdom, and I left feeling pretty pumped to take my well living to the next level.

    Kris’s sense of humor was amazing, and she gave lots of tips for living what she calls a “prevention is hot” lifestyle, including reducing the consumption of fear-based foods (animal products, sugar) and increasing that of love-based foods (veggies). I loved this gem from her: “Broccoli is not radical; surgery is radical.”

    On that note, I’ve eaten a few pretty great (and love-based) meals over the last few days. Before last night’s lecture, I had this gargantuan salad from the Whole Foods salad bar:

    (There are roasted brussels sprouts, beets, and sweet potatoes hiding under there!)

    Today I stopped into Birdbath Bakery after a fantastic midday yoga class and picked up this beauty:

    A thumbprint cookie, comprised of their homemade granola and agave, with some extra gooey preserves in the middle. So good.

    I also tried kombucha for the first time! I have been wanting to try this for years but have mostly been too lazy. Kombucha Brooklyn seems like such an awesome company, though, that I was finally motivated to go out and get one. I got the original flavor, and I absolutely loved it. Might be hooked.

    I’m thinking a dinner project is just the thing for this rainy/snowy evening. Please spring, come soon, thank you.

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,, | 1 Comment

  3. Crazy Sexy Cleanse Day 11: Brussels Sprouts

    March 3, 2011 by justgathering

    I love brussels sprouts. Today’s lunch:

    I was craving brussels sprouts yesterday, so Daniel and I had a feast of them for dinner. Roasted, with plenty of olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. With a side salad of quinoa, walnuts and dried cherries.

    Today, I combined elements of the leftovers to make a fabulous (and very healthy) grain salad. Quinoa, roasted brussels sprouts, edamame and plenty of fresh lemon juice. So good and so green.

    I’ve been adding, one by one, other detoxifying practices to my cleanse. This morning I tried my hand at dry brushing and loved it. (I blogged about it for The Well Daily.) Next up: the neti pot.

    Onward.

    Category write. | Tags: ,,,,,, | 2 Comments

  4. Crazy Sexy Cleanse Day 2: Zucchini Noodle Salad with Avocado Cumin Dressing

    February 22, 2011 by justgathering

    I’m not gonna lie, this meal was a little weird. Very thrown-together. It did its job, though.

    Into the bowl I threw the following:

    I’ve got some vanilla cinnamon chia pudding chilling in the fridge, and I am very excited.

    In other news, I’m pretty sure I have strep throat. But no bacterial infection will keep this lady down. Onward.

    Category write. | Tags: ,,,,, | 1 Comment

  5. Just Made: Sweet Potato Latkes

    December 2, 2010 by justgathering

    Happy Hanukkah! This was my first, and it was (as far as I can tell) a bit unconventional, and perfect.

    We made sweet potato latkes using this recipe from Erin Cooks. We added 1/2 tsp of garam masala. It was a good choice.

    Daniel handled the candle-lighting.

    We had a salad of mixed greens, chickpeas, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes with lemon-tahini-garlic dressing. Salty and sour to offset the sweet latkes.

    In the last week, I’ve had two days set apart to remind me to be thankful for the things I’ve got. Love and health, and good food.

    And leftovers.

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,,,, | 3 Comments

  6. Just Ate: ‘Mediterranean’ Chickpeas with Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

    August 23, 2010 by justgathering

    I just had quite a fun Brooklyn weekend. I stuck close to home and visited some local sites, made a ton of good food with friends, continued my hunt for the perfect neighborhood bar, and managed a six mile run. I say ‘managed’ because a weekend of nights out is not exactly conducive to a Sunday morning long run, but I made it nonetheless. It wasn’t the best run of my life, but it wasn’t the worst. Although it was the worst in quite a while. Totally worth it.

    First, some food!

    This dish is a take on one of my all-time favorite meals at one of my all-time favorite restaurants, Cornucopia in Dublin. The rainy weather we’ve been having has been giving me hunger/memory pangs for their food, so last night I pulled out my Cornucopia cookbook. I had to venture out into the rain for an eggplant, but, once again, totally worth it.

    The original recipe calls for either feta or haloumi cheese, but I already had half a batch of tofu ricotta from Vegan with a Vengeance. (The other half went on a delicious pizza that my friend Julia from Victual Culture made on Friday.) So I threw that in there instead, and it definitely worked. The oregano from the tofu paired nicely with the sun-dried tomato dressing, all the flavors being, I suppose, ‘Mediterranean.’ (The writers of the cookbook joke about this vaguely named dish, saying that it was added to their menu back in the day when the two kinds of food in Ireland were ‘Irish food’ and ‘foreign food.’ They say if they were to rename it, it would become ‘chickpea salad with fusion influences from Greece, North Africa, and Italy,’ but that really won’t fit on their menu board.)

    The major components of the dressing for this salad are sun-dried tomatoes, cumin, a red chili, and, of course, olive oil and lemon juice. Add this to chickpeas, creamy tofu ricotta, spinach, and roasted eggplant, and you’ve got a pretty delicious (and ridiculously easy) dish.

    It’s also a very warming dish, which is nice in weather like this.

    Before the weather turned nasty, though, I spent a lovely few hours at the Brooklyn Museum. Somehow, I had never made it to this museum, despite the fact that I pass it on my commute and while running almost every day. Right now they’ve got a Warhol exhibit…

    … and an awesome Kiki Smith exhibit.

    And I couldn’t help but take a picture with this work. She’s looking at me! The viewer has become the art/sideshow/viewed! Crazy!

    All in all, I’d say it was a success of a weekend, torturous run included. Sometimes a tough run means you’re having fun in life, meeting people who make you want to stay up late and talk some more. I’m starting to figure out that this isn’t such a bad thing. It’s all about balance, right? That said, I think the next few days hold in store for me early bedtimes, plenty of water, and some restorative yoga. And leftover chickpea salad.

    Category run., write. | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,, | 3 Comments

  7. Triple Berry Grain Salad

    August 5, 2010 by justgathering

    May I just say that I love summer? Put this salad on my list of reasons why.

    Not only is it delicious, but it’s also full of good-for-you foods, such as barley (which helps to regulate your blood sugar), blueberries and straweberries (hey there, antioxidants), and spinach (love that iron and calcium). This might be a new summer staple for me, and I highly recommend it.

    Triple Berry Grain Salad

    2/3 (when dry) cup barley

    1/2 cup (when dry) wheatberries

    1 1/2 cups blueberries

    2 cups strawberries, diced

    3 cups spinach

    1/3 cup pine nuts

    1/2 cup parsley, minced

    2 spring onions, finely chopped

    juice of 3 limes

    1/4 cup red wine vinegar (I used blueberry and pomegranate infused)

    1/4 cup canola oil (or other mildly flavored oil)

    pinch of salt

    Cook the grains separately on the stovetop; shock with cold water when done cooking. Combine last four ingredients to make the vinaigrette, and then combine everything in a large salad bowl.

    That’s it! It’s really that simple! This salad delivers big returns for a minimal investment of your time, and I promise that it’s a crowd pleaser. Make it for your next potluck picnic, and let me know how it goes over!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,, | 3 Comments

  8. Walnut Basil Pesto

    July 11, 2010 by justgathering

    It’s still summer, and the recent east coast heat wave is not letting us forget it. I took it easy with my running this week, walking in between my speed intervals and postponing my Thursday run to Friday in hopes of cooler weather. The heat really took it out of me, and what my body needed more than anything was rest. So that’s what I gave it! (Along with some awesome food…)

    Here is another potluck-friendly recipe for all those summer picnics. It’s not only amazingly easy, but it takes advantage of one of my favorite farmer’s markets finds: fresh basil. And I promise it will wow your friends like it did mine.

    This walnut basil pesto is entirely vegan, and I promise that, thanks to the texture of the walnuts and sun-dried tomatoes, no one will miss the cheese.

    Walnut Basil Pesto

    2 C fresh basil

    1/2 C walnuts

    Juice of two lemons

    1/4 C olive oil

    2 cloves garlic

    8 sun-dried tomatoes

    Salt to taste

    Walnut oil to taste

    In your food processor, combine all the ingredients except the walnut oil. Transfer to a bowl and add a drizzle of walnut oil to finish.

    If you’d prefer not to turn on your stove in the heat, go with raw walnuts. I toasted mine a bit to really bring out the flavor.

    One extra touch I added: a drizzle of walnut oil over the final product. This was a housewarming gift from a foodie friend, and I’ve been dying to use it. It was the perfect finisher for this pesto, but if you don’t have any, just drizzle a bit of olive oil on top for presentation.

    This was the ideal condiment for the olive focaccia my friend Julia got at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket. Julia also contributed the following gorgeous and incredibly tasty salad:

    Definitely check out the collaborative blog that Julia and two of her friends write, Victual Culture. It’s full of yummy food pictures and thoughts, and maybe Julia will post her recipe for this salad. I can tell you that it had quinoa, currants, and arugula and was delicious.

    Hope you’re all staying cool!

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,,,, | 2 Comments

  9. Cold Leek, Apple, and Walnut Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

    July 4, 2010 by justgathering

    It’s a hot holiday weekend, and I’ve been cooking up some cold salads for summer potlucks. Here is one I found particularly satisfying. Enjoy!

    Cold Leek, Apple, and Walnut Salad with Israeli Couscous

    Makes 4 servings. Double or triple if you’re taking it to a picnic to share!

    1/3 cup Israeli couscous

    2 leeks, stemmed and sliced thinly

    1 apple, julienned

    1/2 cup walnuts in small pieces

    Touch of canola oil to get the apples cooking

    Boil the leeks in a pot of salted water for around five minutes. Separately, cook the couscous. In a pan, saute the apples in just a bit of oil. Once they start browning, add 1/4 cup of the maple dijon vinaigrette and allow them to simmer for 7-10 minutes, pushing them around as the dressing begins to glaze. Combine leeks, couscous, and apples, and add a bit more of the vinaigrette. Cool in the fridge for an hour or so before serving.

    Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

    Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for the couscous with some leftover

    4 T maple syrup

    4 T dijon mustard

    2 T apple cider vinegar

    2 T canola oil

    zest of a lemon

    pinch of salt

    very generous pinch of pepper (more for an extra kick)

    Happy Independence Day to all, U.S. readers and otherwise. Cheers to the spirit of independent eating: to refusing to buy into a diet of nutrient-deficient processed food, to making oneself what one consumes, and to navigating and examining life, meal by meal.

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, | 3 Comments

  10. My New Home/Some Cold Eats

    June 3, 2010 by justgathering

    Today was officially Move-In Day. We finally procured the keys to our new apartment, took way too many stuff-laden trips up and down from the fourth floor, and collapsed onto our air mattresses at the end of it all.

    Two weeks of transition time officially over, we are no longer four girls living out of suitcases in a studio with no gas and one electrical outlet. (I know. It was not heaven.) We are four girls with a beautiful apartment full of possibilities (culinary and otherwise) on the brink of an amazing summer in the city. And I am happy.

    Site of countless meals to be cooked

    Our kitchen still has no fridge and no stove. This is where the stove will eventually go. Tomorrow, perhaps? Until then, we are on strict diets of fresh produce, dried fruit, nuts, and containers of hummus (since they don’t last long enough around here to require refrigeration). Not a bad way to eat, right? The kitchen is cozy and, I think, has plenty of potential. I’m on the lookout for a rolling cart to extend our counter space.

    Homey-feeling already, right?

    Our one piece of furniture thus far is an old coffee table handed down from my parents, which we have placed in the center of our living room. This was in my first-ever apartment in New York, and my saint of a former roommate kept it safe for me for three years (and through a couple moves of her own) while I was away. She deserves the biggest roommate gold star ever. Or maybe a batch of cupcakes once I have a working oven.

    East-facing window = wonderful

    I am still waiting on my bed and mattress, so I’m still camping a bit. But I’ve got the necessities: tons of light and a yoga mat.

    Texture-ful salad

    My meals have revolved around salads, and eating so many of them has forced me to get a bit creative. I found this combo, which I really enjoy for its mix of crunchy, creamy, and chewy textures and its pairing of sour and sweet:

    • baby spinach
    • shredded cabbage and carrot
    • chopped sugar snap peas
    • shelled edamame
    • raisins
    • chopped sun-dried tomatoes
    • dollop of hummus
    • generous dousing of dijon mustard
    • tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
    • squeeze of lemon juice

    My latest obsession

    I’ve also been trying to drink extra water, since it’s terribly hot and we have no air. I’ve fallen in love with VitaCoco, which I mix with two parts regular water to temper a bit. Delicious.

    I’ve been running or doing yoga every day, and it’s the only thing that’s kept me sane through this ridiculously prolonged move. One of my roommates and I went on our first run together this morning and got hopelessly lost in the best way possible. We’re discovering new and wonderful things about our neighborhood and the rest of Brooklyn every day.

    I’m contemplating joining a food coop once things settle down a bit. But first things first: bonding with my lovely roommates, collecting cheap or free furniture for our fantastic home, and enjoying the beginning of the summer season. And, of course, trying to do it all in the healthiest way possible. Anyone have any moving-in or getting-settled tips for us?

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: ,,,,, | 7 Comments

Older Entries