Here is my suggestion for a de-stressing your weekend (we had enough of that ole ball and chain this week, didn't we?):
Turn off the TV. Go outside. Eat a salad.
This week I have been literally craving the salad I'm going to tell you about today. I woke up wanting it first thing in the morning, and thinking about it late at night. At one point, I had to get up and walk away from my computer and simply chop vegetables.
Ribbons of purple radicchio, paper-thin moons of red & pink radishes, feathery bits of cilantro...
It's the season for bitter greens. In addition to calcium and magnesium for bone health, bitter greens are full of cancer-fighting antioxidants like vitamin E, and beta-carotene. In Chinese medicine, bitter foods help stimulate liver chi, making it a detox-assisting food.
And with a little mustard, vinegar & olive oil, they are simply delicious!
Sliced Spring Salad with Avocado and Feta adapted from Molly Wisenberg's A Homemade Life; serves 6
8 red radishes, sliced very thickly thinly into translucent wafers
1 medium radicchio, quartered and then sliced crosswise into ribbons
4 Belgian endive, sliced croswise into 1/4" strips (discard the root end)
A handful of cilantro leaves, about 20 sprigs, chopped
1 medium avocado, cut into strips
4 oz crumbled feta (here I like Organic Valley's Feta Crumbles made from cow's milk)
1 TBSP Dijon-style mustard
3 TBSP red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
5 TBSP olive oil + 2 tsp
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the mustard, vinegar and salt. Whisk to blend well. Add the olive oil and whisk vigorously to emulsify. Taste, add more oil as needed to calm the vinegar.
Combine all the chopped vegetables in a large bowl, including the cilantro. Toss with the vinaigrette to taste (you may not use all the dressing).
Distribute the avocado over the salad and top with the feta.
Serve immediately.
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