Chili Lime Jicama Slaw

I don’t know about you but springtime has got me wanting to eat all the things that are fresh and bright and not super heavy. Things like big salads are on the top of my list. Or slaws like this jicama slaw. It is A+ and perfect for springtime munching.

Jicama. Maybe you have heard of it, maybe not. It is a vegetable, a tuber to be precise. And it tastes like a crunchy, juicy, not sweet apple, but also kind of reminds me of kohlrabi. And it slightly nutty, with a hint of potato? Just know it is delicious. You might have even had it and not even been aware of it, in say a salad or maybe spring rolls. Anyway, if you haven’t had it, it is definitely worth trying like in this slaw which is basically just jicama with cabbage, carrot and onion tossed in a cumin chili lime situation. It is fresh and crunchy and spicy and filling and all the things that I want be eating right now.

What we have it a really dang tasty and a quick toss together situation. What more can we ask for?

To the jicama slaw!

The stuff. A small jicama, a carrot, a hunk of red cabbage, chili powder, cumin, a lime, red wine vinegar,a little maple syrup, and salt and pepper.

Cumin, chili, maple, and vinegar go into a big bowl and get mixed around. Pop the bowl into the microwave if you can and heat it up for like 30 seconds, just o take a bit of the rawness of of the spices.

Now peel the jicama. Use a sharp knife and carefully peel away the brown skin from the white flesh. Do not leave any of the skin on cause it is not good to eat!

Once the jicama is peeled, grab a mandolin and julienne it (or cut into thin matchsticks with a knife). Then julienne the carrot and shredded the cabbage and onion.

Dump all the veggies into the bowl with the spices then add in the juice of the lime and a pinch of salt and pepper.Toss around until evenly combined and coated.

There you have it. Chili lime jicama slaw. Now you eat it. As a side to any dish you wish or just as it is, a big bowl of goodness.

-C

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Chili Lime Jicama Slaw

Serves 3-4 (as a side)

• 1 medium Jicama (around 3 cups julienned)

• 1 small carrot

• 1 small onion

• a small hunk of red cabbage

• a lime

• 3/4 teaspoon cumin

• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• salt and pepper

Place cumin, chili, maple, and vinegar into a large bowl. Mix around and pop into the microwave for 20-30 seconds just to heat it up a bit and remove some of the rawness of the spices.

Peel the jicama. Do it with a knife (so carefully) and remove all of the tough brown skin away from the white flesh. (Do not eat skin..It can make you sick). Now either with a mandolin of a knife, julienne the jicama along with the carrot. Use a thicker setting for the jicama and a thinner one for the carrot. Shred or thinly slice up the cabbage and onion as well. Toss all the veggies into the bowl with the spices. Squeeze in the juice of the lime, add a pinch or two of salt and some black pepper and toss around until everything is evenly combined and coated.

You can eat it right away but It taste better when it has had a chance to sit for a little while.

Serve cold along with anything. Or eat on it’s own. Store left overs in fridge for up to a week.

Sweet Potato Steaks on Arugula and Kale with Pea Avocado Cream

All I want to do is eat fists fulls of arugula. Ok, maybe that is not all I want to do, but it is something that I have been doing a lot. I have always really like arugula but as of right now, it is my top choice green!

Anyway, big green salads are all I want to eat because it is spring and all and greens are the best in the spring. But I still am eating a lot of roots and will be eating them for a few more weeks unit winter farm share dies down. And because it is the end of the season, the choice of roots is dwindling and we basically get a bucket of carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes. Lots of sweet potatoes, which by the way, I am not made about. And greens, We get lots of greens!

So my new favorite salad comes to fruition. Thick cut sweet potato steaks on a bed of fresh spring arugula and kale toped with a thick creamy avocado pea situation and some toasted walnuts for flair and crunch. I mean, is your mouth watering and your tummy grumbling yet?

Mine is but that is just how it always is.

Now to the steaks and salad!

The stuff. A sweet potato, some arugula and tender kale, peas (frozen and thawed) half an avocado, some toasted walnuts, a lemon, and salt and pepper.

Start by cutting the sweet potato into thick steaks. 4-5 same thickness slices if you may.

And no roast up the sweet potato steaks. Just place hem onto a baking sheet and pop them into a hot oven. Bake for 2-30 minutes, flipping over after 15-20 minutes. Once tender, remove from oven and set aside.

While sweet potatoes are baking, make pea avocado cream. Place peas and avocado into a blender or cup if using a hand blender along with the juice of the lemon and about a tablespoon of water. And a small pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Add more water a tablespoon at a time until you get a thick but pourable constancy.

Now rough chop the kale and toss together with the arugula and place in a large salad bowl

Place the sweet potato steaks on top of the greens. Note here that the sweet potato steaks can be hot, warm, or cold. The are good all the ways.

Then top it all with the pea avocado cream. Toss on the toasted walnuts and add some more black pepper and that be that. Grab a fork and a knife if you wish and get to it.

So much goodness in the mouth!

-C

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Sweet Potato Steaks on Arugula and Kale with Pea Avocado Cream

serves 1-2

• 1 medium sweet potato

• 1/2 cup frozen (and thawed) green peas

• 1/2 of an avocado

• a small lemon

• 2 large handfuls of fresh arugula

• 4-5 leaves of tender kale

• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts

• around 1/4 cup cold water

• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Wash sweet potato and cut into 4-5 equal thickness slices. Place cut pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper and pop into oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping after 15 or until the sweet potato is tender. Remove from oven and let cool a bit.

While sweet potato is baking off, make pea avocado cream. Place the peas and avocado into a blender or cup if using a hand blender, add in the juice of the lemon and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Add in a tablespoon or two (or more) to thin out until it is still thick but pourable. Also rough chop the kale and mix together with the arugula in a big salad bowl.

Once sweet potato steaks have baked and cooled off a little bit (you can eat them hot or cold so whatever temperature you want), place them on top of the greens then top with the pea avocado cream, sprinkle on toasted walnuts, more black pepper, and maybe a squeeze of more lemon if you have it.

Then grab a fork and knife and start eating.

Watermelon Radish Orange and Pistachios Salad

Have you ever seen a radish as pretty as a watermelon radish?

Is it weird that I got, what’s the word… giddy at the sight of watermelon radishes at my last farm share pick up? I legit did a little jig, yelled out to the farmers that I loved them and that that farm share pick up was the best on ever!

My farmers love me, but I am pretty sure they think I am crazy. (Maybe just a little bit)

Anyways I got me some of these super beauty radishes and have been munching away on them all week. Then I made this salad because sweet and juicy oranges and creamy pistachios go so well with peppery radishes. I added in some red onion for a little more bite and flavor, gave it a simple dressing of salt, pepper, and vinegar, and ate it all up. A big bowl of color and flavors. A bowl of happiness.

Now to the salad!

The stuff. A couple watermelon radishes, oranges (I used a navel and and blood orange) a small red onion, a handful of pistachios, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper.

First slice up the radishes and onion very thinly. Use a mandolin if you have one.

Toss the radish and onion into a big bowl along with the vinegar and a pinch of slat.

Now cut peels from oranges and then cut oranges very thinly as well.

Add the oranges to the bowl with the radishes and onion.

Rough chop the pistachios.

Toast them into the salad. And then top with pepper.

Prettiest salad ever.

-C

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Watermelon Radish Orange and Pistachios Salad

• 2 medium sized watermelon radishes

• 2 small oranges (navel or blood)

• 1 small red onion

• a handful of unshelled pistachios

• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• salt and pepper

Start by slicing the rashishes and onion pretty thin. (use a mandolin if you have one) then place into a big shallow bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and drizzle in the vinegar. Toss around

Grab oranges and cut away peels. Then cut the whole oranges as thinly as you can (You can see the segments who or cut into smaller pieces) then place into bowl with the radishes and onions. Toss around.

Grab pistachios and give the na little rough chop then toss them into the salad. Add a little black pepper to taste then give the whole salad a little toss.

Eat.

Sautéed Beet Greens and Onions

The short of it is, people, stop wasting your beet greens!

The long of it is that I went to pick up my farm share this week and ooh lovely we got bunch beets. Bunched beets are my favorite becuase when they come bunched, they come with the greens and I can honestly say that the greens are some of my favorites. So I grabbed my bunched beets and continued picking up the rest of my veggies. As I tuned the corner I passed the compost. Know what I saw? Beet greens. People were grabbing there beets and ripping the greens off and tossing them into the compost. Oh that just pissed me off. First because it still shocks me that people don’t realize they can, and should, eat the greens but more because I wish they just left the greens in the extras pile. I would have gladly taken them home. I almost went into the compost but there was some gross stuff in there and plus there was a line of people waiting patiently to get the to cucumbers. I had to walk away.

Oh how I can’t stand wasted food!

So now that we all know that beet greens are food and are amazing, you might ask how do you eat beet greens? Any way you want really, but you can use them like any other green. They are kind of like chard orkale, but more beety and are just really really good. One on my favorite and simple things to do is beet greens sautéed with garlic and ginger and a little soy with thinly sliced vinegary onions. Fast, easy, and tasty as hell.

There you go. Now never waste your beet greens again. Or if you don’t want them you can give them to me!

Now to the beet greens!

The stuff. A bunch of beet greens (you don’t need the beets) an onion (Or 2 really small onions) soy or aminos, garlic, ginger, red wine vinegar, and a splash of oil.

First, thinly slice onion and place into a bowl. Dump in the vinegar and toss around.

Grab the beet greens and cut the leafy parts from the stem. Chop the stems up into small pieces.

Place stems into a skillet with a tiny splash of oil and water and cook on medium heat.

Mince up garlic and ginger.

Once stems are tender, toss in the garlic and ginger and mix around. Keep on heat.

Now grab the greens and rough chop into smaller pieces

Once the garlic and ginger becomes fragrant, toss in the greens and stir in until wilted. Once wilted, dump in the soy and mix around. cook for another minute or so then remove from heat.

Toss in the onions and mix around.

Now just eat. From skillet or grab a bowl. You do you.

-C

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Sautéed Beet Greens and Onions

serves 1-3

• 1 bunch of beet greens

• 1 regular sized onions (or 2 very small onions)

• 2 cloves garlic

• inch piece of fresh ginger

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1-2 tablespoons soy, tamari, or aminos

• a splash of oil.

• a splash of water

First, if there are beets attached to the greens, cut them off and save them for later.

Take the onion and slice into very thin pieces, place into a bowl, and toss them with the vinegar. Set aside.

Grab greens and cut the leafy parts from the stem. Cut the stem up into little pieces and toss into a skillet with a splash of oil and a splash of water. Set on medium heat to cook. While cooking, mince garlic and ginger and once the stems become tender, toss garlic and given into the pan and mix around. Keep on heat. Now grab greens and give them a good rough chop then toss them into skillet once the garlic and ginger become fragrant. Mix around until wilted. Once wilted, add in the soy and mix. Cook for another minutes or so then remove from heat. Toss in the onions with the vinegar. And that is it. And now you eat.

Cauliflower, Kale, and Lentil Bowl with Peanut Sauce

I am freaking hot. We are currently in a heat wave right this very minute and I am not happy about it. This is my problem with summer, the heat. Or better yet, the heat with humidity. It turns me sour and I can’t deal with anything, including myself. It is not a good look on me.

But a redeeming quality summer does have is all the fresh produce. The farm share is really starting to pick up and we are getting a good amount of fresh goody goods and that is something I can’t not be happy about. But it is still to hot and when it’s to hot, no one (I think) wants to cook. So don’t cook, just compile. A big ass bowl of veggies, some lentil (or use beans if you want) , and creamy peanut sauce. Thrown together within minutes, hardy and satisfying without being heavy and hot, and tasted really freaking good. A meal on it’s own or a fantastic side dish or snack dish or you know, anytime eating time food dish.

It is just a good dish to make and even better to eat. Heatwave or not.

Now to the cauliflower, kale, and lentil bowl with all the peanut sauce!

The stuff. Half a head of cauliflower, a few big kale leaves, half an onion, cooked lentils, peanut butter, apple cider vinegar, hot water, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.

Cut up cauliflower. Just go at it with a knife until it is a pile of small little pieces. Then dice up the onion into small pieces and cut up kale into small pieces as well.

Toss all of that into a bowl and top with the lentils.

Peanut sauce. Mix together the peanut butter, vinegar, soy, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Stir and add in enough hot water to make it creamy, smooth, and pourable.

Dump the peanut sauce into the bowl with everything else.

Toss until everything is evenly coated. And don’t forget to add a good amount of black pepper.

And that is it. Now grab a bowl and a fork and eat. It is really really good.

-C

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Cauliflower, Kale, and Lentil Bowl with Peanut Sauce 

Serves 1-2 as a big salad or 3-4 as a side

• 1/2 head of cauliflower

• 1 1/2 cup cooked lentils

• 2-3 large kale leaves

• 1/2 a small onion

Peanut Sauce

• 1/4 heaping cup of peanut butter

• 2 tablespoons soy or liquid aminos

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

• 4-5 tablespoons hot water

• black pepper

Start by chopping up cauliflower into little pieces. Some pieces will be like crumble and that is good. Also dice up onion into small pieces and chop kale into small pieces. Place it all into a bowl and top with the cooked lentils.

Make peanut sauce. Place peanut butter, soy ,vinegar, the ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, and 4 tablespoons hot water into a jar or bowl and mix until incorporated. It should be smooth and thick, but pourable. If to thick, add in another tablespoon or two of hot water.

Once sauce is made, dump into bowl with the rest of the stuff and toss until everything is coated and combined. Top with lots of black pepper and then, well, eat. Or set aside until meal time. Then eat.