Dinner Tonight: Power Salad

Grapefruit, kale, and avocados are all very affordable in April, since they're in season, so why not load up on all three! I've created this warm salad, which is loosely based on a delicious salad my BFF Katherine made for Thanksgiving. It features nutrient- and fiber-rich foods, is low-fat, vegan, and incredibly delicious!

Ingredients (2 salads):

1 bunch of kale

1 grapefruit

1 medium to large avocado

1 Tbsp olive oil

Juice of 1 lime, plus any leftover grapefruit juice

Red pepper flakes

1/4+ cup pistachios

salt & pepper to taste

1. Cut the avocado into slices or chunks; set aside. Cut the grapefruit in half and use a small knife to go around the edges. This will make it easier to scoop the sections out. Use a spoon to scoop the sections out and set aside with the avocado. Squeeze leftover juice from the grapefruit rinds over the avocado.

2. Heat a saute pan over low-medium heat. Chop kale and add to pan. Add lime juice, olive oil and pepper flakes and toss. If the kale starts to sizzle, the pan is too hot, so turn it down. Heat for 5 minutes, or just until the kale starts to turn bright green.

2. Divide the kale between two plates, making sure to top each with any leftover liquid from the saute pan. Now put half the avocado-grapefruit mix on each salad and sprinkle with pistachios. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Serve with Grapefruit Whiskey Sour :)

Dinner Tonight: Vegetarian Puttanesca

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil

4 roma tomatoes, diced

1 can black olives, coarsely chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 Tbsp Capers, rinced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

Arugula or Spinach for serving

Salt and red pepper flakes, to taste

Romano cheese

Pasta, such as Fettuccine or Spaghetti

Directions:

1. Put a pot of water on to boil.

2. While the water is heating up, chop up tomatoes and olives. Mince garlic or use a garlic press.  Rinse capers. Place all these ingredients in a frying pan along with the olive oil and tomato paste. Turn heat to medium.

3. Cook pasta as directed on package.

4. Let tomato and olive mixture cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until hot and fragrant.

5. Chop up parsley and sprinkle over mixture in frying pan. Add the vinegar, pepper flakes, and salt. 

6. Once pasts is done cooking, drain, and then toss with tomato and olive mixture.

7. Serve over greens and top with Romano cheese.

Tips and facts:

1. There are very few recipes that call for an entire can of tomato paste, so buy tomato paste in a jar, which keeps better!
2. Without the cheese this recipe is vegan!

3. I was looking up traditional puttanesca and apparently the name means "whore's style spaghetti"! How offensive! LOL

4. This dish goes great with white wine or a wine spritzer, like I made: Pour chardonnay and San Pellegrino Limonata over ice. Yum!

Recipe: Easy Beans & Rice

It's been a while since I've posted a recipe, so I've been experimenting. After failing horribly with a curry-style lentil dish, I decided it was time to simplify things. The results: this delicious and easy bean dish.

I cooked mine in a crock pot, which meant the least amount of effort. We found a 2-person crock pot at Fred Meyer's (it's like Target) for $10. It's been one of our best purchases yet! When you use a slow-cooker, there is no need for cooking oil, which can help if you are trying to eat smart. You can cook this dish in a sauce pan too, but you will need to soak the beans over night, or use canned beans.

Ingredients:

1 medium carrot

1/2 onion

2 cloves garlic

1-2 slices wood smoked bacon (this can be omitted)

1 cup beans, any kind

Water or broth

Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, to taste

1 cup rice

1 can beets

Cilantro & lime

Step 1.

Chop up the onion. Cut the carrot lengthwise and slice. Add to pot.

Step 2. Peel the garlic. An easy way to do this is cut off the end and then use the flat side of the knife to slightly crush the garlic. This helps loosen the skin so it can be removed easily. Chop up the garlic and add to pot.

Step 3. Rinse the beans and cut the bacon into small pieces. What's nice about bacon is you don't need a lot to add flavor to a dish! The bacon can be omitted if you want a vegetarian or vegan dish, but add some smoked paprika or smoked salt so you're not missing out on that lovely smokey flavor! Put the bacon and beans into the pot.

I used Anasazi beans for this recipe simply because they're beautiful! Black beans would work, too.

Step 4. Stir together all the ingredients, add salt, pepper, and pepper flakes, and add roughly 2 1/2 cups water or broth, or enough to cover. Now cover with the lid and let cook for 3 to 4 hours, or until beans are tender. Stove top cooking time will differ.

Step 5. Serve over rice with cilantro, lime, beets, and hot sauce.

I used fancy black rice that I found at the co-op that my mom shops at. It has lots of vitamins and a nutty flavor, similar to brown rice. How cool is this rice??

If you opt for black rice, here are the cooking directions:

2 cups water for 1 cup rice

Soak the rice while the beans cook.

When you are ready to cook it, bring the 2 cups water to a boil

Add in the rice and reduce to simmer

Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes

Note: If you don't pre-soak the rice, you will need to cook it for 60-70 minutes!

Photo-a-Day: Week 2

6. dinner

This was dinner on Monday. After Sunday's fare (so much cheese!) I thought a salad was in order. Call me old fashioned, but I still view salads as the confessional booth of foods. Repent of thy sins! Now do 10 Hail Meuslis.


7. button



8. sun

This is the last of the sunshine being reflected onto my apartment building.


9. front door



10. self portrait

I always thought I couldn't draw human figures, but then I decided to sit down and give it a real go. I drew myself, since I know that "subject" best. I think I turned out alright. There are certainly some "artistic liberties" taken, though.


11. makes you happy

This is Frida. For the past 2,758 mornings (minus the 7 months I lived in England) I have woken up to this silly looking dog. I laugh at her every day. Her face is so funny. Ears for days.


12. inside my closet

It's hard to take a photo in my closet. The lighting is horrible.

Follow me on Twitter to see a new photo every day. @catiebeatty

Photo-a-Day