Ginger-Cilantro Rice Salad with Early Summer Veggies

Tonight I made a delicious rice salad. It is a little time consuming and makes a big mess in the kitchen, but you'll also have plenty for lunch leftovers. If you want to take it for a potluck or party dish, I'd suggest cutting up a few extra vegetables and saving a little cilantro and sunflower seeds to garnish the top with, as it's not the prettiest salad I've ever made.

Ginger-Cilantro Rice Salad with Early Summer Veggies

The Rice

2 cups long-grain white rice

2 1-inch-long pieces fresh ginger, peeled, each cut into 4 rounds

4 cups broth

The Dressing

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1 large bunch chopped fresh cilantro

2 green onion, thinly sliced

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

3 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar

salt

The Veggies- I used some that are in season right now, feel free to use whatever you have or like

a generous handful of snap peas- cut into small pieces

3 carrots, shredded

6 radishes cut into very small pieces

Protein

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed (or substitute cooked tofu or tempeh, or smoked salmon)

3/4 cup tamari or toasted sunflower seeds (or substitute any toasted nut you have on hand)

Preparation

Combine rice and ginger rounds in large saucepan. Add broth. Bring to boil. Stir. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is tender and broth is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, combine chopped cilantro, green onion, and minced ginger in a food processor or blender. Add both oils and vinegar. Blend until almost smooth. Season cilantro pesto to taste with salt. When rice has finished cooking, fish out the ginger pieces and discard. Transfer rice to a large salad bowl and pour cilantro pesto over the top. Mix well. Add the veggies and protein a little at a time, stirring to combine well. Tastes great warm, cold, or room temperature.

Potato, Kale, and Sausage Soup

I made a soup yesterday, that is so transcendently delicious that I can hardly believe I made it.  It's a riff on a recipe that I got from a CSA (farm share) cookbook many years ago that is an old favorite of mine.  I'm a pescatarian (no meat expect fish), so I made this with veggie sausage, but I'm sure it would taste good with regular sausage too if that is more your style. The balsamic vinegar is really what gives this soup sparkle, so be sure to add it even if it sounds like a weird addition!

Potato, Kale, and Sausage Soup
olive oil
2 full-size veggie sausages, chopped into rounds (I used Field Roast Italian Style sausage)
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalk celery, chopped
5 medium yellow potatoes, chopped
4 bouillon cubes
8 cups water
1 large bunch kale, torn into pieces
black pepper
balsamic vinegar

Before you begin, put on a kettle of hot water to heat. Heat a little oil in a soup pot. Add the sausage rounds and cook until done. It's ok if some sticks to the pan- it will help give the soup flavor. When the sausage is done, transfer it to a small bowl and set aside. Heat a bit more oil, and cook the onions until they are almost translucent. Add the carrots and celery and cook until celery is softened. Add potatoes and a little water from your kettle to keep the veggies from sticking. Stir. Using the heated water, dissolve the bouillon cubes in a small bowl. Stir dissolved bouillon into soup pot and add water (approximately 8 cups).  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Cook for 15 minutes, or until potatoes and carrots are tender.  Add kale pieces and some black pepper. Stir and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in sausage and a few splashes of balsamic vinegar. Serve.  Tastes even better the second day!

Summertime Strawberries

It's late June, and in the Pacific Northwest, that means it's strawberry season. There are tons of great recipes out there for using strawberries (see Cooking Light or Eating Well for ideas), but my favorite way to eat them is straight out of the carton. One thing to keep in mind, is that strawberries have been identified as one of the crops that are the most likely to contain pesticide residue, so it is important to buy organic if you can. The Environmental Working Group has this handy list that shows you which produce items are the most (and least) likely to be contaminated. Perhaps I will post a few strawberry recipes in the next few days, but for now, I'm just going to keep eating them fresh.

The Elusive Perfect Sunscreen

This week's goal (number 24) is to wear sunblock every day, especially on my face, chest, and arms.  This goal is a little bit of cheat since I have already been doing this for a couple of months, but I'm adding it to the list because I want to make sure I keep doing it. When I made Goal #17 (to check the Skin Deep database for toxicity/product safety information), I knew that finding a sunscreen that I liked that also met my safety standards (below a 4 on Skin Deep's rating system), was going to be a challenge. The sunscreen I was using at that time is rated a 6, and it smells great, rubs in easily, and does a great job of keeping me from getting burned. I really loved it, but at a 6, it's a little high for me to want it to put it on my skin every day. I finally used most of it up, and decided it was time to try to find some new, safer sunscreens.
Badger Sunscreen Lotion SPF 16 (Skin Deep rating of 2) is new, and unlike other Badger sunscreens I've tried, it rubs right in and leaves my skin soft and silky (not greasy). When I fist put it on, the smell reminded me a little of mayonnaise, and looking at the ingredients, I realized that's because the second ingredient is olive oil! While is doesn't smell as delicious as the sunscreen I used to love, it also doesn't taste disgusting when I get it on my lips. At this point, it has also replaced my daily facial moisturizer and is doing excellent double duty as a sunscreen/moisturizer. It doesn't have quite the SPF I would ideally use, but for my daily life it's adequate.
The other sunscreen I'm trying, Alba Botanica's Fragrance Free Water Resistant SPF 30 (Skin Deep rating of 2), is the one I'm using when I'm spending lots of time outdoors (paddling, yardwork, etc.) and expect to be sweating. It definitely performs like I'd expect a "natural" sunscreen to: it's fairly greasy, makes your skin white until you rub it in thoroughly, and is a little tough to apply to hard to reach spots like your back. Still, the few times I've tried it out recently, it has done an excellent job of keeping me from getting burned, even without reapplying, and despite its name, it has a nice, nutty smell.
Have I find the perfect sunscreen yet? Nope, and maybe I never will, but at this point I'm happy to have found a couple of sunblocks that are a lot safer than what I was using before and also work fairly well.

But We're Harmless...Really

This afternoon I went paddling from the rower's dock at Swantown, and I was astonished to see swarms of jellyfish right up by the dock (incidentally, a swarm of jellyfish is called a "bloom"). As I looked out, I could see that they were filling the water from the dock all the way out into the Sound. Luckily, these are Moon Jellyfish, and their stings are usually not powerful enough to penetrate human skin, so if I did fall in and get stung, I probably wouldn't even feel it. The jellies are beautiful to watch, with their glowy, translucent bodies. Still, there is something about many creatures swarming that gives me pause. I felt a little wary about plunking my board right in among them, but it was such a nice day that I decided to go for it. It was windy and challenging going out, but that was good, as I was looking for a workout today, and let me tell you, I got one! On the way back, the wind had settled down, and it was balmy and idyllic, which is the best way to come back in after a vigorous paddle.
Puget Sound was at its majestic best today, and I'm so grateful that I got a chance to enjoy it. I've found pugetsoundsealife useful for identifying the creatures I see and learning more about them. The Sound is full of an incredible array of life, and it is fun and interesting to learn more about the vast world below me as I paddle around it.

Foraging For Wild Berries

This afternoon I went for a magical walk in Watershed Park. It was warm and sunny, and everything looked so lush and green. As I was walking, I suddenly had snacks on the brain (maybe that's the real reason I have Winnie the Pooh tattooed on my back, as like him, I am pretty much always thinking about food). Anyhow, as I rounded a corner, I saw something exciting-free snacks in the woods! A giant patch of wild salmon berries, ripe and ready to be picked, was right in front of me. For those of you who haven't tried salmon berries, they have a texture similar to blackberries, but a flavor that is very light and mellow by comparison. To me, they are to blackberries as white wine is to red wine.  I must have eaten almost a whole pint while I was on my hike. As I rode my bike home, I was also delighted to see all of the blackberry bushes in bloom, and fantasized about how many of those there would be to enjoy in a few short months. This is one of the things I really enjoy about living in the Pacific Northwest- lots of delicious berries to enjoy, and some of them can even be found for free.

Tangy Quinoa Salad

There were some lovely and fragrant pineapples at the Co-op today and I found a great recipe to use one in! I was looking for some tasty quinoa salad recipes to try out, and this one really fit the bill. I used a recipe from the incredible GRuB cookbook as a base and modified it a little to incorporate some other ingredients that looked good to me. This time around I used black quinoa. I've never tried it before as it is a little more expensive than the white kind. It tastes pretty much the same as standard quinoa to me, but the color is definitely a pretty contrast with the green of the edamame and the cilantro. This salad is tangy and fresh tasting, and it makes a lot, which will be nice to have extra for lunch. I think it would be great served with a green salad and a piece of grilled salmon or baked tofu/tempeh.

Tangy Quinoa Salad

For dressing:

2 Tbsp minced shallots or onions

1/2 cup olive oil

few dashes of toasted sesame oil

2 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped

6 Tbsp rice vinegar

3 Tbsp tamari

a generous squirt of Sriracha or other hot sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

juice of 2 fresh limes

2 cups quinoa
3 3/4 cups water

The mix ins:
1 package frozen shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions
1 red pepper, chopped
2 cups pineapple chunks
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 cup roasted and salted cashew pieces

Make dressing in a very large bowl. Set aside.
Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Allow to cook for 15 minutes. Check to see if it is done. If not, continue cooking for a few more minutes. (When the quinoa is done, the water should be mostly absorbed, and the quinoa should still taste slightly underdone. Quinoa can get overcooked really easily, so keep an eye on it- you don't want it to get mushy).  Remove from heat and immediately mix into the dressing.
Mix in all other ingredients. Cover and chill. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Hats Aren't Just For Looking Stylish

Today when I was getting a haircut, the stylist commented on my sunburned scalp. I am so responsible about wearing sunscreen that I rarely get burned anywhere else, but I have to admit, that my poor scalp often gets burned when I am doing yardwork or having fun out in the sun. So my goal for this week is to remember to wear a hat (or put sunblock on my part) at times when I am going to be spending significant time in the sun. Just because a sunburn is in a place that you can't easily see it (like on top of your head), doesn't mean that you aren't increasing your risk of skin cancer every time you get burned. I would never allow my nose to get a horrible burn on it week after week, and yet I allow this very thing to happen to my scalp. Wearing a hat should be pretty easy to remember, and I usually keep sunblock in my bag for times when I am unexpectedly enjoying some time in the sun; I'll just have to remember to put it on top of my head too! I love this hat because it's light and cool (it's made of straw), and the brim also gives me some protection for my face.

Popcorn!

What we have here is a picture of my beloved airpopper, which has just popped up a lovely batch of popcorn. It's so cool to me that you can have delicious, crunchy popcorn using no oil at all in the popping process. You also don't have to worry about the weird chemicals that often accompany low-fat microwave popcorn. If you don't have an airpopper, look no further than your local Goodwill or Value Village, where you can often find a nice assortment of choices. For a healthier topping than the usual butter and salt, I like to use olive oil mixed with tamari. I drizzle that over the popcorn and then top with nutritional yeast (extra B vitamins, yay!). Air popped popcorn is a pretty healthy snack that is cheap, quick and satisfying.

Overcoming Fear

This afternoon, I went out for an utterly marvelous paddle by myself. It was the perfect weather for paddling; warm and dry, with a nice light breeze. I saw a bunch of seals, a couple of gorgeous blue herons, and tons of beautiful sailboats (especially as I was heading in- it turned out to be pretty breezy as afternoon became evening). At any rate, what enabled me to go on my terrific paddle today was driving my car. Anyone who knows me well knows how much I dislike driving, and that most of the time, I will go to great lengths to avoid driving (Ride my bike home at 1am when there is no bus? Sure, better than driving! Carry a backpack stuffed with groceries and walk 4 miles? Yes, especially if it means not driving!). But at this point, the only way I can get my board and myself to the water by myself is by driving my car. I have a roof rack that is easy to use (especially since my dynamite friend Kim taught me an easy trick for attaching it), and there is a place close to my house that I can drive to get to the water. It's pretty cool having something I love so much (paddling) be an activity that requires me to do something I really dislike (driving) because it provides the motivation I need to overcome my fear of driving a car. So this is goal #22- I will drive my car at least once a week. Hopefully, it will be to do something fun like paddling. For those of you who haven't been paddling and want to try it out but are afraid- trust me, driving the car to the water is the hardest part!

Easy Kale Salad #2

We are going to be working outside today, so I thought it would be nice to make a salad that needs a little time to sit and develop its flavors. That way, it will be perfect to eat when we are ready to eat it. This salad is similar to one I posted earlier, but without the components that make the other salad sweet (balsamic, honey, and dried fruit). Here, the flavors are tart and garlicky.

Easy Kale Salad #2
1 large bunch Italian kale, sliced into ribbons
4 carrots, grated or shredded
2 cloves garlic, chopped
juice of one lemon
salt
pepper
olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
handful of grated parmesan cheese

Place chopped garlic in a large bowl. Top with a pinch of salt and some fresh pepper. Add lemon juice and stir. Slowly add oil oil in a stream, whisking as you go.  You want the dressing to be light and tart, so I usually go pretty light on the oil. Taste, add more salt and pepper (and oil) if desired.  Add carrots and kale to bowl. Mix with dressing, using your hand to massage the kale a little. Stir in the walnuts and parmesan. Cover and refrigerate, letting the salad sit for at least twenty minutes before eating.

Spiced Lentils and Poached Eggs

Some friends of ours have chickens that are producing more eggs than they can eat, so they have started selling the extra. We signed up to buy a dozen every other week (more than we usually eat), so I was looking for new recipes that use eggs and I found this one. It's a spicy lentil recipe that has poached eggs on top. It's a little labor intensive (the original calls for using three pans!), but it's really tasty and super healthy. I made a few modifications based on what I had on hand, pared it down to two pans, and doubled the quantity of the lentils portion so I'd have leftovers for lunch. I served it with a salad and warmed pita- a very satisfying supper.

Spiced Lentils and Poached Eggs

adapted from Cooking Light, 
October 2012

2 cups dried lentils

6 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 chopped onion

1 can diced tomatoes with chilies (or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes or a combination of the two)

1 teaspoon muchi (spicy) curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch ground red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 large eggs per person (this dish could serve up to 6)

freshly ground black pepper

feta (optional)

chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain any excess water; discard bay leaf.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and tomato; sauté 8 minutes or until onion is tender. Add curry, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, red pepper flakes, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add mixture to the lentils; stir and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat.

3. Wipe out skillet

4. Add water to skillet, filling two-thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly; simmer. Add vinegar to pan. Break eggs into small shallow dishes, such as custard cups. Gently pour eggs into pan; cook 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Carefully remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon. Place about 1 cup lentil mixture on each plate; top each serving with 2 poached eggs. Garnish with cilantro, feta, and fresh pepper.