Homemade Kadota Fig Salad

Yesterday's visit to the market inspired me to buy yummy seasonal things such as Kadota figs that looked plump and appetizing.  Deciding to grab them, I quickly began to think about what I'd create with them and quickly decided on a healthy arugula salad with warm figs, goat cheese and craisins.  Doesn't that sound like fall?  Here are the directions for assembling this - it's super easy and anyone can do it in under 15 minutes.

Fooditka's Kadota Fig Salad:

Ingredients (serves 1)
Big handful of fresh, baby arugula greens
4 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
2 Kadota figs
Goat cheese (I used Vermont Creamery brand)
4 craisins
Honey
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

Directions:
Prepare the figs first by cutting them in half and then putting the goat cheese in the middle and a craisin on top.  Place into a toaster oven and heat up for about 5 minutes.

Assemble the rest of the salad and then top with figs when ready.  Drizzle with olive oil, honey and season with salt and pepper.

Earthbound Farms – Lunching with my Favorite Salad

Another big highlight for me during our stay in Carmel a few weeks ago was visiting Earthbound Farms, a familiar place to me only by name, as I buy their salad greens each week. I got excited when I saw their farm, while on our way to Carmel Valley Ranch, where we were staying.

I made Dan promise me that we can stop in for lunch the next day, so I can make myself a farm fresh salad.

Atmosphere:
To say that the atmosphere at Earthbound Farms is magical is an understatement. Situated in Carmel Valley, the farm is surrounded by nature’s finest beauty, including colorful rolling hills, tall redwood trees and just spectacular countryside.

The property is large, but not overwhelming, consisting of the actual farm land, a general store and café, as well as an outdoor sitting area, and a few smaller gardens that cater specifically to visitors.

Staying true to its rustic vibe, the café is very casual and the salad bar is self serve, which I like. Featuring all of their different salad greens including arugula, fresh spinach, a spring mix, kale and other varieties, it’s all there for you to make a colorful, healthy lunch creation. Of course they have other fixins too such as a tasty roast beet salad, dilly beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, a quinoa salad and other yummy things.  It was fun to see everything decked with the Earthbound Organic logo, as it also educated me about other products they carry such as all sorts of fruits and veggies (not just salad), as well as pre-packaged goodies such as granola, cookies, nuts, and other natural snacks.

Salad and More!
As I already hinted above, I chose to make a farm fresh salad at Earthbound's little cafe, which was a lot richer and vibrant than the salads I make at home.  Consisting of their signature spring mix greens, I also added other things such as roasted beets with onions, a crunchy bulgur salad, edamame beans, tofu, a mixed bean salad and tied it all together with balsamic dressing.  Taking the salad outside and eating it in the open fresh air, it tasted wonderful and nourishing.  It was satisfying to respect the earth from which this food came by eating it right on Earthbound's premises.

Dan ended up getting a grilled cheese sandwich at the cafe, which was also hearty and delicious.  We appreciated the normal portions, especially while on vacation when it's so easy to overindulge.

As you can see from the above picture, we couldn't resist a little portion of garlicky dilly beans, which we took with us and ate during a BBQ we had during our stay in Big Sur.  More on that soon...

Costs:
Since the cafe was super informal and really just a grab and go kind of place, it was fairly inexpensive, setting us back about $20 for our food and drinks.

If you're travelling to this lovely part of California, I highly recommend stopping at this charming, natural place.  I'll never look at my ordinary salad the same way again.

3 Mmmms

Earthbound Farms - 7250 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel CA 93923
831.625.6219
www.ebfarm.com

Keeping it Earthy with Tracey Medeiros at the Union Square Greenmarket

You may recall me mentioning last week that I'd be doing a food demo and some promotion with friend and cookbook author, Tracey Medeiros.  The event took place yesterday at the Union Square Greenmarket, and it was a big success.

The focus in our tented area, which was centrally located, right across from the popular Migiorelli Farmstand, was Tracey's latest cookbook called the Vermont Farm Table Cookbook.  I myself own this awesome cooking resource, which shines a light on the local farmers and purveyors that make Vermont the food-centric state it is.  The recipes inside are pretty easy and approachable, and accompanied by beautiful photography that showcases the food in all its glory.  I've tried a few recipes prior to yesterday's event, including stuffed tomatoes and banana almond smoothies.

Amee Farm Lemon Lavender Dressing:
Yesterday's event, which included a book signing, also took a simple yet delicious recipe for Amee Farm Lemon Lavender dressing, and brought it to market goers.

Tracey and I shopped for fresh salad greens and arugula before our food preparation, keeping things as local and fresh as they get.  As soon as we tossed the salad and plated it, people came up to the tent, curious and wide eyed, taking the plates and enjoying the healthy snack.

I tried it too of course and can vouch for its delicious taste.  The dressing was not only smooth and creamy but had that subtle earthy aftertaste from the lavender.  Sophisticated and elegant, it was a nice step up from an ordinary salad dressing or vinaigrette.  Showcasing this recipe was quite perfect at the farmers market because you can essentially get all the ingredients for it on the spot.

Interview with Tracey:
In addition to the actual food preparation and chatting with market goers, Tracey and I also recorded a short video where she talks about her book project, the lemon lavender dressing and local food culture.  Enjoy!



Aside from working with Tracey, I also just enjoyed being at the farmers market and soaking in all the beautiful, natural things the summer season has to offer.  I've compiled some of them for you here, and hope it encourages you to get out and check it out.

I'd like to thank all my family and friends for coming out and supporting me yesterday. You guys are the best!

Going Farm to Table this Weekend at the Union Square Greenmarket

Because local food culture is so big here, and because I truly believe in it, I wanted to share news of a fun food demo I'll be helping with this weekend at the Union Square Greenmarket.  

Teaming up with friend and cookbook author, Tracey Medeiros, I'll be at the Greenmarket this Saturday from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m to help Tracey promote her new Vermont Farm to Table Cookbook.  You may remember me mentioning the book before, which uses recipes sourced with delicious, locally grown ingredients - also featuring the hard working farmers, foragers and artisans who help put those ingredients on your table.

At the demo, Tracey and I will be working on some beautiful fresh salad dressed with Amee Lemon Lavender dressing.  It's a light, refreshing dish for summer, and I hope you have a chance to stop by and say hello.  I'll be doing a little video segment with Tracey and as always, look forward to chatting with my readers and friends.  There will be some fun Fooditka swag for you to grab as well.  Hope to see you there.

Saturday, July 13th from 11:00 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Union Square Greenmarket - 17th Street between Union Square West and Park Avenue South

It was a Healthy 4th of July with Quinoa Salad

With all the 4th of July indulgences that are usually a part of the food spread, I wanted to make sure that I also eat something healthy and nourishing.  On a mission to find something apropos, I decided to dip into my Healthy Eats Pinterest board, and luckily it didn't take me long to find something good.

The quinoa salad you see here is what I was taken with.  I loved all its colors and the healthy ingredients, including tons of veggies, some crunchy cashews and a beautiful peanuty dressing.  I loved how refreshing it was and how rich in texture.  The veggies are great because they make the salad more robust and filling.  You can consider adding some delicious grilled chicken or shrimp to it as well, but it really is very good just on its own.

I brought some over to my aunt Ida's BBQ today and it was a hit - only a tiny bit left, which was a good sign.  Hope you enjoy making (and eating it).  A big thanks to Ambitious Kitchen blog for the recipe and the inspiration.  Here's the official recipe as seen on Ambitious Kitchen.  P.S. - this dish is totally vegan and gluten free.

Yummy Specials at Astor Bake Shop

Image by Astor Bake Shop

Image by Astor Bake Shop

Always intrigued by what Astor Bake Shop has going on, I've recently also told you about their savory offering.  Dan and I enjoyed their classic Astor burger, and the French Onion soup was delicious too, that now I'm always keeping an eye on their menu and social media to see what specials they've got going on.  

This weekend's Facebook posts got me excited, as I spotted a healthy looking quinoa salad and a crunchy on the outside, and gooey on the inside Cubano sandwich.  The former boasts tons of earthy ingredients such as kalamata olives, cubes of feta, cucumber, cherry tomato, all dressed with a light scallion vinaigrette.  It sounds like a yummy side dish but can also substitute for a light main course for lunch.  

The Cubano on the other hand is total indulgence, with fresh roast pork, black forest ham, melty Swiss cheese and some sharp Dijon mustard to give it some kick.  It looks quite large and can be a nice thing to share with someone else, together with the quinoa salad too.  

Ok...now I'm totally salivating.

Astor Bake Shop - 12-23 Astoria Blvd, Astoria NY 11102
N/Q Train to Astoria Blvd

718.606.8439

www.astor-bakeshop.com 

Strawberry, Avocado, Spinach Salad - A Wistful Summer Dish

I'm calling this my wistful summer salad because I really can't wait for the warmer season to come.  Although we've been getting little whispers of spring here and there, I'm ready for the real thing.

Strawberries and avocado make me think of my favorite season, and I was inspired to create my take on this beautiful salad that I originally saw on Pinterest by way of Farmgirl Gourmet.  She in turn got it from Lauren's Latest blog who found the recipe on Two Peas & Their Pod blog.  And so the story goes...

While I didn't use kale as my base, since I already had it this week, I replaced it with fresh baby spinach and also added tomatoes, which go so well with avocado.  Switching up the dressing from Lauren's creamy poppyseed to a mixture of tzatziki and vinegar, also worked out really well.  And in case you're wondering, those delicious, well done pieces of cured meat are Spanish chorizo that I got from Despana Foods.  It was a tasty way to go and provided good wishful thinking to welcome summer.  Well almost...

Strawberry Avocado salad recipe as seen on Lauren's Latest blog

Table Verte Elevates French Bistro Fare. The Veggie Way.

Even though I'm far from a vegetarian, I do frequently enjoy eating vegetarian fare and sometimes even cook sans meat at home.  That's why I was pretty psyched when I got invited to a press dinner at the new East Village haunt called Table Verte, run by accomplished Restaurateur and Chef, Didier Pawlicki and Executive Chef, Ken Larsen.  

Providing a fresh spin on veggie cuisine in a French Bistro style, Table Verte offers something new and innovative for any kind of palate.

Atmosphere:
Situated in the heart of the East Village on 7th street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A, Table Verte has that quintessential small, intimate bistro feel, which I welcome.  It's a little hard to notice when you're walking down the street, and especially when distracted, but when you do find it, you'll be glad you came.

The dining room is small but charmingly inviting with classic butcher block tables adorned in signature, Kelly green.  I think it's a perfect place to come to with your special someone and because it feels so personal, you can't help but bask in its privacy. I loved the simple but classic decor elements such as the tea light candles, an oversized mirror up front and some natural accouterments, which came in the form of mini gourds.  It all feels natural and organic, providing an accurate preamble for things yet to come.

Food:
Chef Larsen's pride in his intelligently thought out menu was unmistakable, and truly exemplified through each course in our tasting menu.

Appetizer - I loved this pretty medley of cold salads including a celery root remoulade, a vegan lentil salad, beets with horseradish and a shredded carrot salad too.  They were all lovely and although disparate, they were fun to pair together, reminding me of a mezze tasting I'd have in a Greek restaurant in Astoria.  

My two favorites were the carrot salad with chickpeas and raisins that was refreshing and slightly sweet, as well as a beet salad, which I always enjoy.  The latter was flavored with fresh tarragon, which gave it that distinct licorice flavor and of course a welcome kick from the horseradish.

Entrees - It was fun to try a few different entrees, as we all shared everything, and I definitely had a few that stood out to me.  

First thing's first - the cauliflower was totally out of this world.  Roasted perfectly and showing off a beautifully golden exterior, it was incredibly filling - and almost meaty.  Resting on a bed of fragrant quinoa salad with rosemary as well as the piece-de-resistance, the roasted yam cake, it was a well-rounded meal that satisfied any hungry belly.

The other favorite, which was served in a smaller portion than usual just for our tasting was the gnocchi Parisian Au Gratin.  Verte's take on gnocchi was a few notches above the norm, as Chef Larsen explained they make the dumplings individually, like they would a profiterole for example.  As soon as I took a bite, I understood the difference, as these were truly little pillows of heaven.  The cheese was totally gooey, delicious and so over the top, further embellished with a real truffle on top.  What a treat!

Dessert - A big highlight of the dinner was the sweet finish, and we enjoyed three distinct desserts.  The most exciting for me was the banana creme brulee, which you see above and that had chunks of real banana in it, reminding me of my all time favorite banana pudding trifle at Buttercup Bakeshop.

A close second was their semolina cake topped with velvety caramel and a rum, creme Anglaise sauce.  Despite it feeling incredibly French (aka indulgent), it was actually quite light on the stomach--the semolina holding its own next to the rich sauce.  It reminded me of the incredible semolina cake I used to enjoy at Mundo, but I think this was even better.

Service and Cost:
Just like the restaurant's comfortable and intimate dining room, the service is just the same. It's evident that the folks who work here genuinely want to, and they have a great passion for the food on the menu.  I enjoyed hearing Chef Larsen tell us the story behind each dish and the infectious smile on his face made us really curious and happy to dig in.

Prices are reasonable for what I'd call a fine dining experience:

Appetizers - $4.75 - $9.50
Entrees - $14.50 -$19.75
Desserts - $5.50 - $8.75

Before I forget to mention, Table Verte is still a BYOB, which is an added bonus in my book.  

3 Mmmms

Table Verte - 127 East 7th Street, New York NY 10009
212.539.0231
L Train to 1st Avenue or 6 Train to Astor Place
www.tablevertenyc.com

Healthy Kale Salad Satisfies the Soul

I know what you may be thinking..."this looks way too green and healthy to be delicious," but it isn't so.  In the mood to eat something really earthy and good for you, I decided to put together a warm kale salad with sauteed tomatoes, onions and a bit of fresh jalapenos.  As you can see, I was lazy about cutting out all the stems and while the recipe I used recommends to eliminate them, they were just fine, adding a nice pop of purple color.

The salad was quite juicy, as it cooked in some water that I mixed in with the tomatoes and lots of fresh lemon juice.  Adding the latter really made this dish sing and eliminated the need for a lot of salt.  We enjoyed it on its own, which I admit is a little odd, but you can also pair it with a nice piece of steamed salmon, which will make for a gorgeous, well-rounded meal.

Kale Salad recipe as seen on wholefoods.com

Have you tried BareBurger's Salads?

Image by BareBurger

It's interesting to see that the New Year's cleanse and healthy eating is very much prevalent in local restaurant menus - even BareBurger is jumping on that bandwagon with their salads.  While they've had them on the menu for a little while, they've added some new interesting options, now boasting 9 different varieties.  I'm highlighting some of the ones that I find particularly interesting - the Cranberry Blue is pictured above and includes some of my favorite ingredients of spinach, blue cheese, toasted almonds in a lemon ginger infused balsamic.  Here are some others (also note that all salads can come with a burger patty on top if you so desire).

Mexican - Bare greens, hass avocado, pepperjack, radishes, grape tomatoes, fire roasted red peppers, raw red onions, pickled mangoes, cilantro lime dressing, tri-colored tortilla chips...$6.95 - $12.95

Pickled Beet & Goat Cheese - Baby arugula, pickled beets, panko crusted fried goat cheese, toasted walnuts, organic olive oil, Vermont maple infused balsamic...$6.95 - $12.95

Asian - Broccoli slaw, watercress, pickled mangos, dried edamame, carrots, cucumber, Thai peanut sesame ginger dressing...$6.25 - $11.45

Poached Pear - Baby arugula, poached port wine pears, crumbled goat cheese, toasted almonds, organic olive oil, cinnamon pear infused balsamic...$12.95

BareBurger (Ditmars) - 23-01 31st Street, Astoria NY 11105
 718.204.7167
N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

BareBurger (31st Avenue) - 33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
 718.777.7011
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bareburger.com

A Summery Picnic-Ready Pasta

One of the best parts of summer, at least for me, are all the cookouts, picnics and basically any occasion to get together, be outside and eat yummy food.  Last week, my co-workers and I enjoyed one of these fun activities, as we had a festive summer picnic on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.  

Everyone brought a dish, and we all feasted to oblivion.  I wanted to keep things light but also intended to make something substantial that wouldn't leave us hungry, so I put together this light summer pasta salad.  Including only veggies, such as grilled corn, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, thinly sliced red onion and lots of fresh lime juice and olive oil, the dish didn't leave you feeling heavy.  In fact, lots of my co-workers commented about just how lovely and vibrant it was. 

It didn't take too long to make, and I actually adapted it from a corn salad recipe that I saw on bonappetit.com.  Adding in the pasta gave it a little more umph, and made it feel like a more well-rounded dish.  You can enjoy it on its own, or with some yummy grilled chicken, shrimp or what have you.

Charred corn salad recipe (just add pasta to it to replicate my dish above)

Fooditka's Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

I'm always curious to experiment with different salad combinations and pairing together ingredients with juxtaposing textures.  The salad I will tell you about here is a prime example of that, as it marries warm, cooked ingredients with chilled, raw ones.  The salad was a big hit and didn't need much of a dressing, except a few drops of truffle oil and a sprinkling of sea salt and pepper.  Some lemon juice would do just fine too, or maybe even some honey.  Feel free to improvise and use your imagination.

Fooditka's Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

Ingredients (serves 3)

1 package of baby arugula
2 handfuls of fresh spinach leaves
Small butternut squash, cleaned, seeded and cut into 1/4" pieces
1/4 pound of burrata mozzarella cheese, teared into 1/4" rustic chunks
1/2 anjou pear, cubed
Handful of dried cranberries
Large handful of pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Toss butternut squash in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for about 50 minutes (or until golden brown), taking it out and turning the squash 1/2 way in between.  Let cool for 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the remainder of the ingredients by placing in individual bowls. I'd recommend not putting it into a large bowl, to avoid the greens getting soggy.  Top with the roasted butternut squash and a sprinkling of truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil and additional salt and pepper if needed.

My New Obsessions - Gojee and Ricotta Spinach Gnocchi

I'll start with the first part of my obsession, which is a fabulous site called Gojee I discovered just through browsing through the Google Chrome store.  I simply love it, as first off, it's picture based and is a fabulous aggregation of all different food blogs.  You simply type in the ingredients you're craving, and it does the picking for you.  I was amazed at all the enticing food images it produced when I typed in "arugula" and the one that most immediately caught my eye was one for ricotta & spinach gnocchi (with arugula too, of course).

I clicked on the recipe link, which led me to a lovely blog called "fresh 365."  The recipe not only seemed doable, but was explained in a friendly, approachable way that immediately inspired me to get to work.  If the thought of making your own gnocchi intimidates you, this recipe will no doubt change your tune.  It's not incredibly labor intensive, uses healthy and readily available ingredients, and not to mention it's absolutely superior to the store bought alternative.

As I made a pretty big batch that can feed about 3 or 4 hungry people, I froze most of my gnocchi and ended up cooking it later in the week.  It was a sound approach and a fabulous way to get dinner on the table in about 5 minutes.  Serving it on a bed of fresh spinach (or arugula if you want), I seasoned it simply with olive oil and pepper and put some shredded pecorino cheese on top too.  Delish is an understatement.  Go gojee, thanks for showing me the way!

Recipe for Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi