Beluga Tabouli

One of my favorite salads is tabouli- a bright, clean-tasting Middle Eastern dish traditionally made with bulgur wheat, fresh parsley, tomatoes, lemon juice, and olive oil. I'll eat it any way; with crackers, on top of greens, or on its own. It keeps for a few days, but it's best at room temperature the day it's made.

The first time I made it, I used short-grain brown rice instead of wheat. Still a winner! That classic flavor was there, with a different texture. I love the recipe out of Food to Live By, an amazing cookbook I've used to make many tasty things. Now, I would never make this for a Lebanese house guest... as I'm sure one would shudder at my grossly adapted version of the traditional salad. But it works for me!

The last time my mom visited, she brought me a new food to try... beluga lentils! Teeny tiny petite black lentils! So cute. The warm sunshine and free weekend called me to make Belugalinsen Tabouli.

My recipe was loosely based on Myra's. Check it out!

Beluga Tabouli
2 cups cooked beluga lentils (or bulgur, or short-grain brown rice, or cous cous, or wheat berries, or rye berries, etc!)
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons
2 tbsp fresh mint, minced
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced (Disclaimer... I had to use gross tomatoes from the store this time. I can't wait for the good stuff to start growing up here! Soon I hope!)
1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced, including white and 2 inches of the green
1 cup fresh shelled peas, or diced English cucumber (optional)
Combine above ingredients in a large bowl.
Combine following ingredients in a small bowl, and add to above ingredients.
1/4 cup olive oil
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin (optional)
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper.

Fresh, bright, high-protein, non-authentic tabouli!

Keeps for a few days in the fridge. And it sure is a welcome change to boring lettuce for lunch.

Enjoy!

Spring Eats

Wow, March came and went... I can't believe we are well into April already! I also can't believe that I am in my second week of clinical! I am a bit sad to have my long community rotation behind me now. Many presentations, work site wellness seminars, cooking demos, and counseling sessions later, my 8+ hour days at the hospital plus commute is quite a change of pace. So far, so good... we'll see if I'm singing the same tune in a few months. Nevertheless... a girl's gotta EAT!

This past weekend I made two scrumptious recipes perfect for spring. Salmon with Dijon Dill Sauce and Massaged Kale Salad. (Not a typo... yes, you massage it. Keep reading!)

First, the salmon. Or should I say, the dill sauce. This little recipe is a favorite in my family... I've requested salmon with dill sauce for many birthday dinners growing up. It's all about the sauce! My grammy first tried it at a restaurant a few decades ago, and convinced the head chef to give her the recipe. And he did! And here it is. (That story is vague, I know, it's because the details don't matter... only the sauce matters.) I have tried several other dill sauces in my long life, and none are quite as good as this one. Here's how to make it... 

Dijon Dill Sauce for Salmon
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
1/2 tablespoon dill weed

Shake well! You can make it in advance, it completely emulsifies. Drizzle this liquid gold atop a lovely piece of wild salmon- cooked to you liking- baked, grilled, pan-seared, poached... I kept it simple and baked mine at 350 for about 12 minutes.

Next, a new recipe with my new FAVORITE leafy green: Massaged Kale Salad. Let me tell you one of my favorite parts of the Keene State College Dietetic Internship... the interns! My intern class is 16 girls who came from all over the country, all bringing their unique way of food to this sweet little town in rural New Hampshire. We love to cook and we love to eat... and we had a wonderful time doing so in Cape Cod last weekend... quick, here's a picture, I can't resist...

Darling!

Anyway, everyone is always making kale. Kale chips, steamed kale, kale stir-fry, kale pesto (okay, no one has made that, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time). Back in the fall, Fionna (in the center) made this fantastic recipe which we all loved. It's a fun take on a dark leafy green... something you can really not get enough of, health-wise. Instead of cooking the kale, you sprinkle it with salt and massage it for 2-3 minutes. The salt breaks down some of the enzymes in the greens to make it more tender and less bitter. (Although, I hardly find kale bitter at all!) It also reduces the volume. See below!

1 bunch of kale, washed and chiffonaded

Yes! The same kale... massaged!

Fionna (or Fionner, as some New Hampshire natives like to call her) got this recipe from Cookus Interruptus, a cute blogger from Seattle who teaches viewers how to cook fresh, healthy foods amidst "life's interruptions". She also includes a video of herself making the dish in real time, which is helpful, if you have never, um, massaged kale before. The recipe is also versatile, so feel free to use what you like!

Massaged Kale Salad with Apples and Gorgonzola
Ingredients:

• 1 large bunch kale
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds (I used slivered almonds... next time, pumpkin seeds)
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/3 cup currants (I used chopped dried plums)
• 1 apple, diced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or any vinegar you like!)
• 1/3 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled   

Directions:

1. Destem kale by pulling leaf away from the stem. Wash leaves and spin or pat dry.
2. Stack leaves, roll up, and cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade).
3. Put kale in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, and massage salt into kale with your hands for 2-3 minutes. The volume of kale should be reduced by 1/3.
4. Transfer to a fresh bowl and discard any leftover liquid.
5. Stir in onion, currants, apple, and nuts/seeds.
6. Dress with oil and vinegar, and stir in cheese. 

The original recipe says this yields 6 servings. I am going to say... for me, it was 3. The girl loves kale!

Wishing you many delicious spring vegetables in the coming month!