If the end of January is approaching then I know I can expect a variety of things:  emails from sites I subscribe to sharing the perfect Super Bowl snacks, bloggers swapping their tried and true party dish faves, and people talking about whether they’re planning on a game day get together or not.  None of it has been discussed in our house yet, because we’ve been busy, busy, busy with life enjoying a long weekend making like tourists in West Hollywood, soaking up the last bits of our youngest’s company before he returns to San Francisco for the spring semester, celebrating family birthdays and anniversaries, and in the past couple of days, nursing one of our cats back to health after a run in with a neighbor’s kitty.  Goodness!  And it’s not over yet.  Any time now, my husband will ask about what’s on our  Super Bowl agenda.  It always seems to be a last minute sort of thing most years, and that’s just fine with me because it doesn’t take too much thought to decide which snacks football fans will expect to have at their fingertips whether they’re for our small family, or a larger group.

I doubt there has ever been a time we haven’t had fresh salsa or pico de gallo with guacamole and tortilla chips.  A pot of chili with all the fixin’s and a salad for halftime eats are also the norm even though the chili recipe varies from one year to the next.  But I’m also known for sneaking in something that may raise eyebrows, causing certain guests to cast one another a nervous glance before pointing and asking, “What is that?” then politely suppressing the urge to continue with, “Do I have to eat it?”  as they reel their fingers back in.  Actually, they now ask, “How do I eat it?” because it seems my food often has rules that accompany it — or must seem like it does.   Is it supposed to be dipped, or layered?  Which of the ingredients on the plate create the best bite?  Is it finger food, or do I need a plate and fork?  To their credit, they seem much more enthusiastic than they did years ago, so I know my risks to encourage people to try something new haven’t failed, and that makes me happy.

They’ve long accepted they will never see “taco pie” loaded into a corn chip bag with a plastic spoon sticking out of it coming from my kitchen because they figure it’s something the snack bar on the Little League field sold when they were kids.  Once upon a while ago, they may have seen cheese sauce hot from the microwave ready to pour over their tortilla chips and call the mess nachos, (shhh…don’t tell anybody) but now, they get hummus or white bean and roasted garlic dip with toasted bread, crackers, or raw veggies and they like it.   And sometimes, they get to bite into spicy grilled sausages, nestled into a crusty sandwich rolls smothered with grilled onions and peppers, then topped with mustard.  That still counts as manly game day food, doesn’t it?  I hope so, because if it doesn’t, then my football party days are over.

Many of my close friends have been changing the way they eat for a variety of reasons.  Losing weight always seems to be on everyone’s mind, but honestly, as we’ve gotten older, lowering cholesterol or blood pressure, controlling Type 2 Diabetes, and yes, even learning to tolerate food during and after cancer treatment have far outweighed the desire to lose a few pounds for the sake of simply looking better in our clothes.  None of this has stopped us from enjoying the food we share when we get together because making sure it’s fresh and delicious is the ticket.

These crab stacks are the perfect party food.  They’re light, bursting with flavor, easily adaptable to a variety of ingredient choices, can be made in advance, and most importantly, fit nicely into anyone’s healthy life style.  I’ve been invited to Gojee’s virtual potluck and know people will enjoy it!  Starting on Thursday, January 26, check out other potluck dishes fellow gojee contributors shared. Go to gojee.com and enter “gojeepotluck” into I Crave.  You can also follow #gojeepotluck on Twitter.  

If you’ve never visited gojee, then you’re in for a treat.

See you there!

Crab Stacks with Ginger Lime Dressing

Ingredients

6 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 T agave nectar

6 T lime juice

4 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. pea shoots

1/4 c. Roma tomatoes, diced

1/4 c. cucumber, sliced

1/4 c. red onion, diced

1/4 c. mango, diced

1/4 c. avocado, diced

1 jalapeno, roasted and chopped

1/4 c. fresh crab meat

2 T chopped peanuts

1 tsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Prepare ginger-lime dressing by mixing ginger, agave nectar, lime juice, garlic, and water. Pour into a sealable container and refrigerate at least 1-2 hours and as much as over night.
2. To assemble the crab stacks, you’ll need two cylinders such as dessert rings or recycled cans with the bottoms removed.
3. Lightly spray the inside of the cylinders with cooking spray, then line two small dishes with pieces of plastic wrap large enough to pull up and over the cylinders (you’ll need to do this after you’ve built the stacks) and place the cylinders on top of each.
4. Begin layering ingredients inside each of the cylinders in this order:  pea shoots, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, mango, avocado, jalapeno, then finally, the crab.  Gently press down on each ingredient as you fill to make sure it’s securely layered.
5. If making ahead, pull the plastic wrap up over each and wrap, then place in the fridge until ready to serve.
6. To serve, choose a large platter and place each cylinder on it.  Unwrap and holding the cylinder with one hand, slide the plastic from beneath it.  Then slowly lift the cylinder, pushing lightly on the ingredients to reveal the stack.
7. Finish by sprinkling the chopped peanuts and cilantro over each stack, sprinkle baby salad greens around the platter if desired, and drizzle with the ginger-lime dressing.
8. Allow everyone to admire the crab stacks before encouraging the first guest to dig in, scooping into the stack with crackers or toasted slices of bread.

Notes:

• This recipe was adapted from Rappongi’s Chef Stephen Window’s Polynesian Crab Stack.  Rappongi’s is one of our favorite San Diego restaurants.
• The original recipe calls for sugar instead of the agave nectar and double that quantity.  I’m not fond of overly sweet salad dressing so prefer my adaptation more.  It allows for the flavor of ingredients to stand out instead of the sugar in the dressing.  Honey would be another good choice.
• I used canned crab meat for this recipe Blue Star.  It comes chilled in a 1 lb. can and is much more than is needed for this recipe, so I wrap it up and freeze it for a later use.  It’s pricey at about $16/lb. but when you consider all you can make with a pound, it’s worth it.
• Have some fun with the ingredients if those on the list above aren’t available to you.  Pea shoots are available at Whole Foods and Sprouts, but you could use a different type of sprout instead, or leave them out all together.
• Colorful bell peppers, either diced raw, or roasted and cut into strips would be a nice option.  Thinly sliced apple would also be delicious, grilled pineapple, or citrus such as blood orange slices, or grapefruit.  If you don’t like crab, then try shrimp or tuna.
• The peanuts add a nice crunch to the mix so if you can’t use peanuts, then try toasted pine nuts.  Even a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds would add a nice touch.
• If you’re in the mood for a treat, just make one of these crab stacks for yourself and increase the amount of salad greens.  It makes a beautiful, elegant lunch, or starter for a special dinner.
• Speaking of salad greens, that’s my first ever crop of salad greens I’ve grown.  I have a pot just outside on my patio that barely gets enough sun in the winter, and so sprinkled the seeds over the soil my tomatoes are usually planted in.  The tender crop has somehow managed to escape the attention of snails so has done really well!  All in all, as much as it is interesting to do this, we eat so much salad, there’s no way one pot could ever keep up with us.  Still, I’m proud of my first effort!

 For more delicious crab recipes perfect for parties

Cayla’s Kitchen Sink — “Cold Crab Dip”

Pham Fatale — “Seafood Crab Salad”

Chez Us — “Hot Spicy Crab Dip”

It’s that time of year, isn’t it?  The time that many think of being more healthy, adding wholesome food to their diets, exercising more, and yes, losing weight.  There’s nothing quite like a fresh, new calendar year and January 1st to motivate us — even those of us who enjoy telling others resolutions oriented to the above mentioned actions — or any action — are just not our cup of tea.  I am in that group, and smirk at my reflection when I pause long enough to look knowing I’m fooling only myself and that much of my resistance to making New Year’s resolutions has to do with a variety of things, not the least of which is that I know I can make a decision at any time of the year to make a change in my habits.  Why wait for a particular day?

Here and there throughout each week, each month, each year, I am rarely free of thinking about whether I’ve eaten enough vegetables, enough whole grain, food packed with essential vitamins and minerals, drunk enough water, kept portions reasonable, made sure I ate breakfast, use mono-saturated fat in controlled amounts, watch the sugar I stir into my coffee, and work to balance protein and carbs.  Knowing what to eat and how much of it to be in good health is one thing, and living a healthy life style entirely another.  I love to tell myself that all is well because I very rarely eat fast food, or even buy food that is packaged for easy preparation or snacking.  I’ve baked almost nothing in months, and what has been baked usually leaves the house as soon as it’s out of the oven.  It’s never been difficult to avoid chips when they’re in the house, crackers, cookies, or any of the typical snack foods I know others have trouble with.  No, my weakness comes in a wine bottle — one that preferably contains white wine, but I’ll drink red with little or no arm twisting.  I sip, sip, sip it each evening — yes, each –  consuming all that sugar knowing that to make matters worse, I won’t exercise regularly, so the calories add up over time.  And?  It’s alcohol.

I know.

The math is fairly simple though.  If I cut out the wine and get out for a 3-mile walk each day, then surely, I will lose weight, right?  But I make no effort.

The last time I seriously made an effort was five years ago.  In fact it was the reason I started Sass & Veracity.  I thought that if I wrote about all things nutrition, diet, and weight loss, I’d be able to hold myself accountable and lose 50 lbs. in the process.  Losing fifty pounds would get me back to the weight I was in my mid-twenties after the birth of my two oldest boys.  The irony of that is I thought I was overweight then and probably eat far more healthily now (minus the wine).  Five years ago with approximately eight weeks of adopting a diet loosely based on The South Beach Diet,  and regularly scheduled exercise, I managed to lose 10 lbs.  But I struggled to get past a critical psychological point and lost motivation.  The exercise dwindled to be less routine, and well, here I am today, obsessed with the idea of being more thin, but never really doing anything about it.

I think one of the reasons I stopped writing here as much as I have in the past is that spending huge amounts of time thinking about recipes, buying food, writing about it, talking about it, and reading about it all day each day began to make me a bit crazy.  It takes quite a bit of seat time to accomplish that, and since I’m horrible at routine exercise unless it’s at the crack of dawn, my body doesn’t move that much. Counting the number of times I walk up and down our stairs every day doesn’t count.  My husband gave me a requested Wii for my last birthday because I thought it would be easier on my knee than getting out for a walk, and although I do love the yoga stretching and balancing, it’s not been used for more than racing cows on New Year’s Eve in quite a while.

Our complex has a nice little gym with everything I’d need to routinely work out.  There’s a lap pool as well.  Do I use them?  No.  An uninterrupted stretch of beach several miles long is a 5-minute drive from my house, and although I do enjoy walking there, I only manage it once or twice a month.  There’s a rowing machine in our garage propped against the wall that hasn’t been used in years.  I have two sizes of exercise balls, two sizes of hand weights, a stretchy thing with handles I use once every blue moon if it’s laying on the floor blocking my path to the kitchen, and a weighted ball with a handle I blame for the torn meniscus in my right knee I had surgery for a year ago.  I have a Pilates DVD, a great Pilates book, and a variety of On-Demand exercising videos available to me for free if only I’ll turn on the television and actually engage in the exercise. I’ve subscribed to Jillian Michaels and bailed after one workout.  ONE.  I joined Sparks People, set up a profile, and never returned. I ordered Sensa, tried it for two days and decided it was ridiculous, then returned it.  I think I actually was hoodwinked into purchasing Hoodia, but never used it.  I have watched and enjoyed The Biggest Loser for the past five or six seasons, amazed at how much weight the contestants lose, and am only motivated to get off the couch to use my 8-lb. weights to stretch a few times while it’s on.

It’s pathetic.

But when I think of going on a diet to assist me in changing some of my habits, I can’t help but feel so much of what I could achieve is temporary — or even dangerous.  Eating like a cave man?  Um, no thank you.  Subjecting myself to extreme detox diets to lose weight fast?  Not worth it.  A liquid meal substitute based diet?  Not when I know that eating fresh vegetables is ultimately more beneficial and with fewer calories than most liquid diets.  No, it has to be a combination of ideas — something with the support of a routine, eating and cooking food I already enjoy, and with flexibility I need built in. Most importantly, I need to be interested in it without it taking over my life.  Instead, it needs to become my life, quietly, and routinely — like nothing has changed.

I have no excuses.  I’m retired.  (Insert much happy dancing here!) I used to gaze longingly at the people going on their morning walk as I drove past on my way to work thinking, if only I didn’t have to go to work.  Even now, I see them outside the window next to where I’m sitting — walking, jogging, cycling — all while I sit on this ball thinking and writing.  So what are my obstacles, perceived or real?  My knee still bothers me, but I know which exercises will continue to strengthen it.  Spending time in the evening watching television with my husband could be an obstacle as well, but I’ll work on that. Ultimately, my biggest obstacle is doing anything mindless.  If I can’t read, or listen, think constructively, or plan while I’m exercising, it’s like being put in a cage.  Even music does little to fend off the crazies.  Is it possible to meditate while exercising?

So where is all of this going?  We’ll call it the starting line in the sand of a different direction with a predetermined destination.  And to make it legitimate:  reduce my caloric intake by 400 calories a day + increase calories burned by 400 a day.  It should take about 32 weeks to reach my goal weight of 140 lbs. just in time to celebrate a couple of milestones.  I’m not motivated by little black dresses or high-heeled shoes and never have been, but this could definitely keep me focused as a little reward.

So it appears I’m beginning something, doesn’t it?  Cheer me along, please?

Now, let’s have soup.

 Mulligatawny Detox Soup

from Gluten-Free Goddess

Ingredients

avocado oil

garlic

fresh ginger

curry powder

turmeric

cayenne

red onion

carrots

cauliflower

Granny Smith apples

sweet potato

cabbage

water

vegetable juice

chick peas

sea salt

coconut milk

lime

brown rice syrup

apple slices & cilantro

For ingredient quantities and directions, please visit Gluten-Free Goddess.

Notes:

• Mulligatawny soup is one of those things I’d heard of, but never tried.  Traditionally it’s made with a meat base but the variations on the basic recipe are numerous and often can be packed with calories.
• I made this soup a few months ago for myself thinking I’d nip the impending holiday indulgences in the bud before they happened, if that makes any sense at all.  Think prescriptive here.
• I tried it both chunky and pureed — both are packed with incredible flavor, so it’s up to you.  The puree is quite elegant and satisfying.
• It’s a rare event when I pull it off, but I followed Karina’s recipe exactly and so glad I did.
• I didn’t have either brown rice syrup or avocado oil, but located them at Sprouts.
• It freezes quite nicely in small lidded containers — enough for 1 good sized serving and makes enough to last a week.
• Perfect for now since giving your body a nice flush after all the food and beverage indulgences the last couple of months.
•  Turmeric gives this soup its bright color.  It’s known for its powerful anti-inflammatory qualities, even in very small quantities.  I truly enjoy its exotic taste and aroma.
• Avocado oil is a monosaturated fat (healthy fat) like olive oil, but is far more delicate in flavor, so it won’t have the tendency to stand out in a recipe like olive oil can.
• Ginger is best known for its ability to sooth the intestines — especially when they’ve been taxed.  Think ginger tea…
• Cabbage is also a powerhouse for anti-inflammatory benefits — and there’s a bunch of it in this recipe!

 Mulligatawny Soup from Around the Web:

We Are Never Full — “Mulligatawny Soup — The Brits Really Know How to Shake it Up”

 One Perfect Bite — “Mulligatawny”

Mele Cotte — “Secret Recipe Club:  Mulligatawny”

Making Life Delicious — “Mulligatawny Stew”

The calendar asserts that summer is dwindling, but I know better.

Damp air, flat, steely skies until late in the morning and an urge to put on a sweater are only teasers of what will come much later here than most other places in the country.  Usually, I allow myself to be lulled into remembering all that I love about Fall weather after having had weeks of heat and humidity, but not this year.

No, I’ve enjoyed the blue skies and temperate weather — pleasant breezes that keep the house cool and the pots on our patio from needing constant watering.  I haven’t had my fill yet, but know by the time September has passed, I’ll be ready.  It’s usually our warmest month, only once every blue moon or so bringing blustery showers and a thunderstorm.  But it’s been years since we’ve seen that.

So for now, a bowl of soup is fine.

Something bright and full of flavor, but not packed with calories.

Take advantage of all the beautiful sweet peppers at the market right now — or if you’re lucky enough to grow them yourself –  and try this roasted sweet pepper soup.  If you’re thinking it’s still not quite soup weather yet, then freeze it.  It’s worth waiting for.

Roasted Sweet Pepper Soup Recipe

Ingredients

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 lbs. mixed sweet peppers

2 lg. cloves garlic, minced

2 T. flour

2 c. vegetable stock

1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

1 c. low-fat milk

1 c. non-fat yogurt

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place whole peppers on a baking pan about 6″ under the broiler.  Allow the skins to blacken before turning them to blacken the other side.
2. Remove the pan from the oven and cover with a clean dish cloth.  Allow to sit for 15-20 minutes, or until peppers are completely cool.
3. Peel blackened skins from the peppers, remove membranes, stems, and seeds.  Do not rinse!
4. Coarsely chop the peppers and set aside.
5. Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium low heat, then add the onion and garlic and saute until transparent.
6. Add the roasted peppers and stir to combine.
7. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and toss lightly, cooking for 2 minutes, but avoid browning.
8. Stir in the vegetable stock and raise the heat to allow the mixture to come to a boil.
9. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
10. In a food processor, blender, or with an immersion blender, carefully puree the hot mixture until smooth.
11. Add the cilantro and blend well.
12. Return to the sauce pan, stir in the milk and yogurt, and allow to gently reheat.
13. Season with salt and pepper.
14. Serve.

Recipe Notes

• Many thanks to Eileen who noticed I’d forgotten to show where the peppers are added in the directions.  Just a tiny oversight!
• I’ve been making this soup for years, tweaking it here and there depending on what I have on hand.  The original recipe contained heavy cream, and I just can’t see doing that to a great vegetable soup.  The yogurt is a perfect addition because it provides a pleasant tartness that works quite well with the roasted pepper flavor.
• Roasting peppers can be a smelly process, but we love the smell.  Regardless, I always turn on my exhaust fan when I’m roasting them just to make sure the smell doesn’t end up in our bedrooms!
• I couldn’t pass up the bag of cute mini sweet peppers for less than $4.00, but trust me — what a royal pain to peel.  Turn on HDTV, stand at the counter with a nice beverage and just don’t think about it.  You’ll be done before you know it.
• Sometimes I roast green chilies with the sweet peppers and goodness they’re good!  Roasted onions work well, too, if you want a sweeter mix.
• You can prepare the roasted sweet peppers a day ahead if you need to.  Just wrap them well and keep them in the fridge.
• If you’re going to prepare the soup ahead, then allow the finished soup to cool completely before covering it and either storing for a few days in the fridge, or better, freezing to enjoy on a blustery day.
• Sweet peppers make me think of summer, so soup weather or not, this hits the spot.

More Roasted Pepper Soup Recipes

Simply Recipes — “Roasted Red Pepper Potato Soup”

Food Blogga — “Southwest Roasted Red Pepper and Corn Soup”

seasaltwithfood — “Roasted Red Pepper Soup”

A Veggie Venture — “Day 361:  Roasted Red Pepper Soup”

The Youngrens — “Recipe Sunday | Rainbow Roasted Pepper Soup”

You thought I was gone, didn’t you?  Gone as in not writing here any longer.  Not posting recipes, or photos, or recording notes of what I’ve made.

I’m sure someone somewhere has deemed such negligence to be a blogging foul and most likely written a post about it listing the “Top Ten Things Not to Do”  in blogging.  But I’m here, not intentionally avoiding writing, but busy with other things and enjoying every minute of it.

It feels exactly like a vacation.

Chalk it up to amazing summer weather — weather that completely makes up for what we didn’t have last year.  Clear skies, warm days, almost no humidity.  Night breezes through open windows with a hint of salt in the air reminding me there’s an ocean not too far away.

Perfect.

I’ve not been lolling about, however.

My oldest niece asked me to make her wedding cake, and since I’ve not made one before, it’s been the excuse du jour to obsess over details — some important, and some not so much.

I’ve continued to behave like a DIY groupie on the patio project with my husband who has finally had time to help with the work.  He mixes cement and I set the stones on the planter tops, making progress more quickly than I’m able to by myself.  Bathroom towel bars have been replaced sans appropriate tools, dust has been wiped from my ancient sewing machine to make drapes for my office of fabric I purchased months and months ago, and boxes of things I saved for a reason I’ve forgotten have been sorted.  At this point, cooking would be far easier.

I have done some cooking, but mostly uninvolved salads or pasta wedged between wedding cake experimentation, forced by lemon cake that wasn’t lemony enough according to taste testers.

Not so perfect.

When I was tired of having my head in the cake world, we’d get sandwiches from our favorite deli on the way to or from the beach after a rare walk, or before watching a not so rare sunset.  We’ve sampled some of San Diego’s food trucks and taken a bit of a staycation, enjoying Southern California  like a tourist might instead of taking it for granted which is something I’ve done for years and years.

Sounds pretty summerish, doesn’t it?

All I need is a hammock, some shade, a beverage and perhaps a bit of this carrot raisin salad I put my own spin on.  It’s light, just slightly sweet, and full of fresh crunchiness.  Perfect for a picnic anywhere you want to relax.

Hope your summer is going well, too.

Carrot Raisin Salad

Ingredients

carrots

radishes

green onions

raisins

sliced almonds

Greek yogurt

honey

salt & pepper

Directions

1. Prepare the carrots any way you like them — julienned, sliced thin, or shaved into ribbons.
2. Slice the green onions and radishes thin as well.
3. Sprinkle in some plump raisins and slivers of almonds.
4. Add a heaping tablespoon or two of the yogurt and finish with a drizzle of honey.  Agave nectar is great, too.
5. Season with salt and pepper and toss just until everything is moist with the yogurt.
6. Allow to sit covered about 15 – 30 minutes for the flavors to mingle if desired.

Recipe Notes:

• My mother used to make carrot raisin salad for us once in a while when we were growing up and it’s always been a favorite of mine.  She’d grate a huge bowl of carrots, add the raisins, a dollop or two of mayo, and give it all a good sprinkle of sugar.  A couple of scoops of it was perfect for lunch on a hot summer day.  The salad — not the sugar!
• I know many people turn up their noses at a traditional recipe that has been made “lighter,” but honestly, even my mother’s version was much lighter than many of the recipes I see around which contain as much as a cup of mayonnaise and nearly as much sugar.
• I used 0% fat Greek yogurt for this, but the 2% and whole milk versions are equally good.  If you like it more creamy, add more yogurt.  Your heart, thighs, and abdomen will thank you.
• Carrots are so sweet, adding sugar isn’t necessary, but the honey is a nice touch.  Just a drizzle.
• Spicy radishes and onion are a pleasant surprise in this.  I love a good combination of sweet and spice.
• Just think of all the calories you’ll burn chewing…

It’s Spring, so that means it’s officially time for asparagus even though it seems there is rarely a time that it isn’t available at the grocery store.  It’s probably one of our favorite vegetables,  so often in the “green & healthy” rotation around here for one meal or another if the price isn’t too crazy.  Most often, I saute it simply in olive oil with onion or shallots, a bit of garlic and lemon zest.  We bake it, grill it, enjoy it in soup, frittatas, omelettes, salads, and more often without hollandaise than with it.

As much as I pride myself on knowing quite a bit about the vegetables I enjoy, I was surprised to find out even more.

Ten Things:  Did you know that:

#1  asparagus is grown in the US states of Washington, Michigan, Illinois, New Jersey and California (which grows 80% of the nearly 200 million lbs. of the US crop). Otherwise, it’s grown extensively in Mexico, Peru, and China.

#2  it can grow as much as 10″ in 24 hours and that size does matter (the thicker the spear, the better the quality). The writer takes no responsibility for any connections the reader might make which are of a sexual nature.  *snort*

3#  asparagus contains glutathione (GSH) which happens to be the most powerful detoxifier in the body.

#4  the average American eats between 1-2 lbs. of asparagus per year as compared to 18.5 lbs. tomatoes.

#5  ancient Greeks and Romans thought asparagus might relieve a toothache or prevent a bee sting.

#6  asparagus contains rutin, a bioflavonoid vital to capillary strength and increasing circulation in the lower limbs.

#7  asparagus is a super source of folacin which helps not only with the duplication of cells, but growth and repair.

#8   it is a member of the lily family.

#9  after the asparagus harvest, the spears grow into ferns with red berries.

#10 asparagus is better suited to be grown locally more than any other vegetable.

Have you ever tried asparagus raw?  It’s my new favorite way to eat it.

Shaved Asparagus and Pecorino Romano Salad

1 lb. fresh, raw asparagus

5-6 shavings of pecorino romano cheese

the juice of 1/2 lemon

1-2 T extra virgin olive oil

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Trim the woody ends if any and discard.  Cut the tip from each spear, then using a sharp vegetable peeler, shave along the length of each spear, flipping from top to bottom as you go.  Place the asparagus shavings on a large plate along with the tips and squeeze the lemon juice over.  Toss lightly with your hand.  Drizzle the olive oil over and season with salt and pepper.  Top with pecorino romano shavings.

Notes:

• This salad was adapted from one I first saw in Mario Batali’s Molto Gusto:  Easy Italian Cooking.  The biggest difference is that he suggests a lemon vinaigrette made with lemon marmalade.  I wasn’t thrilled with that idea since I immediately thought of something sweet, but I haven’t tried it, so…
• My husband loved this salad.  Loved.
• This is a perfect recipe to choose the fattest asparagus spears you can find.  If they’re not available, then choose pencil-thin spears that easily snap when bent.
• I love using my little ceramic veggie peeler for this.  It runs right through each stalk leaving little or no waste.  It also saves me from having to get out the mandoline.
• Pecorino romano is a dry cheese with a heady aroma made of sheep’s milk that can be grated, crumbled, or shaved.  It’s slightly salty and has a bit of a sharp, nutty taste that isn’t as strong as that of Parmasean in my opinion.  You might recoil when you see the price tag ($17/lb.), but in the long run, you’re getting quite a bit of quality and flavor for that price — and it goes a long way.  It’s perfect with this salad.  It’s also very satisfying to nibble a little bit of it to stave off cravings for other things higher in carbs and calories.
• I was tempted to add some proscuitto, but now think it would make the salad too salty.
• A bit of crumbled hard-boiled egg would be a lovely addition.
• Make this with the best quality ingredients — its simplicity will allow you to enjoy all of the flavors.
• What might you add to this salad to put your own spin on it?  Let me hear about it when you do!

For more information about asparagus, refer to the following sources:

Asparagus : Farmology

Sustainablog: “What Asparagus Tells Us About Our Food Future” (An excellent site overall, rich with information regarding all things “green.”)

California Asparagus Commission: “Asparagus ‘Tips’”

Discovery Channel:  The Skinny On…“Why Asparagus Makes Your Pee Stink”

CDC:  Fruits & Veggies Matter “Fruit of the Month Asparagus”

And if you’re someone interested in growing asparagus, this is a great piece:

The New York Times: “Cuttings; Now You Don’t See It, Now You Do:  Asparagus.”

Grapefruit finds its way into my basket when I’m at the market.  I always have good intentions when I grab one or more of the pinkish-orange orbs of bracingly sweet tart fruit imagining that I’ll eat one a day.  We all know that imaging something doesn’t quite make it happen, so once home, the grapefruit are wedged to the back of the bin in my refrigerator by other seemingly more important orbs of wonderfulness or left to gather dust and sunlight each morning on the top level of my “other ingredients” rack.  Looks beautiful for a while, and then, well, it becomes yet another science experiment.

What is wrong with me?

If I had to line up citrus in the order it’s been a factor in my life, oranges would be first on the list.  This can’t be significant because my mother put them in my lunch box on most days.  She’d score the skin to make it easy to peel and I always thought that was pretty cool.  Sometimes, she’d quarter them, sprinkle them with salt and seal them in a baggie, making them extra juicy by the time lunch rolled around in my school kid day.  Makes me want an orange with salt just thinking about it.  For the sake of contrast, my sister would have lemons first on her citrus list because she ate them like oranges when she was little, right from the rind.  I still haven’t figured out how she could do that.  I’d suck on a lemon, too, but it had to be dipped in the sugar bowl first, and that was risking certain death if my mother found out about it.

Tangerines had to be next on the list because how much effort does it take to eat one?  Zero, thanks to that peeling, and seeds or no seeds, the sections come right apart.  Having lived in a beautiful place with two tangerine trees once upon a time, I am lucky to have memories of eating them sun-warmed right from the tree, and images of my youngest, still in diapers, sitting with my mother on the hill where the trees grew while she taught him to peel them.

Grapefruit was always last on the list, requiring a sprinkle of sugar to ward off the tartness just like that wedge of lemon. When I saw them in the house, I remember thinking my mother was on a diet more than it was fruit destined for me.  Thankfully I figured out how to eat grapefruit without sugar at some point in my life.  I’m thinking it was when I started teaching.  Anything that could be eaten on the run worked and became a habit because there was no time during the day to think about food — ever.

Ruby Reds probably had quite a bit to do with my learning to eat a grapefruit like an orange because they’re so sweet, but I have more time on my hands now, so can actually take the time to enjoy them with a fork and knife on a plate with avocado and a few other salad ingredients instead of having to clean up the juice that inevitably runs down my arm when I eat them from the peel.

If you’re someone who feels salad isn’t appealing at this time of year, don’t deny your body the flavor or nutrition this salad packs.  Get yourself warmed up with a cup of soup first, then dig into the salad.

No excuses.

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Basil and Lime

about 1/4 grapefruit and avocado per serving

fresh basil leaves

a bit of thinly sliced red onion

crumbled goat cheese

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

squeeze of half a key lime

sea salt & cracked pepper

This salad works best on a plate for me.  Large pieces down first, then add the basil, onions, and cheese.  Lime juice before the olive oil.  Perfect with Maldon sea salt.  I like to cut it up to mix the flavors and make sure each bite has a bit of everything.

Notes:

• Try it with cilantro or arugula instead of basil.  Substitute Feta or Cotija for the goat cheese.  Give hazelnut oil a go instead of olive oil, or maybe a bit of chili oil.  Better yet, add some very nice thinly sliced roasted red jalapenos to get beneficial capsaicin as well.  Don’t have limes?  Lemons or oranges will also taste well squeezed over this salad.  Want more of a crunch?  Add some sliced cucumbers.  Need some protein beyond what the cheese provides?  Add a bit of proscuitto.
• This salad is amazingly good for your body.  Grapefruit — especially that Ruby Red — is full of that amazing phytonutrient, lycopene (like tomatoes — especially cooked tomatoes) which is known to help fight oxygen free radicals. They’re also packed with Vitamin C.  Read more about the nutritional wonders of grapefruit here.  Avocados do contain a high percentage of fat and we know that fat is fat as far as calories go, but it’s monosaturated fat — just like the fat in the olive oil.  However, the avocado oil is thought to increase the absorption of the lycopene, increasing its benefit.   Read more here.
• To help with the “salad isn’t winter food” dilemma, make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.  I don’t like cold salad even on hot days so always serve salad at a reasonable room temp.
• In other news, I just treated myself to a dwarf Meyer lemon tree for my patio.  It’s loaded with blossoms and I have just the spot for it where, when the windows are open, I will be able to smell the intoxicating fragrance.  Can’t wait.  Clearly, I’ll have even more to say about lemons than I have.