Tuna Nicoise Sandwiches

What do you get when you put classic nicoise salad ingredients between 2 slices of bread?  You get the perfect picnic takealong.

I was inspired by this sandwich over at Tartelette.  It was just the thing to bring for an afternoon cooling off by the river last weekend.  It was Jeremy’s birthday and we needed a way to beat the heat and get out of our ordinary routine.  We ended up with happy tastebuds and a very happy dog.

Chasing sticks never gets old for him.

I used some lovely homemade focaccia bread and quick-pickled onions in this recipe.  Use whatever bread you prefer, but I really recommend you give the onions a try.  They only take about 5 minutes to put together and they add a zesty tang and crunch.

I hope everyone is staying cool out there.  I’ve stationed myself in front of the fan for the afternoon.

Tuna Nicoise Sandwiches
makes 2
adapted from Tartelette

Ingredients
- 2 hard-boiled farm eggs, peeled and chopped
- 1 can tuna packed in olive oil, drained
- 6 olives, halved (I’m obsessed with castelvetrano olives)
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- several large basil leaves, torn into pieces
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tomato, sliced
- several slices quick-pickled onions
- bread of choice

In a large bowl, mix eggs, tuna, olives, garlic, basil, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Spread thickly between slices of bread, topped with tomato and onions.

Related articles

• Sweet and Sour Tuna Salad! (mylifein24hours.wordpress.com)
• Roasted (Nearly) Nicoise Salad with Burrata and Parsley Pesto (foodtoglow.wordpress.com)
• Julia Child’s Salade Nicoise Recipe (averagebetty.com)

I added this post to this week’s Melt in Your Mouth Monday.

Quick Pickled Onions

I was so excited when, at the grocery store last week, I noticed the first of this season’s walla walla onions.  For those who’ve never have them, walla walla onions are an incredibly sweet, ridiculously huge variety of onion grown in and around Walla Walla, Washington (yes, real place).  They have a short shelf life and are only available this time of year and so they are quite a treat.

I bought one without having any plans for it and proceeded to let it sit on my counter for a few days.  My favorite way to enjoy walla wallas is to grill them and put them on a burger.  But it has been way to HOT to grill, if you can believe it, and I began to worry that this precious onion would go to waste.  That’s when I got the idea to pickle it.  While red onions are usually the ones I see turned into pickles (so good on sandwiches, salad, and tacos!), I decided that the walla walla would be a perfect variation.  And I was right.

Quick Pickled Onions
adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients
- 1 onion, thinly sliced (walla walla or red would work well)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt

In a large jar, mix vinegar, water, sugar, and salt until dissolved.  Add onion to the jar, place the lid on top and shake until the onion has been coated.  Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

* I added this post to this week’s Fresh Bites Friday and Thriving on Thursday.

And the winner is… (plus a smoothie)

Today I’m excited to announce the winner of my first-ever giveaway.  For those who missed it, it was sponsored by the site/app Slimkicker and they wanted your ideas about fun and creative fitness challenges that their users can implement in daily life.  We got some great responses and Slimkicker has chosen Camila’s challenge to sponsor on their site.  Camila’s response was ”to slow down while you exercise. Lots of people just rush thru their workout without actually focusing and concentrating on the movements.”  Congratulations, Camila, you’ve won the Ozeri professional kitchen scale!  You can email team@slimkicker.com to claim your prize!

And after sweating it out at the gym (or in your 100+ degree apartment) you can cool yourself off with this blueberry-cucumber smoothie.  Seriously, so necessary on days like today.

Help!  What’s your favorite way to cool off on a hot summer day?

Blueberry-Cucumber Smoothie
serves 1

Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 medium cucumber, sliced
- 1 cup spinach (optional)
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp matcha powder (optional)
- 1/2 cup water

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.  Drink cold.

* I shared this post with this week’s Real Food Wednesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Fat Tuesday and Monday Mania.

Cherry Tomato Focaccia

Bread-making is something of a tradition in my family.  My grandma, Alice, was famous in her Minnesota town for the making and sharing her perfect loaves of sandwich bread.  We would often spend part of our summer vacations at her lake cabin catching frogs, wakeboarding behind my uncle’s speedboat, and helping Alice make bread.  I still remember how satisfying it was to watch the dough slowly rise and then to punch it back down.  When my grandma passed away, each of the grandchildren were allowed to choose one item from her house (the same one my mom grew up in) to remember her by.  I took the enormous, battered bread pan.

My mom started her own tradition of making bread as a way to remember grandma Alice and she has become quite accomplished at it.  I gave it a few tries in my first post-college kitchens without much success.  I would have trouble getting the dough to rise, it would come out too dry, or after a day of work and care I would burn it.  I decided that perhaps I just wasn’t a baker and gave up for a while.  And then I made this focaccia.

Ok, so I burned it just a little but otherwise it was amazing.  I couldn’t believe that bread with such flavor and such a dense, springy crumb had come out of my kitchen.  On top of that, it was easy!  You make it over two days, which helped me sidestep the problem of bread-making becoming an all day project.  You just put the dough together, set it in the fridge, and forget about it until you have time to bake it the next day.

Who knows, maybe I’ll be tackling (and mastering) grandma Alice’s bread recipe next!

Cherry Tomato Focaccia
makes 1 large loaf
recipe adapted from the August issue of Vegetarian Times

Bread:
- 3 1/2 cups high-gluten bread flour, plus more for kneading
- 1 tsp instant yeast (you will need water and sugar to activate it)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for the bowl and the pan

Topping:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp thyme, chopped
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt

On the first day, activate yeast according to package directions.  Place flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and mix.  Add activated yeast, olive oil and 1 cup of water.  Use your hands to mix together until a soft, shaggy dough forms.  It should be quite soft and sticky, but still knead-able.  Add a little more flour if it seems too sticky.  Knead gently for a couple of minutes and then pour some olive oil over the dough so that it does not stick to the bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap or a cloth and set in the refrigerator to rise overnight.

The next day, take the dough out a few hours before you plan to bake it so it can reach room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 450 F.  Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper and gently stretch the dough into a large rectangle.  Let it rest for about 10 minutes and stretch a little bit more, dimple-ing the top with your fingers.  Drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil over the top, sprinkle with salt, and press cherry tomatoes, sliced side up, into the dough.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Related articles

• Focaccia, Focaccia Bread & Rosemary Focaccia (williams-sonoma.com)
• Almost Blueberry Pie: Sourdough Focaccia With Chocolate And Blueberries (myitaliansmorgasbord.com)
• Homemade pasta with pesto (ginandjuiceboxes.com)

* I shared this post with this week’s Foodie Friday, Melt In Your Mouth Monday, Mix it Up Monday, and My Meatless Monday.

Totally Addictive Tali Sauce

What you see here is the last serving of the condiment that saved my week.  If you don’t live in Portland, OR you may never have heard of Tali sauce.  This creamy, lemony, garlicky wonder was one of the first culinary delights I fell in love when when I moved to this city 5 years ago.  It’s served at The Whole Bowl, a downtown food cart, and it has the amazing ability to turn a plain ol’ bowl of rice and beans into something extraordinary.  Of course, they don’t just give their recipe away, but I managed to find a good approximation at The Improbable Farmer blog.

Part of the amazing flavor comes from nutritional yeast, which I once heard described as catnip for vegans.  I thought that was hilariously accurate.  Moving on.

I’ve been enjoying this with brown rice, pinto beans, and avocado.  It’s also good with a chicken breast and steamed broccoli.  And I’m about to sauté some zucchini to eat with the last of it.  The point is that you can let your imagination run wild.  May your lunch never taste boring again.

Tali Sauce
adapted from The Improbable Farmer

Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup cooked pinto (or garbanzo) beans
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup lemon juice

Place all ingredients in the blender.  Blend on high for a few minutes until smooth.  Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

* I shared this post with this week’s Fresh Bites Friday, Wellness Weekend, Simple Lives Thursday and Pennywise Platter.

Fresh Blueberries with Honey-Ricotta Cream

Today I am going to share the simplest, dreamiest summer dessert with you.  It’s got a short ingredients list, won’t heat up your kitchen, and will take you all of 5 minutes to put together.  Sound good?

Behold: incredibly smooth honey-ricotta cream draped over seasonal blueberries.  You may use any other type of fruit that strikes your fancy.  A mix of berries or peaches would be perfect.  You can also dress it up in a variety of ways.  Consider adding lemon zest or vanilla paste to the ricotta.  Or sprinkle a few lavender flowers over your dessert bowls.  Personally, I’ve been enjoying as is for a cooling summer treat.

Fresh Blueberries with Honey-Ricotta Cream
makes 8 servings
adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 3 cups fresh blueberries

Place ricotta, sour cream, and honey in the blender.  Blend until smooth and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  This can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.

Place a few tablespoons of the cream in the bottom of your dessert bowls.  Top with a generous handful of blueberries and another dollop of cream.  Serve while still cold.

Related articles

• Berries with Lavender-Honey Whipped Cream (portlandfarmersmarket.wordpress.com)
• Grilled Kale, Sliced Plums and a Balsamic Vinaigrette over Ricotta (seattlefoodshed.wordpress.com)
• blueberry corn muffins with blueberry-flavored mascarpone and my first giveaway (daisysworld.net)

I shared this post with this week’s Full Plate Thursday, Monday Mania, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, My Meatless Monday and Mix it Up Monday.

Harissa Chickpeas with Spinach and a *Giveaway*!

Ah, resolutions.  They are so easy to make and so hard to keep.  There are the annual New Year’s Resolutions we all make and break.  There’s the inevitable swimsuit season countdown.  And there are the (in some cases daily) promises that this will be the LAST TIME I gorge on Oreo cookies for dessert after my greasy grilled cheese dinner.  Obviously I say none of this from experience.  Obviously.

Regardless of what your health/fitness goals are, it’s hard to make changes last.  Whether it’s cutting down on soda or quitting smoking, it’s always easier to make resolutions than to keep them.   And long-term habits are what ultimately create health or illness.  Which is why I’m sharing a GIVEAWAY today from the health and fitness app/website Slimkicker.  SlimKicker is a website/app that turns your health and diet challenges into a game by giving you the tools to track your progress, reward yourself, and even compete with friends.

To win the giveaway, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post with a fun and creative health, diet, or fitness challenge.  Slimkicker will pick will pick their favorite entry, add it as a challenge to their site, and give you an Ozeri Professional Kitchen Scale.  I’m seriously jealous of excited for whoever wins this.  (This giveaway is only open to residents of the U.S. and Canada.)

source

I will be accepting entries until July 31st and then we’ll be contacting the winner.

I was thinking about what kind of challenge I would create for myself and decided it would definitely be to cook dinner at home more often.  For someone who writes a cooking blog, I do a poor job of feeding myself and my loved ones at the end of a busy day.  Even the simplest dinners cooked at home would save me tons of money and would be much healthier than take-out or (ahem) bar food.  So in honor of today’s giveaway, I’m sharing these Harissa Chickpeas with Spinach.  Fast, healthy, and affordable.  I guess there’s nothing too challenging about that!

Harissa Chickpeas with Spinach
serves 2
from Not Without Salt

Note: You can find harissa paste in many well-stocked grocery stores or online.

Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (= 15oz can)
- 1 tsp harissa paste (add more for more spice)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- generous scoop plain greek yogurt

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and sauté about 2 minutes, until softened.  Add harissa paste and allow to cook 2 minutes more.

2. Add chickpeas and sauté until warm and softened, about 5 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and stir in mint, spinach, and olive oil.

3. Allow the residual heat to soften the spinach and divide into 2 bowls.  Top each bowl with a scoop of greek yogurt and serve with a slice of crusty bread, if you like.

* I shared this post with this week’s Fresh Bites Friday and Fight Back Friday.

Paleo Beef Liver Meatball and Cabbage Soup

Yup, I said it.  ”Cabbage” and “liver” in the same recipe title.  But trust me, if I didn’t find it to be 100% delicious, I would not be sharing it with you.  I’ve been intrigued by the amazing health benefits of grass-fed liver for a while now, but I wasn’t really sure of how to introduce the topic on this site.  Liver is not something that most people tend to get excited about and so in order to sell it, I knew I’d have to find an incredible way to prepare it.  I’ve tried the classic liver and onions, a chopped liver sandwich, and even a curried version (which was actually pretty good but I forgot to write down my recipe).  This is the first that I feel I can confidently promise you will love.  Now, on to a discussion of the health benefits.

Beef liver is an extremely nutrient dense food, providing an abundance of vitamin A, B vitamins, copper, zinc, iron and folate.  These vitamins are essential for proper functioning of the immune system, combatting fatigue, promoting healthy metabolism, and protecting against oxidative stress.  On top of all that, it is very high in protein.  I find that when I eat liver, it takes hours for me to feel hungry again.  Which is unusual for a snack-monster like me  :)

The nice thing about this recipe is that there are many layers of flavor that make the liver much less noticeable.  There is a savory, salty broth made with a parmesan rind, lots of hearty vegetables, and the meatballs which contain ground beef, liver, and spices.  You can also adjust the amount of liver according to your taste.  Try just 1/4 pound if you’re not sure about the stuff or go all the way to 3/4 pound if you’re a liver-eating pro.

Do you include liver in your diet?  If so, what are your favorite ways to prepare it?

Beef Liver Meatball and Cabbage Soup
makes 12 servings

Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 large carrots, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1/4″ pieces
- 4 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 zucchini, quartered and chopped into 1/2″ pieces
- 1 large head of cabbage, shredded (about 8 cups)
- 8 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock
- 1 parmesan rind
- salt, to taste

- 1 lb ground beef (grass-fed, if possible)
- 2/3 lb beef liver (use more or less, to taste)
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp ground flax
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add carrots and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes.  Add zucchini and sauté another 5 minutes, until vegetables are starting to soften.  Add cabbage and allow to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often.

2. Add broth or stock and parmesan rind.  Bring to a simmer and prepare meatballs.

3. Place liver in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Place in a large bowl with ground beef, egg, flax, salt, paprika, and oregano.  Mix ingredients until uniformly distributed.  In a large sauté pan, heat a little more olive oil.  Drop beef mixture by tablespoonfuls into the pan and cook for about 1 minute on each side, until lightly browned.  They do not have to be cooked all the way through as they will continue cooking in the stock pot with the soup.

4. Add meatballs to the soup and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes.  Add salt to taste.  Serve hot.

* I shared this post with this week’s Whole Foods Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Hearth and Soul Hop, Fat Tuesday and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

Peanut, Cabbage, and Sesame Slaw

Usually when I’m making something that can be easily construed as “health food”, I make just one serving.  I’m usually pretty sure that my boyfriend, Jeremy, will not be interested and I’m usually right.  A funny thing happened, though, as this asian-inspired coleslaw sat on the table waiting to be photographed.  Jeremy walked over to it to see what it was.

“Can I have some?” he asked.

“No, I’m not finished taking pictures yet.”

He walked away.  A few minutes later, he’s back in the kitchen.  ”Just a bite?”

“No, I’m still working with it… Now, are you messing with me, or do you really want me to make you one of your own?”

His face lit up.  ”I want one!”  So I made another bowl of salad just for him and he spent the rest of the day telling me how good it was.  He even asked if I would make one for him every day.  I told him that I couldn’t make that kind of commitment.  But it felt good to be asked.  :)

Peanut, Cabbage, and Sesame Slaw
makes 4 servings
adapted from The Kitchn

For the dressing:
- 3 Tbsp peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Mix all ingredients with a fork or a whisk until smooth.

For the salad:
- 1 head green cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced
- 3 large carrots, grated
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- a small handful of roasted peanuts

Mix the cabbage, carrots, and green onions together in a large bowl.  Toss with peanut butter dressing until well-mixed.  Top each individual serving with sesame seeds and peanuts.

Related articles

• Sesame Noodles with Grilled Cod (cookinginsens.wordpress.com)
• Cole slaw (arnoldzwicky.wordpress.com)
• Lani’s Asian Slaw (funfitchic.net)

Cherry Tomato and Yellow Squash Crumble

Just last week, I noticed the first cherry tomatoes and summer squashes in the farmer’s market.  We had a cool spring and so it seems that everything has been a bit delayed.  Now that summer is in full swing and I’m beginning to wonder just how we are supposed to survive without air conditioning, the local tomatoes and squashes have decided to grace us with their presence.  In another month, we’ll probably have more than we can handle.  For now, they still feel like a treasure.

I baked them into a savory crumble (although the vegetables’ natural sweetness also shone through) and we enjoyed it on our patio with tuna melts.

Later that night we went to a CD release show for a local band, Monarques (they are amazing!), and then met some friends at our favorite late-night spot.  Yup, summer.

What signals the arrival of summer in your world?

Cherry Tomato and Yellow Squash Crumble
makes 6 servings
adapted from Vegetarian Times Magazine, July 2012

Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if you like)
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3/4 lb small yellow squash, diced
- 1 generous pint (about 3/4 lb) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs and parsley together.  Melt butter in a skillet over low heat and pour a little more than half of it over the breadcrumbs, leaving enough in the pan to sauté vegetables.  Mix butter into breadcrumbs.

Add onion to skillet and sauté over medium-high heat until soft, about 7 minutes.  Stir in squash and cook another 4 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes and cook about 2 more minutes.  Season with salt.

Transfer mixture to a 9-inch square or equivalent baking dish.  Sprinkle cheese on top and then evenly sprinkle breadcrumbs over everything.  Bake 25-30 minutes until top is lightly browned.  Serve hot.

Related articles

• Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes, Squash and Basil, en Papillote (chocolateandchiles.wordpress.com)
• heirloom and cherry tomatoes with peach-basil vinaigrette (daisysworld.net)
• Baked Goats Cheese and Cherry Tomato Tart (pravings.com)

I shared this post with this week’s Hearth and Soul Hop, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Mix it Up Monday, My Meatless Mondays, and Seasonal Celebration Sunday.