Daikon Carrot Salad with Almonds

Do you know how hard it is to get a cat to make a cute paw print on a card?  No, of course you don't... because why would you?  Why on earth would you do something weird and wacky like that?  Things like this are best left up to me; then I can come back and tell you how crazy they are.

I got this idea to make a card "from our cats" for my partner for Valentine's Day.  Naturally my first concern was what medium to use that would be safe on their paws. Anything possibly toxic like ink and paint were most definitely out so I opted for fresh beet juice.

You should know that beet juice stains. Bad. Especially when there are tiny paws covered in beet juice that are running very quickly away from you. In the end, I didn't even get a cute paw print on the card. All I got was a couple of red, ill-shaped blobs. I think the card ended up looking more like a threat than a gesture of one's love and admiration.  

So, the lesson here is simple: don't be like me when it comes to cats... or probably life in general. But, if you like good food, you are more than welcome to be like me when it comes to this salad.

This salad is simple and easy to adapt depending on the produce you have on-hand.  I love using daikon radish in this salad for its mild spice that complements the sweet carrots and broccoli stalks perfectly.  Serve this as a refreshing appetizer or side dish to any entree.

Daikon Carrot Salad
Adapted from Clean Start by Terry Walters
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 cups julienned daikon radish
2 cups julienned carrots
2 cups julienned broccoli stalks
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds

Dressing
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons ume plum vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:
Place daikon, carrots, broccoli, and cilantro in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.  In separate bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients.  Drizzle dressing over salad and toss evenly to coat. Fold in chopped almonds and serve.

Late Spring Farmers Market

I am so excited for summer this year and it feels like the sun can't come fast enough.  But, it's still spring here in the Pacific Northwest.  Luckily there is already an amazing mix of local produce available at the farmers market.  

For most of the year, we have an abundance of carrots and root vegetables.  I love the fresh, baby carrots of spring that taste so tender and sweet.  These are wonderful eaten raw with a dip like hummus or simply roasted to bring out a bit more flavor.

Fiddleheads, fiddleheads, fiddleheads.  I love that word.  Fiddleheads are uncoiled ferns, a true springtime treat.  If you've never heard of them, you can read more about them here along with a simple recipe.

Lavender is one of my favorite plants and although it can be used in the kitchen, I've yet to incorporate it into a recipe.  I love to keep lavender in my garden to give off a wonderful, relaxing aroma while attracting bees.  My favorite uses for dried lavender is in sachets under my pillow or adding some to a hot bath.

Oh how I love cherries.  Although they can be a pain to pit, cherries are one of my favorite fruits to add in smoothies and summertime slushie treats.  They're also a great topping for salads.

There is an abundance of greens right now and it is a great time to find tender, baby lettuce for salads.  Top your salad with this incredible green goddess dressing and relish in the flavors of spring.

I think radishes tend to get a bad rap.  Most of the radishes we eat come from the grocery store and taste overly spicy, woody, and hard.  The fresh, baby radishes available at markets are a different game entirely.  These ones are still spicy, but they don't taste dried out.  My favorite ways to enjoy them is shredded in a raw salad or roasted.

What's available in your area this time of year?

Roasted Radishes and Greens

I'm not going to lie to you.  Sometimes it's okay to eat your feelings.  Really, it is. And everybody does it on occasion... (right?!)

Sometimes it's okay to eat your feelings when you're feeling under the weather because it's grey in Seattle. Again.  In June.  And it's pouring buckets of rain everywhere.  And you just wish you lived anywhere else but here.  But that's too bad.  Because you live here. Then it's okay to eat your feelings a little, I promise.  (Especially if you eat your feelings with one of these.)

Then there are those moments when you want to recover from eating your feelings.  Sure, it was a little fun while it lasted, but now it's time to get something healthy and fresh in there pronto.  Sounds like you need some roasted radishes my friend.

Roasting radishes brings out their sweetness, which is a wonderful complement to their natural spicy flavor.  Small, fresh radishes taste best and I would highly recommend getting them locally if possible. The radish greens are also baked, making them light, crispy and crunchy.  It looks like kale chips just met their match.

Roasted Radishes and Greens
Serves 2 - 4

1 bunch radishes
2 teaspoons coconut oil, divided
Coarse sea salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Separate 1 bunch radishes (halved if large) and their greens.  Arrange on two rimmed baking sheets.

Toss radishes with 1 teaspoon coconut oil.  Roast, until radishes are tender and caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper before serving.

Toss greens with 1 teaspoon coconut oil.  Bake until leaves are crisp, about 7 - 8 minutes.  Serve warm.

Raw Radish and Cucumber Salad

If there is one thing that I have grown to appreciate this spring it has to be radishes.  Radishes tend to get a bad rap, but there is a huge difference between fresh radishes and the big, tough radishes that have been siting at the grocery store for a week. 

I was writing an article about radishes for work and became inspired to grow some of my own after learning how easy they are to grow.  They usually sprout in as little as 4 days and they are ready to pick within 3 - 4 weeks.  I started by growing red radishes and a few purple, but now I'm hooked and am filling up my garden with other varieties as well.  Radishes are a great source of Vitamin C, fiber, and minerals such as iron, potassium, magnesium, copper, and folate.  They are best picked when they are young and tender because they tend to become too strong in flavor as they age. 

 
If even fresh radishes are too much for your taste buds, then you can always cook them, but I recommend eating them shredded and raw.  This salad is sweet and tangy and the sweetness of the agave complements the radish flavor perfectly.  You could easily add in some summer vegetables, like zucchini or fresh corn, or substitute basil for the cilantro. 

Also, don't throw out your radish greens!  Toss a few in salads, green smoothies, or cook them in a stir fry with other vegetables. 

Raw Radish and Cucumber Salad

Serves 2

1 cucumber, seeded and sliced into matchsticks

1 medium carrots, shredded

6 medium radishes, shredded

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon agave

3 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Add the cucumber, carrot, and radishes to a medium bowl.  Mix with the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, agave, and cilantro. Top with salt and pepper to taste and serve.