The Three Ingredient Salad :: Roasted Fennel & Orange Salad

We finally got some much needed rain in Los Angeles this weekend.  Even though it was only for a measly two days, it wreaked some havoc in my neighborhood with the power going out for a bit, and some trees getting knocked over from the winds.   I saw people decked out in their down coats and boots...I may have heard some snickers from east coasters...

I know spring is around the corner and the sun is already coming back out here, but when I saw this recipe from Molly Steven's cookbook All About Roasting introduced on Food52,  I knew that I had to make it.  It only requires three ingredients that I happened to have all on hand, and I love the combination of fruit in savory dishes.  The citrus is a perfect complement to the red onion and fennel and when everything is roasted together, it creates a perfect harmony of flavor that makes me think of warm meals by the fire on cold nights. And the best part - it's so easy!

Easy & Delicious Cookies :: Butter & Eggs NOT required

I really really love this cookie.  I'm a big fan of oatmeal cookies to begin with, except this one is taken to different level with the addition of carrots and a kick of ginger.  Neither Cy nor I are vegan, but the fact that it's so easy to make with absolutely no eggs and no butter only makes it that much better.  I am always amazed at the perfect consistency - the somewhat crispy outside with the super moist inside.  I love this cookie with the currants and ginger, but really you can do any combination of flavors.  White chocolate chips, cinnamon instead of ginger, the possibilities are endless.  I used a combination of almond and whole wheat flour here, but you can also use regular flour, or whatever flour that floats your boat.

It's a perfect snack for when Cy and I are craving that sweet bite :)

A Cruciferous Salad

To be honest, I've always seen and been curious about this salad at the Whole Foods Deli, but I have never actually tried it.   When I saw that there were a plethora of homemade versions out there on the interweb (the one that particularly inspired me was this one), I figured it would be a good opportunity to try making it for myself.  This is a great salad for those days you feel like "detoxing" after not eating so great ( Like me, at work...) or just a great side dish to have on hand.

I've talked about the benefits of eating raw cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc. with all of their vitamins, fiber, and disease fighting phytochemicals before on a post.  In fact, Cy's Broccoli Salad is still one of my favorite salads, but this one is a good one to have in the arsenal.

If you notice, this recipe uses Kelp granules - a new ingredient for me.  I've always known that sea vegetables have amazing nutritional value, and they are a major part of Japanese cooking, but I didn't realize that they offer kelp in granule form - kind of like a healthier version of salt I guess, almost like furikake. You can find them in most grocery stores and read more about them here.  I think it's great that they make this so that benefits of sea veggies can be incorporated into western dishes. I will definitely be doing more posts on Japanese dishes that feature sea vegetables in the future :)

In the meantime, eat more cruciferous veggies!