A Simple Spring Salad

 Spring comes and our thoughts turn to all things fresh and green. There's nothing that exemplifies this more than a new kind of salad bursting with flavor. It's a chickpea , scallion and celery mix  that's good as a main dish or as the perfect side.

I found this recipe in one of the emails from one of the many food sites follow. I made it completely vegan by switching out the recommended sour cream and using Hellman's Vegan mayo as part of the dressing.

I cut the scallions into bit size pieces , getting rid of the tips which can be tough to chew.

As for the chickpeas, i used Goya 's for a change . Only drain half the  brine. The remaining half will be part of the dressing.

Then it was cutting up the celery . Use about five to six stalks, including the heart.

                                                         This is without the dressing

The dressing was five tablespoons of the vegan mayo mixed with about two tablespoons of olive oil and apple cider vinegar. A tiny dash of salt  and a grind of fresh black pepper rounded it out.

This is a chunky salad to mix so I'd recommend using a wooden spoon to completely coat the pieces. You can add salt and a little freshly ground pepper for bite. I like this salad a lot. The flavor mix is a combination of bite from the scallions and mild from the chickpeas and celery. I know it's going to be made a lot this summer as a perfect side to burgers and dogs. You could add green olives for more flavor and color but don't go overboard with them. 

This is  different kind of salad but it's sure to be a classic. Make it for any Spring meal or party. It is fresh and green, bursting with flavor.

Give Your Heart A Treat

This is the day when hearts abound. They're everywhere , from cards to the shape of  our chocolate packed candy boxes. Yet what about the real deal? What should we give our own hearts? Healthy and tasty foods, from meals to treats.

Since I've been on the cirrhosis diet (by the way, it turns out I have gallstones - which hopefully will break up naturally) I've discovered that healthy foods can be delicious. They're also easy to transform into all sorts of variations. Take plain Greek yogurt. Add maple syrup and put into a Slushie cup and becomes a yummy ice cream. For a savory spin stir in some cumin and onion powder for a really flavorsome dip for raw veggies. It also makes a great party dip for baked potato chips and pretzels.Veggies are other transformable ingredients. Of course the healthiest option is a salad, chock full of all sorts of goodness but veggies are also great cooked. A light but filling winter dish is ratatouille. This classic Provencale favorite is just a mix of eggplant, onions and tomatoes. They're sauteed in olive oil and flavored with garlic and herbes de Provence. It can be good on it's own, with the juices sopped up with a whole wheat baguette or as filling for whole wheat crepes or galettes.Don't discount your mom and granny's stuffed pepper recipes. Fill these vitamin packed gems with brown rice and beans. Season with garlic and oregano to really make the flavors pop.

Of course everyone is on the Beyond Beef bandwagon. The patties and crumbles are supposed to be healthy and good for you , right? Think again, Yes, they're purposely loaded with such mineral as zinc and Vitamin B12. Yes, they get you from eating bad for your heart beef but they have some drawbacks too. According to The Harvard Health Publishing from their medical school the burgers are also heavily over processed and high in saturated fats. A better substitute is a turkey burger which has 170 calories and only seven grams of sodium. Beyond Burger has a whopping 390 grams of the salty stuff while the Impossible Burger has 370 grams. If you do want a fast food burger then stick with a plain one. Ask for one with no mayo or ketchup because these are loaded with salt. Only have it with lettuce and tomatoes and nix the cheese and bacon. As far as with meats at home, think chicken breasts fried in an air fryer. (another treat for your heart an air fryer. This is a very good investment).Just pound the breasts firsts then brine them for a few hours. It's then rubbing them with olive oil first and a dry rub of your favorite spices and herbs. End your meals  with seventy to eighty percent dark chocolate. You can mix this in Greek yogurt or almond butter for a sweet heart healthy dessert.

This Valentine's Day treat your heart to  delicious dishes It's easy to  create tasty and healthy dishes. It;s just a bit of creativity and knowledge of what's good for it and you.

All Things Artichoke

One of the most pleasant tasting vegetables is the artichoke, Its' mild sweet flavor is addictive and can add to any dish, whether appetizer, or main meal. The verdant globes are a plus to any table.

What are artichokes? Plainly put thistles, those sharp edged pretty flowers that grow wild in gardens and woodlands.It's been cultivated for food since earliest times. and can grow as high as four feet.Homer has mentioned them as early as the Eight Century BCE The Greeks called them kaktos while the Romans named them carduus, hence their cousin's name cardoon.. Henry VII enjoyed them probably believing stories of them being aphrodisiacs. French colonists brought them to Louisiana while  the Spanish introduced them to California. Artichokes have the highest amount of antioxidants of any vegetable. They also possess a chemical called Cynarine which inhibits taste receptors. That's why foods, drinks , and water taste sweet after eating the hearts and leaves. Since this is a thistle, the leaves do have to be trimmed.Melissa Clark gave a how to in her  column A Good Appetite seen in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. The pointed leaves or "petals" have to be snipped using a kitchen scissor.(or regular one if you don;t have the first) Do not trim the stems. They are just as tasty as the artichoke hearts. Using a grapefruit knife, trim away any tough outer petals. If they're thicker than a newspaper and won;t bend between your fingers, then discard. Also scrape out any purplish spikes you see. These, too, are hard to eat along with the white choke.

Artichoke dishes are always special. Ms. Clark makes her with pasta and pancetta. Leeks, lemon and dry vermouth give it a brightness The recipe calls for four to five chokes which will give the ever salty pancetta a sweetness.Chives and mint  along with parsley are also added. One of the best artichoke  recipes is one for stuffed globes. This is a Southern Italian dish, rife with cheese and sausage. It's putting a breadcrumb  and oregano based stuffing into the leaves and then oven steaming them with water and olive oil. Sausage is crumbled into the mix and and moistened with a few drops of olive oil. Pecorino-Rmano cheese is sprinkled on top of this stuffing and then the artichokes can be steamed on the stove top or in  the microwave..A more elegant way of having them steamed and then dipping the leaves in a delicate vinaigrette using red wine vinegar or lemon juice. The artichoke hearts themselves are a tasty treat. They're  marinated in a garlicky oil and come in either jars or cans. One of my favorite brands is Paesana. The flavor is delicate  and not overpowered by too much garlic. They're good on their own as a lunchtime side or dipped in herbed cracker meal and then fried in a combo of butter and olive oil.

Artichokes and their hearts are a delicious addition to any table. Use them in pasta or  just stuff them as a hearty appetizer . They bring a sweet greenness and Spring flavor to the meal.

Gravy Training

One of the most important parts of any holiday dinner is the gravy. It can be the thin au jus which lets thee meat shine or a thick, rich sauce that's perfect on slices of turkey and bread. The secret to any gravy is a good recipe and how you make it. It' not just luck. Technique and know how play important roles too.

What exactly is au jus?It's from the French and means with it's own juice.It's used primarily with beef dishes like prime rib or London Broil but it can be used with turkey too. To prepare  all home chefs have to do simply skim the fat off the meat after cooking and mixed with water .It is then heated  until bubbling an d then poured over the meat. A sandwich can be made,using the roast and typically French bread,  and it can be dunked in the gravy. This is called a French dip and is very popular in diners and some restaurant chains like Denny's and Friendly's. Soy sauce and Worcester sauce can be added to enhance the brown color along with brown sugar, garlic and onion , these last added to enhance the flavor. Turkey au jus is easy to make.It's just skimming the juices from the bottom of the pan. You can add dry white wine or butter to stretch it.You can also add a cup of chicken broth to stretch it out if you want. Au jus can be frozen for three month however be warned. Freezing and then reheating makes it lose its' flavor. It's better off eaten fresh with the meat.

Many people prefer the thicker kind of gravy. After all, it goes well with everything from slices of whte meat to mashed potatoes to stuffing.It's also good reheated, ,moistening a sandwich made with leftovers. This gravy is easy  to make. It starts with a roux, a mix of butter or fat with flour and water. Home chefs can omit the butter, because the drippings already have fat.Drain the drippings off the bird along with skimming off the fat. This last will be mixed with a 1/4 cup of flour and will be whisked into a smooth almost paste like gravy. Pour the dripping into this until thick and creamy. Constant stirring and whisking  is key here..Gravy can lump up which can ruin it. If there are any flour lumps, then break them up with a fork and then forcefully stir into the liquid.If you want a meatier version then add the giblets. These are the gizzards, neck, liver and heart of the bird and should be cooked for at least an hour or until they're tender before adding.They're then minced and added to the gravy.It's recommended to cook these before you start on the main part. Leftover gravy should be refrigerated right after using due to the fact that it's a bacteria magnet. It can be frozen for up to four months in an airtight container.

Gravy, whether it's the delicate au jus,or the hearty thick kind adds so much to  the Thanksgiving dinner. Make either one for a tasty plus that goes with both bird and stuffing . They'll not only enhance dinner but also make the leftovers special too.