cucumber

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10-Minute Asian Kale Salad

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Let me guess...you raaaarely, if ever, have time to whip up a healthy lunch in the middle of your crazy work day. Me either! Even though I'm in and out of the house, I'm running around and need to be out just as quick as I got in, so lunch needs to be fast, easy, healthy and delicious. 

And while it helps to always keep healthy staples on hand, hours of food prep is out of the question for me. Find habits that work for YOU. If you know you'll never find yourself chopping and prepping your Sunday away, choose easy and ready-to-go staples and easy simple meals for the work week. And if you enjoy prepping ahead of time, you go, you!!

Whipped this salad up in under 10 min and topped it with some leftover turkey larb from our picnic in the park last night for an extra protein boost. (side note: it's been decided that summer picnics need to happen waaaaaayyyyy more often). Toss everything together in the morning (or night before) – dressed or undressed (referring to both yourself, and the kale) – and you're good to go. I'm all for nudity in the kitchen btw.

10-MINUTE ASIAN KALE SALAD

Serves 1 | prep time 10 min

*No need to measure any of these ingredients - use your eyes, but here's a simple guideline.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 c lacinato kale, chopped

  • 1 tsp olive oil

  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

  • pinch of sea salt

  • 1 tsp or splash of rice vinegar

  • 1 tsp or splash of tamari

  • 2 inch piece of cucumber, thinly sliced

  • 1 radish, julienned

  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 Tbsp toasted pepitas or pumpkin seeds

  • 1/2 Tbsp black sesame seeds

  • 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Massage kale with olive oil, toasted sesame oil and sea salt.

  2. Add rice vinegar and tamari.

  3. Toss in a cucumber, radish, green onion, pepitas, sesame seeds.

  4. (Optional protein boost: ground turkey, soft boiled egg, chopped nuts, etc. Feel free to add in any other greens you have on hand. Thinly sliced green cabbage is a great addition!)

Toast Obsession

Running With Forks Pear Toast
Running With Forks Salmon Toast

Yep, it's official... I. AM. OBSESSED. WITH. TOAST. There aren't enough places around this town with good ol' toast.  I'm going to change that and you can quote me on that.  But, in the meantime, while you're waiting, I'll just be making it at home, for myself and for anyone else who wants to sit down with me and indulge in the many possible creations for this brilliant and simple idea we call toast.  Did you know that toast was created to make stale bread more palatable, and at one point, Streetband/Q-Tip even had a song named 'Toast' where they used toast as an instrument and the sound of toast being scraped later in the track...ummm....yeah, that happened. 

While living in Venice, I frequently (when I say "frequently", I mean "daily") walked down with Chloe to the little local joint GTA (Gjelina Take-Away) and it was almost a certainty that I'd order a toast. Sometimes the granola, sometimes the spicy breakfast sandwich with kale, but most likely...toast...and a cortado.  God, I miss that place. And with that nostalgia and longing for a good local spot where everyone knows my name and the toast that I want, I have to settle for toast at home.

Above, my favorite, salmon toast (wild alaskan smoked salmon, cream cheese, pickled cucumber, capers, radish, dill) and pear toast (winter red pear, whipped cream cheese and yogurt, maldon sea salt, thyme).

Running With Forks Salmon Toast

Salmon Toast

INGREDIENTS:

  • Artisan bread, sliced (and optional: lightly toasted)

  • 4oz Wild Alaskan Smoked Salmon

  • 2 oz Organic Cream Cheese

  • 1 Pickled Cucumber, thinly sliced/shaved

  • 1 Tbsp Capers

  • 1 Radish, thinly sliced

  • 2 sprigs fresh dill

  • Maldon sea salt

  • fresh cracked pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Arrange your mise en place of ingredients.

  2. Spread cream cheese onto slice of artisan bread.

  3. Layer with salmon, cucumber and capers. Top with radish and dill sprigs and a pinch of maldon sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Voila!

 

Running With Forks Pear and Thyme Toast

Winter Pear Toast

INGREDIENTS:

  • Artisan bread, sliced (and optional: lightly toasted)

  • 2 oz cream cheese

  • 2 tbsp plain greek yogurt

  • 1 red or asian pear, thinly sliced

  • maldon sea salt

  • 1 sprig thyme

  • optional: drizzle of honey

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Arrange your mise en place of ingredients.

  2. In a small bowl, whip together cream cheese and yogurt. Adjust amount of yogurt for desired taste and consistency. Spread cream cheese onto slice of artisan bread.

  3. Layer pear on top of cream cheese/yogurt and top with maldon sea salt, a sprig of thyme and optional honey drizzle for added sweetness. Done!

Running With Forks Toast