SHAVED ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH ROASTED CHICKPEAS, RADISH & LEMON CAPER VINAIGRETTE

May 11, 2015 sassy kitchen

I've always been a huge advocate of salads, especially those that can double as actual meals. So many people think salads can't fill them up, or worse, they get the "restaurant salad" which is arugula and a shaved something (which won't fill you up for more than 10 minutes). It's a recipe for thinking salads only belong as starters.

Another thing, I use the word salad as a lose term. It doesn't have to be green, or even made OF greens (ex: quinoa salad). This shaved asparagus salad is as light as Springtime (which it finally is!!), but satisfying enough to be a main meal. Even though the radish is technically shaved, it's not the only thing on this salad. The crunchy chickpeas (addictive enough on their own) add such amazing texture and the true holding power to this "green" salad.

Even though this meal is meat & dairy-free, you won't even notice. As the days are starting to get warmer, I'm looking a lot to these hybrid salads. Something not too cold, not too hot. Something a little in between Spring & Summer...

SHAVED ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH ROASTED CHICKPEAS, RADISH & LEMON CAPER VINAIGRETTE (Gluten-free & Vegan) Serves 4

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sumac powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1.5 lbs asparagus
2 small watermelon radishes, shaved
1 cup microgreens, loosely packed

Lemon Caper Dressing:

1/2 lemon, juiced
1-2 teaspoons capers
1 teaspoon caper liquid
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 small shallot, minced
Sea salt to taste
Freshly cracked pepper
About 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, or to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (°F).

In a mixing bowl, dry chickpeas well. Mix together with spices, salt, pepper and olive oil. Make sure chickpeas are evenly coated. Then, place in an even layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until super crispy and browned. Set aside to cool.

Trim the edges off all asparagus stalks. Using a vegetable peeler, shave asparagus, and add to mixing bowl. Continue until all asparagus has been shaved (save the scraps and use for stocks or soup). Using a mandolin or paring knife, shave radishes and add all vegetables to a large mixing bowl. I used watermelon radishes, but feel free to use any radish variety you can find. They're all good! Season with salt and pepper.

In a small jar, add all dressing ingredients and shake until well emulsified/combined. Drizzle dressing over salad, toss well and add to serving bowls. Top with roasted chickpeas, microgreens and flaky sea salt. Serve immediately!

THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY SHOT FOR H&M !

RAW KALE CAESAR WITH BEET MICROGREENS, AVOCADO & POACHED EGG

March 13, 2015 sassy kitchen

Raw kale caesars are the one thing I never tire of. I pretty much order them whenever they're offered. At home, I like mine with a few hippie add-ons and poached egg for breakfast (or really, anytime of day). This almond caesar dressing is naturally dairy-free, but has the bold, zingy flavor that every caesar needs. You'll want to put it on everything - and I won't stop you.

RAW KALE CAESAR WITH BEET MICROGREENS, AVOCADO & POACHED EGG (Gluten & grain-free, Vegan) SERVES 2

1 large bunch of kale, washed, stemmed & torn
A pinch of flaky sea salt
1 lemon
4-5 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 avocado, cubed
1/4 cup tablespoons hempseeds
A good handful of microgreens

RAW ALMOND CAESAR DRESSING (Vegan, dairy-free) Makes about 2/3 cup

1/2-2/3 cup almonds, soaked for 4-6 hours
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 small lemons, juice + zest
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon caper brine (or olive juice brine)
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Freshly cracked pepper
In a large mixing bowl, massage the juice of one lemon into kale. Sprinkle with sea salt and set aside.

Then, make almond dressing: After soaking almond, rinse and drain well. Add to high-speed blender or food processor with the following five ingredients. Blend ingredients well, then stream in olive oil until desired texture. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Mix kale together with sliced radish, avocado and microgreens and hempseeds. Toss in desired amount of dressing (it's on the thicker side, so use your hands to massage it in).

To poach eggs: Fill a large saucepan with water and a good splash of white vinegar. Over high heat, let the temperature come until you begin to see tiny bubbles around the rim. Plop in your eggs (one at a time, if you’re nervous). Let the eggs sit for about 30 seconds, then slowly stir making sure the egg white wraps around the yolk. If your egg gets stuck on the bottom of the pan, don’t fret, use a silicon spatula to carefully remove it. Let cook until egg whites just begin to firm (or set),

For more MORNING MEALS head over to CAMILLE STYLES!

HOME/MADE: How To Make a Hippie Bowl

February 26, 2015 sassy kitchen

I'm obsessed with breakfast grain bowls, those meals-in-a-bowl that have an air of West Coast hippie and are more about foraging in the fridge than actual cooking. Once you master the basic formula, you'll never ask yourself "what's for breakfast" (or lunch) again. Now it's just a bowl with everything you love in it.

1. CHOOSE YOUR GRAIN

Just use leftover grains/beans/legumes from last night's dinner, or make a big batch on the weekend to feed off of all week long. If you've been curious about a new grain variety, look at the grain bowl as an opportunity to try it. Hearty, flavorful grains like quinoa, sorghum, amaranth, millet, or black rice are all great here. As are beans and lentils. You can always cook your grains (and beans/lentils) in lightly salted water, but you can also add more flavor by simmering it in chicken or vegetable broth.

2. USE A RAINBOW OF RAW AND COOKED VEG

Load up your grain bowl with your favorite raw, roasted, steamed, or even leftover vegetables—the more the merrier. Think about texture here - you want a good balance of crunchy raw vegetables (I love radish) and some heartier roasted fare (roasted root vegetables are my go-to). Greens, raw or sautéed, are always a great addition. Think about color, too—you'll get the most nutritious bowl with a rainbow of vegetables.

3. PUT AN EGG ON IT

Unlike most dishes, meat isn’t the star here. Grain bowls don't need a ton of protein to be completely satisfying. Usually, an egg is the only extra protein you need. Poached, sunny-side up, or soft-boiled—they all pair well with grain bowls, thanks to that luscious runny yolk.

4. USE LOTS OF SAUCE

Be generous with your sauce - it’s truly what holds your grain bowl together. Douse your bowl anything from tamari soy sauce or tahini to straight up sriracha or hot sauce (which always pairs perfectly with an egg). Don’t underestimate the potential of adding salsa, hummus, guacamole (or anything you might dip a chip into). And another crazy idea? Mix a couple of your sauces together—sometimes, they just taste better that way.

5. FINISH WITH SOMETHING TANGY AND CRUNCHY

Just one or two final ingredients really help your grain bowl pop. I usually go for something with a bit of acid and some kind of crunch. That can be anything from feta and kimchee to sprouts and roasted seeds to crunchy seaweed sheets and a squeeze of lime. Let your intuition steer the way here—no breakfast bowl can ever be wrong (no matter how weird).