Recipe: Purslane Salad

I picked up a bag of organic purslanes for €0.78 at the farmers market and decided to turn them into a salad.

Recipe: Root Vegetables Farro Salad

For someone who get most of her produce from an outdoor farmers market, I have to admit, this time of the year in the Pacific Northwest isn’t all that exciting. My favorite vendor of wild mushrooms and other foraged food is on a three-month hiatus. And there aren’t many choices of green vegetables, if any at all, to choose from.

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But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a delicious healthy meal. I made this salad over the weekend. I love the nutty flavor and the chewy texture of the farro and the natural sweetness from the caramelized root vegetables. I highly recommend it. Continue reading “Recipe: Root Vegetables Farro Salad” →

Shishito

Shishito pepper (獅子唐辛子) is a sweet finger-sized Japanese pepper. The name refers to the fact that the tip of the chili pepper (唐辛子 tōgarashi) resembles the head of a lion (獅子 shishi). In Japanese it is often abbreviated as shishitō (lion pepper).

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Shishito is usually served hot – skewered and grilled. It can also be sautéed at high heat till it blisters then season with sea salt, preferably Maldon. The heat brings out the peppery aroma and it is the perfect accompaniment to clean sake.

Esalen Institute Kale Salad

Two years ago around this time, I took a Cloud hands/Tai’chi class at the Esalen Institute.

Perched on top of the rocky shores of Big Sur, California, 45 minutes from the nearest civilization, Esalen Institute is one of the best detox retreats in America.

Every morning, to get to breakfast, we would walk through a lush forest, cross a valley where a solitary meditation hut sits next to a running creek. The view of the Pacific Ocean opens up.

Meals and snacks are served at the lodge. The outside deck has a fire pit and is perfect to enjoy a tranquil moment in the morning or a reflective time at dusk.

Being non-vegetarian, my biggest concern was that the food will be bland and tasteless.

I was soon proven wrong. They grow vegetables using organic practice, so salads are fresh from the garden. And they make these heavenly breads along with various home-made jams and nut butters. Oh, if only I could get a hold of those recipes!!! Continue reading “Esalen Institute Kale Salad” →