Warm Brussel Sprout Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing

Happy St. Patrick's Day. I decided to make this warm smokey dish in honor of the holiday. Brussel Sprouts aren't particularly Irish, but they are green. I mean I'm not particularly Irish either, but I did spend an afternoon in an airport in Ireland...close enough. Sláinte

Here's What You Need: 

• 1/2 sliced yellow onion
• 1/4 cup balsamin vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
•  2 good dashes of liquid smoke
• 2 1/2 cups sliced brussel spouts
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Here's What You Gotta Do: 

1. Heat a very lightly oiled non-stick pot with a lid, over a low heat. 
2. Add onions to the pot and heat until onions are soft and brown ( about 5 minutes). 
3. Add balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and liquid smoke to the pot and let the sauce reduce over a low heat for about 10 minutes.
4. Toss in the brussel sprouts, cayenne and salt. Turn off the heat and stir well to coat the brussel sprouts with dressing. Put the lid on the pot and let the salad soften and stem for 5 minutes. 
5. Serve Warm and Enjoy!

Serves 2 as a salad and 4 as a small side dish.

Brussels sprouts contain sulforaphane, 

a chemical believed to have potent anticancer properties

 Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin C; 100 g ( 3.50 oz) 

of Brussels Sprouts provide about 141% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin C. 

For comparison's sake, 100 grams of orange juice yields 83% of your RDA.  

Getting Sauced. 

Bowl of Green Goodness

Showering myself in the Luck. 

Life is Delicious...Go Taste It!

Chick Pea and Arugula Salad

Studying for the bar leaves little time for fancy meals so quick and dirty is my m.o. these days. Today, these were the ingredients I had on hand so I made the best of them. Lo and behold, my best turned out to be pretty darned good. I'm hoping for a similar outcome with the bar exam. This simple and hearty salad can easily be served as an entree. 

Dressing: 

2 tbspn lemon juice

2 tbspn seasoned rice vinegar

1 tbsm olive oil

1 tspn minced garlic

1/8 tspn salt

Salad Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked brown rice (cooled to room temperature)
4 cups arugula
14 oz can of Fire Roasted and diced tomatoes
14 oz can drained and rinsed chickpeas
1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled (can be omitted for some vegan lovin')


Serves 4
1) In a medium bowl, mix all of the dressing ingredients together.
2) In four large salad bowls divide all of the ingredients evenly among 4 bowls.
3) Pour 1/4 of the dressing over each of the salads and Serve.

Life Is Delicious... Go Taste It!

Minted Zucchini and Feta with Sunflower Seeds

I have been staring at the zucchini in my fridge for some days now trying to figure out what to do with it. I had entertained the idea of breading and frying it, but I have skipped one too many gym days to justify anything fried. Just as I nearly devolved into simply sautéing the zucchini with olive oil and salt as usual, I had an idea. Below is a dish that does not skimp on flavor and will leave your waistline in Mint Condition.

Minted Zucchini and Feta with Sunflower Seeds:

Here's What You Need: 

2 large zucchini

1/2 tsp dried finely crushed peppermint

1/4 tsp dried basil

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp finely minced garlic

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp olive oil

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons of crumbled Feta Cheese

4 teaspoons of  Sunflower Seed kernels (roasted and salted)

Here's What You Gotta Do:

1) Finely slice the zucchini using a vegetable peeler or stringer tool and place in a large bowl.

2) Add all of the remaining ingredients (Except the Cheese and Seeds) to the bowl and mix well.

3) Cover and place bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to let the dressing absorb and soften the zucchini.

4) Uncover bowl and add the feta cheese and sunflower seeds. Serve immediately. 

 * Serves four as a side dish or two as a salad.

Used this handy dandy vegetable shredder tool. 

Tastes as good as it looks!

Tasty Tips: 

- To make this salad Vegan, simply leave out the Feta. 

Life's Delicious...Go Taste It!