Lemon Toasted Caraway Seeds

Believe it or not, these Lemon Toasted Caraway Seeds are a simple and delicious snack that makes them worth keeping around just for the sake of delicious and healthy snacks. I make them ½ to 1 cup at a time, and munch on them when I want something satisfying but healthy. Seeds are typically lower in calories and fat than nuts, but they pack the same crunch. The other reason I make these Lemon Toasted Caraway Seeds? I routinely use them to brighten up a boring salad- or even really exciting ones like my Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and my Carrot Wheat Berry Salad with Yogurt. Even if you’re not feeling them as a snack, you’re going to want to make them for salads, and you certainly don’t have to make them in bulk; they’re still easy to make and totally worth it even if you’re just working on a couple of tablespoons. The oil and zest don’t need to be exact, so just cut it down to your liking. But once you make these Lemon Toasted Caraway Seeds once, you’ll probably want to keep them around. The fragrant lemon, the hint of oil that brings out the caraway, and … Continue reading

Celery Caraway and Rhubarb Aquavit

Aquavit, or “water of life” in Swedish is basically a high proof Vodka, but you can tell from it’s name, that it’s also culturally important. Afterall, it’s a long cold Winter so far North, and there is a lot of time for staying indoors, sitting around fires and telling stories with friends. Aquavit is often flavored and it’s hard to find in the United States’ but good news: Aquavit is easy to make your own. I made three flavors: Celery Caraway and Rhubarb Aquavit and used them to make some fabulous cocktails to start the night off right for my Scandinavian Thanksgiving using, you guessed it fresh caraway seeds, frozen rhubarb stalks, and fresh celery. When crafting the cocktails, I used the celery and caraway seed aquavit together with a celery simple syrup to make a very cool Celery spritzer and then I used the rhubarb with some Rhuby, a local Philly spirit from Art in the Age to make a rhubarb spritzer. I also used the leftover celery aquavit to make some of the best Bloody Mary’s and Sunny Mary: a Bloody Good Alternative cocktails I’ve had. It was a great excuse to set up a Bloody Mary Bar … Continue reading

Winter Salad with Green Apples and Golden Beets

In the Winter, it can be hard work to make salads that excite and inspire the senses, which is precisely why I love this Winter Salad with Green Apples and Golden Beets. It’s chock-full of texture, flavor, and color, the keys to making any salad exciting. And this time of year, when root vegetables are feeling more blessing than burden to me, exciting is very welcome. The bright and beautiful yellow hue of the golden beets cheers me up and drives away the winter blues and using them raw instead of cooking them provides crunch as well as a brighter flavor. The lemony caraway seeds (which you may remember from my kale salad) are an unexpected and delightful addition to the fennel and dill and provide little pops of flavor. The razor thin slices of fruits and vegetables create an easy elegance (and an excuse to get out the mandoline). It’s quite easy to put together and is definitely a change from plain greens and store-bought dressing. All in all, I’m sure you’ll love this Winter Salad with Green Apples and Golden Beets. … Continue reading

Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and Caraway Seeds

Sometimes, I find kale salad boring, there, I said it, but this Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and Caraway Seeds is anything but boring. I really like all of the crunchy seeds and nuts against the substantial kale. And raw kale is usually just a bit too tough for me. I like it roasted, or as in this case, blanched just for a minute to tenderize it and give it a chance to absorb a little salt if you so choose. The blanching also intensifies the gorgeous green color, so all in all, the little extra step makes this Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and Caraway Seeds all the more delicious. And don’t even get me started on the slightly sweet, silky dressing that is a nice contrast to the savory seeds and nuts. Any yogurt will do, but I really love sheep’s milk yogurt if you can find it because of it’s slightly sweeter taste and higher fat content. Just a little extra fat is nice for this otherwise quite virtuous salad. You don’t want to be too virtuous after all. This Kale Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts and Caraway Seeds is also a great excuse to make some extra lemon-toasted … Continue reading