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

Blood Orange Margaritas

These beautiful Blood Orange Margaritas, on the rocks, with pink salt are a beautiful and delicious cocktail twist on the classic margarita, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Margaritas are a great compliment to most Mexican dishes, but since they’re not exactly traditional, I paired them with a not-so-traditional Mexican dish as well. Of course, they would do well with lots of different things, but I really loved them with my weeknight friendly pulled pork quesadillas. The sort of earthy, heavy character of the blood orange, as well as the little hint of sweetness mirrored the smokey sweet of the pulled pork. And the tart, cold and salt slaked the burn of the peppers. While these gorgeous Blood Orange Margaritas are great without a fancy garnish, here, I’ve served them with beautiful pink Himalayan salt on the rim. If you’re like me and you own all these weird and special ingredients, you look forward to the opportunity to use them. And since it’s still citrus season, margaritas with salt fit quite naturally. I started with my base 3-2-1 family margaritas, but toned down the potency a little so I could serve them with a weeknight Valentine’s Day meal by adding … Continue reading

Beet, Carrot, Fennel and Citrus Salad

This beautiful, jewel-hued Beet, Carrot, Fennel and Citrus Salad is perfect for a long Winter even if you aren’t pairing it with the rest of my Middle Eastern Feast. Everyone knows they need to eat their veggies, but sometimes it can be a challenge to find something inspiring in the Winter. That’s where new preparations for root vegetables come in. Eating them raw isn’t so strange when they’re shaved thin, or grated small. And pairing them with fresh herbs and citrus, which is at its best this time of year is the way to go. I love having the excuse to get out my mandoline or the different discs for my food processor, and I like making Winter salads in big quantity to make it easier to keep my diet goals on track even when local produce isn’t a reality. I often grated extra beets, carrots and fennel and keep them in bags in the fridge. They store well for a few days and you can keep making the salad fresh all week long. Or, you can make this Beet, Carrot, Fennel and Citrus Salad as a show-stopping dish to serve along with Lamb Kofta and my Middle Eastern Feast Menu. … Continue reading