Say “cucumber,” and I think Middle Eastern: tzatziki sauce, tabbouleh … and some combination of tomatoes, feta, olives and cukes. The cool of the cucumber lends itself so well to the sharp of the feta, the salt of the olives, the fresh of the tomatoes. So here is how I’ve put those sublime ingredients together.Continue reading “Cucumber, Tomato, Feta Salad”
Tag Archives: salads
Asian Cucumber Salad
I have made some version of this salad for many years. Its cool cucumbers and cilantro mix perfectly with the heat of the pepper flakes, the sweet of the ginger and the crunch of the peanuts. There are lots of variations of this dish out there. This recipe is my take, combining all my favorite flavors. HopeContinue reading “Asian Cucumber Salad”
Beautiful Beet Salad
When the greens stretch tall and the dusty roots swell into big burgundy orbs in my garden, I start to do a happy dance. It’s time to roast and grate and slice those sweet, juicy, earthy bulbs we know as beets. There are more varieties than ever available for harvesting or scoring at the farmers market. TryContinue reading “Beautiful Beet Salad”
Local for Lunch: Welcoming Spring
Salads took center stage for my Spring class at The Roanoke Co-op. We built salads filled with grains and proteins, interesting textures and flavors — and as much local as I could muster. We topped them with a choice of Ginger Sesame Dressing or Poppy Seed Dressing. Then we paired all those leafy greens with aContinue reading “Local for Lunch: Welcoming Spring”
Time to Talk Turkey
My favorite holiday of the year is two weeks from today. And I am nothing if not ready to start thinking about Thanksgiving. For many, the holiday countdown began long ago with checklists of what to knock out ahead, chatter about table decor and recipe testing in search of the perfect combination of sweet and savory, traditional and today. I’m aContinue reading “Time to Talk Turkey”
Asian Rice Noodle Salad
This is the salad that I’m always ogling when I head to potlucks. But I’ve never tried making it on my own for fear that I couldn’t pull off a real food version that would satisfy. Thankfully, Lisa Leake, author of the 100 Days of Real Food blog and cookbook, has crafted one for me. ThisContinue reading “Asian Rice Noodle Salad”
Time for Tomatoes
I always forget how long it takes to grow a good tomato. The first ones begin blushing sometime at the end of June, if you’re lucky. But it’s usually well into July before the bounty arrives. And when I look back, it’s typically August or September when we can our dozens of jars of marinara. That’sContinue reading “Time for Tomatoes”
Cucumber Heaven
It’s been a few weeks now, since my husband stepped outside to our verdant, twining cucumber vine, covered with sunshiny yellow petals and a healthy dose of meandering bees, and proclaimed that it wouldn’t be long till we were in Cucumber Heaven. By that, he meant that we’d soon be reaching the height of our cucumber harvest,Continue reading “Cucumber Heaven”
A Midsummer Night’s Meal
Let’s pretend I have all the time in the world to create sumptuous feasts. And all the resources in the world to gather up the tastiest ingredients. In this fiction, I wave my wand and on the table every night fantastical, incredibly delicious multi-course meals appear. My reality, of course, is quite different. Cooking is hard, time-consumingContinue reading “A Midsummer Night’s Meal”
Flowers for Dinner
It’s been a disappointing zucchini year. Nothing like last year’s plenty that left me begging for mercy. But that’s okay. My dad sent me packing back in June with a bag full and my local farmers market tables are groaning with zukes. I feel certain that if I asked around, a few of you mightContinue reading “Flowers for Dinner”