Avocado Kale Salad

Fresh herbs and a tangy Asian flavor

The Shout out:

Here's another great recipe that I can't take credit for: a crunchy avocado kale salad with a delightful twist of lime and rice wine vinegar. Or, as the authoress over at Cookie + Kate calls it, a Chopped Kale Salad with Edamame, Carrot and Avocado.

What a fabulous salad, folks. Super easy and adaptable, it's a big old bowl of veggies that's perfect for a side dish or entree alike. Truth be told, I had originally whipped it up with the intention of serving it alongside a veggie burger. But as I was in the "testing" phase of the recipe - you know, when you're checking for juuust the right amount of salt, citrus or spice - I just stood there and ate..and ate...and ate.

Dinner without any dishes! Fine by me.

I deviated from the recipe ever so slightly by steaming my kale for about 3 minutes instead of sticking to the 100% raw recipe. I also omitted the edamame altogether because I didn't have any on hand. Go ahead and experiment - I'm even thinking of throwing some sesame tofu into the mix next time around. 

Brown Rice & Sesame Tofu Salad

A Heaping Plate of Vegan Grains and Greens

The Dilemma:

Me: “I would love a salad for dinner tonight!”

Fiancé: “………uh huh..”

Don’t get me wrong, my fiancé (aka Jeremy) loves him some vegan cooking. Lord knows he eats enough of it. But sometimes my veggie dreams don’t speak to him so seductively. An occasional meat and prolific cheese eater, my sigo is a sort of convenience vegan, enjoying the meals I prepare but by no means inclined to choose tofu over chicken when left to his own devices.

And his own devices are…ravenous. A salad, usually, will not suffice.

So last night, when I declared myself salad-ready, the silence set in. Nothing…nothing…no comment…and then a polite little “uh huh.”

Little did he know that my signature Brown Rice & Sesame Tofu Salad was in store. Uh huh. That’s right.

The Recipe:

Hello, gorgeous!

I invented this salad in my late college years, right around the time when my sister and I would frequent the Lady Killigrew Café and Bookmill in Montague, MA. It was there that I had my first taste of warm brown rice over crisp greens, a combination so compelling I had to replicate it in my own kitchen. Yes, you have to juggle a few moving parts to pull this salad together, but it’s oh-so-worth it!

For sanity’s sake, approach this recipe in three parts: the rice, the tofu and the veggies.

For the rice, you’ll need:

• 1 cup sweet brown rice
• 2 cups water
• Dash of salt

Place the water, rice and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down as low as it will go and cover. Cook for approximately 40 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.

As the rice is cooking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut your block of tofu into slices or squares and set pieces into a marinade of:

Flip the tofu slices about halfway through baking
to brown evenly on both sides.

• 1/4 cup tamari
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
• 1 TSP freshly grated ginger
• 1.5 TSP pressed garlic
• ½ TSP red pepper flakes
• 1 TSP sesame seeds

Allow the tofu to marinate for at least 30 minutes and then spread on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until browning occurs, flipping each piece at the 15 minute mark.

Now, onto the veggies. While there's tons of room for experimentation here, some of my staple veggies include:

• ½ yellow bell pepper, sliced into long strips
• 4 radishes, sliced
• 1/3 red onion, sliced into thin rings
• 1 carrot, coarsely grated
• 5 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• ½ avocado, sliced
• 4 cups arugula, loosely packed

The Finale:

Cindy's Kitchen vegan-
friendly dressing

Once your rice and tofu have cooked and your veggies are prepped, simply spread a bed of lettuce and go to town with your toppings.

And no Brown Rice & Sesame Tofu Salad is complete without my all-time favorite dressing: Deeply Roasted Sesame by Cindy’s Kitchen. Not only is Cindy’s Kitchen a local shop, hailing from Brockton, MA, they offer a huge selection of vegan dressings and marinades, all unbelievably fresh and flavorful. If my Brown Rice & Sesame Tofu Salad were on a dessert island, Cindy’s Roasted Sesame dressing would be its singular survival item.

It, like me, can’t do without.

Spicy Summer Corn Salad

Heatwave Eats: Spicy Summer Corn Salad

The mindset: 

This summer in Boston seems to vacillate between periods of pouring rain (i.e. Memorial Day weekend) and even longer waves of scorching heat. We’re now entering day three of 90+ temps, and if you’re anything like me, you’re a sweaty mess and not in the mood to turn on the lights, let alone the oven or stovetop.

Yes, my kitchen has been a detoxifying 87 degrees, so it’s time to pull out the raw recipe reserves. With mid-summer corn piled high at every turn, I need little more convincing. Spicy Summer Corn Salad, here we go.

The method:

What greater joy is there than cutting sheets of corn fresh from the cob? The cool, crisp kernels are the perfect template for an endless variety of raw salads. But let’s start simple.  

For a 2-serving salad, you’ll need:

                3 ears fresh corn, shucked & de-kernelled

                10 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

                1/2 zucchini, thinly sliced and then quartered

                ½ jalapeno, with seeds intact if you like it hottt

                ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

                ¼ cup EVOO

                2 limes for juicing

                2 dashes hot sauce

                Sea salt & pepper

Combine the corn, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, jalapeno and cilantro and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the EVOO, lime juice, hot sauce and 2-3 generous dashes of salt and pepper. Drizzle the EVOO mixture over your veggies and combine. Chill in the fridge or serve immediately.

The madness: 

Now, if you (like me) insist on eating at least one serving of avocado per day, here’s your opportunity.  Dice it up and mix it in. It’ll be amazing. Or, if you want to pack in some protein, toss in a can of black beans. In the mood for more herbs? Chiffonade some fresh basil for a garnish. If you’re not up for a spicy ride, simply skip the jalapenos and hot sauce.

Pair this salad with a veggie burger or a crusty, whole grain bread topped with hummus, sprouts and avocado for a simple summer dinner. And as always, digging in on your porch (lawn, driveway, roof…) will really make the flavors sing.

Root - Inspired Food & Juicery Restaurant Review

No frills, but plenty of flavor

Root ∙ 487 Cambridge Street ∙Allston, MA

Opening their doors on July 9 in the space previously occupied by the much beloved Peace o’ Pie, Root has big shoes to fill. Yet based on my visit just 48 hours after the grand opening, I suspect Root is going to do more than hold its own – with fantastic food, friendly staff and an inspired space, Root is poised for success. Like FoMu, a nearby vegan ice-cream shop by Deena Jalal, Allston’s top vegan visionary, Root has veggie-friendly food service on lockdown. 

The food:

Root offers a fully vegan menu of down-to-earth café fare. Sandwiches, salads, juices and to-die-for fries are reasonably priced and served in generous portions. Where the menu lacks in length, it makes up for in fresh flavor and downright deliciousness. And be sure to come hungry, because the portions are impressive.

The Roasted Root salad, served on a bed of arugula and dressed with fresh fennel and balsamic, is surprisingly filling – even the half size portion. This salad is a perfect balance of subtly sweet red beets and a citrus smack of diced orange. At $5, it’s a steal.

Root's 5-star Sweet Potato Quesadilla

Then there’s the Sweet Potato Quesadilla ($7), boasting a blend of sweet potato, kale and sautéed onion. Here again, Root doesn’t skimp on size. The quesadilla was cut into four large slices, each delicately crisped and veggie-packed with an ever-so-slight layer of cheeze hugging it together. A side of thyme dipping sauce added a touch of creaminess where the cheeze left off. Comfort food incarnate, you've been looking for this quesadilla for your entire vegan life, promise.

The scene & service:

Here’s where it may get tricky. Root can seat about 25 people, and on my Thursday night visit, it was packed to capacity. Seating seems iffy, especially at peak hours. Since the space is cozy, there’s nowhere to wait for a table without lurking over the shoulder of at least two diners.

Root also offers fresh juices
made to order. The Veg Blend (pictured)
contains carrot, kale,beet and lemon.

The staff, however, seems on top of their game – well trained, pleasant and altogether into providing a satisfying experience. After placing my order at the counter - there are no servers, per se – the Roasted Root salad was almost immediately upon me. The quesadilla arrived shortly thereafter, allowing just enough time to enjoy most of the salad without the entrée competing for my attention.

Silverware, water and napkins are self-service, and bussing, too, is each patron’s obligation. Root appears to compost food scraps and napkins, providing two bins and friendly disposal directions.

The upsides of this DIY arrangement: no tipping, quick table turnarounds, and a nod toward urban composting.

The verdict:

Where growing pains can consume a start-up restaurant like Root for months on end, no such spasms were apparent during my visit. As an unpretentious vegan eatery, Root’s laid-back, inclusive ethos is one to aspire toward – and reason to recommend it to your friends, vegans and meat-eaters alike.