A Perfect Salad for Spring

 

With the weather finally warming up and outdoor activities coming back, it's time to talk about what you're serving at your springtime parties. Marisa Moore has a suggestion, actually two. She's a dietician and author of the new cookbook The Plant Love Kitchen. She stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about

her Strawberry Pistachio Arugula Salad. Marisa says it's perfect for outdoor gatherings and a perfect treat to serve as a side at dinner.  She also told Tonia about a Mediterranean Frittata that she makes with roasted tomatoes and greens. That she says, is a great way to add flavor without adding salt or processed ingredients.

• ¼ cup shelled pistachios
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 small shallot, minced
• Coarse salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
• 5 ounces regular or baby arugula
• Feta, Goat or Vegan Cheese

• Dry toast the pistachios: Heat the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and smell nutty and toasted. Remove from the skillet to cool.
• Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, minced shallot, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Toss strawberries into the dressing. Add the arugula and toss to lightly dress the greens.
• Plate the salad and sprinkle with the pistachios. Add cheese of your choice. Serve immediately.

Got Any Plans for Brinner?

 

That's an excellent question. But let's also ask what is Brinner? A play on words of course for breakfast and dinner, you can also call it brunch. Whatever you decide, you can also call it delicious, when you make some of the recipes from Supper with Love. That's the new cookbook from Michelle Braxton, who stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her Smoked Trout and Asparagus frittata. She told Tonia her recipe is very easy and if you follow it, your frittata is almost guaranteed to come out great! Pair it with her Parmesan Argula and Pear Salad.

A Spectacular Spring Salad

With the weather finally warming up and outdoor activities coming back, it's time to talk about what you're serving at your springtime parties. Marisa Moore has a suggestion, actually two. She's a dietician and author of the new cookbook The Plant Love Kitchen. She stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about

her Strawberry Pistachio Arugula Salad. Marisa says it's perfect for outdoor gatherings and a perfect treat to serve as a side at dinner.  She also told Tonia about a Mediterranean Frittata that she makes with roasted tomatoes and greens. That she says, is a great way to add flavor without adding salt or processed ingredients.

• ¼ cup shelled pistachios
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 small shallot, minced
• Coarse salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
• 5 ounces regular or baby arugula
• Feta, Goat or Vegan Cheese

• Dry toast the pistachios: Heat the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and smell nutty and toasted. Remove from the skillet to cool.
• Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, minced shallot, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Toss strawberries into the dressing. Add the arugula and toss to lightly dress the greens.
• Plate the salad and sprinkle with the pistachios. Add cheese of your choice. Serve immediately.

Rejoice, It's Fig Season!

  

It's a great day for a fig! These incredibly versatile tree fruits are not only healthy, but they are tasty and can serve from everything like a healthy snack...all the way to an ingredient in a salad dressing. Robert Del Grande, who wrote The California Figs Cookbook joined Tonia's Kitchen from a Golden State fig orchard to talk about some of the more unique things you can do with figs. He told Tonia one of his favorites was a Fig and Arugula Salad, which he says has a very exotic flavor.

• 4 California Fresh Figs, large: finely minced or smashed
• 2 cups arugula
• 1 fennel bulb: thinly sliced

Fig & Buttermilk Dressing

• 2 California Fresh Figs: finely minced
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds: minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pinch red chile flakes
• pinch black pepper

Garnish

• grated parmesan cheese
• extra virgin olive oil

PROCEDURE

For the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth.

Arrange the arugula, fennel and figs on a platter. Drizzle with the dressing. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and grated parmesan.