Good evening! It’s been awhile, hmm? Unfortunately my computer died again late Thursday night, so it’s at the Apple store getting fix. Luckily, it’s a pretty small repair in the grand scheme of computer work (we’re just replacing the hard drive) so hopefully it’ll be ready sooner than usual and working better than ever. In the mean time, Ari’s been kind enough to let me borrow his computer for a bit, so I thought I’d catch you up on my night!
In keeping with my goal to cook a new recipe a week, I tried out not one but three new dishes! My cookbook collection is really starting to grow, so I flipped through an oldie and a newbie.
Donna Hay’s The New Cook was one of the very first cookbooks I ever had. My mom’s friend, Jean, gifted it to me when I was only about 10 or 11! To date, Hay’s Simple Vinaigrette (equal parts oli & vinegar, 2 T wholegrain mustard, salt & pepper) is one of my go-to salad dressings. A few weeks ago, I rediscovered the book and found so many recipes I want to try!
I received Melissa Clark’s In The Kitchen with A Good Appetite for Christmas this year. Melissa Clark is my hero. Well, one of my many heroes. She writes a weekly column for the New York Times‘ Dining section called “A Good Appetite,” from which my family, friends and I have found many an excellent recipe. She also used to edit The Vegetarian Times, and edited one of my favorite cookbooks (which I’ve highlighted several times on the blog), The Vegetarian Times Cooks Mediterranean. Each recipe in this new book comes with a story, eloquently and deliciously written, and is some of the best food prose I’ve come across of late. Every recipe is completely drool-worthy, and I can see this becoming one of my most beloved cookbooks.
So, my three dishes. I wanted to myself dinner tonight, but also make things I’d still be excited to eat later in the week. To start, I made The New Cook‘s Warm Red Lentil Salad.
I used regular brown lentils because that’s all I had, and left out the mint leaves the recipe called for. I think the red would have cooked down a bit more and become more soupy, but I still loved the combination of spinach, lentils and goat cheese.
Second, I made In The Kitchen with A Good Appetite‘s Garlicky Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad, which is also referred to as “Sexy, Spicy Broccoli.”
This is one of several raw/marinated veggie recipes, and I loved it! It gives me a little break from my usual raw kale salads (although I do love them so, I’ve gotten a little bored of the kale-lemon juice-olive oil thing), and I loved the kick.
Finally, the recipe I was most excited for: Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad with Manchego and Toasted Walnuts.
Instead of using the food processor, I decided to hand-slice the sprouts. Although my hand was cramping by the end, there is something incredibly relaxing and cathartic about methodically chopping vegetables. I used roasted almonds instead of walnuts and sharp white cheddar instead of Manchego, and this was absolutely FABULOUS. I can’t imagine getting tired of this dish, even on its fourth day (if it makes it that far!).
It was a very diverse- although very green- dinner, and each taste and texture complemented the next wonderfully. An extra squirt or two of lemon was the final touch… I’ve been quite in love with lemon juice for several months now, and I’m pretty sure the affair will continue on for some time.
For dessert, I went with something a little untraditional: mashed sweet potato with peanut butter, cinnamon, salt & stevia. I was contemplating adding a sweet potato to my dinner, but a dessert-y version was so much more appealing. It sounds odd, but it was quite delicious!
Hopefully I’ll be back soon on my freshly restored computer. In the mean time, enjoy the rest of your weekend!
What cookbooks or recipe blogs have you been loving lately?
Look at all those good eats!
I agree with you about slicing/chopping vegetables – I really enjoy it and find it so relaxing (if I’m not in a hurry!).
Hope your computer gets fixed soon! Enjoy your Saturday night.
On the mashed sweet potatoes line, Joe and Jake made some at my parents’ house and mashed in cooked onions and carrots. Would also be good in regular mashed ‘taters.
All of your veggie recipes are seriously making me hungry–and it’s almost midnight! I’ve got to get my hands on that warm lentil salad recipe. Dee-lish!
those lentils do sound wonderful! i love how they pick up all the beautiful spices!!.. ihave been LOVING Appetite for Reduction and Skinny Bitch: the ultimate cookbook!
A mashed sweet potato with peanut (or almond) butter and cinnamon was a go-to dessert of mine this past semester!! Ahh I miss sweet potatoes!! Sometimes I’d add a few carob chips to the mix too–sooo good
All that food looks lovely. I bought Supernatural cooking and love 101 cookbooks after you blogged about it, if been getting so inspired! I also love the Leon cookbooks – such wonderful food!
i eat squash purees as dessert all the time! kabocha, pumpkin, sweet potato mash. i overdose on cinnamon and nut butter as toppers mmmm!
OMG cannot believe you shredded those by hand. I have a tipping point of cooking, after which I will not do extra work, and “hand shredding” is definitely beyond the pale. That’s why I have my funny cooking gadgets.
So, I actually just made my first hummus batch, from Choosing Raw, and it’s freakin’ delicious. Plus one for that one!
YUM sweet potato for dessert, so so good!
I hope youve been having a great weekend besides the trouble your computer is giving you!
I’m sorry about your computer death!
xoxo!
the sexy broccoli sounds amazing! i’m googling that recipe right now haha.
girl MAJOR props to you for cooking new recips and going to school! when i get in school mode i get so lazy in the kitchen and end up eating the same thing every day haha
your computer problems are equivalent to my car problems!
Yummy eats!! I love the sound of the sweet potato mash+PB! Must try that!
My fave cookbooks at the mo are Vegan With A Vengeance and Babycakes NYC book. They are both AMAZING!
I heart lentils! And I totally agree, methodically chopping vegetables and such is quite therapeutic. I haven’t tried any new recipes lately, boo.
Hope your computer is good as new soon!
Oh wow. The Warm Red Lentil Salad looks amazing.
I always have raw salads, and I really should start having warm salads!
This post has made me decide that I will most definitely be adding more warm salads to my daily diet!
YES so true:
“I decided to hand-slice the sprouts. Although my hand was cramping by the end, there is something incredibly relaxing and cathartic about methodically chopping vegetables.”
Until you’re feeding a family, day in, day out..then i wish i had a personal sous chef. lol
But seriously, i just hand chopped brussles sprouts for the salsa bake i just made and i hand chopping is so much prettier end result anyway.
Hope your computer gets well soon
I been having some computer troubles too…and this weekend included a trip to the apple store. My battery is ‘consumed’ which means I used it a lot so they don’t replace it I have to. Thankfully not expensive, I hope your computer woes are fixed soon! I am loving random food blogs as usual. I love cookbooks and have quite the collection but with people posting new and exciting recipes everyday it’s hard to even take the time to open one up most of the time!