“Laying Down Those Funky Beets”: Beet Salad with Horseradish

Beet Salad ~AStackofDishes.com“Sometimes when I’m in a restaurant, I’ll order a beet salad just so that when the waiter serves them to me I can say:  Thanks man for laying down those funky beets! …………………….and I don’t even like beets…”

One of the best parts of this past Mother’s Day was to simply just kick back and hang out with my kids. When they were younger I used to refer to them as The Flying Wallendas. This was on account of their non stop acrobatics and general all around goofiness. They bickered and whined about each other during those young years {and occasionally still do}, but the truth is they are a pretty tight bunch. All these years later it warms the cockles of my heart to see the love they have for each other.

They’ve always been a gaggle of comedians. Honestly, the whole family is really. For instance, my Mother just started a blog about her quilting {she’s a legend it these parts and now teaches}. Her tag line is “I’m gonna keep you in stitches!” OK, OK, so I’m the one who bestowed this line upon her- but after a few minutes of knowing her, you would agree that this tag line suits her perfectly.

It was Saturday night, as we lay strewn about on my Mother’s couches watching comedy TV, when a comedian delivered the above joke. Olivia thought it hilarious (me too)- and so here you go my dears- I’m laying upon you my funky beets!

Enjoy! [Read more...]

Fiddlehead Fern and Artichoke Freekah Salad

 

Freekeh salad with fiddlehead ferns and artichokes~ astackofdishes.comBehold- the latest ancient grain to start popping up on menus- Freekeh. For those who are not in love with the texture of quinoa, you may have found something to get excited about. Freekeh has a similar consistency to wheat berries, but a slightly less chewy texture- and a delicious taste.

Compared to brown rice and quinoa- a half cup serving of Freekeh has slightly less calories, more than twice the fiber (6 grams!)  is high in protein and also offers calcium and iron. It’s also rich in lutein, which is important for eye health, and it falls into the low GI category. The glycemic index is only 43, compared to 83 for rice- making it an excellent grain for moderating blood glucose levels.

I had been hearing a lot about this new grain on the block from some of my dietitian friends, so I was excited to receive a sample from Freekehlicious (who has not compensated me, nor asked for this post).

chopped herbs- a stack of dishes.com

 

The grains have an interesting greenish color, which I found to be very beautiful. They cooked up easily and have great body and texture to them. For those dieting it can offer that nice chewy bite that makes you feel like you’re eating something substantial and tricks your mind into being more satiated. 

Now that we’re finally into Spring, the thought of hearty grains is less appealing, so I made a light and tangy dressing and piled on some herbs to give it a bright taste. [Read more...]

Chili Crab Salad on Watermelon Carpaccio #Sunday Supper

crab salad- A Stack of Dishes.com

 

Happy Cinco de Mayo! It’s Mexican Fiesta time- one of my favorite holidays.

As much as I love enchiladas and nachos- after awhile all that cheese, beans and fried corn can be a bit heavy. This is a light crab salad with a nice chili punch so you don’t feel like you’re missing out on any fireworks.

Ole!

Cinco de Mayo Appetizers & Sides {Aperitivos}:

Cinco de Mayo Main Dishes {Platos Principales}:

Cinco de Mayo Desserts {Postres}:

Cinco de Mayo Drinks {Bebidas}:

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter today to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.

Do you have your ticket to the Food and Wine Conference yet? If not, there will be a $100 discount available on the full conference pass today if you participate in the #SundaySupper twitter chat from 7 to 8pm Eastern Time, and purchase your ticket during the chat. The discount code is: SundaySupper.  *Note the code is only valid during the chat time frame.

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