We love hosting summer dinners on the deck and I’m always looking for dishes that can be made ahead and served at room temperature. Here are my go-tos:
Peach Caprese (similar to the Nectarine Caprese in The Forest Feast)
Sesame Farro Salad (from The Forest Feast Gatherings)
Roasted Potato + Greenbean Salad (from The Forest Feast Gatherings)
BBQ Corn Salad (from The Forest Feast Road Trip)
Happy cooking!
I love adding a grain salad to my dinner party menus because it’s hearty and does well made in advance. Farro is like a bigger, chewier rice and Trader Joe’s has a 10-min bag of it that I use often. This recipe is from The Forest Feast Gatherings cookbook. Enjoy!
Living in the Bay Area of California like we do, many people we know have citrus trees bursting with fruit right about now. (I wish we did!!) A friend gave us a big bag of Meyer lemons from her tree this week and I’ve been zesting everything! It is just the thing to add brightness and a little kick to get through these final winter months before spring arrives.
When life gives you lemons, you might as well cook up something tasty with them! Here are a few favorite citrus Forest Feast recipes from over the years.
+++
Sparkling Cucumber Basil Lemonade (via Kale & Caramel)
XX
Erin
Clementine Cake
Citrus Salad
Blood Orange Cabbage Salad
Lemon Ricotta Crostini
Summer is officially here! And we just got a new gas grill. We’ve never had a gas BBQ (always charcoal) and I love the ease of just walking outside and throwing something on for a few minutes.
We got radicchio and strawberries in our farm box this week and I put them on the grill together tonight (I love purple and red together on my plate!). The result was tasty! I put them over a bed of quinoa, but they could be served alongside almost anything. To offset the radicchio’s bitterness, I used honey in the marinade and sprinkled the final plate with strong salty Parmesan shavings.
1. Cut a radicchio into 6 wedges, leaving a bit of the core at the bottom of each slice to keep them intact. Lay the pieces out on a platter and drizzle/sprinkle with the following items on one side. No need to measure (you’ll be fine!), just go easy on the Braggs to ensure it’s not too salty.
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
Braggs Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
sesame oil
honey
black pepper
2. Thread fresh strawberries (stems removed) onto kebab sticks. Sprinkle the berries with olive oil, balsamic and coarse salt.
3. Place everything on the BBQ (gas grill on medium heat) for a few minutes on each side. I like the radicchio leaves to get a bit charred and crispy on the edges. Pull the strawberries off if they start to get to soft. (The strawberries may need a bit less time than the radicchio depending on size and ripeness)
4. Place the radicchio and berries on a bed of quinoa. If there is leftover marinade on the platter, feel free to use it as dressing. Sprinkle each plate with a hard, sharp cheese like Parmesan, if you wish.
Serving suggestions: To make this a side dish, you could serve one wedge per person, in which case it serves 6. I’d budget about 1/2 cup quinoa and 3 strawberries per person.
Enjoy warm!
Sometimes the best creations come out of what I happen to have on hand. That was the case last week when I made this bowl for lunch. Crunchy grated carrots with the protein of the cheese and garbanzos made for a filling meal I could revisit for lunch or dinner. Plus I love keeping cooked beets on hand (I buy them cooked at Trader Joe’s). I could put cilantro on everything, but you can easily sub in basil or arugula if you’re not a lover of it.
To make this vegan, just leave out the cheese. To make it gluten free, omit the couscous and just use rice. You can really use any dressing, but I used a creamy tahini one I bought at the store.
(serves 1)
1 c cooked grains (I used a mix of quinoa & brown rice)
3 T grated carrot
1 small cooked beet, sliced (I bought the precooked ones at Trader Joes)
3 T garbanzo beans (canned, drained)
3 mini mozzarella balls
2 T babaganoush
fresh cilantro
tahini salad dressing
Put 1 c cooked grains in a bowl. Top with 3 T grated carrot, 1 small sliced cooked beet, 1/4 c canned garbanzo beans, 3 mini mozzarella balls, a 2 T scoop of babaganoush (or hummus) and a big pinch of fresh cilantro (or any herb you prefer). Top with your favorite salad dressing. I used a store-bought tahini dressing, but you could also try a sesame dressing or basic vinaigrette.
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if cooking for more than one. Easy desk lunch or light weeknight dinner!
xx
Erin
