Mung Bean Sprout Summer Salad

This recipe requires a little kitchen gardening experiment.

But please don't let that stop you.

Even if you've sadly killed every house plant you've ever owned: YOU CAN SPROUT!

You don't even need dirt - just a glass jar, some cheesecloth (or even an old nylon stocking), and a rubber band.

Your thumb is green enough to not mess this one up. I promise.

To read about why I am a huge fan of sprouting, click here.

Mung bean and fenugreek seed sprouts after germinating for 2 days. They grew quickly in my warm apartment.

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Mung Bean Sprout Summer Salad

While this salad could be made with any number of sprouted legumes or seeds, I've chosen mung beans and fenugreek seeds. I love the tender crispness from the mung beans and delicate maple flavor from the fenugreek seeds. Fenugreek seeds are used as a spice in Indian cooking and are rich in vitamins and minerals, help to lower LDL cholesterol, and can aid in regulating blood sugar levels. Tossed with some cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and parsley the sprouts are simply satisfying on a hot August day.

Makes 4-6 servings

½ cup dried mung beans, sorted and rinsed
1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds, rinsed
1 English cucumber, chopped (peel the skin if not-organic)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
Extra-large handful parsley, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

1. Place the mung beans and fenugreek seeds in a clean glass quart jar. Fill the jar with water (leaving a bit of room at the top) and cover ith a sprouting lid or cheesecloth fastened with a heavy rubber band. Soak, unrefrigerated, overnight.
2. The next morning, drain and rinse seeds with fresh water. Drain well once again before inverting the jar so that the water can continue to drain out through the lid. Put your jar in a bowl to avoid a puddle. You may have to get slightly inventive with how you prop up your jar so that it’s at an angle. Water and drain the sprouts 2-3 times a day until they grow a little tail about 1/2 - 1 inch long.
3. When they are sprouted to your liking, combine the mung bean and fenugreek seed sprouts with the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and parsley. Dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste - or toss with any other dressing you feel like.
4. Serve alone or as part of a larger salad. I added mine to some baby arugula along with avocado andwalnuts for a refreshing light lunch.

Pickled Radishes and a Spring Wheat Berry Salad

If you visit my kitchen, on most days you'll find a few vegetable-filled jars sitting around, covered in colorful cloths, taking in the local Brooklyn bacteria. I love to ferment the produce available at the Farmer's Market to preserve the season's bounty and create my own probiotic edibles.

Probiotics are bacteria that find their way to the large intestine, where they assit in digestion and nutrient assimilation, and can benefit everything from brain to immune to cardiovascular health. While continually buying probiotic capsules at the natural food store gets rather expensive, fermenting a head of cabbage, a bunch of pickles, or a bundle of beets is easy on the bank account and way more delicious. Once you master these radishes, you can use the same technique with any vegetable. 

In honor of spring, a few weeks ago I used two bunches of radishes to create a big batch of these punchy pink pickles. They sat out for 10 days before I liked their tang and moved them to the fridge. Since then, I've been adding my pickled radishes to salads, such as the Spring Wheat Berry Salad I've included in this post, and using them to to top off a taco, fried egg, or bowl of soup.

Happy fermenting!

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Pickled Radishes

Makes 2 cups pickles

1 ½ tablespoons sea salt
2 cups filtered water
2 bunches red radishes, cleaned and sliced into ¼ inch thick slices
1 clove garlic (optional)
0 – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 

1. Wash one wide mouth quart jar and one quarter pint jar very well.
2. Prepare the brine by mixing the salt in the water and stirring until completely dissolved.
3. Pack the radishes into the clean quart jar. Add the garlic clove and red pepper flakes if desired. Cover with brine, leaving about and inch of room at the top of the jar.
4. Fill the quarter pint jar with water and cover with a lid. Fit this jar into the mouth of the quart jar, pressing down so that the brine reaches the rim of the quart jar and the radishes are completely submerged.
5. Use a clean, thin kitchen cloth, secured to the jar with a rubber band, to cover.
6. Allow the radishes to ferment for 4-10 days at room temperature. The longer they ferment, the tangier they will become. Taste occasionally.
7. When the taste suits you, removed the quarter pint jar, cover the quart jar with a lid and transfer the jar to the refrigerator.

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Spring Wheat Berry Salad with Pickled Radishes and Goat's Cheese

Makes 4 servings

1 cup wheat berries, rinsed and soaked overnight
2 cloves peeled garlic, one whole and one minced
Sea salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 bunch asparagus, bottoms trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup fresh or frozen English peas
½ cup pickled radishes
3 tablespoons pickling liquid
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 ounces crumbled goat’s cheese
4 cups baby arugula
¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted
Ground black pepper

1. In a medium-sized pot, bring 5 cups water to a boil. Add wheat berries, ½ teaspoon salt, and one whole clove of garlic. Bring back up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, or until the wheat berries are tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, remove the garlic clove, and set aside.
2. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the minced garlic clove. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the cut asparagus, peas, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook until asparagus is crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine the wheat berries, cooked vegetables, pickled radishes, 3 tablespoons olive oil, pickling liquid, dill, parsley, arugula, and goat’s cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with sunflower seeds and serve immediately. 

Lentil Salad with Radicchio, Fennel, Oranges, and Toasted Walnuts

Now that picnic season is among us, you’ll be the talk of the park when you show up with this jazzed up lentil salad. It’s a one-bowl, wellness meal full of heart-healthy fiber, plant-based protein, and longevity-boosting antioxidants.

I’m on a mission to destroy any bad reputation attached to lentils. They are one of my absolute favorite foods, with 13 grams of protein and one quarter of your daily fiber needs per serving. They are rich in iron, folate, and minerals like copper, phosphorus, and manganese.

Protein that helps regulate blood sugar, promote heart health, and boost energy? That’s what I call PLANT POWER!

While there’s nothing fun at all about plain lentils, they are fabulous sponges, and soak up whatever flavors you decide to dress them up with. The flavor combination in this lentil salad always make me smile. The orange, parsley, and dill bring sunny cheer, and the radicchio, fennel, and walnuts provide the tantalizing crunch-factor. If you’re in the mood, add some feta or goat’s cheese for a little extra tang, but it definitely doesn’t need it if you’re dairy-free.

This dish is a perfect make-it-the-night-before salad since the flavors only get better as they have a chance to meld together. It stores well in an air-tight container for up to five days. You may have to drain out a little of the liquid that accumulates, but save it! It makes a fabulous impromptu dressing for an arugula salad.

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Lentil Salad with Radicchio, Fennel, Oranges, and Toasted walnuts

Yield: 4 servings

1 cup dried French green lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 clove garlic, minced
Sea salt
Pepper
1 head radicchio, cored and chopped
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 orange, supremed and chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
¼ cup fresh dill, minced
¼ cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

1. Place rinsed lentils and ¼ teaspoon salt in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook about 25 minutes, or until just tender. Drain lentils and put in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss the lentils with the dressing and set aside to marinate while preparing the remaining ingredients.
3. When the lentils have cooled, add the radicchio, fennel, orange, parsley, and dill to the lentils, tossing to combine. Top with toasted walnuts to serve.

Spring Quinoa Tabouli Salad with Arugula

This quinoa salad has “Mason Jar Lunch Recipes” written all over it.  It’s a quick and simple meal that can be ready in minutes and will stay fresh in the fridge through the week – easily reinvented into a number of grab-and-go lunches. It also made a delicious side accompaniment to some pesto-baked salmon for a healthy and satisfying weeknight dinner. 

Here’s the game plan: While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the dressing and cut the vegetables. After the quinoa has cooled, toss it all together. But here’s the catch – if you are planning on eating the salad for lunch tomorrow, keep the arugula and sunflower seeds separate so the delicate leaves don’t become mush.

To prep your on-the-go, wellness meal, use a 2-cup, wide-mouthed Ball jar (16 oz). Place 1 cup of quinoa salad at the base of the jar, then fill the remainder of the jar with arugula. Top with a tablespoon of sunflower seeds, lemon wedge, and a pinch of salt. The arugula should stay fresh and crisp until lunch time!

If you are in the mood for something hardier, sardines packed in olive oil and tossed with a squeeze of lemon and pinch of salt make an excellent accompaniment to this salad. If sardines aren’t your thing, shredded chicken from last night’s leftovers would also pair quite well.  

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Spring Quinoa Tabouli Salad with Arugula

Yield: 4 servings

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained
1 ¾ cups water
½ teaspoon salt, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup parsley, minced
½ cup mint, minced
1 bunch radishes, sliced
1 bunch scallions, cut into thin rounds
1 cucumber, small diced
Arugula
Sunflower seeds, toasted

1. Bring the quinoa, water, and ¼ teaspoon salt to a boil in a small pot, reduce to simmer, and cook covered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and spread over a baking sheet or plate to cool.  
2. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, dressing, parsley, mint, radishes, scallions, and cucumber. 
4. To serve, toss the arugula with a pinch of salt, drizzle of olive oil, and squeeze of lemon. Add the quinoa tabouli and top with toasted sunflower seeds. 

Turmeric and Cumin Roasted Cauliflower Salad

If you are cooking and the food tastes bland, what do you do? Nine times out of ten, the answer I usually hear is, “add salt.”

There is no doubt salt is a necessary ingredient for building flavor in a dish. Rather than make food “salty,” the right amount of salt can increase the sweetness of some fruits or even decrease unpleasant bitterness. Salt has the miraculous effect of simply enhancing the delicious flavors of foods.

Salt has vital biological function as well. Membrane channels in cell walls are regulated by the concentration of salt (and potassium) inside and outside of our cells. As a result, biological functions ranging from digestion to nerve transmission are impacted by the amount of sodium in our body.

High quality, non-iodized sea salt is a truly vital cooking ingredient. However, it is 100% necessary to learn how to build flavor and create dynamic taste combinations apart from the basic salt and pepper routine. Don’t our taste buds deserve something a bit more fun?

So how do we develop these tasty flavor profiles without being overly dependent on salt? One answer: herbs and spices

When we bring these ingredients into the kitchen we expand our culinary potential by one hundred fold. Think of a little fresh parsley that garnishes braised chicken. It’s the element that freshens the dish and makes it come alive with brightness. A bowl of Vietnamese pho would not be complete without the torn mint, cilantro, or basil that accompanies it. The crispy skin of my mother’s roasted chicken is so divine because of thyme and oregano (and copious amounts of butter of course).

Now think about any global cuisine that you can imagine. It is the century-old herb and spice combinations that give it the unique flavor you crave. The taste of Mexico is completely within grasp when you have some cumin, cilantro, cinnamon, and oregano on hand. You can take a trip to Provence with rosemary, sage, marjoram, and thyme, and bring India into your kitchen with turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cilantro. Herbs and spices will bring your food to the next flavor-popping level.

Not only are they essential to the culinary toolkit, but herbs and spices also bring an incredible array of nutrition onto your plate. In the recipe that follows, I’ve used a classic Indian spice combination and paired it with bright parsley and crisp mint. Between the five spices and two herbs, we’ve got cardiovascular, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and digestive benefits well covered and accounted for.

With all that stands to gain by cooking with herbs and spices - from the taste to the nutrition - the next time your food tastes a bit bland, how will you be upping the flavor?

That’s right. A bit of salt and a whole lot of herbs and spices.

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Turmeric and Cumin Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Yield: 4 – 1 ½ cup servings

1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8  teaspoon cayenne
1/4  teaspoon + pinch salt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup loosely packed mint, chopped
1 cup loosely packed parsley, chopped
2 cups cooked chickpeas, or one can, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup almonds, chopped and toasted

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Place the cauliflower florets in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup of the olive oil, the spices, and ¼ teaspoon salt.  Pour the oil mixture over the cauliflower and use your hands to make sure the florets are equally coated. Transfer the cauliflower onto baking sheets, making sure not to crowd them, and roast for 25 minutes. Allow cauliflower to cool.
3. While the cauliflower is in the oven, mix together the remaining ¼ cup olive oil, pinch of salt, lemon juice, honey, and garlic.
4. Combine the cooled cauliflower, lemon dressing, mint, parsley, chickpeas and raisins. Top with toasted almonds when ready to serve. 

Bejeweled Kale Salad

This salad is a true celebration of color, texture, and flavor. Inspired by the ingredients of Morocco, this dazzling dish features pomegranates, pistachios, and a spiced lemon dressing. Red, orange, yellow, and three shades of green. Crunchy, creamy, and juicy. Tangy, sweet, and savory. Have I whet your appetite yet?

This is a massaged kale salad. Massaging chopped kale in any acidic dressing will wilt the leaves, making them tastier and easier to digest. Make sure to really get your hands in there!

Not only are they totally delicious, massaged kale salads are hearty enough to withstand a dressing overnight. The kale will not wilt and become soggy the next day like your typical salad greens. That means you can cook once and make enough for a few days worth of packed lunches – just leave out the avocado and pistachios until you're ready to eat.

It’s no secret that kale is a nutritional powerhouse. One cup of chopped kale contains only 33 calories and provides 9% of the daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C, and 684% of vitamin K. Kale is also a good source of minerals including manganese, copper, and potassium, and anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, and health-supportive nutrients like flavonoids and carotenoids.

CULINARY WELLNESS TIP: I’m always looking for ways to maximize the nutrition of my meals through simple cooking techniques. Quinoa, which is already a culinary wellness superstar, takes on anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits to boot when cooked with ¼ teaspoon of turmeric. The turmeric also gives the quinoa a vibrant yellow hue, adding another dimension to this salad’s color palate. Add turmeric to your grains when you won’t mind the yellow color and want the tremendous array of health benefits.

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Bejeweled Kale Salad

Yield: 2 entrée-sized portions

½ cup quinoa
¼ teaspoon turmeric
Sea salt
1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 large carrot, grated
½ avocado, cut into slivers
¼ cup pistachios
¼ cup pomegranate seeds

Lemon and Cumin Dressing
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch red pepper flakes 

1. Rinse the quinoa and combine with 1 cup of water, a pinch of sea salt, and the turmeric in a small pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
2. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, honey, salt, and cumin. Combine the kale and dressing in a large bowl. Using your hands, massage the dressing into the kale for 1-3 minutes. The kale should reduce in size and become tender.
3. Add the quinoa, carrots, avocado and pomegranate seeds and gently mix together. Top with pistachios. If the salad will be stored overnight, leave the avocado and pistachios on the side to add later.

Triple Citrus Salad with Golden Beets, Lentils, and Toasted Almonds

There are only so many stews, soups, and hearty root vegetables that I can eat before my taste buds start craving something on the lighter side. When I’m ready for a break from heavier, winter entrées, I like to incorporate zesty citrus flavors like lemon and orange to keep a little spring in my step.

This salad is dressed with a triple citrus dressing – lemon, orange, and blood orange – that elevates the simple greens and lentils to a delicious new height. There are roasted golden beets for eye-pop factor and toasted almonds to round out all the flavors. This combo will make you forget its winter and have your taste buds singing!

CULINARY WELLNESS TIP: When you are going through the effort of making a salad dressing from scratch (which of course is always worth it), be sure to make enough to last you a few more salads. This recipe makes enough so that when you're in the mood for another salad, all you have to do is add and mix! Save glass jars and glass salad dressing bottles so that you can easily store your homemade dressings.

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Triple Citrus Salad with Golden Beets, Lentils, and Toasted Almonds

Yield: two entrée-sized portions

2 medium-sized golden beets, halved
Olive oil
Sea salt
½ cup French lentils, rinsed
1 clove garlic, peeled
¼ cup almonds, toasted and halved
1 blood orange, segmented (juices reserved)
4 ounces organic spring salad mix

Triple Citrus Dressing
½ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
Reserved juices from blood orange
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Place halved beets on a parchment-lined baking sheet, lightly coat with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast until just tender. Allow to cool, remove skins, and slice into ¼ inch half-moons.
3. While beets are roasting, combine lentils with enough water to cover by one and a half inchs, a pinch of salt, and the garlic clove. Bring water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy. Strain, remove garlic clove and set aside.
4. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and adjust to taste.
5. To assemble, toss spring salad mix with the lentils, blood oranges, golden beets, and ¼ cup of the dressing. Top with toasted almonds.

Kale Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash

For the last two months, I worked in the kitchen at NYC's famed farm-to-table restaurant, Gramercy Tavern. They have a killer kale salad! Working the garde manger station at lunch, I never saw the orders for this dish stop. Here, I'm bringing you the home-cook version - a little less glitz, but no less pizzazz. 

CULINARY WELLNESS TIP: Prep your greens right after you take them home from the market to preserve their flavor and nutrients. Cut into thin shreds for salads or thicker chunks for sautéing - whatever you are feeling for that week. Wash, dry, wrap in paper towels, and store in a sealed plastic bag that has been pricked with 20 tiny air holes. Now, when you're ready to make the dish, the majority of the work is already over.  

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Kale Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash

Serves 2 as an entrée or 4 as a side dish

1 small delicata squash, cut into ¼ inch thick half moons, seeds removed
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 head lacinato kale, destemed, shredded, washed, and spun dry
¼ cup pepitas

Lemon Vinaigrette
1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon honey or maple syrup
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Coat the delicate squash in olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread out onto a parchment lined baking try and roast for 20 minutes. Allow squash to cool and then cut into 1 inch pieces.
2. While squash is cooking, combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette. 
3. Coat the pepitas with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast at 350F for 10 minutes. Season with an extra pinch of salt to taste.
4. Toss the shredded kale with the vinaigrette, massaging briefly to slightly wilt the leaves. Toss in the chickpeas and squash. Garnish with the toasted pepitas.