Autumn Fig Salad

Figs with Baby Greens

Inspired by the mission fig and the autumn landscape of northern New Mexico, I delicately combined some baby greens, walnuts, dill, and Manchego cheese to make a salad.  For a final touch, I drizzled on some agave nectar to add a touch of sweetness. 

Purslane Potato Salad with Greek Yogurt and Dill

Purslane Potato Salad

Purslane in Potato Salad

While I used to find purslane in all of the uptown farmer's markets in Manhattan,  I now find it growing wild in my garden in Rio en Medio.  Purslane is a succulent, that can be used in stews, soups, salads or sauteed.  Here, I added some to my potato salad.

Purslane Close-up

Potato Salad with Purslane Recipe

 Ingredients:

1 pound purple,red and white finger potatoes, sliced in half

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup purslane,  loosely chopped

salt to taste

1/4 cup dill, chopped

red chili flakes to taste

Instructions:

1.  Roast the finger potatoes, cool.

2.  Slice the potatoes, then place in a bowl.

3.  Add the onions, yogurt, purslane, dill, chilli flakes, and salt.

4.  Stir then serve.

Summer Salad with Blueberries and Papitas

Freshly Picked Greens with Blueberries and Papitas

Summer Salad with Blueberries and Papitas

Mixing baby arugula with avocado, blueberries, melon, red onion, a little hot spice, then sprinkling with some toasted papitas work nicely to make a light, colorful and refreshing summer salad.  Toss these summer fruit flavors,  fresh greens, and papitas with some lemon juice and salt for a quick and healthy meal for you and a friend.

Ingredients for 2 servings:

1 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 melon,  chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup baby greens
1/4 cup papitas, toasted
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 serrano pepper,  finely diced
Salt to taste

Persian Inspired Salad with Sweet Potato and Spinach

Persian Inspired Salad

A friend introduced me to an amazing Persian cookbook titled "Food for Life" by  Najmieh Batmanglij.  After glancing through the recipes and delicious looking pictures, I started craving flavors such as spearmint, rose water, dates, raisins, pistachios, saffron, and turmeric.  Combining a myriad of these flavors can give any dish an exotic twist.

After being influenced by Najmieh Batmanglij's recipes, I created my own Persian inspired salad.

Ingredients for Persian Inspired Salad with Sweet Potato and Spinach:

2 cups spinach

1 sweet potato, sliced
1 cup garbanzo beans

1/4 cup dill

1/4 cup parsley

3 tablespoons spearmint,

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 tablespoon butter or ghee

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 garlic stems, chopped

1 tablespoon rose water
1tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric

1 pinch of saffron

Salt to taste

Red Pepper Flakes to taste

Yogurt

Pine Nuts

Directions:


1.  Microwave sweet potato until soft.  Run cold water over potato, while peeling skin off.  Set aside.
2.  In a skillet, brown the onions and garlic in butter or ghee.  Then add sweet potato, garbanzo beans, rose water, hot pepper flakes, turmeric, saffron and salt.  
3.  Let mixture cool then add dill, spearmint, parsley, garlic stems and spinach.
5.  Dress with some lemon juice and olive oil.

5.  Garnish with a dollup of yogurt and pine nuts.

Watercress Salad with Citrus and Peanuts

Watercress Salad with Citrus

First of all, I would love to congratulate my friend Matt for losing 50 pounds though "Lifestyle 180", a Cleveland Clinic wellness program designed to encourage healthy eating and activity.  It is such a compliment to hear that my photography has inspired Matt to keep thinking about healthy food ideas - thank you Matt!  I try to make all my recipes low calorie, since I need to be around healthy, highly nutritional food to keep my weight under control.

Watercress Salad

Watercress Salad:

With the feeling of spring in the air, I was craving a salad with a little color - (I am tired of the winter drabness).  The salad above was prepared by combining some wild watercress, papaya and mango chunks, a blood orange, red onion and roasted peanuts.   For the dressing, I just squeezed on a little lime and orange juice with salt.  Color can always make a salad a little more festive, especially with spring around the corner.