Radishes Are For More Than Making Roses

When I was a girl, I used to stay up all night on weekends playing Barbies with my besties. Like clockwork, we would tip toe into the kitchen around 2 a.m to forage for snacks. We'd look around and I, also like clockwork, would go directly to the crisper drawer. Even as a young girl, I've always loved veggies. I don't know if its from eating fresh picked "cukes" from my great-grandmother's garden or the fact that my mother told me veggies would make me pretty. Either way, I've always loved them. So instead of grabbing the chips, I would choose a few radishes from the crisper and go so far as to wash them, trim them, and sprinkle them with a little salt. Of course when you are trying to hide the fact that you've been in the kitchen from your mom, you can only take a few without being noticed (so I thought). With just a few bright red radishes in a damp paper towel slightly salted, I would eat them slowly in hopes they would last forever. Turns out, mom knew I was eating them and didn't care because I was eating a healthy snack and they were a reasonably priced fresh veggie.

Today, radishes are still just as tasty and just as reasonably priced as they were back then and I still love to snack on them, but I no longer have to sneak them. Radishes are basically an edible root vegetable similar to carrots, parsnips, or turnips. Some varieties have an edible leafy green top. They come in many vibrant colors and are in season most of the year. They grow rapidly making them great starter veggies for a first time gardener. They are rich in ascorbic acid (an antioxidant), folic acid, and potassium. They are also a source of B6, calcium, and magnesium. They satisfy the craving for sweet, spicy, crunchy, and salty--if you add a little salt. They can be cooked in a variety of ways; but, I like them just as they are. You can simply wash them well, trim the ends, and snack away. They make a great addition to salads and can be added as an accompaniment to many other dishes. I like to dice them finely with a little sweet onion and mix them into a vinaigrette. If allowed to set overnight, the flavors will permeate the mixture for a pleasant surprise. Drizzle the mixture over grilled asparagus and let us know what you think.

Radish Vinaigrette

2 tbsp finely chopped radishes

1 tbsp finely chopped sweet onion

1 tbsp cider vinegar

3 tbsp EVOO

1 tbsp honey

salt

fresh black pepper

Atkins Eat Your Heart Out!

So, one evening after work, I popped over to my favorite Safeway to pick up a few items. I love this particular store because it caters to folks who shop for small portions or those not looking to shop in bulk. What this means for me is that I can often purchase items I'd like to try in small quantities; so, if something doesn't work as I hoped it would, its no biggie. On this evening, I randomly chose an aisle to cut through to the butcher counter. I don't recall what originally caught my eye, but I found myself in the Asian foods section eyeing down a cute little bottle of organic tamari. Tamari is basically the real soy sauce. Get some. You won't regret it. Next to it was a tiny bottle of mirin. Mirin is something about which I knew nothing aside from contestants on "Chopped" using it in asian marinades and referring to it as sweet. Lightbulb. Into the cart: mirin, tamari, fresh ginger, lemon grass, and shallot. I stopped at the butcher and picked up a thinly sliced sirlion steak. While I didn't know these ingredient totally, I had a feeling they would go well together.

From this little event was born my latest creation: the asian beef salad. This little tasty salad is a great option for those looking to kick the carb habit. It is as much a healthy option as it is impressive. It's paired with a cucumber noodle salad finished in a sweet, spicy rice wine vinegar dressing. Yummy goodness. How's it done? Using a julienne cutter, julienne a cucumber--skin and all--into long thread like strips resembling a noodle. If you do not have a julienne cutter, try to achieve this simply by using your sharpest knife. (Note: get a julienne cutter...you won't regret it!) Set the noodles aside in a colander so that any residual water can release. Where's the beef you say? A day ahead, cut the sirloin (or flank steak if you have it) against the grain into thin slices. Into a heavy storage bag, add the beef with two tsbp tamari, one tbsp mirin, 1/4 cup lemon grass thinly sliced, one tbsp fresh ginger finely chopped, 1/4 cup shallot finely chopped, and 2 tsp sugar. After the meat has set in the fridge over night, its ready to go. The prep is as simple as it is quick. Heat a cast iron skillet (or other heavy skillet) on high heat--be sure to vent properly. Prepare the noodles by simply dressing them in a few drops of rice wine vinegar, a touch of sugar, and a pinch of chile flakes. Once the pan is hot, add a little veggie oil and sear each side of the beef for two minutes per side. Remove from heat and allow to rest for several minutes. Once cool, plate up with just a few slices of beef per person and a pretty little mound of noodles on top (noodles equal about 1/2 cup per serving). If you're carb cutting, this little salad is a great option. This recipe is choc-full of fresh ingredients that pack lots of flavor, beautiful texture, and not a potato on the plate. Not only have we a new dish in the AFL arsenal, we also know that experimentation in the kitchen is okay! So go ye forth and cook!

I Heart You Guacamole!

The big game 2011. Safeway has an insane sale that ends the same day. I had to go. I arrived to find no available carts and lines down the aisle. Super Bowl madness. But, where there's a big game, there's an abundance of snack ideas staring you in the face. Chips here, sodas there....HAAS Avocados $1.00 each!!!!! Oh happy day. It never fails that when I want to make a nice batch of guacamole, the avocados aren't ripe enough and when I buy them in anticipation of making some when they've ripened, I just waste my time. So today, its raining ripe haas avocados at the beautiful price of $1.00 each. Heaven. I quickly pack a few nice ones in my cart and I grab a lime, a few tomatoes, cilantro, a sweet onion, and a serrano chile. I finish my shopping, despite the crowd and near empty shelves, and head home.

The thing with avocados is, if you don't know, you don't know. Many people often shy away from them because of their creamy texture. Some people find the color off putting. Others find shopping for them intimidating and confusing. But once you know, you know and there is no turning back. They are good for you as they are high in monounsaturated fat which helps good cholesterol....but, a little goes a long way here, so don't overdo it. They make great additions to a variety of salads and sandwiches. But the best thing they lend themselves to--in my opinion--is guacamole. It's velvety, salty, spicy, sweet...all that, and a bag of chips...literally. Good Stuff.

So, here's the low down on making your own "guac." First, choose an avocado which is brown on the exterior (resist the urge for a bright pretty green one). Feel it up. It should have give but not be mushy. Once you have your fruit in hand, you'll also need 1/4 cup of ripe tomato , half of a serrano chile finely diced with seeds, 1/4 cup of sweet onion finely diced, a tbsp of cilantro finely chopped, and the juice of a half of a lime. Insert your knife into the avocado until you hit the seed. Continue cutting around the fruit from one end to the next and twist open. To remove the seed, insert your knife into the seed and twist. Scoop the green goodness into a bowl and add the other ingredients. It's important to get that lime onto the avocado quickly to preserve its bright color. Add a good pinch of salt and--my personal secret--a tbsp of sugar. Mix well and pop in the fridge. I like to make guac a couple of hours before I will serve it. I try not to make more than what will be eaten the same day as it doesn't store well. Once its has set, taste for salt and adjust as needed. If your chips will be salted, consider that when adding salt.