Craveable 3-Piece Salad (No Dressing Required)

The juice from the grapefruit is all the dressing you'll need (or want). 

Girl, you know it's true. Ooo, ooo, ooo. I love you. 

This salad is so quick & easy to make, and is extremely satisfying. 

Crunchy jicama, creamy avocado, and bright & juicy grapefruit are a match made in heaven. 

Even better? With no dressing needed, it's really good for you.

The 1-2-3...
1 ruby grapefruit
1/2 of a small jicama root
1 small, or 1/2 a large avocado 

The A-B-C...
Peel the jicama with a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Slice into bite-sized pieces about 1/8" thick. Add the slices to a medium/large serving bowl. (Avoid serving in a metal bowl. The acid from the grapefruit can react to the metal, leaving a bad aftertaste.)

Segment the grapefruit. Using a sharp knife, remove the peel and pith. Start by slicing off the top and bottom of the grapefruit. Then slice down the sides, using the shape of the grapefruit to guide you. Tear the peeled grapefruit in half at the core. The skins should peel off the grapefruit segments quite easily. Work over the bowl of jicama so any juice drains into the salad. Add the segments to the jicama. Squeeze the grapefruit peels to extract any remaining juice, and drain the juice from the cutting board into the bowl as well. Toss the grapefruit and jicama in the juice to coat. 

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise. Using a large spoon, remove the flesh by moving the spoon closely between the flesh and the skin of the avocado. Place the avocado flat-side down on the cutting board, and slice with a thin, sharp knife. Add the avocado to the jicama and grapefruit, and serve immediately. 

To add a bit more nutrient value, serve the salad on a bed of baby kale or supergreens. 

Enjoy! 

5 Minute Thai Cucumber Salad

OK. 5 minutes depending on your knife skills. But it's quick. And easy. And way cheaper than anything you'll get at a restaurant. For those who need their vegetables sugar-coated, this is a delicious and healthy way to get at least one serving a day.

At the very least, you can make this with 3 ingredients: cucumbers, vinegar, and sugar. With a couple more ingredients, it's fantastic. 

Clockwise from left: Shallots, radishes, cucumbers, bell pepper

Preparation

Very thinly slice one small shallot. Add to a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle with rice vinegar and sprinkle with a little sugar. Stir, and let sit while you prep the other vegetables. 

Slice a 2-3" piece of English cucumber in half lengthwise, then slice thin half moons. 

Slice a couple radishes as thinly as possible.

Dice a little red bell pepper. 

Stir the cucumber and radish into the shallots & vinegar. Adjust seasoning (if it's too acidic, add a little more sugar). Garnish with the bell pepper. Serve immediately. 

This salad is best made fresh, as the veggies will become limp if left sitting for more than an hour. Keeping rice vinegar in the pantry is a great idea. It's soft and balanced, makes great dressings, and adds dimension to all sorts of dishes. 

Jam Jar Vinaigrette

I never could stand store-bought salad dressing. But if I make a big batch of my own, and buy a honkin' tub of organic greens, I'm sure to eat my vegetables every day. The sweetness of the jam balances the acid from the citrus and vinegar. Herbs, shallot, and ginger add layers of flavor and dimension, making this vinaigrette (and hence, your veggies) irresistible. 

This is may favorite combination of ingredients, you can have fun using different vinegars, jams, and herbs. The measurements I give are just guidelines. I encourage you to taste as you go, and adjust whatever you like to suit your palate. 

Shake it Up

Add all ingredients to the jam jar, shake well to dissolve all the jam, and adjust ingredients to taste. If you have time, make it ahead and allow the flavors to develop in the vinegar before adding the oil. Otherwise, add oil to taste. I like about 3 parts vinegar, etc. to 1 part oil. 

Rice Vinegar - about 1/4C

White Balsamic Vinegar - about 2T 

Meyer Lemon Juice - about 2T

Orange Juice - about 3T 

Red Wine - 1-2T

Shallot - 1T finely minced 

Ginger - about 1t, either in a chunk or grated

Kosher Salt - about 1/2t

Grapeseed Oil - about 1/4C (grapeseed oil is just as healthy as olive oil, but has a milder flavor, and doesn't coagulate as much in the fridge)

Herbs: You can add a sprig of thyme to the jar, and the flavor will infuse the dressing, or mince a few leaves of basil or tarragon. 

So next time you polish off a jar of your favorite jam, save the jar and turn it into a cup of goodness. 

Let sleeping ingredients steep before adding oil.

Under 300 Calories. Less than $2. Delicious. Nutritious. Real Fast Food.

 

It's hot. You're busy as ever with work, friends, family, the gym...

You want to eat something substantial, yet light. Delicious, yet healthy. Oh, and p.s., you're too busy to cook, and you have no money. 

Never fear! Behold the first of several of my favorite meals that address all of these issues.

Organic Girl Super Greens with Warm Roasted Potatoes and 

Kicky Pickled Ginger Vinaigrette 

1.25 oz greens (10 calories!)
1 medium yukon gold potato (about 110 calories)
2T vinaigrette (about 150 calories)

I am just crazy about this mix. Contrary to the serving suggestion, I find that when topped with something hearty like a potato, I can get about 4-5 servings from a 5oz package. 

For years I have agonized over the limpness of traditional "spring mix" greens. 

When the weather turns warm, I'm all about creating quick, satisfying salads topped with anything from potatoes to steak, and this uber nutritious mix of baby red chard, baby tat soi, baby spinach, baby green swiss chard, & baby arugula stands up to whatever I throw on it. Get the big container, make a big batch of dressing, and you'll find yourself eating and loving your veggies every day.

The Potatoes
I like any thin-skinned variety, and prefer fingerlings, as they are pretty small, roast quickly, and have an irresistible creamy texture. 

Rub potatoes with a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and roast at 375' until tender (when pierced with a knife they offer some resistance), about 20-25 minutes. Larger potatoes like yukon golds can take longer to roast. If you have a microwave you can nuke them for 1-2 minutes to give them a running start, but be sure to finish them off in the oven to bring out their flavor. 

Vinaigrette
While the potatoes are roasting make a quick vinaigrette. I don't seem to tire of this basic recipe. Make about a 1/2 pint so you have it ready to go. Take half of it to work with you.

Ginger (peel & thinly slice about 5 slices; soak in about 1/3C of Seasoned Rice Vinegar for about 20 minutes)
Shallot (finely mince about 2 teaspoons)
Citrus (I like a couple tablespoons of freshly squeezed OJ)
Olive or Grapeseed Oil (the latter is just as healthy as the former, has a more delicate flavor, and doesn't congeal as much when refrigerated)
Salt & Pepper

Mince the pickled ginger, and combine with the vinegar, OJ, and shallot in a 1/2 pint jar. Sprinkle with a bit of salt & freshly ground pepper, and add about 1/4C of oil. Seal the jar with a lid and shake the hell out of it. Open it up, taste it, and adjust the seasoning. You may want to add 1t of honey or a bit of Tapatio (yes, Tapatio) to round it out. 

Assemble Your Salad
Top greens with sliced potatoes, or leave whole if they're smaller. Drizzle with some dressing, and enjoy! Take extra potatoes, greens & dressing to work for a perfectly satisfying lunch that won't weight you down.

(Nutritional Facts for a Yukon Gold Potato)