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Pot Lucky: Food on a Stick Edition

Pot Lucky: Food on a Stick Edition

Food on a Stick

I probably say this every Pot Lucky – but the stick party was the best ever. Food on a stick! Skewered anything! Skewered everything! Kicked up Shish Kabobs……Swish Kabobs! It was the perfect storm of a late summer night with stunning weather, a beautiful pool patio with gorgeous gardens, amazing guests ready to have fun, and a commitment from people to bring their culinary A-game to the table. Literally – to the table. 

Limoncello Sparklers

Special cocktail: Limoncello Sparkler. Add lemon seltzer and Prosecco to Limoncello and garnish with mint and lemon slices.

Pot Luckys, for the uninformed, are my spin on the dreaded (to me at least) pot luck. The emphasis is on the Lucky. Menus are curated around a theme and the goal is to avoid supermarket fare stored in the office desk drawer all the damn day. Don’t think you are fooling anyone by using a frilly pick. That does NOT make it special. I’m on to you. I know, I know. Not everyone that you want to invite is game for this, but there are so many ways for all to participate. Pot Luckys are always about the food, in this case the Swish Kabob, but since there was a lovely pool patio I layered luau onto the theme. That left room for people who don’t cook to get excited about leis. I mean who doesn’t love that?  The order went out to don trop frocks and the crew did not disappoint. From banana slippers to tiki attire, it was a colorful group.

Trop Frocks

Atmosphere was easy to come by. Between the host’s inflatable shark raft and my 4 zillion floating flip flop candles the pool was set. Lights in trees, colorful cloths, lots of flowers and a few banana leaves and you have yourself a party. 

Setting the Table

I always supply “placecards” to let guests write their own title on the dish. While I use this app to track the menu and help guests decide on a dish not already claimed, there are always last minute changes. Best to let guests create their own card on arrival. This time I slapped on a few stickers from a crazy stash that I had apparently hoarded. Who knew I was long in tropical stickers? I also ordered an inexpensive photo booth kit of tiki props from Amazon, which made taking photos a lot of fun. 

Hula in the House

We’ve done about a dozen Pot Luckys so far with a good list of more to come. Some of my favorites include the salad paloozafajitas, sliders, and a nautical theme. For details on how to host your own, link here. Depending on the party (8 kinds of meatloaf or 6 flavors of soup), you can plan on leftovers for your freezer. But for other themes, like Swish Kabobs, you can expect the pineapple to get licked right off the dish, with nothing but amazing memories (and possibly a few compromising photos) to take away.  

Food on a Stick

Shrimp, Chicken and Watermelon with Feta

Tropical Shrimp on a stick; Chicken Satay on a stick with peanut sauce; Watermelon, Feta  & Mint on a stick with a Balsamic glaze.

There are no rules on how to put food on a stick and though I provided a few menu ideas for each category (apps, sides, mains, desserts), I also sent people off to google food on a stick. Pinterest has its share of ideas. If it looks tricky, it might not hurt to give it a test run. I find that the online photos that have their subject carefully laying down might be displayed this way due to precarious skewerability. That’s a word, right? If the photo shows the skewers upright and poked into a watermelon or pineapple or someone holding them, that’s a safe bet. I hope my guests know by now that I appreciate the effort as much as the success. Not all things turn out, but they are always tasty…A+ for effort, and I love their enthusiasm for trying something new. I had an Italian cooking teacher who always said, “That’s the way we like it!” in reference to any dish and any outcome. Applause. Applause.

Greek Salad and Chicken & Waffles

Greek Salad on a stick; Chicken & Waffles on a stick.

Some dishes were cooked or prepared separately and then assembled and some were cooked on the skewers. Don’t forget to soak your skewers if you are going to grill them. Also some had a single portion with a lot of skewer showing, appetizer-style, and some were loaded end to end, entree-style. Variety is the spice of life. 

Antipasti, Brats & Corn

Antipasti on a stick; Hatch Chili Brats & Spiced Potatoes on a stick; Corn Cobbettes on a stick.

I often have Pot Luckys where the cooking happens on the scene, like pizzas or burgers. This time I asked for the food to be ready-to-serve since it wasn’t my house. Either way you need to be clear about expectations. Let your guests know that quantity is not a concern, because there are so many dishes from which to choose. I try to give a head count as a guideline, but know that not all guests will try each dish, especially when you have 20 items. And then there are those who will try every single one and then some. Why are you looking at me? It’s my job.  

caprese, grilled peaches & mozzarella, pineapple chicken on a stick

Caprese Salad on a stick; Grilled Peaches with Basil & Fresh Mozzarella on a stick; Pineapple Coconut Lime Shrimp on a stick.

Flank Steak, Veg Kabob, Pork Wings, Pork Belly with Avo

Flank Steak on a stick; Summer Squash & Red Skins on a stick; Pork Wings on a stick: Pork Belly, Pineapple, and Avo on a stick.

One brave guest rolled his own sushi and popped that on a stick. Kind of perfect! And what you see below is not any old fruit kabob. Oh, no! This fruit – mango, pineapple, fresh cherries and Moon Drop grapes – has had a little boozy bath before being skewered. 

Boozy Fruit and Sushi on a Stick

Sushi on a stick; Boozy Fruit on a stick.

Special props to the ladies who went the extra mile to fill the challenging dessert category. I wasn’t sure if we would get any takers on dessert, but two brave souls stepped up to the challenge with tremendous success! Three flavors of ice cream pops and mini blueberry pies on a stick. So creative, so beautiful, and so tasty. A real crowd-pleaser!! 

Ice Cream Pops on a Stick

Ice Cream Pops on a stick: Pineapple/Kiwi/Coconut; Brownie/Pecan; Strawberry/Blueberry.

I love that some of the blueberry pie-ettes were made using a Michigan-shaped pastry cutter. We call ourselves the Mitten State. So, these are officially “Hand” Pies!! Yum!

Blueberry Hand Pies

Blueberry Hand Pies on a stick – get it? Michigan mitten-shaped, aka “Hand”, pies!
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Greek Salad Salad on a Stick: marinated cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, feta and black olives on a white tray with fresh thyme

Food on a Stick: Greek Salad


  • Author: Katy Keck
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 32 skewers 1x

Description

Greek salad on a stick is a quick and easy solution when you need an hors d’oeuvre to go. Prep the ingredients ahead, and marinate the Feta up to overnight. About 20 minutes before you are ready to assemble, marinate the vegetables. Once assembled, these will keep in the fridge for several hours. 


Ingredients

Scale

For skewers:

  • 8-ounce package of Feta (chunk or block, not crumbles or cubes)
  • 4 mini cucumbers (8 ounces)
  • 32 cherry tomatoes, assorted colors
  • 32 oil-cured, pitted olives
  • 32 bamboo skewers

For marinades:

  • Olive oil
  • Lemon juice
  • Fresh herbs: chives, thyme, oregano
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Coarse sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Marinate the Feta:

Slice the block of Feta in half, creating a top half and bottom half. Cut each section in 4 x 4 sections, resulting in 32 pieces of Feta. Transfer to a mixing bowl and drizzle lightly with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Season with chopped chives and red pepper flakes, to taste. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes, up to overnight. 

Marinate the vegetables:

Trim off the ends of the mini cucumbers, and slice each one into 8 slices. Slice the stem end off each cherry tomato and using a small knife or spoon (I like to use a strawberry huller), cut out the ribs and seeds from the tomatoes. The tomatoes will serve as a cup to keep the Feta intact.  Place the cucumbers and tomatoes in a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil, enough to coat, and a squeeze of lemon. Season with fresh thyme, chopped oregano, sea salt and black pepper.  Marinate for 20 to 30 minutes only. 

Assemble the skewers:

Skewer the cucumber slice (lollipop-style), a tomato (open end up), a piece of Feta (pressed down into the tomato), and an olive. Repeat using up all the ingredients. Refrigerate until serving and sprinkle with salt and pepper before serving. 

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Greek

Keywords: Greek Salad, Food on a Stick, Kabobs

Food on a Stick Finale

Thanks to all my Pot Lucky-ers for continuing on this journey and being intrepid voyagers. Are you game to try your hand at a Pot Lucky? Let me know how it goes, tag me with #PotLucky  & #PalatePassionPurpose and as always, I love to get your comments below. 

Ice Cream Pops

Michigan Mitten Hand Pies

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Summer Sipper: Red Currant Lemonade

Summer Sipper: Red Currant Lemonade

two glasses of red currant lemonade with mint, currant, lemon slice garnish

Time to grab some tart summer fruit, squeeze a couple of lemons, and kick up your feet. Then close your eyes, take a sip of this frosty red currant lemonade treat, and go “Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!”  This might even inspire an Ahaaaaaa! It’s that time of year when the heat takes over and nothing calms the soul like a refreshing tart and chilly beverage. I won’t lie – after one glass of it au naturel – I spiked it with prosecco and it did not disappoint. Ok, class, let’s all try this together…..Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

sprigs of red currants, passion vine flower, lemons and fresh mint

Currants are always beautiful, but we are often faced with what to do? Yes, they make beautiful garnishes. I have even found them at the holidays and used them with rosemary sprigs to garnish cheese platters, or with mint on dessert trays. They are gorgeous. But let’s be real – where ARE they from in December? This time of year you can find them on the side of the road, at the market, and even in a decent grocery store. 

Red currants are bright and shiny and very tart. Look for plump, full berries that hold to their stems. As they age, they shrivel, wither, and drop off. Those are on their way to being fermented, so not a good thing if you are making a red currant syrup. I’m not going to say don’t eat them straight from the basket, but brace yourself for a full-on pucker-up session. 

red currants at market

And, currants come in more than red! Did you know that? Black currants are perhaps more familiar, because they are popular in jams. But there are also white currants and champagne currants, with a lovely pink hue. And gooseberries shown below at bottom left are also in the same family (kind of, sort of). Do you know what is not in the same family? The currants we get at the supermarket that are dried and raisin-y and confusingly also called currants, Zante currants. They are actually a dried grape, growing on a vine, unlike fresh currants which are a bush-fruit. It’s believed the dried fruit was mistakenly called a currant as a bad translation from “Corinth” about the time the U.S. started importing Zante currants from Greece in the early 20th century. 

three currants

Farmers market photo by Sally Shapiro

Interesting side note: black currants were outlawed in the early 20th century because they were thought to carry a disease that impacted the timber industry. 100 years later, the timber industry is still facing challenges, but now due to its impact on the environment, not the other way around. Full circle.

Champagne Currants at the farmers market

Champagne Currants

Making Red Currant Lemonade

red & champagne currants

This recipe does in fact have measurements, but its really bartender’s choice. It’s a simple combo of currants (or other summer berries), sugar, lemons and water. Or sparkling water. Or sparkling wine. Or something stronger. Please consume all fruit responsibly.

No need to pick the fruit from the stems since it macerates with sugar and then gets pushed through a strainer, leaving the stems and seeds behind. 

Prepping the currants

Macerate or marinate? That is the question. No actually it’s not a question – this is maceration, pure and simple. Macerate often is used for fruits and vegetables (definitely non-animal) to release juices. Maceration may also help infuse flavors, like plumping dried cranberries with fruit juice or alcohol. For this red currant lemonade, we are macerating the fruit with sugar to coax the liquid from the berry, with a side benefit of added flavor (sweetness). Marination however, while sometimes used on fruits and vegetables, is primarily used on proteins and both infuses and tenderizes. It’s historical use was to preserve, as in pickling since it’s etymology traces back to the Latin word  “marinas“, meaning sea water.  

Macerating Red Currants with sugar in a strainer

Just combine the fruit with the sugar and set aside in the fridge for an hour to allow for the juices to release, making it easier to express the liquid.

While that is macerating, prep your garnish and juice the lemons. Also do the crossword and check your email. These steps take no time at all. 

Currants and Mint with lemons and citrus press

Press out the currants’ ruby liquid, mix it with the lemon juice, then decide how to finish with four cups of liquid and ice. All water? Half water and half sparkling? Or some Prosecco? Or some vodka? I recommend adding at least 2 cups of water now, if you are going to serve it later. You don’t want the lemon juice to “cook” the currant syrup (that might change the vibrant red color), so diluting to half strength ensures that. At serving time, top it off with the chosen remaining beverage and add ice.  

Pitcher of Currant Lemonade

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two glasses of red currant lemonade with mint, passion vine flower on white napkin with pink trim

Summer Sipper: Red Currant Lemonade


  • Author: Katy Keck
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1/2 quarts 1x

Description

Time to grab some tart summer fruit, squeeze a couple of lemons, and kick up your feet. Then close your eyes, take a sip of this frosty red currant lemonade treat, and go “Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!”

This recipe is inspired by one I got from my friends Russ and Linda at Maple Achers Farm. Starting with a combo of red currant syrup and fresh lemon juice, you can chose to finish with just water, a combo of water and sparkling water, or even top it off with Prosecco. So many choices!


Ingredients

Scale

Red Currant Syrup (for 1 1/2 cups syrup):

  • 2 cups fresh currants (one pint will give you the 2 cups needed here, plus additional for garnish)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

Red Currant Lemonade:

  • 1 cup red currant syrup
  • 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (juice of about 8 lemons)
  • 4 cups water with ice, or a combo of water, ice, and fizzy drink

Garnish:

  • fresh currants
  • lemon slices
  • raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, as desired
  • fresh mint sprigs

Instructions

Make the red currant syrup:

Sprinkle the sugar over the currants and stir to combine. Refrigerate for about one hour.

Transfer to a mesh strainer set over a bowl or measuring cup, and press with the back of a spoon or a muddler (I like using the back of an ice cream scoop) to express the juice from the currants.  Be sure to scrape the bottom side of the strainer to get the syrup clinging to the strainer. You should have about 1 1/2 cups syrup. If you are not using it all, freeze in an airtight container for future use. 

Make the lemonade:

Combine the red currant syrup and lemon juice in a glass pitcher, stirring to combine. Top it off with the water/ice and, if desired, something bubbly – sparkling water or Prosecco. Taste for sweetness and concentration, and add more sugar or water as needed.

Garnish with sprigs of currants, lemon slices, fresh berries and mint sprigs.

Notes

This is delish with seltzer, Prosecco or dare, I say it, vodka. If you are supplementing the water & ice with another liquid in the 4-cup liquid/ice measure, start with 2 cups water/ice and then add the bubbles or adult beverage before serving.

If currants are not available, try raspberries, blackberries or strawberries (hulled and halved). Be sure to cut the sugar since all of these fruits will be sweeter than the currants.  Start with 1/2 cup sugar and mix with the fruit, then set aside. You can always add more at the end.  

The red currant syrup freezes well, so stock up on currants and make extra syrup for the freezer. 

  • Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Category: Beverage
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Red currants, Lemonade

All gone!

Currant Lemonade - All Gone! bottom of the glass with raspberry, mint, currants

© Copyright: KatyKeck.com 2018. All rights reserved.

 

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Pot Lucky: Salad Palooza Edition

Pot Lucky: Salad Palooza Edition

Charred Peach with Candied Bacon and Chevre

Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! The Salad Palooza is the mother of all Pot Luckys! What a feast! What a gathering! What fierce women bound together by emulsified vinaigrettes! Ok, there were other things to unite over and celebrate. And this GNO (Girls Night Out) took things to a whole next level. My pal and blog bestie Stacie pulled out all the stops gathering up the gals for a gorgeous summer night at her lakeside cottage. The only call to action was salads – home-made, of course – and to try and not bring duplicates. Sign Up Genius makes it easy to keep track of choices made and helps weed out repeats. Above is Amey’s yumster Charred Peaches & Onions, with watercress, candied bacon and chevre. So good!

Avocado & Tomato Salad + Mexican Street Corn

Avocado & Tomato Salad with Almonds and a Tarragon Balsamic; Gourmet Mexican Street Corn Salad.

Pot Luckys, for those readers that are new, are my answer to the dreaded pot luck. The emphasis is on the Lucky. Menus are curated around a theme and the goal is to avoid the Velveeta cube with frilly pick. Don’t think you are fooling anyone by topping that cube with a chunk of Slim Jim. That does NOT make it special. I’m on to you. I know, I know not everyone that you want (HAVE?) to invite cooks, so there are definitely jobs for them, too….How much wine CAN you carry? Do my dishes – yes, please. Set up? Break Down? Keep my drink cold? Yes, Yes, and Yes.

In addition to the main theme – salads this time – there is always room for an app or two, a signature drink and of course dessert. How much do you love these cheese wafers below? Someone does:) They remind me of Christmas parties, warm from the oven. I have a real soft spot for them.  

hors d\'oeuvre; deviled eggs, olives, cheese wafers

We’ve done about a dozen Pot Luckys so far with a good list of more to come. Some of my favorites include fajitas, soup exchange, sliders, and a nautical theme. For details on how to host your own, link here. Depending on the party (8 kinds of meatloaf and 6 flavors of soup), you can plan on leftovers for your freezer. But for other themes, like salad palooza, you can expect the flowers to get licked right off the dish, with nothing but amazing memories to take away.  

Salads for Days

Salads: beet + super foods salad + Greek pasta

Beet, Orange and Goat Cheese Salad; Wonder Woman Super Foods Salad (vegan); Greek Pasta Salad. 

That middle salad in the large wooden bowl is mine. In case you missed the curried avocado dressing, I’m sharing it again below. This dressing can do just about anything – it’s a real workhorse. But keep scrolling – there are alot more great salad ideas below the recipe!

Salad Savior

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Curried Avo Dressing in a food processor bowl on burlap

Pot Lucky: Salad Palooza – Curried Avo Dressing


  • Author: Katy Keck
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1/2 cups 1x

Description

This is the kind of dressing you can slather on anything and everything. It is a game changer for a quiet romaine and it balances out the earthiness of a strong bitter green like kale. Slap it on a sammy, add it to a salad jar, or dunk your veggies in it. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 1/2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, cut into chunks
  • 3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water, or as needed

Instructions

In a small sauté pan, toast the cumin, coriander and turmeric for about one minute, until fragrant.

With the motor running, drop the garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Turn off and add the avocados, pulsing a few times to a chunky puree. Add the vinegar, toasted spices, salt and peppers and pulse several times until combined.

With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until smooth, adding water as needed to desired consistency.

Notes

Makes 2 1/2 cups. Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container.

This dressing is designed for a hearty green and grain salad, so is aggressively seasoned. If you want to use this creamy green goodness in a more delicate dish, cut back on the spices and garlic a bit.

If you don’t have white balsamic, use another mildly flavored and light colored vinegar, like rice vinegar.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Dressing
  • Method: Food Processor
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: salad, salad dressing

Meanwhile back at the party, the fun continues….

Deconstructed: Cobb Salad - rows of avocado, bacon hard boiled eggs, cucumber, chicken, tomatoes, blue cheese

Word must have gotten out that Cobb is one of my favorites – avocado, bacon, blue cheese, cucumbers, eggs, tomatoes, chicken, spinach – what could be bad? 

You will be amazed how creative guests can be when challenged to pull out all the stops. At least I was – once again! I have been to many a party where there were three or four versions of crunchy pea salad or watermelon & feta, but nothing close to overlap occurred here. In lieu of Sign Up Genius, Stacie set up a private facebook page and made a few suggestions, and then guests weighed in on what they had in mind. It really sparked the imagination. Farmers’ Market finds reigned supreme.

Salads: 7 layer + potato+ pasta zucchini

Penne with Chicken, Zucchini, Tomatoes and Corn; Red Skin Potato Salad with Prosciutto; 7 layer Salad.

And bacon – you can never go wrong with bacon. Lest you think these were some girly spa salads, look again. While my salad was vegan, it was hearty and robust and chock-full of plant-based protein, while still feeling indulgent. The variety of colors, textures, flavors and aromas across the buffet was extraordinary. 

Salads: Beef + Broccoli + Spinach & Pistachio

Steak & Goat Cheese Salad: Broccoli & Bacon Salad; Spinach, Pistachios, & Goat Cheese Salad with Dried Cherries, Blueberries & Cranberries.

Go ahead and admit it: you are just a little jealous that the egss in the salad below were just laid. AmIRite? 

Salads: apple slaw + egg + chicken & grapes

Apple Cole Slaw; Farm Fresh (no really – straight from the hen house) Egg Salad; Grapes & Pecans.

five ladies who lunch, sitting on the porch looking at the lake

Thanks to Stacie for hosting and recruiting so many wonderful women who know how to spin a salad. 

Three salads: grape salad + zucchini noodles + shrimp salad

Chicken Salad with Grapes & Pecans; Greek Zoodle Salad; Mediterranean Shrimp Salad with Artichoke Hearts.

Did you see a salad here that you’d like to try? If so, leave a comment below and I’d be happy to bring more of these recipes to life. Did you know I used to create recipes for CNN and Burt Wolf interviewing chefs around the globe?  I’d watch the 60-second edited video and create a tasty recipe that matched all the action. Shhh – top secret. I’ve already said too much.

With pretty much all 19 bowls licked clean, blueberry pie sent us out and on our merry way. I’ll be dreaming about this feast for summers to come. Many thanks to all that made this night so special. 

Six smiling ladies after eating so much salad

That glow is just a reflection from this sunset. I swear it!

sunset over spring lake, Michigan

© Copyright: KatyKeck.com 2018. All rights reserved.

 

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Savoring Spring: Five-Minute Arugula & Scape Pesto

Savoring Spring: Five-Minute Arugula & Scape Pesto

Scape Pesto on gemelli pasta with oven dried tomatoes in white bowl, garnished wit basil sprig

Finally! Ermahgerd!!!! Did you think that winter would ever end?? I for one did not. Today in NYC it was 90 and stickeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! But that means not only are the farmers’ markets in full spring swing, they are pushing out the bounty that Mother Earth shares this time of year. Garlic scapes! Remember them? I am scooping them up to dose plain ole pesto with these fresh shoots and flowering stems of the garlic bulb, while also jam-packing the processor with not only basil, but also arugula and parsley. Arugula and Garlic Scape Pesto! Oh yeah!!

Those growing garlic will be familiar with this curlicue that shoots up from the buried bulb. I’m sending out this scape pesto recipe now because my readers are scattered across the globe, and it is found from May through July, depending on where you are. It usually starts shooting up about a month after the bulb’s first leaves, and many will cut it back and compost to stop diverting energy so the bulb itself can fatten up. Resist! Just say no! Cut back, but don’t compost. There are many things you can do with these stems, from chopping and adding to a potato salad, to making sauces like this scape pesto, to making those cute bundles below. They can be eaten raw, blanched, roasted or grilled. For a deep dive on all things you can do with these divine shoots, check out (and follow) Suzie Durigon at Just Crumbs. She has a wonderful post on everything you always wanted to know about scapes

Garlic Scapes at the farmers market with chalkboard sign

Try to find a farmer that will sell you a big bag. They last a month or so in a plastic bag in the fridge, and buying them by the piece can get pricey. I have seen them for a quarter each, but I shop at the end of the day and dazzle farmers with my true appreciation for this shoot. I can usually make off with a 2-gallon ziplock filled for just $10. As long as you are successful in your hunt,  why don’t you whip up a batch of Roasted Garlic Scapes? You won’t be sorry. They have that I-want-more-ish quality like salted edamame, with a big dose of robust flavor. Plus they are easy-peasy and are a bit of a show stopper.  

Grilled Garlic Scapes on black slate with sea salt

Arugula & Scape Pesto

The ingredients, ratios and directions are detailed below, but rest easy that this is a 5 minute processor recipe. The scapes, arugula, parsley, and basil give it a jewel-like green color and the Parmesan and sunflower seeds (so much cheaper and flavorful than pine nuts) give it some body. I am serving it here atop a fresh gemelli (did you know that is Italian for twins, as the pasta is doubled over and twisted together?) and oven-dried tomatoes. The tomatoes are from the freezer and were dried at the end of last season when they were at their peak. I linked the recipe below so you can keep it in mind for later this year. You could also add some of the other spring veggies, like peas or asparagus tossed in at the end of the pasta’s cooking, or even some sauteed morels or other spring mushrooms. This flavorful pesto is not limited to pasta: drizzle it on a Caprese, marinate vegetables for the grill, or spoon it on a grilled steak or chicken breast. It’s so universal you can also slather it on a panini. 

Scape Pesto in a canning jar

 

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Scape Pesto on gemelli pasta with oven dried tomatoes in white bowl, garnished wit basil sprig

Arugula & Scape Pesto


  • Author: Katy Keck
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x

Description

Swapping out more mature bulb garlic with just-in-season garlic shoots, while supplementing the basil with arugula and parsley, gives this scape pesto a bright and spring-like freshness that is great on anything from pasta to grilled fare to tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1012 garlic scapes, trimmed and sliced crosswise
  • 1 cup tightly packed basil
  • 1/2 cup tightly packed Italian parsley
  • 1/2 cup tightly packed arugula
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Place the scape, basil, parsley and arugula in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse 8 – 10 times until coarsely chopped.

Add the remaining ingredients, except the olive oil, and pulse again to combine.  With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream until combined and desired texture is reached, scraping down the side of the workbowl as necessary.

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Notes

The salt in this recipe is based on using it with pasta. If you plan to use it in a non-carby way like a fresh mozzarella drizzle, then you may want to cut back on the salt.

Serving suggestion:

Serve on pasta – hot or cold; top a tomato and fresh mozzarella Caprese; spoon onto grilled chicken, steaks, fish or vegetables; or slather on a sammy.  

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Blender/Processor
  • Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: Scape Pesto

When you give this spring arugula and scape pesto a whirl, tag me on Instagram and as always, I LOVE to see your comments below.

Scape Pesto on Gemelli with Oven-Dried Tomatoes

Need a refresher on You’ll Thank Me in the Winter Oven-Dried Tomatoes? No sweat!

oven dried tomatoes

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Wonder Woman/Superman Superfood Salad

Wonder Woman/Superman Superfood Salad

Curried Avo Dressing on Superfood Salad in a wooden bowl with serversAre you still coming off that turkey coma from last week? Did you feast yourself silly?? Be honest – how many slices of pie did you do? This year we have the rare gift of an extra week between Thanksgiving and Christmas. So here’s a dish that will ramp up your detox, so you have plenty of time to retox later. I bring you the Wonder Woman Superfood Salad. Or is it the SuperMAN Superfood Salad? Up to you.

Those who know me know that I am about as far away from being vegan as you can get. Indiana, people. We like our beef corn-fed. Sugar steak. Brats. Pork tenderloin sandwich (smashed and fried to within an inch of its – or my – life). Seriously, if you don’t know what that is, click on the link to see a photo. The damn thing is twice the size of the bun.

Vegan, not so much. But there’s something you may not know. I pretty much stick to plant-based protein for the first two meals of each and every day. Along the way (and thanks to Lyn-Genet), I have found that getting protein from seeds, nuts, and vegetables (broccoli!!!) gives me more energy than a big ole turkey sandwich on white bread. No more post-lunch slugging around. A plant-based dinner is not so far-fetched; it’s free-will choosing to venture to a vegan restaurant that’s outside my zone. Luckily wiser minds prevailed and the good people at Mambo Sprouts hosted a lovely dinner a few months back at Zest Kitchen in Salt Lake City. Shout out to Celiac and the Beast, Just Crumbs, Tea and All Its Splendor, and Delicious Table, among others who made the meal so special.

Superfood Salad – The Green Machine

This superfood salad is somewhat loosely based on the dinner I had that night.  And with all the beautiful winter greens in the market now and feeling the need to clean up my act before I do it again, this seems to be the perfect time to hit you with it and get you jamming on my superfood wavelength. Consider this an un-recipe. I don’t give proportions because you can do that. You also are not remotely locked in to all – or even any – of the ingredients I list. So please don’t be daunted by the long string of ingredients below. They are all chef’s choice. Being the overachiever that I am, I may have used all those things listed (I did!) in one salad. Don’t judge. To be fair, I was filling a salad bowl the size of a hula hoop and serving about 30.

One of my favorite dark leafy greens is Tuscan kale. You may also know it as lacinato. Or dino. Or dinosaur. Or black. Or cavolo nero. It goes by so many names. A few years ago, recipes called for you to massage it with salt, but the way I see it…I don’t get salt scrubs and there’s no way my kale is getting better treatment than I. Just sayin’. As with all coarse greens, I stack them (having removed any tough ribs), roll tightly, and cut into the thinnest ribbons. This keeps you from getting a big bite of woody, tough greens.

Power Greens Superfood: lacinato kale, curly kale, microgreens and herbs

So many of the fancier greens now are available in baby style. Check out this gorgeous baby kale I found at the winter farmers’ market. It needs nothing more than a quick rinse and a turn in the salad spinner. Dark leafy greens are all high in nutrients, but are especially rich in Vitamin K, iron and calcium, essential for building healthy bones. Eating these greens raw maintains the high levels of all nutrients.
Market Greens, Baby Kale

Adding Crunch

Once you have picked your greens for the base, play around with what I call the chunkies. Grated vegetables that add contrast in color, texture and taste. I used grated carrots, turnips, purple cabbage, some steamed and chopped broccolini, and avocados. Ultimately it will all get tossed together, but it’s nice to present it composed so you can show off all the wonderful choices you have made, at least when it comes to salads.

Composed Superfood Salad of daikon, cabbage, shredded carrots, microgreens, lentils, quinoa, kale, broccolini

Power of Protein

Giving up on meat doesn’t mean going protein-free. Did you know that pumpkin seeds have about 9 grams of protein per ounce? That’s only a small handful. And hemp hearts are slightly higher – 10 grams per ounce. Those are the mainstays of my daytime meals, along with some sunflower seeds, chia and flax. Sometimes I add lentils or quinoa to the salad. Both require cooking – pretty fast – and both bring additional protein.

Assembling Superfood Salad; avocado, microgreens, shredded carrots, hemp hearts, caviar lentils
And I love microgreens. These jewels have been popping up in restaurants in recent years as a delicate garnish to sandwiches, salads and entrees. But in fact they are not so delicate when it comes to flavor and nutrition. Their nutritional value is about five times higher than their older sisters, and the flavor they deliver is quite concentrated. Have you ever tried a radish microgreen? Wowza! In the lifecycle of greens, microgreens come between sprouts and baby leaves or baby vegetables. Give them a whirl next time you see them.
Micro Sprouts

Curried Avo Dressing

Because there are a lot of textures in this salad, I wanted a creamy dressing to pull it together. And because many of the ingredients are a bit earthy, I wanted a bright flavor profile in that dressing. Avocado brings the creamy, and curried spices – cumin, coriander, and turmeric – bring the bright flavors, with an underlying earthiness that matches up with the greens. Because this dressing was made for a lot of hearty, sometimes bitter greens, I did not use a light hand in the flagrant flavor department. If you want to use this dressing on a lighter dish – say a chicken salad – you might want to cut back on the garlic and red pepper flakes. Then again, the full flavor version in the recipe below might turn your chicken salad into something pretty special. This is the best curried avo dressing around. Toasting the spices first brings depth of flavor and makes this dressing sing.

Don’t limit it to a green salad – veggie dipper, sandwich slather, pita topper, fish sauce-r. Go! Now!

Creamy Curried Avocado Dressing in a food processor work bowl on burlap

To add a little pop of sweetness to balance the full flavored dressing, I threw in a handful of golden raisins. It is a nice little surprise for the old tastebuds.

Lots of Superfood Protein: quinoa and pumpkin seeds on avocado

Print
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Curried Avo Dressing with Super Greens: arugula, cabbage, shredded carrots with hemp hearts and pumpkin seeds

Wonder Woman Superfood Salad with Curried Avocado Dressing


  • Author: Katy Keck
  • Yield: Chef's Choice

Description

This superfood salad with creamy dreamy curried avo dressing will make you feel good about every decision you have ever made. It’s mean, it’s green, it’s vegan, and it’s chock-full of protein. But forget all that, it’s super delicious and oh so satisfying. 

 

Ingredients

Scale

Greens

  • Tuscan kale (aka lacinato, dino, cavolo nero or black kale), cut in thin ribbons
  • Rainbow chard, sliced
  • Baby kale
  • Spinach, chopped
  • Arugula, torn
  • Watercress
  • Pea shoots

Veggies

  • Grated carrots
  • Grated turnips
  • Grated radishes
  • Purple cabbage, thinly sliced
  • Steamed broccolini, chopped
  • Avocado, chopped

Plant-based Proteins

  • Quinoa, cooked according to package
  • Beluga lentils, cooked according to package
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Hemp hearts
  • Chia

Toppings

  • Golden raisins
  • Microgreens

Curried Avocado Dressing

  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 1/2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, cut into chunks
  • 3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water, or as needed

Instructions

Make the Dressing:

In a small sauté pan, toast the cumin, coriander and turmeric for about one minute, until fragrant.

With the motor running, drop the garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Turn off and add the avocados, pulsing a few times to a chunky puree. Add the vinegar, toasted spices, salt and peppers and pulse several times until combined.

With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until smooth, adding water as needed to desired consistency.

Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container until ready to use. 

Assemble the Salad:

Combine any or all of the ingredients listed, arranging colorfully in a large serving bowl. 

Drizzle with the curried avocado dressing and toss to coat the vegetables. 

Notes

Makes 2 1/2 cups dressing. Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container.

This dressing is designed for a hearty green and grain salad so is aggressively seasoned. If you want to use this creamy green goodness in a more delicate dish, cut back on the spices and garlic a bit.

If you don’t have white balsamic, use another mildly flavored and light colored vinegar, like rice vinegar.

Curried Avo Dressing is wonderful as veggie dip, a sandwich spread, fajita topper, potato salad dressing and so much more.

  • Category: Entree, Salad
  • Cuisine: Vegan

How powered up are you now? I promise if you dive right in to the Wonder Woman Superfood Salad, you will feel good about every decision you’ve ever made.

Dressing the Superfoods with creamy avocado curried dressing

© Copyright: KatyKeck.com 2017. All rights reserved.

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