My "Blood Orange" Valentine

While at my neighborhood farmers market I came across a kale I have never had, Russian Kale.  This beautiful kale has a flavor comparable to cauliflower and soft texture that is desirable for a light salad.  

Russian Kale Citrus Salad with Parsnip Ribbons and Rainbow Radish tossed with Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Servings per batch: 2
"cooking" time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 Blood Orange (peeled and sliced)
1 Sumo Mandarin (peeled and sliced)
2 stem and leaf Satsuma Tangerines ( peeled and sliced)
1 medium parsnip ("ribbon cut" peeled length-wise with serrated peeler)
1/2 medium Rainbow Radish (peeled and sliced paper thin with mandolin slicer)
3 cups mixed field greens
2 cups Russian Kale (de-stem leaves)
1/2 lemon (juiced)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp blood orange infused grapeseed oil
1 pinch of salt

Direction:
Carefully toss all ingredients together in a large salad bowl.

peel orange with knife to remove all of its flesh and to create a clean shape & cut for your salad

Carrot Pappardelle tossed with Portobello Mushrooms, Kale and Bell Peppers in a Mushroom Meyer Lemon Dressing

Ingredients:
2 medium portobello mushrooms
1 bundle green onions
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
black pepper
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 red bell peppers
1 bundle of kale
1 meyer lemon
8 medium size carrots

Serves 5
"cooking time": 45 minutes


Directions:
Carrots - Using a potato peeler and placing the carrot flat on cutting board, peel carrots into long strips.  Place into large bowl and set aside. 


Portobello Mushrooms - With a soup spoon carefully remove the gills on the bottom side of the mushrooms caps and put in a small bowl. Set aside.  Cut the mushroom caps in 1/2 and slice thinly.  Then cut those slices in 1/2 and add to the carrots in the large bowl. 


Red Bell Peppers - Cut the stem end of the peppers off, remove seeds and cut peppers in 1/4's.  Put one 1/4 aside to add to the dressing.  Dice remaining peppers and add to the other ingredients in the large bowl.

Green Onions - Wash onions; remove any loose layers of skin.  Cut onions into thin slices, using some of the green part and the white part.  Discard the tip with the stringy end. Add to the large bowl.


Kale - Remove stems; clean your kale by plunging in a bowl of cold water.  Spread the leaves out on a large kitchen towel and roll into a cylinder.  Remove leaves from towel and chop. Leave the kale on the cutting board and add a pinch of salt, drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of Meyer lemon.  Massage for 1 minute to mix ingredients and soften the leaves.


Portobello Mushroom and Meyer Lemon Dressing
  
Add a tsp. of olive oil to the mushroom gills in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and 2 turns of ground black pepper.  Using the back side of a spoon mash the mixture together until blended and smooth.  On your cutting board finely dice the reserve 1/4 slice of bell pepper.  Crush the pieces of diced pepper to release the remaining juice with the side of your knife blade and add to mushroom mixture.   Add 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, 2 diced garlic cloves and squeeze the remaining half of lemon to finish.  Whisk with fork and pour over the carrot pappardelle mixture.  Toss lightly as to not bruise any of the vegetables.  


Last night I served this with wedges of pre-sliced avocado.  It was a perfect addition!


Tip: Use finely diced sweet vegetables or fruit to any dressings to add a sweet kick.

Play with your food!

Eating raw food this time of year can be tricky.  With variety being limited it is important to find ways to switch things up.  I love to play with different styles of cutting fruits and vegetables.  This may seem minor but it really can change a dish.  The recipe below is a great example of what happens when you play with your food.

kale + avocado + endive + hempseed + beets = yum!!

1 avocado (diced)
1 bushel of kale (flat leaves ; chiffonade cut)
1 large endive (chiffonade cut)
3 small golden beets (messy chop)
3 small radishes (fine dice)
1 rainbow radish (fine dice)
3 tablespoons raw organic hempseed
1 lemon (juice)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 1/4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tangerine (zest)
salt to taste

mix ingredients in a medium size bowl and enjoy!
(can be served in endive leaf or rolled in collard greens leaf)

Check this link out for knife and cutting techniques

http://www.slideshare.net/catherinepatterson/knife-and-cutting-techniques-presentation