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Meyer Lemon Curd

May 6, 2013 by Erica

Meyer Lemon Curd

I figured I would give you a break from Saladfest 2013 (a.k.a. this blog last week) to bring you this meyer lemon curd.

I’m pretty sure we will return to Saladfest later in the week, though, because I am going to Mexico in just 10 days (!!!) and, well, yeah… I’d be lying if I said the whole food blogging thing has been good for my waistline.

But it can’t all be salads, especially because lemon curd would not go very well on a salad. That’s my prediction, at least. Feel free to prove me wrong.

Meyer Lemon Curd

Have you ever had lemon curd? I hadn’t before I made it for the first time. It is a lemony spread with the consistency of a very light pudding. Like a lemon jam, but less overwhelmingly lemon than I imagine that would be. It’s like a little bite of sunshine! Don’t be scared off by the “curd” in the name – not really sure what that’s about, but nothing is curdled here. Just sweet, lemony, (uncurdled) sunshine. Perfect for days when it’s supposed to be spring, but is cold and rainy instead.

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Warm Quinoa and Arugula Salad with Lemon Dressing

May 3, 2013 by Erica

Warm Quinoa and Arugula Salad with Lemon Dressing

Hello, beautiful.

Warm Quinoa and Arugula Salad with Lemon Dressing

You should know that I’ve been wanting to post about this salad for a looong time. Ever since I started this blog, in fact. It’s a copycat of my favorite salad at (probably) my favorite restaurant in Salt Lake, Caffe Niche. But every time I’ve made it, it hasn’t quite lived up to the restaurant version, and I had to get it juuust right. But I think I finally did!

Warm Quinoa and Arugula Salad with Lemon Dressing

Warm red quinoa, roasted tomatoes and onions, and lemon dressing served over a bed of arugula. It is just as good as it sounds – the nutty flavor of the quinoa, the sweetness of the roasted vegetables, and the bite of the lemon and arugula all combine to make my perfect salad.

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Thai-Inspired Fruit Salad with Lime and Thai Basil

May 1, 2013 by Erica

Thai-Inspired Fruit Salad with Lime and Thai Basil

Happy May!

I think this fruit salad is the perfect way to start off such a glorious month.

Fruit salad just screams “summer barbecue” to me. It doesn’t make an appearance unless you have warm weather, a grill, and enough friends present to make a dent in a huge bowl of fruit. Yep, it doesn’t get much better the kind of occasion that features fruit salad.

But I’m not a fan of what I’ve come to think of as the typical fruit salad: pineapple, melon, and grapes. Maybe I’ve eaten too many continental breakfasts, but that just does not appeal to me. It always seems to sit out too long, the pineapple is all sour and hard, and does anyone actually like the melon in that salad? If so, the world – or at least hotel breakfast buffets – needs more people like you. And fewer people like me, who pick out all the grapes for themselves.

So instead, I created this Thai-inspired fruit salad featuring my favorite spring and summer flavors. No melon required.

Thai-Inspired Fruit Salad with Lime and Thai Basil

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Roasted Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Miso Ginger Dressing

April 29, 2013 by Erica

Roasted Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Miso Ginger Dressing

Sometimes doing the same thing over and over again is a bad thing. It’s called getting stuck in a rut.

But sometimes doing the same thing over and over again is a good thing. You’re hitting your stride. Perfecting the art. Getting it down to a science.

What I just learned from writing those sentences is that sports, art and science all involve doing the same thing over and over again. And I often feel like cooking is all three of those things! Definitely art. Definitely science. If you’re skeptical about the sports bit, you should see the sweat I can work up trying to get three dishes ready at the same time. It probably counts as my workout for the day, right? I thought so.

Roasted Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Miso Ginger Dressing

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’ve been roasting a lot of vegetables lately. I’ve put them in tacos, I’ve had them on lentils, I’ve eaten them as sushi, I’ve called them poutine. April has kind of been The Month of the Roasted Vegetables around here. Stride = hit. Art = perfected. Science = …gotten down to? Sure. All of those things.

And so, just as the weather is getting warm enough here in Salt Lake that I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be wanting to turn my oven on, here is another roasted vegetable recipe. And it’s a really good one, too, this time over kale for Dole National Salad Day on Wednesday.

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Chocolate Coconut Butter Cups

April 26, 2013 by Erica

Chocolate Coconut Butter Cups

I am nearly falling asleep at my computer at 9 pm as I type this. I guess that’s what two workouts and a sugar rush will do to a girl. Also, I love my sleep and am 99% certain that my grandpa goes to bed at least 3 hours later than me on most nights.

But I have to hold it together long enough to tell you about these chocolate coconut butter cups. They are the direct result of a little Amazon shopping spree I went on recently. I bought these adorable silicone cupcake liners!

Chocolate Coconut Butter Cups

I had to make something fun with them, and was none too eager to get back on the cupcake train after the cupcake-filled month that was March. So I skipped all that cakey stuff and went straight for the chocolate.

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