3 heads broccoli
1 pkg (appx 2 cups) cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, grate 1-2 tsp of rind then juice
2 tsp oregano

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the broccoli into bite-size florets and place in a very large bowl. Toss with the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and minced garlic. Spread onto one or more large baking sheets and arrange broccoli and tomatoes so that they form one layer and do not overlap too much. Bake/roast in the oven for 12 minutes. Transfer from the baking sheets right back into the large bowl and toss with the lemon juice and oregano. Serve immediately.

Red Cabbage Slaw
1/2 red cabbage, shredded
1/2 onion, chopped
3 Tbsp oil
1 T white vinegar

Toss the cabbage and onions with oil and vinegar. Add more vinegar to taste. Serve cold.

Greek Salad
1 cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
2 c spinach, torn
2 c romaine, torn
1/4 – 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled or diced
1 small onion, sliced
a handful of black olives (Kalamata FTW)

Lemon Dressing
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/8 tsp pepper

Toss all salad ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small covered container combine and shake/mix the dressing ingredients. Add dressing to salad and toss.

Excuse the crappy cell phone picture, I will endeavor to replace it soon but wanted to post a new recipe because, well, it’s been too long. I make a fair amount of Asian-inspired food. Whether it’s my Black Bean Salmon or my Kung Po Chicken; something is usually steaming in my wok once a week. Unfortunately I’ve always had a hard time pairing a good green vegetable side dish with my Asian creations. Imagine the conundrum I face internally when not only am I going to eat some evil soy products and a buttload of life-shortening white rice, but if I don’t even have something green next to it? Quelle horreur! The following fantasticly delish and retardedly easy salad is a blessing to my healthy conscience. It’s not exactly health food with two tablespoons of sugar in the dressing, but overall the good outweighs the bad in this salad – and I’m done obsessing over miniscule amounts of anything in my food.

Asian Green Salad
1/4 cup oil (better with a light-tasting oil, like sunflower or peanut)
1/4 cup asian vinegar (lots to choose from, I like the Japanese seasoned stuff)
2 Tbsp brown sugar

6 cups romaine lettuce or mixed greens
1 cucumber, sliced (peeled and seeded if that’s how you roll)
a handfull of chow mein noodles
a handfull or two of cashews

Mix the oil, vinegar, and brown sugar in a small bowl until the sugar has disolved. Toss the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and then pour the dressing over the salad and toss to mix. Serve immediately, because the noodles will go soft after a while (though some may like this).

I think I remember my mom making brussels sprouts once, maybe twice, when I was a kid. I don’t remember eating them, which is probably why she only tried twice. I’m sure my argument against them was something like “I don’t wanna, they smell like farts.”

I’m absolutely beside myself then when I admit that these little cabbages were so good I went back for seconds. Seriously. I was so enraptured I convinced Rob to try one, but he didn’t like them AT ALL. If you don’t generally like vegetables I don’t think you’ll find your epiphany with these, but if you do like your greens you might have a very spiritual moment.

2-3 cups brussels sprouts (I actually used frozen sprouts, half a bag)
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Dressing:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp grainy dijon mustard
1 Tbsp maple syrup (the REAL stuff)
1 clove garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Halve the sprouts and toss in the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread out on a cookie sheet or large pan and roast for 30 minutes, flipping once.

While the sprouts are roasting mix all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Toss the cooked sprouts in the dressing and serve right away.

Makes 4 “normal-sized” servings or 2 “I freaking LOVE vegetables” servings.

I shared this recipe as part of the Fight Back Friday blog carnival at Food Renegade. You can find other recipes like this and thoughts about “real food” at the site, so be sure to visit.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour to let flavors combine.

Makes 8 Servings (each serving is about 1 cup)

2 lbs fresh asparagus
8 oz fresh white mushrooms or morels
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp dried leaf marjoram
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and peel them so they’ll cook as fast as the tops. Cut the asparagus diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Parboil in lightly salted water for 4 minutes. Drain well, then submerse in ice water to chill and set aside.

Slice the mushrooms into 1/8″ slices. Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the mushrooms. Saute for three minutes, stirring often. Add the marjoram, thyme, and nutmeg and cook for one more minute. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, then mix in. Reduce the heat to low and slowly pour in half of the broth. Stir quickly to combine with the flour and mushroom mixture. Add the remaining broth, salt, and pepper. Cook five minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Raise the heat to moderately low and boil the mixture, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Drain the asparagus well. Quickly whisk the egg yolk into the mushroom mixture, then fold in the asparagus. Stirr often, for two or three minutes, until heated through.

Makes 4-6 servings.

8 oz dry Soba noodles
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/8 c fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Dressing:
1 Tbsp hot chili sesame oil
2 Tbsp dark rice vinegar
2 Tbsp mirin
1/8 tsp sea salt

Cook the pasta according to package directions; rinse and drain. If you are pressed for time you can run cold water over the noodles to chill them.

In a medium bowl, toss the cooked noodles with vegetables and sesame seeds.

Combine the ingrediets for dressing in a small bowl, then pour over noodle mixture and toss well. Serve chilled.

6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushroom (regular button mushrooms)
1/2 cup chopped cooked ham
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
4 large plum tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 ounces uncooked linguine
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir for 3 minutes.

Stir in the asparagus; cover and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, ham, basil, oregano and rosemary. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook 3 minutes longer or until heated through. Meanwhile, cook linguine according to package directions. Drain and place in a large bowl.

Add asparagus mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the pasta and toss.

Makes 6-8 Servings

4 cups fresh green beans, cleaned and trimmed
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp oregano
1/2 cup raw almonds

In a large pot melt the butter over medium heat. Add the green beans and cook, stirring frequently, for ten minutes.

Add the broth and oregano to the pot and lower the heat. Simmer, covered, for ten minutes.

While the beans are simmering, roughly chop the almonds and toast in a dry skillet over high heat.

Stir the almonds into the bean mixture, serve hot.