Raw Beet Salad with Ginger and Pistachios [gluten-free, vegan]

Springtime seems to signify rebirth, and while I’m still waiting for a rebirth of normal warm temperatures, I am certainly getting in the mood for some fresh flavors.

I mean, I really like root vegetables, but I’m getting a little sick of them. Okay, that’s not true. But eating them in the same way–I’m growing weary.

However, regardless of the follies of the weather, I can certainly evoke that springtime-feel in my kitchen. A good way to start? Trying old favourites in new ways, experimenting with different approaches, and highlighting fresh flavours by keeping it simple.

Try complementing your dinner with a super salad, featuring a bright burgundy vegetable miles away from the steamed or pickled versions you might remember. Beets contain betalain and vulgaxanthin, two phytonutrients with antioxidant and anti-imflammatory benefits. Betalains aren’t heat stable, so enjoying beets raw is the best way to reap their goodness. They also house two carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin), benefiting eye health like their carrot counterparts. Beets are also an excellent source of folate, an integral nutrient for fetus health and aging.

And, well, they just taste really good raw, okay? Especially with pungent ginger and salty roasted pistachios.

Two summer salad ideas [gluten-free, vegan]

I love when we start gravitating outdoors to enjoy our meals while taking advantage of the warmer weather. Barbecues with neighbours and luncheons with friends take precedence and the daylight extends to the evenings as we enjoy the warmth till dusk.

I’m all about combining some of your favourite foods with a few new ones… with twists on old stand-by recipes.

Broccoli Hemp Slaw

The dressing is a whizz of soaked hemp seeds, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric and some other tasty ingredients – unfortunately, this was last week and I hadn’t had a moment to post it up, so I don’t exactly recall. Lime, too.

Lots of broccoli, red onion, green onion, napa cabbage, mango, red peppers and cauliflower.

Spring, St. Paddy’s Day, and a warm kale and quinoa salad

Today brought forth the weather we love. Finally not slipping on my cozy boots, I opted for a sweater and my canvas boots, and went jacket free in our 12 degree weather. The air was fresh, the sky a vibrant blue. Today, as the birds chirped their beautiful songs, was Spring.

I’ve frequently expressed my love for soups and stews in the winter, and today deserved a Spring inspired dish. And because it is St. Paddy’s Day, it needed something Irish-y. I opted for kale. As Irish as I decided to get today.

A salad marked the day, bringing together some parts of Winter and Spring in one.

This warm salad is a marriage of wintry kale, quinoa, tomatoes and peppers, drizzled with hemp oil and a burst of fresh lemon. The combination of flavours meets an equilibrium, balancing rich and subtle tastes all at once.

Quinoa and hemp are both nutrition powerhouses, and adding greens in your diet daily is one of the best things you can do for your body. So do it.

With just a few ingredients and about half an hour, this warm dish makes a perfect lunch for two or side for a couple more.

Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad

for the quinoa:
1 1/3 cup water
2/3 cup quinoa, dry
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

for the kale:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
10 cups kale, thick stems removed, sliced in ribbons (packed)

for the rest of the salad:
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, or 2 roma tomatos, cut into chunks
1/2 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 scallions, minced (just the whites)
1 large lemon wedge
2 teaspoons hemp oil + more for drizzling if desired
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add quinoa, salt, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Reduce to medium low, cover, and let simmer for about 13 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand about 10 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat the oil for the kale in a large saucepan. Add garlic, and saute for about 30 seconds, then add kale. Saute until softened, until desired consistency, depending how you like your greens.

When both are finished, toss quinoa, kale, tomatoes, pepper and scallions all together. Drizzle with lemon and hemp oil, and season to taste. Divide onto dishes and drizzle with more hemp oil if desired.

This is also delicious served cold.