Shrimp salsa recipe

shrimp salsa | pamela salzman

We had such a fantastic visit with my family on Long Island last week.  I know I’ve said this before, but I really adore East Coast summers.  The energy is just so amazing.  But I also love living in Southern California, close to the beach, with a farmers market close by every day of the week.  I know everyone talks about the weather being the greatest thing about living in Los Angeles, but for me it’s the year-round access to phenomenal, locally grown, seasonal produce.  Just had a moment of gratitude when I got back to my markets.

preparing shrimp

But I came home to more than just great peaches and tomatoes.  Waiting for me in the mail were a few very thick envelopes with school registration documents:  forms for PTA donations, yearbooks and class pictures, volunteer sign-up sheets, PE clothing order forms, and so on.  Noooooooooo!  The first day of school in our district is the Wednesday before Labor Day.  Friends, I’ve got two weeks, and then the party’s o-vah!

chopping cooked shrimp

So until then, I will frantically try to make the most out of summer.  Daily tomato-eating will continue with corn and peaches tied for second.  I was thumbing through Dr. Mark Hyman’s (I’m a big fan!) “Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook,” when I noticed this recipe for Shrimp Salsa.  Sounds like a party to me!  It’s everything I love about summer food — fresh, light, easy and it includes tomatoes.  Dr. Hyman is all about keeping blood sugar stable to avoid unnecessarily triggering an insulin flood (it’s an inflammatory, fat-storage hormone, you know.)  So, many of his recipes are low in simple carbohydrates, with an emphasis on vegetables, whole grains and lean, organic, pastured meats and wild seafood.  I followed Dr. Hyman’s Blood Sugar Solution Challenge last summer and I appreciate his emphasis on prevention of chronic disease and looking at food as medicine.  But at the end of the day, shrimp salsa is just going to make me happy.

ingredients all prepped

Eating and sharing this salsa confirmed something I have learned since I have been cooking for other people:  ask three people to taste a particular recipe and you’ll get three different opinions.  I shared this delicious salsa with my assistant and a friend and it was so interesting to observe how we each responded — we all loved it, but one wanted it with more heat, someone else less lime, me, of course, more salt and so on.  My advice to you is that if shrimp salsa sounds good to you, be conservative with a few of the ingredients (garlic, lime, heat, cilantro), because you can always add more, and just adjust to taste.  From a nutritional perspective, this is a very low calorie, low fat, low carb, high protein recipe.  Shrimp are an unusually concentrated source of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient called astaxanthin, as well as an excellent source of the antioxidant mineral selenium.  Here’s a good place to find more information about the health benefits of shrimp.

shrimp salsa over rice and beans | pamela salzman

We enjoyed the salsa on the first day with tortilla chips, although Dr. Hyman suggests raw veggies.  But I really loved it on the second day when I put it over rice and beans (see above image.)  Perfect dinner for me.  Even if your family is back to school this week (omg), there’s still plenty of summer left to enjoy!

shrimp salsa

Shrimp Salsa

Pamela, adapted from "The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook" by Mark Hyman, MD
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Ingredients
  

  • ¾ pound raw shrimp peeled and deveined (I asked the fishmonger to do this)
  • ½ small red onion finely chopped
  • 1 medium tomato or 1 whole plum tomato seeded and finely chopped
  • ½ small jalapeno pepper seeded and finely chopped or your favorite hot sauce to taste
  • 1 ½ avocados peeled, pitted and diced
  • ½ small bunch fresh cilantro about 1 ½ ounces, finely chopped (leaves and tender stems) – I chopped a handful.
  • 1 clove garlic minced (original recipe called for 3 cloves)
  • juice of 2 limes original recipe called for 4 limes
  • 1 cup tomato sauce or tomato puree not marinara sauce
  • sea salt to taste
  • a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside. In a saucepan, bring about 2 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until just pink, 2-3 minutes.
  • Drain the shrimp and transfer to the bowl of reserved ice water to stop the cooking process. Once the shrimp are cold, drain and chop them into bite-size chunks.
  • Add the shrimp pieces to a large nonreactive container (like glass or ceramic) along with the onion, tomato, jalapeno, avocados, cilantro, garlic, lime juice and tomato sauce/puree. Cover the container and refrigerate to marinate for at least 3 hours.
  • Serve as a dip with tortilla chips (not on the Blood Sugar Solution diet!) or raw crunchy vegetables. I loved it over rice and beans.

Notes

I cut the original recipe in half because it made a ton, and I also made some adjustments, specifically to the quantities of garlic and lime juice.  Feel free to omit the garlic altogether and start out conservative with the lime juice since some limes are juicier than others.  Try the juice of one lime to start and then you can always add more.  Also, the cookbook calls for "tomato sauce," which does not mean marinara or spaghetti sauce.  It's referring to cans of tomato puree with a small amount of seasoning, like this from Contadina.  I didn't have that on hand so I used Pomi tomato puree.  But you can also use fresh, seeded tomato that's been chopped finely or pulsed in the food processor.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Spicy honey-lemon green beans recipe

spicy honey lemon green beans | pamela salzman

If you follow me on either Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, you’ve probably figured out that I am back on Long Island at my parents’ house.  We picked up Daughter #1 on Saturday from her summer program in upstate NY.  I was so beyond excited to see her after 6 weeks, I was afraid I was going to suffocate her when I saw her.  It was great for the five of us to be together again and I couldn’t resist another visit to Stony Brook.  Love that place in the summer.

blanched green beans

We’ve had an amazing few days here — peaceful, not in a rush to do anything, no stress, beautiful.  My father’s garden is bursting.  I lost count of how many basil plants he has this year, perhaps around 40.  I have made pesto every day so far!  But the big fun has come from the new outdoor pizza oven my father had built.  It was a major project when I was here in June, with each of my parents saying to me without the other hearing, “I don’t know what we were thinking.”  But once the dust settled, literally, we have enjoyed the most fantastic pizzas — you know the thin kind with a little char on the crust?  So darn good.  Not fitting in my skinny jeans today, but so. darn. good.

prepping shallots

Sorry this isn’t a post about making your own pizza in a wood-burning oven, but I personally don’t have one nor will I in my current house since my “yard” is a patio!  Figuring most of my readers don’t own one either.  Instead I wanted to share my favorite new green bean recipe.  No yawning!  These are great!  But I know where you’re coming from.  Green beans come into season in the summer and I try really hard to get excited about them, but they have to compete with tomatoes and corn.  Kind of hard to do.  I honestly don’t have too many exciting green bean recipes that I think to myself, “I am soooo craving those such-and-such green beans.”  Until now.

soaking shallots

I taught these honey-lemon green beans last month and I couldn’t wait to eat them after each class and any leftovers for dinner the same night!  The dressing has a bit of mustard too, and a little kick from the cayenne which is always something I love paired with sweet (honey.)  They are seriously addictive.  One of the only cooked vegetables Mr. Picky likes is green beans, but he doesn’t care for vinaigrettes yet.  Except he did love these!  He’s starting to develop a taste for spicy food.  Very exciting!

spicy honey lemon green beans

mix it together

The recipe for the green beans and the dressing is completely straightforward and quick to make.  If you are in a time crunch, just make that and forget about the shallots.  Blanching and quick-pickling the shallots is definitely another step that won’t make or break the recipe, although they are scrumptious.  You can certainly take care of that while the beans are cooking and while you’re setting the table or grilling some fish.  But sometimes when I try and multitask too much, that’s when I forget things -like shallots pickling in apple cider vinegar that I remember when I start washing dishes.

spicy honey-lemon green beans | pamela salzman

Spicy Honey-Lemon Green Beans

Pamela, adapted from "The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen" by Peter Berley
5 from 1 vote
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Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • For the Green Beans and Shallots:
  • 3 Tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 large shallots thinly sliced
  • 1 ½ pounds string beans trimmed
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar preferably raw
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • pinch freshly ground black pepper
  • For The Vinaigrette:
  • 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 small glove garlic crushed
  • 1 teaspoon mild honey preferably raw
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons unrefined cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Spread a clean kitchen towel on a baking sheet and set aside.
  • In a large pot, bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add kosher salt.
  • Place the sliced shallots in a bowl and cover with 2 cups of the boiling water. Cover the bowl with a plate and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
  • Drop the beans in to the remaining boiling water and cook, uncovered, for 4 to 6 minutes, until crisp tender. Drain the beans and spread them on the cloth-lined pan.
  • Drain the shallots and toss them with the vinegar, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Set aside.
  • To make the vinaigrette, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, honey, salt and cayenne in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in the oil until creamy.
  • Drain the shallots once again and squeeze dry. Add the shallots and the string beans to the vinaigrette and toss well. Sprinkle with another pinch of sea salt or to taste.
  • If you have time, let it marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature before serving just to allow the flavors to permeate the beans. If you don't have time, they'll still be great.

Notes

These really aren't that spicy, perhaps a 3 on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the hottest.  But you can certainly adjust the level of heat to your liking by increasing or decreasing the cayenne.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Individual warm peach pie pots recipe

individual warm peach pie pot | pamela salzman

I guess this is favorites week.  In my last post, I went on and on about my obsession with summer tomatoes and today I am sharing my new favorite dessert which uses my favorite fruit bar none, peaches.  Smiley face.  Peaches make me happy and this season has not disappointed so far.  We have had the best peaches this summer and although I may not have eaten one every single day like I have tomatoes, it has been close.

peaches!

I could make a meal out of a big peach.  Ok, not really.  But everything else I eat afterwards just pales in comparison.  I really love yellow peaches, which I find have a more intense, although more acidic flavor.  The white ones are delicious, of course, and slightly more sweet but just not quite as flavorful.  But trust me, I’ll eat either any day.  I always buy organic peaches since conventionally grown ones are on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list of the most highly contaminated produce.  I think it’s because the pesticides are able to permeate peaches’ thin skin thereby making it difficult to remove toxins by washing.  Pesticides make me nervous.

chopped and measured peaches

I have so many regular peach recipes, some that I’ve taught in my classes like peach pie, grilled vanilla peaches and this fabulous individual warm peach pie in a jar number I am writing about today.  This month I will teach an arugula salad with farro and peaches that is my new favorite.  Did you see that crazy delicious breakfast I posted on Facebook a month ago? Why aren’t we friends on Facebook?  You’re missing out.  I post something interesting there every single day!  I digress.  I used some leftovers from this recipe and put it on top of Bob’s Red Mill warm, creamy buckwheat porridge.  People, I was like “shut the front door.”  Best.  Breakfast.  Ever.
get those pecans nice and buttery and salty

I have a dozen other peach recipes that I’m not posting here so let’s not even torture you with those.  Let’s talk about these individual peach pie in a jar thingies that are the quickest, tastiest healthful dessert you can’t believe you haven’t ever made until now.  I was inspired by a recipe I saw over at Roost, which is one of the prettiest blogs that mine will never look like.  Sigh.  Caitlin used apples, which I tried and thought turned out delish, but this peach version is crazy delish.

pulse a few times in the food processor until crumbly but not like meal

Too many of you have expressed intimidation about making a pie from scratch and I get it.  Although for me, sometimes I just don’t have the time to prepare and bake a pie, especially if I’m entertaining and I am making a bunch of other things.  Or maybe I have a craving for peach pie and I don’t want to tempt myself with an entire pie in the kitchen.  I am weak, after all.

saute the peaches just until warm

This is your answer.  You make these amazing buttered, salted pecans which you then crumble up and put on the bottom of a cute glass jar, preferably with a wide opening at the top.  Then you sauté some chopped peaches with a little honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and the tiniest amount of almond extract possible because like I’ve said before, almond extract makes peach and apricot desserts more peachy and apricot-y.  But it has to be the teeniest amount otherwise, whoa.  And then just when the peaches are warm, you spoon them on top of the pecans. I am totally serious.  But see how not-at-all-bad-for-you this is??  See why I can eat this in the morning and at night?  See why I was giving out small portions at my classes so there would be more for me?  Weak, I tell you.

see how pretty the jars look?

warm individual peach pie pots | pamela salzman

 

 
 
 

 
 
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Individual Warm Peach Pie Pots

Pamela, inspired by Roost
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Servings 6 -7, depending on the size of your glasses or jars. I've used half-pint and pint jars. You don't have to use jars or glasses, but it looks so pretty that way.

Ingredients
  

  • Butter Pecan Crust:
  • 3 cups raw pecans
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons unsalted butter or unrefined coconut oil
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt this is not a misprint
  • Peach Pie Filling:
  • 8 cups chopped peaches peeled or unpeeled, about 12 small-medium peaches
  • 2 Tablespoons butter ghee or unrefined coconut oil
  • 2 Tablespoons honey just eyeball it since it’s such a pain to measure
  • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup almond flour if necessary to thicken juices

Instructions
 

  • Have ready 6 clean ½ pint or pint jars.
  • To make the crust, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a small sheet pan with parchment paper. Melt the butter in a small (1-2 quart) saucepan, turn off the heat and add the pecans. Toss to coat.
  • Pour the buttered pecans onto the sheet pan and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Watch closely so they don’t burn! Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
  • Place the cooled pecans into a food processor and pulse a couple times to form a coarse crumbly mixture. Place a couple tablespoons of “crust” into the bottom of each jar and set aside.
  • To make the filling, in a large bowl, toss the peaches with the honey, extract, and spices. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the peach mixture to the skillet and toss gently to heat through, 2-4 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat and if the mixture is very liquidy, add the almond flour to the peaches and stir to combine.
  • Place several spoonfuls of the peach pie mixture on top of the pecan crust and top with crème fraiche, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or whipped coconut cream. Also delicious for breakfast on warm porridge or with yogurt. Serve immediately!

Notes

If you are nut-free, you can still make the peaches alone or serve them over crumbled cookies, like graham crackers or gingersnaps.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 

How to make slow roasted tomatoes

slow roasted tomatoes | pamela salzman

Someone leaked to Mr. Picky that in one of my recent posts I was guessing that he wouldn’t be showering regularly at camp.  It wasn’t a judgment on my part, just an observation from past history.  However, it seems as though Mr. Picky interpreted that as a challenge.  What you might not know about Mr. Picky is that he is competitive to a fault.  He also loves statistics and keeps track of everything, especially when he’s first in something.  But believe me, his “firsts” are not what you might expect.  “Hey, Mom.  Did you know I was the first one down for breakfast 8 days in a row?”  Or not firsts.  “Mom, guess what?  Guess what, Mom?  I was the second youngest at camp.  By 20 days.”  So I wasn’t entirely shocked when Mr. Picky said to me the other day that he’s on a showering streak.  Huh?  “Mom, guess what?  I have showered 37 days in a row!  For real.  I’m not even joking.”  I need to blog more about him not eating cooked vegetables. slow roasting tomatoes

Well, Mr. Picky had to come from somewhere.  Guess what, friends?  I’ve eaten a tomato in some way, shape or form every day for the last 24 days and I’m not even joking.  Whereas I fear Mr. Picky is on a quest to find his way into some imaginary record book for showering, my daily tomato indulgence is for pure pleasure.  Furthermore, I know my streak will come to a sad end in a few months when tomato season is over. raw tomatoes prepped for roasting

I have a total obsession with summer tomatoes.  I always have.  When I was little, I would take a salt shaker into my father’s garden and have a tomato party.  First, I would pluck a nice ripe tomato off the vine.  For the first bite, I always had to shake a tiny bit of salt in my mouth and then take a bite of tomato.  Salt doesn’t stick to a whole tomato.  After that bite, I would shake the salt on the cut part of the tomato and eat away.  My mother told me a few times I even ate several green (underripe) tomatoes and made myself a bit sick to my stomach.

slow roasted tomatoes | pamela salzman

But I am only interested in local, summer tomatoes.  Nothing else compares and I wouldn’t even waste your time on tomatoes before June or after October, and even that is pushing it.  So right now, I’m in my glory and I am snatching up different varieties every week.   So happy!  And tomatoes are amazing for you – I just posted something on my facebook page yesterday about all their health benefits.

grilled veggie and hummus sandwich with slow roasted tomatoes

Something I just started making the last few years are slow roasted tomatoes in the oven.  Damn!  Have you ever tried these?  I’m not talking about sundried tomatoes, which for some reason I don’t like.  Slow roasted tomatoes are super-sweet and moist.  You can cook them as long or as little as you like, but I prefer to bake them until their texture is like moist, dried apricots.   So darn good and soooooooo easy!  It’s barely cooking, people.  And you can use them in a million ways.  Delicious on an antipasto platter, with crusty bread, eggs/frittatas, sandwiches, salads, in pasta, etc.  How could I forget straight-off-the-pan?  Such deliciousness if you have patience to slow cook them.  I figure since I waited all winter and spring for tomatoes, what’s a few hours?

slow roasted tomatoes | pamela salzman

 

 

 
 
 

 
 
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Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Pamela
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Ingredients
  

  • 12 plum tomatoes* halved lengthwise
  • 2 cloves garlic thinly slices
  • a few sprigs of fresh thyme
  • unrefined olive oil for drizzling
  • sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 275 F degrees. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or use a 13 x 9 baking dish. If you want to make more tomatoes, use a large baking sheet.
  • Arrange the tomato halves, cut side up, in one layer on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Place a sliver of garlic on top of each tomato and scatter the thyme sprigs over. Drizzle a little oil over the tomatoes and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake until desired texture is reached. I like to go 3 hours. More time will result in drier tomatoes. Less time will result in juicier tomatoes. Ovens also vary, so check tomatoes periodically.
  • Store in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to a week. Covered in oil, the tomatoes will last a few weeks. You can also freeze them right on the sheet pan and when the tomatoes are frozen, transfer them to a covered container to freeze (ideally a freezer bag that is as small as will fit the tomatoes.)

Notes

*You can also use halved cherry or grape tomatoes and cook for less time.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 

Mediterranean turkey and zucchini burgers recipe

mediterranean turkey and zucchini burgers | pamela salzman

I’m a happy mama since I picked up Mr. Picky from sleepaway camp on Saturday.  13 days is just too long for me to be apart from that guy.  I have been enjoying all the stories, hanging on every word as if he traveled around the world.  Bless his heart, Mr. Picky “snuck” some food from camp to bring to my husband and me.  Thankfully, it was from breakfast the morning he left and not from last week.  From his backpack he pulled out a paper cup with a few pieces of melon for me and a cup with mini cinnamon buns mixed with tater tots for my husband.  What does that tell you?

grated zucchini

While Mr. Picky can’t stop talking about his counselors, his bunk mates and all the competitions in which he participated, I had to find out about the food.  What was your favorite dinner?  Did you eat any vegetables?  What did you drink?  Blah, blah, blah.  I’m so predictable, but I have no self control.  I have to give the camp props that soda is not served.  I don’t know if I could handle that.

that's everything!

So what I have gathered is that Mr. Picky didn’t eat any protein at breakfast ever since, go figure, the camp doesn’t serve Organic Pastures Raw Organic Milk, and Mr. Picky still doesn’t eat eggs or cheese.  And it also sounds like the only vegetable he ate was cucumber.  So we have some catching up to do!  One thing that my son loves is any type of burger, even veggie burgers.  I made these turkey burgers the week before he left and he loved them so they’re going on the dinner menu again this week.  It’s another winner recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi’s “Jerusalem” cookbook.

12 patties

yogurt-sumac sauce

If you’re bored with plain burgers, these are so different and delicious.  And a great way to make a (small) dent in your zucchini crop.  They are moist, herby and they’ve got a great kick to them.  If spicy isn’t your thing, you may want to cut back to a pinch of cayenne.  Although if you make the sumac sauce, which is delicious, it really cuts the heat from the burgers.  But I’m not really doing dairy these days and Mr. Picky didn’t want any sauce, so I only made half the recipe for the sauce and I thought it was the perfect amount.  I also didn’t use traditional buns when I made these.  Bread will just detract from the tastiness of these burgers!  Instead we ate them on lettuce leaves with some chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, right up my alley.  Of course if you want a more traditional burger, you can probably get 6 “standard” size patties and pile them onto buns with all your favorite fixings.  Delish!

mediterranean turkey and zucchini burgers | pamela salzman

 

 

 
 
 

 
 
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Mediterranean turkey and zucchini burgers recipe

Pamela, adapted from "Jerusalem" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tammy
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Servings 4 -6 (Makes about 18 1½ ounce burgers or 12 2½ ounce burgers)

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground turkey I like dark meat
  • 1 large zucchini coarsely grated (scant 2 cups)
  • 3 scallions white and green parts, thinly sliced
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped mint
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic grated or minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper perfect for us, but the original recipe called for ½ teaspoon; you can use even less if you don’t want them spicy
  • unrefined olive oil coconut oil or ghee for searing
  • <br>
  • For the Sour Cream & Sumac Sauce:
  • Scant 1/3 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
  • Scant ¼ cup sour cream or use all Greek yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • ½ Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ small clove garlic grated or minced
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons unrefined cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sumac
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Make the sour cream and sumac sauce by placing all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside or chill until needed.
  • In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the patties except the olive oil. Mix gently with your hands and then shape into about 18 burgers, each weighing about 1 ½ ounces or 12 burgers, each weighing about 2 ½ ounces.
  • Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to form a layer about 1/16 inch thick on the pan bottom. Heat over medium heat until hot, then sear the patties in batches on both sides. Cook each batch for about 5-7 minutes on each side, adding oil as needed, until golden brown and cooked through.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature, with the sauce spooned over or on the side.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 

Green monster popsicles recipe

green monster popsicles | pamela salzman

I am so excited to pick up Mr. Picky today!  He has been gone for 13 whole days and I sure do miss him and all his pickiness.  I can tell from the photos the camp posts online everyday that he is having such a fun time.  And just like I predicted in a previous post, I notice that most of the clothes we packed have not touched his body.  No problem.  Less laundry for me!  On the other hand, I have already sent two packages to Daughter #1 who forgot to bring her favorite white jeans, her “cool Bohemian gold sandals,” and an umbrella.  Why do kids from Southern California never remember that it rains in every other part of the country, even in the summer?

pineapple

Mr. Picky will surely come home and tell me about all the “awesome” food he had at camp.  He has no pickiness when it comes to “kid cuisine” — hamburgers, sugar cereal, pizza, French fries.  Is a detox appropriate for a 9-year-old?  I agree, probably not.  As long as he doesn’t complain when I serve lots of green veggies tonight and tomorrow.  Woohoo!  My poor daughter is having the opposite experience at the college she is attending this summer.  The food is “so gross” and she is trying to make do with the salad bar and fruit and nut bars that she orders from Amazon.  The funny thing is that the food at her school is practically identical to what Mr. Picky is eating.  See what can happen to a picky child in few years!

add spinach and kale

I just finished making these awesome green popsicles for Mr. Picky’s return.  I figure they’re a great way to ease him back into “Pamela cuisine.”  I can look the other way if the kids eat non-organic ice cream or pizza every once in a while, but there are a few things that I just can’t feed my kids.  Artificial food coloring is a total no.  I will tell you when I am giving you my opinion about something controversial, but there is no data out there to suggest that artificial dyes have no effect on the body. I was so inspired when Lisa from 100 Days of Real Food blog petitioned Kraft to stop using artificial colors in the macaroni and cheese they sell in the US.  Can you believe Kraft doesn’t use these chemicals in the food they export to Europe?  But I guess enough people in this country don’t seem to worry about the horrible effects of these chemicals on our bodies.  Popsicles are a big source of nasty artificial colors and flavors and they are beyond easy to make at home.  I remember as a kid freezing orange juice into paper Dixie cups and sticking a wooden stick in them.  They were great!  Who needs Red 40 and Yellow 6?  Blech!

bananas too

blend until smooth

These green popsicles are totally delicious.  I would say they have a hint of pineapple, but otherwise I can’t label them any particular flavor.  Pineapple and banana work well because they’re naturally very sweet and their colors don’t counteract with the green from the kale and spinach.  If you start blending blueberries or strawberries with greens, I can’t say the popsicle color will be quite as nice.  But any smoothie that tastes good to you will taste just as good frozen into a popsicle mold, especially when it’s a million degrees out.  Speaking of molds, there are many good options out there that don’t contain BPA, another toxic chemical I advise you to avoid.  For these images, I used this BPA-free popsicle mold.  But I also have this stainless steel one which I love because you can very easily just run one popsicle under water to loosen it.

green monster popsicles | pamela salzman

Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend and that you find a way to stay hydrated and cool.  These popsicles will surely help!

green monster popsicles | pamela salzman

Green Monster Popsicles

Pamela, adapted from Delicious Living Magazine
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Servings 6 popsicles

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup spinach
  • ¼ cup kale leaves chopped (tough stems removed)
  • 1 ½ bananas
  • ½ of a whole pineapple peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2/3-3/4 cup water

Instructions
 

  • Combine spinach, kale, bananas, and pineapple in a blender and puree.
  • Add water and puree a second time.
  • Pour into popsicle molds or small cups, add Popsicle sticks, and freeze for at least 2-3 hours.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Blueberry sauce recipe (refined sugar-free)

fresh blueberry sauce | pamela salzman

I know what you’re thinking.   “We waited five whole days for a new recipe and it’s blueberry sauce?  That’s the best she could come up with?”  You know what, friends?  I have been busy!  Daughter #1 is still far, far away playing college student and Mr. Picky is at sleep away camp for two weeks.  I sure do miss those brats.  But Daughter #2 is an only child right now and is acting like it.  She wants all of our attention, especially since it was her birthday the other day.  She wore a tiara for three straight days.  If you’re new here and you’re envisioning a toddler, Daughter #2 is 15.  Just to paint an accurate picture.

fresh blueberries!

Besides doting on my newly crowned princess, I have been taking advantage of a little more freedom and I am trying to tackle my list of ambitious projects and must-dos.  Why does it seems as though two weeks is plenty of time to reorganize the garage, Mr. Picky’s room and the pantry AND watch the entire season of “The Americans” AND test new recipes AND exercise, get a manicure and visit a museum?  Well, I am 10 days into those two weeks and I think I moved a box of finger paints from one corner of the garage to another and took Mr. Picky’s room apart, but haven’t put it back together.  No so productive.  The hubby and I did go to the Hammer Museum in Westwood Saturday afternoon before meeting our friends for dinner who also have kids away at sleepaway camp.  Lovely.  We also obsessively watched the entire season of “The Americans” in three nights.  “It’s only 11:45.  One more episode!”  So testing new recipes has sort of fallen by the wayside, sorry! dissolve arrowroot in lemon juice

But before you think this blueberry sauce is something you can live without, I will tell you to think again!  We have been eating this on everything, it’s so amazing.  My husband keeps asking me, “Is there anymore of that blueberry sauce left?”  “Where did you hide the blueberry sauce?”  Maybe you’re hiding it, dude.  In your stomach!  I’m so not funny.  The point is, we have found so many ways to enjoy this, albeit not such original ways — swirled into yogurt with or without granola, on pancakes, on top of hot oatmeal or porridge, over vanilla ice cream.  And it takes a whole 1 minute of prep, about 5 minutes to cook and makes everything seem extra-special.  See, I had time for something.

Can we chat for a second about some of the other blueberry sauce recipes out there?  I’m not pointing links or anything, but what’s up with the 1 cup of sugar for a pint of blueberries?  Fruit is already sweet, for goodness sake.  I don’t get it.  If you don’t want to taste blueberries, don’t make blueberry sauce!

thicken it up | pamela salzman

I absolutely love blueberries and I can argue that they are one of the most beneficial foods out there.  How excited are you right now?  Delicious and insanely good for you!  Blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant profiles, as well as lots of fiber and Vitamin C, and they’re lower in fructose than most other fruits.  High antioxidant + low glycemic = beauty food.  Botox or blueberries?  You don’t have to answer that.  In all seriousness, blueberries contain compounds that support the health of the cardiovascular system, as well as eye health, cognitive function, and blood sugar stability.  Have I convinced you to give this a try?  Good.  Gotta run.  Hubby wants to watch the entire season of “House of Cards” and Mr. Picky is back on Saturday!

over ice cream | pamela salzman

over yogurt with granola | pamela salzman

fresh blueberry sauce on pancakes | pamela salzman

Blueberry Sauce

Pamela
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder
  • 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 pint blueberries
  • 3 Tablespoons Grade A maple syrup Grade A is light in flavor than Grade B or cane sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons water

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, whisk the arrowroot in the lemon juice until dissolved. Set aside.
  • Place the blueberries, maple syrup and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes.
  • Add the arrowroot and lemon juice mixture and stir to combine. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes until blueberries are very soft and sauce has thickened.
  • Serve warm over pancakes or ice cream or refrigerate up to 5 days for later use.  Sauce will thicken as it sits and cools.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Kale salad with creamy lemon dressing (dairy-free recipe)

Kale Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing | Pamela Salzman

One of my students was joking with me a few weeks ago about who does the PR for the Kale Board, because they’re doing a pretty good job!  Think about it, who was eating kale 10 years ago?  I wasn’t, but I now buy several bunches of kale every week and consume it in so many different ways from juices and salads to pastas and spaghetti squash.  Kale is hot is because it is not only versatile, but so incredibly nutrient-dense.  Superfoods like kale are getting a lot of attention because these days we need all the nutritional help we can get!

Stem the kale and slice super thin

But I’ll be the first to admit that kale can take some getting used to if the only leafy green in your life has been romaine lettuce.  Kale can have an assertive flavor similar to broccoli leaves, which makes sense since they’re related to each other.  When I add kale to my fresh juice in the morning, I need to balance it with mild-tasting vegetables like cucumber and celery and maybe even some green apple.  If you’ve never tried kale, I think a great place to start is with my Kale Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette.  It’s really my favorite salad in the whole world.  I taught it in a class about 3 or 4 years ago and I swear I think I have eaten it once a week for the last 5 years.  What I love about it is that the bitterness of the kale is balanced by the sweet, tart, citrusy dressing.  And I can add anything I want to the salad and it always tastes good.  Even Mr. Picky has come around to eating it.  Did you ever see the kale salad video I did for Elizabeth Street with Mr. Picky?  Check it out here!

ingredients for the dressing

creamy lemon dressing

This latest kale salad is completely different from the the other.  The dressing has much more punch and is similar to a lemony Caesar.  I still highly recommend massaging the dressing into the kale leaves as that softens the leaves so that you feel like you’re chewing lettuce and not cabbage.  The croutons here are completely optional, But if you do use them, you must tear the bread by hand and not cut them with a knife.  Big difference!  The croutons torn by hand have more open nooks and crannies to latch onto dressing and tomato juice.  Trust me.  Speaking of tomatoes, don’t skip them unless you’re allergic because the tomatoes add a very important sweet note to balance the kale and the pungent dressing.  I actually tried the salad without the tomatoes once and it just wasn’t as good.  You might try making a meal out of this by adding grilled chicken or shrimp.  Avocado slices would be delicious here, too.

tear the bread for croutons

There are so many ways to make this easier on yourself by planning ahead.  It’s the only way I get anything done around here!

  • Wash your kale a few days in advance and prep the leaves.
  • Make the dressing the day before.
  • Make the croutons 2 days in advance.
  • Massage the dressing into the kale an hour in advance, if you want.
kale salad with creamy lemon dressing | pamela salzman

Are you new to kale or is it in the regular rotation?  What’s your favorite way to eat kale?

kale salad with creamy lemon dressing | pamela salzman

Shop the tools I used for this recipe by clicking on the images below:

Kale Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing

Pamela, adapted from Williams-Sonoma
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 4 -6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups torn country-style bread 1/2 inch pieces
  • Olive oil as needed about 1 Tablespoon should do it
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • ½ cup Vegenaise I like soy-free or good quality mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 pound Tuscan kale stems removed, leaves cut into chiffonade (very thin)—you should have about 12 cups of cut kale
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes optional
  • Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for garnish optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Arrange bread on the prepared baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake until the croutons are golden brown, about 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the Vegenaise, water, lemon zest and juice, garlic, anchovy paste, mustard, pepper to taste and a pinch of salt.  Put the kale in a large bowl and toss with enough dressing to coat.  If you massage the dressing into the kale, the leaves will soften a bit.
  • Top with the croutons and cherry tomatoes and garnish with cheese. Serve the remaining dressing alongside.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!