Sometimes it’s hard to begin. So many ideas, thoughts and words float around in my brain every day and when I finally sit down to write a post they all get jumbled together like a tangled ball of yarn:
Old friends. New friends. New acquaintances.
Donuts. Lots and lots of donuts (hence the salad recipe).
Skiing on ice. Blog envy. Self-doubt. Integrity. Misrepresentation. The bigger picture. Business expenses.
Caring for others without caring too much. Self-sufficiency.
Sourdough starter. Homemade miso. Art. Lines and curves.
Health. Attachment to material objects. Wanderlust.
Dance parties in the kitchen. Learning to listen.
Only a few things can still my mind these days:
- Walks in the woods, where all I have to do or think about is putting one foot in front of the other.
- Practicing yoga. Breathing in and out and moving with my breath.
- Measuring, cutting, mixing, and serving. I find that once an idea begins to develop, I can spend hours imagining how different flavors and textures will combine and turning that vision into something real.
Here’s to stilling the mind and eating salad.
SPRING FATTOUSH SALAD
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SALAD
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon peppercorns
½ head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bunch radishes, sliced
½ cup parsley, minced
½ cup mint, minced
4 ounces feta, crumbled
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
FOR THE PITAS
2 whole wheat pitas, torn into 1 inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried harissa
½ teaspoon sumac
FOR THE DRESSING
1 cup yogurt
1 clove garlic, crushed
juice from ½ lemon
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dukkah
PROCEDURE
FOR THE SALAD
Combine the shallots, vinegar, sugar and peppercorns in a small bowl and set aside while you make the rest of the salad.
Combine the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, radishes, herbs and feta in a large bowl.
Heat a small pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and pine nuts. Toast the pine nuts until golden brown and then add them to the salad.
FOR THE PITAS
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the pita in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, harissa and sumac. Spread the seasoned pita on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 15-20 minutes until brown and crispy.
FOR THE DRESSING
In a small bowl whisk together the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and dukkah.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD
Just before serving, remove the pickled shallots from the brine and add them to the salad along with the crispy pita. Dress the salad and enjoy.
(easy to forget that we ARE all consumed by the same conditions. sorry! x)
(and blog envy? pshaw! lord girl! your blog is one of the best on the net! x)
Awww thank you
Nice post. A nice way to start my day. I love the list of things that ‘float around your head’. Everyone feels this way, the thing about being human is that no matter how connected we are, we are still alone, so it’s easy to forget that we are not all consumed by the same human conditions. x
Healthy and tasty meal!
No need for blog envy! Your photos are gorgeous, your food is delicious and you write from the heart.