My daughter gave me a book called "Your Inner Critic Is A Big Jerk", by Danielle Krysa. My daughter knows better than I do that I second guess everything I post on this blog. I question whether or not I should be blogging in the first place. I second guess by content. I second guess by photography. I cannot tell you how many times I will spend hours on a recipe. I will photograph the step-by-step and final pics and then decide it's not good enough. I put in in a folder where it sits never to be posted.
I decided I was going to finish reading the book on a flight to Boston for the marathon. I was so excited and pumped up after reading the great words of wisdom and insight found pages of this book. I kept telling myself that I can do this! Who cares if I'm not young...like 20-30 something young. Who cares if I'm ...over 40's ish. I have years of food experience. I have lived in my kitchen cooking for my family for over 30 years. I have had many successes and many failures along the way. I have something to bring to the table of blogging.
While reading the book, I was inspired with an idea to highlight what is growing in my yard and garden. I have wonderful herbs and flowers starting to sprout here and there. How fun it would be tiocreate posted based on what was growing each week.
I have always wanted to use Lilac blossoms to flavor ice cream, sugar or honey. When I returned from Boston, I noticed that my Lilac bush was in full bloom. Earlier than the usual Mother's Day. I picked my lilacs and carefully washed them and gently plucked every sticking blossom from each head. I gently dried them so I could make lilac sugar and lilac honey. I had decided on Honey Lilac Ice Cream. The post took me a few days to photograph and prepare.
As the ice cream churned and began to freeze, I couldn't wait any longer. I grabbed a spoon and sampled the beautiful and creamy concoction. I yearned of a lightly scented ice cream that would taste just as lilacs smelled. The ice cream was creamier than I thought was possible. The flavor was...like BROCCOLI...honey flavored BROCCOLI ice cream. It was pretty awful.
Out came my inner critic, "you're not fit to blog". Feelings of insecurity came rushing into my head. I had to put away the camera and give myself a break for several days. I should have just laughed at myself and posted the ice cream anyway as a giant FAIL because we all have those days in the kitchen. My lilacs are going to remain in a vase with water and I'm going to enjoy the fragrance in my kitchen.
Actually the honey tasted quite good. I've been eating it with a spoon. Not a complete failure.
I walked around my yard looking for a new star. Pansies! Pansies are edible just ask the deer that eat every pansy that I plant.
I love eating clean whole foods. I feel so much better when I do. I decided to make a Kale Bowl instead of a Buddha bowl. No grains, no protein, just plant based with a few pansies for a garnish. This kale bowl is topped with roasted marinated beets, oranges, strawberries, avocado and a few toasted almonds.
You will need the following:
1 bunch curly leaf Kale
4-5 small to medium size red or golden beets
3 oranges
strawberries
1 avocado
1/2 cup almonds
Juice and zest from one orange
citrus flavored Champagne vinegar or just Champagne vinegar
salt and pepper
hemp hearts, chia seeds, etc
pansies (make sure they are pesticide free)
Marinade:
juice from one orange
2 tablespoons citrus champagne vinegar
zest from 1/2 an orange
Salad dressing:
1/4 cup citrus champagne vinegar or champagne vinegar
1/4 cup avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
I like to start with washing and prepping the kale. Thoroughly wash kale and pat dry. Remove the tough stem and roughly chop. Place the dry kale in a container with a lid. Refrigerate. The kale will last for 3-5 days or longer if nice and fresh. This is great to have on hand and saves prep time for meals.
Was the beets and remove the long tops. Don't throw them away. I like to juice them, but they can be sauteed as well.
Preheat oven to 350F. Place beets on a large sheet of heavy aluminum foil.
Crimp the edges nice and tight. Place on a baking sheet and cook in preheated oven for at least an hour or until a skewer can be easily inserted.
Remove the skin by gently rubbing with a cloth or paper towel.
Slice, dice or quarter the beets. Whatever suits your fancy.
Mix juice from an orange, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and zest from 1/2 an orange to make the marinade.
Pour over chopped beets. Refrigerate for at least an hour. They will last refrigerated for 3-5 days and the flavors improve over time. Another advance prep step.
If you would like to roast the almonds, roughly chop. I like to throw nuts into my huge mortar and give them a good bash just to break them up a bit.
Toss into a skillet with about 1 teaspoon oil or butter or they can be dry roasted. Your choice. I'm opting for butter, because buttered and salted almonds on a salad are the bomb.
Cook over low heat until lightly brown. Remove from heat. Nut's can be toasted in advance as well and stored at room temp. I don't know how long they will last because I have never kept them around for longer than a day because we eat whatever is leftover.
In a small pint jar add all the ingredients for the dressing.
Give it a good shake for a minute or so.
Dressing can be made in advance as well.
To assemble: Place desired amount of kale in a serving bowl. I like about 1 1/2 cups per serving for a main course salad. Massage 2 tablespoons of the dressing into the kale.
Arrange the marinated beets, sliced avocado, orange wedges, sliced strawberries on top of the kale.
Sprinkle with toasted almonds. You can sprinkle with hemp hearts, chia seeds, sesame seeds, micro greens, etc. Customize your Kale bowl. I think grilled Salmon and cooked quinoa would be delicious.
Just don't forget the pansies.
Kale Bowl with Marinated Beets, Fruit, and Pansies
1 bunch Kale, curly leaf
4-5 small to medium size red or golden beets
2 oranges
1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1 avocado, halved and sliced
1/2 cup almonds toasted, if desired or any other nuts
Juice and zest from one orange
citrus flavored Champagne vinegar or just Champagne vinegar
salt and pepper
hemp hearts, chia seeds, etc
pansies (make sure they are pesticide free)
Marinade:
juice from one orange
2 tablespoons citrus champagne vinegar
zest from 1/2 an orange
Salad dressing:
1/4 cup citrus champagne vinegar or champagne vinegar
1/4 cup avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
I like to start with washing and prepping the kale. Thoroughly wash kale and pat dry. Remove the tough stem and roughly chop. Remove and wash beets. Wrap in foil and crimp edges tightly. Set on a baking sheet and place in a preheated 350F oven. Bake for 1 hour or until no longer hard. I like to use a wooden skewer to poke the beets with. The skewer should slide in easily. Segment on of the oranges. Reserve juice and orange zest. Set aside.
For the Marinated Beets: Mix juice from one orange, vinegar and orange zest together. Pour over cooled, cooked beets. Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 3 days.
For the Salad Dressing: In a pint jar combine, the vinegar, avocado oil, dijon, salt and pepper. Shake vigorously until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To assemble the Kale Bowl: Toss about 1 1/2 cups of chopped kale with 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Massage kale until it begins to soften. Place in a bowl. Arrange marinated beets, orange segments, strawberries, avocado, slices and almonds. Serve immediately. Makes approx 3-4 servings.
Optional toppings: hemp hearts, chia seeds, sesame seeds, micro greens, other nuts and seeds
