Peppy Pesto Summer Salad

Being in Spain for a year almost allowed me to forget the suffocating inferno that is Washington, D.C. in the summer.   But heading back here in July definitely reminded me of the fact that my hometown was built on a swamp.  Even though here I have the luxury of a reliable air conditioning system (not the case in Europe, even in 100-plus degree weather), all I want to eat in weather like this is fresh fruits and cool vegetables.

Farmer’s Market Extravagance

It is possible to be taste-conscious, health-conscious, and cost-conscious too?

The produce from the farmer’s market REALLY is that much better. But it’s also that much more $$.

After spending the last month or so wandering from gorgeous market to gorgeous market, I got a bit tired of only admiring the produce and photographing it.  Despite the fact that I was constantly eating delicious food, not cooking for a whole month was very hard for me.  So upon returning to Washington, I convinced my mom that, instead of our weekly visit to Costco, we should hit the Dupont Circle farmer’s market.

Despite the 100-plus degree heat and the fact that our lack of parking karma forced us to endure it in full sun for several blocks, the excursion turned out to be a resounding success.

Produce like this is a revelation… You think you’ve had a tomato before, but you taste one of these and realize your idea of a tomato was only a shell of the creature that a tomato could ever become.  You’ve never really had a tomato before at all.

Recipe: Seared Endive Salad With Goat Cheese

‘Cause You Can Celebrate With Salad, Too

Two great things to celebrate today! One: Chefs are gathering at the White House to kick off a historic initiative to address childhood obesity.  Two: It’s my blog’s one-week birthday!  (Only a week? Seems like forever, I know. But peeps are always telling Epicuriosa she seems older than her age. Which, after you turn 21 is like totally not cool.)

In honor of these exciting events I made this amazing salad with seared Belgian endives,  a type of lettuce.  They are very crisp and slightly bitter, and come in tightly wrapped little heads (sometimes called spears).  Quickly searing the endive gives it a little bit of sweetness and an interesting texture; the bitter flavor pairs perfectly with the combination of fruit and cheese.

One of the many things I love about living in Spain: Produce is really cheap.  In the U.S. endives can be really expensive, but here I can get a pack of three good sized spears for ONE euro (approx $1.20 at today’s unbelievably low exchange rate).

Experimenting with Breakfast Salads

Since I’m having trouble figuring out what to eat for breakfast that will make me feel satisfied but not sluggish, I’m experimenting with breakfast salads this week.

Sounds weird, but actually plenty of cultures eat veggies for breakfast, something I’ve been pleased to encounter in my travels.

This one contains tomatoes, raisins, walnuts, blue cheese, and a little parsley.  It was yummy and I think it did the trick.

One drawback:  This fails the lightning-quick and portable test for breakfast foods.  But you could always make it the night before and pull it out of the fridge while you wait for your coffee.

Update: Mark Bittman must have heard me calling, ’cause he just posted a great recipe for a stir-fry veggie breakfast which sounds fantastic!

Earlier: The Breakfast Dilemma

The Stir-Fried Breakfast [Mark Bittman]

Breakfast For Dinner

Sauteed Asparagus, Roasted Red Peppers, and Creamy Scrambled Eggs

The secret to the creamy eggs is adding a little water (2-3 tablespoons) when you whisk them, and then cooking them over VERY low heat, stirring constantly.

It takes a lot longer than regular scrambled eggs, but the result is a very creamy, custardy texture, almost more of a sauce than scrambled eggs. Perfect with some crusty even-slightly-stale bread.

Ridiculously Easy 15-Minute Two Course Lunch

A quick tasty healthy meal, and why boys are like pasta water.

Stuffed Red Pepper Tuna Melt Salad

Blue Cheese and Pear “Salad” Pasta

So, speaking of the whole “I don’t have time” to cook or eat well thing.

People have this idea that cooking is this long, drawn out, elaborate process which involves spending hours and hours in the kitchen and dirtying tons of pots which are a pain in the ass to clean up later.  No wonder they don’t do it.

Well guess what? It’s totally not.

I mean, obviously, it can be.  But we’re not striving for Michelin stars on a daily basis here (or at least, I’m not).  Just trying to feed ourselves deliciously, healthily and in a reasonable amount of time.

Occasionally, I pull out all the stops and do the whole elaborate, multi-component meal that does involve lots of hours (sometimes all day).  But usually, I get home, pop open the fridge, and figure out what to do with what I’ve got in 30 minutes or less.  (Oh, god, I just conjured images of Rachel Ray, didn’t I? I’m so sorry.)

UPDATE: Ok, ok, I’m coming around on Rachel.

Finalmente… Gazpacho

There’s truly nothing better than cold soup on a hot day

It’s almost June now, with temperatures easily reaching the 80′s in the afternoon here in Madrid.  This means that finally one of my greatest wishes has come true: restaurants are putting Gazpacho back on their menus.

Correction: OK, Gazpacho is always on the menu, but not usually in the kitchen until madrileños deem — en masse — that yes, something in the air does finally call for cold soup season to begin.  This seems not to be directly related to the actual weather outside, in the same way that mandates for appropriate footwear and pantyhose use are governed by a set of rules that I happen to not be privy to.

Whatever the reason, I can say for sure that enjoying a gazpacho on a hot day is one of the greatest pleasures of summer.  It’s perfectly refreshing and satisfying.  Invigorating, even, like you’re absorbing an insane amount of vitamins and nutrients through osmosis that will instantly show through your skin.  Which of course, you are.  And the skin part, maybe it’s just the happy glow that comes from consuming something so fresh and delicious. Ahhh..