Melt for You

Santa Fe Turkey Melt

Finally, a yummy, buttery tasting, dairy-free mozzarella! For those of you who don't do dairy [because of an allergy, intolerance or for personal reasons] let me introduce you to Daiya, your new best friend. I found it at my local supermarket after trying several other non-dairy products, none of which were really good in pizzas, nachos or, my favorite ooey-gooey application, grilled cheese. So basic, but there's really no substitution. After all, there's really nothing left but buttery toast if you take away the cheese. So try it in a grilled cheese or in the recipe below.

Makes 1 sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices Scali bread
2 ounces Daiya Mozzarella Cheese [Vegan + endorsed by Oprah so you know it's good]
1/4 cup shredded organic cabbage

2 ounces of turkey breast, thinly sliced
2 thinly sliced tomatoes [press lightly between 2 paper towels to soak up excess moisture]
1 scallion, ends trimmed, thinly sliced on the diagonal

pinch of all purpose seasoning
freshly ground black pepper
canola margarine

hot sauce for dipping, optional

Note: I know what you're thinking... Cabbage in a tukey melt? Yes. It's delicious, just trust me. I decided to substitute cabbage for lettuce after having a hard time getting a good [non-akward] bite from my grilled sandwiches. Lettuce has a tendency to wilt and get a bit slimy if it gets too hot... but cabbage softens only slightly and will retain its crunchy goodness.

Directions

1. Heat a small cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-low heat. Prepare ingredients on a clean working surface for quick and easy assemblage.

2. Layer bread with 1 ounce cheese, cabbage, turkey, tomatoes, scallions, seasonings, and the remaining 1 ounce of cheese. Top with bread.

3. Spread outside of bread slices with canola margarine.

4. Place sandwich in skillet and cook until golden brown on each side, about 4 minutes per side.

5. Cut sandwich in half and serve.

Make sure to keep the hot sauce handy and enjoy!

Edible Arrangements

Herbs in Flower Arrangements

The herb garden has produced glorious amounts of chives this year. So many that I've been using their edible flowers in floral arrangements for around the house. I know I'll have to part with some of them next year [they are overwhelming the garden and falling all over the other herbs - it's a bit of a hot mess] but for now I'll just try to manage the beautiful chaos that is my herb garden.

In the arrangement above I paired chives with phlox and wildflowers all in various shades of purple and blue for a romantic monochromatic feel. Experiment! Use whatever you have in your own garden. Mix with wildflowers of different color combinations and textures.

Other herbs to include in arrangements are...

Sage | produces elegant purple flowers
Lavender | fragrant and beautifully linear, my favorite!
Chamomile | white flowers with a little hit of yellow
Anise Hyssop | dramatic purple flowers on long stems

Enjoy your gardens! It's raining here... and I am loving it. Yay for not having to water!

Eat Your Radish Sprouts!

Romaine Salad with Radish Sprouts and Avocado

Verdant, crunchy and a little bit spicy - this salad hits all the right notes. When tending my root veggies, I would always dread the thinning process. It seemed like such a waste to throw little seedlings aside, even if they were composted... I grew food to eat food, after all. Thinning is the process of removing plants to allow for others to grow in a row or area. By thinning radish sprouts, you allow for the radishes to fully develop to maturity by weeding out the competition. But save these little gems [as well as thinnings from beets, lettuces, and carrots] for eating, as I found out, they are an amazing addition to salads!

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 romaine heart, chopped
1 small white onion, halved and sliced
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
1 cup of radish sprouts
1/4 cup walnuts
1 cup croutons (I absolutely love Vermont's Olivia's Croutons Butter & Garlic combo - YUM!)

Note: Make sure to wash all lettuces thoroughly to rid leaves of dirt, bugs and bacteria. I have a large salad spinner that I absolutely love and use constantly throughout the year. They are remarkably easy to use and clean, and you can get a large salad on the table in less than 10 minutes. Radishes will have a bit more dirt on their roots, but give them a bath in a bowl of cold water and the grit will fall to the bottom.
Directions

1. In a large shallow bowl, combine romaine, onion and radish sprouts. Top salad with avocado, walnuts and croutons.

Serve with your favorite dressing. Vidalia Onion or Poppyseed would both be lovely.

Oat Couture

Home-made Oatmeal

This batch will last you an entire month, so go ahead and experiment with new toppings daily. Creating your own custom breakfast each morning will feel special and even helpful when you’re pressed for time. When in doubt, think to Go Nuts or Spice Things Up! My favorite combos are chopped pecans & a drizzle of maple syrup or fresh-from-the-garden blackberries with a sprinkle of granulated Stevia.

Makes about 28 servings

Ingredients

3 cups quick oats
4 cups rough milled oats (I use Silver Palate brand)
1/2 cup flax seed
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
3 tsp cinnamon

Note: Find or purchase a see-through container with tight fitting lid for easy storage and use. If it's on the counter and in plain sight, you'll always know there's a easy & healthy option for breakfast. Make sure it can hold 2 quarts and designate a stainless steel measuring cup for portioning the oatmeal. Each serving is roughly 1/3 cup dry mix.

Directions

1. In a food processor or blender, add 1 cups quick oats, 1 cup rough oats, flax seed, sugar, salt and spices. Pulse until blended and oatmeal is mostly powdered.

2. Pour mixture into a prepped storage container and combine with the remaining oats.

Everyone likes their oatmeal consistency a little different, but generally the ratio is 2 parts water per 1 part oatmeal.

The Fennel Club

Roasted Fennel

If you have yet to try fennel, this is an excellent way to enjoy its' sweet, nutty flavor. Fennel is readily available year-round, but its' unique flavor is especially welcome during spring months. Make sure to rinse well with cold water and remove their unmistakably flamboyant stalks and fronds before use.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 large fennel bulbs, cored and quartered, then sliced into 1/2" strips
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed (add more if using plain olive oil)
3 tbsp herb infused olive oil
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp coarse sea salt

Note: I highly reccomend using Tuscan Herb Olive Oil from LeRoux.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss fennel strips, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast fennel, tossing occasionally, til golden and slightly caramelized, about 30-40 minutes. Fennel should be cooked, but still have a bit of texture to it.

Serve alongside pan-seared scallops or atop pork chops. Enjoy!