IT'S-ALMOST-SPRING PORRIDGE with PEAR + POMEGRANATE

Today in London it is 55°F (13°C) and vividly sunny.  The sky is an unending expanse of blue, a sight for such sore eyes.  Never in my life did I imagine that this kind of weather would seem like a luxury.  It feels a bit inappropriate to be posting a recipe for a warm bowl of winter porridge on a day like today--literally the warmest this city has seen in months--but a quick glance at this week's weather forecast tells me that I shouldn't get too comfortable quite yet.  As the coming days are marked by relentless grey skies and probable rain, I am reminded that winter has not yet released us from its penetrating and tiresome grip.  

In the past six months of bleak and chilly mornings, I have been relishing my breakfast bowl of hearty, warming oatmeal more than ever before.  I appreciate the process of selecting that day's porridge variety, fruit and other mix-ins; adding spices and watching the grains bubble and thicken over the stove; and being able to control its consistency, removing it from the low heat at the precise moment when soupy turns to thick and creamy--but before the oats have congealed too fully.  It truly amazes me that less than one year ago I was satisfied starting my day by popping a bowl of oats with some water in the microwave, idly staring at its steadily decreasing timer until the ubiquitous 'beeeeeep' indicated that my bowl of gloppy, uninspired mush was ready.

Since I began enjoying oatmeal not so long ago, my go-to additions were always banana and dried cranberries; yet as my consumption of and passion for this humble breakfast have both increased, I have begun to experiment with new flavors, textures, and combinations of those essential additions that turn a bland bowl of porridge into a sumptuous, nutrient-rich, and--dare I say--exciting way to start the day.  As I have increasingly turned my overall eating habits towards seasonal produce in the past year, it is only natural that this would extend to breakfast.  Dried fruits are a no-brainer addition to oatmeal, particularly for their concentrated sweetness and consistent availability, but there is something uniquely satisfying about discovering bits of juicy, fresh fruit amongst each warm and slow-cooked spoonful.

Winter in London has been dreadful, but I have tasted some of the most incredible pears in my life from my local farmers' market this season.  And pomegranates, which somehow never fail to feel like a delicacy, seem especially so in this porridge, as each seed produces unexpected little bursts of fresh juice and a tart sweetness as you happen upon them.  While the temperatures are surely rising and the sun may be shining in certain parts of the world, other locales are still enduring the last of winter's firm grip.  If you awake these mornings still in need of warmth, yet seek a flavorful brightness to alleviate your porridge rut or remind you of the seasonal shift that lies just around the bend, this oatmeal may be just what you're looking for.

Pear & Pomegranate Porridge
Serves one
(Directions here are for steel cut oats.  If using whole rolled oats or a different grain, follow cooking instructions on packet and add fruit and spices as indicated.)

Ingredients
6 Tbsp. steel cut oats
3/4 cup (180 ml.) water
1/2 cup (120 ml.) milk (dairy, nut, soy, whatever you prefer)
1 small pear, diced into desired size cubes
1/4 pomegranate, deseeded
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions
1.  In a saucepan, combine water, milk and half of the pear cubes and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally so the milk doesn't burn.
2.  Add oats, cinnamon and vanilla, stir, and reduce heat to a low simmer.
3.  Let oats simmer (leaving the pot uncovered) until most of the liquid is absorbed and the oats have softened, about 20-30 minutes.
4.  When the oats are about halfway cooked, stir the pot contents and mash up the pear to fully mix into the porridge.
5.  Once fully cooked, top off with remaining pear cubes and pomegranate seeds.  Add a drizzle of honey or pure maple syrup if desired.

SWEET POTATO CAKES with A POACHED EGG and LEMONY YOGURT SAUCE

Ottolenghi.  The first time I heard that word, I was incredibly confused.  'Sorry, what?'  'Gesundheit?'  'Uh, could you repeat that, please?'  I was in the midst of a lively conversation about the best restaurants in London with a British friend when my ears were first confronted with that particular combination of sounds; yet my brain seriously couldn't compute them as a comprehensible word.  'Ottolenghi', he repeated.  I turned to my computer, wanting to look up this mysterious place and--most importantly--to see the menu.  With my fingers eagerly perched atop my keyboard, I faced just one small deterrent: 'How do you spell that?' I asked.

Little did I know that Ottolenghi would soon become as ubiquitous in my life--and, to a degree, in the food culture of London--as sliced bread (okay fine, as unsliced, whole grain loaves that I buy from independent markets, slice at home, and keep in my freezer for a month).  Yotam Ottolenghi is an Israeli chef and restauranteur whose dishes and recipes dreamily synthesize flavors, ingredients, and cooking techniques from across the Middle East, Mediterranean, and Asia.  His innovate combinations of ingredients and seasonings are extremely bold and always surprising.  I have never come across another chef whose recipes include such copious amounts of fresh herbs.  Ottolenghi employs herbs and spices as if they are a main element of the dish rather than a garnish or subtle addition; when cooking from his recipes, you may often re-read and re-measure, wondering: Am I really meant to include over a full cup of chopped mint, cilantro and dill?  Yes, you are.  This unapologetic and unexpected approach is a large part of what makes his food so enticing, exciting, and downright enjoyable.  

Another fact that fuels my insatiable foodie-crush on Ottolenghi is his unabashed embrace of vegetables and 'atypical' whole grains.  Yes, he cooks meat and fish.  But he gives as much attention and care to dishes where produce and grains are the shining star, rather than an afterthought.  When you next have the time, I highly recommended going to your local bookshop or library and perusing through (or taking home!) his cookbook Plenty.  It is truly stunning--a feast for the eyes, the mind, and the stomach.

These Ottolenghi sweet potato cakes are among his more straightforward recipes (for as glorious as each of his dishes is, I am not going to pretend that the often epic ingredients lists aren't at times a bit tedious or cost-prohibitive).  Also: hello sweet potato!  You are the light of my life, the least vegetable-like vegetable.  Your sweetness makes me melt.  I could eat you for days on end. Wait, what?  And you're super nutritious?  Why wouldn't you make these immediately?

Sweet Potatoes: Stealthily Nutritious
As you might imagine based on their intensely orange huge, sweet potatoes are incredibly rich in beta-carotene, an anti-oxidant that is converted into vitamin A once it has been absorbed by the small intestines. Vitamin A is important in maintaining normal cell growth and division in our bodies and is particularly linked to eye health and bone development.  Beta-carotene has also been linked to the prevention of heart disease and certain cancers and is essential in sustaining a strong immune system.  In addition to vitamin A, sweet potatoes contain high amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese and fiber.  They are also very low in saturated fat and calories and are surprisingly supportive of blood sugar regulation, unlike many other starchy foods.*  

The great thing about these sweet potato cakes (other than their sheer nutritious deliciousness) is their versatility.  Easy to prepare but with a distinct elegance and surprising flavor about them, I made these for a birthday brunch and topped them off with a poached egg, which was divine.  They could easily be served atop a bed of curried lentils or in a bowl among a melange of crisp greens.  They're great on their own as an appetizer at a party and work just as well as a side accompanying a main.  Ottolenghi's lemony yogurt sauce is also a great template for experimentation.  In Sprouted Kitchen's version of these cakes, they added lemongrass to the sauce, which I think is a great idea.  Play around with the sauce by adding different herbs, blend in some feta or goat cheese, a bit of spice.  Relish the gifts that Ottolenghi has given us with his vibrant recipes, but take his approach to cooking as a gift as well.  Adapt.  Synthesize unexpected flavors.  Go crazy.  I can't promise it will taste amazing the first time around, but isn't that what the joy of cooking is all about?

*Nutritional information from WHFoods and the World Carrot Museum.

Ottolenghi's Sweet Potato Cakes
slightly adapted from his recipe in The Guardian
Serves four

Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cakes
1kg (2-3 medium sized) sweet potatoes, peeled and largely cubed 
3 Tbsp. spring onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. red chili flakes or fresh red chili, finely minced (or to taste)
2 tsp. soy sauce or tamari
3/4 cup (95 grams) light whole wheat, spelt, or oat flour 
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. turbinado or muscovado (or another unrefined) sugar
coconut oil or butter, for frying

Lemony Yogurt Sauce
1/4 cup (50 grams) plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup (50 grams) sour cream (or use all yogurt)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro (aka coriander), finely chopped
(optional herb additions: basil, dill, mint, parsley, marjoram, lemongrass...)

Poached egg(s)
1 egg per person, as fresh as possible
splash of vinegar
water

Directions
For the sweet potato cakes
1.  Steam the sweet potatoes until thoroughly tender.  Once cooked, set aside in a colander to drain and cool.
2.  Once the sweet potatoes have let off all their steam and are fully drained (could take about an hour), mash them in a large bowl and mix in the remaining cake ingredients.  The mixture should be tacky but not runny or wet; if it is, add a bit more flour until a sticky but moldable consistency is reached.
3.  Lightly oil a baking tray, some foil, or another surface.  Wet your hands and scoop out a tablespoon or two of sweet potato mix*, rolling it into a ball and placing on the oiled surface.  Do this with all of the fritter mix.** 
4.  Melt a generous amount of coconut oil or butter in a nonstick pan over a medium-high heat.  
5.  Carefully place the sweet potato balls in the skillet and flatten them into patties.  Cook until golden brown on each side, about 7 minutes.
5.  Place between two paper towels to soak up excess butter or oil after they have been cooked.  Serve hot.

*I completely neglected this direction (Ottolenghi instructs you to make the balls 'walnut-sized') and over-zealously made each of my patties as large as a burger.  Needless to say, they didn't fully cook in the middle.  So I'd stick with the smaller size if your self-control allows it.
**It helps to prep all the cakes beforehand, otherwise your hands will be completely covered and sticky as you try to handle a spatula and fry them, then make more balls, then fry them...which is what happened to me.

For the sauce
1.  While sweet potatoes are steaming, prepare the sauce.  Whisk together all ingredients until smooth or blend in a food processor.

For the poached egg
1.  Fill a medium-sized saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce the heat until the water is just simmering, with the tiny bubbles barely breaking the surface.
2.  Pour in a splash of any light vinegar (I use cider vinegar).
3.  Crack the egg into a ceramic or glass cup with a handle.  Taking care not to touch your hand to the water, gently tilt and lower the cup into the saucepan until it is flooded with water and you can tip the egg out.
4.  Using a large heat-resistant spoon, gently nudge or fold the whites around the yolk immediately after tipping the egg in the water.
5.  Let cook for 4 minutes for a runny egg; 5 for a firmer yolk.
6.  Remove egg with a slotted spoon.  Place on a plate with a paper towel or two to drain.

ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLE TACOS (with SWEET POTATO, BEETROOT + PERSIMMON)

Memory is a strange and funny thing.  It’s incredible, how connected each of our senses is to the triggering of different memories; the way a certain scent can immediately bring you back to a precise place that you haven’t recollected in ages, or a specific song can make you feel like you’re fifteen and irrevocably lovelorn all over again (or hopefully make you laugh at the memory of it).  Food and taste have an interesting relationship to memory, as food is so often at the crux of social events or gatherings.  We associate certain dishes with specific holidays; remember our excitement when our mothers let us lick the bowl of cake batter or cookie dough; recall what we prepared to eat on the occasion of making that daunting or exhilarating announcement.

Sometimes food is imbued with memory because of who we were with or what transpired when we consumed it, while in other instances it comprises the memory in-and-of itself.  The mind-blowingly delicious, sweet and creamy 'normal' cheese (as the Spaniards called it) that topped a bocadito I shared with my best friend in Barcelona this past July will absolutely go down in history.  As will the infamous maple cinnamon almond butter, both for its truly insane taste and for initiating my foray into the wonderful world of homemade nut butter.  And forevermore, the sight and taste of a ripe, succulent persimmon will remind me of these roasted winter root veg tacos, shared with good friends and family I hadn't seen in ages, a pure delight of distinct, bold, and perfectly complimentary flavors. 

My creation of these tacos was impelled by a serendipitous tasting at my local famers’ market in Los Angeles over the holidays.  It may go without saying, but I am a huge fan of free samples—especially if they’re of seasonal, quality produce, baked goods, or artisanal cheeses.  Meandering through the endlessly vibrant stalls of the market one Saturday, I happened upon a produce seller offering samples of persimmon (known as sharon fruit here in the UK).  I had only ever tasted persimmon once before in my life, as a child; I remembered the way it made my tongue feel like sandpaper, a bewitched fruit that mysteriously altered the sensorial chemistry of my mouth.  While this mildly traumatizing experience had averted me from the fruit for the following two decades of my life, I was now a new woman: adventuresome, eager, in love with food, and willing to take the risk.  I would taste it again. 

Sweet, succulent, and juicy, this fruit instantaneously worked its magic on me, but of an entirely different variety this time around.  I excitedly approached the grocer and bought more persimmons than I knew what to do with.  But I wasn’t concerned.  I knew I would figure something out.

The following evening, I had plans to cook dinner with a few friends.  Mulling over what would be fun and easy to make for a party of four, lightening suddenly struck: tacos, but with a twist.  They would have elements of traditional tacos (corn tortilla, black beans) but be rooted in the produce that was thriving at the moment. They would be persimmon tacos.  With beetroot.  And sweet potato.  A marriage of seasonal flavors, fruit and veg, fresh and roasted, bursting with color.  Being made in LA (which has the benefits of certain foodstuffs that are impossible to find in London), they would feature proper Mexican cheese.  Fresh cilantro and a creamy coconut sauce.  The layers of ideas were bubbling in my head. I simply couldn't wait to make them.

While these tacos require many individual bits to fully execute, they are worth all the effort--for their simultaneous freshness and warmth, their sweetness and zing, and the true explosion of flavor they produce with each eager bite. They provide a burst of color and a sheer joy of taste that will surely brighten up these cold, bleak winter days.

Roasted Root Vegetable Tacos (with Sweet Potato, Beetroot & Persimmon)

Serves two

Ingredients

4 soft corn tortillas, taco size (if you can't find small corn tortillas at your market, you can use the burrito sized ones and cut them into smaller rounds)

1 persimmon a.k.a. sharon fruit (ripe! not rock hard, like many in the UK are)

Queso fresco, cotija cheese, or crumbly goat cheese (optional)

fresh cilantro for garnish

Maple-Miso Sweet Potatoes, inspired by Love + Lemons

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, cut into 1" cubes

1/2 Tbsp. miso paste (organic, non-GMO; light or dark is fine)

1/2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

Roasted Beetroot

3 medium beets

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. thyme

squeeze of 1/2 a lemon

Spiced Black Beans

1 15-oz can black beans (or you can cook them from dry if you have time!)

2 tsp. coconut oil (or cooking oil of choice)

1 small red onion, largely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/4 tsp. red chili flakes (or to taste)

(Coconut) Lime Cilantro Sauce -- great with the coconut or without

1/2 cup (4 oz) plain probiotic yogurt (make sure it has no additives, just yogurt)

3 Tbsp. unsweetened dried coconut (optional)

3 Tbsp. cilantro, leaves + stems finely minced

1 tsp. cold-pressed olive oil

1/2 lime, juice + zest

salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1.  Make sauce.  If using coconut, heat oven to 350°F / 180°C / Gas 4.  Spread coconut on a baking tray and toast until lightly golden, 5-7 minutes.  Finely chop or mash with a mortar and pestle.  Once coconut is prepped, or if omitting, mix all sauce ingredients together.  For a smoother sauce, you can combine all the ingredients in a food processor, reserving olive oil to drizzle in and process at the end. Place in fridge to let flavors meld.

2.  Pre-heat oven to 400°F / 200°C / Gas 6.  

3.  Starting with the beetroot, cut off the stems and wash off any dirt (no need to peel).  Loosely wrap each beet in foil and set on a baking tray.  Roast for 50-60 minutes, checking every 20 minutes or so to make sure they aren't sticking to the tray or burning.  Beets are done when a fork slides into their middles easily.

4.  Once the beets are in the oven, chop your sweet potato into 1" cubes.  Place in a roasting tin, coat lightly with olive or coconut oil and sprinkle with salt.  Roast for 10-15 minutes, until just beginning to soften.

5.  Mix miso paste and maple syrup together.

6.  Remove sweet potato from oven, pour over the miso-maple marinade and toss to coat.  Roast sweet potato for an additional 10-15 minutes, until softened and caramelized. (I find that blasting them under the grill or broiler for the last 5 minutes of cooking produces a superior caramelization than cooking them in the oven the entire time.) Set aside.

7.  When the beets are cooked through, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool for a few minutes.  After they are cool enough to handle, use a paper towel and your thumbs to slide the skins off the beets.  They should come off quite easily.  If not, they may need a few more minutes in the oven.  

8.  Dice beets into 1" cubes.  Toss with ground coriander, thyme and lemon juice.  Set aside.

9.  Prepare black beans. In a saucepan on medium heat, sauté diced onion with oil until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, paprika and chili flakes and cook for an additional 1 minute.  

10.  Drain and rinse black beans.  Add to saucepan with the onions and spices.  Stir to coat and cook until thoroughly warmed.  Set aside.

11.  Slice persimmon into strips.  Set aside.

12.  When ready to serve, heat tortillas in oven or directly over the flame on a gas stove, watching carefully to make sure they don't burn.  Top with beans, beetroot, sweet potato, cheese (if using), yogurt sauce and fresh cilantro.  Promptly devour!

DECEPTIVELY DECADENT, TRULY WHOLESOME TRUFFLES: ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE, MAPLE CINNAMON CASHEW, and CHAI SPICE

This is not a negative post, I promise.  Just bear with me for a minute. 

I’ve always found Valentine’s Day to be a bit tiresome.  Supposedly commemorating the martyrdom of St. Valentine, this now secular holiday has become an excuse for the heteronormative, consumeristic valuing of love and relationships.  As to be expected in a capitalist and hardly health-conscious society, we are told and expected to display our love for our romantic partners through the purchase of gifts and terrible-for-you treats.  Alas, this blog is not a space for politics.  This is a space for food!  So on this Valentine’s Day, I would like to present you with a (foodie) alternative.  Sure, share love with and appreciation for your partner, if you have one.  But don’t stop there.  Share love with and appreciation for your family and your friends, the people whose presence in your life makes it all the more positive, enjoyable and fulfilling.  But don’t stop there.  This Valentine’s Day, share love with and appreciation for yourself.  Make sure you do one thing—however grand or small—for yourself, to say ‘good job’, to make yourself happy.  And after you do that thing, give yourself another treat: Go make these ridiculously tasty, totally whole foods-based truffles.  You can absolutely share them with the people you love, but consider this your warning: You may not want to.  (And I totally won’t blame you for hoarding them in your fridge.)

Amazing Dates

The common ingredient across these three very different truffles is dates.  Can I use this Valentine’s Day to express my overwhelming love for dates?  They’re amazing.  Originating in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, this incredibly saccharine fruit (soft and succulent raw, but most often found dried in markets) will satisfy any craving for sweets you may have; but unlike processed sugars and their byproducts, dates are nutrient and mineral-rich!  Aside from being an excellent source of fiber, dates contain high amounts of vitamin A, iron, calcium, manganese, and copper.  Due to their sweetness, dates make for an excellent addition to dishes like oatmeal or smoothies, plus they are ideal for health-ifying certain types of desserts without compromising flavor.  Raw desserts are prime among them.

In all my food blog reading over the past year, I have come across countless variations of ‘energy bars’, raw brownies, ‘healthy cookie bites’, and so forth that are made out of dates, nuts, and various other ingredients and natural sweeteners.  The first of these truffles—the Espresso Chocolate—comes directly from the stunning blog Green Kitchen Stories.  They are so silky, so chocolaty, so decadent tasting that it is truly difficult to believe that they do not contain a trace of butter, cream or processed sugar.  The other two are my creation, inspired by many the raw desserts I have encountered online over the past year.  Like most of my posts on this site aim to be, they are wholesome, they are healthy, and they are damn delicious.  Eating in this manner is one of the best and simplest ways to love yourself, I’ve found.  I hope you do too.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Espresso Chocolate, Maple Cinnamon Cashew, and Chai Spice Truffles

Each makes 15-20 truffles

Ingredients

Espresso Chocolate Truffles from Green KitchenStories

15 (medjool) or 20 (deglet noor) dates

4 Tbsp. rolled or porridge oats

2 Tbsp. dried, unsweetened coconut (shredded or flaked)

2 Tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil (or other cold-pressed neutral oil)

2 Tbsp. cacao powder

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. ground cardamom

1 shot (2 Tbsp.) cold espresso or strong coffee

extra cacao, cinnamon, chopped coconut, oats or ginger for rolling

Maple Cinnamon Cashew Truffles

½ cup (3 oz.) raw cashews, soaked in filtered water for 4 hours and then oven dried at the lowest possible temperature for 30+ minutes, OR roasted at 325°F / 162°C / Gas 3 for 15-20 minutes

2 Tbsp. rolled or porridge oats

10 (medjool) or 15 (deglet noor) dates

½ Tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil (or other cold-pressed neutral oil)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. salt

¾ Tbsp. 100% pure maple syrup

extra oats and cinnamon (mixed together) for rolling

Chai Spice Truffles

10 (medjool) or 15 (deglet noor) dates

4 Tbsp. rolled or porridge oats

2 Tbsp. dried, unsweetened coconut (shredded or flaked)

2 Tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil (or other cold-pressed neutral oil)

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. maple syrup

½ Tbsp. chai spice mix (recipe below)

pinch of salt

extra oats for rolling

Chai Spice Mix from Fox in the Kitchen

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground all spice

1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1.  If dates are tough or dry, soak in filtered water for at least 30 minutes to soften.

2.  Roughly chop dates.

3.  Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend for a couple minutes, until completely combined and a tacky paste or ball forms.

4.  Put truffle dough in the fridge for 10 minutes.  This will allow it to firm up a bit and make rolling it into balls much easier.

5.  Take small handfuls of the dough and roll into balls, a bit smaller than a ping pong ball (or whatever size you prefer).

6.  Roll balls in the ‘extra’ dry ingredients listed at the end.

7.  Let truffles chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.  Keep stored in fridge.

KALE, POMEGRANATE, GOAT CHEESE + MINT SALAD

Oh, kale.  What a good friend to have.  Surprisingly enough, kale was one of the first vegetables I started to regularly incorporate into my diet after my move to London, even when I was still a vegetable-averted vegetarian.  Less texturally slimy and more mild-tasting than spinach (in my opinion), I was happy to have found a dark leafy green that I didn't want to spit out the second I put it in my mouth.

I think kale is considered to be one of those 'superfoods' we sometimes hear about, but label or not, this stuff is SUPER good for you.  A member of the cruciferous vegetable family (along with broccoli and cabbage), kale is bursting with vitamin K (promoting bone health, preventing blood clotting, and crucially regulating our bodies' inflammation), vitamin A (supporting healthy vision and skin) and vitamin C (maintaining our immune system, hydration and metabolism).  Kale also contains high amounts of manganese, fiber, and calcium (more calcium than milk, calorie-for-calorie!).  Of all the leafy greens, kale boasts the highest level of carotenoids, which lowers our bodies' risk to developing certain types of cancers (in the case of kale, this includes breast, colon, prostrate, ovary and bladder cancer).  On top of all this goodness, kale is also super detoxifying, as its high amounts of fiber and sulfur help maintain healthy liver function.*  Pretty amazing.

If you aren't already overly jazzed about getting this stuff into your body, here's more good news for you: The peak growing period of kale is mid-winter through early spring, so we're in the thick of it!

Despite its simplicity, this salad has the ability to impress.  The first time I made it, I brought it to a pot luck New Year's Eve dinner party for 10 people. The heaping salad was devoured.  As the attendee seated directly across from me polished off his plate, he turned to me and curiously asked, "Did you put mint in this salad?"  Why yes indeed, I did!  I was so excited that he had identified the mystery herb,  but at the same time, the fact that he had to ask--and that no one else questioned or mentioned it--told me I needed to include more mint, possibly in bigger pieces, the next time around.

Round two of the salad, which was made at a more intimate dinner party of close friends that same week, brought about surprise among the guests not because of the ingredients, but because of the process: the massaging of the kale.  I was shocked that neither of my good friends, who definitely know their ways around a kitchen, had heard of massaging raw kale for a salad before; I thought I was among the last to get on that train back in the summertime.  For those of you who haven't yet delved into the wonderful world of raw kale salads, a brief word: Massaging kale--simply vigorously rubbing the raw leaves for 2-3 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon and/or vinaigrette--is a wonderful method to use when serving it raw because breaks down the leaves' tough and fibrous cellulose structure, making it much easier to chew and digest.  It also mellows out the bitter taste.  So wash those hands and get ready to get intimate with your salad!

A final note, to those of you lucky enough to live in the vicinity of a Trader Joe's: Make this salad with TJ's honey chèvre.  Have you tried this product?  OH MY.  Words cannot express the sheer delirium that this cheese produces upon consumption.  Imagine the creamiest of goat cheeses infused with sweet honey, bursting in complete synchronicity upon your palette.  It really takes this salad to another level.  Why Trader Joe's has not expanded to the United Kingdom is an issue of great consternation for me, but we'll save that for another time.

Kale, Pomegranate, Goat Cheese & Mint Salad
Serves one

Ingredients
6-8 stalks dinosaur kale (a.k.a. lacinato kale or cavolo nero)
1/4 of a pomegranate
goat cheese crumbles (as much as you'd like)
6 large mint leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. honey (runny, not solid)
1/2 lemon

Directions
1.  Submerge the pomegranate quarter in a large bowl filled with water and remove all the seeds.  (This method will prevent you from getting squirted by the pomegranate juices!)  Discard the white pith and drain the water.
2.  Slice the kale leaves into 1/4" strips lengthwise (you should get 2-3 strips from each side of the stem).  Discard stems.  Cut or tear the strips a few times horizontally, so you end up with ribbons approximately 1/4" x 2" in size.  Place in a large bowl.
3.  Drizzle the kale ribbons with olive oil.  Using your hands, massage the kale for at least 2 minutes, rubbing the oil into the leaves.  (Again, this is a great method to use when eating raw kale, as it breaks down the fibers, making the kale less bitter and easier to chew and digest.)
4.  Add the pomegranate seeds, goat cheese and chopped mint to the kale bowl.
5.  Squeeze the juice from the lemon half into a sealable jar.  Add the honey.  Seal and shake vigorously, until combined.
6.  Pour lemon-honey mixture over salad and toss to coat.

*Info sources: WHFoods, MindBodyGreen, & My New Roots