Meatless Mondays | Grapefruit Endive Salad

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It’s Monday and if you recall our past post we are going “Meatless” on Mondays. Today’s recipe was inspired by the spring issue of Food & Wine and is the perfect recipe for a warm California day, like today! So grab a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Albariño or any crisp white wine and start cooking!

  • 2 Belgian endives – halved lengthwise, cored and slightly sliced
  • 1 large grapefruit
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon finely crushed pistachios, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • Salt & pepper

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Pickling the onions will take about an hour so begin by combining the rice vinegar, water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the onion slices, turn off the heat and let the onions sit in the mixture for about an hour. Let cool completely and then drain.

In a separate bowl, whisk the sunflower seed oil and olive oil with cider vinegar and mustard. Add the crushed pistachios and chives, season with salt and pepper and let chill in the refrigerator.

Prepare the grapefruit by cutting in between the membranes to release the grapefruit sections and place them in a large bowl. Add the sliced endives, chopped parsley, marjoram and 1/2 of the cooled down onions*. Coat the salad with the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Divide the salad on four plates, garnish with crushed pistachios and enjoy with a light-bodied white wine.

*Reserve the other half of the pickled onions for another dish. They are great in this slow-cooker pulled pork recipe!

Cheers! ~Crystal

Plated | Simplicity Delivered

Plated

 

If you are like me, there are days that I don’t have time to pick up fresh ingredients after work and still get home in time to make a decent meal. A few weeks ago I discovered Plated – a service where chef-inspired recipes and fresh ingredients are delivered right to your door. So, how does this service work?

Image Credit: Plated

Image Credit: Plated

Browse & Choose Your Recipe:

Each week a new menu is posted online with a variety of recipes (4 meat & fish and 3 vegetarian options). You start by picking out your meal, selecting how many servings (2, 4, 6) and then add it to you cart! Simple as that.

Select Your Delivery Date:

Plated delivers to roughly 80% of the U.S. Click here to see if they deliver to your neighborhood! Orders are shipped from three major hubs (SF, NY & Chi-Town) and all packages are insulated with Mylar liners year-round to keep food fresh during the delivery process.

Get Ready To Enjoy Your Recipe:

All of the ingredients you need arrive fresh to your door along with step-by-step recipe cards & pre-measured ingredients.

Plated Box

Plated

To get started I ordered the Chicken Fricassee with Gnocchi and Artichokes and the Spicy Soy Poached Pollack with Vermicelli Noodles recipe on Thursday and on Friday I received all of my ingredients so I was set for this weekends dinner. As I mentioned earlier, everything came pre-measured – so all I needed were the basics: Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper. Instructions were easy to follow and everything tasted delicious (I noticed that both dishes needed a bit more seasoning so I adjusted according to my taste).

PLated Ingredients

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Interested in checking out PLATED? Click here to sign up and use coupon code SHARKTANK to receive four plates for free – just pay shipping and handling. Hurry up though, coupon code is good only to the first 500 people. Have you used Plated? Share with us in the comments below.

Want to make these recipes at home? Click on the recipe below for a downloadable step-by-step ingredient list and directions:

Cheers! Crystal

Foodie Pen Pal Reveal Day | March

FPP MarchToday is Foodie Pen Pal reveal day and I’m so excited to share the goodies I received from Abby of FullTimeWifeLife.blogspot.com. Abby noticed, as she was browsing around Aprons & Stilettos, that I am one busy gal and decided to share with me her favorite “busy day” necessities!

  • Arrowhead Mills Organic Steel Cut Oats: This is one of her family’s favorite breakfast and instead of milk and sugar, they add mashed bananas and peanut butter as a healthy alternative. Abby must me reading my mind because I always have a back up box of steel cut oats at work to help me get through the morning, especially when I get in at 6am. I’ll usually keep a bag of dried cranberries on hand to add little sweetness but I must give Abby’s idea of mashed banana and peanut butter a try!
  • Publix Greenwise Organic Energy Trail Mix: This is the perfect afternoon snack! Jammed packed with delicious raisins, cranberries, toasted soy nuts, apples, almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds – all organic and great on the go!
  • Grace Aloe Vera Drink:  Aloe vera juice is known to maintain good health, energy and prevent illness. I didn’t know what to expect as I’ve never had this before but it was surprisingly delicious! Slightly sweet with a hint of grape flavor.
  • Briannas Home Style Poppy Seed Dressing: Ahhhhh, I love this brand but have never tried the poppy seed dressing! Brianna’s Home Style Poppy Seed Dressing is made with all natural ingredients, and contains nothing artificial. Rich, creamy and slightly sweet this is the perfect addition to any salad. Oh, and not just on salads… try dipping your apple wedges, melons or even peaches in it, it’s superb!
  • Lipton Pineapple Chamomile Herbal Tea: Most of you know that I LOVE tea (I just went to our local tea store today actually and picked up some new blends!) so I was so happy to receive this from Abby. This tea is refreshing, smooth and slightly sweet. Great in the morning, afternoon or right before bed!

Thank you again Abby for all of the wonderful treats! Not familiar with “Foodie Pen Pals”? Check it out below!

Cheers and happy Monday! ~Crystal @CrysPeterson


The Lean Green Bean

Now for those of you who are new to this and interested in joining, here is what Foodie Penpals is all about:
  • On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
  • You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
  • The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!

Click here to learn more…