Recipe: Egg, Spinach, and Spelt Salad with Green Garlic Dressing — Healthy Lunch Recipes from The Kitchn

When I make salads, I have a fairly basic formula that I adapt based on what I have on hand: greens, extra vegetables, grains, nuts or seeds, a basic vinaigrette, and protein (either legumes or eggs). This spinach salad follows my basic formula pairing some wonderful spring produce — green garlic and spinach — with the earthy, chewiness of the spelt. Add the hard boiled egg and you have a quite the hearty salad.

I have a soft-spot for spelt. This wheat grain has such a wonderful nutty and slightly sweet flavor, and it holds its texture when cooked, making it a great companion for salad. Using spelt and adding nuts or seeds to a salad usually helps me avoid going crazy with croutons (I really love the crunch from croutons).

As for the garlic, I'm always amazed at what a versatile plant it is. In the spring, garlic scapes and green garlic are two different ways to add a light garlic flavor to recipes. While green garlic looks like overgrown scallion, don't be fooled: the flavor is pure garlic (and I think quite wonderful)! Look for it at farmers markets and gourmet grocery stores from now until early summer.

If you would like to make this salad gluten-free, I highly suggest swapping out the spelt for sorghum. This makes the salad gluten-free while keeping the nutty flavor and chewy texture.

Egg, Spinach, and Spelt Salad with Green Garlic Dressing

Makes 2 servings

For the salad:
4 cups lightly packed spinach
1 cup cooked and cooled spelt (1/2 cup uncooked spelt)
3 tablespoons roasted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (See Recipe Note)
1/4 cup black olives
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

For the dressing:
1 stem green garlic, white and light green parts only
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a bowl, toss together the spinach, spelt, sunflower seeds, sun-dried tomatoes, and black olives. In a blender, pulse the green garlic until in small pieces. Measure in the remaining dressing ingredients and run the blender until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.

Divide the salad into two bowls and top with sliced egg and a drizzle of the green garlic dressing. Store any unused dressing in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

To control the amount of oil that goes on my salad, I started buying dried (not oil-packed) sun dried tomatoes and rehydrating them with warm water. These sun-dried tomatoes can be found at both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

(Image credits: Erin Alderson)

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Recipe: Egg, Spinach, and Spelt Salad with Green Garlic Dressing

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How To Make Paneer Cheese in 30 Minutes — Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn

Paneer is the star ingredient in some of my most favorite Indian dishes — and probably yours too! I often find myself scooping just one more nibble of chewy, milky-tasting paneer from the dish long after I'm officially full. Sure, you can buy this firm cheese at the store to make your own homemade curries, but where's the fun in that?! If you have a pot, a strainer, and some cheesecloth, you can have fresh homemade paneer cheese in about 30 minutes.

Paneer is a type of fresh cheese, meaning you can make it and eat it right away — no aging or culturing required. It's also one of the easiest cheeses to make at home. All you need is milk, lemon juice or vinegar, and a bit of salt to season. When you mix the milk and lemon juice, the acidity in the lemon juice will cause the milk to separate into curds and whey. Remove the whey and press the curds, and you have a simple, basic cheese.

This cheese won't melt or get gooey the way mozzarella or cheddar will, but with paneer, this is actually an advantage. Because it won't melt, we can stir chunks into a soup or creamy curry, crumble it over a flatbreads, or even skewer cubes onto kebabs and the cheese will keep its shape and chewy texture.

Paneer has a fairly mild, milky flavor on its own, so it's best when paired with strong, spicy flavors, like in classic Indian curries or dishes like saag paneer. It's also nearly identical to Mexican queso fresco and Italian ricotta salata, and can usually be used in recipes calling for either of those ingredients.

As with making fresh ricotta, which shares some of the same steps, this process for making paneer works best if you're using whole milk. I've had success with 2%, but avoid skim or nonfat milk as there just isn't enough milk fat left in the milk to actually separate into curds and whey. Also avoid using ultra-high temperature (UHT) pasteurized milk, as this pasteurization process changes the protein structure of the milk and prevents it from separating. Unfortunately, labels don't always make it clear when milk has been UHT pasteurized. If your milk won't separate into curds and whey, there's a good chance it was UHT pasteurized.

This fresh cheese won't last long in the fridge, so if you don't use it right away, definitely make sure you have plans for it within a few days. Personally, I'm not above sneaking leftover cubes straight from the fridge — a perfectly acceptable midnight snack.

You'll need 1/2 gallon of milk, 1/4 cup lemon juice or vinegar, and a pinch of salt. (Double this recipe if desired)

How To Make Paneer Cheese

Makes about 10 ounces or 2 cups of cheese cubes

What You Need

Ingredients
1/2 gallon whole milk, not UHT pasteurized
1/4 cup lemon juice or vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

Equipment
4-quart saucepan
Slotted spoon
Strainer or colander
Mixing bowl
Cheesecloth, nut bag, or other cloths for straining
Dinner plates
Weights, like a 32-ounce can of tomatoes

Instructions

1. Heat the milk: Pour the milk into the saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring the milk to a bare simmer — just below the boil at around 200°F. Stir the milk occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure the milk doesn't scald. When ready, the milk will look foamy and steamy.
2. Add the lemon juice: Remove the milk from heat and stir in the lemon juice. The milk should begin to curdle immediately, but it's ok if it doesn't.
3. Let the milk stand for 10 minutes: Cover the milk and let stand for 10 minutes to give the acid time to completely separate the curds and weigh. At the end of 10 minutes, the curds should be completely separated and the liquid should look yellow and watery. If the milk hasn't separated, try adding another tablespoon of acid. If it still won't separate, check your milk and be sure you are using non-UHT milk; this kind of milk won't separate.
4. Strain the curds: Set a strainer or colander over a mixing bowl and line it with cheesecloth, a nut bag, or other straining cloth. Carefully scoop or pour the curds into the strainer, letting the whey collect in the bowl beneath.
5. Squeeze the curds: Gather the cheesecloth in your hand and gently squeeze to remove the excess whey.
6. Salt the curds: Open the cheesecloth and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the curds. Stir gently and taste. Add more salt if desired.
7. Press the curds: Transfer the curds (still in the cheesecloth) to a large dinner plate. Shape them into a rough square and then fold the cheesecloth tightly around the curds to form a neat rectangular package. Set a second plate on top of the package and weigh it down. Press for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
8. Use or refrigerate the paneer: Once pressed, your paneer is finished and ready to use. You can use it immediately or refrigerate for up to two days. Refrigerated paneer will be firmer and less likely to crumble than fresh paneer.

Recipe Notes

• Whole vs. 2% vs. Non-Fat Milk: While whole milk is our favorite for making ricotta, 2% milk can also be used, though the ricotta is slightly less rich and creamy. Avoid using skim and nonfat milks; these don't separate as easily into curds and whey.
• Pasteurized Milk: Pasteurized milk is fine to use for making ricotta, but avoid UHT (Ultra High Temperature) pasteurized milk as this process changes the protein structure of the milk, preventing it from separating.
• Using the Leftover Whey: The leftover whey can be used in place of water in any baking recipe, whizzed into smoothies, or drunk on its own over ice.

A version of this post and recipe were originally published July 21, 2008

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Slow Cooker Meatballs for Supper

Though I can still hardly believe it, I am already in my third trimester of pregnancy. I'm only counting down the weeks and days now and the big day is approaching quickly. With the impending arrival of a fourth baby to my already busy house, I am taking meal planning very seriously these days. Both the freezer and my slow cooker will be my best friends over the next few months. These delicious and easy Slow Cooker Meatballs are at the top of my new mom menu plan.

Even without a new baby in the house, the slow cooker is a kitchen tool that I rely on often. Being able to pull dinner together first thing in the morning before the business of the day takes hold is always such a relief to me. With dinner simmering away in the slow cooker all day long, I am free to work, take care of kids, and run errands without fearing the 5:00 P.M. panic that hits when everyone is hungry and I haven't set foot in the kitchen (or the grocery store) all day long.

These Slow Cooker Meatballs are the kind of easy, make-ahead meal that everyone needs in their recipe reserves. The prep work is minimal but the payoff is huge! The meatballs and sauce are excellent over rice, pasta, or on toasted bread for a hearty meatball sandwich. You can easily adapt them to your diet preferences by substituting lean ground turkey for all or part of the hamburger. Best of all, you can freeze any leftovers or double batches for later.

Having crossed the third trimester threshold, I have to admit I have my panicked moments where I question my ability to handle one more baby or one more meal. Can I really do this? Then I plant my feet firmly in the kitchen and whip up a batch of meatballs. Yes, I can do this, one meatball at a time. 

Looking for more slow cooker inspiration to round out your meal plan? Katie's Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup recipe is just the ticket. Or maybe you'd like Shelly's Cheesy Jalapeño Popper Style Crockpot Pulled Chicken instead.

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Slow Cooker Meatballs Recipe

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup italian style bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 5-6 pinches fennel seed, divided between meatballs and sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 can tomato paste
• 30 ounces tomato puree, 2 15 ounce cans
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, Parmesan, egg, parsley, and fennel.  Shape the mixture into balls, approximately the size of golf balls (using a cookie scoop works well).
2. In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft and golden.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and sugar. Add the water and stir until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomato puree, oregano, red pepper flakes, fennel, basil and stir.  Pour sauce into slow cooker. Place meatballs into the sauce mixture.
5. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Source: Adapted from Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach

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Chilled Asparagus Soup

Really delicious. I used my vitamix, so didn't need to strain - which made it a lot less fiddly and tedious to prepare. A wonderful springtime first course and simple to prepare. I am always on the lookout for make-ahead dinner party fare, and this worked beautifully. The color was gorgeous and the flavor was pure springtime garden. The rest of the meal was a bib salad with peas, scallions, crumbled bacon and home made ranch dressing, baked orzo with parm reg, grilled scallions and roasted grape tomatoes, and roasted sea bass with a basil and parsley salsa verde. Dessert was Nigella Lawson's chocolate cloud cake - a flourless chocolate cake with its crater filled with billowy whipped cream spiked with gran marnier. Delight!!

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Livin' The Life 3/30/2014

 NYC on a rare, non-snowy, non-rainy evening

Breakfast is coming at you soon!

City Hall in Philadelphia

After working in the Philly area for the past 5 years, I finally glimpsed the Liberty Bell.

I work out with these kids sometimes.

Muffins!

I didn't realize this situation was happening in my pantry.

I also didn't realize that spelling my name was so difficult.  

I would cut the barista some slack, but she serves me almost everyday 

and even after I tell her how to spell my name, she writes it incorrectly.

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Of course I had a spot of Bailey's as well.

More snow last week. Whyyyyy?

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At Talde. Ordered the Lobster Tom Kha.  So delicious!

Dinner ended here...Cocoabar!

 I bow down to those Meyer Lemon chocolates.  They're both salty and sweet!

 I will leave you with this!

These are my friends.

(Well, we just met the lady who works at Cocoabar that night, but she seems pretty awesome.)

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