Dani Spies

Don't ask me why, but it seems everytime I went to the grocery store this week I bought broccoli. 

Broccoli, broccoli, broccoli. 

So when I peeked in the veggie drawer last night to decide what was gonna be for dinner, guess what came pouring out?  Yep.  Broccoli!  Broccoli and a head of Napa Cabbage.

Spring time is naturally a very cleansing time of year.  After a long, cold winter of heartier, heavier foods, Spring rolls in with its fresh, light flavors that are designed by nature to help clean us out and lighten us up a bit!

Leafy greens are the number one ingredient missing in the American diet which is why I've decided to focus on Spring Leafy Greens this month!
 

My initial plan was to make this salad using farro, but I couldn't get my hands on any so I turned to the cupboard for a convenient alternative.

I wanted to use a heartier grain or rice and thought Israeli couscous would do the job.  Couscous is really just another form of pasta (it's like really little pasta balls).  The only difference between Israeli couscous and regular couscous is the size. Israeli couscous is bigger and the size makes for a great texture (just be sure to cook your couscous like you would your pasta... al dente!).

So here we go...another asparagus recipe!  And you probably won't be suprised to hear me say that this is another super easy dish!

As far as the asparagus goes, all I did was steam it up.  Which reminds me...

Here's another quick recipe starring, "Cabbage".  The cabbage with it's cool, crunchy self was perfecty paired with the tender, spicy watercress. I served this with some Curry Coated Tilapia (which I'll be posting soon) and I've gotta say, it was d'lishes!

When I was growing up we always had red cabbage in the fridge.  We didn't get too experimental with it, it was pretty much used as a staple in our "green salad".  That green salad made it to the table almost every night of the week and it was one of the only things that my sister and I were allowed to make (since there was no cooking involved).

Can you believe February is just about over?!  Wow. Wow. Wow.  What can I say, time really does fly by when you're having fun!

So this will probably be my last Quinoa recipe of the month and I am hoping that you guys have at least given it a try by now.  I mean jeez, I've been eating this stuff all month and I haven't gotten sick of it yet... that's how good it is!  Not to mention, I haven't even made a dent in the quinoa recipes I would like to try!

Hey, did you guys notice the new box over in the top right hand corner of the page?? 

The one that is titiled "Food Focus"??  Let me tell you all about it... cause I'm really excited!

Basically, here's the deal:

Coleslaw is one of my favorite sides to eat with any kind of sandwich.  I especially love to pile it high on top of a sandwich... yum!! 

Try serving this Peanut Slaw with my Tuna Burgers, they're a match made in heaven!

Can you really go wrong with garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, and potatoes... I mean c'mon, I really don't think so.

I call this dish "Rustic Pesto Potato Salad" because it has all of the ingredients that you would use to make pesto but instead of mixing everything into a sauce, I just give them a rough chop and toss it all together so it has a rustic feel.

With all the eating I did over the long Thanksgiving weekend I'm ready to lighten things up a bit.

This salad is the perfect meal... fresh, crunchy and YUMMY!

Nothing hits the spot like a cool, crunchy Butter Lettuce Salad on a hot Summer day!

This particular salad is really refreshing... try serving it along side some grilled meat or fish at your next BBQ, or better yet, enjoy it solo for a light and satisfying lunch!