Beet + Wild Rice Grain Bowls

It has taken me seven days to put fingers to keyboard on this one, and before that, three weeks to slow down for long enough to take photos. Despite being forced to slow down in 2020, life—the world- still feels very chaotic. This makes it hard to write about something as simple as a grain bowl. Where do you begin when there are so many important things happening in the world?

Yet here, on planet Earth—the ground we all stand on- we must still eat. Food is a symbol of its own: a cultural symbol, a mark of a movement, a taste of history, a connection to the ground. When I think of this recipe, my mind goes to the earth. It boasts deep flavors that remind you of where your food came from (nutty wild rice, sweet and earthy beets, buttery feta cheese), and in that way, this meal is grounding.

I grow a small patch of beets in my garden every year. They are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, resilient and hardy. This dish puts beets, such a humble root, on show. Eat it warm on a rainy evening, or cold for a mid-day work lunch.

Beet + Wild Rice Grain Bowls

Published July 30, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

4 beets

2 cups cooked wild rice (for serving cold, allow rice to cool first — for serving warm, rice can be freshly cooked or reheated)

1 cup cucumber, sliced

1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved or roughly chopped

1/4 cup parsley, minced

For vinaigrette:

Juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Generous pinch of salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook beets: Pierce each beet with a knife (this allows steam to escape during cooking). Place beets in a large microwave-safe pyrex with a lid, and add 1 cup of water. Microwave until softened through, about 10-12 minutes. When done, beets will be softened and a fork or knife should easily go through. Allow to beets to cool 5-10 minutes.
2. While beets cool, make the vinaigrette: combine ingredients for vinaigrette in a jar. Secure lid, and shake until well mixed.
3. Dice beets into bite-sized pieces, then assemble bowls: scoop 1/2 cup of rice into each bowl. Divide beets, cucumbers, cheese, walnuts, and olives amongst bowls. Garnish with parsley, and drizzle vinaigrette to taste. Serve hot or cold.

Soy Ginger Salmon with Rice & Broccoli

Warm days are coming. And boy, do we need it. Because while many of us are still practicing stay-at-home or safer-at-home, the outdoors are a welcome breath of literal fresh air. Why not take advantage of the sunny days to come and also cook outside? And if you can—if you also have a picnic table, or even just an accommodating step, eat outside, too.

This salmon: smothered in a salty-umami-sweet-sticky sauce, is served over rice with a side of grilled broccoli. It couldn’t be more simple. But a good fillet of salmon doesn’t need much to shine, and this sauce—well, you’ll want to make some extra. Drizzle it over the broccoli for an extra pop of flavor there, too.

Soy Ginger Salmon with Rice & Broccoli

Published May 12, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon corn starch

1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 clove garlic, finely grated (on a microplane)

4 quarter-sized sliced of fresh ginger

4 four-ounce pieces of salmon

1 head of broccoli, roughly chopped into large pieces

2 tablespoons cooking oil, such as avocado or olive

Generous pinch of salt

2-3 cups rice, cooked

3 green onions, sliced

2 toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan, whisk together soy sauce, maple syrup, corn starch, Sriracha, and finely grated garlic. Place on stove over medium heat. Add ginger coins, and bring to a simmer. As the sauce bubbles, it will thicken. Cook sauce, stirring frequently, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon well. Remove from heat, and use a fork or spoon to remove and discard the ginger coins.
2. Heat grill to about 450°F.
3. While grill heats, toss the broccoli with the cooking oil to coat, and season with a generous pinch of salt.
4. Use a brush to coat the top of the salmon with about half of the soy sauce mixture. Using tongs, place salmon on pre-heated grill, skin-side down, along with broccoli
5. Turn flame down to medium, and close lid, cooking the salmon for 6-8 minutes.
6. Using tongs, turn broccoli to the second side. Then, brush the salmon with remaining soy sauce mixture, and close grill lid again, cooking for another 4-5 minutes, or until internal temperature of salmon reaches 130°F, easily flakes, and is opaque in the center. Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for 1-2 minutes.
7. While the salmon and broccoli cook, prepare rice according to your preferences.
8. Divide rice among serving plates. Top with salmon and broccoli. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve.

Grilled Carrots with Feta Yogurt Sauce

Last year, its was the front yard; this year, it’s the back.

Our backyard. AKA Bind Weed Jungle. The Sloping Hill. The place I wish we spent time but we don’t really—unless we’re using the grill. This year, we’re setting out to change that, by dealing with that slope and the weeds covering it (seriously, they were hip-high last year). We’re adding a large retaining wall, planting native flowers, and maybe—if somehow we gain three extra weeks to our summer—adding space to actually “hang out.” Until that’s done though, the yard is still what it has been since we moved in: the grill spot.

But who said grilling has to be burgers, hotdogs, and chicken? I’ve been all about charred veggies lately, (carrots, but also cauliflower, and doesn’t this salad from Heart Beet Kitchen look killer?). Combining those hot grilled veggies with other textures and flavors to complete the picture is where it’s at (sauce, fresh herbs, crunchy nuts, etc). Try something new! Grill carrots. I dare you!

Grilled Carrots with Feta Yogurt Sauce

Published July 10, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 2   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

8-10 carrots, peeled

2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

2 cloves garlic

4 sprigs thyme

Freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced

2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

2 tablespoons raisins

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Sprinkle of ground sumac

Optional: sprinkle of red chili flakes or Aleppo pepper flakes 

Directions:

1. Light grill and set to medium flame. Close lid to allow grill to heat.
2. Meanwhile, prep carrots: if carrots are thick, cut in half the long way. They should be 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Peel, and place carrots in bowl, and drizzle with oil and honey.
3. Mince garlic, and remove thyme leaves from stems. Add garlic, thyme leaves, and a sprinkle of black pepper to carrots and toss to combine. Place carrots in a grill basket or directly on the grill (just be careful to keep them from falling through the cracks!), and close grill lid. Grill for a total of 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes. Carrots are done when they are softened through and are charred in spots. (Note: if carrots are charring too quickly, your grill may be too hot; turn down the flame).
4. Meanwhile, make the sauce: combine feta, yogurt, lemon juice, chives, and oregano in a small bowl and stir.
5. Assemble: Spread feta sauce in a generous layer on a plate. Arrange carrots over top. Sprinkle with almonds, raisins, parsley, sumac, and chili flakes. Serve warm.