Tuna Power Salad

Long lunch tables were puzzle-pieced together in the the Mesa Elementary cafeteria just so. They were the kind with benches attached to them, and each measured at least 14 feet long. Three of them together must’ve held something like 70 children, with ease. 

A long line would form where food was served, single-file, except for when a kid dodged to the side, trying to get a sneak peak at what was getting served that day. It was a line I barely knew—lunch was packed, just about every day, by my mom or my dad. 

The menu of the day almost always included leftovers, for me. Leftover pasta salad, leftover chicken, leftover sushi. Some people dislike eating leftovers but I never did, aside from the slight embarrassment I felt when kids asked what I was eating. Looking back they were probably just genuinely curious, but when you’re 7, explaining yourself can feel like the most painful thing in the world. Um… it’s called pomegranate. The other kids: It looks like a brain. 

Despite my fancy sack lunches, my palate could never get over the taste of canned tuna. Gross! I’d opt for salmon salad over tuna and steer far away from anyone that tried to turn it into a sandwich. Crackers were my vehicle of choice. I supposed I set myself up for being asked why my tuna salad was pink.  

I eventually learned to like tuna salad, the way everyone else learned what a pomegranate was. 

Tuna Power Salad

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free,    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

A little sweet and a little savory! Cranberries, apples and walnuts make this tuna salad a star.

Serves: 2   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the tuna:

• 2 cans of tuna
• 2 tablespoons paleo mayo or, for primal version, yogurt
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• Salt & Pepper to taste

For the salad:

• 4 leafs red lettuce
• 1 cup cabbage, sliced thin
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup diced cucumber
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 apple, diced
• Optional: squeeze of lemon juice and drizzle of olive oil
• 1 apple, diced

Directions:

1. Drain water from cans of tuna and place fish in a bowl. Mash with mayo/yogurt, mustard, onion, and poppy seeds. Add salt & pepper to taste.
2. Arrange lettuce on 2 plates. Pile a scoop of tuna salad over lettuce on each plate. Arrange remaining salad ingredients around tuna salad.
3. I like to mix everything together when I eat this, which means I don’t really need a salad dressing, but if you want one, or you prefer to not mix everything together on your plate, drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Strawberry, Feta, Argula & Walnut Salad

In my childhood home, the east side of the yard was a dedicated strawberry patch. Or at least it started that way—before the suckers started popping up everywhere in the yard. Occasionally, you'd find a strawberry growing amongst the peonies, or thriving in a crack between two pavers. That’s what strawberries do—find a home, take root, take over. It’s why I haven’t yet planted strawberries in our current home, but suddenly, with spring in the air, I’m regretting that.

This salad is perfect for early spring days. In Colorado, you can always still count on a few more winter storms throughout spring, but for a few days, fresh salads, smoothies, and even grilled sausages have a moment to shine before a soggy pile of snow drops in.

Strawberry, Feta, Argula & Walnut Salad

Published April 28, 2016 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 2   |    Active Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the Salad:

4-5 cups baby arugula

1/4 cup feta crumbles

5-10 strawberries, tops removed and quartered

1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces

Freshly ground black pepper

For the Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (I like this brand -affiliate link!)

1 teaspoon dijon

1 tablespoon minced shallot

Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. In a ball jar (affiliate link!), combine all ingredients for vinaigrette. Close jar and shake to emulsify. Set aside.
2. Place arugula in a salad bowl. Top with feta, sliced strawberries, and toasted walnuts.
3. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad, and top with freshly cracked pepper to taste. Toss and serve immediately.

Healthy Golden Vegetable Curry

There's an album in my iTunes called Under the Shiva Moon. I don't expect anyone to know the album, by name or otherwise -- it's over ten years old at this point and besides, it was first published by a little local group that called themselves "Yogi Renegades". Their official band name was Shiva's Garden. 

The first time I heard those yogi renegades I was probably ten (how old I actually was is now lost in time). It was a Monday evening. I know that, because we went to the same place every Monday throughout my tween years: a mountain yoga center. Monday night was community night, and we were regulars, at least at that point. There would be music, and candles, and a family-style meal. After Shiva's Garden played live one night, my dad bought their album and for at least a week we listened to it in the car on repeat. I fell for their music then: the meditative rhythms, the slightly exotic sounds of the instruments, the folky feel. It didn't take long before I could sing along with every word. 

It was on one of those nights at the ashram that I was gifted a small statue of Ganesha. The ritual, the gift, the giving of the gift... it was all a little over my head. I still don't think I totally know why this gift ended up with me, but I remember the generosity of the girl who gave it to me, and I remember thinking I would never let it go. On the drive home my dad explained that Ganesha was the Remover of Obstacles. I made a spot for him on my bookshelf and on the roughest of days, the days with the most obstacles, I would stare at his golden face and try to come to peace with everything. That was hard, because I was a teenager, and there were hardly ever answers to my questions. 

Golden and still, he now stands amongst my plants. Surrounding him are a few tributes: a bundle of unopened incense, an Indian friendship bracelet, a blue topaz stone, and a small copper capsule of water from the Ganges River.

On the roughest of days and the calmest of days alike, I still play Under the Shiva Moon. I still sing along. When I'm home alone I turn the volume up so I can barely hear my soft voice over the chords. Some days I even wonder if my old, golden friend on the shelf remembers the lyrics too. I find sanctuary in making a curry while it plays--warm and spicy like they used to make on community night- and humming as it simmers on the stove. 

Golden Vegetable Curry

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free,    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

Cream balances out the curry powder in this recipe, making it both cool and hot all at once. In this particular recipe I use dairy instead of coconut cream, as it has a milder flavor, however coconut cream (the canned type) can be used in place of heavy cream to make this recipe vegan or dairy-free.

Serves: 2-3   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1-inch piece of ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 summer squash, diced
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 1 cup green beens, chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream (optional: use canned coconut cream for vegan or DF)
• Optional: If you’re looking to make this meal a little more hearty, add 1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced

Directions:

1. Place a medium soup on the stove over medium heat. Add the coconut oil to the pot and heat until it glistens. Then, add the diced onion and cook until translucent.
2. Next, add the garlic and ginger. Stir, and cook for several minutes, until fragrant.
3. Add the remaining vegetables and stir. Pour broth, curry powder, turmeric, red chili flakes, salt and pepper to the pot. (Add the cooked chicken at this point if you plan on using it). Stir again, and then place lid on pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, until sweet potatoes and tender and the other vegetables are cooked through.
4. Reduce heat and remove lid from pot. Slowly pour cream into soup, stirring as you do. Once cream is added, taste the soup. Adjust seasonings to your liking. Serve hot.