Serves 4
3 black plums, pitted and thinly sliced
Cucumber-about 2 cups thinly sliced (peeled or unpeeled)
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped mint
2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons rosewater-to taste (1/4 tsp rose extract-adjust to taste)
¼ cup fresh rose petals for garnish
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
 

1. Combine the plums, cucumber, parsley, and mint, in a bowl. 
2. In a small jar combine the oil, vinegar, and rosewater and shake to combine.
3. Toss the salad with the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with the rose petals.

Serves 4

​1 pound fiddle head ferns, trimmed and washed
2 Tbs unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
Kosher salt and pepper

1. If the fiddleheads are clean, you can move to step 2 and sauté them with the butter and garlic. If the fiddleheads have brown fronds in the center, blanch in boiling water. Bring 2 quarts water and 1 tsp salt to a boil. Drop the fiddleheads into the pot of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Skim any brown “fuzz” from the water.  Drain the fiddleheads in a colander and rinse with cold water. 


2. Place the butter, garlic, and fiddleheads in a large sauté pan and heat over medium-low heat. Cook for 5 minutes or until the fiddleheads are just fork tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.  


Additions:
Lemon zest
Orange zest
Feta, parmesan, or goat cheese
Garlic scapes- sauté with fiddleheads

Serves 6 as a side dish

4 ounces sugar snap peas
4 ounces snow peas, sliced on the bias
4 ounces frozen petite peas, thawed
2 scallions, about ½ cup chopped-or equal about of chives, chopped
2 cups pea shoots or tendrils-water cress or mixed greens can be substituted
2 Tbs fresh mint, roughly chopped
2 Tbs fresh flat leafed parsley, roughly chopped
5 Tbs cider or red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and Pepper
Ricotta salata or parmesan, shaved
Edible flowers for garnish

1. Heat a saucepan filled halfway with water and 1 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil, prepare an ice bath with ice and cold water, set aside.
2. When the salted water reaches a boil, add the sugar snap peas and the sliced snow peas. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove the peas from the water with a slotted spoon and immediately place them into the ice bath. Once cold, drain and place on a cotton towel to pat dry-as dry as possible.
3. Prepare the dressing by combining the vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil in a lidded jar. Cover and shake until combined.
4. Place the sugar snap, snow, and thawed peas, into a large bowl with the greens. Add the herbs and enough dressing to lightly coat the salad and gently toss.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately garnished with cheese and edible flowers.

Check out my Facebook Live cooking demo of this salad with the 3 variations below: https://www.facebook.com/thecreativefeast/videos/561124908113428/
​

Make this salad a meal: Hard boiled eggs or poached eggs with roasted potatoes and roasted radishes.

Appetizer: Dress the salad and place on top of toasted bread smeared with ricotta cheese

Pasta: Add the undressed salad to Pasta Carbonara https://www.thecreativefeast.com/recipeblog/pasta-alla-carbonara

Mint is the unsung hero of the herb family. It is such a wonderful addition to a meal any time of year. It always reminds me of spring. I use this vinaigrette as a dressing for side dishes and as a sauce for lamb, seafood, and chicken.

​Makes about 1 1/4 cups

¾ cup avocado oil or olive oil
¼ cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup mint leaves, chopped
½ cup flat leafed parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and ground pepper

1. In a blender, combine the oil, vinegar, and sugar with the chopped herbs and pulse until the ingredients are pureed. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

How to use this vinaigrette:

• ​Serve as a sauce for lamb, chicken, and seafood
  
• Drizzle over roasted vegetables
  
• Add to any rice dish
  
• Combine with mayonnaise to create a creamy dressing
  
• Toss with sweet peas, asparagus, or any other spring vegetable. 

Serves 6

​Gremolata is a traditional Italian herb paste that is a simple combination of five ingredients: parsley, garlic, lemon, Parmesan, and extra virgin olive oil. With its bright, citrusy flavor, gremolata transforms ho-hum recipes into amazing dishes! Here I’ve combined gremolata with thinly sliced potatoes and roasted them to create a tasty side dish. It’s simple, delicious, and gorgeous!  
Low-carb trick-prepare and cook the stacked potatoes one day ahead and refrigerate. The refrigeration changes the structure of the starches in the potatoes to make them "resistant starches". Resistant starches have a reduced absorption rate in our bodies and helps to keep our insulin low. Learn more about this amazing phenomenon RESISTANT STARCH
 
½ cup loosely packed chopped flat-leaf parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
2 small minced garlic cloves
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 pinch pepper, freshly ground
8-10 Yukon Gold potatoes
 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12 standard muffin cups generously with nonstick cooking spray.

To make the gremolata, combine the parsley, lemon zest, garlic, Parmesan, oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and set aside. 

Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly (about ⅛ of an inch) using a sharp knife or mandolin. Add the potato slices to the gremolata and toss to coat. I use my hands to be sure to coat the potatoes evenly. Stack the potatoes to fill each muffin cup over the rim by about ½ inch. Press the stacked potatoes down firmly. Bake until the tops and edges of the potatoes are browned and the centers are tender when pierced with a fork, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Cut around each stack with a sharp knife and remove them with a spoon. Serve hot. These can be made one to two days in advance and reheated, covered, in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through.  

Traditionally prepared polenta is amazing, but it takes lots of stirring and time. If you are looking for a quicker, less labor intensive method for making polenta, baking it in the oven is a nice alternative. Please, never, ever, ever, ever buy pre-made polenta in a package. It is an awful substitute for homemade. I won't say anything more about that. 

1 cup polenta
4 cups hot water
1 teaspoon salt
4 Tbs unsalted butter (or more if you like)         
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
kosher salt and ground pepper 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the polenta, hot water, and salt in a 8X8 pan or other 2 quart baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the liquid is almost absorbed and the polenta is creamy when stirred. Remove from the oven. 
2. Stir in the butter and the parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   Serve hot or refrigerate for later use.

Polenta Serving Notes:

• If you’d like a firm polenta for grilling, frying, or as an hors d’oeurves leave the polenta in the serving dish until the polenta is firm and cool, about 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.  When firm, turn polenta out onto a cutting board and cut into squares, triangles, or use a cookie cutter and cut into shapes.  
• To Grill: Brush polenta pieces with olive oil.  Grill as desired.
• To Fry: Heat butter in a sauté pan and fry pieces until light brown on both sides.  Serve hot.

My husband has the steak thing down! His plate was so beautiful I had to take the picture. This is a perfect dinner featuring t-bone steak cooked in the Airfryer, my salmon Gravlax (see recipe posted), and my Southwest coleslaw. This coleslaw recipe is one of my "go to " recipes for any occasion. The dressing is great on sandwiches, veggie salads, and as a sauce for chicken or fish. Make extra of the Southwest seasoning and keep it on hand for meats, poultry, fish, and veggies. Enjoy!

Serves 8-10
4 cups red cabbage, shaved thin
1 small red pepper, sliced thinly
½ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup onion, minced or thinly sliced (or sliced scallions)
1 cup mayonnaise (choose Sir Kensington's avocado mayonaise or make your own using avocado oil or olive oil)
3 Tbs cider vinegar
1 Tbs honey
2 tsp Southwest seasoning-see below
Fresh ground pepper
 
1. Combine the cabbage, peppers, and cilantro in a large bowl.
2.  In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
3.  Toss the cabbage mixture with ¾ to 1 cup of the dressing (save the rest for another salad).  Season with fresh ground pepper and kosher salt as needed.
 
Southwest Seasoning   
Makes ½ cup
¼ cup smoked paprika- I get mine at Homegoods!
2  tsp chipotle power or ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbs granulated garlic
1 Tbs ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Kosher salt
 
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
 
Baja Chicken Tacos: Buy small corn or flour tortillas and a roasted chicken and shred the meat. Line the tortillas with Southwest coleslaw and top with shredded chicken. Substitute the chicken with broiled white fish to make fish tacos.

I love to discover a delicous low-carb substitute for a favorite starchy or high-carb recipe. This mashed cauliflower is a delicious replacement for mashed potatoes. 

Mashed Cauliflower
Serves 6-8

1 medium head cauliflower, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
3 ounces cream cheese-full fat
2 tbsp unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup flat leafed parsley, chopped
 

1. Steam the cauliflower and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes.
   
2. Drain the cauliflower and place it in a large mixing bowl.
   
3. Add the cream cheese and butter and mash with a potato masher or purée with an immersion blender.
   
4. Stir in the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Here is a favorite low-carb side dish you should be enjoying. It is the perfect low-carb substitute for the high carb mac & cheese. As a bonus, the cheese sauce can be enjoyed with many other vegetables. 

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce
 
Serves 6
1 large head of cauliflower
8 oz heavy cream
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
2 oz cream cheese
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
 

1. Cut cauliflower into 1″ pieces. Steam for 4-5 minutes until just tender. Remove from heat and drain well. Set aside.
   
   
2. While your cauliflower is cooking, combine the heavy cream, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth.
   
   
3. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked cauliflower and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve as is or pour into baking dish and brown under the broiler.

 
 
Crispy pork rind topping: Instead of breadcrumbs, put 1 cup of pork rinds in a food processor and process until fine. Sprinkle on top of cauliflower and cheese and brown under broiler.
 
Make it a Meal!
Additions: Stir in cooked chicken, cooked shrimp, cooked ground beef, or lobster.

Tart Filling
 fills a 10-inch tart, pie or oven proof pan. Serves 8
 
1 pound Swiss chard
1 small onion, diced
6 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
¾ cup grated parmesan
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
** for crustless tart-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to cover the bottom and sides of your pie plate or tart pan.
 
***If a crust is desired: 1 recipe Pate Brisse (see recipe below) and follow further directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Remove the center stem of the chard and chop into thin slices. Roughly chop the leaves. 
3. In a sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs of olive oil with the onion and chard stems. Sauté over medium heat until stems are tender, about 5 minutes and then cool. 
4. Combine the eggs, heavy cream, raisins, toasted pine nuts, parmesan, salt and pepper in a medium-size bowl. Add the chard mixture, and combine well. 
5. Generously butter a 10” pie pan or ovenproof skillet, covering both the bottom and sides well. 
6. Spoon in the tart filling and smooth. Cover with tinfoil. Place into the preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the filling is set. Remove and serve warm or at room temperature. 

***If a crust is desired: 1 recipe Pate Brisse
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
 
Pate Brisee- Jaques Pepin
Makes Enough for 2 Galettes or 2 tarts without top crust or 1 pie with top and bottom crust
 
3 cups all-purpose flour (dip the measuring cup into the flour, fill it, and level it with your hand)
1 cup (2 sticks) sweet butter, cold, and cut with a knife into thin slices or shavings (l use unsalted butter)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Approximately 3/4 cup very cold water
1 egg lightly beaten (to brush on crust before baking)
 
“In a well-made pâte brisée the pieces of butter are visible throughout the dough. If the pieces of butter get completely blended with the flour so that they melt during cooking, the pastry will be tough. The flour and butter must be worked and the water added as fast as possible to obtain a flaky pastry. If you work the dough too much after adding the water, it will be elastic and chewy. If you use too much butter and not enough water, it will resemble sweet pastry dough and will be hard to roll thin and pick up from the table; it will be very brittle before and after cooking, sandy, and with no flakiness.

This is deceptively simple dough. You may get excellent results one time and an ordinary pastry the next. Try it a few times to get a feel for it. Wrapped properly, it can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days, or it can be frozen.” Jaques Pepin

Serves 2-4 
 
2 tablespoons butter, ghee, coconut, or avocado oil
12 ounces riced cauliflower fresh or frozen
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup carrot finely diced (optional)
1 ounce green onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped or sliced thinly
1-2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari (more or less to taste) I love Bragg’s Aminos
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ cup cilantro, chopped
 

1. In a large heavy skillet, heat oil of choice over medium-high heat.
2. Add carrots, garlic, and riced cauliflower. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften--about 5 minutes. 
3. Make a large well in the center of the cauliflower and pour in the egg and stir it to scrambled. Combine gently when the eggs are cooked. 
4. Stir in the soy sauce, scallions, sesame oil, and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Optional Additions:
Eggs, hard boiled
​Fried Tofu-see Liz's recipe
Shrimp
Shredded-cooked chicken
Thinly sliced, cooked sirloin or pork

I don't know about you, but I had to learn how to like kale. The texture is tough, the flavor is bitter, and until it was promoted as "the BEST, HEALTHIEST, vegetable EVER!" I rarely encountered it beyond a garnish on a plate and in the seafood case at my local grocery store. Like many of you, I climbed on board the kale band wagon and started working it into my recipe rotation. 
A few years ago I discovered Trader Joe's Spinach & Kale Bites. They sounded delicious so I took the idea and created my own version of their recipe. They are so versitile. I use a small cookie scoop to create meatball sized bites and a larger scoop to make larger "patties" that I recently used as "buns" for an edible flower sandwich I recently featured at a cooking demonstration. They are easy to make and can be cooked and frozen with great results. Give these a try!

​Makes 24 1 ounce portions

1 small onion, diced, about ½ cup
2 Tbs olive oil
4 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
2 cups (packed) with fresh kale, spine removed
2 eggs
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
dash of cayenne pepper
½ cup fresh flat leafed parsley leaves
½ cup fresh basil leaves
½ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
4 tsp unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and brush a baking pan lightly with olive oil. 
   
   
2. In a medium sauté pan place the olive oil and diced onion and cook over low heat until soft and translucent, about 5-8 minutes. 

 

1. Using a food processor, combine the eggs and cream cheese and blend until smooth.  Add the spinach, kale and herbs and process until smooth.  Add the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasoning to the kale mixture and mix again. 

 

1. Using a 1 ounce cookie scoop, portion the mixture onto a baking pan.  Flatten each slightly and brush with melted butter.  Bake until firm, about 10 minutes.   Serve hot or at room temperature.  Refrigerate or freeze for later use.

 
Ways to serve:  Serve as a side dish, hors d’oeurves, or with sauce as a vegetarian alternative to meatballs.  Use a larger scoop to make larger patties to use in place of bread for a sandwich.

I recently presented my program "Feasting from Our Local Farms" at the Amherst MA library. What a lovely town and a very friendly group of library patrons! I prepared my recipe "Ginger Marinated Kale". Recipe is a favorite of mine, there is something about the Ginger Marinated Kale recipe that has me craving it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Try the recipe and let me know if you too become addicted to it.
​

Don't be afraid that this recipe makes too much.  You will love this recipe so much that you will be eating it morning, noon, and night!  The beauty of marinating your kale is that it will taste better as time passes.  Keep your kale salad refrigerated for up to 5 days!  Each day add something different to your salad...sliced peaches, diced tofu, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, cold shrimp, cold chicken...anything you like!

Makes 12 servings
​
8 Cups of de-veined and chopped Kale 
¼ cup red onion, diced
1 glove of garlic
½-inch piece of ginger root
1/3 cup olive oil 
1 -2 tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/2 cup of water
¼ cup lemon juice
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
Pinch or two of cayenne 

1.  Place the chopped kale and red onion in a large bowl.
2.  Using a blender, combine the remaining ingredients to create a marinade.  Toss the kale with the marinade.  You can eat your dressed kale immediately, but this is best when refrigerated for 4-5 hours before eating.  
This salad can be stored in the refrigerator and eaten for up to 5 days.
 

Makes 6-8 servings

1 pound soba noodles, cooked and drained (follow the package directions)
4 scallions, chopped
1 large red pepper, cored, seeded and sliced thinly or 1 bag frozen sliced peppers, thawed
2-3 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
3 Tbs toasted sesame oil
 
 

1. Place the cooked noodles, veggies, and cilantro in a large bowl.
2. Whisk the soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil together in a small bowl.
3. Pour the sauce over the soba noodles and veggies and toss to coat.  This can be served warm or cold.

Substitutes and additions:

• Use whole grain thin spaghetti or brown rice instead of soba noodles.
• Add shredded chicken, cooked shrimp, or tofu for more protein.  

Tip #1...Dry your stuffing bread ahead:
Drying the bread before making the stuffing is crucial for texture and flavor. If you plan ahead, you can simply leave the bread cubes out on the counter for a few days to become stale. Otherwise, spread them out on baking sheets and dry in a 300-degree oven for 30 to 60 minutes. Let the bread cool before using in the stuffing. 
Tip #2...Cook your stuffing outside of your turkey:
Cut down on turkey cooking time by cooking your stuffing outside of your turkey.  
Tip #3...Prepare your stuffing ahead and reheat:
I love to prepare side dishes and desserts ahead of time if at all possible.  Stuffing is the perfect cook ahead item.  The stuffing can be assembled in the baking dish, then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. To bake, let the stuffing stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and proceed to bake as directed in step 3 of the recipe below.

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), plus extra for baking dish
4 medium ribs celery , chopped fine
2 medium onions , minced
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves or 2 teaspoons dried
3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves or 2 teapoons dried
1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
3 pounds high-quality sandwich bread (white), cut into 1/2-inch cubes and dried (see note)
5 cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
4 large eggs , beaten lightly
2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
 
 Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley, sage, thyme, and marjoram and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a very large mixing bowl.
2. Add the dried, cooled bread, stock or broth, eggs, salt, and pepper to the vegetables and toss gently to distribute dry and wet ingredients evenly. Turn mixture into buttered 15-x 10-inch baking dish.
3. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until golden, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: If you want a stuffing that is moister, drizzle the dressing with some of the turkey pan drippings or more chicken stock.  

This recipe will turn a pea hater into a pea lover.  Honest!   Frozen petite peas that have been thawed combined with the sweet and savory mint vinaigrette is a winning combination.  It is the perfect sidedish to bring to a dinner party.  Add steamed sugar snap peas, asparagus, or cauliflower for variety.  Dress the peas with half of the vinaigrette about one hour before serving,  Save the rest for another day.  Season with salt and pepper and serve cold or at room temperature.  You'll love it.  Honest!
​

Serves 6-8
1 pound frozen petite peas, thawed
1/2 pound of sugar snap peas, steamed for 2 minutes, then cooled
2 tablespoons red onion, chive or scallion, chopped
¾ cup avocado oil or olive oil
¼ cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup mint, chopped
½ cup flat leafed parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and ground pepper
Edible flower petals for garnish: pansy, bachelor buttons, dianthus, etc.
 
Optional: Add ½ pound sugar snap peas that have been steamed for 30 seconds then cooled in cold water.

1. Place the thawed peas, sugar snap peas, and red onion in a medium bowl. 
2. In a blender, combine the oil, vinegar, and sugar with the chopped herbs and pulse until the ingredients are pureed. 
3. Dress the salad with enough dressing to lightly coat the peas.   Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Save remaining dressing for another salad.

 
* Keep remaining dressing for another salad or to serve with vegetables, salad, fish, lamb, or chicken.  

Let me begin this post with a big THANK YOU to my friend Kaaren who gave me this recipe years ago.  It has become a favorite dish on my Thanksgiving table and a favorite recipe at my cooking demonstrations.  I make batches and batches of this tart-sweet sauce to freeze and have long after fresh cranberries are no longer available at the grocery store.  I'll even buy bags of cranberries and freeze them to assure I have this sauce all year long.  I use frozen raspberries which are sweet and economical.  
On the sweet side, I serve this sauce for dessert draped over pound cake and ice cream.  I also use it the breakfast table served on oatmeal, yogurt, and cottage cheese.  To add a savory side to the sauce I've prepared it with 1 Tbs of chopped fresh rosemary to compliment chicken, pork, and roasted vegetables.  I'm sure once you try it you'll love it too.

​Makes 3 cups
 
1 12 oz package of fresh cranberries
1/2 cup of sugar
1 cup water
1 12 oz package of frozen raspberries
 

1. Combine water, sugar, and cranberries in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat.  Cool the cranberries to room temperature.
   
   
2. After the cranberries have cooled gently stir in the raspberries.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 
*Make this a savory sauce by adding 1Tbs of fresh chopped rosemary and ½ tsp of salt while cooking the cranberries and sugar.