Let’s be honest here – January is not a salad month. It is a soup, stew, broth, curry, chili month. It is about food that warms and nourishes rather than cleanses and cools. And yet a lot of us choose January as the Detox month. While a seasonal detox is a healthy way to recharge when the weather changes (although, that seems to be a bit more vague these days), one at the beginning of the year always feels more important because of the two weeks of decadence we seem to all share at the end of December.

I’m running a 28-day gentle detox program. It’s online, it’s open to anyone, and it is already has 14 members signed up! The start date is a week from Saturday, the 14th of January. If you’d like to join, please email me. I’ll be going through it too (though, admittedly, the meal plans I’ve created aren’t too far removed from my normal diet). In addition to food, the program also covers exercise and lifestyle tips, as well as shopping lists and recipes. I’m trying to make it as easy on you as possible! What I do promise is that there will be no fasting, no juicing, and no ridiculous costs. If it isn’t the right time for you, I’m going to be running these regularly throughout the year, so check back in a few months time!

But I digress.

The salad issue. The one I’ve chosen to highlight in this post, while definitely a salad, is still completely relevant to the time of year. It features roasted beets and oranges (blood oranges if you can find them – they should be appearing soon). It’s light, cleansing, and rejuvenates the blood and liver. You don’t need any fancy equipment to make it look beautiful (though I would suggest buying a mandoline, which is so much easier than attempting to slice your vegetables paper thin using a knife).

This recipe is 100% approved on my Renewal Detox meal plan (just so long as it is combined with some form of protein – it would go nicely alongside some steamed fish or a quinoa dish). I might make this over the weekend for a birthday treat! I’ve already been promised vegan gluten-free pancakes in bed tomorrow morning

Orange, Beet & Fennel Salad

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Serves 4

The particulars:

• 2 red beets, tops trimmed
• 2 oranges (navel or blood oranges)
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced (mandoline)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• handful fresh cilantro leaves

1. Heat oven to 400F. Wash beets, leaving a little water on the skin. Wrap each one in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast beets until tender – about 1 hour. Leave to cool.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the oranges by removing the skin and pith with a sharp knife. Either slice the oranges crosswise or remove the segments. Place in a bowl with the lime juice.
3. Peel the cooled beets and slice thinly. Strain the juices from the oranges into a small dish and whisk with the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Divide the beets among the plates, then top with the fennel and oranges. Pour over the citrus juice dressing and garnish with the cilantro.

Last summer, I visited Newport, Rhode Island for a week, where Phil and I had a party to celebrate our recent marriage. It’s a beautiful town on an island on the North East coast of America filled with history and culture. Probably best known for its mansions and keen sailors, what I love best about visiting Newport in the summertime is the beach. There are two main beaches, with several smaller private beaches dotted around the island. Easton’s Beach (aka First Beach) generally gets more crowded and touristy in the summertime, simply because it’s the closest one to the center of town. There’s a carousel and a small aquarium. Sachuest Beach (aka Second Beach) gets crowded too, but is my favorite because of the softness of the sand on this 1 1/4-mile-long beach and the gentle waves that sometimes have body surfing potential. But if it’s one thing I can’t stand at the beach (anywhere, not just in Newport), it’s SEAWEED, and the waves at both spots are full of the stuff. They have this “red tide” very occasionally, that produces quite the pungent salty smell for miles around. It’s this light, feathery red weed – the kind that you’ll find in the most intimate of places days after a swim.

Fast forward to now and I don’t know what I’d do without sea vegetables in my life. There are certain minerals we know are good for us and that we might be lacking in. For example, calcium, iron, and magnesium. Where I might have immediately associated calcium with milk, iron with red meat, and magnesium with… milk again, now I rely on one single source for all of them: SEAWEED.

If you crave salt, seaweed is going to be your best (healthy) friend. If you’re feeling low on energy, seaweed will boost you back up. If you’re vegan, seaweed can provide the essential B vitamins you may be lacking. So now can you see why it’s a booster food in the Eating For Health™ model?

Today, I made my lunch delicious by having a side of Irish Dulse, which I bought from Seaveg.co.uk (where they handpick their wild seaweeds on the west coast of Ireland). I simply washed and dried the dulse, tossed it with some sesame oil, and topped it with a few pumpkin seeds, some of my homemade sauerkraut, and a squeeze of lemon. This curbed my salt cravings and gave me a boost like no other!

As you can see, dulse is this beautiful red wine color, but unlike the feathery stuff I saw (and smelled) in Newport, this has an almost meaty texture to it, much more substantial than any leafy veg I’ve had on land. I had my seaweed salad alongside some sauteed onions, garlic, mushrooms, and rainbow chard, and a tasty wedge of goat gouda. Yum!

If you’re curious about trying sea vegetables, here’s a handy visual guide to help you figure out what’s what. After that, I urge you to find the most local wild seaweed you can. Of course, there are plenty of packaged goods on the market from Japan, but because of the long journey they have taken to reach your plate, I’m not so sure they’re still as nutrient-dense as they were when they came out of the ocean. Here in the UK, we have SeaVeg.co.uk and Just Seaweed (or learn how to forage your own!). In the US, there’s Mendocino Sea Vegetable Company, Ironbound Island Seaweed, and Maine Coast Sea Vegetables.

And what if you hate sushi? How do you eat this stuff? Here are some serving suggestions:

• Seaweed salad – rinse and dry some seaweed (any variety and combination), chop into fine pieces or strands, and top with chopped cucumber, sesame oil, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, rice vinegar, Bragg’s liquid aminos, and some fresh cilantro
• Miso soup with dulse
• Stir-fry – mix some chopped seaweed into a veggie stir-fry just before serving
• Nori chips – munch on some dried nori crisps to combat salty snack cravings
• Kelp flakes – sprinkle on top of raw or cooked food instead of salt
• Sauteed greens – mix in some seaweed next time you make some sauteed greens

Not ready to eat it? Try having a seaweed bath – your skin will never feel so smooth! Just make sure you rinse off afterwards with a nice smelling soap

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seasonal eating. a popular phrase these days. so how are the foods you eat different in the summer than the winter? for me, i know that i will choose fruit that we don’t get in the winter: berries, peaches, nectarines, and cherries. i’ll go for lots of fresh light greens, like spinach, rocket (arugula), and leafy HERBS… parsley, mint, coriander, chives. and here in england, summer peas, the kind you pop out of a pod yourself… it doesn’t get much better than that.

warm weather means cold food for most people. what better time to try out some new salad recipes or try your hand at a raw creation? we had some friends over for dinner last weekend and made them a meal which was great for summer. it featured a herby spelt salad, monkfish and red mullet kebabs, and for dessert, raw chocolate cookie dough bites (dreamed up by phil).

it’s june. the food needs to be light instead of heavy, nourishing in a fresh and pleasant way, rather than warming and comforting. yet you still want to feel as though you’ve eaten a meal. that’s the beauty of a grain salad. it satisfies without weighing you down. the grain we used here is spelt, but you could always substitute quinoa, couscous, brown rice, millet, or any other grain you prefer.

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and for dessert, this new creation:

raw chocolate cookie dough! little nuggets of joy coated in coconut. they take about 5 minutes to make, so if you’re craving something sweet and you have the right stuff in the house, these are perfect.

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hope you enjoy the recipes and a whole summer’s worth of good eating!

phil and i are off on an adventure next week – we are going to the states for a whole month, starting on the east coast (rhode island) and driving across to the west coast (san diego). we’re staying with some awesome people along the way and i’ve done lots of research on shops & restaurants with particular-friendly food. it should be an amazing trip.

while i’m gone, i will have very limited access to the internet (as you can probably imagine). i won’t be bringing my laptop with me. life is for experiencing, after all. so i’ve enlisted the help of some blog friends here in the uk to fill in for me while i’m away. i hope you’ll enjoy the guest posts i have lined up! they are some of my favorite bloggers and i’m delighted to call them friends now too

there’s something about these longer days that makes the idea of cooking a big dinner seem like torture. i just can’t be bothered! so we steal an hour away when we can, and (if you’re anything like me) you spend all of it in the kitchen. that’s precisely what i did on an unusually warm evening last week – created a simple salad, warm at first, but gradually cooled as the afternoon went on. by the time we were ready for dinner, the salad was much cooler than when it was first made – ideal for the weather.

the ingredients were chosen pretty randomly. all i knew was that i wanted to a hearty salad with some cubes of butternut squash and ample protein. the rest was just added at will. and it turned out to be great!

the protein comes in the form of green lentils and goats cheese. healthy fats from the olive oil and sunflower seeds. and the rest are good old fashioned vegetables. i had to look at these photos to remember just what went into the salad, but feel free to throw in what you’d like (or what you have in your kitchen)! this would be an excellent addition to a picnic or barbecue.

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i don’t know about you but my online bookmarks on my internet browser are FILLED with recipes. any time i see something that sounds like it might be worth cooking on a blog, or a newspaper or magazine, or on the many recipe databases out there, i’ll bookmark it. it’s a great way to store up ideas when you’re feeling bored with your cookbooks or familiar favorite dishes that you make all the time. lately, a lot of the recipes i’ve bookmarked have come from the guardian. not only is it a great newspaper, it also happens to publish meal ideas from some of my favorite chefs such as nigel slater or hugh fearnley-whittingstall. and in fact, hugh inspired me in a recent article to make the dish you’ll find below. i am a lover of grain salads, especially warm ones. not really worth calling it a “salad” as that makes us think of something involving lettuce and tomatoes and not a lot of excitement. but this warm squash & quinoa salad, based loosely on hugh’s couscous version, is just the thing to comfort you on a february evening.

there’s nothing “salad-y” about this, yet it still qualifies as health food in my book. why? because it’s all there. protein? check. unrefined starches? check. healthy fats? check. fresh greens? check. for an added protein bonus, i had a few slices of goat’s cheese on top before tucking in, or feta would work well too. the only note i’d make here is to roast your butternut squash for long enough. this isn’t a fast meal, since squash takes the better part of an hour to soften up nicely in the oven. still, it is worth the wait!

warm squash & quinoa salad

based on a recipe by hugh fearnley-whittingstall for the guardian

the particulars:

• 1 large or 2 small butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded, and chopped into small chunks
• 1 red chili, finely chopped
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup sultanas
• 1 cup quinoa
• handful fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• handful fresh dill, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar

1. heat the oven to 375f/gas mark 5. toss the chopped up squash in a roasting tin with some of the olive oil, red chili, cumin, and some salt and pepper. place in the hot oven and cook for 45 minutes, or until the squash is lightly browning on the edges.
2. meanwhile, toast the pumpkin seeds by placing them in a dry frying pan and cooking over a medium heat for a few minutes, tossing occasionally. set aside.
3. at the same time, cook the quinoa according to packet instructions (usually with twice the amount of water for about 20-25 minutes).
4. once everything is cooked and ready, combine the squash, quinoa, and pumpkin seeds in a large bowl along with the sultanas, parsley, dill, vinegar, and the rest of the olive oil. add seasoning if desired. for added protein, serve with a few pieces of goat’s cheese or feta.

you know what i love? a clever comedy character name – like pretty much anyone in arrested development (bob loblaw comes to mind…). what’s even better, though, is when it includes a food reference. color me happy!

of course, the first one that springs to mind is gene parmesan (also from arrested dev). who could forget lucille’s high-pitched squeal whenever he reveals his true identity: “GEEEEEEEEEEENE!” a classic choice is peppermint patty from peanuts. what a brilliant name! and now i want candy…

but the most recent and elusive tv character named after food is broccoli rob (from the office), who we never actually meet, but who andy is jealous of. but i don’t really care about his back story, that is an amazing name. however, i have a feeling the brits might not fully appreciate the pun. the vegetable broccoli raab isn’t generally grown on these shores, but a similar vegetable is – purple sprouting broccoli. they look virtually identical, except for the colors of course. but for anyone who finds they don’t generally like broccoli, this stuff is a nice alternative. the flowery heads are much smaller, the leaves are bigger, the stems are longer and thinner, and best of all – it’s purple!

(and to put my nutrition nerd glasses on for a minute, all broccoli is jampacked with vitamins c, k, and a – not to mention folate and fiber. okay, i’m done. glasses off.)

even though it’s not strictly in season right now, the fruit and veg stall at my local farmer’s market had some beautiful bunches of it this weekend, so i had to bring some home and add it to our dinner. we had ours simply steamed with some parmesan sprinkled on top – although, i opted for rawmesan on mine. delicious!

the other half to my dinner plate was a warm farro salad with roasted squashes (also picked up at the market) and rosemary (from my grandmother’s garden). speaking of farro, i saw an ad in a health magazine the other day for spelt milk! though i don’t think i’ll be paying almost £18 for it

roasted squash farro salad

serves 4

the particulars:

• 2 small squashes (i used butternut and acorn, but feel free to substitute accordingly), deseeded and chopped (skin left on)
• 1 red onion, peeled and chopped into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 red chili, finely chopped (include seeds for added heat)
• 2 sprigs rosemary, rubbed with olive oil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup farro (spelt grains)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1. heat the oven to 425f / gas mark 7. toss the squashes, onion, garlic, red chili, and rosemary in a roasting tin with the olive oil and some salt and pepper. place in the hot oven and roast for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally, until the squash is softened and browning at the edges.
2. meanwhile, cook the farro in a saucepan with 3 cups water for about 30 minutes, until softened (“al dente”).
3. just before everything is ready, toast the walnuts in a small, dry frying pan until just golden.
4. toss everything together in a large bowl and serve warm with something green (i.e. broccoli raab!)

anyone else not feeling ready for winter coats and boots just yet? this summer, and YEAR, seem to have flown by and we’re already in october. it’s madness! because i was feeling a little bit in denial, i cooked up a summery salad for dinner last night. it is a warm salad though – i’m not that nuts. promise. the veggies in the salad are grilled, making it perfect for a barbecue, although i just did mine on a stove-top grill pan. love those little black grill lines!

this would work nicely as a starter or side dish to some fish or meat, but we threw some crumbled goat’s cheese on our plates and called it a main course. even phil was pleasantly surprised, after saying he doesn’t usually like “meals that are only veggies on a plate”. for a vegetarian, that’s saying something!

it takes no time at all to prepare, making it a wonderful evening meal when you’re not in the mood for anything complicated. if i was back on the sauce, i’d probably go for a nice glass of red with this. only one more week to go in the sober september/october detox!

the health benefits of this meal are enormous. there are five different whole vegetables adorning your plate, as well as three different types of fresh herbs. which brings me to another point: i bought a basil plant the other day and it is now sitting proudly on my kitchen windowsill. as someone who has never had a green thumb ever, i’m a little nervous about the basil’s fate but hope to nourish the little guy for months to come!

as i’ve been studying the importance of protein recently, the goats cheese provides just that. it also provides a nice amount of good fat, as do the olives. as always, make sure your ingredients are as wonderful as you are! fresh, organic, and beautiful – and local, where possible.

phil and i have a huge crush on this squash salad – probably because it’s really hot. in a fiery way.

the recipe comes from levi roots’ food for friends and has reaffirmed my love of caribbean food. it has also made me very excited about all of the squash and pumpkin we can look forward to this fall. instead of being sad about summer ending, let’s get excited about a new season starting! there is so much to look forward to — warming soups and stews, plenty of excuses to bake more, walks through the colorful leaves in the park, if you’re british – guy fawkes night, if you’re american – thanksgiving. see? plenty of reasons to be happy!

to start you off on the right track, this squash salad will usher in a new season with pizazz. it’s a little different, something special, and reminds you of those fall flavors you’ve been missing since last year. pick up a giant butternut squash at your local farmer’s market and give it a try. it would be great as a starter, or pair it with quinoa or pasta for a main course. (we had quinoa spaghetti, killing two birds with one stone…)

roast squash salad with peanut and ginger dressing

recipe adapted from levi roots’ food for friends; makes enough for 2 people

the particulars:

• 1 butternut squash, deseeded and cut into wedges
• 1 tsp agave nectar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red chili, finely chopped (include seeds for added heat, or remove if you prefer)
• 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
• dressing: 1.5 tsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1 piece stem ginger finely chopped, 1 tsp stem ginger syrup, 3 tbsp canola oil, 3 tbsp roasted peanuts roughly chopped

1. heat the oven to gas mark 6 / 400f. put the squash wedges on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. season, and drizzle the agave nectar on top. mix with your hands, making sure each piece of squash is well coated. roast for 25 minutes, scattering over the red chili for the last 10 minutes. leave to cool a little.
2. to make the dressing, put the vinegar, mustard, ginger, and syrup in a cup or jar and season. whisk in the oil with a fork, and stir in the peanuts.
3. toss the spinach and squash together with the dressing and serve warm.

i love when new traditions start! last year, we had a bbq for 4th of july and decided to do it all again this year. on the menu was a mayo-free potato salad i created last time around. i wrote down the recipe without quantities, but somehow still managed to put together something tasty that everyone seemed to enjoy. unfortunately, no photos were taken of it – but here’s a gratuitous grillmaster shot:

the heat continues and so does my appreciation of light dinners. last night’s meal was easy breezy and was thrown together on the fly. i knew i wanted to use the fennel and asparagus i bought at the farmer’s market on saturday, it was just a case of finding what else i could put with it.

we had a couple of salmon fillets in the freezer, so i thawed them out during the day. the rest was just stuff i already had around the house. like i said, easy breezy.

i hope everyone enjoys their weekend – i’ll have a few recipes for you in a couple of days all to do with the 4th of july bbq we’re having on sunday. one of the recipes is from my mom – exciting! the other is a vegan dessert i am going to be making today. fingers crossed…

stay cool!