with hanukkah ending, christmas about to begin, and the new year approaching, i've been thinking more and more about where this year began and where it's ending, both personally and in the world. it's been filled with happy and heavy life decisions, a crazy cute pup, career choices where my husband and i both clutched for each others hand in support, new opportunities, hope for the near future, weighing the attainable with the impossible. peaceful wishes, and a hope for continued growth towards a more equal and just world.
i can't begin to describe how special this space right here is to me, to have a place to share my bits of life, particular recipes, blunders, photos, silly complaints, and most of all, getting to interact with so many warm and lovely hearts. two years ago, on christmas day, me and my husband (then fiancé) exchanged gifts. he took our laptop, clicked a few buttons and showed me a wordpress page and blog post that read: "merry christmas baby!". he had gifted me my very own blog, eek! the pressure to create something with that space kind of overwhelmed me for a couple of months, as i'm really kind of quiet, and can be awkwardly introverted. so the thought of putting "pen" to internet scared the crap out of me (it still does, by the way!). i really never thought that with that first post, i would be here, and participating in such a lovely blog-world! so, special wishes to everyone for lots of joy, love and light! happy winter solstice, happy holidays, and happy new year! xo's
see you in 2015!!!
winter buckwheat + brussels sprout bowl (v + gf)
when cooked, buckwheat groats are almost like a small pasta both in consistency and taste; which is why it's great to pair in a salad with vegetables and a hearty dressing. this salad almost reminds me of a summer pasta salad, but in the winter! try using different produce if you don't have brussels and pomegranates on hand, it will be just as good! * just a note about the buckwheat; it should really only cook until it's just tender; cooking it longer results in somewhat of a gooey consistency (it should be tender with a bit of a bite, similar to al dente pasta), therefore, timing the buckwheat for 6 minutes, tasting every minute or so until done, is a good route to go.
inspired by green kitchen stories
| serves 6 |
- 1 cup buckwheat groats
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- zest from half of one lemon
- freshly ground pepper
- couple handfuls brussels sprouts (roughly 6 ounces), trimmed and shaved using either a mandoline or knife
- a bunch scallions, white and green parts sliced thin
- pomegranate seeds, from half of a pomegranate
- big handful of toasted chopped almonds
dressing
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons honey/maple syrup
- salt + fresh ground pepper to taste
dressing
- whisk vinegar, mustard, and syrup (or honey) until combined. in a steady stream, whisk in the olive oil until emulsified, season with salt and fresh ground pepper. set aside.
buckwheat bowl
- place buckwheat groats in a fine mesh sieve, and rinse under cool water. bring the 2 cups of water and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a boil, gently transfer rinsed buckwheat to pot; turn heat down and bring water to a simmer, cook for 7-10 minutes. remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes
- transfer buckwheat to a large serving bowl, add chopped parsley, lemon zest and a few turns of fresh ground pepper. add the shaved brussels sprouts, scallions, pomegranate seeds, and chopped almonds, and give it all a good toss
- drizzle the dressing over top and toss once more. taste and adjust seasoning if needed
serve and enjoy!