Megafake

I set out for my morning run.

The neighborhood is new, the brownstones are darkish, the weather overcast.

Looking down at my neon laced Nikes I tell my brain, "you're fine" and set off to a slow just-got-out-of-bed style jog.

Ahead I hear a not-quite-rustle.  Fifty feet away.  Forty feet away.


My brain says "see, a murderer, just like I told you".  Twenty feet away, I quickly respond "fuck off, you're being a pansy".  Ten feet away "see it's just a trash bag..."  Zero feet away "...that looks...

real..

weird . . .


BECAUSE FUCK IT'S A HUMAN".

In all fairness I think I scared my neighbor just as much as she scared me, but that's not the point.  The point is that she was there.

You see something, you convince yourself otherwise, then FUCK there it is!

Here, now, you see watermelon and you think, this is SAweet!  You take a bite, let the vinegar-sassied cucumber and shallot slap your taste buds upfront and think, mmm savory.  It's fleeting though, and the originally expected sweet watermelon seeps in to mingle with the super soy-marinated tofu and together pave a path for the greenoa to roll through.

Just as delicious as you thought.

Marinated Tofu with Greenoa and Watermelon Salsa

Inspired by Mustard Chicken with Basil Melon Quinoa + Balsamic Kale

Ingredients:

For the tofu:

• Tofu, pressed and sliced
• Soy sauce
• 1 lime, juiced
• Cayenne
• Ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

For the salsa:

• 1/2 c watermelon, diced
• 1/2 c cucumber, diced
• 1 T vinegar
• 1 T shallot, minced

For the quinoa:

• 1 c quinoa, rinsed
• pinch of salt
• 1 T oil
• water to cover
• 2 c greens, chopped
• 1 T basil, dried
• 2 T fresh mint, chopped
• pepper, as desired

Topping:

• Sprouts of choice

Combine:

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, lime, cayenne, ginger, and garlic in a medium dish then marinate the tofu over night or through the day.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
3. Toss together the ingredients for the salsa and set aside.
4. Drain the tofu from the marinade and place the strips on the baking sheet.  Bake for 10-15 minutes flipping the pieces over after 5-7 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, bring add the quinoa, salt, and oil to a small pot.  Cover the quinoa with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil over high heat for 7 minutes.
6. When the water is just level with the top of the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and continue to cook for 7-10 minutes until the water is just cooked off and the quinoa is cooked through.
7. Toss the quinoa with the greens, basil, mint, and pepper.  Top with tofu, salsa, and sprouts.
8. Enjoy!

Don't salt, just feta.

Yes, you read that right.

All you crazy people putting salt on your watermelon can stop before you start, all you really need is feta!

It's a classic that not many people know about but now that you're set straight you can move on to eating this ideal end of the summer meal.

The chicken has a mustard-y kick and is a great alternative to the sweet honey-mustard recipes that are too common, the quinoa salad is adjusted from Equinox because watermelon, feta, and basil are the best, and of course no meal would be complete without kale.

Enjoy!

Mustard Chicken with Basil Melon Quinoa + Balsamic Kale

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1 lb chicken, thinly sliced
• Olive oil as needed
• 2 t mustard seeds for sprinkling
• 3 t ground mustard seed
• 1 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper
• 2 t onion, dried
• 2 t garlic, dried
• 1 t oregano or tarragon

For the Quinoa

• 3/4 c quinoa, well washed
• 1 1/2 c water
• 1 T oil
• 2 T basil
• salt
• 2 c watermelon, diced
• 2 T feta
• 1/2 t pepper

For the Kale

• 4 large kale leaves, washed and chopped.
• 1 T oil
• 1-2 T balsamic reduction

Combine

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Boil water over high heat, add in the quinoa, oil, basil, and salt, and cook until the water is level with the quinoa.  Reduce to low heat and simmer covered until cooked through.
3. While you wait mix up the spices for the chicken.
4. Trim the chicken and rub it with a little olive oil.
5. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with whole mustard seed, then sprinkle both sides with the spice mix until well covered.  (Use the back of a spoon to press the spices down if needed.)
6. Bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
7. While you wait put the watermelon, feta, and pepper into a large mixing bowl and toss.  Fluff the quinoa with a fork, add to the bowl, and toss until combined.
8. Wash and chop your kale, heat the oil over medium-low heat, then add kale and cook until just wilted.  Toss with the balsamic reduction.
9. Enjoy!

Hope & Olive

Hope & Olive is one of the few things that makes a trip to Greenfield worth it.

They have creative drinks, an exciting ambiance mellowed by relaxing lighting and decor, pleasant attentive servers who are not overbearing, and, of course, so many delicious sounding meals that it's hard to settle on one to actually get.  

That exact problem was solved by creating this dish.

 While there I enjoyed a dish that I was not confident I could make on my own, then brought the flavor inspo of my second-choice-dish home so I could try making it myself.

Let me tell you, the results of the experiment did not disappoint!

This is a perfect summer recipe: herbs greet you on your first bite and lemons fills in for the finish.  The salad is refreshingly light as the salty feta and olives are matched by cool cucumber and tomatoes, with the nutty quinoa and hearty kale creating a structured background.

Make this dish at your own risk - it's so good you'll want to eat it every day.

Herb and Lemon Crusted Chicken with Mediterranean Quinoa

(inspired by Hope and Olive)

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cleaned (or Salmon)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 t oregano
• 1 t basil
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper
• 1/2 t coriander
• 1/4 t cumin
• 1/2 t garlic
• 1 lemon, sliced

For the Quinoa

• 1 c dry quinoa + 2 cups water
• 1 T basil
• 1 T oregano
• salt and pepper
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 C grape tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 can olives
• 1/2 c seedless cucumber, diced
• 4-6 leaves kale, chopped
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 4 T feta
• Balsamic reduction, to taste

Combine

1. Place the chicken in a dish with the lemon juice and let marinate for ~30 minutes while refrigerated.
2. While you wait mix the oregano, basil, peppers, coriander, cumin, garlic, and salt together; wash and chop your veggies; preheat your oven or grill to 350 degrees; and line a baking sheet.
3. Use a fork to remove the chicken from the lemon bath, letting excess juice drip off.  Brush the chicken with a little olive oil, then sprinkle with the herb mixture until the pieces are well coated.  Cook the chicken and lemon slices until cooked through.
4. While it cooks bring the water, quinoa, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and oil to a boil until the water is level with the quinoa, then reduce to a low simmer and cover until no water remains and quinoa is completely cooked.  Fluff the quinoa with a fork and let cool slightly.
5. In a large mixing bowl toss the quinoa with the tomatoes, olives, cucumber, kale, shallot, and feta.  Drizzle with balsamic reduction.
6. Plate the quinoa, top with chicken, and enjoy!