walnuts Archives - The Curated House

Summer Salads: Beet, Basil + Goat Cheese Stacks with Arugula + Walnuts

I love a casual dinner with friends. The kind where you cook while catching up and linger so long over the first course that you almost forget there’s more food waiting to be eaten. The kind where good food is only overshadowed by better conversation. The kind where you feel as if the night could just saunter along forever and no one would mind even a bit.

We had one such charmed evening with friends recently. I thought I’d share a few shots of the evening with you {and a recipe as a tasty side dish to go with the photos}.

BEET, BASIL + GOAT CHEESE STACKS WITH ARUGULA + WALNUTS

The Ingredients:

4 organic beets, peeled, boiled and cut into 1/4″ slices

Raw goat cheese

Organic baby arugula

Fresh Basil Leaves

Raw, organic walnuts

Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Reduction

Chives for garnish

The Method:

Peel, slice and boil the beets. {Funny side note: I attempted to keep each individual beet’s slices grouped together in the pot so that they would fit back together like a puzzle when it came time to create the stacks. This beautiful idea did not work at all. The boiling naturally shifted the pieces all around the pot leaving me with a beet puzzle and a whole lot of pieces that looked exactly the same. I managed to find pieces that fit fairly well with one another, nonetheless. Not quite as I had envisioned, but still quite lovely.} Cool the beets by running them under some cold water in a strainer once they have boiled.

Plate a bed of arugula. Begin to arrange your “stacks,” layering the beets with a blanket of basil leaves and then a thick, delicious slab of goat cheese in between each piece of beet.

Scatter a handful of raw, organic walnuts around the plate. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a good balsamic reduction. Finish with 2 or 3 long chives leaned decoratively against the beet and goat cheese stack.

Enjoy with good company.

Here’s to savouring each and every minute of summer we have left. Cozy up with your loved ones and watch for the fireflies. They really are magical.

xo
s.

Homemade Granola | Quinoa, Maple, Fig + Coconut

I’ve recently been making some modifications to my diet. My food choices are already mostly organic and overall quite healthy, but in order to speed some healing I’ve decided to go as anti-inflammatory as possible. As such, I’ve truly taken the plunge and cut out gluten, among other things, for a minimum of 8 weeks.

As a foodie, I don’t believe that a modified diet should be a prison sentence of bland, blah and blech. In fact, in choosing to eliminate some of the inflammatory foods from my diet, I also chose to take on the challenge of creating dishes that would fit the new plan and also TASTE GOOD. I don’t want this to feel like I’m being punished if the end goal is something good! I want the process to be rewarding as well.

So, after some experimentation in the kitchen, I offer you my first creation. Turns out this is my favourite granola EVER. So, so yummy. My first batch was gone within the first day with my family and friends devouring it right off the tray. My son has now requested I keep a steady supply on hand for his breakfasts, too. {Read: Healthy Mom “win.”}

QUINOA, MAPLE, FIG + COCONUT GRANOLA

The Ingredients:

350g Organic Quinoa Flakes
1 c. chopped, dried Mission figs
1 c. chopped dates
1 1/2 cups chopped raw walnuts
1 c. sunflower seeds
1 c. unsweetened, organic coconut
3 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. coconut oil
1 tsp good sea salt (I used Maldon)

The Method:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl, using your hands to make sure the figs and dates separate and distribute evenly throughout the mixture.

In a large saucepan, heat the maple syrup, coconut oil and salt until everything comes to a boil. Stir and reduce heat, simmering for about 5 minutes. Pour the maple syrup over the dry mixture slowly, integrating as you pour. Make sure to get right down to the bottom of the dry ingredients and turn everything well so it is all evenly coated with the maple mixture.

Prepare 2 large cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Distribute the mixture evenly between the 2 cookie sheets and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Stir the golden edges into the middle of the granola mixture and then place back in the oven for another 5 minutes or more, until the entire mixture is a nice golden brown. Let cool and break up into clusters.

I love this with vanilla almond milk and fresh raspberries in the morning. One batch and you’ll be convinced that “good for you” can be truly delicious!

Enjoy!

xo
s.