salads

Serves 2 Ingredients: Salad greens 6 red potatoes 10 spears of asparagus 2 medium sized carrots 2 TB olive oil ½ tsp Salt ½ tsp Pepper ½ cup of farro or barley 1 large / 2 small peaches or nectarines...

Not only is today the first day of May we're also just five days away from Cinco De Mayo. (And who says you can't celebrate all week long with delicious Mexican fare and margaritas?!) I enjoy Mexicali cuisine so much I sometimes wonder if my Italian/Irish blood doesn't have just a bit of Mexican in it... Anyway, if you're looking for an easy, healthy Cinco de Mayo recipe this is for you. Yes it's essentially a salad but the colorful, festive ingredients keep your taste buds interested without loading on a lot of fat via cheese and sour cream- like some typical Americanized Mexican dishes. (Though you'll get a dose of good-for-you fat from the avocado.)  The addition of tortilla chips adds a nice crunch and  makes the "salad" feel a little more fun. Click through for the recipe!

I don't know about you but I could use some greens after all the Valentine's treats I've consumed for the past week. Luckily, this warm brussels sprouts salad recipe should do the trick. (It's all about balance, right?) And, let's just take a second to pay homage to brussels sprouts. As a kid I remember them as mushy and bland with a bit of an offensive aroma. But, after trying them roasted a few years back my feelings towards brussels completely changed. It turns out they're seriously tasty when prepared the right way. I mostly enjoy them baked and crispy but in this recipe I sautéed em for a change, and they tasted delish. This is one of those dishes that's really simple but the contrasting flavors makes it taste like you put a lot of work into it. Click through for the recipe!