Pad Thai Salad Dressing (aka Peanut Lime Dressing)

I will confess that this dish came around after a rather weird and intense craving for sprouts. All I can guess is that it was hot, I had been up since 4am for a flight, I wanted pad thai but I didn't want hot pad thai, I wanted peanuts, I had a lot of veggies to eat, and I wanted crunchy things.  Not fussy at all, right? It took trips to not one, not two, but THREE grocery stores (way to fail hard, Central Square), because one store was out of one thing, another store was out of the other, and you get the idea.  

The only recipe I've included here is for the dressing, mostly because I hope that I live in a world where people old enough to wield kitchen knives can make their own decisions about what to put into their own salads, even if we can agree on nothing else.  I chose to test using bean sprouts in lieu of noodles, but you can easily go big and use them instead, but I'd recommend chilled regardless.  I also threw some shredded radishes and carrots, tomatoes, red peppers, baked tofu (or should I say overbaked tofu...turns out letting it cleverly cool in the oven is not actually clever), baby spinach and kale, avocado, and love.  That last one is key, you guys.  I suspect this would also taste great with napa cabbage, and probably anything else you want to coat with this dressing, which is the real winner, aside from you when you make and eat this.  For reference, depending on your dressing amount preference, I'd say this makes enough for 4-6 dinner-sized salads; it stores well, but you may need to thin it with H2O!  Invite a friend over, pair this with your favorite summer beverage, mischief managed.

Pad Thai (Peanut Lime) Salad Dressing

Dressing for 4-6 dinner-sized salads

Pad Thai Salad Dressing (Peanut Lime Dressing)/Clean Plate Club

All American Boys, by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

All American Boys

Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Simon and Schuster Audio, 2015

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1481463331

In a light-departure from the regularly unscheduled program, I’ve decided to review one of the best books I’ve read in a while.  What? Why is that a departure? Because....drum roll...I LISTENED to it.  Yes, amigos, an audiobook!  I feel noting the medium is important here, not only because audiobook delivery is pretty make or break (in my opinion), but because the audio recording is notably fantastic.  I felt as though I was in a theatre, not in my car, in heavy traffic, for 8+ hours. I was rapt, moved, and fascinated. This is also to say I didn’t actually read it, so things that I might pay attention to regarding experience or writing were kind of inconsequential to me. I hope but don’t know if I’d be as transfixed if I weren’t listening to the tremendous talent, trapped for hours, or able to like, check Instagram every seven minutes, just in case one of you has any steaming fresh food porn for me. For the record, while driving down the worst highway in America (I-84 CT), I cried, but not just because it's a terrible highway, but because this book made me incredibly sad, happy, and angry.

All American Boys first came across my radar months ago, probably in the fall, in one library review journal or another. I noted it as both something to collect and something to consider very seriously as a title to add to our summer reading list (which is awesome, btw). The title seemed timely with what felt and sometimes still feels like sickening news reports of young black men and women being assaulted or worse by police officers.  I had reservations that All American Boys would be cut from the same cloth as every Law and Order episode ever (ripped from the headlines, either trivializing or scaremongering), a publishing hot topic moneygrub.  However, before I had the chance to read it, the book received a Coretta Scott King honor designation (the award honors “outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values,” ALA.org). Suffice it to say, I felt pretty good about putting it on my list after that - so thanks for doing the legwork, committee members who decided this!  I meant to physically read it, but before I had the chance, I had to go on a long drive by myself, and realized it would be a good time to catch up on some readin’.  Friends, do yourself a favor this summer vacation if you’re going on a road trip, and get this one to listen to; it is now officially on your Summer Reading List for 2016.   If you think America has a problem with institutional racism, you should read this book.  If you don't, you probably need to.  

Case of the Terribles: How to Dress Your Man For Summer

It's been so long since I've case of the terribled you.  But that's just because I've been locked in a bunker, researching for weeks, obvi.  After hours of deep Internet research and thought, I've come up with three really fantastic looks for summer for the dudes reading this out there.  There's no way you won't turn heads in this, I give you my guarantee.  

For your Suit:  

Let's talk about this suit you can buy on Amazon for $1500 (a statement which bears questioning even before price is thrown in), which may be designed to catch a summer breeze and turn heads.  Snazzy looking, right?

STOP. DO NOT PASS GO.  Zoom out.  

Splashing into Summer Reading 2016: Girl Underwater, by Claire Kells

Girl Underwater

Claire Kells

Dutton: New York, 2015

ISBN: 9780525954934

OH HELLO MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.  Finally, you have arrived. Finally, it is nearly the summer.  Finally, I can soon get away with athletic wear tuxedos and/or no pants on the reg, eating two pints of blueberries for dinner and regretting nothing (except…), and finding new and creative ways to apply sunscreen to my own back.  But enough about me.  Because it is now officially white pants season, I think it is high time to start your summer reading assignments.  And because the Olympics are coming, I gift you a sports book. Sort of. Not really. Whatever. Pipe down. Behold: the first title on your 2016 Summer Reading List: Girl Underwater.

Spring Veggies and Barley Salad with Basil Tahini Dressing

It is May 1st in New England and it is dreary and cold and I am grumpy about it, goshdarnit! Last night, I went to an outdoor sporting even wearing jeans with tights, a sweater, two shirts, a down jacket, a down vest, a hat, and gloves, like it was November, and I was still cold. To simply say that I'd like spring to actually spring would be a disservice to my desire to see sunshine and brilliant shades of green, though I have to believe it's coming...soon. Please? I've had it with you, sort of cold and dreary and not nearly the violently green spring I miss! I'm making it happen inside if it won't happen outside. From my kitchen to your eyes (and my mouth), here be a salad that channels my plea to Mother Nature: green, puh-lease?

Spring Veggies and Barley Salad w/Basil Tahini Dressing

Serves 6-8 as a side, 4-6 as a meal

Spring Veggies and Barley Salad with Basil Tahini Dressing

Salad

1 cup dry barley

3.5 cups water

2 cups cauliflower florets

1 cup halved sungold or other cherry tomatoes

2 cups cut asparagus

¾ cup frozen peas

4 cups baby spinach/kale

Salt & pepper & a dash of EVOO

Dressing*

½ + cup basil

1 clove garlic

Juice and zest of one lemon, +1 Tbsp lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup tahini

¼-½ cup warm water

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1 scallion

½ tsp red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat over to 400 and roast cauliflower tossed with a dash of oil and salt and pepper for 30 minutes until beginning to brown. Set aside to cool.

2. Fill a saucepan with 3.5 cups of water and barley and cook until mostly done according to package directions, roughly 50 minutes.  

3.  *Combine dressing ingredients in a cuisinart, blend until it is well combined and mostly green with very few flecks of basil.  Start with ¼ cup water and add a little more or some more lemon juice to help it combine.  

3.  When barley is mostly done and water is mostly cooked off, add asparagus and frozen peas to the barley pot, and cook covered for about 3 minutes.  Turn heat off, but stir, and leave covered for about 2 more minutes or until peas are not frozen and asparagus is blanched and a brilliant shade of green.  

4.  Add barley mix to cooled cauliflower, tomatoes and greens and stir to combine.  Add dressing in layers and continue to mix.  Taste, and probably add a little more salt.  

6.  Serve as a side or as a main warm or chilled...suggestions below in the notes!  

Notes: