Thai Crab and Watermelon Salad

Wow, is it almost the end of August already?  This month has flown by for me, and it is hard for me to imagine that summer is almost over.  But not yet!  Case in point, this beautiful guest post today from Joy of Joylicious features an Easy Thai Crab and Watermelon Salad with gorgeous multi-colored melons, light and and healthy crab, fresh herbs, and a tangy dressing.  If you ask me, it is the perfect way to savor the last days of summer.  Plus, isn't it beautiful?  Although that is to be expected, since it came from Joy's kitchen.  Behind the lens, Joy works magic, and all her posts featuring stunning photography plus amazing recipes and experiences.  I also adore how she artfully integrates text into her photos.  Genius.  And of course, I love that she is just an all around happy gal.  Enjoy the post and be sure to stop by and check out Joylicious! 

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Amanda has been one of my great blogger friends since the beginning.  I rooted for her during Project Food Blog and continue to be mesmerized time and time again with her beautiful pictures, recipes and words. While she’s slaving away in graduate school, she’s asked a few of her friends to hold the fort during her dissertation.  So I am so honored to be the guest blogger at The Cilantropist today, thank you Amanda for having me!

One of my favorite parts about summers in Texas are the family get togethers we have on the weekends around the pool.  Every Sunday the family gets together to enjoy a little beer, plenty of grilling and of course lots of eating.  I found this recipe through Food and Wine – they originally had grilled chicken which I’ve replaced with crab.  I love the addition of the watermelon with the bold yet light vinaigrette.  It’s a great appetizer for the summer as it’s easy to prepare and would wow any crowd. 

Pea Tendrils... Have you Tried Them?

Have you ever tried a pea tendril?  Until just this weekend, I had never tried one, and I would venture a guess that I am not alone.  Even if you have never even heard of a pea tendril, feel no shame.  When I was quickly browsing the farmer's market, dodging renegade rain droplets, I spotted these and I had to ask the grower, "Hey what are these???"


So what exactly are pea tendrils? 

A Celebration of Food and Friends, and Chocolate Cranberry Layer Cake

Did you hear the news?  Well, if you are late to the party (and I don't mean the actual party where we had this amazing cake), then I can let you know right away that I am officially out of Project Food Blog.  Yes, after more than three months of hard work and nine rounds of competition, my run has come to an end.  I would be flat out lying if I said I wasn't disappointed (there was $10,000 and title of food blog star at stake!), and when I heard the news on Friday, I did get a little emotional.  But, here's the thing: I surprised even myself when I realized I wasn't feeling sad about actually being eliminated.  There were no tears, I didn't have a breakdown, and I didn't feel like life was falling apart.**  And here is why: I am still a winner. Participating in this contest has brought only good things to both my life and this blog.  I thought to myself, "Ok, well, I am just going to go back to what I was doing before.  Only better."   

And then almost immediately, my phone started ringing, my email inbox filled up, and messages came flooding through on Twitter; new blogger friends, loyal readers, and real-life family and friends from near and far were all contacting me to share their feelings with me, to tell me that they were proud of me, or just to let me know that they care and still think this blog is awesome.  And that was when I started feeling a sort of aching in my chest that was just overwhelming.  It was as if the huge support I had received throughout this process was all being distilled into one perfect crystalline moment.  I knew I had given it my all, I had put my heart into each and every moment of this contest, and I hadn't let anyone down; all the way through to the end, YOU, my loyal readers and friends have supported and encouraged me every step of the way.  There really are not sufficient words to tell you just how much that means to me, so I will just offer you a simple and giant 

THANK YOU!      

I started out in the contest thinking that if I made it to the second round, it would be amazing (not kidding, I really said this to all of my friends) and then somehow I managed to find myself in the ninth round with only 11 other phenomenal bloggers left.  (I still sometimes find this unbelievable.)  At that point, I took a good hard look at my blog, and realized that it had undergone an incredible transformation into almost exactly what I had hoped it would be when I started it earlier this year: a place for friends to gather and share in the beauty and goodness of great food and great people.  Because Project Food Blog not only challenged me to grow and make The Cilantropist a better place, but it also brought together a like-minded community of people who support each other and revel in deliciousness.  I got to meet and be inspired by so many talented bloggers, and most importantly for me, I got to experience everything with constant encouragement from family and friends.

So, at the end of the day, even though I lost the competition, I think I have more than enough reasons to celebrate. I especially wanted to show those nearest and dearest to me how much I appreciated all their help... and so naturally I showered them with food.         

Pomegranate Persimmon Salad, and How to Remove Pomegranate Seeds

So today I am going to tell you about a salad that has two of my favorite full-bodied fall fruits (try saying that five times fast!).  But first, lets get some formalities out of the way.


Project Food Blog is still going strong, and in fact, voting for Round #7 is currently underway!  And what kind of dedicated gal would I be if I didn't make absolutely sure that you got to see my video entry for this round.  Have you seen it yet?  I hope so, but if not, be sure to check out my original post, or go directly to the Foodbuzz website (where you can vote for me, wink wink).  I made a delicious dessert for you and tied it all up with a pretty bow, and I hope you enjoy it.  If you like it, don't forget to vote for my entry!  Voting is open through Thursday, Nov.18th, 6pm PST, and I truly appreciate ALL your support. 

Now then, shall we get on to this salad?


This salad is extremely easy to make with just a few seasonal ingredients such as pomegranates and persimmons.  Pomegranates are an amazing fall fruit, and their health benefits are extraordinary; they are a rich source of B vitamins as well as vitamin C, and their seeds contain extra fiber and also heathy oils.  But about those seeds... it seems many people are in a quandary over how to actually get the seeds out of the pomegranate without looking like they were the victim in bad horror movie.  Pomegranate seeds have a lot of juice, and when you open it up and try to remove the seeds it gets everywhere!  So let me show you an easy, mess-free way to remove the seeds from a fresh pomegranate.








See, wasn't that easy?  I hope that quick demo will encourage you to go out and buy a fresh pomegranate to reap all its health benefits and its fantastic taste.  And just so that you know, once you remove the seeds from a fresh pomegranate, if you keep them refrigerated in an airtight container, you can enjoy those little jewels over the course of several days. 

A Presidio Picnic, with Italian Pressed Sandwiches

Remember when I told you that I looove to have dinner parties?  Well, that same passion applies to picnics, barbecues, and brunch dates with friends; anytime I can put together a little meal to feed someone, I am a happy camper.  So imagine my delight when I realized I had advanced to Round 6 of Project Food Blog (woo hoo!!!) and that I had the pleasure of packing up a picnic lunch to take on the road that will travel well and still look great!  To celebrate the end of picnic and barbecue season I decided to kick my usual picnic fare up a notch. I hope you really enjoy the picnic lunch I planned, and that you will continue to show your support and vote for me in this round! 

Before we officially get into my menu, here are a few things I keep in mind when planning to take food anywhere on the go:


-Food that is compact and self-contained (ie. does not have lots of sauces, condiments, etc.) transports best, and creates the least amount of mess.  This also means you don't need to worry about 'assembling' dishes after you arrive at your picnic or party.
-When appropriate, I use high-quality prepared foods that I know are as good as 'homemade.'  This saves time and energy.
-If possible, I like to stick with foods that don't need much cutlery or serving utensils; since it is a picnic, it is more fun to eat with your hands anyway!
-I always think about the aesthetics of my food, and try to keep things festive, fun, and colorful, or use packaging that translates into ease of transportation.   
-I choose dishes that are relatively easy to make, or that I have made before and loved, so there are no snafus and everything tastes fabulous and fresh! 


Keeping these things in mind, I formulated my picnic menu:

Drink: Pomegranate Berry Spritzer

Snack: Parmesan and Gruyere Cheese Straws

Main: Sopressata and Provolone Italian Pressed Sandwiches

Side: Shredded Red Cabbage Salad with Pistachios

Dessert: Spiced Pear and Cranberry Pocket Pies

I got all my food and drinks ready to go, I loaded up my Project Food Blog cooler, and I headed out to meet my good friend Jill at the Presidio of San Diego for an afternoon picnic.  

To start out my menu and wash down all these delicious picnic treats, I decided to go with a refreshing Pomegranate Berry Spritzer.  The good folks over at POM had sent me some awesome POM wonderful and I was eager to try it out!  Pomegranates are loaded with antioxidants, so this drink not only tasted great, but also was healthy too.  Since pomegranates have a sweet-tart flavor, I decided to boost the sweetness factor by making a simple syrup from blueberries and blackberries.  The simple syrup combined with the POM and lime sparking mineral water was a perfect combo and was so easy to make by just bringing along the bottles of POM, a bottle of mineral water, and the syrup in a small container.  Plus, who can resist the deep ruby color of pomegranate juice!   

Announcing a Fresh Express Salad Contest!

Look at this beautiful lettuce!  It is intensely green, fresh and crispy, and so delicious.  If you could make any salad with these in-season greens, what would you make???  That is exactly the question you will need to answer to participate in my recipe contest!  


I am excited to announce the beginning of my Fresh Express Salad Contest, as part of my Fresh Express Artisan Ambassador series of posts.  This contest will be the perfect way to stretch your creativity and dream up new, exciting, healthy salad recipes, or just to share your family's best-loved weekday salad.  At the same time, you will get to enjoy the new Artisan lettuce blends brought to you by Fresh Express. 

So how do you participate and how can you win??!  I am hoping to get a wide variety of recipes submitted for this contest, and to have those submitting the recipes be from many different backgrounds; for this reason, the rules and guidelines will be simple and few.  Here's the run down: 

-Your entry can be an original recipe, with new ideas for dressings and interesting ingredients, or can be an adaptation of an existing recipe (just be sure to cite the source!).  If you are a blogger, your recipe should not be something you have already posted on your site. 

-Your recipe entry can include any ingredients, but the lettuce base must be either the Sierra Crisp Herb or the Wild Rocket Zest Artisanal Salad Blend from Fresh Express (These can be bought in CA at Vons, Safeway, or Pavillions; other states, check your local store.  Get a coupon for $1 off!  See more below.)

-Both bloggers and home cooks alike are welcome and encouraged to submit recipes!  If you are a home cook, this contest will give you a window to share your recipe with the world. :)  If you are a blogger, all the entries will be posted in a recipe round-up on this site, which is great exposure for your blog! 

-If you are a blogger, please post your recipe and any photos on your site, link back to this post, and mention you are entering The Cilantropist's Fresh Express Salad Contest.  (I am aware that many bloggers may be busy with PFB; if you are, and have posting constraints, just email me and let me know.) 


-To enter, email the following information to thecilantropist@gmail.com, subject line-Fresh Express Salad Contest:

1. Recipe Title

2. Full Recipe, or entry post permalink (if applicable) 

3. Which Fresh Express Salad Blend you used

4. One photo

5. Name, contact info, and blog name/blog url (if applicable)  


-TWO winners will be chosen!  One winner will be chosen by popular vote based on the recipe round-up posted on this site after the contest is over.  The second winner will be chosen by random, which means that any recipe and any photo can win!  For the prizes Fresh Express will be providing a $25 gift card to Vons/Safeway/Pavillion that you can spend, or a $25 AmEx card that you can use to buy whatever you like.  Your truly (that means me) will also be providing a super cute set of salad themed dish towels and beautiful wooden salad tongs from Crate and Barrel!  Plus, the winner will get a totally awesome badge that you can proudly display on your site to announce that you are a salad master. 

Zesty Greens with Black Mission Figs, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts

It's salad time again!  Today I want to share my second recipe in this series as Artisan Ambassador for the new Fresh Express artisan salad blends, and to start telling you a few things that I have really enjoyed about these lettuces. (And to hint at a recipe contest with a prize!  See below!)

For this salad, I used the Wild Rocket Zest artisanal blend, which includes arugula, spinach, and tatsoi.  Never heard of tatsoi?  Neither had I.  (Turns out my 'greens IQ' was not as high as I thought!)  Tatsoi is an Asian green varietal also known as spoon mustard or spinach mustard.  It has beautiful dark green spoon-shaped leaves that you can see in the photo above.  Because of its lovely aesthetic, this green is commonly grown as edible landscaping, otherwise known as ornamental lettuce.     

I wanted to mix this peppery blend with something a little sweet and a little savory, so I used some beautiful California Black Mission figs and paired them with shaved parmesan and pine nuts.  In the fall, I just adore figs, and I try my best not to become obsessed with them (like I did with peaches this summer), although I make no promises.  Because what's not to love?  Mission figs have a plump, and almost voluptuous shape, and a deep purple color that adds great color to salads and other dishes.  I also love them for their soft and grainy texture and subtle sweetness.  

For the dressing, I went with a simple Sherry vinaigrette with a little garlic for some extra flavor.  The sweeter sherry vinegar balanced really well with the arugula and the italian flavors of the pine nuts and parmesan.  Since there aren't a lot of dominant flavors in this salad, the thing that really took it over the top was this lettuce blend; the flavor kicks up a party in your mouth and has just the right amount of spicy arugula mixed with other greens to be interesting.     

Easy Everyday Salad

Hi friends!  I am excited to start sharing a series of posts dedicated to my favorite leafy vegetables: salad greens!  The wonderful folks over at Fresh Express have asked me to be a part of their Fresh Express Artisan Ambassador program as they launch their new line of artisan lettuce blends.  Myself and three other bloggers will be sharing recipes for healthy and delicious salads, as well as hosting a little recipe contest, and even helping you learn new things about lettuce along the way.  In addition to that, I will be growing four different types of lettuces that are featured in the Fresh Express artisan blends  to demonstrate that the lettuce they chose is truly that is in-season.  Are you ready to get started?  

I am planning to showcase this lovely lettuce with recipes ranging from simple to sophisticated, and today I will start by sharing my most simple and favorite weekday salad.  For this salad, I used the Sierra Crisp Herb blend, which contains sierra green leaf lettuce, red butter lettuce, parsley, and even cilantro!  Is it any wonder that I loved it? 

This salad is so easy to make and soooo fresh and healthy that I eat some variation of it at least once (if not twice) every week.  It is like my own little not-so-dirty secret and the ace in my pocket that helps keep me in skinny jeans even though I can't resist cookies and ice cream.  

Basically, I start with beautiful greens, and add whatever vegetables or fruits I have on hand.  In most cases I love to use the combination of ripe tomatoes, carrots and avocado, because they are so colorful and taste great together.  Other times, I might use celery for its crunch, or strawberries or raspberries for their sweetness.  Always, I use something creamy or rich such as the avocado or maybe feta, blue cheese, or egg.  As a bonus, adding cheese, egg, nuts, or chicken also ups the ante by giving you a solid dose of protein with your veggies.  I think a really important part of making salads appetizing, instead of something "green" to be tolerated, is including things like cheese that make you want to eat them.

Look!  These are more tomatoes from my plants! 

French Potato Salad with Herbs, and So Cal Summer Salad round-up

So remember allllll the way back in June when I said I would feature healthy salads regularly throughout the summer?  That little thing called So Cal Summer Salads that I very ambitiously promised I would keep up with?  Can you remember that far back?  Personally, I am having trouble remembering, partly because June seems so distant now that it is officially September, but it also may be that my mind has become suspiciously clouded with desserts, and summer fruits, and cakes...trying to see the light of leafy greens and vegetables through all that sugary haze has been nothing less than fun-filled delicious journey, of which I don't regret a single bite.  This summer, whether it has been sweet or savory, crunchy or creamy, I can definitely say I have eaten well.  

As September dawns and fall approaches, I can't really say that I anticipate radically changing any of my eating philosophies.  Oh sure, I could tell you I might try eating more healthy, or chowing on more apples and less ice cream (We all know this is a lost cause at this point.  How about less apples and more ice cream?).  But the truth is, I like eating and cooking and baking loads of different things, and the thought of focusing specifically on one thing or another doesn't sit well with me.  Where am I going with this?  

Well, with the launch of Project Food Blog from Foodbuzz (which I am SUPER excited about btw), I have taken a little bit of a timeout to ponder a big question...what is really going on here at The Cilantropist?  I mean, what am I doing here on this little webspace I like to call home?  The analytical side of my brain has been feverishly trying to fit myself into some sort of food-blogger mold, so that I can stick a shiny new label on this blog so everyone knows exactly what they are getting.  This feels much like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole and thats not comfortable for anyone.   In contrast, the creative (and hungry) side of my brain seems say, "What's all this hooplah about?  We're having fun with this whole cooking and writing thing aren't we?  And we feel inspired!  And even better, we are eating... really eating...So lets just keep it up!"  Being a scientist, the analytical part of my brain usually wins out, but I think here I need to cave to creativity; because honestly, here on this site I am just sharing my adventures in eating well, feeding those I love, and living the good life.  And isn't that enough?   

Shredded Red Cabbage Salad with Pistachios

So.  After my less-than-appetizing, injury-inducing attempt at kicking off So Cal Summer Salads, I am here to present you with a true winner.  Oh yes, this salad is Delicious (and I meant to use that capital D). 

In fact, this salad is so delicious, that I am eating it right now as I am writing this.  And I am not eating it for the first time, or the second time; but rather, I am eating this salad for the third time in as many weeks because it is so simple to prepare, and is such a welcome departure from the norm of lettuce-based salads.  And did I mention yet that it is delicious? 

I found this recipe while paging through James Peterson's Cooking.  The recipe seemed to jump off the page at me, because I was just so shocked at seeing the bright purple cabbage combined with beautiful green pistachios.  They seemed like unlikely bedfellows there on the page (in full color photograph of course), and I was intrigued enough to try out the recipe.  It also helped that I only needed to purchase two ingredients, the cabbage and the pistachios, and I happen to adore both of them already.  Separately, of course.  I mean really, cabbage and pistachios together?  

Arugula, Fennel and Apricot Salad: Not Worth the Pain

I can't understand how it is the middle of June!  It seems like March and April were here just yesterday, and now June has snuck up on me with July in tow.  With warmer weather on its way, clothing becomes smaller and bikini season officially starts.  This means that I put on a bathing suit and instantly feel the urge to cut back on calories and desserts.  (Notice I said 'cut back' not 'cut out.'  Please, lets be real here.  No one should ever cut desserts out of their diet.)  Plus, healthy eating is always a good thing in my book, bikini season or not. 


So it was in this mindset, that I decided I would post a set of So Cal Summer Salads.  I had no real plan for this, other than that I wanted veggies, lots of them, and maybe a sprinkling of fruits, a little bit of nuts, and possibly some cheese.  Nuts and cheese can be included in my salads because they are good fats, of course. :)  As I was thinking this, fate intervened.  Almost as if on cue, the June issue of Bon Appetit appeared in my mailbox chock full of great summer salads.  Each salad looked tastier, fresher, and more colorful than the next; to me, these are the great powers of the almighty salad. 

When I was leafing through the magazine (translated: obsessively pouring over each recipe with drool running down my chin), this salad with arugula and fennel really appealed to me.  Arugula runs neck-in-neck to tie with butter lettuce as my favorite, and fennel has made a delicious debut in my life in recent years.  I wasn't entirely sure about the tangy apricots, but the lovely pale orange color is too beautiful to resist!


I bought all the ingredients to make this salad, but then decided to make an impromptu drive out to Las Vegas for the weekend to visit a good friend from college.  So naturally, I packed up all the salad stuffs, plus my trusty 7" Shun, and drove out to Sin City.  Maybe this seems weird to you, but I think most of us would agree that given the choice to cook only for ourselves, or to cook for others, the latter would undoubtedly win.   

Miso Salad with Baked Tofu

My boyfriend is in town for 6 weeks (happy dance!), so it is no surprise that the amount of sugary goodies I have been consuming has skyrocketed.  He has an insatiable sweet tooth and I can't say I have the inclination or the will power to refuse him.  In my opinion, the sure cure for this type of overindulgence is to eat a healthy meal with lots of veggies. (And then of course, reward myself for making such a nutritious choice by having a cookie for dessert.)  So in the hopes of rescuing what fitness I have left, I decided to make this Chopped Salad with Baked Tofu.  And then go out for a run.   

Avocado and Red Grapefruit Salad

With 20 pounds of grapefruits to consume from our trip out to Anza Borrego, I went in search of recipes online.  I hit up all my favorite food blogs, but for most of them, an entry of "grapefruit" in the search box came up with a short list of zero recipes.  Even searching on common cooking sites returned only a handful recipes, and many of them were not to my liking.  I quickly realized that the grapefruit seems to be the black sheep of the citrus family. 

I wonder why this fruit has such a stigma?  Though the outside of a grapefruit is often misshapen, the waxy rind always greets you with a cheerful blush and hides a jewel-like treasure of fruit within.  Even the delicate pink juice is a special treat.