Christina Shoup

Everyday Protein Smoothie

March 31, 2021 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

Another day, another smoothie in the Shoup House! After 15+ years we are still going strong with our smoothies. My kids regularly prepare a smoothie for themselves or the family, but over this past weekend I watched each of them prepare their own variety the minute they walked in the door from their respective sport or activity – it’s become second nature for them to do this. One was a cherry mango and flax blend – heavy on the Greek yogurt, another was blueberry and spinach with a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and the third was a peanut butter, banana, chia, and vanilla protein powder. All great choices!

We all have our favorites, and those change all the time, but I love that they can throw together these healthy and satisfying meals for themselves. In fact, often times the minute we get home from a trip, the first thing they do after emptying the car is to make a smoothie. It’s just part of their daily routine after so many years and variations. I just fear they’ve gotten so used to daily smoothies and the Vitamix they may be lost without one when they head to college… An excellent (crazy!) high school graduation gift perhaps? I can only imagine their smoothie bar set up in the dormroom.

My current favorite is this Everyday Protein Smoothie. It’s easy to prepare, always makes me full and satisfied and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. In fact, I drank chocolate protein powder (I love Primal Kitchen’s chocolate coconut fuel), banana, almond butter smoothies for years and years before tying a new flavor a few months ago – vanilla protein powder – and I love how versatile it is. I can add a nut butter and/or a banana like usual or I can add a bit of fruit like blueberries or blackberries, or skip the fruit altogether. Either way, it’s a healthy meal to take on the go – something we’ve been doing a lot these days as the kids’ schedules pick back up like it’s 2019!

Cheers,

Christina

Everyday smoothie without the blueberries – nice pretty green

Everyday Protein Smoothie

This is my current go to smoothie – I make this several times a week for either breakfast or lunch and it gives me all the energy I need to make it to the next meal. This is the smoothie that I can throw together when I've got 2 minutes before running out the door and it's delicious. The perfect "fast food!" Optional to add the blueberries – I probably do about half the time and I really enjoy it both ways.

Course Breakfast, Lunch

Keyword protein smoothie

Servings 1 serving

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 cup macadamia nut milk I like Milkadamia
1 big handful of fresh spinach
1 scoop vanilla protein powder I like Truvani brand
2 scoops grass-fed collagen peptides I like Vital Proteins
1 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp chia seeds
ice cubes
¼ cup frozen blueberries optional

Instructions

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.

Spring Greens with Radish, Flaked Mackerel and Toasted Walnuts

March 28, 2021 by Christina Shoup 2 Comments

“Don’t overlook the oily little fishes” -Michael Pollan, Food Rule #32

Eating FOR Health… it’s been a shift in my meal planning strategy for quite some time now and I wanted to share how I got there. I’m hoping it helps even just one person include more foods in their life that are pro-health. The kinds that make you feel good. The kinds that make you thrive!

Early on in 2020 I picked up the book, The Hormone Cure. It’s been around for awhile but wasn’t on my radar. It was recommended to me by a friend after telling her about my frequent headaches/migraines and silly aches and pains. Seems every conversation with a group of 40 and 50 somethings eventually leads to our list of grievances about getting older… for me it has been frequent headaches, low energy, unexplained joint pain and tendon injuries. In the grand scheme of things, especially in 2020, these were not much to complain about! But, I was determined to figure it out rather than go the route of my doctor who predictably prescribed medicine with a laundry list of side effects.
I learned many useful tips from that book, but then it lead me to another book, then a podcast, then another book and down the rabbit hole I went… one thing I had was TIME in 2020, and I’m so thankful I did.

After lots and lots of research, I determined that I need to ADD more to my diet rather than remove. There were some holes, things I could do better to improve my health. Once I spent some time analyzing two things: 1 – what I was eating (I needed more healthy fats and even more high quality protein than I was getting) and 2 – when I ate it (I feel 100x better when I eat later in the morning and earlier in the evening) – a few simple steps and changes made all the difference.

Notable changes included: INCREASING the good stuff – greens, fiber, high quality protein and healthy fat. Or as Kelly LeVeque refers to in her books Body Love and Body Love Everyday, the “Fab Four.” Her books made so much sense to me and were really the first ones that resonated with me regarding meal planning and balancing meals that result in being full for the right reasons – it’s a very pro-health lifestyle and way to plan and I love it. It aligns with things I was mostly already doing, (I’ve been happily planning healthy meals since 2006 so this is saying a lot!) but I found so many new ways to elevate my meals. It just makes so much sense and it really is that simple. Adding foods from these 4 categories to every single meal makes me so satiated that snacking – even the healthy kind, is rarely needed! It’s really a mindset and knowing what foods make you feel good or not. ADDING pro-health foods rather than eliminating fits into a healthy lifestyle (NOT a diet!) that’s easy to maintain and works for me. Perhaps some of this resonates with you?

You can imagine there have been some minor tweaks to our pantry, fridge and freezer, but again, it was about making sure I had the foods on hand to balance any meal I was preparing. Since I prepare nearly all the food in my house, guess who was also adding these healthy foods on a regular basis?! I have 3 kids – 1 tween and 2 teens – and they have been awesome about the tweaks. (Although recently one of my kids found a tab open on my laptop for “black bean brownies” and said that crossed the line!) Keeping them informed but not deprived is very important to me. I figured if I’m providing meals primarily from the above categories, there’s less room in their tummies for the Doritos. 🙂

The salad below is an excellent example of what a typical meal for me looks like – greens/carbs (lettuce, radish, bell pepper, herbs), fiber (garbanzo beans, obviously a good source of protein as well), protein (flaked mackerel), and healthy fats (walnuts and kalamata olives + olive oil dressing). I’m not necessarily taking away cheese (dairy), croutons (gluten), or refined sugar and oil salad dressing (ultra processed, refined ingredients), but after a bite of something this satisfying, why would I need to add anything? Plus, if I want some bread with my meal it’s going to be because I walked down to my favorite bakery, Backhaus, and picked up their Heavy Seeded Loaf or Rustic Country Bread. And I’m going to top it with some room temperature, grass-fed, salted Kerrygold butter. Yum. Nobody is being deprived here!

Cheers,

Christina

Spring Greens with Radish, Flaked Mackerel and Toasted Walnuts

This bright refreshing salad hits all the key elements of a satisfying, healthy meal for me. It's full of crisp spring radishes, toasted walnuts, creamy garbanzo beans and tossed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette – and it's simple to prepare. Avocado and summer tomatoes would be lovely additions. If you haven't tried mackerel, it's a mild fish high in omega-3's; similar in taste to tuna. Be sure to look for wild, Northern Atlantic mackerel that is low in mercury.

Course Salad

Keyword lemon vinaigrette, mackerel, spring greens

Servings 2 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

4-6 cups mixed spring greens I like to chop my leaves so everything fits on my fork
2 4 oz cans wild mackerel, drained and flaked I like Safe Catch brand
½ cup garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
½ cup radish, thinly sliced
¼ cup walnuts, toasted
¼ cup kalamata olives, sliced in half
2 tbsp chopped dill

*Lemon Apple Cider Vinaigrette

¾ cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
½ tsp honey
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Combine all salad ingredients in a medium bowl. For the dressing, combine ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well. Toss salad with just enough dressing to coat the leaves. Season your salad with a touch of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and divide between two plates.

Recipe Notes

*This vinaigrette makes enough for several salads. I highly recommend making the whole recipe and keeping it in your refrigerator for easy salads all week.

Carrot Soup with Turmeric, Ginger and Lemon

March 3, 2021 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

When I looked back on my meal calendars, I noticed that this soup was always in heavy rotation January-March. At first thought, it made total sense. January = lighter “reset” meals, February = cold month and warm soups, March = signs of spring (at least here in Northern California!) and my mind immediately goes to baby carrots straight from the ground and Easter bunnies. Most of this makes no sense because the soup is perfect year-round, it doesn’t really get that cold here and carrots are planted and harvested nearly year-round in this state. This is the year I start eating this healthy and delicious soup beyond March. Being bold in 2021!

When I worked at Flea Street Cafe as part of my internship in culinary school, I made so much soup I could do it in my sleep. I was tasked with making 16 quarts of the seasonal soup several times a week. Different seasonal vegetables, but always vegan. So, I learned a few things about the foundations of a good creamy soup, with no cream. One of the secrets is to saute a lot of onions in a good amount of olive oil, with a good amount of kosher salt and for a good amount of time. Very professional terms here. But, it makes all the difference for vegan soups. Coconut milk was often an ingredient and a high speed blender was always used.

Since then, at home I’ve made cauliflower soup, broccoli soup, carrot soup and butternut squash soup all the same way. You would never be able to tell there’s no dairy milk in these soups – so healthy and so yummy. I love to keep a small batch of soup like this one in the refrigerator for a quick lunch to go with avocado toast or a chicken salad.

I hope you give it a try and enjoy!

Cheers,

Christina

Carrot Soup with Turmeric, Ginger and Lemon

This healthy soup makes me feel like I'm at the spa – it's nourishing, comforting and full of nutritious anti-inflammatory, immune supporting ingredients. It's vegan if you skip the chicken broth, but I love getting a chance to use my homemade collagen-rich bone broth in this soup.

Course Soup

Keyword carrot, lemon, turmeric

Servings 5 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced onions about 2 onions
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper I often add a bit more
¼ tsp ground turmeric
1½ lbs carrots, sliced about 6 large carrots
1 tbsp lemon zest
4 cups broth, divided I typically use homemade chicken bone broth but low-sodium vegetable broth is a great option
½-⅔ cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
optional garnish: shredded carrot sauteed in olive oil, Aleppo pepper and coarse salt smoked Maldon is particularly delicious in this dish

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low. Add sliced onions and salt and cook until onions are very translucent, about 20 minutes.
Add ginger, garlic, cayenne and turmeric. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add carrots, lemon zest and 3 cups of the stock. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and partially cover the pot, simmering until the carrots are very tender.
Take the pot off the heat and add the remaining cup of stock. Add ½ cup of the coconut milk.
Puree the soup in batches in the blender, taking care to only fill halfway with the hot liquid. Add additional coconut milk to achieve the desired consistency.
Return soup to pot, add lemon juice and taste for seasoning. Reheat over low before serving. Garnish with shredded carrot, Aleppo pepper and coarse salt.

Swiss Chard and Spiced Sweet Potato Hash

February 27, 2021 by Christina Shoup 3 Comments

File this dish under one of my top 10 (maybe 5!) favorite things to eat. The word hash was never one of my favorite words – brings to mind a college beach camping trip where someone popped open a can of pink chopped up something (corned beef I now realize) that they called hash and put an egg on top of it. I’m not entire sure, and maybe it was good, but I didn’t eat much meat at the time and wasn’t going to ruin my trip this particular morning.

But really hash is just a dish of chopped up food things, and often uses leftovers, and it’s awesome! I’ve made it with actual corned beef, braised pork shoulder, and other amazing combos.

Sweet onions with the beautiful chard ribs and stems – never throw these away!

My favorite will probably always be a combo of greens and veggies, and this one tops one of my favorites. I love the sweetness of the onions and sweet potatoes and the deep flavor from the spices. The tomatillo sauce is something I often keep in the refrigerator for dishes just like this one, but any hot sauce works and is pretty important to balance the sweetness of the dish.

I hope you try this and love it!

Cheers,

Christina

Swiss Chard and Spiced Sweet Potato Hash

This hash is a perfect side dish to grilled or roasted chicken, pork carnitas or black beans – and one that my whole family loves. But the dish I look most forward to, is the next morning. I have a hard time coming up with a more delicious brunch dish than this hash blanketed with 2 fried eggs, tomatillo salsa, hot sauce and a sliced avocado. Heaven on a plate for this brunch loving girl!

Course Breakfast, brunch

Keyword fried eggs, spiced sweet potatoes, swiss chard

Servings 4 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

3 tbsp olive oil
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chipotle chili powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp Kosher salt

Swiss Chard and Onions

2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 large bunch of swiss chard, roughly chopped ribs and stems removed and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped

Instructions

Cook the sweet potatoes first- heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally. When they begin to get slightly tender, add the spices and continue to cook until they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Remove to a medium bowl and set aside.
Next, cook the onions and swiss chard- in the same pan heat the remaining olive oil over medium-low. Add the onions and salt, stirring occasionally until the onions are sweet and translucent. Increase the heat to medium and add the garlic and chard stems. Saute until about 2 minutes, or until the stems are no longer crisp. Add the chard leaves, stir and cover briefly while the leaves wilt.
Add spiced sweet potatoes back to the pan and gently combine. Taste for seasoning.

Power Smoothie

February 25, 2021 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

It seems running out of smoothie names is going to happen well before I run out of sharing smoothie combos that my family enjoys! As I’ve said many times before, my family loves smoothies and literally drinks one every single day. That’s a lot of smoothies over the years! I look at ones I made for them over a decade ago and I am not thrilled that I used pineapple juice, nonfat yogurt (yuck!!) and most lacked greens or healthy added fats – I’ve learned so much in the past 10+ years and I’m proud of the nutrition knowledge I’ve worked so hard to aquire, really upping the smoothie game in our house. Growing teenagers and a long healthy life for my husband and me are my motivation to keep us well nourished.

Enter – the Power Smoothie! The inspiration for this combo is from the Duo Breakfast Menu at the Four Seasons Hotel in Wailea, Maui. Many years ago my husband and I were on a solo trip (sounds so dreamy right now!) and we grabbed a smoothie before our morning hike. They offered a smoothie with almond milk, banana and spinach – a good start, but I had them add peanut butter (before I knew peanut butter hurt my stomach!), coconut flakes and ground flax meal. These ingredients definitely turned it into a real power smoothie, respectable pre-hike fuel, and one we’ve been enjoying at home for years. And today, depending on the need, I’d also add a scoop of quality protein powder to really give us a healthy boost.

I hope you try this and enjoy it as much as we do!

Cheers,

Christina

Power Smoothie

This smoothie is one of my favorites to make before a family hike, a day of skiing, kid sports or a busy day at work. It fuels our bodies with healthy fats, protein and fiber to keep us full of energy for hours – and it’s delicious.

Course Breakfast, Drinks, Snack

Keyword power smoothie

Servings 2 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter
1 frozen banana
1 handful of spinach I love using Power Greens: baby kale, spinach and chard
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 tbsp ground flax meal
1-2 pitted dates
6-8 ice cubes

Instructions

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.

Recipe Notes

For an added boost- add a scoop of your favorite protein powder. I enjoy Truvani’s Organic Plant Based Vanilla Protein Powder

Veggie and Quinoa Egg Bites

February 15, 2021 by Christina Shoup 1 Comment

Egg muffins, sous vide egg bites and similar products are popping up all over grocery stores, big box stores and coffee shops – and for good reason! They are the perfect “fast food”– a convenient and healthy breakfast option for busy people. In this version, the quinoa adds a nice protein boost to go along with those veggies. I cannot think of a better way to start the day. My family and I have been big fans for quite awhile, affectionately calling them “egg pucks”. We’ll place one between a toasted English muffin or serve with avocado slices and Truff hot sauce.

I highly recommend using silicone muffin baking trays so they are easy to pop out after baking. Egg pucks can be kept in the refrigerator for several days or frozen and reheated as needed. These are one of my favorite make ahead breakfasts to begin the week with or pack in a cooler to take out of town – recently we did just that and boy was it nice to heat these up before getting to the slopes bright and early.

I hope you try these and love them!

Cheers,

Christina

A pinch of cheese goes a long way – feta, parmesan and gruyere are my favorites

Veggie and Quinoa Egg Bites

These veggie and quinoa bites are a great way to start the day! Easily adaptable using ingredients and seasonings on hand – feel free to omit the quinoa altogether and double the veggies. Either way, it's a nutrient packed few bites and a household favorite.

Course Breakfast

Keyword egg bites, veggie and quinoa

Servings 2 dozen bites

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa see note below
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks, quartered lengthwise and sliced thinly, white and light green parts only
1 zucchini, small dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1 cup chopped spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 eggs
2 tbsp nutritional yeast optional
2 tbsp water
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp mushroom powder optional
½ tsp kosher salt
A few dashes of hot sauce
¼ cup shredded gruyere or Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°. Use silicone muffin pan or prepare two 12-cup muffin pans by spraying with nonstick cooking spray. Heat oil in a medium saute pan over medium low. Add the leeks, zucchini, bell pepper, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until tender. Add the spinach and garlic and cook until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat, add cooked quinoa and mix. Set aside and let cool while you prepare the egg mixture.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, nutritional yeast, water, garlic powder, mushroom powder, salt and hot sauce.
Fill the muffin pans with the vegetable and quinoa mixture, evenly distributing among all 24 cups. Pour the egg mixture in each muffin cup – this will fill about half way up. Top with a pinch of grated cheese. Bake for about 20-25 minutes and cook until the egg is set and pulls away from the sides.

Recipe Notes

*To make quinoa: Thoroughly rinse ½ cup of quinoa in a mesh strainer. In a small saucepan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-low and add rinsed quinoa. Stir the quinoa while it dries out and toasts for a minute or two, then add about a cup of water or desired broth and a pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and turn down heat to a bare simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork or turning it out to a sheet pan to cool.

Spiced Cauliflower with Dates and Pine Nuts

February 13, 2021 by Christina Shoup 1 Comment

With travel adventures a distant memory right now, I often find myself cooking food that reminds me of some of the wonderful places we’ve been. One of those special places was Vancouver, Canada. While on a much needed date night in the middle of a multi-leg family vacation, my husband and I stumbled on the most lovely, sexy bar at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Vancouver. As part of our “appetizers for dinner,” aka my favorite way to eat, we had the most delicious roasted cauliflower with jerk seasoning, dates and olives. After several years, I haven’t forgotten about that dish, and I’ve made several similar versions since that trip.

This spiced cauliflower dish is one of those versions and one of my favorite side dishes to serve with roasted chicken or salmon – I make it at least a few times a month and it’s a hit every time. Another way I like to enjoy this recipe is in a Mediterranean bowl that includes roasted chicken, homemade hummus, and sriracha.

One of my favorite meals: spiced cauliflower (added carrots), hummus, greens with goat cheese, sliced cucumber and roasted beets

This recipe calls for several seasonings that may not be in your spice cupboard or drawer, but are worth picking up. Berbere seasoning is a North African spice blend that is primarily made of cayenne red pepper, but also includes cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, and turmeric. Garam masala is an Indian spice blend with some similar spices as the Berbere but without the heat – I use this spice quite a bit in lentils and some curries. My favorite brand to buy these spice blends, and most of my spices for that matter, is Penzeys. We are lucky to have one in nearby Menlo Park, but their online store is also super.

I hope you love this dish as much as we do!

Cheers,

Christina

Spiced Cauliflower with Dates and Pine Nuts

This deeply flavorful side dish is perfect served with a roasted chicken as well as an excellent component of a Mediterranean grain bowl. The sweet dates are a delicious balance to the kick of the North African Berbere seasoning and the wonderful textures make this a household favorite.

Course Side Dish, vegetarian

Keyword cauliflower

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Za'atar
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp garam masala
¼ tsp Berbere seasoning
1 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
3 dates, pitted and diced
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
flake salt, such as Maldon optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450° Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the head of cauliflower into bite sized florets. Slicing through a large floret to make several smaller florets allows for a flat side of the cauliflower to caramelize nicely on the pan while roasting.
Place cauliflower, olive oil, za'atar, garam masala, berbere seasoning, turmeric and salt on the parchment lined sheet pan and toss together until well coated. Spread the cauliflower in one even layer, trying not to crowd the pan. You want it to roast and caramelize, not steam. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until cauliflower edges are deeply golden and crispy. More color equals more flavor!
Once cooked, remove from the oven and add pine nuts, dates and parsley. Toss together, adding flake salt if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Almond Butter, Banana and Chia Seed Toast

February 8, 2021 by Christina Shoup Leave a Comment

This is a “no recipe” recipe… but writing it down is a good way for me to remind myself about a great dish or send to a friend! Some time ago we were in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho and found ourselves at this darling coffee shop called Vault Coffee. They had a great toast menu and flavorful coffee and we enjoyed our breakfast so much we returned twice on our short visit.

As always, I made a note of my delicious toast and upon returning home began making it regularly. I love the subtle flavor of coconut oil spread on the warm toast and the crunchy chia seeds sprinkled on top – a satisfying meal that will keep you fuller longer than plain ‘ole buttered toast (as good as that sometimes is!)

Cheers,

Christina

Almond Butter, Banana and Chia Seed Toast

Who doesn't love toast? This healthy version is a great way to start the day or enjoy as a mid-afternoon snack. Adaptable to all kinds of breads, my go to choices are Heavy Seeded Rye Bread from my favorite local bakery, Backhaus, or Food for Life's Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Sprouted Whole Grain Bread.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Keyword toast

Servings 1 serving

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

2 slices bread, toasted
1 tsp unrefined coconut oil
2 tbsp almond butter
½ banana, sliced
1 tsp chia seeds
drizzle of honey optional

Instructions

Since the coconut oil is solid, be sure to spread immediately on the warm toasted bread. Divide the almond butter, banana slices and chia seeds among the slices. If desired, drizzle with a bit of honey and enjoy!

Quinoa Salad with Arugula, Roasted Carrots and Fennel

January 16, 2021 by Christina Shoup 1 Comment

I had the pleasure of sharing this recipe in the January issue of our sweet local magazine, Hillsborough Living. It is not only a perfect recipe for anyone trying to “reset” after the holidays, but one of my favorite salads to enjoy year round. It’s refreshing, flavorful and satisfying as a main entree all on its own. Like many of you, I’d give anything to be able to gather my friends around the table, serve this salad on a big platter, and chat the afternoon away. It’s the perfect “let’s do lunch” salad and I’m holding out hope that can happen sooner rather than later. Until then, I’m continuing to make this salad regularly to nourish my body and soul! Something we can all certainly use right now.

This salad enjoys a nice protein kick from the quinoa. I like to toast it before cooking – it brings out the nuttiness and deepens the flavor. I also like to spread the quinoa, (and most grains) on a parchment lined baking sheet to allow the steam to escape while cooling. Leaving it to cool in the pot often causes the grains to clump, making it not as easy to incorporate into the salad.

For many, fennel may not be on the list of top veggie choices, but I sure have grown fond of it. My favorite way to enjoy this licorice flavored bulb is when it is roasted – it brings out the sweetness and has the most mellow, delicious flavor. Tri-color carrots are also fun in this salad, but certainly not necessary. I do subscribe to the thought that the more colors I can get in a meal, the better – and they are easily available at the farmer’s market or Trader Joe’s.

Arugula is my favorite lettuce for this salad, but mixed baby greens, spring greens or baby kale are all delicious as well. Feta or goat cheese are great choices for a tangy bite, but shaved parmesan is also a nice option. And right now, with meyer lemons in season, it’s my citrus of choice for vinaigrettes. I hope you enjoy this very versatile and healthy salad as much as I do!

Cheers,

Christina

Quinoa Salad with Arugula, Roasted Carrots and Fennel

This is one of my favorite salads to make all the components for ahead of time. It takes just minutes to assemble and enjoy for lunch or dinner all week long. It's inspired by one of our favorite local restaurants, 31st Union, and I order a similar salad every time I dine there. It's a nutritious and satisfying salad on its own, but it's delicious with roasted salmon on top for a boost of added protein.

Course Salad

Keyword arugula, fennel carrot, quinoa

Servings 4 servings

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

½ cup quinoa
1 cup water or broth
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 fennel bulb, halved, cored and sliced into ¼" slices
5 medium carrots, peeled, cut half, then into ¼" sticks
3 tbsp olive oil
5 ounces arugula
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Lemon Vinaigrette

2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400° Place carrots and fennel on a rimmed baking sheet and toss evenly with olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden and tender, about 25 minutes.
Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse under running water until the water runs clear, 1 to 2 minutes. Add rinsed quinoa to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Quinoa will dry out and then after a few minutes will smell nutty and turn slightly golden. Add water or broth and a pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Take off heat and spread on a parchment lined sheet pan to cool.
To make the vinaigrette, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.
To assemble, combine cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables and arugula in a large bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to coat the leaves. Add feta cheese and toasted pine nuts and gently combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at room temperature.

Candy Cane Crisps

December 17, 2020 by Christina Shoup 1 Comment

Many years ago when I was away at college, I received the most delicious care package – these cookies! My brother’s girlfriend, now wife of over 20 years, sent me a box of these for a Valentine’s treat. How sweet is that? As delicate as these cookies seem, I can personally attest that they hold up quite nicely when shipped. And with so many loved ones not being able to get together this year, what a nice surprise these would be!

The cookies begin in a ball, then smashed with a thumb, before getting a sprinkling of crushed candy cane (or peppermint candies) – a fun project with kids! These babies spread, so be sure to leave ample room between cookies.

After baking until just barely golden around the outside, these cookies need a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack. Once they spend a little time here, they get crispy on the outside and bottom, while maintaining a wonderful chewiness in the middle. A wonderful cross between a butter cookie and a shortbread with a perfect peppermint crunch.

Cheers,

Christina

Candy Cane Crisps

This delicate, chewy, yet crispy butter cookie has the perfect amount of peppermint. The quick oats are a unique ingredient, but key to providing some needed structure to this easy to make cookie. This is an adapted recipe from my sister-in-law, and I am grateful! They have been a favorite of mine for several decades and are a delicious holiday staple in my home.

Course Dessert

Keyword candy cane cookies, peppermint

Servings 2 dozen

Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar plus additional ½ cup for coating
1⅓ cup flour
1 cup quick oats
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup coarsely crushed candy cane plus 2 tbsp for topping
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp peppermint extract

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine flour, oats, salt and crushed candy cane. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar. Scrape the bowl. Add the vanilla and peppermint extract and mix until combined. Add flour mixture and mix until well combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
Transfer cookie dough to refrigerator for 30 minutes for the dough to set up, making scooping and rolling much easier.
Preheat oven to 325°. Add remaining ½ cup powdered sugar to a shallow bowl. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and scooping out a scant tablespoon of dough, rolling into a ball, then into the powdered sugar to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet with plenty of room for cookies to spread. Smash a thumbprint on each cookie and fill with a pinch of crushed candy cane.
Bake cookies until barely lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Be sure to let cool on a baking sheet for a few minutes so these delicate cookies can set up a bit before transferring them to a cooling rack.