Let’s do something new with those delicious spring asparagus spears. How about asparagus with a kick?  Think Chipotle chili peppers whisked with mustard and lime juice, drizzled over those cooked, steaming, green stems of summer.

Between this Southwestern Asparagus and an eastern-inspired Napa Cabbage and Spinach Salad you’ll nearly have a complete meal, with money left over for dessert.

Produce Possibilities brings you new ways to prepare veggies each week, at a discounted price. Stop by on Saturday 3pm-6pm to see the recipe come together and, of course, have a taste.

Don’t miss this exciting new recipe at our demo kiosk on Saturday, April 10 between 3:00 and 5:00 pm.!

One of the many great recipes from the book "Clean Food" by Terry Walters is featured; you can sample, take home a recipe and make it yourself. Most ingredients are specially sale-priced this week! Buy the book for more tantalizing recipes! Sign up at the demo kiosk to order your copy.

The chopped salad is comprised of a creative, interesting  mix of asparagus, endives, watercress, cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives to name a few. Add the shallot poppy seed dressing to the ingredients, toss and voila! You can serve the salad with an easy, tasty, marinated grilled chicken for a full meal or any other meat or fish of your choosing, as this salad adapts well.

Chopped Salad with Shallot Poppy Seed Dressing (Clean Food) with Marinated Grilled Chicken

“This colorful and cooling salad features a variety of tastes, including fresh asparagus, bitter greens, creamy avocado and salty olives to yield a delightful dish that is always a crowd pleaser. It pairs nicely with grilled chicken or fish.”

Ingredients
8 stalks asparagus
1 avocado
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 heads endive, chopped
2 bunches watercress, chopped
1 head radicchio, chopped
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped

Dressing
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Garnish
1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Bend each piece of asparagus near the tough dried end until it snaps off at its natural breaking point. Discard ends, wash asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place in bowl. Bring 3 cups water to boil. Pour over asparagus, let sit 1 minute, then drain.
Cut avocado in half and remove pit. Scoop out flesh, cut into chunks and toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.
In a large bowl, combine asparagus, avocado and all remaining salad ingredients. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine all dressing ingredients except poppy seeds and whisk by hand or with handheld blender. Stir in poppy seeds.
Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve.

Serves 8 as a side salad

Recipe reprinted with permission from Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., copyright Clean Food 2010 by Terry Walters.

Marinated Grilled Chicken

Boneless skinless chicken breasts (one per serving)
1 bottle Annie’s Naturals Green Garlic Dressing

Place chicken in a gallon resealable bag and pour half of the dressing over the chicken and squeeze as much air out as you can and seal it. Let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. Grill chicken by searing it on high for 1-2 minutes per side then on low heat cook for 10 -15 minutes per side. Pour some dressing in a small bowl and right before taking off the grill, brush each side with generous amounts of the dressing. Serve with side salad and enjoy!
 

Join us at our demo kiosk anytime between 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 20 for a taste of this dish!

Eat like a king or queen tonight!  We have a new, fresh way to combine healthy greens, wild salmon and forbidden rice! The salmon is cooked in coconut milk and flavored with traditional Thai spices, Kaffir lime leaves and ginger. Your choice of greens, such as kale, collards, mustard, dandelion or swiss chard are in in our simple Garlicky Braised Greens recipe, a recipe suitable to make even for the inexperienced cook. If you are not familiar with greens, start with kale, as it has a milder taste. Serve the salmon and greens alongside black forbidden rice, which was once truly "forbidden" as it was considered the Emperor’s rice and no one else was permitted to eat it. 

Thai Salmon and Garlicky Braised Greens
Serves 2 (large portions) or 4 (small portions)

For the fish:
2 small shallots, chopped
1 large lime, halved
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp. slivered ginger root
13.5 oz coconut milk
1/2 C. vegetable or chicken stock
2 Tbsp. soy sauce or fish sauce
1 small jalapeno, seeds removed and chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 lbs salmon filet, skinned and cubed
1/2 C. fresh basil (Thai, if possible), coarsely chopped

For the rice:
1 C. black forbidden rice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 Tbsp. onion, minced
1 3/4 C. boiling water
1/4 tsp. salt

To cook rice: In a 1 quart sauce pan heat the oil over medium flame, add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, making sure not to color. Stir in rice and coat with oil until rice is hot. Stir in salted boiling water. Simmer, covered with a lid, over low heat for 30 minutes, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a 4-quart pot, combine the shallots, lime halves, lime leaves, garlic and ginger, coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce or soy sauce, and jalapeno and bell peppers. Heat to a simmer. Cut the salmon in 1-inch pieces, and when the peppers are tender, add the salmon cubes. Simmer gently for 3-5 minutes, cut a piece of salmon in half to test for doneness. Check to see if the broth needs more fish/soy sauce. Just before you take the pot off the heat, add the basil leaves. Scoop some forbidden rice in each serving bowl, and ladle stew over the top.

Garlicky Braised Greens with Balsamic Vinegar and Capers
Serves 2

4 cloves garlic, peeled
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. capers, drained
1 lb greens (kale, collards, mustard, dandelion or swiss chard)stemmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
Black pepper to taste
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Use a heavy knife turned on its side to first crush each garlic clove, then slice each clove in half. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes, stirring until it begins to brown. Add capers, and continue stirring for another minute. Add greens, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of water. Keep the greens moving as they wilt, then turn the heat down and cover the pot. Let the greens cook for a few minutes. Just before serving, remove the cover and turn up the heat to cook off any remaining liquid. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar, and serve hot.