No, this is not a January Detox post

I hate January, and the forced “I'm on a diet” stance everyone usually takes. I went out to get lunch yesterday, and the salad counter had about 30 people in line, and the other counters had zero (actually, I don’t hate that part, no waiting in line for me). I know we eat more sweets in December than we probably do the rest of the year, but does that mean you have to eat lettuce for the duration of January? Isn’t that the reason everyone looks miserable in January? And do these detoxes ever work, or just make you depressed? Can anyone stand it long enough to lose weight, and actually keep it?  



I've never been able to diet for more than 24 hours, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to incorporate healthy foods into my diet. My motto is as long as you are adding vegetables and fruits to your meals, you are allowed to keep your hearty dishes and after dinner treats. I usually have a salad with my meals at home, and not the watery iceberg and cucumber kind. I add cheese, and nuts, and all those healthy but good things. I also like making them from raw vegetables, other than green lettuce. I find that they are crunchier, and make me feel like I'm not eating just empty calories. Actually, I think I'm beginning to like kale more when it's raw than it's cooked! You can work with a lot of different vegetables, but the formula is basically the same. A simple dressing of lemon juice and olive oil, add some cheese, maybe some nuts, and you are done! They take 5 minutes to prepare, and you don’t have to dirty up pots and pans just so you can get your veggies in.  

 Please don’t roll your eyes, I know what you’re thinking. I used to be just like you, raw brussel sprouts? I never would have thought to make it until one day one of my friends ordered it as a condiment to our meat and cheese platter from the daily antipasto menu at Eataly. I couldn’t believe how refreshing it was until I took a bite. The cabbage like taste which makes them heavy when cooked was totally gone. It was like a salad, but more substantial. I looked for recipes online immediately that week, and realized that I could recreate it with ingredients I already had at my pantry!

But even then, I didn’t turn into a raw vegetable salad eater right away. I figured Brussels sprouts were sort of the exception. For a long time, I avoided the dish labeled “World Famous Kale Salad” at the City Bakery lunch buffet. I just wasn't that interested, but somehow decided to take a little onto my plate on a random Wednesday. The next week I took a little bit more, and then by the third week my plate was just the kale salad.

And last but not least, I got introduced to the the zucchini carpaccio. That took a lot of courage to try. It didn’t look like a salad, and I was nervous about ordering it. I probably would never had if it wasn't on the prie fix lunch menu at Fig&Olive. I figured, well even if it sucks, I have an entrée on the way. And it was the most delicious part of the meal.  

So now I present to you my at home versions of these restaurant raw vegetable salads---I promise it's back to indulgent meals and desserts next week (spoiler: maybe even a crepe cake!)

Brussels Sprout Salad with Shaved Parmesan, Inspired by an Antipasto dish at Eataly

Ingredients:

3 cups of Brussels sprouts
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado
Shaved parmesan, 1/4 cup


Directions:

Remove the first layer of outer leaves of the brussels sprouts (the tough and bruised ones). Cut off a thin part of the root (the dark part). Cut the brussels sprouts as thinly as you can with a sharp knife and separate the slices (you can alternatively grate them, or use a mandolin). It helps to have bigger brussels sprouts to do this.

Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss the Brussels sprouts and the dressing in a big bowl. Dice the avocado, and add it to the bowl along with the parmesan. Toss to combine.

Kale Salad with Hazelnuts, Red Onions, and Shaved Pecorino, Inspired by City Bakery's World Famous Kale Salad

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale
Half a red onion
1/4 cup hazelnuts
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup shaved Pecorino Romano

Directions:

Shred the kale with a sharp knife. Slice the red onion very thinly. Put in a big bowl.

Put the hazelnuts in a small pan. Stir until toasted, 4-5 minutes. Remove and put in a kitchen towel. Rub until the skins come off. Chop roughly, and add to the bowl. 

Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, add to the salad bowl and toss to combine. Let it marinade for 15 minutes or so. Add the shaved Pecorino Romano and serve. 

Zucchini Carpaccio, Inspired by Fig&Olive's Version

Ingredients:

1/4 cup hazelnuts (pine nuts would be great here too, that's how they served it at Fig&Olive)
1 zucchini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 ounce feta cheese

Directions:


Put the hazelnuts in a small pan. Stir until toasted, 4-5 minutes. Remove and put in a kitchen towel. Rub until the skins come off. Chop roughly.

Slice the zucchini very thinly. You can use a mandolin, a sharp knife, or the widest grater of a box grater like I did. If the zucchini seems too wet, place on paper towls to absorb the juices a little. Place them in a big bowl, or a serving plate. Drizzle the olive oil, and lemon juice on top. Let it marinate for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle the lemon zest, hazelnuts, the chopped herbs, and the feta cheese before serving.