Raw food reinterpreted into 11 mouthwatering recipes.

I used to think that raw foodism was reserved for the kind of girl who only eats salads.

Nevertheless, the raw food movement has always intrigued me. Raw foodies claim that eating unprocessed plant-based foods in their natural state provides the body with more nutrients, leads to more energy, and has the power to cure disease. Critics dispute the science behind these claims, saying that a diet consisting solely of raw food can lead to nutritional deficiency.

Whichever line you believe, embracing a diet with more natural greens can’t be bad, when done right. And it turns out, there’s more to raw food than just salads. This week’s Foodspotting Friday highlights 11 dishes, including takes on pizza, tacos, and chocolate cake, that are hearty, substantial, and haven’t been anywhere near a stove.

(above) Veggie in a Flaxseed Cone @ RawDaddy’s

Raw Lasagne @ Pure Food & Wine

Bruschetta @ Kensho

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse @ Cru Organic Raw Food Restaurant

Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Truffle Shallot Cashew Cheese @ Pure Food & Wine

Raw Vegan Sushi @ Rasayana Raw Food Café

Soft Shell Tacos @ Live Organic Food Bar

Chia Seed Pudding @ Quintessence Restaurant

Maui Waui Pizza @ Gorilla Food

Nori Rolls @ Bonobo’s Real Food Restaurant

Raw Chocolate Hemp Seed Pie @ Gorilla Food

In Foodspotting Friday we highlight one of Foodspotting’s – or our own – top picks from our Foodspotting guides. Be sure to check them out and tip us off to your own favorites in our Readers’ Picks guide. Want to start spotting food on your own? Join Foodspotting and take part in the food spotting revolution. It’s visual, it’s positive, it’s global and we are in love with it.

Images: james, FrancesRenHuang, Heather Park (x2), Sarah Cooley, allen wolf, MountainCatKing, Meng, cynspiredbyfood, SweetOnVeg

Many of us would like to lose weight or at least maintain our weight, which can be particularly challenging during the holidays. Thanksgiving dinner is one thing, but then friends start bringing by the requisite homemade holiday fare – banana bread, gingerbread cookies, and peanut brittle to name a few. It’s not surprising that many of us start feeling weighted down, low in energy and spirits from all those buttery and sugary (mind you, delicious) snacks. (I’m partial to those little miniature pecan pies- which are deliciously dangerous.)

Let’s face it – we need to counter-balance all this rich wonderfulness. And what better way to boost your metabolism and your mood than to make it a habit to eat a salad for lunch or dinner all winter long? I’ve gathered together a list of 12 salad recipes that incorporate metabolism-boosting ingredients to help us all offset the mound of tasty treats that’s certain to grow over the coming weeks.

1. Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

Grapefruit is an excellent way to spur the metabolism. Luckily, winter ’tis the season for citrus fruits, so now’s the time to embrace these flavor bombs. Avocado is a “good fat” option, and paired with grapefruit over a bed of watercress, you’re bound to feel satisfied. (And satisfaction is key to healthy options.) Try this recipe: Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing.

2. Fennel and Citrus Salad

I’ve made this incredibly flavorful and zesty Fennel and Citrus Salad recipe from the NY Times on numerous occasions. It’s also great for entertaining.

3. Spinach, Apple and Pecan Salad

As the old saying goes (and Rule #26 in Michael Pollan’s book, Food Rules): “Drink the Spinach Water.” Spinach, like most dark, leafy greens, will have your metabolism humming along in no time. Plus, it’s packed with anti-oxidants and loads of other vitamins. What’s not to love. This Spinach, Apple and Pecan Salad combines the value of spinach with apple- another known booster.

4. Classic Spinach Salad

The classic Spinach Salad includes boiled egg, and eggs are also considered a good way to speed up the metabolism. This classic recipe includes bacon, which if you’re worried about the extra calories, you could leave out, or simply reduce the amount you include. After all, a little bacon goes a long way.

5. Kale Caesar Salad with Anchovies

If you’re feeling adventurous, try this Kale Caesar Salad with Anchovies. I was once skeptical of kale “salad” until I had the occasion to try one at Bar Tartine in San Francisco. The key is a punchy dressing to counter the potential bitterness of the kale. This grilled kale version looks like a great healthy and hearty option.

6. Baby Spinach Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts, Pear and Parmesan

Not to overkill on the spinach, but I couldn’t resist including this recipe for Baby Spinach Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts, Pear and Parmesan from Food52 as it looks like such a great variation. Pear much like apple is supposed to kick the metabolism in high gear.

7. Green Leaf Lettuce, Pomegranate, and Almond Salad

Raise your body’s metabolism with almonds’ essential fatty acids in this Green Leaf Lettuce, Pomegranate and Almond Salad from Epicurious.

8. Spinach and Bibb Lettuce Salad with Apple, Almonds and Creamy Lemon Dressing

Spinach, apples and almonds, oh my! This Spinach and Bibb Lettuce Salad recipe from Food and Wine is a triple metabolism speed racer rescue. Note: the dressing does call for a tablespoon of mayonnaise, which I’m personally not a big fan of. However, if you had some homemade aioli at home, now that would be something else.

9. Romaine, Radish, and Cucumber Salad with Tahini Dressing

Cucumber is a hydrating, low calorie, vitamin-rich vegetable. Paired with radish, and you’ll be feeling fine in no time. This Romaine, Radish and Cucumber Salad recipe is originally from Gourmet magazine.

Mâche Salads

I hear mâche is the new foodie green. Try any of these three mâche salads to keep your energy high. If you can’t find mâche, feel free to use watercress (of the same family) or arugula.

10. Mâche Salad with Persimmons, Pomegranate Seeds and Spiced Nuts

The Organic Authority website has this Mâche Salad with Persimmons, Pomegranate Seeds and Spiced Nuts recipe that sounds intriguing. To keep things simple, substitute toasted pecans or walnuts for the “candied spiced nuts.” Or go big! Spicy nuts are festive.

If you’re not sure what’s up with persimmons, this post might shed some light on the matter.

11. Mâche with Feta and Beet Salad

Beets are linked to many health benefits – lowered blood pressure and cholesterol for starters. Sounds like a good holiday-food-corrective to me! I might substitute freshly boiled or roasted beets for the pickled in this Mâche with Feta and Beet Salad recipe. Then again, if you can pick up some pickled beets from a Brooklyn market, than I’m not one to argue.

12. Mâche Salad with Creole Vinaigrette

There’s also this simple, but interesting sounding Mâche Salad with Creole Vinaigrette from Epicurious that looks worth investigating.

Images: TheDeliciousLife, dailyfood, stu_spivack, ccharmon, nick kindelsperger, jules:stonesoup, dumbonyc, pizzodisevo, Becoming Green, House of Sims, michael_reuter, mynarmeisharsha

Perhaps I could traverse the menus of restaurants in our favorite cities to see what’s hot or not. Remember when dandelion greens were all the rage, and wild nettles were obligatory pizza toppings? Then I actually began researching menus, and the (not-so-surprising) favorites turned out to be the classic standards – romaine, arugula, mixed greens and spinach. But what about those other greens that show up on one’s plate at gourmet establishments and foodie havens?

In the end, I couldn’t help but take a look at a large swath of greens in the garden patch. Ultimately, foodie green inspiration should mainly come from the freshest, seasonal greens that can be found. Without further ado, let’s review.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

1. Watercress

Watercress gets high marks from me. Why? It may stem from the fact that my local corner market sells it in its entirety – leaves and roots in water – so it’s absolutely fresh when I’m ready to use it. I can pull it from the fridge and cut the stems as though it were from my garden outside. Also, watercress is “leafy” enough to feel like a salad, but “stemmy” enough to look fancy.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

2. Arugula

What’s not to love about arugula? OK, it’s true, it might seem too “spicy” for some, and it can get bitter if it’s not picked when the leaves are still young. Still, come ON, it’s so versatile, and oh-so-tasty! Plus, it’s incredibly easy to grow yourself. Here’s a recipe for an arugula salad with cherry tomatoes, fresh corn and carrots.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

3. Little Gem Lettuce

Little gem lettuce could be described as a combination of romaine (crispy) and butterleaf (sweet). It’s smaller and more tender than romaine. Often when served in restaurants the focus is on each leaf standing alone in all its magnificence paired with carefully selected complements, such as cheese, nuts or fruit. Other times, the head of the lettuce is sliced in half lengthwise and served on a plate thus.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

4. Mâché

Mâché, also sometimes referred to as Lamb’s Lettuce (and also corn salad or field lettuce), has European origins and is usually found in the springtime. It’s pronounced “mosh,” and is often sold bunched with its roots, much like watercress. For a plethora of mâché inspired salads, check out epicroots.com.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

5. Mesclun Mix

Staple, staple, staple. The term “mesclun mix” originates from Southern France and is a mix of tender, baby greens. Nowadays, you’ll probably find this as simply “mixed greens” at the grocery store. Mesclun mix does sound much more exotic than mixed greens, though, doesn’t it? At least, to those of us without French connections. I like to think a true mesclun mix would be of a wilder variety than what’s sold in most markets today.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

6. Looseleaf Lettuce

Always lovely, lovely, lovely. Red and green lettuces with larger leaves than mixed greens. Best from the farmers’ market. (But then again, what isn’t?)

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

7. Radicchio

Radicchio is a red leafed, Italian variety of chicory. Its leaves are somewhat bitter, so the leaves are often grilled or served wilted. The raw leaves are often chopped and added to other salad greens for color and crunch.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

8. Mizuna

Now this is something I could get excited about. Mizuna is described as mildly peppery on par with mustard greens. It is often mixed with other greens. Tatsoi makes a favorite pairing. I’m thinking this is a good candidate for growing in your own garden. Petaluma Seed Bank (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds), here I come.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

9. Tatsoi

An Asian green that grows well in winter and can be eaten raw or cooked. The Asian version of spinach, if you will.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

10. Baby Spinach

Spinach salad. So healthy. So tasty. Kitchn food blog rounds up 7 versions of spinach salad here.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

11. Dandelion Greens

Dandelion Greens. I thought these were going to get a lot more play when perusing restaurant menus. I feel like their hey-day came and went. Strange considering what promise they seem to offer. Dandelion greens are apparently the most nutritious of any greens offering up more vitamins than broccoli. These bitter leaves can be eaten raw, but are often lightly sauteed and served wilted. Traditionally a part of the mesclun mix and more favored in France from what I hear.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

12. Frisée

I’m going to publicly admit this – I’m not a big fan of frisée, a curly endive in the chicory family. Many of you may beg to differ, but it’s more of a nuisance in my mind. I’ll begrudgingly allow it can look pretty and adds a different texture when mixed in with other greens. But really, it’s more decoration than sustenance. And it’s hard to eat. I suppose I’ll come around eventually. I usually do. But I’m still waiting for the revelation. Inspiration, anyone?

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

13. Butterleaf Lettuce

Admittedly, a favorite of mine. Especially in the springtime. Crunchy, yet tender and sweet.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• »

• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14

14. Peashoots

True, pea shoots are mostly a garnish. But they could be mixed into a salad too. And they’re just so cute and adorable, fresh and young.

Images: startcooking kathy & amandine, Girl Interrupted Eating, GottaEat!, Bob Duran, Girl Interrupted Eating, balise42, thebittenword.com, thebittenword.com, smittenkitchen, MMChicago, Food Blogga, thebittenword.com, yumsugar, foodistablog, kthread

I can’t believe how quickly my deck garden has flourished! The lettuce, arugula and cilantro are going off. I realized it was high time to make use of these wonderful vegetables to make way for the next round of growth. What better than a spring salad breakfast?

A poached egg was the logical accompaniment. Even better if you have fresh eggs from the farmer’s market. I started by boiling some water (about 2-inches in depth) in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt and splash of vinegar.

Meanwhile, I picked a few leaves off the biggest plants, along with a couple new small spring onions, cleaned them thoroughly and arranged them on a plate. A light vinaigrette was in order. I whisked together two tablespoons of olive oil, a splash of white balsamic vinegar and a few drops of lemon juice with a fork and drizzled it over the greens.

By now, the water was boiling. I turned it down very low, so it was at a bare simmer, cracked an egg into a separate bowl and then carefully slid the egg into the water to poach for five minutes.

I decided to add a few sliced Kalamata olives with the salad. When the egg was ready, I scooped it out with a slotted spoon and carefully laid it amongst the greens. A dusting of kosher salt, ground pepper and Parmesan was the perfect finish. Delicious!

Sarah filled us in on the details about escarole earlier this week. I love escarole because it’s crunchy and refreshing like lettuce when served raw, but it has a little bit of bitterness to keep things interesting – though not as much as some greens. It’s equally at home braised or sautéed with beans, bacon or sausage for a hearty winter meal.

Here’s a recipe for a wonderful salad that you will be happy to eat all winter long and even into spring.

Escarole Salad with Oranges and Spiced Pecans

Serves 6

You’ll need:

1 pound tender, organic escarole leaves (1 large head)
3 organic navel oranges, peel and pith cut off, sectioned
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon local honey
2 tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar
7 tablespoons mild flavored vegetable oil
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup spiced pecans

To make:

Wash and dry the greens and place them in a large bowl with the orange sections. Set aside.

Combine the shallots, lemon juice, honey, and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the oil in slowly while whisking until the dressing is well blended. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss the greens and oranges with the pecans (you may want to reserve some to garnish the plated salads) and the dressing. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Recipe Copyright 2009 Vanessa Barrington

Image: Health

We’ve been talking about the health and environmental effects of our heavy reliance on soy in processed foods, in our diets, and for use in biofuels. But not all soy is bad. It has been enjoyed healthfully in moderation in Asian cuisines for a long time. Two weeks ago we provided a recipe for tofu lettuce wraps. Here’s another healthy take on soy – this time, miso.

Miso is a traditional soy product made by fermenting soybeans with a grain – usually rice or barley. It contains beneficial bacteria, making it good for the digestion. It is also very flavorful and salty and it has a variety of culinary applications. In Japan it is most often used to make miso soup and to pickle vegetables. I like to whisk together a quick dressing with miso and use it in a variety of dishes.

This dressing is fantastic on a plain green or spinach salad. Try adding caramelized nuts and orange segments.

Miso-Sesame Dressing
Makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red or white miso
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
A couple shakes of your favorite Asian chili sauce

To make:
Whisk together all the ingredients and use or refrigerate. Will keep for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Here are a few other ideas to get you started cooking with miso:

- Drizzle over steamed asparagus
- Drizzle over steamed, grilled or baked fish
- Make a salad with cabbage, tofu, sprouts, mushrooms, and carrots
- Make a salad with leafy greens, canned wild salmon, avocado and steamed potatoes
- Toss warm grains like barley or quinoa with miso dressing and add steamed kale, seaweed, and other vegetables
- Toss rice or soba noodles with tofu or seafood, green onions, and seaweed
- Marinate fish in the dressing before baking or grilling

Image: dizznbonn