Ah, arugula! This bold green livens up any dish it’s in. Nicknamed “Garden Rocket,” it grows fast, almost like a weed in our northwest climate.

Well, weed or not, this tasty leaf is full of great health benefits. Just 4 ounces of this green is just 25 calories – wow! It’s also full of vital antioxidants and vitamins – 3 cups gives you 100% of your daily vitamin K needs!

Arugla’s taste is nutty and peppery. Try it tucked into sandwiches, or tossed in a little olive oil and scattered over a sexy cheese pizza. This tasty green also complements meat and seafood beautifully. It makes a perfect bed for a piece of grilled fish or steak.

Of course, it’s great in salads like in my Baby Arugula, Orange & Fennel Salad with Grilled Shrimp & White Balsamic Vinaigrette. It’s also a delicious add-in to a homemade pesto recipe for a robust, peppery edge!

So get your arugula on and dig into this peppery green that’s so good for you! – Kathy

Photo from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books.

Baby Arugula, Orange & Fennel Salad with Grilled Shrimp and White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Makes 6 to 8 servings

Shrimp
1 Tbsp undiluted orange juice concentrate
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp minced orange zest
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp minced shallots
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp minced fennel fronds
1 Tbsp fennel seed, toasted and crushed
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 lbs large raw shrimp (32 to 40)

Salad
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed
6 oranges or tangerines
6 cups baby arugula
2 heads baby frisée, torn, rinsed and spun dry
White Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

To marinate the shrimp, whisk all the ingredients, except the shrimp, in a large bowl. Peel, devein, and remove tails of the shrimp then add them to the marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

To prepare the salad, finely shave the fennel bulbs with a sharp knife or a mandoline and crisp in ice water for 10 minutes. Spin dry before using. Cut the peel off the oranges, trim away all the white pith, then cut the fruit into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Flick out any seeds. (If prepared ahead, refrigerate the fennel and orange slices separately, for up to 2 hours.)

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill, or preheat a gas grill to high. Grill the shrimp until just pink and done, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, toss the arugula, frisée, fennel, and oranges with enough of the vinaigrette to coat nicely—taste for flavor, adding more dressing if needed.

Serve the salad on a large platter or divide among individual plates, arrange the shrimp on top, and drizzle with a little extra dressing, if desired.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette
The vinaigrette keeps, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 2 cups

1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp minced shallots
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup undiluted orange juice concentrate
Pinch of red pepper flakes, or 1 Tbsp harissa paste
2 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp fennel seed, toasted and ground
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped fennel fronds

In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, shallots, mustard, and juice concentrate. Whisk in the pepper flakes, salt, pepper to taste, and fennel seed. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly to emulsify. Stir in the fennel fronds. If made ahead, refrigerate until shortly before needed, then rewhisk before using.

Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books.

Cinnamon has a spicy history. Wars were fought over trading rights and Ancient Romans paid more for cinnamon than its weight in gold!

Fresh cinnamon sticks from World Spice Merchants at Pike Place!

It has been used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine for its warming qualities to provide relief at the beginning of a cold or flu, especially when mixed in tea with fresh ginger.

Today everybody’s spice rack has a jar of ground cinnamon lying around. It’s a must for all those recipes that are oh-so-American from apple pie to cinnamon rolls to snicker doodles. We love our cinnamon!

But it’s not only used for sweets. It flavors all TYPES of foods from Greek eggplant moussaka and spicy Indian curries to Mexican hot chocolate and Middle Eastern pastries. Cinnamon adds a warming touch to Garam Masala, a spice mix with cloves, cardamom and cumin used in finishing vegetables and meat dishes.

I also love it in couscous dishes and even in a sultry Spiced Vinaigrette on a salad. Cinnamon Scented Basmati Rice will change how you cook rice forever!

One thing to remember ground cinnamon only lasts for about 6 months, and cinnamon sticks stay fresh for about a year. Keep your spice jars tightly sealed and in a cool spot.

Keep things spicy with a hint of cinnamon! – Kathy

Spiced Vinaigrette
Makes 1 cup

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
4 tsp. light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger

Combine vinegar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, spices, and salt in mixing bowl, whisking well.

Gradually whisk in olive oil, emulsifying the dressing. Whisk in minced ginger. Let sit 8 hours or longer before using.

Store extra dressing refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com

Cinnamon Scented Basmati Rice
Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 cup basmati rice, rinsed and drained well
3 Tbsps. butter
3/4 cup 1/4-inch-diced onion
1 cinnamon stick, cracked in half
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
Small pinch cayenne
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon (or lime) juice
1 1/2 tsp. minced lemon (or lime) zest
2 Tbsps. cream
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsps. thinly sliced chives

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Place the very well-drained rice in a 1 1/2-quart baking dish.

Melt the butter in a nonstick or heavy saucepan. Add the onion and cinnamon stick and sauté over medium heat until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the cayenne, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, cream, and salt, and bring to a boil.

Stir the mixture into the rice, being sure to scrape up and include all the goodies. Seal tightly with foil and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork before serving, then fold in the chives.

Recipe adapted from Dishing with Kathy Casey Cookbook.

Who would have thought that carrots would be the next “it” veggie?

Nowadays, the quintessential orange carrot we have come to love has close competition with some unexpectedly colorful varieties. Typically found at your local farmer’s market, these beautiful heirlooms come in wonderful shades of purple, ruby, yellow and white.

I like to pick-up a bundle of fresh heirloom carrots, rub them with some olive oil and flavorful seasoning like Duqqa; an aromatic Egyptian mixture of toasted nuts and seeds like hazelnuts, sesame seeds, coriander and cumin, or Harissa then roast them in a hot oven and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a scattering of fresh cilantro. The roasting brings out the sweetness and the spices really compliment the carrot flavor. Oh and don’t be afraid to char the carrots a little – they can handle it – yum!

Of course we all enjoy carrots as the perfect snack too, sweet and satisfyingly crunchy – they are filled with antioxidants, Vitamin A and C, beta-carotene, minerals, fiber and so much more yet are still a low calorie treat. For a great appetizer, try roasting and pureeing carrots with garlic and lemon for a simple carrot hummus or blending them into a gingery salad dressing!

Besides baking into a sweet carrot cake, or roasting with warm spices, I also love drinking carrot juice too! Because of their bright color and sweet flavor, I love adding fresh carrot juice to citrusy drinks like lemon – or limeades, sparkling water, and of course, cocktails.

Whether you are roasting, baking, juicing, or snacking – carrots are one veggie that won’t ever let you down. – Kathy

Harissa Roasted Carrots

Serves 4

12 heirloom carrots peeled and split in half, leaving about an inch of stem.
3 – 4 Tbsp Moroccan Harissa Paste
2 Tbsp Olive Oil plus more for drizzling
6 – 8 oz of Greek Yogurt
Finishing Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Combine the Harissa paste with the olive oil in a small bowl and mix together until well combined. Toss the carrots in the harissa mixture until nicely coated then add to a roasting pan, being sure carrots are evenly separated and not overlapping. Roast the carrots for 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender and have a nice char to your liking.

Once you are ready to serve, plate the carrots and dollop with Greek yogurt. I like serving this with warm couscous, drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkling of finishing salt.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Honey Mint Carrot Collins

Makes 1 cocktail
1 1/2 ounces gin
3/4 ounce Honey Mint Syrup (recipe follows)
3/4 ounce fresh pressed carrot juice
3/4 ounce fresh squeezed Sunkist Lemon juice
————————————
1 ounce chilled Perrier
Garnish: Fresh Origins Micro Carrot and Micro Mint

Measure gin, Honey Mint Syrup and juices into a mixing glass. Fill with ice, cap and shake vigorously. Pour drink into a Collins glass and top with soda. Garnish.

Honey Mint Syrup
Makes about 10 ounces
8 sprigs fresh mint
3/4 cup clover honey
3/4 cup water

Combine ingredients in small saucepan. On medium-high heat, bring liquid to a boil while siring to combine well. Immediately reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let steep for 45 minutes. Strain and store refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®