Jicama Mango Salad

I've been on a salad kick these days & decided to play with some jicama.. and since this is relatively new ingredient for me, I wanted to make something that wouldn't hide the flavor of the jicama and yet keep it light for my diet too.

For those that don't know what jicama looks like (because I wasn't really sure what I was shopping for either!) it's kind of a non-descript looking veggie, with a mild apple flavor and consistency of a cross between a sunchoke or water chestnut.. with a nice crunch. My daughter uses this vegetable often, and tells me it's a nice addition to coleslaws as well. I can easily see why.

The only jicama salads I've ever eaten out usually as a side for quesadillas have been the traditional spicy one, with added red pepper flakes and as I am all quessadilla'd out this week LOL thought I'd try something new for me and hopefully lighter. I made this up this yesterday before work and really liked it a lot.




This is a really simple salad of jicama, mango, carrots, scallions, orange pieces, sweet red peppers, with a light dressing of fresh apple mint & lemon balm, squeezed lime juice and orange infused olive oil. This I served as a side with marinated grilled mango-shrimp. I was hoping the crispness of the jicama salad combined with the slightly tart citrus dressing would balance out the salt of the seafood. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

1 jicama peeled and sliced into matchsticks
1 mango peeled and sliced into matchsticks
handful baby carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced
1 scallion, diced
1 orange, diced, with juice reserved
orange zest
1 lime
finely chopped fresh mint - I used apple mint
finely chopped fresh lemon balm
olive oil

Place the cut jicama and remaining ingredients into a bowl and toss together with a good handful of chopped fresh mint and lemon balm. You could use any mint you have growing in your garden.. I just wanted to try & compliment the 'apple flavor' of the jicama, so I used apple mint. Squeeze the fresh lime juice over the salad. Drizzle the orange juice, zest, and olive oil infusion over all. Enjoy!

Foggy as Chickpea soup

Though most think soups are more of a winter dish, I still enjoy making them on drizzly, foggy cool days of summer as well. As I walked along in the thick morning fog I knew just what would be on the menu for lunch. A simmering pot on the stove warms the kitchen and smells so good! Not pea soup today,however. On days such as these, my achy joints just crave chickpea & spinach soup with a nice crusty peasant bread. Enjoy!

2 oz prosciutto, sliced thin
1 shallot, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 garlic cloves, mashed
2 tsp fresh rosemary
2 TBLS olive oil
1 large can crushed plum tomatoes
4 cups low salt chicken stock
2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed well
1 handful fresh spring spinach leaves, torn
1 2 -inch square square Parmigiano-Reggiano rind - opt
2 tsp South River Chick Pea Miso
sea salt, ground pepper
1 cup ditali pasta
freshly grated Parmigiano cheese




Chop prosciutto, shallot, carrots, celery & garlic. Heat olive oil in a large pot and sautee until veggies become softened. Add all remaining ingredients except pasta & grated cheese. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes. If you've added in cheese rind, remove it now and cut the softened cheese into cubes and return it to the simmering pot. Five minutes before serving add the ditali pasta to the pot. When it is al dente, ladle the soup into bowls and generously sprinkle with cheese and pass the bread!