Hello Dal-y: Broccolini and Chickpea Dal

Last year I started a subscription to Sunset. Yes, I am my mother, and I've accepted that (to be honest, she is a pretty cool lady). Anyway, I didn't quite know what to expect when I got my first issue in the mail. I knew there were going to be a lot of articles about gardening (have I not mentioned my rather brown thumb?), home renovations (although drool-worthy, can't use them), and travel (okay, that fits into our life a little more). I had a feeling there would be some recipes involved (I mean, what else are you going to do with your perfectly grown summer squash in your homemade redwood raised beds?), but I wasn't sure what kind. I didn't want a repeat of Mario Batalli, in which he goes on in a pompous manner about how readily available he finds monkfish at his local fishmonger's and how his father owns his own charcuterie (or the Italian equivalent) and makes his own salumi and other dried meats and sausage. Oh--you don't have these things available? Too bad, no substitutions for you, peasant! *ahem* Where was I? Oh, right... I was pleasantly surprised to find that Sunset's recipes were easy to follow and were, of course, delicious. Plus, since Sunset is all about the seasonal availability of everything, the recipes coincide with the seasons and use fresh ingredients, which you can find in abundance at your local store, in my case Whole Foods (anyone who follows me on Twitter will know I have a bit of a Whole Foods addiction). 

One of the first recipes I tried from Sunset was this one, Broccolini and Chickpea Dal. Alright, pun aside, I love a good dal. As I've established a number of times before, I cannot get enough of legumes. I think I could easily go vegetarian, as long as I subsisted on nothing but legumes (and, of course, pairing them with the right grain as to ensure I'm getting my complete protein). Of course, this would mean no meat and that would make me a very sad omnivore. Nonetheless, I have been known o make a vegetarian meal every so often and this has become one of my absolute favorites. I also love anything that starts with "brocco-", whether it's plain ol' broccoli or perhaps its bitter cousin broccoli rabe or its sweeter and more tender brethren broccolini, I love it all. I've been known to live off of broccoli (okay, it was broccoli and baked potatoes, but still, my college dorm's mini-fridge wasn't complete without a few bags of already prepared fresh broccoli florets). This dish is perfect: it's spicy, tender, creamy, and perfect for all occasions. I'm sure if you can't find broccolini, you can simply use regular broccoli. Although, I would recommend just trim up the stems a bit more so that it cooks in the time allotted without overcooking the chickpeas. Seriously - this is a meal I would easily make year round. Who cares if it's the middle of summer and you can't get off the couch because your thighs are stuck to it? This will make you sweat just enough to loosen things up and off you go!

The Meaty Manly Salad: Grilled Sausages with Figs and Mixed Greens

I say this as a woman and without fear of judgment...very rarely will I feel satisfied after eating a salad for a meal.  I usually require something else either on the side WITH my salad or in my salad (i.e. meat or legumes) to really feel full and satiated.  I know this is weird coming from a girl, because it seems all of us are quite OK with eating just a salad.  At least, that's what our movies tell us we order when we're on a date and looking to "keep our girlish figures".  Yes, I see the necessity of eating more vegetables and keeping our portions in check, but that doesn't automatically mean "must eat salad consisting of just lettuce for lunch and dinner".  Blech!  I don't know about you, but I like to eat.  When I'm on a date, or when I would go on dates, I never felt obligated to keep what I ordered in check.  This doesn't mean that I always ordered the surf n' turf on dates, but I would eat like I would normally eat:  burgers, pasta, chicken, steak, whatever I felt like.  If I am to show who I really am when I meet someone, I will eat normally.  I like food; I will show it!  Having said all of that, this is one of those rarest of rare times when I felt satisfied after eating what was essentially a salad.

During the grilling season, which in California is pretty much any time during the year as long as the grill area is covered, I love grilled Italian sausages.  One of my favorite Italian deli selections is a sausage and pepper sandwich, especially if the sausages are grilled.  There's something about the pork, fennel seed, and all the Italian seasonings licked with gas or grill flame that really makes me happy.  This particular salad marries a number of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors together and creates just a great meaty dinner salad.  The slices of warm and salty sausage mingle with the sweet figs, coupled with the crunch of the greens and the creaminess of the goat cheese just right.  Throughout each bite you get the cooling mint and the bite of the dressing, mixed in with all these other flavors.  You'd think this would be overwhelming, but it isn't.  It actually feels right and is perfect for a quick light meal and is great during the summer when you can grill freely and get some wonderfully fresh greens and herbs.