sprinklefingers

i’m on as close as i can get to the d-word.

the d-word being DIET.

it all started when even my stretch pants were starting to feel a bit snug. actually, that’s not true. it all really started when i decided it was a good idea to eat 9 cookies for lunch instead of eating something more sensible…I did that one day and then it was a slippery slope from there…soon it was happening all the time.

for those of you new to sprinklefingers (hi! how are you? thanks for joining me!), i own a bakery. and i’m currently in the middle of opening a new shop with a new menu…which means i’m constantly in the test kitchen…which means i’m constantly testing my creations…which means even my stretch pants don’t fit.

so, i’m on a d-word. it’s not that bad, really. here’s how my version of a d-word works:

i eat whatever i want or need (for work!) to eat each day.

typically this includes:

• oatmeal for breakfast, (sometimes this oatmeal is mixed with maple syrup and whole milk and baked, but at least it’s oatmeal, right?)
• several handfuls of chocolate pistoles. (I’m still not convinced Felchlin is the right chocolate, so i keep trying others.)
• a piece of fruit. (sometimes this fruit is coated in butter and sugar and baked into pastry.)
• some kind of lunch. (sometimes cookies. sometimes a salami sandwich. sometimes a granola bar. sometimes just a coffee.)
• test kitchen results: if it’s delicious i never eat less than two of whatever it is i’ve made. if it’s simply good and not delicious, i’ll just eat one. (yesterday i made peanut butter & jelly oatmeal cream pies and i ate two of them.)

and then - and this is where the d-word comes in - i have:

a salad for dinner.

but not just any salad. a delicious salad overflowing with roasted or shaved veggies, specially-selected cheeses (just a touch), a bit of fruit and a splash of homemade dressing.

use the following guide to create your own salad fit for the d-word!

salad for dinner salad

first you need vegetables:

shaved carrots, zucchini & beets: wash the carrots, zucchini & beets and then, using a sharp vegetable peeler, shave off their outer layer THEN shave them into paper-thin ribbons. shorter ribbons are more manageable when eating, but longer ribbons are fun to wind around your fork.

roasted vegetables: preheat your oven to 400. fill a rimmed sheet tray with your favorite washed vegetables. try these: brussels sprouts (halved), asparagus, green beans, snap peas, fingerling potatoes (halved), mushrooms, onions - really, whatever looks good at the market will make the perfect addition to your salad. once your selections are on the sheet tray, drizzle them with a touch of olive oil and sprinkle on some salt & pepper. roast the veggies for about 20 minutes and check on them - keep them in the oven until they reach your desired state of roasted-veggie-ness.

then there’s cheese:

cheese: lately i’ve been stuck on two cheeses: an 8 month manchego and cave-aged gruyere. i shave cheeses just like i do carrots - then thin ribbons of cheese get layered into the salad…delicious!

how ‘bout some fruit?

fruit: we liked diced apple or thinly sliced strawberries. apple goes well with gruyere and the manchego is delicious with strawberries.

let’s get dressed!

dressing: lately we’ve only been using olive oil and quality balsamic vinegar. plus some salt & pepper. (see below for more on dressing.)

putting your salad together:

this step relies heavily upon your taste. i would never add the entire sheet tray of roasted vegetables to a salad - i’d just add a bit and then refrigerate the rest for tomorrow’s salad - so, really, the amounts of all the salad components are totally up to you.

1. find your favorite salad serving bowl and in it place a layer of greens (or spinach!) or a combination of both.
2. on top of the lettuces, add your selection of shaved vegetables. then add some of roasted vegetables, the cheese and the fruit.
3. once all of the components are in your serving bowl, drizzle a bit of olive oil over everything, and then add a few splashes of good balsamic vinegar. top with a bit of salt & pepper and perhaps a squeeze of a lemon or orange, then give everything a really good mix. taste a few leaves of lettuce - does the dressing taste right? if not, adjust: add a bit more vinegar or a drizzle more of oil.

we have been eating some version of this salad every night for weeks now.

wait. that’s a lie. we’ve been eating salad for dinner for weeks - until last night when the salad was joined by a bottle of champagne and some country pâté. we didn’t really cheat on our d-word, we simply felt like getting a little fancy. and i swear to you, it’s back to just salad tonight.




ps: yes, we drink bubbly from champagne saucers. so fancy!