A few months back we posted a delicious roasted beet salad on this blog. It is delicious with a capital D. As much as I crave that salad, I don't get to have it that often because it involves a lot of planning and prep. Roasting beets is not a quick 5 minute endeavor. But my tummy was telling me that I needed to figure out a way to get beets into my salads more frequently, and of course, my husbands mistress (Costco) came through for us. Costco sells the most delicious pickeled beets. They are roasted and marinated in the most delicious brine. They taste practically as good as home grown roasted beets, but all you have to do for these babies is open a jar. That is my kind of treat. Today we are blessing your bellies with a recipe for a beet salad with pistachios and goat cheese, and all sorts of wonderful and easy toppings.  

Ingredients:  

16 ounces pickled beets, chopped

8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

6 cups spinach, washed

1 cup pistachios, shelled

1/2 cup pickled beet juice

3 tablespoons olive oil 

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp lavender salt

1 tsp pepper

Mix the last 5 ingredients together as your dressing, then just toss everything else together on a plate. The beet juice will dye your goat cheese the most beautiful and fun pink color. The beets are beautiful and fun enough to be an anomaly for your kids and they actually might eat them! 

This salad has a wonderful earthiness and heartiness due to the beets. Its got a pack of protein and creaminess from the nuts and cheese, and a very mild get in my belly dressing to compliment it. This easy salad will become a quick go-to when you don't feel like spending any longer than 3 seconds making your lunch. Enjoy!

I love a good one pan meal. I also love a good one pan meal that is low in fat and full of good for you vegetables. This meal received my "wow babe, this is delicious" seal of approval from my husband. It has a great tang from the mustard, peas and carrots similar to one of our favorite shrimp dishes at a great restaurant, and filling protein and carbs. It comes together in just a few minutes and you will be happy to welcome this easy dish into your repertoire. 

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon butter

30-40 count medium shrimp

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 leeks, cleaned/diced

1 large carrot, shredded

1 cup frozen peas

1 1/4 cup israeli pearled cous cous

lavender salt

fresh cracked pepper

2 cups water, boiled

Directions: 

Melt your butter, add your shrimp, salt and pepper them. Saute your shrimp for 3-4 minutes until just barely pink all the way through. Set aside. In your same skillet add you olive oil, leeks, carrots, mustard, and garlic. Salt and pepper them and saute until soft and cooked through, about 5 minutes. While your vegetables are cooking, boil 2 cups of water. When the vegetables are soft, add your peas and cous cous to the pan. Dump your water over the top them, turn off your heat source, cover, and let sit 7-8 minutes until the cous cous has plumped. Season with lavender salt and pepper and return the shrimp to the dish. 

Simple, healthy, filling, and delicious. Hope you enjoy this quick one pot meal. 

This meal comes together in a snap. You mix together a quick tangy sauce, fire up the grill, and you are good to go. Easy, flavorful dishes are my jam. 

Ingredients: 

16 ounces pork tenderloin

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons freshly chopped dill

1 1/2 tablespoons lavender honey

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1 tsp water

1 tsp lavender salt 

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Heat your grill to 350 degrees. While that warms up whisk your sauce together and set aside. Sprinkle your pork lightly with salt and pepper. Grill until charred on each side and cooked through to 150 degrees, about 10-12 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into slices and drizzle your sauce over the top. 

You will love the tangy mustardy bite to this sauce and how much of a no brainer meal this is to throw together. Happy eating!

I kind of have an obsession with lavender salt these days. Its just upped the anti for me in my culinary game. Seriously. If you haven't tried this magic stuff, you've gotta go for it. Basically any dish you make and season with regular salt, can actually be enhanced in flavor by lavender salt. Its my little secret weapon that gives all of my dishes that extra little oomph. 

Ways to cook with lavender salt: making ice-cream, seasoning potatoes, homemade chocolate, seasoning proteins (lamb especially), salad seasoning, on fresh fruit or vegetables, the options really are pretty limitless. 

The other day I made one of my go to meals and it just wasn't as good as it normally is. I was wondering what my issue was when I suddenly realized I had just used regular old kosher salt rather than my lavender salt! What a huge different one tiny tweak made! 

Well I could go on and on. If you're interested in trying your own lavender salt, you can grab some here. http://www.lavenderapple.com/culinaryproducts.php?products_d_exhibit=3

Enjoy! Let us know how it goes!