Chard Ribbons with Strawberry and Pine Nut

My toddler daughter Evelyn and I arrived in the Pacific Northwest last week after a seven month jaunt in Thailand. To be honest, it is a refreshing relief to be back in the cool green of Portland. One of our first outings involved the local, sprawling, lively organic farmers market. We found bouquets of swiss chard, collards and kale along with gorgeous Alice-in-Wonderland sized peonies. And the strawberries. Deep red, flavorful, and juicy. Need I say more? A delightful way to spend the afternoon.

For those who are raising an eyebrow at the combination of swiss chard and strawberries, let me reassure you: this is the perfect summertime salad. The chard is marinated in a zesty lemon-Dijon vinaigrette instead of cooked. Plump organic strawberries are a sweet compliment to the peppery tang of the chard. Tossed with a handful of golden brown pine nuts, the flavor is nicely balanced. In this version, the chard is given a slight wilt although it can certainly be served straight away for those who crave more crunch.

Make it completely raw by substituting the pine nuts with hemp seeds or even chopped macadamia.

This is a simple to prepare salad that is surprisingly complex in flavor and a good way to add leafy greens to the diet. Here's to health, well-being, and joy.

Yield: Four Side Servings

For Salad:

1 bunch rainbow swiss chard, chiffonade cut

2 cups quartered strawberries

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

And Vinaigrette:

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoons fresh, coarse ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon Celtic or Himalayan sea salt

In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients for the vinaigrette. Add swiss chard and toss until ribbons are well coated. Let stand at room temperature until mildly wilted, about an hour. Next, gently fold in strawberries. Divide salad onto four serving plates and sprinkle with pine nuts and extra black pepper, if desired. 

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all."

-Harriet Van Horne

Cooking School: Chiffonade

A chiffonade cut can be used with any leafy herb or green and creates elegant, slender ribbons. For greens such as collards or swiss chard, make sure to remove the tough, central stem so only the tender leaf is used. 

Rinse and pat dry the leaves. Stack 10-12 leaves into an orderly pile. Roll lengthwise into a tight cylinder. Using a sharp knife, slice across the cylinder to create thin ribbons. For herbs, use a close cut. With leafy greens, a wide, one-inch slice works beautifully.

It's Spring! Rolls

The long anticipated winter thaw is finally here. I could not think of a better recipe than the one below to welcome abundant sunshine, beauty and color back into our lives. And more joy too.


Not only lovely and surprising, flowers lend a healthful boost to any meal. To learn more about edible varieties along with their benefits, go here. Also worthy of note is manuka honey which comes from a specific region in New Zealand. This is no ordinary sweetener;  it boasts strong antibacterial, anti parasitic, and anti fungal properties. For a more in-depth exploration, click here.


If you aspire towards a raw food diet, this recipe can easily be adapted by trading the spring roll wrapper with a delicate butter leaf lettuce or even romaine. Just make sure to roll your creation as a cone to allow the color inside to peek through. For a vegan version, swap the honey with coconut nectar or agave.


Yield: Friendly light lunch for two


1 cup shredded purple cabbage
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves, stems removed
1 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
A handful of edible flowers
8 large rice paper spring roll wrappers


Apricot-Cranberry Dipping Sauce


1/2 cup dried apricots, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, drained, and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon raw manuka honey
1/4 cup warm water
pinch of Celtic or Himalayan sea salt
2 tablespoons dried, unsweetened cranberries, roughly chopped
1 green onion, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons almond oil
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg


Divide ingredients into eight equal portions on a large cutting board or mat. Rinse a single rice paper wrapper with warm water and lay flat on work area. Take one portion of flowers and arrange in the center on the wrapper, leaving 2-inches of space on each side. Follow with cabbage, carrots, peppers, and spinach leaves. Fold both ends of the wrapper towards center until snug. Next, fold top side of the wrapper inward while tightly rolling into a uniform roll, ending with seam on the bottom, flowers on top.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.


For dipping sauce, pulse dried apricots, vinegar, honey, water, and salt in a blender until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add an additional tablespoon or two of warm water. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in dried cranberries, green onions, almond oil, and nutmeg. Divide mixture into two dipping sauce bowls and serve with four spring rolls each.

“Try to cook so that it will surprise a little, agreeably and astonish slightly, without shocking.”

  -Jean Marie Amat