It's finally spring! With the snowstorm that came through last week, it doesn't quite feel like it yet but I'm hoping today's recipe will help usher us into the season of renewal. This rice noodle salad is all about bright, fresh flavors that will make you feel energized and ready to come out of winter hibernation and into the sun again.

We start off with a base of cool rice noodles, then add broccoli rabe that has been quickly blanched to mellow the spiciness but keep a slight crunch. Mix that with some garlic and dried shrimp which has been pan fried in oil, a few other veggies, and a medley of fresh herbs. And finally top it off with a salty, slightly sweet, brightly acidic dressing made from coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, and lemongrass. You can serve it as a side or add your favorite protein and make it a main meal, it's no less delicious either way.

Hope you guys enjoy this refreshing recipe. Do you have any fun spring plans? Phillip and I are jetting off to Tokyo for a week and a half at the end of march, so if y'all have any good recommendations please send them along. Our main goal is to eat as much as possible so I'm hoping to come back with a lot of food inspiration and new recipe ideas to share here. See you when I get back!

Hi friends, it's been a while. The last couple of months have been super busy and passed by in such a haze. Consequently, I've been taking lots of "me" time during the hours outside of my day job. Things like dinner parties, lots of movies (omg The Handmaiden!), and lots of books (currently The Wind Up Bird Chronicle). Today I'm back with a recipe, so hi, hello, how have you been doing?

It's the holiday season, which means lots of feasting, drinking, and good times with family and friends. Last month we hosted a big Friendsgiving, it was delicious and everything we had hoped for. To our surprise, the most popular dish of the night was a leafy green salad with an almond dressing. It was mostly there as a show of good faith to the divine entity who presides over my dress size, so I was floored at how quickly it went. What a topsy-turvy kind of world we're living in these days, but if veggies are what people want, I am more than happy to serve. In keeping with the theme of eating healthy during the most decadent of seasons, today's recipe is a vegetarian side dish made with roasted broccoli rabe, raw cauliflower, pine nuts, and a creamy lemon tahini dressing.

The broccoli rabe is roasted to get two distinct textures from it: the tender stems + florets, and the crispy leaves. Then the cauliflower is thinly sliced and served uncooked for a subtle sweetness and refreshing crunch that contrasts the spiciness of the broccoli rabe. The zesty tahini dressing brings it all together, and the pine nuts add a final note of richness to the dish. Per Phillip's request, I'm making a New Years Lasagna for our first dinner of 2017, and I have a good feeling we'll be balancing the hearty lasagna with a refreshing side such as this. However y'all are celebrating, I hope you have a wonderful holiday.

Herbal Rice Noodle Salad With Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli Rabe and Crunchy Cauliflower with a Lemon Tahini Dressing