Strawberry Salad with Macadamias, Mint and Lime Honey

WHAT A STRAWBERRY CAN TEACH US ABOUT VULNERABILITY

Strawberries are the quintessential icon of spring. And while wondering what to write about in this post, I found myself in a deep meditation on strawberries. They’re beautiful and, curiously, one of very few fruits that bare their seeds on the outside. It’s as if they’re unabashedly proud of who they are, scars and all. Strawberries have nothing to hide and they display the most fragile part of their body for all to see. They’re both proud and vulnerable. And that to me is a pretty remarkable quality.

It’s a quality that I admire in others, but have a hard time actualizing in my own life. Creating The Fennel Frond, leaping head first into starting and growing my own business, and living in the 21st century where you need to promote yourself to excel (especially as a woman), I find that this “take me as I am” quality does not come naturally to me. I’m a harsh critic of my work and art, which often leads to a vicious cycle of self doubt, lack of confidence, and an unwillingness to motivate and move forward. What’s more complicated is that I battle anxiety and periodic depression- issues which are taboo enough in their own right, and even more so in the entrepreneur space.

Depression and its relationship to leadership is not a part of our everyday discourse, yet there are many leaders that struggle with it. And I believe that these leaders should be brought out of the dark. Social shame hides the fact that individuals who experience emotional pain also experience a special kind of growth that can be an asset in leadership. These leaders are valuable, and can offer a unique skill set to the world. Like strength & grit, because trudging through a mental health crisis and persisting in life results in profound fortitude and emotional awareness. They can also offer empathy, because their experience gives them the ability to wholeheartedly relate to others who face similar struggles in the workplace and beyond. After all, they know and understand what it feels like to be sick, but not show any physical symptoms, and have achieved and progressed with immense courage and confidence despite their secret pain.

I believe that people who have battled emotional challenges are crucial to business and relationships, and so it’s important for these leaders to share and celebrate their story. It’s a story that has the potential to inspire someone else to keep marching forward even in the throes of adversity with mental health. And the more we remove the stigma, the more supported, empowered, and connected victims of depression and anxiety will feel. Leaders need to know that through hardship, we can cultivate strength and coping mechanisms that may bring others comfort. Above all else though, I think it’s important to recognize that these people (like me!) exist, and are leading forward despite sickness. It’s important to say that they are not alone and that their experience can help others. Their pain can be a source of strength and sharing their story could be the key to someone else's success.

And so I’d like to take a cue from the lowly strawberry, and set an intention to channel my vulnerability and use it as a force to be reckoned with; to bare my seeds on the outside, and use my emotional battle scars to lead fearlessly and connect with an open heart.

SALAD

• 1 pint of strawberries, quartered 
• 4 sprigs of mint, chopped
• 1 cup of macadamia nuts, toasted and chopped
• 2 cups of arugula, chopped roughly

DRESSING

• 1/2 cup of olive oil 
• 1/4 cup of lime juice
• 1/4 cup of honey
• salt and pepper

Herby chop salad with stems and pumpkin seeds

SERIES •• THE MIDDLE EAST FEAST // ENTRY 1

Travel inspires me. When creativity is a central part of your job, it can be hard to drum up original and inspired ideas on demand. But when I travel, I break the mundanity. I come across new ideas with speed and ease by osmosis- by simply surrounding myself with new people, perspectives, rituals, flavors. The exciting melting pot of newness provides me with a never ending source of ideas- new dishes that I dream up (literally and metaphorically), new projects to begin, new conversations to have.

My husband and I just returned from a 10 day stint in Israel. I’ve been there dozens of time and even lived there after high school. But this trip was different. I packed my bags and boarded the many planes that got me there with an explicit intention- to take in each experience with an open heart and open eyes, and allow myself to get inspired. In many ways this trip wasn’t very different from trips past. We visited friend and family. We went to the dead sea. We went on hikes. But this time I was awake, present in each moment and aware of the potential for each and every experience to become of point of supply for ideas.

Most importantly, I’ve become inspired by the food. Food in Israel is complicated. In some cases, it’s a single unifier among communities in contention, a centerpiece around conversations between persons divided. More commonly though, it’s axiomatic of the Conflict at large- a symbol of cultural appropriation, friction, historical dispute, and discord. But politics aside, food in the middle east is like a tapestry, each thread coming together towards a greater whole, each ingredient coming together to create culinary brilliance. One of the most exciting dishes that I had on my trip was a Dukkah spiced hummus – a plate that celebrates the culinary traditions of Arab Israelites and Palestinians and their Egyptian neighbors.

Like food in Israel, I strive to create recipes here that embrace the AND, the fusion of culinary heritages, unlikely flavor combinations, and complimentary textures.

Herby Salad:: This is the first entry of The Middle East Feast series. I will be posting 4 recipes that each have been influenced by my trip in Israel, featuring endemic ingredients that celebrate the Place, and stories that celebrate the Spirit. I had this salad at my cousins wedding in Ashdod and was found so much beauty in the simplicity of flavors and ingredients. Every flavor was identifiable, and each ingredient existed in harmony with the rest. Herbs are an important part of Middle Eastern cuisine, and so in a way this salad is like Israel in a bowl. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups of parsley chopped, include stems
• 1 cup of mint chopped, include stems
• 1 cup of scallions copped
• ¼ cup of pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup of sesame oil
• ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbs of maple syrup
• 1 tsp of salt

DIRECTIONS

Chop the herbs. Place in bowl with pumpkin seeds. Whisk the remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour of salad. Betavon.

Roasted Smokey Corn Salad

FOOD DESERT OASIS

It's always enjoyable to shop at a grocery store teeming with affordable produce and locally-made-in-DC products. It's even more gratifying however to discover this shop, open for business, in an area that is underserved, and often ignored by incoming grocers. 

I took a tour of Good Food Markets last week, and was delighted to see a bounty of glistening produce, and shelves stocked with some of my favorite local products- Misfit juices, Michelle's Granola, Cherry Glen cheese, DC Central Kitchen's Fresh Start meals to go, to name a few. 

Remarkably, the store is thriving and addressing a real need in the community. I saw a shirtless man walk up to the store in hopes of buying some watermelon. Because of food safety regulations, there's a strict no-shirt, no-shoes, no-service policy at GFM (it was also 100 degrees, so I understand where the customer was coming from), but Philip Sambol, the founder took the man's EBT card and change, purchased the melon and hand delivered it to him. I witnessed someone in the community going through great lengths to get a hold of their fruits and veggies- proof that there is in fact demand for healthy, fresh food in underserved areas. The store also holds monthly tours for children to teach them how to prepare the produce. All this to say that it's clear to me that GFM has a holistic understanding of the challenges that our communities face, and they're taking a non linear approach in order to advance their cause as a result. 

Good Food Markets is improving many links along our food value chain - they're purchasing from local farmer's, they are educating the public on the benefits of healthy eating & getting communal buy in, they're creating a market for accessible and affordable produce, they're supporting initiatives like DC Central Kitchen's fresh start- their catering company that makes meals using salvaged and gleaned produce, thereby reducing from food waste. It was incredibly inspiring for me to see the positive impact that socially conscious businesses can have our on food system. Go there and support them! 

Here's a salad that I made using the beautiful produce from Good Food Markets. Price per serving: $3.30.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ear of corn
• 3 scallions
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes 
• 1 avocado 
• 1 jalepeno
• 2 tbs. parsley
• 2 tbs. mint
• 1/4 cup of feta, crumbled
• 1 head of romaine lettuce
• 1/4 of a lemon
• 4 tbs. of olive oil
• 4 tbs. balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 400. Husk the corn, and shave the kernels off of the cob. Place the kernels in a cast iron skillet and roast for 20 mins with olive oil, salt and pepper on top. When the corn comes out of the oven, sprinkle the corn with chipotle powder and smoked salt. Chop all of the remaining ingredient, place in a bowl and top with olive oil, lemon and balsamic vinegar.

Grapefruit Avocado Salad, Black Pepper vinaigrette

BEAT THE HEAT

I'm writing this post in the midst of a heat wave - the dog days of summer. The last thing on earth I want to do today is turn on my oven. Here's a hot-as-hell-outside food hack to cool you down but not weigh you down. 

All of these ingredients came from Good Food Markets, the best (and most affordable & accessible) healthy grocer in NE DC. More details on the amazing food desert healthy corner store coming soon... Till then, make this salad. It's the bomb.blogspot.com. 

SALAD

• 1 grapefruit, rind removed, segmented
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 jalapeño, deseeded, ribs removed
• 4 leaves of mint, cut in thin ribbons
• 4 scallions, chopped

DRESSING

• 3 tbs. of grapefruit juice
• 5 tbs. olive oil
• 3 tbs. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbs. maple syrup
• black pepper and salt to taste
• 1 tbs. grapefruit zest

DIRECTIONS

Peel your grapefruit, and cut into segments. Remove the rind and any white part of the rind. Open the avocado, and dice into 1 inch cubes. Cut the pepper in have and remove the seeds and ribs (unless you love spicy food like I do - in that case, leave some of the seeds in there!). Chop the scallions. Place all ingredients in a large bowl. 

In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, grapefruit juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper, and grapefruit zest. When all ingredients are incorporated, drizzle the mixture over the salad.