Wheat Berry Chick Pea Salad/Banana Nut Muffins

Happy Friday everybody!

It seems the warm weather is here to stay so I am sticking with another grain salad this week (even though I keep thinking about soup...). Because I recently came into possession of some wheat berries (thanks, Phoebe!), I am itching to turn them into a delicious, filling salad for you! To match the whole grain of the berries, there will be nice, plump chick peas making that lovely combo of a perfect protein. Then I will pile on the vegetables, including fresh spinach (and maybe some swiss chard if it looks good!), chopped carrots, sweet-tart crisp apple, and a touch of onion. I don't think that's quite enough, so I'm going to throw in some dried cranberries and bit of feta cheese. Heck, maybe even a handful or two of arugula! I will dress the salad with a simple but flavorful vinaigrette.

OK, read all those ingredients again - it's a veritable healthy food pyramid full of vitamins, fiber, and protein! A meal in itself, or a fantastic side to some grilled chicken or fish!

And for a healthy sweet dessert or snack, how about banana nut muffins with an oatmeal streusel topping? With omega-3 rich walnuts and a touch of whole wheat flour, these are good and good for you!

I will be cooking on Sunday and items will be ready for delivery (between 11:30-1p) or pickup (Monday afternoon/evening). When ordering, let me know what will work best for you! Deadline for ordering will be Saturday (5/19) at midnight!

Salad:

1 quart/$8        2 quarts/$15         3 quarts/$21         4 quarts/$28

Muffins:

4/$4 (minimum of 4, please/no maximum!)

Remember, I can take cash, checks, run your credit card on my nifty Square reader, or you can Paypal me!

Whole Wheat Mexican Pasta Salad!

Hey, remember me? I'm back and itching to cook something for you because I've missed seeing you all these last couple weeks! To celebrate Cinco de Mayo (albeit a day or so late), and to embrace this ridiculously warm (hot!) weather, I'm thinking that a cold pasta salad with Mexican flavors is just the ticket for this weather.

To make it healthy, I will start with whole wheat rotini pasta, add some black beans (and voila! there's that complete protein right there!), and a whole lot of fresh vegetables. I don't know exactly what vegetables yet because I want to see what looks good at the market, but I know there will be avocado, tomato, and roasted corn. And I think perhaps just a smidgen of fresh mango for a hit of sweet-tartness. The dressing will be a slightly spicy lime and cumin accented vinaigrette and will perfectly complement the pasta and vegetables. I can stop there for vegans, but if anyone wants, I will add chunks of pepperjack cheese for some extra flavor. Of course, this salad can be a meal in itself, but also a fine side to any grilled meat!

How about some cookies for dessert? Mexican orange sugar cookies, fragrant with a touch of anise and cinnamon sound perfect!

Prices:

Pasta salad:   1 quart/$8         2 quarts/$15         3 quarts/$21        4 quarts/$28

Cookies: Half dozen/$3

Please let me know by 10am Sunday (May 6) if you'd like to order! Deliveries/pickups will be on Monday (or otherwise arranged). Email me at clp772@gmail.com or cattmkitchen@gmail.com!