| Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here. Good Saturday morning, everyone. As I write this, I'm still wringing myself out after a cold, rainy trek to the office. I sure could use a warm, sunny day, but given the weather forecast tomorrow for the D.C. area, I don't think that's in my immediate future. Instead, I'll be looking for that metaphorical sunshine elsewhere. I got a glimpse of it after my first bite of the Socca Flatbread With Fennel Arugula Salad that Ellie Krieger adapted from cookbook author Nicki Sizemore. The socca is a large, chickpea pancake hailing from Nice, France, and that's exactly the vibe I'd like to channel right now. The recipe starts by preheating an empty cast-iron skillet in a very hot oven, into which you pour a gluten-free batter made with chickpea flour and flavored with Italian seasoning. In just 15 minutes, you end up with a crisp flatbread and the foundation for this delightful vegetarian dish that works well as an appetizer or light dinner. After the flatbread comes out of the oven, you cover it with a verdant layer of basil pesto. But my favorite part of the dish — which might shock those who know my reluctance to call a green salad a meal — is the towering pile of arugula that goes on top. Tucked among the leaves are thinly sliced fennel and curls of parmesan cheese, all simply dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. That bright, pleasantly mouth-puckering salad was like a jolt to my system, both physically and mentally, to the point that I could even have skipped the flatbread completely (which you definitely should not!).  |  | | | Ellie has written about her "put a salad on it" philosophy, and it's such a smart way to easily incorporate more hearty greens into your diet without making it A Thing. There's really no need to sweat about assembling a vinaigrette either, when it's just as easy to toss the salad with olive oil and a splash of whatever acid (citrus juice or vinegar) you like. You'll find a few more ideas below for how to build on the concept with a variety of other dishes. Need more inspiration and advice for your everyday cooking? Be sure to join my live weekly cooking chat at 11 a.m. Thursday, when I'll be answering your questions. Submit them now, then come along for the conversation in real time. Until next week, happy cooking. |
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