"Honey, stop baking" (Chicken, Kale, & Quinoa Salad)

I've been trying to be a little more health conscious, lately. As Chris Pratt put it upon being cast in Guardians of the Galaxy: "honey, stop baking, I have to lose 75 pounds!" I'm not quite so far gone yet, but I think it's a truth universally known that most Americans (or residents of developed nations, in general) could stand to be a little more mindful of what ends up on their plate. Of course, growing up with a food pyramid that's heavily influenced by lobbying from America's agribusiness conglomerates, it can sometimes be hard to divorce oneself from a craving for 11 servings of grains a day. Through use of other full-flavored ingredients and the selection of lesser evils, however, delicious, healthy, and satisfying meals are still an achievable goal. This month, I offer a chicken, kale, and quinoa salad, punched up with apples, bacon, and avocado.

For your approval

Kaleidoscopic Colors (Kale and Citrus Salad)

Much like every March, I've come to harbor the deeply-held belief that this winter has overstayed its welcome. There's something about snowflakes greeting the first day of spring that puts me on the definite outs with Mother Nature. With citrus very much in season, however, I figured I could achieve a dash of lighter and brighter flavors via the sweet simplicity of salad. The tangy, floral zing of ruby red grapefruit was something I arrived at the grocery planning upon, the garnet-red blood oranges were a delightful surprise.

Surprise!

California Dreaming (Strawberry Avocado Banana Bread)

I certainly seem to mention the weather a lot, don't I? I blame it on the winter. Today was a strange mixture of sunlight and snow, with harsh winds and a bitter chill in the air. I know it may be the most hated state, but I can't help but keep joking about moving to California. One thing it certainly has on its side is strawberries and avocados: two of my favorite fruits. You can expect to see a lot of them on this blog. Thanks to a handy tip from our friend Jen, and my weekly pile of over-ripened bananas, this one was a snap.

Like a little slice of summer

Challenge: Accepted (Roasted Acorn Squash and Avocado Salad)

I was browsing some of my favorite food blogs the other week, when something stuck out to me on My Madeleine: a roasted squash salad from Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty. Molly's blog is a great place for top-notch photography (I could spend hours looking at a tabletop alone) and honest-to-goodness recipes, present company being a great example. Plenty is a great book for produce: while Ottolenghi is not a vegetarian, it features only meatless recipes. It likewise offers gorgeous photos.

Taking a stab at it