Sprouted

Many apply sprouts to recipes for their fresh flavor and attractive appearance. Most even know that sprouts are packed with nutrients. Sprouts also are high in protein and are very easy to digest. They are in many ways a perfect food. —MK

Avocado. Radish. Nori. Sunflower. Sprouts.

Serves 4

If there is one food that needs very little support, it would be the avocado. We just love this dish. —MK

2 Hass avocados, skins removed and cut into uniform pieces

4 Easter egg radishes, sliced

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup radish sprouts

Sea salt, to taste

1 cup nori, cut into strips

Miso Lime Dressing

1/4 cup lime juice

1 tablespoon miso

Water

Miso Lime Dressing Mix juice and miso together. Add just enough water to thin dressing, if needed. It should be a light, liquid consistency.

Assembly Evenly divide avocado among 4 plates and add radishes. Top with sunflower seeds and radish sprouts. Using a squeeze bottle, drizzle Miso Lime Dressing on salads. Top with a pinch of sea salt and nori strips.

Summer Roots and Shoots.

Serves 4

Root vegetables paired with sprouting vegetables brings together two dynamics, and in this example, with much success. The heavier roots benefit from the lighter, airy presence of the sprouts, and the visual results are just as compelling. —MK

Roots and Shoots

2 large yellow carrots

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Pinch of sea salt

6 baby carrots

2 baby candy cane beets

2 small radishes

4 asparagus

Herbed Macadamia Cheese

1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked overnight

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons minced tarragon

Garnish

1/2 cup mixed micro herbs or small leaves of herbs (mint, basil, cilantro, etc.)

Roots and Shoots Slice large yellow carrots lengthwise on a mandolin on the widest setting. Toss with oil, vinegar, and salt. Remove carrots from dressing and place in a vacuum bag. Seal at 100 percent to marinate and compress carrots. Slice the rest of vegetables vertically and toss in the dressing.

Herbed Macadamia Cheese Add macadamia nuts, lemon juice, zest, nutritional yeast, and salt to a food processor. Pulse until fluffy and creamy. Fold in tarragon.

Assembly Lay a large carrot slice on each serving plate, and using a pastry bag, dollop macadamia cheese randomly on top of carrot. Place some of the remaining vegetables on top of the carrots and garnish nicely with micro herbs. Sprinkle sea salt on top.

Fennel. Beets. Radish. Sorrel.

Serves 4-6

If you think about it, red and white plants are very dynamic together, sweet versus mostly bitter. In this dish, sorrel adds not only an earthy contrast, but also subtle hints of strawberry and kiwi—just enough to elevate a classic combination to something unique and new. —MK

Salad

1 small chioggia beet

1 small golden beet

2 spring radishes

1 large fennel bulb

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

1 cup red-veined sorrel leaves

Sorrel Cream Dressing

8 sorrel leaves

1/2 cup cashews, soaked overnight

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Zest from 1 lemon

Sea salt

Garnish

Fennel fronds

Salad Thinly slice beets, radishes, and fennel using a mandolin. Slice the beets vertically from top to bottom. Add all to a bowl and toss with a dressing made out of the lemon juice, oil, and salt. Add sorrel leaves and lightly toss together.

Sorrel Cream Dressing Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth. Add more water, if needed. Pass through a strainer.

Assembly Arrange beets, radishes, and fennel in the center of each plate. Build it by placing the vegetables so you can see the different colors. Drizzle sorrel cream around the salad on the plates. Garnish with fennel fronds.

Sword Leaf. Coconut. Curry Cashew. Carrot. Radish. Apple.

Serves 6

On my first visit to the Santa Monica Farmers Market, I was introduced to the Sword Leaf. I was immediately attracted by its slender and pointed shape then I was told to try it by Clarita from Coleman Farms. I tore off a piece and gave it a try. At first, it is similar Romaine and then there is a familiar earthy taste. Basmati rice! I knew I had to use some curry flavors with my new discovery. —SW

Salad

4 medium heads sword leaf lettuce or romaine hearts

2 cups scarlet frill or purple mustard greens

1/2 cup currants

Pinch of salt

Coconut Dressing

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/2 tablespoon agave nectar

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup coconut oil

Curry Cashews

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon water

1 cup cashews

Carrot Purée

1 cup peeled and chopped carrots

1/4 cup carrot juice*

1/4 cup cashews, soaked for 1 hour

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon agave nectar

1 teaspoon minced peeled ginger

1/2 Thai chile, seeded and minced

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup olive oil

Radishes and Apples

1 large watermelon or daikon radish

1 apple

Salad Add sword leaf, mustard greens, currants, and salt to a large bowl; toss.

Coconut Dressing Place vinegar, agave nectar, fennel, cardamom, and salt into a high-speed blender and blend to combine. Add coconut oil and blend at the slowest speed to emulsify.

Curry Cashews Mix coconut sugar, curry powder, salt, and water in a bowl. Add cashews and stir to combine. Spread cashews on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 115 degrees for 10 hours or until completely dry.

Carrot Purée Using a high-speed blender, blend all ingredients except the oil until smooth. Drizzle in oil while machine is running at slowest speed to emulsify. Pass through a strainer.

Radishes and Apples Using a small melon baller make as many balls from the radish and apple as you can.

Assembly Toss Salad with half the dressing, adding more if needed. Spread about a tablespoon of Carrot Purée across each serving plate with an offset spatula. Then arrange a good handful of dressed salad greens on top. Evenly divide radish and apple balls among servings and sprinkle with cashews.

*Using an electric juicer, juice 2 medium carrots for 1/4 cup carrot juice.

Shaved Sunchoke. Sunflower Sprouts. Seeds and Oil.

Serves 4

Sunchokes and sunflowers are in the same family. I thought it would be fun to use the cousins together and make a nice starter. —SW

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Pinch of sea salt

6 sunchokes, cleaned and peeled

2 cups sunflower sprouts

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Make a quick dressing by stirring together the lemon juice, sunflower oil, and salt.

Thinly slice sunchokes lengthwise using a mandolin and toss in dressing. Remove sunchokes from dressing and toss sunflower sprouts with dressing.

To serve Divide the sunchokes evenly between serving plates, placing them flat on the plates. Sprinkle the seeds on top of sunchokes and place sprouts in a nice pile on top of both.