Dungeness Crab Spring Salad

It's time to get all fancy pants with a salad recipe that couldn't be simpler to put together. How simple? From fridge to plate in 5 minutes flat, that simple.

Do you ever fantasize about throwing these glamorous dinner parties that leave your guests wondering how on earth you pulled off such an elegant affair with such grace and effortlessness? I used to, quite often. And then I would proceed to try although I don't know with how much grace and effortlessness I succeeded...

I absolutely adored throwing impromptu food gatherings, I just lived for it. A motley crew would assemble, and we would all converge in my pretty little garden at the table with the mismatched chairs and dine from mismatched plates, creating a cool Mad Hatter's tea party sort of vibe. Italian feasts, signature cocktails, shrimp boils and multi-course mimosa bar brunches- there was always something tasty going on.

But now that I get paid to prepare other people's dinner parties, and as my business grows and my free time shrinks, playing hostess has become quite the rarity. It makes me a little sad, but then I remind myself that since I get to make food for a living it doesn't really feel like work, and that cheers me right back up. Nonetheless, I need to get back into the whole dinner party thing, it really is the best thing ever. In the meantime though, at least I can live vicariously through this blog and pretend what I would serve at my next dinner party, and right now it would be this colorful Dungeness Crab Salad.

You would be wise to keep this recipe in your back pocket- what a stunning first course. I mean, it doesn't get much more fabulous than Dungeness crab, does it? Plus, it's a cinch to prepare. Choose fresh lump crabmeat from your local fish market, that way you can skip the messy job of removing the meat from the shells and keep your apron spotless. Pair it with delicate butter lettuce, crisp spring radishes, creamy avocado and sweet mango for a perfectly balanced dish. A simple honey-lime vinaigrette is all you need to enhance these flavors, but a glass of zesty Sauvignon Blanc wouldn't hurt either! Right now I'm loving the 2012 Sauv from Fox Wine Co.- it's a great warm weather wine with a nice mineral streak that plays well with the briny crab, and the tropical notes compliment the mango element of the salad perfectly.

serves 4
Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. lime juice
zest of 1 lime
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lb. cooked Dungeness crab, chilled
1 head butter lettuce, leaves rinsed and torn
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 mango, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. minced chives

Instructions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, lime zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place crab in a separate bowl and pour half of dressing into the bowl, tossing to combine with the crab. Reserve the other half of vinaigrette.
2. Divide lettuce, mango, avocado and radish evenly among plates. Top with dressed crab and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over each salad. Garnish with chives.

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Vegan Birthday Cake Protein Shake

One of my most popular posts to date is the Pumpkin Spice Protein Shake that I created as a sort of healthy dupe to the omnipresent pumpkin flavored madness that descends upon us every Fall. I love making protein shakes in the morning- they're quick, filling, and depending on what you put in them, pretty darn nutritious. All in all, not a bad way to start the day.

But I have to admit, protein shakes can get pretty boring if you just stick to the same old tried and true combinations, so I wanted to try out another recipe that would elevate the protein shake from blah to bomb. Enter the birthday cake protein shake.

I've seen cake batter milkshakes out there that look sinfully delicious, so my challenge was to capture that essence in a healthier protein shake. Most rely on boxed cake mix to achieve the cake flavor and ice cream for the creamy frozen factor, so to give it a healthy makeover I subbed vanilla protein powder and a touch of vanilla and almond extracts for that cake-like flavor, as well as frozen banana (a wonderful nondairy alternative to ice cream). I'll admit that the sprinkles are not the most nutritious way to kick start your day, so feel free to skip if you're a stickler, but all those colorful little specks peeking out through the shake just add the perfect festive touch, don't you think?

Everything in this shake is vegan, even the whipped cream if you opt to make a coconut milk version. With a good dose of protein and potassium all for around 200 calories this is a smart breakfast choice that will make you feel like a 6 year old whose mom just let them lick the batter off the spatula.

Ingredients
1 sliced, frozen banana
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 packet vanilla protein powder (I love Tera's Whey)
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. rainbow sprinkles
fresh whipped cream, for garnish (use coconut whipped cream to keep it vegan!)

Instructions
1. Add all ingredients except sprinkles to a blender and blend until well combined. Add sprinkles and pule 2-3 times to incorporate.
2. Pour into a glass and garnish with whipped cream.

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