If you've been reading my blog for the past year (since the start), you might remember me doing birthday posts for each of my three sisters. A flour-less chocolate cake for Becky (3rd), vanilla cupcakes with Valrhona buttercream for Jenny (4th) and a crock pot cake for Maria (1st). As you may have deduced, I'm the second child and you might even start to question my father's sanity. My poor father. Even our dog is a girl. Imagine the chances of that happening.

Well this year I've decided to dedicate a savory dish. This one is for Becky whose birthday is today. Happy birthday dear! Growing up, she was quite an astute and sensitive child declaring herself a vegetarian at the ripe old age of eight. Eight! My mother continued to cook the way she always had and after a while Becks caved in to the omnivore's diet. One must eat more than just a bowl of white rice for dinner. Even though the bout of vegetarianism was short-lived, she certainly has retained her empathy for animals and consequently will be starting her first year at vet school this fall. Congratulations Becky and damn you for taking all the smart, studious genes of the family! :)

When I was brainstorming a dish to dedicate, something vegetarian was obvious. I wanted to make her a salad that she would love. I picked up a trio of beets at the FM: Golden, Chioggia and your basic red beets. I roasted the beets until tender and dressed them in a dressing flavored with buckwheat honey. I also shelled some snap peas for extra sweetness and crunch. Creamy, sliced Zutano avocados also graced this salad and if you guys can find these, get as many as you can. Zutano avocados have the silkiest, creamiest texture. For a salty contrast, I crumbled a lovely Bulgarian feta and spooned a bit of olive tapenade on the side. I garnished with chopped parsley.

Happy birthday, Becks! No animals were harmed in the making of this dish. Aren't you proud of me?

It's no wonder that the Santa Monica Farmer's Market has its very own cook book. This place is loaded with an incredible variety of fruit and vegetables year round. My friend visiting from Kansas was amazed. He said, "if we had a farmers' market this time of year, you could get potatoes, maybe." This made me laugh and realize just how good we have it out here in sunny California. Lucky, lucky ducky. Here's my SM Farmers' Market tribute salad. A base of crisp Little Gem lettuce, topped with a sprinkling of crunchy pea sprouts and slivers of sweet roasted Chioggia beets. The icing on cake is the scattering of tangy arugula flowers, my newest FM find. They have the same lively bite as their leafy counterparts, all wrapped up in a cute little package. A very complex simple salad if you ask me. Instead of dressing this salad, I served it with cruets filled with olive oil and vinegar. Add as needed. Produce this farm fresh needs very little. Visit your local farmers' market.

I'm on a sprout kick. Four out of five days this week, I had a sprouted tortilla wrap filled with sprouts, hummus and jack cheese. Long gone are the days when my sprout universe consisted of alfalfa and mung bean. Oh no. Take a look at the salad pictured above. Arugula topped with nutty sunflower greens (my favorite), fenugreek, kamut, pea and lentil sprouts. A drizzle of chive oil and a spritz of lemon juice. I feel healthier already. I'm no nutritionist but eating sensible breakfasts and lunches mean you can eat whatever you want for dinner, right???

Friday, I went to Ken-Taco Hut -- KFC/Taco Bell/Pizza Hut. Cheesey gordita crunches loaded up with hot sauce are my guilty pleasure (insert sheepish grin here).