Asparagus Salad with Sesame Chili and Lime Dressing

Serves: 2-4

Sesame Chili and Lime Dressing:

1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated/minced finely
1 lime, zest and juice
2 tsp chili paste
1 tbsp agave nectar or honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
salt and pepper
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp grapeseed or other neutral oil

1. Combine the ginger, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, chili paste, agave nectar, rice vinegar, salt and pepper in a jar or tupperware dish with a tight fitting lid.
2. Stir to dissolve the salt and combine everything.
3. Add the sesame and grapeseed oils.
4. Put a lid on top and shake mixture vigorously to combine.
5. Set aside.

Asparagus:

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and stalks peeled into ribbons
small handful of grated cabbage (red, green, napa, savoy etc)
3 sprigs of mint, leaves removed and finely sliced
2-3 green onions, finely sliced
1/3 cup peanuts, toasted and roughly chopped

1. Combine the ribboned asparagus, cabbage, sliced mint and green onions in a large bowl.
2. Pour the dressing over top and toss to combine with your hands or tongs.
3. Place salad on a serving plate and garnish with the chopped peanuts and a bit more chopped mint if you like.
4. Serve and enjoy.

Note: If you’re making this ahead, save the mint slicing and dressing-tossing for the end, right before serving. The acid in the dressing can render the thin asparagus less crisp and mint tends to go dark post-slicing.

No Bake Vanilla Cake Batter Chocolate Truffles

Serves: 20 to 30 truffles

1 c vanilla cake mix
1/4 c sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp agave (optional and you can just use all sweetened condensed milk if you don’t have agave on hand)
1.5 to 2 c chocolate chips

1. In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips, and stir to combine. 
2. This mixture should be quite solid and not runny, but not so dry that you can’t mold it into balls. If you find that your mixture is a little too runny, add a touch more cake mix. If it’s a little too dry, add more sweetened condensed milk/agave. I ended up using about 1.25 c of cake mix to get the perfect consistency. 
3. After you’ve made the dough, refrigerate or freeze for 15 minutes and then remove and roll into balls. 
4. After the balls have been made, refrigerate or freeze for 15 minutes minutes or until well-chilled, ensuring the melted chocolate will adhere and set up properly. 
5. Melt the chocolate chips, and dip the chilled cake batter balls into melted chocolate. Using parchment paper is a tip I’d recommend when working with melted chocolate. Place truffles in freezer or fridge to set up. Yields: 20 to 30 truffles depending on size preference. Store in refrigerator or freezer.