Arugula Love Affair
Arugula and I have a very special relationship. I think we’re in love.
Arugula is not regular ol’ lettuce. It’s a leafy green with an exceptionally strong, rich, peppery taste. It’s delicious. And, for me, it instantly enhances the flavor profile of a salad. It takes a boring salad and makes it gourmet. If you haven’t tried arugula, go out immediately and buy some!
Dinner
Tonight’s dinner was an amazing arugula salad topped with Nasoya Japanese noodles and balsamic vinegar.
In the mix:
- Braised Brussels Spouts in Mustard Sauce
- Mushrooms
- Green bell pepper
- Grape tomatoes
- Carrots
- Cucumber
Lunch
Lunch was very similar to dinner: arugula salad with mushrooms, brussels sprouts, and grape tomatoes. I guess I was in a salad mood today! On the side, I also had a bunch of dates.

Vote For Me
Back in August, I was nominated for Divine Caroline’s 2009 Love This Site Awards. The last day to vote is December 4, so please, please, please take a minute and vote for me!
NuVal Buzz
Check out my post about pizza on Hangry Pants and Marissa’s guest post on A Better Bag of Groceries.
Organica Deluxe Giveaway
Thanks to everyone who entered! I love this prize!
Here’s your winner:
#444 Katherine
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 12:29 am [edit]
I would get the “Bordeaux and Pavers”. Chocolate and wine– what could be better?!
Posted by: Tina 45 comments
Posted in: 12 days, Uncategorized
Tags: arugula





on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 6:35 pm
I love arugula! In England, we called it rocket which just sounds so much more exciting.
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 6:36 pm
I love arugula too! Have you tried making pesto with it? So good!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Mmmmm…I love arugula. It has such a distinct flavor. Yum!
Congrats on the nomination!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 6:43 pm
I just can not get in to arugula
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 6:46 pm
I can’t tell you how much I LOVE that brussels sprouts recipe !! So amazing cold in a salad!! WOW!! You find the greatest recipes and products!! Thank you!!!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 6:48 pm
I really do love arugula and brussel sprouts! What a great dinner!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 6:49 pm
I like arugula as part of a salad but its a bit too much as the base of an entire salad…
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Mmmm, arugula > every other leafy green, at least raw. So peppery and delicious
I wonder what it would taste like cooked…
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Your noodles look delicious! I have to start buying more arugula! I am stuck on romaine usually.
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Arugula is fantastic!! ( …note to self: put on grocery list…)
Your affair is with quite the gentleman
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Arugula has such an interesting flavor! I really like it whenever I eat it but I always forget about it!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 7:28 pm
For some reason, I just cannot get into arugula…it always tastes too bitter to me.
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 7:30 pm
[...] the original: Arugula Love Affair – Carrots 'N' Cake By admin | category: love | tags: arugula, benedict, flavor, hardcore-pornography, [...]
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 7:32 pm
I am stealing that recipe! (borrowing)
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on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 7:34 pm
I love arugula, too. I especially love making pesto with it.
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 7:34 pm
arugula is super good. actually if i had the choice i would actually mix a bunch of lettuce options in my salads everyday! i love spinach and arugula and regular romaine!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 7:41 pm
I’ve never tried arugula (at least, as far as I know I haven’t) but your post makes me want to try it. It sounds great!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 7:51 pm
You can have arugula, I won’t fight you for it!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 7:54 pm
never tried arugula before but now i must!
jenna
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 8:09 pm
arugula is so awesome! I love it with a mustard sauce too. Yummy!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 8:37 pm
I love arugula.. it’s used a ton in Italian households!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 9:19 pm
arugula & brussels sprouts are soooo yummy!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 9:21 pm
arugula is pretty special – i have to agree! it’s such a “grown up” lettuce.
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Ooh…I love arugula!! I am eating an arugula salad right now…..topped with leftover POM Cranberry sauce! YUM!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Really? arugula??? Okay if you say so, I’ll put it on my grocery list!!!!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Looks great! Did you eat the noodles warm or cold?
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 9:37 pm
[...] the rest here: Arugula Love Affair – Carrots 'N' Cake This entry is filed under love. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 [...]
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 9:45 pm
For some reason I don’t like arugula at all! I had it in some lettuce blend once and it was so bad that I couldn’t eat any of it!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Your dinner sounds fantastic! Arugula is a favourite green of mine, too
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Oh yum–I love arugula!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 10:16 pm
LOVE Arugula – so delicious!
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 10:28 pm
What a healthy looking salad! I bet it was delicious
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 10:30 pm
I am a fan of anything with arugula and brussels
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 11:18 pm
The noodles on top of the dinner salad looks delicious! I will look into getting some of those Nasoya noodles. nom
on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Those Nayasoya noodles sound like the perfect topper to that already delish salad. I agree with you regarding arugula, it’s also the one of the lowest in calories amongst all other green leafy veggies, not that green leafy veggies pack much of a caloric load to begin with. Still, it’s nice to know!
on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 12:01 am
I love arugula. Remember when Obama was running for president and he said he liked arugula and the media said he was a snob? RIDIC. If I am a snob for loving arugula, I don’t want to go un-snob.
on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 12:10 am
I tried arugula a few summers ago and I found it to be very bitter. There might have been something wrong with it though because the taste you described seems different. I’ll have to try it again!
on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 12:35 am
I adore arugula, such a strong yet wonderful taste. Wine and chocolate shortly follow as well, I’m so bummed I missed that giveaway
But! If you, yourself, were thinking of hosting a tasting party, I think I have just the product for you. Check out my giveaway if you can… http://bit.ly/5nX2ig
on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 3:55 am
ha! i was just about to say the same thing as erin — i love that the english call arugula “rocket”. in fact i just made a delicious crab tagliatelle recipe with it the other night
on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 4:04 am
Looks lovely! I LOVE arugula too…But a warning: you can have too much of it (yes, even I had enough of it at one stage) and then you have to wait a few weeks until it’s your favorite leaf again. Ha ha, well…at least that’s what happened to me!
xxx Julia (Taste of Living)
on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 6:32 am
LOVE LOVE arugula….the spicy, sweet flavors are so perfect! those noodles look delish too!
on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 11:11 am
Are those Nasoya noodles soy-based or wheat?
I LOVE brussel sprouts – eating them reminds me of living in Scotland, where it was pretty much the only seasonal green vegetable I could find in the winter!
on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 1:19 pm
I love arugula too! But, hardly ever buy it, I need to fix that!
on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 1:19 pm
I think that arugula positively TRANSFORMS tuna sandwiches. My favorite way to eat it.
on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
You’ve got my vote!