There are so many times that I find myself looking for an appetizer to bring to a party that is bite sized, and doesn't require much work. I was walking through Trader Joes one day and came across a jar of jumbo lump crab. It made me a little nostalgic, because I ate my own body weight in crab in the two years that I lived in Baltimore, Maryland. It is not an item you regularly see in Kansas City...the most landlocked city in the United States. So, I bought the crab without a real plan of what to do with it. It was lunchtime. I was hungry. The crab looked SO good. It seemed a tad indulgent to make for a regular Tuesday afternoon lunch, but it was for the sake of recipe testing! Right? I was determined to come up with a good appetizer to take to a party that night. The recipe was so easy to make, and the little cups were so pretty, I thought to myself...why do I put in so much effort into party food, or food I make for others, but not into what I present to myself? A lightbulb went off in my head, and I decided that what I make for myself could be picture worthy. Over time, it really started to make me more aware of what I was putting into my body. Feeding myself went to the top of my priority list, and guess what? My health started to change in so many positive ways. Don't get caught up in the cycle of restriction and guilt. Make a pretty plate for yourself of nourishing food. Take the time. You are worth it. Every day.
Crab
16 ounces Jumbo Lump Crab
1 tablespoon red onion, small dice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 heads of Endive
Dressing
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon coconut cream
salt and pepper to taste
Break apart the leaves of a head of endive and rinse under cold water. Set them on a towel to dry while you make the crab salad
Mix all of the ingredients for the dressing in a small jar with a lid, and shake vigorously for about a minute.
Put the crab, onion, and cilantro in a bowl and toss gently with the dressing, being careful not to break apart the crab.
Fill the endive cups with crab and serve immediately