Listen ~ Regina Spektor

regina spektor !

Regina Spektor (b. February 18, 1980 in Moscow, Soviet Union (now Russia)), is a singer-songwriter and pianist. Born in Moscow, she moved with her family to the Bronx, New York, at age nine. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered on New York City's East Village.

Spektor comes from a musical family; her father, a photographer, was also an amateur violinist and her mother was a music professor in a Russian conservatory . The family left the Soviet Union in 1989, during the period of Perestroika when Jewish citizens were permitted to emigrate. Traveling first to Austria and then Italy, they finally settled in the Bronx, New York.

Regina Spektor is one of several artists, almost all coming out of New York’s East Village, to be labeled “anti-folk”–but with Spektor, expect a much more cabaret-y feel than the poster girl for anti-folk, Ani DiFranco. Spektor comes from a musical background and studied at the Manhattan School of Music, and it shows in her music–both in the arrangement (whether on piano or, particularly on this album, with other instruments) of the music and in the careful control underlying her singing voice.

quinoa salad w/ arame & toasted seeds

this crunchy, super delicious salad is full of sunflower, pumpkin, and toasted black sesame seeds. it was first made by Peter Berley at Angelica Kitchen in New York. If you have never had quinoa before, this is a good start to enjoying one of the highest protein, digestible grains there is !

The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen

for the salad ~

1/3 cup hulled black sesame seeds

1/3 cup hulled sunflower seeds

1/3 cup hulled pumpkin seeds

1/2 arame (look in the bulk section at your local co-op...loose seaweed)

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 tsp coarse sea salt

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

kernels from 2 ears sweet corn

1 red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 bunch red radishes (8 - 10), trimmed and cut into matchsticks

1 large carrot, grated

for the marinade ~

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup evoo (extra virgin olive oil)

1 small bunch cilantro (1 cup) trimmed & chopped

2 scallions, white & green parts, sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & minced

coarse sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1. preheat oven to 375 ~ spread seeds on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. set in a bowl to cool

2. combine arame in a bowl with 2 cups warm water for 10 minutes to soften, drain and set aside

3. in a small saucepan over high heat, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. add in the quinoa and bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to low and cover for 20 - 30 minutes....or until liquid has been absorbed. spread the cooked quinoa on a plate to cool

4. lightly steam the corn and red onion for 3 -5 minutes in a steam basket over boiling water until crisp but tender. shock with cold water and set aside

5. combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl with 2 tsp salt & whisk well

6. add in the toasted seeds, arame, steamed veggies, red pepper, radishes, carrot & quinoa. mix well and let the flavors marry in the fridge for 20 minutes before serving.

serves 4 - 6

would be a great side dish to fish, or to serve with crustinis