Crunchy Cucumber Vegetable Salad

When you are craving a fresh, flavorful salad filled with crunchy vegetables and protein, throw this one together! Great for lunch with a dollop of cottage cheese or jammy eggs. It is also delicious as a side salad with grilled fish, chicken or steak. Enjoy!

 Crunchy Cucumber Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:

9 ounces shelled edamame (one package of Trader Joe's edamame with sea salt work great)
4 mini persian cucumbers, cut into rounds
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half

2 bell peppers, cut into small cubes (whichever color you like)

1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 large cloves minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Green Salad with Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing

Making salad dressings can be a challenge to me sometimes~ for some reason,  occasionally they just don't taste quite right when I make them (my mom of course makes the best ones!)  But this Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing turned out just great- although it is creamy, it is still healthy and very flavorful with garlic and lemon. It was perfect with hearty lettuce like baby chard, arugula and spinach.

Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing
recipe from Cooking Light

2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 grated garlic clove (with microplane grater)

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and whisk together until emulsified.  Enjoy!

Easy Summertime Lunch with Homemade Pesto

This is one of my favorite summertime whip-together lunches--- cottage cheese, homemade pesto and cherry tomatoes. Yum!



Basil Walnut Pesto

2 cups packed basil leaves
1/3 olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
sprinkle of pepper

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and combine until smooth.

Peanut Chicken Noodle Salad

Hot days always make me crave cold salads out on the deck for dinner. This Peanut Chicken Noodle salad is perfect when you know a heat wave is predicted- you can whip it together in the eve when it is cool, pop it in the fridge and when you get home from work the next day, you will have a cool and tasty salad ready to serve. We added the noodle salad on a bed of extra cabbage for more crunch and had crispy crudites alongside. This is also a great potluck salad because you can make it ahead and everyone will love it~

Peanut Chicken Noodle Salad

1 pound linguine

2 chicken breasts

olive oil

kosher salt & pepper

2 cups shredded Napa cabbage

2 carrots, grated coarsely

6 green onions

optional: julienne red peppers or sliced snow peas for crunch and color

chopped peanuts for garnish (and cilantro leaves if you family likes it!)

Dressing

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 garlic clove, minced

Coat chicken with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper and bake at 400º for 25-30 minutes. Let cool after cooking and either shred or cut into cubes. Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water.

Mix all dressing ingredients in blender until smooth. Put cabbage, carrots, cold noodles, chicken pieces in bowl and mix with dressing. You can add julienne red peppers or sliced snow peas for color and crunch, too! Refrigerate until ready to enjoy and garnsh with green onions and chopped peanuts.

Brown Rice Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Basil and Feta

Summer time is all about fresh veggies and eating outside! This salad is a great way to combine tasty fresh tomatoes and cucumbers with a healthy grain, brown rice. This combo reminds me of one of my favorite orzo greek salads, but is refreshing with the addition of a new twist to the salad with rice. Great for a picnic!

Brown Rice Salad with Cucumbers, 
Tomatoes, Basil and Feta

1 1/2 cups long grain brown rice
1 English cucumber, sliced
1 basket of cherry tomatoes
8 ounces feta cheese
1/4 chopped basil
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Cook brown rice according to package. Let cool.
In a jar, combine lemon juice, rice vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to make the dressing.
In a large bowl, add cooked rice, cucumbers, tomatoes and basil. Pour dressing over rice mixture then gently add feta. Enjoy!

Hearts of Palm Salad with Avocado and Cherry Tomatoes

The marinated hearts of palm makes this salad refreshing and unique and would be great on your holiday table! 

Hearts of Palm Salad with Avocado and Cherry Tomatoes

1 small head Boston lettuce 
1 jar or can hearts of palm, sliced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
cherry tomatoes
fresh oregano

Dressing Ingredients:
juice from one lemon
11/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Mix ingredients in medium bowl and add sliced hearts of palm. Marinate for 15 minutes. Drain hearts of palm, saving the marinade dressing. Place washed and torn lettuce in a salad bowl and toss with reserved dressing. Sprinkle top with hearts of palm, dice avocado and tomatoes and toss gently. 

Saucy Turkey Taco Filling

Most taco nights in our house include turkey meat seasoned with homemade taco seasoning and all the regular fixin's.. Tonight I tried to "sauce up the filling" a bit with a tasty result!  My husband and I enjoyed it on a bed of spinach with grated cheese and avocados and my kids put it in corn tortillas with cheese and shredded lettuce sprinkled on top. If you don't like beans, just leave 'em out.

Saucy Turkey Taco Filling

1/2 onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
1 15 ounce can drained and rinsed black beans (or kidney beans or pinto or none if you don't like beans)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

In large skillet, saute onion in olive oil sprinkled with 1/2 teaspoon salt until soft, about 5 minutes. Add turkey meat and garlic and saute until cooked through. Then add beans, tomato sauce, chicken broth,chili powder, oregano, cumin, red wine vinegar and rest of salt and simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened. Serve with crisp corn taco shells or on top of lettuce. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Oil & Vinegar Slaw

Graduation time is full of fun parties and gatherings with family and friends. Pulled pork is an excellent dish to make in the morn in the crock pot and it is ready to go when you get home from festivities. I made an oil and vinegar slaw to go with our sandwiches (you gotta pile that slaw on there along with bbq sauce!) because my husband is not a big fan of mayo. Usually I add radishes that add a nice crunch and color to the salad, but I didn't have any on hand.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3 equal pieces

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup tomato ketchup

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Soft sandwich rolls, split and toasted, for serving

Make the Sauce:

In saucepan over medium heat, saute onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to bubble. Put pork in bottom of slow cooker and pour sauce over pork. Cover and cook until pork is very tender, 4 to 5 hours on high or 8 to 10 hours on low.

Transfer the pork pieces to a platter. Using a pair of forks, shred each piece of pork, removing and discarding any large pieces of fat. Skim the excess fat off the sauce, return the pulled pork to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve the pork and sauce a top sandwich rolls. I like to add more bbq sauce, too. Serves 6 to 8. 

Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma

Oil and Vinegar Slaw

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 bag (16 ounces) shredded cabbage mix

1 teaspoon salt

salt and pepper

Mix vinegar and sugar. Add oil. Add cabbage to dressing and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.  Adjust seasoning. Let stand 20 minutes. Re-toss and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Rachel Ray

Orzo Salad

ORZO SALAD

    

1 pound orzo, cooked according to package

juice of one lemon

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

basket of cherry tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced

1/3 cup feta, crumbled

1 English cucumber, peeled and cubed

10 basil leaves, chiffonade

handful of pine nuts to toss on top

Mix lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in bottom of large bowl. Cook orzo, drain and toss warm with the lemon oil mixture. When cooled, add rest of ingredients and toss gently. Serve cold or at room temp. Tastes great on a picnic the next day, too!

Roasted Broccoli, Farro and Feta Salad

I loved one of the boxed salads from Green Heart Foods in San Francisco that I tasted at the screen printing class I took recently. It was so tasty I tried to recreate it~ this is a simpler version (ie., doesn't include "preserved lemon" that they had in their version), but is just as delicious! 

Roasted Broccoli, Farro and Feta Salad

2/3 cup dry farro

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided (2 T for roasted broccoli, 2 T for dressing)

1 pound broccoli florets, roasted

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup crumbled feta 

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

kosher salt and pepper to taste

Cook farro according to instructions (I used Trader Joe's Farro like I did in this recipe). While cooking farro, toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons olive oil on foil lined bakng sheet, add kosher salt and pepper to taste and roast in 400° oven for 15-20 minutes.

Make dressing: put minced garlic and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar in jar. Let sit (to "cook" garlic) for 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and shake. 

Put cooked farro in bowl, add cooled roasted broccoli, feta, and cherry tomatoes. Pour dressing all over ingredients and let "marinate" for a few hours before serving.  Enjoy!

Farro salad was a perfect addition to dinner with grilled salmon and green beans

Simple Green Salad

from a 

Provençal Birthday Lunch

Simple Green Salad

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 head butter lettuce, leaves washed and torn into bite sized pieces

1/4 cup chopped chives

1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh

1/2 teaspoon summer savory

1/4 teaspoon thyme

Mix vinegar, oil, salt and garlic in bottom of large salad bowl. Add lettuce. Do not toss. On top of greens, sprinkle chives, dill, savory and thyme. Do not toss. Cover loosely with saran wrap and refrigerate. Toss salad right before serving and season with pepper if desired. I added avocado which tasted great with all the herbs. 

Cooked Veggie Power Lunch Bowl

Salads for lunch is a great way to increase your daily veggie intake and since I actually prefer cooked vegetables to raw,  putting together a melange of cooked vegetable flavors is a great way to "mix in a salad" for me. If you cook a good amount of all these veggies, you can save portions for multiple meals and can eat variations of these in a variety of tasty lunch bowls throughout the week.

Cooked Veggie Power Lunch Bowl

• Saute baby spinach, kale and chard in 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt
• Roast cubed butternut squash tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper at 425° until soft, like in this recipe
• Saute cremini mushrooms until soft in olive oil with one shallot sliced and one minced garlic clove
• Add raw sliced red pepper
• Add basil hummus (recipe here) for protein 
• sprinkle with herbs you love (I put fresh thyme on this bowl after I took the picture!)
• Add nuts of your choice for protein, too- I added toasted walnuts in this bowl

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Fall Harvest Salad

This salad is full of complex flavors and pretty colors and so satisfying- the sweet and salty dressing is perfect with the spinach and butternut squash.

Fall Harvest Salad

3 cups butternut squash, cut into cubes
1 shallot, diced
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
sprinkle of pepper

Vinaigrette
1 teaspoon chopped shallot
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons apricot preserves
1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons toasted walnuts

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a small baking sheet with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.Spread butternut squash  in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and toss with olive oil and salt,  leaving space between squash pieces. Roast, flipping once halfway through cooking, until squash is tender and lightly browned, about 15 to 25 minutes. 
• 
  
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients. Just before serving, add vinaigrette to spinach and squash and; toss until thoroughly combined. Top with walnuts and Enjoy!
• Adapted from this recipe

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Roasted Butternut Squash and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

This salad is healthy and delicious and even tastes great the day after you make it. Would be a great salad for a ladies lunch served with a crusty whole grain bread.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

1 pound cubed butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup dry quinoa)
2 cups chicken broth
1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 avocado, cubed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 green onion, chopped

Dressing:
3 tablespoons lime juice (about one lime)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Place cubed butternut squash on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in 400° oven for 20-25 minutes until browning on edges and baked though.  Cook quinoa in chicken broth.  Whisk all dressing ingredients in small bowl. 

Put salad ingredients in large bowl and toss with dressing. Enjoy room temperature or cold.

Recipe adapted from Ohsheglows

Tuscan Kale Salad

This kale salad is simple and delicious, has very few ingredients and tastes healthy! I made my own bread crumbs by toasting a piece of sweet baguette I had in the freezer, running a clove of raw garlic over the top, drizzling just a bit of olive oil and salt and chopping it into little pieces.

Tuscan Kale Salad
Print recipe here!

4-6 cups Lacinto or "dinosaur" kale,  midribs removed and sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, mashed
Salt and pepper, to taste
hot red pepper flakes, to taste

½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup freshly made bread crumbs from lightly toasted bread

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, and a generous pinch (or more to taste) of hot red pepper flakes. Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well. Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again. Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Add bread crumbs, toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

Recipe from Taste

Caprese Quinoa Salad

We had a family dinner at my parents' house tonight and I brought this tasty, healthy salad to serve along side our grilled steak. It is easy and quick to make and would be a great side dish for chicken and fish, too.

Caprese Quinoa Salad

1 cup dried quinoa, rinsed
2 cups chicken broth, to cook quinoa

1 basket cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
8 ounce container ciliegine (mini mozarella balls), cut in half
15 basil leaves, chiffonade
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper

Rinse quinoa and put in saucepan with chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Fluff with fork and let sit until room temperature.  Mix lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper in small jar. When quinoa has cooled, put into bowl and add sliced tomatoes and mozzarella balls. Drizzle dressing and toss, then add basil chiffonade. Enjoy!

Kale Salad with Maple Almond Vinaigrette

This Kale salad had all sorts of tasty extras that make it a flavorful, filling salad. My husband and I enjoyed this together while the kids were out! The crispy shallots on top make it special~

Kale Salad with Maple Almond Vinaigrette

3 cups dinosaur kale, rinsed, tough stems removed, and chopped finely
2 cups finely shredded brussels sprout leaves 
2 shallots, sliced thinly into rings

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
1/4 cup slivered almonds
4 slices bacon, crumbled

3 Tbsp olive oil

Maple-Almond Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp almond butter 
1/2 tsp dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Place shaved brussels sprout leaves in a baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt & pepper and toss until coated. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, or until some brussels sprouts pieces look crispy. Add kale on top of  brussels sprouts to wilt it a bit. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in saute pan over medium high heat and add thinly sliced shallots. Cook until crispy, stirring often and turning down heat if they start to get too brown. Drain on paper towel. Put greens in bowl, toss with dressing, parmesan, and bacon. Sprinkle almonds and shallots on top. Tastes great as a main course salad or as a side with salmon. Enjoy!

Adapted from here and here.

Heart Healthy Farro Salad

My dad just had an angioplasty procedure yesterday and thankfully his heart looks just fine! I wanted to make a heart healthy lunch for my mom and him to enjoy today and I found this delicious looking recipe that I adapted to what I already had on hand. Farro is an ancient grain similar to barley and adds a nice bite to this salad. We enjoyed sharing this lunch in my parents' terrace today and felt so blessed that he is well.  Here's to all of us staying healthy!

Dad and his healthy salad!

Farro Salad with Tuna, Northern Beans and Kale

1 cup farro or barley

1 15 ounce can Northern White Beans or Cannellini Beans

1 5 ounce can tuna packed in water

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced

1 bunch baby kale leaves

1 tablespoons capers

1 bunch asparagus

a few cherry tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook farro in chicken stock. I used Trader Joe's Farro- it is quick cooking and comes in a perfect sized bag. Boil 2 cups of chicken stock (or you can just use water, too) and add bag of farro. Continue cooking 10-12 minutes over medium heat so that the liquid continues to bubble. Take off heat and drain if there is any leftover liquid. Use all the farro except about 2 cups- you can save that for another use!

While the Farro cooks, make the dressing. Smash the garlic cloves until a thick paste is formed. Put into jar and sliced shallots. Add lemon juice to the garlic and shallot and let it stand for a few minutes to "cook" the garlic and shallots. Add oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and shake until blended.

Cut the kale into strips, put into a  bowl and add a little dressing to help soften the kale.

Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and run cold water over them to stop the cooking. Slice into bite sized pieces.

Combine the cooked farro, beans, tuna, asparagus and capers in a large bowl. Pour the rest of the dressing over the salad and toss well. Place the kale on the bottom of the plate, put the farro and tuna mixture on top and add a few cherry tomatoes sliced in half for color. Enjoy!

Mother's Day Lunch

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!!  My mom and I went on a wonderful mother's day adventure to Filoli, a lovely historical country estate in Woodside that had a special flower arrangement show in the house and beautiful gardens to explore outside. I brought a "boxed" lunch for us to enjoy in the gardens that included a yummy curried couscous chicken salad, marinated green bean and feta salad, crunchy potato chips, sweet green grapes and butterscotch oatmeal squares for dessert.

Curried Couscous Chicken Salad

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 teaspoons curry
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pearl couscous
1 15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 green apple, cored and diced
1 cup diced cooked chicken breast
2 scallions, sliced
3 tablespoons  lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups raw chopped spinach

Bring the water, 1 teaspoon of the curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil in small saucepan. Add the couscous, simmer covered for 8 minutes. When cous cous had finished cooking, gently stir in chopped spinach until it wilts.

Combine the chickpeas, apple, chicken, scallions in large bowl. In small bowl, blend lemon juice, oil, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt and add to chicken mixture. Add couscous and mix well. Enjoy!

Green Bean and Feta Salad

1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
1 sweet onion, peeled
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 dash hot sauce
4 ounces feta, crumbled

Thinly slice the onion and place into a colander over the sink. Add the cleaned green beans to a large pot of boiling water and boil until crisp tender (about 4 minutes). When the beans are done, drain the water into the colander to slightly cook the onions. Immediately rinse all in cold water to stop the cooking process.

For the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, rice wine vinegar, cider vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add beans, onions and cheese and stir until combined. Place in a nonreactive container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. I marinated it over night (and waited to put the feta in the salad until the morning) and it turned out great!

adapted from here

Chinese Slaw

Even if you don't like traditional cole slaw, you have try this variation of slaw with a chinese twist.  It contains no mayonnaise and is high on flavor while being low in calories.

Chinese Slaw

1 12 ounce bag of broccoli slaw (Trader Joe's carries it as well as Safeway)

1  5 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, cut into sticks

1 11 ounce can mandarin oranges

4 radishes, sliced into sticks

2 green onions sliced

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup Newman's Own Lite Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for two hours and toss before serving.

Adapted from this recipe