Tag Archives: salad

Strawberry Sunflower Salad

Summer is coming… strawberries are fresh and on sale at my grocery store!  Taking full advantage of the slightly warmer temperatures and fresh strawberries, I dreamed up this salad.  Perfect for a spring or summer lunch.

Strawberry Sunflower Salad

Pieces:

  1. two cups lettuce greens
  2. 4-5 strawberries, greens cut off and sliced into thirds
  3. one eighth of a cup of crumbled goat cheese
  4. one eighth of a cup of sunflower seeds
  5. 3 tbsp. dark chocolate balsamic vinegar

 

Process:

  1. Wash the lettuce and wash and cut the strawberries.
  2. In a large bowl, add the lettuce and top with strawberries, goat cheese, and sunflower seeds.
  3. Drizzle dark chocolate balsamic vinegar and enjoy!

strawberry goat salad

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

 

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Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

And here comes another home cooked side straight from my mother’s kitchen!  Beets are one of my all time favorite foods (not just vegetables… foods) and I am always looking for different ways to eat them.  Here, my mom has adapted a salad from a cookbook, adding her own flavors and zings.  Enjoy!

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese (adapted from “Cod and Country” by Barton Seaver)

Pieces:

  1. 2 lbs. red or golden beets, stems and greens removed
  2. Salt
  3. Lettuce leaves of your choice, about 1/4 head
  4. 1 bunch Italian parsley leaves
  5. 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and very thinly sliced
  6. 2 bunches scallions, thinly sliced
  7. 2 Tablespoons Chile Oil or Citrus Oil (recipes follow)
  8. Juice of one lemon
  9. 6 oz goat cheese of your choice 

 

Process:

  1. In heavily salted water, simmer the beets whole until soft, about 35 minutes.  
  2. Drain the beets.  
  3. While the beets are still fairly warm and using paper towels, gently rub the skins off the beets.  
  4. Slice the beets into 1/2 inch rounds and arrange over lettuce leaves.  
  5. Scatter parsley leaves, apple slices and scallions over top.  
  6. Drizzle with Chile or Citrus Oil.  
  7. Drizzle with lemon juice and crumble goat cheese over all before serving.
Citrus Oil 
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Zest of one lemon, removed in large strips with a vegetable peeler
Zest of one orange, removed in large strips with a vegetable peeler
1 bay leaf 
In small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  When oil reaches simmering point, remove 
from heat and add zests and bay leaf.  Let steep overnight in refrigerator in covered container.  About a half-hour before using, remove from refrigerator and remove the zests and bay leaf.  (The oil will keep in refrigerator, tightly covered, for about two weeks for future use.  Again let stand at room temperature for half-hour before using.)
Chile Oil 
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon red chile flakes
In small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  When oil reaches simmering point, remove from heat and add spices.  When cool, stir and transfer to airtight covered container and let steep 24 hours at room temperature before use.  (The oil will keep at room temperature, tightly covered, for about two weeks for future use.)
beet salad
Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

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Roasted Pear Salad

When my mom makes dinner, she almost always makes a salad to go with the meal.  A salad adds veggie servings and bulks up the meal to make you feel fuller.  She is always so creative with her salads, and this one was one of my favorites when I went visiting a couple weeks ago.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Roasted Pear Salad

Pieces:

  1. 4 Anjou pears
  2. 1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted
  3. 2 tablespoons sugar
  4. 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  5. 1 shallot, minced
  6. 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  7. salt & pepper
  8. 1 small bunch trimmed watercress, rinsed & dried
  9. 1 small package mixed salad greens, rinsed & dried
  10. 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
  11. ½ cup toasted pecan halves

Process:

  1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
  2. Peel pears, remove cores and slice pears into fourths.
  3. Place slices in a large bowl and toss with the melted butter and sugar.
  4. Spread the slices on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Roast about @10 minutes.  Flip each slice over and roast @5 minutes longer.   Watch so pears don’t burn.
  5. Remove from oven and let cool.
  6. Whisk vinegar, shallot, oil, and salt&pepper to taste.
  7. Combine watercress and salad greens in a large serving bowl.  Gently toss with vinaigrette.
  8. To toast pecans:  Place pecan halves in dry small skillet over medium heat.  Shaking pan occasionally, toast for @1 or 2 minutes, until fragrant, careful not to burn pecans.
  9. Plate onto salad plates and top with pears, pecans and blue cheese.

pear salad

 

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

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Triple Potato Curried Quinoa Salad

I had a few random leftover potatoes from various recipes and didn’t quite know what to do with them, so I made an alternative potato salad.  I used those potatoes, some leftover red pepper, and quinoa to make a great curried potato salad.  It would be great as a lunch salad, or a side to dinner. And, if you don’t like curry, you can easily leave it out.

Triple Potato Curried Quinoa Salad

Pieces:

  1. One sweet potato, peeled and diced into half inch cubes
  2. One white potato, peeled and diced into half inch cubes
  3. 5-6 small red bliss potatoes, washed and cut into half inch cubes
  4. 2 red peppers, cut into half inch squares
  5. 1 tsp. cinnamon
  6. 3 tsp. curry powder
  7. 2 tbsp. vegan butter
  8. 2 tsp. smoked paprika
  9. 1 cup quinoa cooked to package directions
  10. 2 tbsp. olive oil
  11. 3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
  12. 2 tbsp. honey
  13. 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
  14. 1 tsp. curry powder
  15. 1 tsp. white sugar
  16. 1 tsp. ginger
  17. salt and pepper

Process:

  1. In a large skillet, combine the sweet potato cubes, white potato cubes, and red potato cubes with the cinnamon, 3 tsp. curry powder, smoked paprika, and butter.
  2. Cook on medium heat, covered, until potatoes are a little bit harder than fork tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir every couple of minutes.
  3. Add the red peppers and continue to cook until red peppers and potatoes are tender, about another 4 minutes.  When cooked, take off heat and let cool.
  4. Cook the quinoa to package directions.
  5. In a salad dressing shaker, or a bowl, combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, 1 tsp. curry powder, sugar, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Shake/mix vigorously.
  6. In a serving bowl, combine the potatoes and red peppers with the quinoa, and pour dressing on top.  Mix well and serve!

triple potato

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

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Not Your Average Tomato Basil Salad

Summer practically begs for fresh tomato and basil salads.  It is such a fresh combination, and summer is the perfect time for home grown basil.  Here is a tomato basil salad that will add some spice to any summer night… it certainly isn’t what you are expecting.  And one of my new favorites.

Not Your Average Tomato Basil Salad

Pieces:

  1. 2 tomatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces
  2. 1 mango, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
  3. one cup freshly chopped basil
  4. 1 tbsp. olive oil
  5. 1 tsp. curry powder
  6. 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  7. salt and pepper to taste

Process:

  1. Chop the tomatoes, mango, and basil.
  2. Toss in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil.
  3. Sprinkle curry powder, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper.
  4. Serve cold.

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Let your fruits and veggies mingle!

Seriously, the fresh fruit this time of year is unbelievable.  For someone who eats fruits and veggies with every meal, the different varieties available now are bliss.  In fact, I have gotten so excited about fresh fruit and veggies, that I have been letting them mingle together in salads.  Here are my top three summer fruity salads:

Number Three: Nectarine, Cranberry, Pine Nut Salad

Over salad lettuce, I tossed some craisins (although, if I had more time, I would have used fresh cranberries), sliced nectarines, and pine nuts.  For a more savory salad, use arugula instead of salad lettuce.

Number Two: Pear and Walnut Salad

Over salad lettuce, I sprinkled sliced pear and chopped walnuts.  A great crunch combination.

Number One: Tomato, Basil, Watermelon Salad

My personal favorite.  I chopped very ripe yellow tomatoes, freshly cut watermelon, and fresh basil and layered the ingredients.  No lettuce needed.  An unexpectedly delicious combination!

All salads were topped with just simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but you could certainly get more creative with the dressing.  That is what’s great about salads… you can’t really mess them up.  Just find your favorite combination!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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