Hearty "Beat the Head" Salad

Sorry I haven't been blogging, I've been on vacation in Texas and and Florida for the past almost 2 weeks! While the vaca was nice, I have missed blogging so it's good to be back!

On another happy note, thanks for all the well wishes about my blood test for Celiac Disease. I just got the test results back and I don't have it!!! I am very relieved, but still planning to go back to being mostly gluten free since I feel so much better when I am. Thanks again for all of your support!

I got home from work last night and my apartment was stifling; the weather has been unseasonably hot, and the apartment building is not turning on the air conditioning until next week (which may be a good plan considering the temperature dropped back down to the 40's at night). Regardless, I was not willing to turn on my gas stove or oven because it really heats up my apartment, so I decided to make a hearty salad that would serve as dinner.

This salad is big enough for one, but you can easily make it for multiple people as well. I haven't included measurements for the veggies because you should feel free to mix & match or subsitute as you please!

Hearty "Beat the Heat" Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:
lettuce spring mix
baby heirloom tomatoes
orange pepper
scallion
cucumber
hearts of palm
small red beans (or chickpeas or edamame)
dried cranberries
almonds

Dressing:
1/2 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp agave
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
pinch of black pepper
shot of sriracha

Directions:

1. Combine salad ingredients.
2. Blend dressing and pour over salad. Serve immediately.

The cost:
lettuce: 1.99
tomatoes: 2.49
pepper: 1.29
cucumber: 2.29
hearts of palm: 1.39
beans: .69

Grand total: $10.14 (serves 4-6)

Snap Pea & Blood Orange Salad w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette

I had a leftover bag of snap peas that I wanted to use in a salad, but frankly my fridge revealed very few other vegetables (I was going grocery shopping later that evening). One of my twitter friends had suggested a while back that blood orange and balsamic are great flavors together, so I decided to make a balsamic vinaigrette and top everything with some chopped nuts from the previous nights candied nut adventure.

Snap Pea & Blood Orange Salad w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 bag snap peas
3 blood oranges
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp light olive oil
shot of agave
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
pinch of black pepper
handful of chopped nuts

Directions:

1. Cut snap peas into bite-sized pieces and place in bowl. Segment and blood oranges
2. Squeeze blood orange juice from center/membrane and combine with vinegar, oil, and spices. Pour over peas, tossing to coat.
3. Top with chopped nuts and serve.

The cost:

snap peas: 2.39

blood oranges: leftovers (2.99)

other ingredients: <1.00

Grand total: 3.39ish

Dinner Party Salad: Spinach, Heirloom Tomato & Blood Orange Salad

I am a huge fan of blood oranges. They add great color to any dish, and have a more robust flavor than many other orange varieties, so they are really good salads and salad dressings.

Because of the snow I couldn't get anywhere but TJ's, but I would have added some thinly sliced fennel to this salad, I think it would have rounded this salad out nicely.

Spinach, Heirloom Tomato & Blood Orange Salad

Ingredients:

6 oz fresh spinach
1 English cucumber, sliced
8 oz baby heirloom tomatoes, halved
1 scallion, chopped
3 blood oranges
1 tsp orange zest
1 Tbsp light olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp sea salt
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of black pepper
1/4 cup candied nuts (optional for garnish)

Directions:

1. Place spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, and scallion in a large salad bowl.
2. Segment oranges (here is a nice little demo), and add to salad.
3. Take what's left of the orange (center and membrane and such) and squeeze the juice into a small bowl. Add remaining ingredients (except nuts) and pour over over salad, tossing to coat.
4. Garnish with nuts (optional).

The cost:
spinach: 1.99
cucumber: 1.69
tomatoes: 3.49
oranges: .99
other ingredients: <1.00

Grand total: $9.16; serves 8

Citrus-Dressed Snow Pea & Tomato Salad

I had dinner at a friend's place a few weeks ago and was asked to bring a salad. I had originally planned on a Romaine lettuce salad, but my lettuce was yucky so I had to improvise. Evaluating the veggies I had on hand (I had already been to TJs once that day), I decided on a citrus-dressed snow peas & tomatoes salad w/ navel oranges.

Note: Segmenting a orange isn't too difficult, but it does make salads look really classy. Here's a nice little demo.

Citrus-Dressed Snow Pea & Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

2 navel oranges
1 bag snow peas
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1 tsp orange zest
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp agave
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch of black pepper

Directions:

1. Segment both oranges, placing pieces in a salad bowl with snow peas and tomatoes; take what's left of the orange (center and membrane and such) and squeeze the juice into a small bowl.
2. To the orange juice, add remaining ingredients, whisking to combine. Pour over veggies and serve.

The cost:
snow peas: 2.49
oranges & tomatoes: 3.00
other ingredients: <1.00

Grand total: $6.49; serves 6-8

Dinner Party (Part 1 of 5): Cucumber, Fennel & Radish Salad

I hadn't hosted a meal in a while, so I decided to host a dinner party last night--thanks to both JG's, JK, LM, and RK for letting me cook for them, and especially to AK for washing the mountain dishes :).

The menu was:

Cucumber, Fennel & Radish Salad (Recipe Remix from this)
Twice Baked Parsnip & Sweet Potato Mash w/ Pecan Streusel Topping
Balsamic Glazed Chickpeas w/ Red Swiss Chard
Coconut Curry Chicken
Banana Nut Cake w/ Candied Walnuts (Recipe Remix from this Recipe Remix)

Sorry, you won't get all of the recipes today--but check back, because you'll get one recipe a day for the rest of the week!

P.S. If you haven't yet filled out my reader poll, please do by clicking here!

Recipe Remix: Cucumber, Fennel & Radish Salad

Ingredients:

1 large fennel bulb + 1 Tbsp fennel fronds
8 radishes
1 English cucumber
1 orange bell pepper
zest of one lemon
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 tsp honey or agave
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Cut fennel bulb in half and peel off outer layer. Slice thinly into half-rounds (I used my mandolin). Slice radishes and cucumber into thin rounds, and julienne the orange pepper.
2. Blend together lemon zest & juice, oil, honey/agave, salt & pepper and pour over salad veggies. Serve immediately.

The cost:
fennel: 2.29
radishes: .89
cucumber: 2.00
pepper: 1.00 (on sale $1 each)
lemons: .78

Grand total: $6.96; serves 8

Broccoli Slaw

I hate mayo with a passion (the taste grosses me out), so I have to find creative ways to substitute for it. My fave substitute is mustard--it comes in so many different flavors that you can find a good mustard for almost any recipe that calls for mayo. [Note: Mustard is also a great substitute if you are a vegan]

I most frequently use mustard in salad dressings. [Quick dressing primer: In order to keep oil and vinegar from separating when you are making a dressing, you need a "stabilizer" that will keep the dressing emulsified and prevent separation. A lot of recipes will use mayo (the egg it in acts as a stabilizer), but mustard works just as well.]

My top choices of mustards for dressing: Honey mustard, spicy brown mustard, dijon mustard, and a recent good find, Peppadew mustard.

Long story short, I made this broccoli slaw that has a mustard-based rather than a mayo-based dressing and I thought it was delicious (also there was none left so I'm assuming my Shabbat lunch guests might agree :)).

Note 1: I sometimes like to change up my slaw and use broccoli instead of cabbage, but if you can't find broccoli slaw in your area or prefer cabbage, this recipe works just as well as cole slaw.

Note 2: If my use of agave freaks you out, honey works well too. (This is for you BK)

Broccoli Slaw

1 package broccoli slaw
2 scallions, chopped
1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)

Directions:

1. Place broccoli slaw and scallions in a salad bowl.
2. Combine remaining ingredients except for almonds (I like to use my immersion blender attachment) and pour over veggies. Toss to coat. Top with almonds just before serving.

The cost:
broccoli slaw: 2.29
scallions: .15
[almonds: .45]
other ingredients: .50

Grand total: 2.94 [3.39 w/ almonds]; serves 6-8 as a side dish

Crunchy Asian Slaw

Notice a theme here? Once I started on one Asian-inspired recipe, it kicked off a stream of consciousness where that was all I could think about because (1) I love Asian food, and (2) Asian-style cooking uses flavorful, healthy ingredients.

This is a go-to recipe for me whenever I need to make a vegetable side dish. It's simple, the flavors work well together, and it's a different spin on the average cole slaw.

Crunchy Asian Slaw

Ingredients:

1 package purple cabbage
1 cups shredded carrots
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup shelled edamame (soybeans)

2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp honey
pinch of pepper
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
dash of hot sauce

1/2 cup chow mein noodles

Directions:

1. Toss cabbage, carrots, scallions and edamame in a large bowl.
2. Blend soy sauce, vinegar, oil, honey, pepper, mustard and hot sauce.
3. Pour dressing over slaw veggies and toss to coat. Allow to sit at least 1 hour before serving (overnight is even better).
4. Garnish with noodles just before serving.

The cost:
cabbage: 1.99
carrots: 1.99
scallions: .15
edamame: 1.99
noodles: 2.39

Grand total: $8.51; serves 6-8 as a side

Asian-Style Baby Bok Choy Salad

For those of you looking for a salad base other than lettuce, baby bok choy is great. Because it's an ingredient used frequently in Asian cooking, I like to do an Asian-style salad with a sweet & spicy dressing to help cut through the slight bitterness of the bok choy.

Baby Bok Choy Salad

Ingredients:

3 heads baby bok choy, cleaned & sliced
1 carrot, shredded
1 English cucumber, cut into half-moons
1 scallion, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp agave, brown sugar or honey
1/4 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
a few dashes of hot sauce
zest of 1 lime

1/4 cup toasted almonds
1/4 cup crunchy asian noodles

Directions:

1. Combine bok choy, carrots, cucumber, scallions, and cranberries in a large bowl.
2. Blend soy sauce, oil, vinegar, sweetener, pepper, garlic, ginger, hot sauce, and zest until smooth (note: if you are just whisking this together substitute the fresh garlic for 1/2 tsp garlic powder).
3. Toss vegetables with dressing; top with almonds and noodles just before serving.

The cost:

baby bok choy: 2.49
carrot: .99
cucumber: 1.39
scallion: .10
lime: .15
cranberries: .45
almonds: .45
noodles: 1.99

Grand total: $8.01; serve 6-8

Spinach Salad w/ Citrus-Ginger-Fennel Dressing

My friends LM and RK hosted lunch this week, and asked me to bring salad, which I am always more than happy to do. I'm never sure how adventurous people are, so the salad I decided on is a riff on a previous post, but a little more conventional.

Spinach Salad w/ Citrus-Ginger-Fennel Dressing

Ingredients:

1 bag baby spinach

1 yellow pepper, julienned

1 english cucumber, sliced

1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly (white part only)

2 scallions, chopped

zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1 lemon

zest of 1 lime

juice of 1 lime

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 tsp agave or honey

1 Tbsp chopped fennel fronds

1/4 tsp salt

pinch of pepper

1/4 cups toasted almonds or candied pecans

Directions:

1. Combine vegetables in a large salad bowl.
2. Blend remaining ingredients (except nuts) into a dressing and pour over salad.

The cost:

spinach: 1.99

pepper: 1.29

cucumber: .99 (on sale)

fennel: 2.39

scallions: .15

lemon: .30

lime: .15

nuts: .45

Grand total: $7.71; serves 8-10

Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad

Sorry I have been remiss in posting, it was an incredibly busy week so I didn't cook much and I had little brain power left to think of creative posts :)

A friend invited me for Saturday lunch this week and asked me to bring a salad; she's all about sustainability and asked me to choose seasonal ingredients, so I decided on a shaved brussel sprout salad with a tangy-sweet balsamic vinaigrette, toasted pine nuts and dried cranberries.

Now for those of you making a face at the brussel sprouts: Really, don't knock it 'til you try it. I shaved them thinly with my mandolin, so it was pretty much like eating a cabbage salad, and the dressing and cranberries offset the slight bitterness very well. That being said, I won't be insulted if you don't want to use the brussel sprouts and you can easily substitute a cole slaw mix, or a mix of red and green sliced cabbage instead.

Note: I used agave for the first time over Thanksgiving because my sister didn't have honey on hand, and I realized it is great for dressings because it is liquid at room temperature and doesn't clump like honey does; if you don't have agave, honey or sugar is a fine substitute.

Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad

Ingredients:

15-20 brussel sprouts
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp light olive or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Slice brussel sprouts thinly with a mandolin (or a knife).
2. Whisk together vinegar, agave, oil and spices.
3. Combine brussel sprouts, pine nuts and cranberries in a bowl. Add dressing 5-10 minutes before serving so the brussel sprouts have a chance to soak up the flavor.

The cost:
brussel sprouts: 4.98
agave: 2.99
pine nuts: 7.99
cranberries: .49

Grant total: $16.45 (Note: This salad was expensive because I had to purchase both the agave and pine nuts, but now they are in my pantry)

Heirloom Tomato & Basil Salad

I used to think that a tomato was a tomato, but the truth is different varieties can vary dramatically in taste and texture. I have become a big fan of heirloom tomatoes; they come in a myriad of colors, shapes, and sizes, and they always taste so fresh and delicious. They are a bit more expensive than regular tomatoes, but it's totally worth it.

I love combining tomatoes with basil; although it's more of a refreshing summer salad, I still like to make it year-round if I can find good basil.

Heirloom Tomato & Basil Salad

Ingredients:

1 container mini heirloom tomatoes (I like grape tomato size)
6-8 basil leaves
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Slice tomatoes in half, or if you are using larger tomatoes, into bite-sized pieces.
   
2. Wash and rough-chop the basil.
   
3. In a bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil and spices. Add tomatoes and basil and stir to coat.
4. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

The cost:
tomatoes: 3.29
basil: 1.99

Grand total: $5.28; serves 4-6

Cucumber & Radish Salad w/ Ginger-Lime Dressing

This is a play off of the fennel salad I made a few weeks ago. I haven't really used radish until recently, but now that I've started I can't seem to stop! It's crisp and fresh, and just bitter enough to wake your taste buds up. I've paired it here with a sweet & sour dressing to cut the bitterness just a bit.

Note: Radish can be very bitter; I like to buy ones that have been packaged rather than those still attached to the root because they have a milder flavor.

Cucumber & Radish Salad w/ Ginger-Lime Dressing

Ingredients:

12 radishes, cleaned
2 cucumbers, washed
2 scallions, chopped
zest of 1 lime
juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp honey
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted (optional)

Directions:

1. Slice radishes and cucumbers thinly (I use my mandolin). Place in bowl with the scallions.
2. Blend remaining ingredients and pour over vegetables.
3. Sprinkle toasted walnuts over salad just before serving.

Tip: Jazz up your cucumber by sticking the tines of a fork in a few centimeters, and then dragging the fork down the length of the cucumber. When you cut slices, you'll get pretty little flowers!

The cost:
radishes: 1.29
cucumber (on sale .77 each): 1.54
scallions: .20
limes: .34
ginger: .15
nuts: .45

Grand total: $3.97; serves 4-6

Baby Lettuce & Endive Salad w/ Spicy Lemon-Garlic Dressing

My friends BL and JK had a fantastically fun Friday night dinner for Shabbat this week. All of the food was amazing (BL, I still want that meatball recipe!), the wine was superb, and a good time was had by all.

I brought a salad to this meal--I wanted something classic with a bit of an edge (I wasn't sure who else was going to be at the meal so I didn't want to make something too out-of-the-box). I think I came up with a good combination :)

Baby Lettuce & Endive Salad w/ Spicy Lemon-Garlic Dressing

Ingredients:

10 oz baby lettuce mix
3 endives, sliced into strips
1 cucumber, sliced
1 pear, sliced thinly
3 scallions, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 2 lemons
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/2 clove garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Toss lettuce, endive, cucumber and pear in a large salad bowl.
2. Blend remaining ingredients. Pour over salad and serve immediately.

Fun additions:

• Toss in some candied pecans or walnuts.
• Instead of adding garlic to the dressing, slice a few garlic cloves very thinly, then fry in oil until crispy and toss into salad before serving.
  

The cost:
lettuce: 1.99
endive: 2.99
cucumber: 1.99
pear: .59
scallions: .30
lemons: .50

Grand total: $8.36; serves 6-8

The Salad Craze

I am continually shocked to see the lines for salad restaurants out the door and around the block. I understand there is a salad craze on right now--however, I think there is also a rather erroneous idea that salads are by definition healthier than a sandwich or some other lunch item. In fact, salads can often have higher fat and calorie counts (dressing, croutons and other salad accoutrement add much more than you actually get out of them), and don't keep you full as long so you end up eating more, sooner.

I eat salads for lunch frequently, and they can be filling and healthy if you make sure you have the right combination of fiber, protein, starch and a bit of fat. Here are the ingredients I like to use, broken out by category; you can do an awful lot of mixing and matching so you don't have to worry about getting bored!

greens:
spinach
arugula
romaine
baby lettuce
spring mix
radicchio
endive

veggies:
cucumber
tomato
peppers
avocado
radish
zucchini
yellow squash
fennel
carrots
celery
scallions

fruit:
strawberries
mango
pear
apple
blueberries
cherries

protein:
chickpeas or other beans
grilled chicken breast, salmon or tuna
canned salmon or tuna
feta or goat cheese
cubed tofu

starch:
beans
corn
rice
quinoa
pasta
millet
lentils

additions: (in moderation)
dried cranberries
slivered almonds
candied nuts (pecans, walnuts)
toasted pine nuts
crunchy asian noodles

dressing:
drizzle of olive oil
drizzle of sesame oil
balsamic vinegar
red wine vinegar
rice vinegar

Fennel Salad with Zesty Lemon Dressing

Sometimes I get bored with conventional salads, so for Shabbat lunch this week I got a little adventurous and made a salad with fennel, radishes, cucumber and pear, and tied everything together with a zesty lemon dressing. It was, in a word, divine, and much more fun than a regular salad.

A note about fennel: When buying fennel, you want to make sure it isn't dried out, because then it loses its beautiful licorice flavor. As with most vegetables, make sure the white bulb isn't turning brown or pulling away from the center, and check to make sure the fronds aren't getting dried out or moldy.

Fennel Salad with Zesty Lemon Dressing

Ingredients:

2 fennel bulbs
8 radishes
1 cucumber
1 pear
2 scallions, cleaned and chopped
zest of one lemon
juice of 2 lemons
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp white pepper
2 fennel fronds
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted

Directions:

1. Remove the celery-like stalks from the white fennel bulb and discard, reserving two fronds (dill-looking fluffy stuff on top).
2. Slice fennel, radishes and cucumber into thin rounds (I used a mandolin but you can also just use a knife). Cut the pear flesh away from the core and slice thinly. Place everything in a large bowl and add scallions.
   
3. In a small bowl, blend lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, salt, garlic powder, pepper and fennel fronds.
   
4. Dress salad and sprinkle in nuts just before serving.

The cost:
fennel: 3.62
radishes: .88
cucumber: 1.00
pear: .49
scallions: .15
lemons: 1.18
walnuts: .40

Grand total: $7.72; serves 6-8

Easy Veggie Side: Roasted Corn Salad

While shopping last week I saw some beautiful sweet yellow corn on sale. There are plenty of shortcuts to make corn salads without having to husk and cook your own corn (canned, frozen), but the taste and texture of freshly roasted corn is divine. I made this salad as a side dish for the Shabbat lunch I hosted this week.

There are lots of ways you can cook corn on the cob--boil it, roast it in the oven, or throw it on an outdoor or indoor grill. I prefer the indoor grill to get it started, then finishing it in the oven.

Roasted Corn Salad

Ingredients:

4 cobs sweet yellow (or white) corn, husked and cleaned
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 scallions, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Drizzle oil over corn and rub to coat; sprinkle with salt. Place in grill pan over medium-high heat 10-12 minutes, turning to brown each side.
   
3. Transfer grill pan to oven and cooke 10-12 minutes or until tender.
4. Slice corn off the cob; toss with vinegar and spices and cool 10 minutes.
   
5. Add tomatoes, avocado, celery and scallions and stir to combine. Serve warm or cold.

The cost:
corn: 2.00
tomatoes: 1.99
avocado: 1.29
celery: .15
scallions: .25

Grand total: $5.68; serves 6-8

Easy Veggie Side: Broccoli Salad

I am not a fan of mayonnaise-based salads (or mayo in general), so I try to get creative with coleslaw, potato salad and the like. This broccoli salad is similar to one my friend NS makes, but with an oil-vinegar based dressing (This is also a great alternative dressing style for those who are vegan).

I like to use fresh broccoli and steam it for just a few minutes so it's tender but still has a bit of a crunch. I also like a vinegary bite to this salad, but if you like things sweeter, feel free to cut the vinegar or add more honey.

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

1 pkg cut fresh broccoli (16ish oz)
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp honey
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Steam broccoli 3-4 minutes in the microwave, until just tender but still very green.
2. Whisk vinegar, oil, salt, garlic powder and honey together and pour over broccoli. Sprinkle in cranberries and stir to coat.
3. Sprinkle in almonds just before serving.

The cost:
broccoli: 1.99
cranberries: .35
almonds: .45

Grand total: $2.79; servies 4-6