A Less Processed Life: salad

Showing posts with label salad. Show all posts

What's For Lunch: Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Lunch is ready in a jiffy when you have this delicious quinoa black bean salad waiting for you in the fridge.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad || A Less Processed Life

The great thing about making a big batch of quinoa at the beginning of the week is that you can customize it all week long. This recipe uses three cups of cooked quinoa, but you could easily change the proportions to match however much quinoa you have on hand.

Quinoa black bean salad makes a great side for tacos, burgers, or barbecued chicken. And I find that it's also perfectly filling on its own for lunch. Having it ready to go in the fridge is perfect for those days when my lunch break is virtually nonexistent and I barely have time to get up from my office chair, let alone throw together something healthy for lunch.

This salad is fresh, zesty, and ready to eat when you are. I prefer it cold from the fridge, though it also tastes great at room temperature, making it perfect to bring along to your next picnic or potluck.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

3 cups cooked quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced sweet pepper
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup quartered grape tomatoes (seeds removed)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 teaspoons fresh lime juice (juice from half a lime)
fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

1. Add the cooked quinoa to a large serving bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the red onion and sweet pepper and saute until softened, 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the cooked onion and sweet pepper to the quinoa and stir to combine. Then stir in the black beans, chopped tomatoes, cumin, and taco seasoning. Season to taste with salt. Sprinkle with fresh lime juice and stir to combine.
4. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish each serving with freshly chopped cilantro, if desired.

Hot summer days call for light meals with little-to-no cooking effort. This Pearl Couscous Salad with Basil Pesto and Summer Vegetables is a satisfying way to keep cool during a summer heatwave.

Pearl Couscous Salad with Basil Pesto and Summer Vegetables || A Less Processed Life

This time last week I was on my way to the Eastern Seaboard for a weekend getaway in southern Maryland with my dear girlfriends from grad school. We try to get together at least once a year for what we lovingly dub "Spring Breeaaaak!" regardless of the time of year. During our trip we tallied all the times we've gotten together since the majority of us graduated in 2004; long story short, the list was impressively long. I love that we are so committed to getting together and keeping in touch.

When it comes to our girlfriend getaways, we do not mess around when it comes to food. We had quite a stockpile of snacks, and while there was plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (aka, filler, ha ha ha), I definitely managed to consume more of the not-so-good for you stuff. (Cheesy poofs for breakfast? Why not?) We also made a brilliant concoction of brookies one night – a layer of brownies baked with a layer of cookie dough on top. Um, yeah, that was delicious. And of course, seeing as we were in Maryland, plenty of crab cakes were eaten as well. Long story short, by the time I came home, I was ready for some light meals.

Enter in this recipe for Pearl Couscous with Basil Pesto and Summer Vegetables. It's a simple one-pot meal that takes less than 15 minutes to prepare. Add in some cubed tofu or shredded cooked chicken to make it a full meal, or it works perfectly well as a side dish, too. This recipe makes a big batch, and I've been enjoying it as a light lunch all week long.

Pearl Couscous Salad with Basil Pesto and Summer Vegetables (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup pearl (also called Israeli) couscous
1/3 - 1/2 cup basil pesto
1 medium zucchini, diced small (about 2 cups)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved and seeds removed
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the couscous and return to a boil. Then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the pesto sauce.
2. Gently stir in the zucchini and tomato until combined. Then stir in the garbanzo beans and crumbled feta. Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve room temperature or cold.

(adapted from this recipe from Bob's Red Mill)

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts and a Creamy Parmesan Dressing || A Less Processed Life

I like a green salad just as much as any other person, but let's face it, lettuce can get a little boring. And as I've been cleaning up my post-holiday diet (how prosaic, I know), I've been leaning heavily on main entree salads.

One of my favorite ways to mix up that bowl of greens is to switch the snooze-worthy lettuce for something else. And lately, I've been reaching for Brussels sprouts. Now, I've proclaimed my love for Brussels sprouts before. I am particularly a fan of roasted Brussels sprouts. (Um, especially when cooked up in lots of butter.)

But for this recipe, all you've got to do is slice up those Brussels sprouts nice and thin. If you have a mandoline or food processor, this can be done quite quickly. Or you can be like me and (very!) carefully slice 'em up one by one with a sharp knife.

This salad keeps it simple with toasted pine nuts and a creamy Parmesan dressing. But feel free to fancy it up as much as you want!

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts and a Creamy Parmesan Dressing
makes 2-4 servings

2 tablespoons creamy Parmesan dressing
3 cups thinly-sliced Brussels sprouts
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

1. Place the creamy Parmesan dressing in the bottom of a medium bowl. Add the thinly-sliced Brussels sprouts and toss to combine.
2. Stir in the toasted pine nuts and serve.

Creamy Parmesan Dressing || A Less Processed Life

So, yeah, clearly I am slowly easing my way back into blogging after the New Year. Our holiday break culminated in attending the wedding of one of my dear friends in Chicago, which was an excellent way to ring in 2016. And then we returned home, and what had been the sniffles turned into a dreadful cold. Happy New Year to me, indeed.

Long story short, aside from plenty of roasted chicken (and the subsequent chicken noodle soup), not much was happening culinarily in our kitchen last week. But I am finally feeling better, and after a couple weeks of holiday eating (read: lots and lots of cookies and countless away-from-our-home meals), I am actually looking forward to returning piles of vegetables to my diet.

But, any good pile of vegetables could use a delicious dressing to bring all the flavors together. This simple creamy Parmesan dressing does just that, and it works just as well as a dip for carrots and celery sticks as it does as a dressing for greens or shredded vegetables. And, with just a simple direction to whisk all the ingredients together, it doesn't get much easier than that.

Creamy Parmesan Dressing
makes 1 1/4 cups

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Whisk together all of the ingredients. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired.
2. Store any leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Farro Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Zucchini || A Less Processed Life

It has been chilly the last couple of days up here in Northern Wisconsin, and I have to admit, I kind of love it. Truth be told, my ideal temperature is somewhere in the mid-60s. Bring on jeans, boots, and a big ol' sweater. Just hold off on the snow for awhile longer, will you please, Mother Nature? But, oh my, there is no doubt, winter is coming.

Before that first frost arrives, however, I am going to eat as much fresh summer produce as I can. As I was paging through The Italian Vegetable Cookbook by Michele Scicolone the other day, I came upon a recipe for farro, zucchini, and sun-dried tomato salad, and I immediately bookmarked the page. This recipe was just one of many that I've bookmarked to make. While there are of course plenty of the requisite Italian pasta dishes among its pages, this cookbook also features a wide-range of veggie-centric main dishes and sides to tempt your palate. The accompanying photos make you want to break out a fork (or spoon) and dive right in.

This farro salad definitely does not disappoint. The farro gives it a tender crunch (is that an oxymoron?), the lemon and red wine vinegar give it a bit of brightness, the herbs provide some bite and fresh flavor, and the sun-dried tomatoes and zucchini provide just the right amount of summery flair.

This dish is perfect to share at a picnic or potluck and tastes just as good (maybe even better?) as leftovers the next day.

Farro Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Zucchini (printer-friendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

1 1/2 cups pearled farro
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (a scant 1/2 cup)
1 cup fresh herbs (I used a mix of basil, oregano, and parsley), chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
juice from 1 lemon (about 2-3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
1 medium (or 2 small) zucchini, trimmed and chopped into small dice

1. Add 6 cups of water to a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil. Add the farro and salt and cook until the farro is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the farro and place in a serving bowl.
2. While the farro is cooking, drain the sun-dried tomatoes, lightly pat dry and chop into small pieces.
3. Add the chopped onion, herbs, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vinegar to the serving bowl with the farro. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and zucchini, toss to combine, and serve.

(adapted from a recipe in The Italian Vegetable Cookbook by Michele Scicolone)

Three-Bean Deconstructed Salad || A Less Processed Life

This year we planted green, purple, and yellow beans in our garden and they are currently growing like crazy. This is a good thing, as I needed a simple dish to share at a dinner with friends this past weekend. And given it was crazy-hot (mid-80s with a dash of humidity, which is quite warm up here in the Northwoods), I wanted to make something that would require little to no stove time. Steaming beans for less than 5 minutes on the stovetop easily fit those requirements.

I had found this recipe earlier in the day while perusing a recent issue of Eating Well on my Kindle. I am totally that person who reads a magazine on one device, and has a second device handy to search for and pin recipes from the online version of the article that I'm reading. Perhaps an unwieldy process, but I love the ability to quickly save recipes that I want to try before I turn (or swipe) the page and forget about them.

My bean salad is a little simpler than the Composed Bean Salad in the magazine; I used three beans rather than five and opted to skip the radishes and tomatoes (mainly because I didn't have any on hand), but I think it still makes for a stunning presentation and the vinaigrette is bright, tangy, and full of fresh-basil flavor (and also received quite a few compliments come dinnertime).

To add a just a bit more flavor and visual interest, I dusted the cannellini and kidney beans with a pinch of herbes de Provence and a little salt and pepper. A garnish of chopped fresh herbs wouldn't be a bad idea, either.

Since I made such a large portion, I've been enjoying leftovers this week for lunch. The beans make for a tasty, filling, and super-simple lunch when topped with a lightly salt-and-peppered poached egg.

Deconstructed Three-Bean Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 8-10 servings

For the vinaigrette:
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped scallions (about 3 medium scallions, ends removed)
1/4 cup chopped garlic scapes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons agave syrup
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

For the three-bean salad:
2 cups green beans (about 8 ounces), trimmed
1 15-ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
herbes de Provence, for garnish

1. Add the green beans to a steamer basket and steam for 4 minutes, until just tender. Remove from the steamer and let cool.
2. While the green beans are cooling, make the vinaigrette. Add the basil, chopped scallions, chopped garlic scapes, olive oil, red-wine vinegar, agave syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to a blender. Puree until smooth. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Pour into a small serving container.
3. Place the cooled green beans onto a serving platter. Arrange the kidney beans and cannellini beans around the green beans. Sprinkle the kidney beans and cannellini beans with herbes de Provence and salt and pepper. Serve with the dressing.

(adapted from this Eating Well recipe)

I've always been a little wary of anchovies. On a pizza? No thanks. In my Caesar salad dressing? I'd rather not. So, when I came upon a panzanella salad recipe that called for anchovies in the vinaigrette, I decided it was about time I took the tinned fish plunge.

I'm not entirely sure what I was scared of -- perhaps what I assumed would be a super-pungent odor? Turns out, anchovies are quite inoffensive. Anchovies add a wonderful depth of flavor to a dish -- and it's much more of a salty and savory flavor than a fishy one.

Look for flat anchovy fillets for this dish; when finely chopped they will very nearly dissolve in the vinaigrette. In addition to adding a little je ne sais quoi to a dish, anchovies also pack an excellent punch of omega-3 fatty acids and protein.

Of course, if you're vegetarian or unapologetically anchovy-averse, you can skip them in the vinaigrette, but check your seasonings and add more salt if necessary to balance the flavors.

Panzanella Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 entree-sized servings

For the lemon-garlic vinaigrette:
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 medium to large lemon)
6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper pinch ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/4 teaspoon ground sumac
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:
8 ounces (about half a loaf) day-old French baguette, torn into large pieces
2 pints (about 2 pounds) cherry and grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 medium red onion, cut into thin half-moons (about 1 cup), soaked in ice water for 10 minutes, then drained
1 large English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and chopped
1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, torn into large pieces
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. For the vinaigrette: Add of the ingredients except the olive oil into a medium glass bowl. Stir to combine, then let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Next, add the olive oil in a steady stream while whisking briskly until the oil is fully integrated.
2. For the salad: Add the bread to a large bowl and pour half of the vinaigrette (about 1 cup) over top. Toss to evenly coat, then let sit for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, add together the tomatoes, onion, and cucumber. Add the remaining vinaigrette and toss to coat. Let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Combine the vegetables and bread in a large serving dish. Add the basil and toss to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

(adapted from this Aida Mollenkamp recipe)

This past weekend, D and I were invited to a Barn Party at our friend's farm down in Milladore, Wisconsin. Along with my prize-winning chocolate chip cookies, I also brought along this savory pasta dish to share at the potluck.

The inspiration for this recipe comes from the cookbook Seriously Delish by Jessica Merchant, who is also the creator of the blog How Sweet It Is. The cookbook is gorgeous and features accessible recipes covering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and nearly everything in between.

Summer Pasta Salad || A Less Processed Life

Along with engaging -- sometimes irreverent, often hilarious -- headnotes, each recipe features a full-color image, which I love -- particularly as I am someone who likes to see what the resulting dish is supposed to look like at the end. I had to stop bookmarking recipes to try as nearly every page was earmarked.

Since I was making the salad for a crowd, I doubled the proportions of the ingredients. And of course, I couldn't help but tweak a few other things. Rather than peeling the asparagus into ribbons as called for by the recipe, I chopped it into bite-size pieces instead. I also added sliced black olives to the mix and switched honey with maple syrup for the sweetener in the dressing. This pasta salad is filling, zesty, and a great way to use those zucchini and tomatoes that are growing like crazy in the garden this time of year.

Summer Pasta Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 16-18 servings

For the dressing:
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the asparagus and zucchini:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound asparagus, ends removed and cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces
4 small zucchinis, ends removed, halved lengthwise and sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced

24 ounces (1 1/2 boxes) fusilli pasta, cooked (Note, if you prefer a higher veg:pasta ratio, use just one 16 ounce box of pasta)
2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved, depending on size
1 8-ounce can sliced black olives
8 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and maple syrup until well-combined. Stir in the chopped basil, chopped oregano, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and zucchini and cook until just softened, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
3. Add the cooked pasta to a large serving bowl. Add the asparagus mixture, tomatoes, sliced olives, and feta and gently stir to combine. Then pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes. Toss once more and season with additional salt and pepper to taste just before serving.

(adapted from a recipe in the cookbook Seriously Delish by Jessica Merchant)

I really love quinoa -- it's such a nutritional powerhouse -- but for whatever reason I haven't made it in quite some time. I rectified that error over the weekend when I made a batch of quinoa and black bean salad to share with friends over dinner.

Given its quick cooking time (about 15 minutes), quinoa is a snap to make. And its slightly nutty flavor lends itself well to a variety of flavor combinations. For this quinoa and black bean salad (which I think would work just as well as an entree as it does as a side), I added black beans, red pepper, green onions, and a dressing made from lime juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and several different Tex-Mex style seasonings. Cilantro adds freshness to the salad and provides a nice counterbalance to all the other flavors. This simple and easy quinoa salad is the perfect addition to your next taco night. I know I can't wait to make (and eat!) it again.

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

1 cup quinoa, rinsed if necessary

2 cups water

1 can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

6-7 green onions, white and green parts sliced (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 red pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced fine (about 1/4 cup)

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 cloves minced garlic, pressed

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Add the quinoa and water to a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil, then place the lid on the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until water has been absorbed. Spread the cooked quinoa out on a plate and allow to cool.

2. After the quinoa has cooled slightly, spoon it into a large bowl. Stir in the black beans, sliced green onions, diced red pepper, and chopped cilantro.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper. Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture and stir to combine.

4. Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors time to meld together. This salad can be served chilled or at room temperature.

[Jump to the recipe for Roasted Blood Orange and Kumquat Salad]

After a few days of not-so-healthy eating, there's nothing I crave more than a fresh salad. But a bowl of greens just won't do -- I need all sorts of flavors and textures to convince me that the healthier ingredients are filling, too.

With all the fresh citrus fruits in the market, I knew that they would somehow play a part in my next salad creation. In fact, blood oranges and kumquats are the stars of this healthy bowl of greens.

I oven-roasted the blood orange slices to bring out an even deeper flavor. The addition of olive oil, salt, and freshly-cracked black pepper gives the citrus slices a subtle savory flavor as well.

The addition of red onions, toasted sliced almonds, and a citrus poppyseed dressing brings everything together.

Roasted Blood Orange and Kumquat Salad

makes 2-4 servings

2 blood oranges, sliced 1/8" thick, seeds removed

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

fine sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 small red onion, sliced very thin
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
2-3 cups fresh greens (baby spinach, spring mix, arugula)
2-3 tablespoons poppy seed dressing (use more or less per your preferences)

3-4 kumquats, sliced

2-3 tablespoons sliced almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Put the orange slices into a shallow bowl. Add the olive oil and toss gently to combine.
3. Place the orange slices onto the prepped baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until caramelized and just beginning to char on the edges. Flip every 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
5. While the orange slices are cooling, add the sliced onion and lime juice to a bowl and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, then let rest for 5 minutes. Drain off the lime juice before using.
6. Add the greens to a large serving bowl. Add the poppy seed dressing and toss to combine.
7. Top with the red onion slices, roasted blood orange slices, sliced kumquats, and sliced almonds.

While the weather outside is anything but tropical, I am so happy to find the grocery stores full of citrus fruits -- navel oranges, blood oranges, cara cara oranges, tangerines, tangelos, clementines, the list goes on and on.

On a recent grey day, I couldn't help but fill my shopping basket with piles of the brightly colored fruits. I immediately made plans for a citrus salad (coming later this week). But, as I was working on the salad ingredients, a chicken-or-the-egg question arose -- what came first, the salad or the dressing?

In this case, the salad dressing came first. I had a delicious poppy seed dressing not too long ago, and I wondered if I could make my own version from scratch. As is the case with many food items, the answer was a resounding "yes!"

Since I had those aforementioned piles of citrus on hand, I added a little citrus flair to the dressing in the form of blood orange zest and blood orange juice -- although any type of orange would do, I would lean more toward a sweeter-tasting orange given the amount of vinegar in the dressing.

Citrus Poppy Seed Dressing (printer-friendly version)
makes 2 cups (about 12 servings)

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon grated white onion
1/2 teaspoon blood orange zest
1 teaspoon fresh blood orange juice
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1. Add together the sugar and vinegar in a small sauce pot. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the salt and mustard. Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
2. Add the cooled mixture to the bowl of a food processor fit with a metal blade. Add in the onion, orange zest, and orange juice, and process for 20 seconds to incorporate.
3. With the food processor turned on, slowly pour the oil through the chute, and continue processing until the oil is fully incorporated. Add the poppy seeds and process for 10 seconds.
4. Pour the dressing into a container with an airtight lid. The dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Our garden is growing like gangbusters and I think later today I'm going to harvest our first round of sugar snap peas and beans. Our corn is growing tall, our tomatoes are growing ever larger, and the squash are filling out nicely. The basil is going bonkers, too, which proved to be quite perfect for this pesto pasta salad recipe. I accidentally let the basil in my deck herb boxes bolt, so it was quite nice to be able to pick a few extra leaves from our garden variety.

This pesto pasta salad features the ingredients you'd expect in a pasta salad, such as tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. This time around I also added in some peas (I used frozen, but fresh would work just as well) and toasted pine nuts to go with the fresh pesto. And you can make this pasta salad super-easy by using pesto from a jar rather than making your own. Truthfully, I almost went that route myself, until I discovered the lack of pesto sauce in our pantry! I used this recipe from The Kitchn to make my pesto sauce. Personally, I prefer my pasta salad to not be oozing in dressing, so I typically don't add that much sauce to it. So, feel free to use as much (or as little) of the pesto as you wish.

Pesto Pasta Salad (printer-friendly version)

makes 6-8 servings

3 cups small pasta (I used radiatore)

2-3 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 heaping cup frozen peas, thawed (or you could use fresh, blanched)

1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered or halved

1/2 cup fresh mozzarella balls (I used perlini, which are slightly larger than pea-sized)

3-4 tablespoons pesto (fresh or purchased)

1. Cook the pasta according to the manufacturer's instructions in salted water. Strain and pour into a large bowl. Toss with 2-3 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil and let cool.

2. Add the peas, quartered tomatoes, and mozzarella to the pasta. Stir gently to combine. Stir in the pesto to evenly coat the pasta and other ingredients.

3. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Now that we've made tzatziki sauce, let's use it in a chicken gyro salad, shall we? I'm not sure where I first came across the recipe for chicken gyro salad, which originated on goop, Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle website, but it's definitely a winner. I made several changes (as I am wont to do) from the original recipe, which included switching up some of the spices used in the chicken marinade, cooking the chicken in the oven rather than on the stovetop, and making a tzatziki sauce that melded together two different recipes. The resulting salad is filling, fresh, and full of delicious Mediterranean flavor.

Chicken Gyro Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

For the tzatziki dressing:

1 small cucumber, seeded and grated
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

juice from 1 lemon

1 tablespoon olive oil

freshly ground pepper

For the chicken:
1 1/2 pounds organic boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground sumac [optional]
dash smoked paprika
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
4 large garlic cloves, crushed

For the salad:

4 cups spring green mix

1/2 large red onion, chopped

2 medium ripe red tomatoes, chopped

1 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped

2 pitas, quartered

1. Make the tzatziki dressing: Place the grated cucumber in a colander and toss with the sea salt. Set the colander over a bowl and place in the refrigerator to let the excess water drain from the cucumber (at least one hour).
2. Carefully press any excess water out of the cucumber with the back of a spoon.
3. Place the cucumber into a serving bowl. Stir in the grated garlic, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice. Stir in the olive oil. Then stir in the chopped parsley. Season to taste with black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
5. Place the chicken thighs in an 8x8-inch baking dish. Add the lemon juice, dried oregano, ground sumac, paprika, and olive oil. Gently rub the chicken with your clean hands. (And then wash your hands thoroughly!) Top with the crushed garlic cloves, and then season generously with salt and pepper. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
4. Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest 5 minutes.
5. After the chicken has cooled, chop into large chunks.
6. Place one (or more) cups of spring greens onto each plate. Add the chopped onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Then top with the roasted chicken and drizzle with the tzatziki dressing. Garnish with pita wedges.

(adapted from this goop recipe)

I'm officially obsessed with this salad. Is that weird? I suppose that a salad isn't the most terrible thing to be obsessed with, all things considered. I'm not sure what it is about this chicken Cobb salad that I love so much, but it probably has a lot to do with the combination of hardboiled egg, bacon, avocado, and a healthy sprinkle of blue cheese. Add some shredded chicken on top, and you've got yourself a protein powerhouse of a salad.

Just how obsessed am I with this salad? I've had it for dinner for the past two nights and for lunch today. One of the best things about this salad is that you can cook most of the ingredients ahead of time -- the chicken, the bacon, and the hardboiled eggs. Then, when you're ready to eat, all you need to do is chop up some romaine hearts (you could even do this ahead of time, too), chop up half an avocado, and add on some crumbled blue cheese. Boom! It's time to eat.

Chicken Cobb Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

4 hearts of romaine, rinsed and chopped
4 organic cooked chicken thighs, shredded (see below for roasting instructions)
4 hardboiled eggs, quartered (I like these instructions from Martha Stewart)
2 avocados, cubed
4 tablespoons chopped cooked bacon (about 4 strips)
4 tablespoons crumbled or cubed blue cheese
red wine vinegar dressing (see below for dressing instructions)

For the chicken:
1 pound organic chicken thighs
1 tablespoon olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
fine sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the chicken thighs to a glass baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Season both sides liberally with pepper and salt. Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the chicken registers 165 degrees.
2. Remove the chicken from the oven and let cool slightly, then shred with two forks.

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Add the olive oil and red wine vinegar to a small mason jar. Place the lid tightly on the jar and shake vigorously to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the salad (individual serving):
Place one chopped romaine heart on a plate. Top with 1/2 - 1 cup shredded chicken, 1 quartered hardboiled egg, 1/2 chopped avocado, 1 tablespoon chopped bacon, and 1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

(adapted from this Real Simple recipe)

The summer harvest is upon us here in Northern Wisconsin! Our local natural foods store is chock full of fresh produce and I am so happy to see so many local options to choose from. A few weeks ago sweet corn showed up on the shelves, and we have been gorging ourselves on it ever since. Though we most often eat it as fresh corn on the cob, I thought it would be fun to mix things up a little bit and try a side salad featuring fresh corn kernels. Brightly-colored chopped tomatoes and green peppers give this salad visual interest as well as plenty of flavor; savory black beans amp up the protein content. The addition of a simple dressing with some zip from seasoned rice vinegar and fresh lime juice helps to meld all the flavors together.

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Confetti Salad (printer-frendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

2 cups fresh corn kernels (3 medium corn cobs, )
1/2 red onion, chopped finely (about 1/2 cup), rinsed in cold water and drained

1 can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

1 green or red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, and diced

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, chopped into quarters, seeds removed

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the husked corn and let boil for 3 minutes. Remove the corn from the water and rinse in cold water. Once cooled, use a sharp knife to carefully cut the kernels from each cob. Add the fresh kernels to a serving bowl.
2. Add the chopped onion, diced green pepper, and chopped tomatoes to the bowl with the corn kernels. Stir to combine the ingredients. Stir in the black beans.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the chopped vegetables and beans. Stir to combine.
4. Cover the serving bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Add in the chopped cilantro before serving.

(adapted from this Whole Foods recipe)

What's On the Side: Watermelon, Feta, and Fresh Herb Salad

Summertime and watermelon just go hand in hand, don't they? While watermelon is great on its own, sometimes it's fun to jazz things up a little bit. This salad melds together the sweetness of watermelon with the fresh taste of mint and basil and the salty and savory flavor of a little feta cheese.

Watermelon, Feta, and Fresh Herb Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 8-10 servings

1 3-4 pound seedless watermelon, chopped into 1-2" pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
juice from one lime
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled feta

1. In a large serving bowl, combine the chopped watermelon, chopped mint, and chopped basil.
2. Squeeze the lime juice over top the fruit. Drizzle with the olive oil. Stir to combine the ingredients.
3. Prior to serving, top with the crumbled feta.

(adapted from this sweetsugarbean recipe)

My parents came to visit over the Fourth of July holiday, and prior to heading out to the waterski show and Independence Day fireworks at Boom Lake/Hodag Park on Thursday night, we enjoyed a picnic dinner outside by our lake. D manned the grill while I put together the side dishes. Our dinner included hamburgers (featuring local grass-fed ground beef from McLaughlin Family Farms) with all the fixins', my Dad's famous potato salad, sangria, and a panzanella salad. This salad is so good that it was the second time I'd made it in one week. The great thing about it is that all it takes is a little chopping and shaking to put it all together. I am definitely a crouton-lover, so the addition of grilled French bread chunks was right up my alley. The vinaigrette adds a fresh and tangy flavor to the salad and helps to meld all the flavors together. I think this salad tastes just as good the next day as it does when it's freshly made; the French bread cubes are definitely not as crisp on day two (or three, or four...), but what they lose in texture is more than made up for by the gain in flavor from the dressing.

Greek Panzanella Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings as a side dish

For the salad:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 French bread loaf, cut in half
coarse sea salt
1 cucumber, peeled and quartered
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, diced (to reduce the onion's sharp bite, rinse in cold water then drain)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup pitted kalamata or black olives, chopped

For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground sumac
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1. Use a pastry brush to spread the olive oil over both sides of the cut bread. Sprinkle the bread with coarse sea salt. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Let cool, then cut into 1" chunks.
2. In a large serving bowl, stir together the cucumber, red pepper, orange pepper, tomatoes, onion, cheese, and olives. Add in the chunks of grilled bread.
3. In a small jar, add together the garlic, oregano, ground sumac, mustard, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the lid to the jar and shake to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
4. Pour about 3 tablespoons of the dressing onto the salad and stir. (Or, if you like tons of dressing, feel free to use it all; I prefer a lighter touch.) Let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors time to meld together.

(adapted from this Barefoot Contessa recipe, found via Shutterbean)

What I'm Ready For: Picnic Season

Oh, how I love three-day weekends. (Have I ever mentioned that my preferred work-week would be Tuesday-Thursday from 10a to 2p? Yeah ... I'll keep on dreaming about that one.) And the arrival of Memorial Day this weekend indicates that Picnic Season is upon us. Of course, where you live, picnic season may have already long been underway. However, up here in the Northwoods, spring has only just sprung. And while we may have had temperatures in the mid-80s earlier this week, last night we were under a frost/freeze warning. So, yeah, summer isn't quite here yet. But, even if the daily temperatures are in the mid-60s, as long as the sun is shining, I think there's no reason why you couldn't break out the picnic basket and a big ol' blanket, and set out for an afternoon adventure with food in tow. (And if the weather isn't accommodating, just unfurl that blanket inside and share a picnic indoors!) Below are some of my favorite options for picnicking from my blog archives.