Raw Beet and Pear Salad

The first time I tried and liked beets was last fall after trying them in my CSA box. They have a nice sweet earthiness which I really enjoy from time to time. I couldn't resist this recipe by Jamie Oliver with the addition of sweet pears and tangy cheese.

Raw Beet and Pear Salad

Adapted from Cook with Jamie

Ingredients

• 1 medium beet, cut into small matchsticks
• 1 medium pear, cut into small matchsticks
• 2 tbsp feta cheese
• Lemon juice
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Combine beet, pear, and feta cheese on a serving platter or individual plates.
2. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil, then season lightly with salt and pepper.

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Basic Kale Salad

Happy 2013! The health craze season is upon us which is a great time to explore new foods and try new recipes. I've been using my break to reacquaint myself with my old cookbooks and gather new recipes to try.

I so very desperately have wanted to like kale for a long time. Kale in green smoothies, kale chips, kale salad, anything kale. It's trendy, I suppose, with kale recipes popping up all the time. But as a super nutritious green, I'd like to have several go to recipes that taste phenomenal.

I had a great kale salad the other day at Veggie Grill that was so pretty and delicious, so I was inspired to try my hand again. I came across a simple rainbow kale salad in a vegan cookbook I've had for a few years. This recipe is a great stepping point into the world of kale for non-believers, I definitely recommend you give it a go. The key really is to massage the dressing into the kale for at least a minute; this will soften the leaves, giving a better texture and better flavor.

Basic Kale Salad

Adapted from The 30-Minute Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale, about 10 stalks, stems removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/2 small cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1/2 C roasted nuts, optional
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1 tsp maple syrup or agave nectar
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Combine kale, bell pepper, carrot, and cabbage in a large bowl.
2. Whisk remaining ingredients until emulsified. This will be the salad dressing.
3. Pour dressing over kale mixture. With clean hands, massage the dressing into the kale mixture for about a minute.

Serve as is as a side salad. Make a complete salad meal by tossing with leftover grains and optional protein.

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The Perfect Fall Salad - For Breakfast!

I briefly mentioned my vision of a breakfast salad last week, chock full of various flavors and textures, including bacon fat roasted walnuts and a fresh pear dressing. Little did I know when I was dreaming this up that it would quickly become a favorite for breakfast! I served this up for brunch one weekend morning and even got the man stamp of approval! It not only has a nice variety of colors in the fruits and vegetables, but the mix of soft, juicy, crunchy, and meaty textures keep you coming back for more.

The ingredients in this salad are very versatile and are easily mixed and matched for other salad creations. Feel free to sub in whatever's fresh, in season, and/or on sale that week to suit your preferences. The salad is just as lovely without the bacon as well for those who are vegetarian or vegan. My favorite part? The ingredients are simple to prep and prepare ahead of time which means I can throw this together in a minute.

Fall Breakfast Salad

Ingredients

• 2 C salad greens of choice
• 2 strips crispy bacon, chopped
• 1/4 C pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 Hachiya persimmon, diced
• 2 tbsp Bacon Fat Roasted Vanilla Cinnamon Walnuts
• 1 tbspPear Vanilla Salad Dressing, or to taste

Method

1. Layer salad greens with bacon, pomegranate seeds, persimmon, and walnuts. Drizzle with salad dressing.

Yield: 1 serving

I've been calling this my "breakfast salad" since its inception, but the portions can easily be reduced or increased to suit any meal.

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Chicken Entree Salad with Potatoes and Lemon Vinaigrette

I've been enjoying dinner salads a lot these past few weeks. I love how simple they are to put together and how flavorful they can be with the right ingredients. This salad came together by chance: I was curious to have potatoes on salad after trying them at work (and reading about them here) so in they went, then I had extra tomatoes, leftover salad dressing from earlier in the week, and cheese in the fridge! Subsequently, I ate this for at least one more dinner...don't tell anyone my secret.
The juicy chicken paired well with the slight tartness from the vinaigrette and meatiness from the potatoes, keeping me coming back bite after bite. I think this salad would be lovely with green beans or chopped asparagus when tomatoes aren't in season.

Chicken Entree Salad with Potatoes and Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 2 C salad greens
• 2 chicken thighs or 1 chicken breast, cooked and sliced
• 3-4 baby yukon potatoes, cooked whole and quartered
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1-2 tbsp lemon vinaigrette, or to taste
• Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, optional

Method

1. Plate your salad greens with baby yukons and cut tomatoes, then layer the sliced chicken on top.
2. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, then grate cheese over, if desired.

The beauty of this recipe is ingredients for this salad can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, or made fresh right beforehand. As such, this salad is just as good served with warm chicken and potatoes as it is cold.

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Easiest Lemon Vinaigrette

I recently found this recipe in a book I'm reading and honestly I couldn't stop thinking about it! It's really very simple to make requiring only a five ingredients which you probably have on hand already.

This was great on salad, but I know it would also be good tossed into some vegetables and pasta for a pasta salad.

Easiest Lemon Vinaigrette

Adapted from Ruhlman's Twenty

Ingredients

• 4 oz. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Fresh pepper, to taste
• Zest of 1 lemon, optional

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Serve immediately or store in a small glass jar, shaking vigorously before serving.

Makes 1/2 cup

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Farmer's Market Orzo Salad

I used fresh from the garden vegetables to throw together this pasta salad: zucchini and yellow squash. These plants yield huge quantities so it's always good to have a few more recipes in your summertime arsenal. I love this salad for its fresh color and all the cheese; I think its a great way to spice up some summer vegetables that become a bit bland and boring by the end of the summer.

Farmer's Market Orzo Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 box orzo pasta (about 4 servings)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1 small zucchini, cubed
• 1 yellow squash, cubed
• 3-5 sprigs of thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

Method

1. In a large saucepan, cook the orzo in boiling water for about 9 minutes until cooked. Drain and set aside.
2. Using the same pan, heat the oil over medium low. Add the onion and garlic, stirring occasionally until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables and grate the cheese. When onions are ready, add the vegetables and thyme and stir, sauteing for three minutes, until the squash and zucchini are slightly cooked but still firm.
4. Add the cheese, then the pasta, and stir until combined. Season once more with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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