Romaine hearts with blue cheese vinaigrette, grapes and walnuts

This salad would be good with sliced grilled chicken on top too. It's simple and yummy. 

 I found this recipe from Jessica Seinfeld (yes - Jerry's wife). 

serves 4

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey 

2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese ( more for garnish)

3 hearts of romaine lettuce

1 cup seedless grapes ( use red or green)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place walnuts on a sheet pan and roast walnuts in the oven for about 8 minutes, or until roasted and fragrant. Let cool.

Vinaigrette:

In a small bowl wisk together the mustard honey, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Crumble and measure the blue cheese - then gently fold blue cheese into the vinagrette mixture. 

Wash the romaine hearts and dry with paper towels. Remove the core. Cut hearts and leaves into 1 inch pieces. Arrange lettuce on a platter. Wash the grapes; cut grapes in half lengthwise, scatter on the platter. Scatter chopped walnuts on top. Dress with vinaigrette just before serving and garnish with more blue cheese if desired. If you want to make it a meal add sliced grilled chicken breast. 

Quick Greek Cucumber Salad

It's hot out there right now, so something that is quick and refreshing and requires no heat is in order. Serve on the side with leftover grilled chicken, or steak and you have dinner in less than 15 minutes. I use the baby cucumbers, or persian cucumbers, because they have few seeds. There are very few ingredients, so use the best quality ingredients you can find.

Serves 4

Salad
4 cups chopped cucumbers
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup mixed olives, preferably pitted
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 oz. crumbled good quality feta cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil (I used fresh flat leaf parsley since that's what I had on hand)

Dressing
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Whisk dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, onions. Mix. Garnish with feta and fresh basil.

Chinese Chicken Salad

This is a really quick recipe, because we will utilize a good quality rotisserie chicken. It's pretty much made with all pantry ingredients. I did have to buy the hoisin sauce. You need to serve this salad immediately after dressing as the dressing will break down the cabbage quickly. 

Serves 4

Salad
2 cups shredded carrots
1 head napa cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 Tablespoons EACH, black and white sesame seeds ( I didn't have black)
1/2 cup cashews, optional, but it adds a nice crunch and another dimension of flavor
1 good quality rotisserie chicken, torn into shreds


Dressing
1/4 cup soy sauce, or tamari if you are gluten free
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons finely minced ginger
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon Sriacha sauce, optional
1/2 sea salt, or to taste since the soy sauce is pretty salty ( I didn't add salt)
5 chopped green onions, white and green part

Mix all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fighting lid, shake vigorously to combine. Set aside.

Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with a little bit of the dressing. Pour onto a large platter, or individual bowls to serve. Serve with the remaining salad dressing.

Orzo Cucumber Tomato Salad

I had some orzo I wanted to use, and I had everything on hand to put together this refreshing salad. It's even better the next day. I like to serve this as a side with my grilled lemon garlic chicken - left overs make a great lunch the next day..

1 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion ( to tone down the sharpness of an onion soak it in some water for about 10 minutes, drain, and pat dry with a paper towel)
kalamata olives, as many as you like
1/4 cup fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup good quality feta cheese ( I like Valbreso french feta sheep's milk - expensive, but I'm worth it!)
balsamic vinaigrette ( I like Newman's Own) or Greek salad dressing

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add dry orzo pasta and cook 8-10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients add 1/4 to a 1/2 cup dressing to taste. You don't want it swimming in dressing, just enough to flavor everything. Refrigerate until ready to serve. I like to pull it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

I found this salad at prouditaliancook.com.  Make this salad on a platter since there are so many pretty colors you want them all to be seen. There are no hard, or fast rules with this salad - you just add what vegetables you like. 

I used ribbons* of green and yellow zucchini on top a bed of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, jullienne strips of carrots, beets, green onion, corn and feta cheese.

Drizzle with vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 splash of balsamic vinegar
1 smashed clove of garlic
heaping teaspoon dijon mustard
pinch of dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

put all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and shake.

*to make zucchini ribbons lay the washed and dried zucchini on a cutting board. Slice off both end pieces. Using a vegetable peeler draw the peeler down the length of the zucchini. Turn zucchini after you get to the seeds and repeat on other side. Save the core for use in another recipe if so desired.

BBQ Chicken Salad

Variations of this salad are floating all over the internet and it's a keeper! It's a quick salad to put together, because you use rotisserie chicken. If you have left over grilled chicken breasts on hand, or feel like bbq'ing up some chicken and grilling the corn that will work too. Most of the recipes fry up some corn tortilla strips to garnish, or serve with tortilla chips for some added crunch and texture. Pour some ranch dressing over it all, and sprinkle with some shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese if you feel like going really crazy. There are no rules.


Serves 4

6-7 cups romaine lettuce, chopped OR 2 -10 oz bags of mixed greens
1 cup fresh corn (1 ear) grilled, or frozen rinsed and dried
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed well
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 small vine ripened tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, optional
1 avocado, diced or sliced
1/2 of a rotisserie chicken, shredded, or cubed (skin removed),  OR 2 grilled chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 cup favorite bbq sauce ( I used Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet and Spicy)
ranch dressing, optional
1 cup tortilla strips, or crushed tortilla chips for garnish

Mix the chicken and a 1/3 cup of the bbq sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix the lettuce, corn, red bell pepper, black beans, cilantro, green onions, tomatoes, cheese and avocado if using.  Top with the chicken and the drizzle with the rest of the bbq sauce, drizzle with ranch dressing if using. Garnish with tortilla strips, or chips. Enjoy!

Quinoa Salad w/ Black Bean, Orange & Cilantro Dressing

This is a very refreshing quick salad - very good too! Sometimes the simplest of ingredients is all it takes to make a great dish. I cut up some left over grilled chicken breasts I had and stirred it in...and it was delish! reminded me a bit of a chinese chicken salad- kinda sorta. Probably because of the oranges and chicken. I found this recipe from a blog called staceysnacks. (not to be confused with the pita chips) you need zest from an orange, so zest the orange first before peeling and segmenting.

serves 4-6 as a side dish

for the salad:

1 cup uncooked quinoa (any color), rinsed and drained before cooking
2 cups water
2 large oranges, peeled and "supremed", cut into segments
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced


Place quinoa and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. 

Place quinoa, black beans, onion, and orange segments in a large bowl and stir gently to combine. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat.

for the dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tablespoons orange juice

zest from an orange

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a small bowl add all dressing ingredients and whisk to mix.

Luann's Kale Salad

I found this recipe for Luann's Salad at Iowagirleats.com. The salty crunch of the peanuts, the sweet crunch of the apple, and the tartness of the cherries and onions all come together for a great really quick salad.

Serves 2 as a pretty big salad, or makes a big bowl for several people as a side

1 bunch curly kale
scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped OR 1 cup fresh pomegranate arils
1 apple, chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped (could use walnuts, almonds or sunflower seeds)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar ( I used honey)
Pepper

Wash kale, then tear leaves from tough stems and pat dry. Cut or tear leaves into bite sized pieces then add to a large bowl. Massage kale with fingers for two minutes, or until kale is dark green and tender. Add red onion, dried cherries (or pomegranate arils,) chopped apple, and peanuts, then toss to combine.

Dressing:

Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, and pepper to taste in a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake to combine then drizzle over kale salad and toss well.

Mexican Quinoa Salad

Very easy and tasty! Good for a week night dinner. Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips and avocado slices

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well, drained
2 cups chicken broth, or 2 cups water ( I use a little less than 2 cups) with a little chicken bouillon

1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finley chopped
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup sweet corn ( I used frozen, run under cool water to thaw, drain, pat dry)
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped, or use grape tomatoes
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing
Mix in a small bowl:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 large lime
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin


Place chicken broth in a medium sized pot over medium heat; add the quinoa, bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat to low and simmer with lid on for 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. 

Meanwhile; get all your other ingredients ready: chop, mince, drain. Add into a large bowl. When quinoa is done add quinoa to the large bowl, pour over the dressing and mix to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Pull out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving..best if served at room temperature. 

Broccoli Kale Slaw

How could I have forgotten to post this Broccoli Kale Slaw salad? I have made it so many times and it is yummy! It keeps surprisingly well if you dress it the night before and have leftovers for lunch the next day. I use dried cherries instead of the dried cranberries just because I love me some cherries! Great quick weeknight meal too. ..sometimes I will add some chopped fuji, or honeycrisp apple up in there too. This is a copy cat recipe from Tracy at Shutterbean - she created it wanting a fresh alternative to the Trader Joe "salad kit" for Broccoli Kale Slaw. As Tracy states in her recipe post get in there with your hands and massage the kale with the dressing. (Kale likes a good massage - who doesn't! Kale knows whats up! Massaging kale takes it from bitter and tough to silky and sweet. Kale is a lot like us isn't it!) Serve with crusty bread.

Grilled Vegetable Quinoa Salad

I found this recipe on the Cooking Quinoa.net website - its a keeper!

 6 servings

4 cups cooked quinoa
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise into thin slices

3 Tbl red wine vinegar
2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup thin sliced fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
(sprinkle with goat cheese OR feta - optional - but why wouldn't ya!)

Heat an indoor grill pan over medium high heat. Brush both sides of the vegetables with olive oil ( I just put them in a big bowl and tossed them with a little olive oil - I'm lazy) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill vegetables until tender, flipping once. Remove from heat and when cool enough to handle cut the vegetables into 1/2 inch pieces. Stir in quiona. Meanwhile make dressing by combining vinegar, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and sea salt. Toss vegetables/quinoa mixture and dressing. Stir in cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with basil and chives and serve. Sprinkle with goat cheese, or feta if using.

Spinach Salad w/ Dates & Almonds

Tracy from Shutterbean does it again. She adapted this recipe from the Jerusalem Cookbook.
The crispy buttery pita pieces, crispness of the red onion, smokey crunch of the roasted almonds, sweet creaminess from the Medjool dates, the tang from the sumac and lemon juice, and lastly a hint of heat if your tongue finds one of the chili flakes. Perfection. Have I sold you on this salad yet?!..I had some feta cheese and added a bit and it was a yummy addition. 

Serves 4, or 2 big salads

1 Tbl. white wine vinegar
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
4-5 Medjool dates, quartered lengthwise ( seed removed)
2 Tbl. unsalted butter
2 Tbl. olive oil
2 small pita, roughly torn into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup whole raw/ unsalted almonds
2 tsp sumac
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
6 oz baby spinach leaves
2 Tbl. freshly squeezed lemon

Put the vinegar, onion and dates in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and half the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the pita and almonds and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring all the time, until pita is crunchy and golden brown. Remove from the heat and mix in the sumac, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside to cool.

When ready to serve, toss spinach leaves with the pita mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add the dates and red onion mixture, the remaining olive oil, the lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.

Corn Salad

If it's late spring or summer you probably already have everything on hand to make this refreshing corn salad.  It's also good scooped on top of tortilla chips, or pita chips like a salsa. You can make this salad a day ahead, so it's great for pot lucks. Great as a side dish if you are making enchilada's, or burgers. Also good inside burritos.

fresh OR frozen sweet corn to equal 4 cups ( usually about 8 ears if using fresh ears of corn)
1/2 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 of a red onion, peeled and chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half, (or grape tomatoes left whole)
1/2 of a bunch of cilantro, chopped (or more if you love cilantro like me!) ..or use fresh basil
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Place frozen OR fresh corn in a pot with a 1/4 cup water to steam 3-5 minutes only (you do not want to overcook the corn) Drain the corn and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process; drain well.

Place steamed corn in a serving bowl and toss with remaining ingredients. Place in the refrigerator to chill at least 2 hours. This can be made a few hours, or one day ahead of serving. Enjoy! Best served at room temperature.

*Makes about 6 cups

Cranberry Avocado Salad with Candied Spiced Almonds

I didn't add the dressing for the salad in the picture, but it is very good. The dressing and the almonds make this salad

Sweet White BalsamicVinaigrette 

⅓ cup sugar

1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds

1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds

½ teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons dried mustard

1 tablespoon minced sweet onion

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup white balsamic vinegar

⅓ cup vegetable oil 

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients for dressing in a jar and shake to dissolve the sugar

Salad

12 ounces baby spinach, arugula, field greens

1 small bunch cilantro, washed and dried, leaves removed whole from stems

2 medium avocados, peeled and halved

¾ cup dried cranberries

¾ cup candied spiced almonds *recipe in side bar to the right

Place greens and cilantro leaves in a large bowl. Add avocado and dried cranberries and about 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss gently. Scatter candied almonds over salad and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add more dressing if desired.

Roasted Peppers & Feta Salad

I found this recipe on the Whole Foods website. ( wish we had a whole foods here)

2 bell peppers, roasted and seeded,  and cut into 1 inch pieces ( I used red and yellow)
feta cheese (recipe calls for 1 pound) cut into cubes
1 cup pitted greek olives ( I used 1/2 cup)
1 small red onion, diced ( any sweet onion) ( I only used a 1/4 of a onion)
3 garlic cloves, minced ( I used 1 garlic clove -it was plenty)
2 Tbl olive oil
1 Tbl balsamic vinegar
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme ( I didn't have any I will use it next time)
lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon
fresh cracked pepper and sea salt

Gently toss everything together in a resealable bowl. Cover and chill at least 5 hours before serving.
*I added some lemon zest

Tuna Salad with Grilled Zucchini

 

I found this recipe while browsing around the internet at a blog called The Healthy Foodie. It's a keeper! Quick, easy, and so yummy. It serves one, so I doubled the ingredients, and put the other half in a container for lunch tomorrow. I packed my tuna and dressing separately.  It's a dress just before serving kind of salad, and I didn't want the tuna to make anything soggy.

2 cups mixed greens

1 large tomato, diced ( I like to seed mine, I learned that from Grandma Fisher)

1/4 cup parsley, chopped ( I used cilantro, because I love it)

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

10 kalamata olive, pitted

1 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise

1/2 avocado, diced

1 green onion, diced

1 can tuna, drained 

1 tbl. balsamic vinegar

1 tbl. extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste 

Grill the zucchini in a screaming hot grill pan or skillet sprayed with some olive oil spray - not too long, because you want it to still be a bit firm. Let cool for a few minutes and cut into bite size pieces.   Put everything in a big bowl and stir gently. (after all - the zucchini has been through a lot in that screaming hot pan earlier!) Serve immediately. 

*I didn't add salt, I felt it was great without it, because the kalamata olives add a nice touch of salt as is.  I also had some diced red pepper on hand, so I threw those in as well. 

Southwestern Chopped Salad topped with Grilled Chicken

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in halves, or chopped
2 cups corn, fresh or frozen (if frozen, thawed)
5 green onions, chopped

Mix all in a bowl and top with dressing of your choice. I use the creamy cilantro-lime dressing. (recipe in the side bar) I also topped it with some grilled chicken and sliced avocado for a complete meal.

**this makes a lot. About 4 main dish servings, or 6 to 8 side dish servings. So half or quarter the recipe to suit your needs. Its great left over for lunch - just don't dress it until serving time.

White Bean and Tuna Salad

You've worked all day - you don't feel like cooking, but you are hungry. You look in the pantry...you see a can of "good quality" oil-packed tuna. check. can of white beans. check. On the counter you see a lemon and fresh garlic. check. In the fridge you see fresh mint and green onions.check and check. You have all the ingredients to make White Bean and Tuna salad. In 5 minutes dinner will be done. boom.  If you have some whole wheat bread - toast it up in the toaster and butter it up! Put your white bean tuna salad on it. yum.

5oz can "good quality" tuna packed in oil, drained ( I use Trader Joes brand it is good!)
15 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained ( I used Organic Great Northern beans)
1/2 cup chopped green onions, OR red onion
juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup fresh mint, OR parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes , more or less if you like or dislike heat
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all in a bowl. Let flavors meld in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more for best flavor. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep tightly covered in the refrigerator. The best part is this will still be good after 2 days in the refrigerator. great for lunches.

how many times can I say refrigerator? .....also good in pita bread, or with crackers

Lettuce Greens Salad

Get a big bowl; add Baby lettuce and greens (spring mix), cilantro, squeeze of lime, drizzle of olive oil, fresh cracked black pepper, gorgonzola blue cheese, toasted pine nuts..avocado if you have one.

Chicken Potato Salad

Chicken Potato Salad? Trust me.. this is a keeper. I get requests to make this all the time, and everyone always asks for the recipe.

6 medium red potatoes, steamed, peeled and cubed
2 poached chicken breasts, cubed (check out how to poach chicken breasts on the side bar)
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped (Vlasic brand is the best) baby kosher dill pickles
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup chopped granny smith, or honey crisp apple (peeled)
1 cup Hellmans (or Best Foods) mayonnaise (no substitutes! - you heard me!)
2 tbl dill pickle juice
1/4 tsp pepper
2 pinches salt

Mix first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl mix mayonnaise, pickle juice, pepper and salt. Combine with first 8 ingredients in the large bowl. Cover and chill in refrigerator so flavors can meld.
*Best if chilled overnight.