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An early Spring salad: Quinoa with Cucumber, Feta and Bibb Lettuce

 

If you're a health nut, you probably know about quinoa, the super grain first cultivated by the Incas over 6,000 years ago.  They called it chisaya mama, which means "the mother of all grains."  Interestingly, quinoa is not technically a grain, it's a leafy vegetable related to chard and spinach, but the edible seeds of the plant are the true superstars.

Quinoa is a complete protein, with all nine essential amino acids, more than any other grain.  It's also rich in vitamin B2, magnesium, fiber, iron, zinc, and vitamins E and B6.  So basically, it prevents headaches, hypertension, osteoporosis, cataracts, heart disease, and maybe even breast cancer.  EAT IT.

Beyond all of quinoa's exceptional health benefits, it is a versatile and delicious ingredient.  It cooks up light and fluffy in minutes, and can replace rice or couscous in virtually any recipe.  It's subtle nutty flavor always shines through, whether chilled in a salad, steaming in a side dish, or sweetened in a dessert.

Always rinse quinoa thoroughly in cold water.  When the germ ring separates from the grain, the quinoa is cooked.

Quinoa Salad with Feta & Cucumber
Makes 4 side dish servings or 2 entree

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 tblsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
fresh black pepper
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved lengthwise
1 Persian cucumber, sliced
2 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
2 handfuls Bibb lettuce, cut in strips
1 red Belgian endive, sliced on the diagonal

1.  Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water, draining in a fine metal sieve.  Stir together quinoa, water, and 1/2 tsp salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until all the water is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.  When done, the grain appears soft and translucent, and the germ ring will be visible on the outside of the grain.  Let the quinoa cool.

2.  Meanwhile, whisk together lemon juice, oil, remaining salt, pepper, and parsley.  Toss the quinoa, lettuces, cucumber, olives, and feta with the dressing.

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Posted 6 days ago

Best. Coleslaw. Ever.

This recipe comes from an even bigger perfectionist than me...Chris Kimball of Cook's Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen.  This coleslaw is a refreshing balance of sweet, tangy, and savory and is a great side dish to fried chicken or sandwiches.  The delicate green of the cabbage and Granny Smith compliments the vibrant pink of the red onion beautifully. And it tastes even better leftover.

Apple and Fennel Coleslaw
Ingredients (makes 5 cups)

1 lb green cabbage (about half a medium head), finely shredded
salt and fresh pepper
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tblsp honey
2 tblsp rice-wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
2 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp mustard (preferably whole grain)
2 tsp minced fresh tarragon leaves
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch thick matchsticks
1 medium head fennel, halved and thinly sliced

1.  Toss cabbage and 1 tsp salt in a colander set over a medium bowl.  Let stand until cabbage wilts, 1 to 4 hours.  Press dry between paper towels.

2.  Stir together onion, honey, vinegar, oil, mustard and tarragon in a medium bowl.  Immediately toss cabbage, apple and fennel in the dressing.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  (It's best to let the flavors meld for at least 1 hour)

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Posted 29 days ago

From Gourmet's Bohemian Thanksgiving Menu: Roasted Cauliflower, Romaine & Radicchio Salad

Yay, Thanksgiving is here!  I've been trying out holiday recipes in preparation for Turkey Day.  Tomorrow we will be celebrating with our wonderful friends over a pot luck supper.  I will be bringing a Potato Fennel Puree and a Stuffing of as-yet-undetermined ingredients.  I'll be sure to post the final products :)

A couple nights ago I tried this recipe from The Best of Gourmet.  I am not lying when I tell you this was the very first time I've ever bought and made cauliflower.  I always identify it as the uncooked and unwanted vegetable next to the ranch dressing on a party platter.  I also assumed it was not nutritionally valuable because of its lack of color... why not just eat broccoli? 

But, au contraire, cauliflower is high in fiber, folate and Vitamin C, possessing a very high nutritional density.  And just the simple process of roasting the florets with olive oil and salt and pepper, imparts a deep and toasted flavor.  The salad is a beautiful combination of colors and textures.  I modified the dressing to my taste... hope you will try this.

Roasted Cauliflower, Romaine, and Radicchio Salad
Ingredients (serves 4)

1/2 head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch-wide florets
1/4 cup plus 1 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and fresh black pepper
3 tblsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp capers, minced
1/2 tsp dijion mustard
1/2 shallot, finely minced
2 handfuls romaine, cut crosswise into strips
1/2 head radicchio, thinly cut crosswise
1/4 cup parsley leaves
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, any loose skins removed with a kitchen towel, and coarsely chopped

1.  Toast the nuts at 350° for 8 minutes, shaking around once or twice.

2.  Preheat the oven to 450°.  Toss cauliflower with a few tablespoons of olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.  Spread in one layer on a baking sheet, and roast, turning over with tongs halfway through, until tender and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes total.  Cool in pan on a rack, then transfer to a large bowl.

3.  Whisk together vinegar, mustard, capers, shallot, salt and pepper to taste, then add 3 tblsp olive oil in a slow steady stream.  Add half of the dressing to the cauliflower and toss to coat.  Add romaine, radicchio, parsley, half of the chopped nuts, and remaining dressing to cauliflower and toss to coat.  Plate, and sprinkle with remaining nuts.

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Filed under  //  fall   recipes   salads   Thanksgiving  
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Posted 3 months ago

A Beautiful and Balanced Salad: Autumn Mixed Greens with Pear

We have a salad with almost every dinner.  When autumn rolls around, I start adding pears, figs, roasted squash, and mushrooms in the mix. 

All of the ingredients in this salad can be swapped out for whatever you have available.  The basic equation = mixed greens + seasonal fruit + pungent cheese + nuts + apple cider vinaigrette. 

In this version I used Trader Joe's goat cheese with candied cranberries and sesame crusted almonds.  I would've loved blue cheese and walnuts as an alternative.  I also added some grilled chicken.  

Autumn Mixed Greens with Pears

Ingredients (serves 2)

3 handfuls mixed baby greens
1 Bosc pear, cored and sliced
1/2 cup chopped grilled chicken
2 oz crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup almonds

2 tblsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp honey
Salt and cracked pepper
3 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot minced

 

1.  In a large bowl, whisk honey with apple cider vinegar until dissolved.  Whisk in salt and pepper to taste.  In a slow, steady stream, whisk in olive oil.  Stir in the shallots.

2.  Fan out a few slices of the pear on the serving plates.  Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and gently toss to combine with the dressing.  Plate the greens in the center of the pear slices.

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Posted 3 months ago

An early fall dinner: Spiced Butternut Squash, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad

This hearty salad is perfect for dinner with crusty grilled bread.  It has a nice balance of earthy, sweet and tangy... and who doesn't love roasted butternut squash?  It's an antioxidant powerhouse...high in fiber, potassium, Vitamins C and B6, and Beta-Carotene.

I used store-bought steamed lentils to speed things up.  And I roasted some shallots with the squash, why not?  Next time I will add dried cranberries or fresh pomegranate seeds.

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Posted 5 months ago

Reminiscing about Morocco with an Eggplant Salad

We were lucky enough to visit Marrakesh this summer with our great friends... one a native Moroccan, and the other a Parisienne.  Hospitality is central to Moroccan culture, and our hosts treated us like royalty.  The food was outstanding.  At every dinner, we would share an array of gorgeous and colorful salads as a starter.  Carrots with raisins, cucumbers in vinaigrette, roasted squash, beets, green beans... the list goes on and on.  

Last night, as a tribute, I made a Moroccan feast, kicked off with a classic Eggplant with Cumin salad.  Like many Moroccan salads, this falls somewhere between a dip and a salad, and is best served with pita or naan.

Here is the recipe from Epicurious: Moroccan Eggplant Salad

I don't have a spice grinder, so I toasted some ground cumin in a dry skillet over low heat.  As some reviews suggested, I quartered the eggplant and roasted it on the grill instead of on the stovetop.  I also lightly sauteed the red onion to mellow out the flavor.

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Filed under  //  appetizers   recipes   salads   travel  
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Posted 5 months ago

Brighten up a salad with Quick Pickled Red Onions

Pickling red onions in red wine vinegar turns them a gorgeous bright pink and brings out their sweetness.

They taste great with cherry tomatoes and basil, but you can add them to any salad.

If you slice them thinly, the process only takes an hour.  

Quick Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients

1/2 red onion, sliced very thin in half moons
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fine white sugar
1 teaspoon fresh black pepper

1.  Combine all ingredients and let sit for an hour.  Drain and add to your salad.

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Posted 5 months ago

Five Ingredients for an elegant salad: Watermelon with Feta and Basil

You've probably tried the wonderful combination of watermelon and feta cheese.  Toss with a bit of citrus and fresh herbs for a tasty and alluring salad.  I make it a few times every summer.

The basil plant in our garden is growing in spades, so I went with Martha Stewart's simple recipe.

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Basil

Serves 8-10
Ingredients

1 mini seedless watermelon, rind removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 oz feta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup basil, chiffonade
salt and fresh black pepper

1.  Gently toss all ingredients in a large bowl, chill for 30 minutes, and serve.

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Posted 6 months ago

Recipe for a hot summer night: Greek Villager's Salad

Greek food is my go-to for simple, healthy fare.  The Mediterranean diet which has become popular in recent years, has always mirrored my food philosophy.  Produce should be fresh, seasonal, and local.  Get healthy fats from avocado, nuts, olive oil and fatty fish.  Use olive oil in practically everything you cook... and drink red wine for heart and blood health.   

What's better than a crunchy garden salad spiked with peperoncini, feta and kalamata olives?

GREEK VILLAGER'S SALAD
2 Servings

Ingredients

2 medium, firm tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 shallot, or 1/2 red onion, sliced thin in half moons
1/2 English cucumber, sliced into half moons
1 green bell pepper, seeded, halved and sliced thin
6 peperoncini peppers from a jar
1/4 cup kalamata olives
2 oz feta cheese, cubed

2 tblsp red wine vinegar
salt and fresh black pepper
4 tblsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 pinches of dried oregano
1 tsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 tsp fresh thyme

1.  In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, salt and pepper, and in a slow steady stream, the olive oil.  Stir in fresh and dried herbs.

2.  Gently toss all ingredients with the dressing.

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Posted 6 months ago

Healthful, colorful, and practically effortless! Try this flavorful salad of Spring Greens, Endive, Cucumber, and Pomegranate

This salad is a cinch.  As always, I whisk up a simple dressing in a large bowl and then toss the ingredients together.
This combination of delicate greens, bitter endive, cool cucumber, sweet pomegranate seeds and lemony dressing will brighten up any dinner!

Mixed Greens with Endive, Cucumber, & Pomegranate Seeds

For 2 Servings
Ingredients

2 cups mixed spring greens
1 head Belgian endive, 1 head red endive, cleaned, dried, and sliced on a diagonal
1/2 of a small English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced in half moons
handful of pomegranate seeds

Juice of 1 lemon
3 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and fresh black pepper
1 tsp minced Italian parsley
1 tsp minced scallion, white and pale green parts

1.  In a large bowl, whisk lemon juice, salt, and pepper with a fork.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Stir in the herbs.

2.  Toss all ingredients with the dressing.

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Posted 7 months ago