Published by mel on March 5, 2010 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I love recipes that taste better the next day and the day after. I bring my lunch to work, so if I can make a big batch of something on Monday and enjoy it for the rest of the week, I’m happy. This is one of those salads. The chickpeas and orzo absorbs the tangy, peppery vinaigrette until they’re tangy and peppery themselves. A little slice of prosciutto (or Serrano ham if you can afford it) and it’s my idea of a perfect lunch.
Continue reading ‘Chickpea & Orzo Salad with Piquillo Pepper Vinaigrette’
Published by mel on January 20, 2010 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
We’re in the throes of winter! Actually, we’re not here in Miami. After the ridiculous cold last week, it’s been a crisp and beautiful 70 degrees every day. This is why I live here! But enough bragging. For most of you, it’s still freezing outside and that makes salads really unappealing. Cold vegetables? No thanks. You want something warm and rich, like a lasagna. Or like this warm winter vegetable salad.
You start with rutabaga (or potatoes), carrots, leeks and brussel sprouts. Those get roasted with some olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh herbs and just a little bit of applewood smoked bacon. You know, because it’s winter and you need bacon in the wintertime. Once they’re caramelized and delicious-looking, you toss everything with some whole wheat orzo and drizzle with a balsamic reduction.
This salad doesn’t mess around – it’s bold and rich from the roasted vegetables, woodsy from the herbs and a little smoky from of the bacon. It’s everything you could ever ask for in a salad – except for lettuce.
Continue reading ‘Warm Winter Vegetable Salad (with bacon!)’
Published by mel on October 9, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I was going to make Braised Beef & Butternut Squash for today’s post. Really, I was! I had all the ingredients bought and ready to go. I just couldn’t summon any effort to make it last night. We had leftover meatloaf instead. But I did make a delightful little egg salad this morning, so I’ll share that instead.
Personally, I love eggs. I could eat them every day (and I usually do). When I was wondering what to make for lunch this morning, egg salad sounded perfect. I chopped a ton of spinach for color and healthiness, celery for crunch and stirred in plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, salt and hot sauce. It’s eggy and tangy, a little spicy, and delicious between two slices of toasted whole grain bread. If you’ve got a tomato, add a thick slice. A simply awesome lunch.
Continue reading ‘Spinach-ful Egg Salad’
Published by mel on August 12, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I rarely make the same thing twice in a month. Even rarer for me to make something four times in a month. And it’s quite possibly unheard of for me to serve the same dish to guests twice in a week. Well, I think I’ve made this salad five or six times in the last month. And since it’s become Tom’s favorite, he’s been asking for it constantly, and I’m finding myself more than happy to oblige.
So, what is it about this salad that makes it so irresistible? I think it’s the bright and slightly sweet dressing, the freshness of the mint and cilantro and the fact that you can eat a whole heap of it and still feel really good about yourself. It’s one of those rare meals that is immensely delicious and really healthy. Best of all, it keeps in the fridge for a few days, even after it’s been dressed, making for some tasty leftover lunches.
I like top mine with some sliced steak, but it’s equally good with grilled chicken, pork or shrimp – just use whatever you happen to have on hand. It’s the ideal salad for the end of summer heat.
Continue reading ‘Tom’s Favorite Vietnamese Noodle Salad’
Published by mel on August 7, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I don’t want to get into a whole thing about girly foods versus manly foods. As a woman, I do love my salads, dainty cheese tarts and chocolate. But not any more than I love big, beefy burgers, buffalo wings and nachos. Food is delicious and I will not take sides!
Even after all that, I have to say, this pasta salad is a manly salad. It’s hearty and bold and full of freshly grilled steak. It is not a side dish. It’s an aggressive, filling entree. The first time I made this, I tossed everything with a little vinaigrette and topped it with diced avocado and crumbled blue cheese. It was good, but it was missing something to tie it together.
I tried again, this time making a creamy dressing with the avocado and blue cheese and … success! The dressing pulled everything together like mayonnaise usually does. The rest of the ingredients – pasta, tomatoes, red onion and steak – completed the salad.
I loved it, Tom loved it. This is a salad for all the sexes.
Continue reading ‘Pasta Salad w/Steak & Blue Cheese Avocado Dressing’
Published by mel on July 24, 2009 in recipe and sides & bites.
Right around this time every year, people start scouring around for new zucchini recipes to get through what is usually an abundance of summer squash. Zucchini muffins, zucchini bread, ratatouille and zucchini pasta abound. Fortunately for me, I love the stuff and can’t get enough.
One of my favorite preparations is on the grill. Marinated and grilled summer vegetables are so good in pasta, salad or as a simple side. This time, I sliced some zucchini and yellow squash very thin, sprinkled with salt and pepper and quick-grilled them. Stacked with fat tomato slices and topped with a thick hunk of fresh mozzarella cheese, they made a very delicious and very pretty caprese salad.
But what really made it special was the good olive oil and and balsamic reduction I drizzled over the top. I’d never made a balsamic reduction and was pleasantly pleased by how utterly delicious and simple it was. I just simmered some aged balsamic vinegar in a little pot for awhile and it became an intense, slightly sweet syrup that’s insanely good with vegetables and creamy mozzarella.
A beautiful appetizer and an even better sandwich squished into a fresh baguette. Yum, yum and yum!
Continue reading ‘Grilled Summer Squash Caprese’
Published by mel on June 2, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I’ve been indulging a little too often recently. Ever since we kicked the summer off, it’s been non-stop on the grill with steaks, burgers, BBQ chicken and ribs. And if you’re having BBQ, you’re probably having a beer or two. While I’ve loved every minute of grillin’ and chillin’, I find myself in need of some superhealthy food this week to counteract my weekend splurging.
So, Sunday found me in my usual pose: sprawled out on a beach chair, reading the latest Gourmet magazine. I instantly bookmarked something they called Multigrain salad. Full of fresh vegetables and whole grains, I knew I would need that salad this week.
I tossed Spelt (a type of wheat berry) with diced peppers, carrots, cucumber and fresh herbs. A simple vinaigrette makes this a healthy, hearty and very tasty salad. If spelt sounds scary to you, substitute any other grain, or a combination of grains. Some suggestions: brown rice, wild rice, wheat berries, farro, spelt, or even whole wheat couscous or cooked bulgur wheat if you’re short on time.
This salad definitely hit the spot for me. The perfect cure for my overindulgent weekend.
Continue reading ‘Confetti Grain Salad’
Published by mel on May 28, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
Now that Memorial Day is over, I assume it’s fair to say that summer’s here. I know, I know. Summer’s not officially here until June 21st, but it’s hot, humid and I’m at the beach every weekend. To me, that means Summer is Here. And with summer comes cookout season. That means you’ll most likely be asked to bring a side dish or two to a backyard BBQ soon.
Pasta salad has long since been a favorite potluck dish. It’s easy, you can make it well ahead of time and needs nothing more than a spoon to serve. It’s perfect.
And of course, everyone has their favorite version. Some are dressed with mayo and some with vinaigrette. Some are tossed with fruit, some with veggies and many with both. I was really craving cold soba noodles, but wanted to translate those flavors into something a little less…slurpy. Something that would be great on a buffet table.
I made this simple pasta salad with whole wheat shells, shredded carrots, green beans, green onions, cashews and a delicious tahini dressing. Topped with fresh herbs, this is going to be the pasta salad I bring everywhere this summer. It’s light and refreshing, but still unique and addicting. Best of all, it would be great with all manner of seasonal vegetables. Hello summer!
Continue reading ‘Asian Pasta Salad’
Published by mel on April 14, 2009 in breakfast, entree, recipe and sides & bites.
This week, I’m taking all my inspiration from food magazines. Of course, I can’t just follow a recipe without tweaking it somehow. That would make it far too easy!
I saw this recipe in the first few pages of April’s Gourmet and instantly wanted to try it. I love a good, strong salad dressing. Olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, shallots, tarragon and capers combine for a tangy, salty vinaigrette that’s made for salads and soft-boiled eggs. Spicy arugula and crisp bread round it out for a meal-sized salad.
I made this salad last night and again for lunch today. It’s just the right amount of fancy, healthy and delicious. I can’t get enough!
Continue reading ‘Arugula & Bread Salad, Tarragon Caper Vinaigrette’
Published by mel on March 4, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
This past weekend I was on a weekend cruise to the Bahamas for my cousin’s bachelorette party. (I know, life is hard.) Cruises mean food 24 hours a day. Breakfast buffet, snack, lunch, snack, 3-course meal, the bar and late-night pizza. All in all, more food (and beverage) than I’m used to. So, this week is all about detox for me, and I made this super tasty chopped salad with a slightly sweet miso dressing. I felt healthy just looking at it…and eating it was was no chore either.
A chopped salad is so much more pleasant than one with big, chunky toppings. Especially when you eat it at your desk and your office has no walls. Much neater. This salad starts with some baby spinach, small enough that chopping isn’t necessary. Pile on your favorite chopped veggies and proteins — radishes, hard-boiled egg, Canadian bacon, Havarti cheese and carrots in my case. Then drizzle with a little miso dressing and dig in.
I’m posting this salad and others this week as part of The Cruise Cleanse. Stay tuned for Taco Salad later this week.
Continue reading ‘Chopped Salad with Miso Dressing’
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