Category Archives: Salads

Quinoa and Broccoli Salad

  • 1 1/2 cups red or white quinoa, rinsed, drained
  • 1 pound broccoli, trimmed, cut into small  florets
  • 9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil,  divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground  black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon  juice
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice  vinegar
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced  shallot
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf  parsley
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh  cilantro
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh  mint
  • 4 ounces feta, cut into 1/4-inch  cubes
  • 4 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted,  divided

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 450°. Bring quinoa and 4 cups water to a boil  in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until quinoa  is tender but not mushy, 12–15 minutes for red quinoa or 8–10 minutes for white.  Drain; return quinoa to hot saucepan. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Fluff  with a fork and transfer to a large bowl.
  2. Meanwhile, toss broccoli with 2 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking  sheet.  Season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat broccoli. Roast,  stirring occasionally, until nicely browned and cooked through, about 15  minutes. Let cool slightly; add to bowl with quinoa.
  3. Whisk remaining 7 Tbsp. oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and shallot  in a small bowl.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add parsley, cilantro,  mint, feta, and 2 Tbsp. pine nuts to quinoa; pour vinaigrette

Enjoy, I love you.

Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

Salad

  • 2 wonton wrappers
  • Canola oil, for frying
  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
  • 4 cups romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces, loosely packed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and sliced thinly on a bias
  • ¼ cup Dressing (recipe follows)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Dressing  Makes 1 ¼ cups

  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¾ cup canola or vegetable oil

Directions

Salad:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. To prepare wonton strips, cut wonton wrappers into 1/4 inch strips. In a deep skillet, pour canola oil to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Heat oil to 365°F. Carefully drop wonton slices into hot oil and fry for about 30 seconds, or until crisp and golden. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

2. Arrange almonds in a single layer on a sheet pan. Toast in the oven for 5 minutes, toss nuts, then toast for an additional 5 minutes, or until golden. Remove from pan to cool.

3. To make the salad, toss the lettuce, cilantro, wonton strips, chicken, and dressing in a large mixing bowl until combined. Place the mixture on a serving plate. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and almonds and serve.

Asian Sesame Dressing:

1. Combine all ingredients except canola oil in a medium mixing bowl with a wire whisk.

2. Once ingredients are combined, slowly pour in the oil while whisking to form an emulsion.

 

 

I love you

Broccoli Salad

2 heads of broccoli cut into florets
6 slices of bacon
2  Tbsp chopped red onion
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
* (toast in oven 300° for 5 mins or in a ramekin w/pat of butter in microwave for minute)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup mayo
pinch sugar
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar

TOSS and chill

 

I love you

24 hour layered salad

  • 2 pkgs frozen peas
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce
  • 1/4 c choppped onion
  • 2 C mayonaisse
  • 1/4 c chopped celery
  • 1 can waterchestnuts sliced
  • 1 hard boiled egg – chopped
  • 1 C grated swiss cheese
  • bacon bits

Layer lettuce, onions, celery, peas, waterchestnuts.  Spread mayo on top as a seal.  Sprinkle some sugar on top.  Refrigerate for 24 hours. 

Toss and garnish with egg, cheese and bacon bits.

Enjoy!  I love you.

Mom’s Asian Slaw

There is alot of substituting you can do with this recipe.  It all depends on what you have around and what you like.

  • 2 packages of ramen noodles (I use chicken flavor, because I use some of the flavoring in the dressing)
  • 1 pound of cole slaw mix
  • 1 bunch of scallions sliced thin
  • 3/4 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup raisins or craisins
  • 2 Tbsp sugar (+ or – to taste)

Crunchy stuff: (pick a few 3 )

  • slivered almonds *
  • sunflower seeds *
  • flax seeds
  • pumpkin seeds
  • pistachio nuts – chopped
  • toasted sesame seeds
  • black oriental sesame seeds (looks GREAT in salad) *
  • wasabi peas

Break up ramen noodles while still in bags. 
Place noodles on bottom of large salad bowl
Top with raisins, then cole slaw mix, then scallions – in that order.
Add the crunchy stuff you chose on top.
Mix well – oil, vinegar, sugar and a bit of the seasoning from one packet of ramen.  Pour over top.  Let it sit for at least an hour, or even overnight.

Toss all together and serve.

The noodles on the bottom will soften with the dressing.  This is why you do not toss right away.

* means I always use these

Enjoy!  I love you!

Shrimp Salad in Avocado Halves

This is a simple Shrimp Salad recipe, only it’s served in avocado halves and laid on a bed of endive leaves.

Shrimp Salad:

  • 1/2 lb of shrimp, cooked and coarsely chopped (not too teeny) – or use the teeny tiny shrimp and don’t cut them at all
  • 1/2 cup chppped celery
  • 1/4 cup minced red onion
  • 1 – 2 teaspoons of lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • 2 ripe avocados

Mix ingredients together with shrimp, place a large spoonful into avocado half.  Place avocado on a bed of 3 – 4 endive leaves fanned out.

*Tip–If you use lime – then use cilantro & red onion – it gives a tropical taste.  If you use lemon – then use parsley & white onion.

**This isn’t my photo, I swiped it off the Internet.  I leave the skin on the avocado, or it mushes apart when you start to fork the shrimp salad out of it.

Enjoy!  I love you!

Chicken and Grape Salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups cooked chicken cubed
1 cup seedless grapes
1 cup sliced celery
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients.
Add chicken, grapes and celery.

Toss to coat well
Chill at least 2 hours

I love you