Chicken or Salmon Superfood Salad

Thanks again Eliza for this super-healthy meal, courtesy of The Leon Cookbook.

2 tbsp quinoa
½ head of broccoli
300g free-range chicken thighs, each cut into 4 pieces and marinated overnight, or 4 x 70g slices of salmon fillet
2 handfuls of rocket
2 handfuls of baby spinach
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
120g frozen peas (if using fresh, use 500g unshelled pods)
1 lemon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A light sprinkling of alfalfa sprouts
3 tbsp aïoli
2 tbsp toasted seeds
A hefty sprinkling of chopped mint and parsley
Salt and pepper
Put 80ml of water into a small pan and bring to the boil. Stir in the quinoa and boil fast for five minutes, then turn the heat down and simmer for five minutes more. Turn the heat off, fluff with a fork, and leave until cooled.
Preheat your grill to very hot, or get your griddle pan smoking.
Cut the broccoli into small florets and slice the stalks into 1cm thick circles. Drop into a pan of rapidly boiling salted water for three minutes, then drain and run under the tap until cold.
Season your protein. Then for chicken, grill for five minutes, turn it over, then five minutes more; a scant three minutes each side for the salmon slices.
While all this is going on, build your salad: toss the leaves, tomatoes, broccoli and peas in the juice of half a lemon and the olive oil. Lift on to one big serving dish or individuals, scatter on the cooled quinoa and alfalfa. The next layer is the protein (try feta if you're veggie). Top with the aïoli, seeds and herbs, with the other half lemon, wedged, on the side.

The Original Leon Superfood Salad

Photo from KeepRecipes.com

Look y'all...we've gone all international now that Eliza has given us a recipe from London!

2 tbsp quinoa
Salt and pepper
2-3 broccoli spears, cut into bite-sized florets, stalks sliced
120g frozen peas
Quarter cucumber, peeled,cut into slim batons
100g good-quality feta cheese, crumbled
1 handful of alfalfa sprouts
2 tbsp toasted seeds such as pumpkin, sesame and sunflower
½ avocado, cut into pieces
1 small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 small handful of mint, chopped
2 dsp lemon juice
4 dsp extra-virgin olive oil

Put the quinoa into a small pan. Cover with cold water to a couple of centimetres/one inch above the grain and let it gently simmer over a low heat until the water has evaporated — this takes about 15 minutes — then cool to room temperature.
Pour one inch of hot water into another saucepan, add a pinch of salt. Bring it to the boil, drop in the broccoli & peas, cover and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to take all the heat out and keep the broccoli good and green.
Now build your salad in layers: broccoli, peas, cucumber, feta, alfalfa sprouts, seeds, avocado, quinoa and finally the herbs. Only dress it with the lemon juice, oil and seasoning just before you eat it.

Serves 2

Spring Asparagus Salad

1 small Vidalia onion or small bunch of green onions
1 bunch thin asparagus
1⁄2 box (6-8 oz) Barilla penne pasta
4-6 Roma tomatoes
Fresh parsley or mint, 1⁄2 bunch, rough chopped
1 large fresh mozzarella ball, or a 6 oz container small size fresh mozzarella
 Newman’s Own Family Recipe Italian salad dressing

1. Bring pasta water to a boil. Cut asparagus into length similar to the pasta. Cook pasta, add asparagus during the last minute of cooking. Drain well and chill in a cold water bath, drain.

2. Place pasta and asparagus in a large bowl. Cut roma tomatoes, onions, and mozzarella into chunks the same length as the pasta, add to bowl. Add herbs and dressing to taste. Enjoy.

Courtesy of Mrs. Bale

Mrs. Bales Watermelon Salad

SUMMER WATERMELON SALAD
1 small red onion
4 limes
1 small seedless watermelon or half a smallish watermelon
 6-8 oz feta cheese
1/2 bunch  Italian parsley
1 /2 bunch mint
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 can black olives
 black pepper

1. Slice the red onion into long slivers & marinate in lime juice one

hour or overnight.

2. Cut watermelon into bite size chunks, add to a large bowl.

Repeat with feta. Rough chop the parsley and mint. Add onions with

lime juice, add olives & olive oil.

3. Toss gently, pepper to taste.

BaconSlut's Slutty Chicken Salad With Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette

The salad ingredients are just the stuff I lob into a bowl.  The dressing comes from the book "Savoring The Seasons Of The Northern Heartland", authored by local horz Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson.  This recipe is a nummy way to use up leftover roasted chicken or turkey. 

To taste, toss the following in a bowl:

*cooked turkey or chicken (preferably cooked skin on and bone in), chopped
*chopped celery
*1 part tart apple (Granny Smith) to one part sweet apple (Honeycrisp or Sweetango), chopped and with skins on.
*well-peppered, crisp thick-cut bacon, crumbled
*chunks of aged white cheddar cheese
*freshly ground black pepper
(I don't add salt on account of the previously seasoned poultry, cheese and bacon.)


The dressing that, along with the previous ingredients, will get you SO LAID!  (Also great as a basting sauce for pork, poultry or salmon.)  If possible, make this a day or two prior to using to allow the flavors to groove.

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (Spectrum Organic unfiltered is the bomb!)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 shallots, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon coarse mustard
2/3 cup maple syrup (the real stuff, horz, none of that Log Cabin crap!)
1 cup vegetable oil (canola oil doesn't work well)

Put all the ingredients, except the oil, into a blender.  Blend on high, then pour in the oil in a slow stream and process  until thick. 

Bacon Sluts Tuna Sandwich (the jokes write themselves)

Because the chat is down, BaconSlut has resorted to food porn.  God only knows what the rest of you have resorted to.

*Note:  Needing to measure shit is one of my biggest pet peeves.  I don't do it.   Ever.   But I know that you talented culinary horz will feel me on this recipe.  Commando in the kitchen, always!  :D

1.  Getcherself a 5 oz. can of solid light tuna, packed in olive oil.  (My go-to brand is Genova.)  Drain it, lob it into a bowl, and break it up with a fork.

2.  To  taste and chopped, 1 hard-boiled egg, celery, and red onion.  Plus, some finely grated carrot.  Gently mix together.

3.  Add a pinch or two of dried (or fresh, if you have it) dill weed, as well as a healthy dose of  freshly ground pepper.  No salt needed. 

4.  Toss in about two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and about 1 tablespoon of bottled avocado oil.  Mix gently, and throw into the fridge to chillax for an hour or two.  Mayo?  What mayo?

5.  Toast a single slice of your favorite bread.  Lump some of the tuna-liciousness on top.  Finish it all off with your favorite cheese (Gouda, anyone?)  before broiling that bad boy until everything is warm and the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Greek Pasta Salad

1/2 a box of sea shell pasta (or small penne)
1 or 2 cans of diced tomatoes
a handful of fresh basil, chopped
Fresh oregano (however much you like)
Fresh Thyme (however much you like)
a carton of Feta cheese

Cook the pasta according to the directions.  I like mine al dente, but whatever.

Rinse the pasta to cool it off a bit and put it in a bowl (or in tupperware).  Add the fresh herbs so the heat open up the flavor.

Drain about half the liquid from the tomatoes and mix in.  Add salt and pepper if you like.

When cooled, add the Feta and mix it up.

This is served at a restaurant around town, Zoe's, and I studied it to death til I figured out everything in it.  Now it's a summertime salad staple in Casa de Terri.  I grow my own herbs so add however much I have of the oregano and thyme.  I have left it out and it's great...because the basil and feta are the stars.  I'm making it right now and will post a photo later (memory permitting).

SFRBully's Spinich Walnut BlueCheese Salad

A bag of salad greens or just spinach, whatever you prefer

1/2 cup of crushed or halved pecans, candied if you’re a fatty

1/2 cup of dried cranberries or dried cherries

6 oz blue cheese crumbles

2 or 3 crispy apples sliced thin

1 tbspn Dijon mustard

¼ cup of SLUTTY olive oil (or virgin in case they don’t have slutty)
1 tblspn of pure maple syrup (don’t get that aunt jemima stuff RACISTS)
1 TEASPOON of apple cider vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the mustard, syrup, vinegar, and olive oil in a shaker and toss it with the sliced apples, greens, and all the other stuff from up there. Add the crumbles last, you messy sluts.

garlic-oregano chicken caesar salad

• Course: Main Course
• Features: Fast

Summary:

You'll find chicken Caesar salads all over town, but that doesn't mean you'll find them all done well. Common flaws include too much dressing and clunky pieces of chicken.
Here's how I have approached the dish: A roasted-garlic marinade flavors chicken cutlets that are then grilled and cut into bite-size pieces. Chopped garlic and fresh oregano mix with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (the good stuff) to make a multidimensional dressing. Diced hard-cooked egg is sprinkled over the salad. And shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano finishes it with a flourish.
MAKE AHEAD: The chicken needs to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

4 servings

Ingredients:

For the chicken

• 4 large cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped oregano
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets

For the dressing

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped oregano
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

For the salad

• About 12 ounces romaine lettuce, trimmed, cleaned and torn or cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• One 2-ounce chunk Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

For the chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the garlic cloves on a 10- or 12-inch square of aluminum foil. Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil over the cloves. Form a loose packet around them, folding the foil over to seal the packet. Place the packet in a small baking dish; bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the garlic is soft. Unwrap and let cool for 10 minutes.

Transfer the cloves to a cutting board; use a large knife to chop/mash them, then transfer to a small bowl. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil, along with the chopped oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper, stirring to combine.

Lay the chicken out on a plate. Brush the oil-garlic mixture over both sides of the cutlets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat the grill, broiler, nonstick grill pan or griddle. Working in batches as needed, cook the cutlets for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are nicely browned on the first side. Turn them over and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the second side, until the chicken is cooked through and nicely browned. Transfer to a large plate. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.

While the chicken rests, make the dressing: Whisk together the oregano, grated cheese, chopped garlic, vinegar and sugar in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed.

For the salad: Divide the lettuce evenly among individual plates, creating an even layer for each portion. Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch pieces and distribute over the lettuce. Sprinkle the diced egg evenly over the salads. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the Parmigiano-Reggiano directly over each salad. Drizzle each with an equal portion of the dressing. (Alternatively, place the lettuce in a large bowl and drizzle with half of the dressing, tossing to coat the lettuce lightly. Divide among individual plates and top with the chicken, egg and shaved cheese, then drizzle with the remaining dressing.)
Serve right away.

Recipe Source:

From columnist Stephanie Witt Sedgwick

Posted by bambam. 

My note;  To save time preparing, I'd substitute a good store bought caesar salad dressing like Marie's and doctor it up with herbs listed in the recipe.  Instead of grilling, you can slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, poke them with a fork then gently poach them in a liquid flavored equally with water, chicken broth, white wine or whatever you have on hand.  Add the ingredients listed for the chicken to the liquid (except the oil) plus granulated garlic to taste and set on a low simmer (barely bubbling) that cooks the chicken tenderly.  You can also drop the garlic cloves in there too (slice them in two,) as they soften the flavor of the cloves mellows.  Take one or two and mash them up to stir into your dressing.  I like the bite of raw garlic so I would mince up one or two cloves very finely and mix it in.  Be sure to taste everything.  Yum.

LEFT COAST SALADE NICOISE

* An original recipe for this blog [not the dressings though]

   Approx. ½ hr.-45 min.

2 Ahi Tuna pieces, fresh, approx. 4-6 oz. each
Chili Oil or Basil Oil, approx. 2-3 tblsp.
2 Eggs, hardboiled
Chinese Long Beans, approx. 1/4 lb.
Jicama, small, peeled, cut into thin strips
Cherry Tomatoes (mixed color if possible), container
Cole Slaw mix,* fresh or packaged, approx. 1/4 lb.
Cilantro, approx. 1/4 c., chopped
2 Lettuce leaves, large
Salt/Pepper
1 Lemon
Rice Wine Vinegar
Sesame Seeds, white or black (optional)

* shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots

Hard boil and chill the eggs.
Snip and blanch (or boil, or grill) long beans; cut into 4" pieces.  Chill.
Peel jicama, slice half into 4" x 1/4" strips.  Blanch if preferred; or leave raw.

To prepare fish: 
[If serving chilled tuna, cook it first and refrigerate.  If serving warm, assemble salad first, then cook fish]  Squeeze ½ lemon over ahi; season w/salt and pepper.  If using sesame seeds, spread seeds on plate, rub oil on fish, press both side of fish on seeds.  Heat 2 tblsp. oil in heavy skillet, sear ahi until browned/blackened on both sides but still rare-to-medium well, depending on preference – it will briefly continue to cook after removed from pan; if you want to serve it medium rare, take it out when it looks rare-turning-to-medium, etc.

To prepare salad: Arrange lettuce leaf on each plate; fill with cole slaw mix; top with cilantro.  Drizzle w/rice wine vinegar. Arrange long beans, sliced egg, sliced jicama, and halved cherry tomatoes around flattened edges of lettuce leaf.  Drizzle w/vinegar again.  Place ahi in center.  Squeeze remaining lemon over all. 

Suggested Dressings:  Kraft Asian Toasted Seseme
                                    Green Goddess w/Wasabe [homemade or add wasabi 
                                                                                 to Kraft Green Goddess]
                                    Soy Wasabe Dressing:
                                    1 teaspoon soy sauce

                                    1 teaspoon wasabi paste (Japanese horseradish)
                                    3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
                                    1 tablespoon sugar
                                    1/2 teaspoon sesame oil  

                                   









 

Johnnysgirl's "Bottom of the Salad" Salad

This low-fat, fiber-full, hearty mess was inspired by the realization that my favorite part of salad is the bits left at the bottom of the bowl. Yes, I put a lot of random stuff in my salad.  Boring salad is boring.

Ingredients (organic if possible):

1/4-ish cup diced green onion
1/2-ish cup diced red bell pepper
1 small golden beet, grated
2 medium carrots, grated
1/4-ish cup golden raisins, chopped
1/4-ish cup toasted pecans, chopped
1/4-ish cup cooked lentils
Several sprigs (you decide how much) Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped (this shizzle is the bomb, I put it in all  my salads as another green)
Salt, fresh-ground pepper, and oregano (to your liking)
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar (to your liking)
1/4-ish cup shredded cheese of your choice (optional)

Put it all in a bowl and toss. Frakking delicious, and keeps longer than reg salad (as there are no wilting greens)

Tabbouleh Tuesdays

I fell in love with Tabbouleh (Lebanese salad) while ordering from the take out menu at the local grocer. It helped that the server was absolutely GORGEOUS. Can't blame me for saying "Sure, I'll have some of that!" It is refreshing and very easy to make. Just perfect for this time of year. Some versions require about 5 hours preparation time if you want to let the ingredients set in. But here is a quick version from epicurious that can be prepared the same day.  If you do not have cucumbers, you can also add minced onions or leave them out. It is the fresh ingredients that make this salad so delicious. Enjoy!

Tabbouleh Salad - image from wikipedia

Lebanese Tabbouleh

yield: Makes 4 to 6 side-dish servings

active time: 40 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

Fine bulgur might seem like a specialty ingredient, but it is actually in most supermarkets under the name Near East Taboule Wheat Salad Mix — just toss away the seasoning packet.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fine bulgur
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup boiling-hot water
• 2 cups finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from 3 bunches)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/2 seedless cucumber*, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

Stir together bulgur and 1 tablespoon oil in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over, then cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand 15 minutes. Drain in a sieve, pressing on bulgur to remove any excess liquid.

Transfer bulgur to a bowl and toss with remaining ingredients, including 2 tablespoons oil, until combined well.

* These long, narrow cucumbers are often marketed as "European" and are usually sold in plastic wrap to protect their thin, delicate, unwaxed skin.