Broccoli, Date and Pistachio Dense Bean Salad

Serves 2-4 

1 ½ lbs. broccoli
evoo
sea salt and black pepper
1 can cannellini beans or chickpeas, drained
⅓ c. toasted pistachios or almonds, chopped
12 deglet dates or 6 medjool dates, pitted and torn
handful chopped coriander/cilantro leaves

Spiced vinaigrette
2 t. ras el hanout, baharat or curry powder
2 T. white wine vinegar
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot , thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 T maple syrup
1/4 - ½ t. red chilli/pepper flakes
½ t. sea salt

In a jar, combine the as el hanout, baharat or curry powder, vinegar, olive oil, shallot, garlic, maple syrup, red chilli/pepper flakes and salt. Shake to combine.

Finely chop the broccoli flowers. Remove the woody exterior of the stalk and then shred it with a cheese grater and add to the rest of the broccoli.

Heat a large frying pan on medium high for 2 minutes. When hot, drizzle with olive oil and add the broccoli, season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and lots of black pepper and toss for 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

To the broccoli, add the beans or chickpeas, pistachio, and dates. Add the dressing and toss to evenly distribute. Add the herbs, season with salt and black pepper and toss again. The salad can be prepped ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If you don’t have dates, you could go for dried fruit like raisins (sultanas), apricots, cranberries or figs – I would soak them in a couple tablespoons of water, orange juice or 1 part vinegar mixed with 3 parts water to rehydrate them and make them plump and juicy.

The Original Chopped Salad from Arizona

1/2 c black currants

1/2 c pepitas 

6 T. grated asiago cheese

1 c diced tomatoes

2 T balsamic vinegar

4 t olive oil1

pinch salt and pepper

2 basil leaves, chiffonade

1 c smoked salmon chopped

1 1/2 c freeze dried corn (Whole Foods or online)

1 1/2 c arugula

1 1/2 c Israeli couscous, cooked

1 c mayonnaise

1/3 c buttermilk

4 T romano cheese, grated
24 fresh basil leaves

1 garlic clove, minced

1 juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Make trail mix: combine the currants, pepitas and asaigo cheese.

Mix the tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and basil leaves.

Lay out the salmon, corn, arugula, couscous, trail mix and tomato mixture in stripes on a serving platter.

Combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, romano cheese, basil leaves, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor. Process until smooth and add salt and pepper to taste. Add dressing & toss.

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Strawberry Romaine Salad

- romaine lettuce

- iceberg lettuce

- spinach leaves

- 1 pint strawberries

- 1 red onion, thinly sliced

- CANDIED ALMONDS

- 1/4 cup slivered almonds

- 1 1/2 T. sugar

sprinkle sugar over almonds in saute pan and toast until caramelized

- POPPYSEED DRESSING

- 1/4 cup milk

- 1/4 cup raspberry vinegar

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 1 cup mayo

- 2 T. poppy seeds

Clementine Jicama Salad

Dressing

- 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic

- 2 T fresh lime juice

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

- 1/4 teaspoon sugar

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Salad

- 8 clementines or mandarin oranges, supremed (or I prefer Trader Joe's dried "soft & juicy mandarins")

- 1 lb. jicama, julienned

- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

- 3/4 cup packed cilantro sprigs

- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or mild feta

- 1/3 cup pepitas, roasted & salted

Mixed Grilled Vegetables with Basil-Tarragon Vinaigrette

- 6 portobello mushrooms 
- 2 red onion 
- 1 red bell pepper 
- 1 yellow bell pepper 
- 2 zucchini 
- 2 yellow zucchini 
- 1 fennel bulb 
- olive oil 
- salt and pepper 
Vinaigrette 
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves 
- 1/4 cup fresh tarragon 
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 
- 1 clove garlic 
- salt and pepper 

Directions: 

1. Slice mushrooms into planks.

2. Cut onions in half; cut each half into 4-6 wedges, leaving stem intact.

3. Slice the top and bottom off peppers; discard seeds and ribs, cut into 1x3" strips.

4. Slice zucchini at a 45-degree angle into 1/2" thick slices.

5. Discard fennel tops; slice bulb lengthwise into 1/4" thick sections, leaving stem end intact.

6. In a large bowl, toss vegetables with just enough oil to coat; season with salt and pepper.  Grill over high heat until just crisp-tender, turning once.

7. Put vinaigrette ingredients in blender and puree.  Adjust oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

8. Arrange grilled vegetables attractively on platter and drizzle with vinaigrette. 

Mediterranean Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

1 oz. sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/2 garlic clove, minced 

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves

1. In a saucepan simmer the sun-dried tomatoes in 2 inches water for 3 minutes, or until they are tender, drain them, and mince them. Blend together the tomatoes, the vinegars, and the garlic, salt, add the oil in a stream to the blender, and process the vinaigrette until it is emulsified.

Spinach leaves

Cherry tomatoes

Spiralized (or julienne) zucchini

Bocconcini, mozzarella balls

Croutons, made from baguette

Chinese Chicken Salad

This is INSANELY yummy. I went back for thirds. The end.

"This chain restaurant classic needed a serious makeover, and we started by nixing anything from a can. The salad bar pile-ons (chow mein noodles, sprouts, snow peas, fried wonton strips, and water chestnuts) also got the ax, and instead, we started with crisp romaine lettuce and Napa cabbage, bell peppers, fresh cilantro, and scallions. To keep the title ingredient from tasting like an afterthought, we eschewed rotisserie chicken, instead poaching boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, orange juice, rice vinegar, and ginger. We whisked more of the same mixture with sesame and vegetable oils to make a bold dressing for our salad and finished the whole thing off with orange segments—fresh, of course—and crunchy roasted peanuts. Serves 6."

You can substitute one clove of minced garlic and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper for the Asian chili-garlic sauce.

2 oranges
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 romaine lettuce hearts (12 ounces), sliced thin
1/2 small head napa cabbage, cored and sliced thin (6 cups)
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
6 scallions, sliced thin

1. Cut thin slice from top and bottom of oranges, then slice off rind and pith. Working over bowl, cut orange segments from thin membrane and transfer segments to second bowl; set aside. Squeeze juice from membrane into first bowl (juice should measure ¼ cup).

2. Combine orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, and chili-garlic sauce in bowl; transfer ½ cup orange juice mixture to 12-inch skillet. Slowly whisk vegetable oil and sesame oil into remaining orange juice mixture to make vinaigrette; set aside.

3. Bring orange juice mixture in skillet to boil. Add chicken, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until meat registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to plate and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, boil pan juices until reduced to 1/4 cup, 1 to 3 minutes; set aside. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Off heat, add chicken, any accumulated juices, and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette to skillet. Toss to coat and let sit for 10 minutes.

5. Toss romaine, cabbage, bell peppers, cilantro, peanuts, and scallions with remaining vinaigrette in large bowl. Transfer to serving platter and top with chicken and oranges. Serve.

Dill Potato Salad

Jeni seems to have more than a bumper crop of dill these days and Dave recommended that she try this potato salad which incorporates dill three different ways. When I met him and asked him what his favorite foods were he listed Mel's potato salad saying it could never be topped. He has since declared that this is his new favorite.

Dill Potato Salad, Cook's Country June/July 2011 - Serves 8

Note: Use both dill stems and chopped leaves (sometimes called fronds) in the herb sachet. Grey Poupon is our favorite brand on Dijon mustard.

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons minced fresh dill plus 1/2 cup leaves and stems, chopped coarse

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 scallions, green parts only, sliced thin

1. Combine vinegar and 1 tablespoon minced dill in bowl and microwave until steaming, 30 to 60 seconds. Set at room temperature until cool, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place chopped dill inside disposable coffee filter and tie closed with kitchen twine. Bring potatoes, dill sachet, 1 tablespoon salt, and enough water to cover by 1 inch to boil in large pot over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Drain potatoes thoroughly, then transfer to large bowl; discard sachet. Drizzle 2 tablespoons dill vinegar over hot potatoes and gently toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate until cooled, about 30 minutes, stirring once.

4. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, remaining dill vinegar, mustard, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together until smooth. Add dressing to cooled potatoes. Stir in scallions and remaining 2 tablespoons minced dill. Cover and refrigerate to let flavors meld, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. (Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Island Pork Tenderloin Salad & Coconut Bread

Frugal living. It's a trait I inherited from my mother. Sometimes my frugal nature is what drives my recipe search. Take for instance, self-rising flour. I bought a bag the other day, and used 3 cups to make beer bread. Then I discovered that I already had an open bag (another trait that I also inherited from my mother). So what does one do with all that self-rising flour? She goes to epicurious.com and does a search using "self-rising flour". This is how I ended up, in a round about way, with Island Pork Tenderloin Salad. I first arrived on the recipe for Coconut Bread, which claims "This bread is slightly sweet, like some corn breads, and works well as an accompaniment for the Island Pork Tenderloin Salad . It also makes a nice island-style tea bread when served in the afternoon with lime marmalade and hibiscus tea."

While I don't plan on drinking hibiscus tea in the afternoon anytime soon, I thought I would at least try the salad, which by the way is an Epicurious Blue Ribbon Recipe. 95% would make it again out of a whopping 612 reviews. The salad was excellent. A 4 fork rating from me! I would skip the bread next time. It was nothing to write home (or blog) about.

Jonesin' for summer

The truth hurts...and the truth is that; other than those two weeks left of playoff football, there isn't much to look forward to for the next month or so.  Just as the Winter Blues start hitting me hard, Ashley finds a recipe to perk us right up; "Fried" Chicken Salad with corn and heirloom tomatoes and a sour cherry cobbler for dessert.  (I should just let you know right now that we are calorie counting and have discussed starting a running regiment in attempt to both drop 20 pounds by this summer so everything we will be posting for awhile will be from low-calorie recipes.  Cobbler comes in at 230 and the giant salad comes in at 650.)

This is a nice quick meal that really does feel summery. I liked that the subtlety of the dressing doesn't overpower the combination of flavors, which by themselves aren't typically dominant. I learned you have to be more careful when flipping the chicken, as the tongs kind of destroy the breading if you're not delicate. I also learned that faster and more forceful is the way to cut such delicate breading into strips with a chef's knife. If you go slow, it just tears the breading away. However, if you use a controlled butcher knife-esque approach, you'll end up with picture perfect 1/2" slices. Be sure to choose the thin chicken cuts, they cook up fast and give you a good breading to meat ratio. Much like the ratio of teeth to gums in a person's smile, you don't want too much meat or the effect is lost. We also used matzo meal for crumbs because we ran out of breadcrumbs and it still turned out well.  The heirloom tomatoes were an excellent choice at a time when produce isn't top drawer. The corn off the cob is also a key and, after the cherry cobbler a la mode for dessert, I felt just like it was a nice August evening.

Makes 4 small or 2 large servings

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Kosher salt and freshly milled black pepper
1 pound thin-sliced chicken breast cutlets
4 ears corn, husks removed
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons rinsed, dried, and chopped fresh mixed herbs
1/2 garlic clove, minced
2 tomatoes, sliced 1/3-inch thick
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup dried bread crumbs
6 cups loosely packed arugula

Combine 1 cup of buttermilk, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and let marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large kettle over high heat. Add the corn; return the water to a boil. Remove the corn immediately and set on a plate to cool slightly. Cut the kernels from the cobs.

Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk, the mayonnaise, herbs, and garlic; add salt and pepper to taste and set aside. Sprinkle the tomatoes on both sides with salt and let drain on a rack.

Heat half the oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot; reduce the heat to medium-low. Place the bread crumbs on a pie plate; remove half the chicken from the buttermilk and dip it in the bread crumbs to coat well. Add to the skillet and cook until golden on both sides and just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining chicken and bread crumbs. Slice the chicken into 1/2-inch strips.

Arrange a bed of arugula on each of 4 plates; top with slices of tomato and a mound of chicken. Sprinkle with corn and drizzle with the dressing.