Salads

Southwestern Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

If you visit my blog you know I love Mexican food. I needed to create a delicious salad to go with the different Mexican entrees that I make. This salad is a great combination of textures and flavors and is a favorite in our house, especially with my kids. It's light, crunchy and full of flavor and the cilantro lime vinaigrette gives it a nice zing. I love that it's easy to make but tastes so delicious. It goes well with any Mexican food as well as chicken, beef or seafood.



Salad:
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Handful of grape tomatoes
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 2 small baby bell peppers - red, yellow or orange, diced
  • 1/2 cup black beans
  • 1/2 cup sweet frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 tbsp raw or toasted pumpkin seeds
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 2 tbsp cotija cheese
  • 1 handful of tortilla strips for salads
  • Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (recipe below) to taste
In a large salad bowl add chopped lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, avocado, bell peppers, black beans, corn, tortilla strips, pumpkin seeds and cotija cheese. Top the salad with the vinaigrette to taste and serve. Enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:
  • 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar OR red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp oregano

Use am immersion blender or a regular blender to blend the dressing. Let the flavors mingle for at least 30 minutes before using.


Taco Salad

I was in the mood for Mexican food (what's new) but I didn't feel like making a huge dinner. I grabbed some ground beef at the store and decided to make a taco salad. I used a bunch of different spices to flavor the beef. I threw in whatever vegetable I had in the refrigerator along with black beans and sweet yellow corn. I chopped up some tortillas and baked them for a nice crunchy texture in the salad. I topped with salsa and sour cream but it's also really good with the cilantro lime vinaigrette (recipe below). This was an easy dinner that tasted great. We all loved this meal, even the kids.

Taco Meat:
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped finely
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
  • 1 1/2 lbs of lean ground beef (96/4)
  • Dried oregano
  • Onion powder
  • Paprika
  • Chile powder
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • Ground cumin
  • Garlic powder
  • Sea salt

Note: I didn't measure spices. I sprinkled to taste.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the onion and stir frequently for 3-4 minutes; add the garlic and stir constantly for 60 seconds. Add the ground beef to the onion and garlic mixture and break up the meat really well with the spatula. Add the spices and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the beef is thoroughly cooked. Taste, re-season if necessary. Set aside and let cool.


Salad Ingredients:
  • Head of Romaine, cleaned and chopped
  • 1/2 cup of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup of frozen sweet corn, thawed
  • 1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 cup of grape tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 cup of black olives, sliced
  • 1/2 cup of red, yellow or orange baby bell peppers, sliced
  • 1/2 cup of green onions, diced
  • 1/4 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, diced finely (more if you desire)
  • 2 avocados, diced
  • 6 corn tortillas, chopped into bite size pieces
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Chop the corn tortillas into bite sized pieces then place on the baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray and add sea salt to taste. Place in the oven and bake for 4-5 minutes; remove from oven and flip the chips over, return to the oven and bake for an addition 3-4 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.

Dressing Ideas:

  • Salsa
  • Sour Cream
  • Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:

  • 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp oregano

Use am immersion blender or a regular blender to blend the dressing. Combine all ingredients, toss and serve immediately. Enjoy.


Greek Salad with a Lemon Garlic Dressing


I wanted a fresh salad to go with the Greek Style Minestrone with Turkey and Feta Meatballs I made for dinner. I just grabbed whatever ingredients I had on hand. The salad was simple, crisp, salty, garlicky and a bit tart. I really, really loved the flavors - my husband and kids liked it as much as I did. Simple ingredients sometimes make the tastiest dishes.

Salad:

  • Romaine lettuce, chopped
  • Kalamata olives
  • Grape tomatoes
  • Cucumber, seeded and chopped
  • Feta cheese
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Lemon Garlic Dressing:

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
Whisk all ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Taste and re-season if needed. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve. Enjoy.



Another meme tag from The Blonde Duck and Marjie. I am to say something about the last 10 people who commented on my blog. I am really tired and must get to bed, so I am only going to do the last 5...sorry.

1. Jan from Range Warfare is an Englishwoman living in Oklahoma. She is a terrific writer and cook and has wonderful recipes and stories to share. I always look forward to new posts. She was also one of the first people to ever comment on my blog.

2. Cathy from Noble Pig has an incredible food blog that I love to read. She always has great posts that I look forward to reading. She's not only a great cook and photographer, she also is very knowledgeable about wine (she is starting a vineyard in Oregon after all). Can't wait to wine taste Cathy!

3. Marjie from Modern Day Ozzie and Harriet is one amazing woman. I totally look up to her, not only does she sew beautiful clothing, costumes and curtains, she has 9 children and she home schools. She also is one of the best bakers around - she always has tempting treats or meals on her blog. She also is the owner of Thor, the big beautiful dog I would love to have.

4. Aggie from Aggie's Kitchen always has recipes that I want to try. Her blog is fun to read and her recipes are tasty, tempting and never too complicated (I love that). She's a great mom to two kids and lives in Florida.

5. Dawn from Vanilla Sugar is an amazing baker. She always has great recipes but her baking is unbelievable! I truly leave her blog drooling every time. She's also feisty and funny which I love.

That's all I can do - I am so tired. I appreciate everyone who visits my site and especially those that keep coming back. Thank you all!!!

Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Sweet Ginger Soy Dressing


I adapted this recipe from one I found in The Best of Cooking Light cookbook. This salad has wonderful vegetables, textures and flavors. The dressing was subtle but delicious with the sweet and crunchy peas, carrots and red peppers. It paired nicely with the Korean-Style Pork Tenderloin and a tasty Spicy Cucumber Salad with Peanuts. Both of my kids really enjoyed this salad, especially my son.

Salad:
  • 1/2 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed
  • 1/2 cup julienne cut carrots
  • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup julienned cut red pepper
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:

  • 2 tsp dark sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp peeled fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced (about 4 cloves)
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
To prepare the dressing, heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger; sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and salt; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.

To prepare the salad, cook peas in boiling water 30 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water. Combine peas and remaining ingredients except sesame seeds. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy.



Shredded Beef Taco Salad


As you can tell from my blog, I eat Mexican food all the time. I literally could eat it everyday. Luckily my husband and children love it as much as I do. I really enjoy this salad because it tastes so good but isn't that bad for you. The shredded beef is unbelievably tasty - it's so full of flavor and is really moist and tender. I love the crunchy (guilt free) tortilla bowl and the creamy guacamole as well as the homemade salsa. It's a wonderful meal for lunch or dinner and it's very easy to make.

Shredded Beef:

  • 1 1/2 lbs of round roast (chuck roast is flavorful but isn't as lean)
  • 1 7 oz can of whole green chiles reserve the juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic
  • 1-2 cups of beef broth

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven (or baking dish). Combine seasonings and rub onto the meat thoroughly. Sear the meat in the olive oil on all sides. Spread the green chiles over the roast. Add beef broth, reserved green chile juice and chopped garlic. Cover pan and place in oven. Cook 4-5 hours until shreds easily. Check on roast every couple of hours to make sure there is plenty of liquid... if it's low add more broth. You can also cook this dish on the stove top or in a crock-pot. Shred the meat and mix into the remaining liquid. Taste and re season if necessary.

Flour Tortilla Bowls:

  • 4 flour tortillas (I use low fat)
  • Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the ovenproof tortilla bowl. You can also use an oven safe bowl turned upside down and drape the tortilla over it. Spray the tortilla with olive oil cooking spray. Bake the tortillas for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Let cool slightly.

Salad Toppings:

  • Shredded Beef
  • Black beans, drained and rinsed
  • Romaine lettuce, chopped finely
  • Cherry (or Roma) tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced OR green onions, chopped
  • Black olives, sliced
  • Cheddar cheese, shredded; (cotija cheese works great too)
  • Guacamole
  • Mom's salsa
  • Sour cream (I use low fat)

I layer the tortilla bowl with a bit of lettuce to prevent the tortilla bowl from getting soggy. Next comes the black beans, more lettuce, shredded beef, tomatoes, onion, olives, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheese and cilantro. Enjoy.


Corn, Tomato, Feta and Basil Salad


My wonderful neighbor Jack gave me a huge load of fresh corn on the cob from his garden. I was craving a salad and wanted to incorporate the fresh corn. I sauteed the corn, cherry tomatoes, sweet onion and garlic for just a few minutes, in a little bit of butter, to sweeten them up. I topped them off with fresh chopped basil and feta cheese along with salt and pepper. It was full of wonderful flavors and textures. The corn was a bit crunchy, the feta was salty while the tomatoes were sweet and juicy. Simple ingredients, easy to make and it tasted delicious.

  • 4-5 ears of corn, peeled and cleaned
  • 1 large handful of cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 sweet yellow onion, diced
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp butter
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2-3 tbsp feta cheese
  • 4-5 leaves of basil. chopped

After you clean the corn, cut the kernels off of the cobs. I put a coffee cup upside down in a large bowl and place the cob on top of the mug. It's much easier to cut the kernels this way and you won't make a huge mess.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and stir. Cook for 2 minutes then add the corn , garlic, tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring gently, for 3-4 minutes then remove from heat. Top with feta and basil. Enjoy.


Italian Salad


I love salads and make them several times a week. I was craving something different from our usual house salad. I looked through the refrigerator and found some kalamata olives and salami along with pine nuts and fresh Parmesan cheese. I used a simple homemade vinaigrette and was so happy with the end result. It was full of flavor and very tasty - my children (and husband) gobbled it up!

  • Romaine lettuce
  • Fresh baby spinach
  • 1 handful of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 handful of kalamata olives
  • 5-6 slices of salami, quartered
  • 1/4 fresh red onion sliced thinly
  • Toasted pine nuts
  • Fresh Parmesan cheese
  • Frans Simple Vinaigrette

Add the pine nuts to a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook stirring frequently until golden brown, remove from heat and let cool. Mix the romaine and spinach and add the tomatoes, olives, onions, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, top with Fran's vinaigrette, toss and serve. Enjoy!



Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad


My wonderful neighbor Cheryl invited my kids over to pick some fresh cherry tomatoes from her tomato plant and they had so much fun picking and eating them. We ended up with a large bowl of cherry tomatoes and I couldn't wait to make a salad using them. I found some yellow grape tomatoes and fresh mozzarella balls at Trader Joes and decided to make a little caprese salad. I added freshly picked basil leaves, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. A simple, delicious and beautiful salad!
  • 2 large handfuls of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 large handful of yellow grape tomatoes
  • Fresh mozzarella balls
  • Freshly picked basil leaves, torn or cut into pieces
  • 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly mixed. Enjoy!



Summer Panzanella


I am trying to experiment with different types of salads. Panzanella is one I have been wanting to make for a long time. I am a huge crouton fan so the idea of a salad based on a bunch of crunchy croutons is my idea of heaven. I used a seeded baguette because, well it's my favorite, but also because I thought the seeds would add a good flavor to the salad. It was a crunchy, salty, creamy salad with a nice bite from the vinegar. We all really loved this salad as did our friends who were over for dinner. I was disappointed that I forgot to put the feta cheese in but I look forward to trying it next time. It was really a lovely salad that I will be making a lot in the future.

Croutons:
  • 1 seeded baguette (or your favorite rustic bread), cut into bite sized chunks
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed into a paste
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking dish with tin foil (for easier clean up) and coat with cooking spray. Combine the olive oil, garlic paste, salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Place the bread crumbs in the bowl and coat with olive oil and garlic mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool.

Vegetables:
  • 8 oz grape tomato medley, sliced in half
  • 2 cucumbers, seeded and diced
  • 1 15 oz can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup of feta cheese
  • 6-7 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
  • Fran's Simple Vinaigrette (I doubled the recipe for this salad)

While the bread is baking, prepare the vegetables and salad dressing. Once the bread cools, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately and enjoy!


Asian Noodle Salad


I was craving a light but tasty side dish so I decided to try a cold Asian noodle salad. I really love the flavors and textures of this dish. The vegetables and peanuts gave it a nice crunch while the noodles were soft and chewy. This was a perfect salad for a hot day! The kids couldn't get enough and neither could my husband.

Dressing:
  • 1/2 cup of seasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar

Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Let sit for at least 1 hour to let the flavors combine.

Salad:

  • 1 handful of cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 1 handful of basil leaves, chopped
  • 2 green onions, diced finely
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, julienned
  • 1 cup of shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup of toasted peanuts
  • 1/2 lb spaghetti noodles, cooked per instructions

Prepare all the vegetables, set aside. Once the spaghetti has cooked per instructions, rinse with cold water and drain. Once the noodles are cool, add the vegetables and peanuts. Mix the dressing again thoroughly then add to the noodles and vegetables. Stir until well combined and serve. Enjoy.