Lunchtime Lentil Salad

I few months ago, I hired a personal trainer to help me get back on track with eating right and working out. You have probably noticed a decline in blog posts as a result - I tend to be eating pretty simple - a lot of fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, and leaner meats. Most of what I have been eating doesn't really need a blog post (unless of course, you'd like to know that I eat boiled eggs & sliced tomato for breakfast.....)
One of my new lunchtime staples actually does need a recipe, although its quite simple. This lentil & rice salad is gluten-free and dairy-free for those with meal restrictions or allergies. It is refreshing, delicious, and most importantly, nutritious.


Ingredients:
2/3 C brown rice
2/3 C dried green lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 C diced red or white onion
1 C diced celery
1 C diced carrots
1/2 C diced sweet red pepper
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 C chopped fresh parsley
pepper to taste


Directions:
1. Cook rice and lentils until tender, but not mushy; drain and rinse under cold water (I cook them separately - the rice takes about 30 mins, the lentils 20 mins)
2. In skillet, heat 1 tsbp of oil then add onions and saute 3 minutes. Add celery and carrots and saute 2-3 minutes, then add red pepper and saute everything another 2-3 minutes (10 minutes total)
3. Combine veggies/rice/lentils in a large bowl.
4. Add seasonings, lemon juice and 1 tbsp of olive oil, toss and enjoy!


Keeps up to 5 days in fridge.


Source: Adapted from Anne Lindsay's "Lighthearted Everyday Cookbook"

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

       Its almost nice enough to have barbeques in my neck of the woods, although day after day of rain is certainly not allowing us to jump-start summer. Nevertheless, I have a whole pile of 'summer' recipes I'd like to make this year, so even if the weather won't cooperate, I'm going ahead.
       This recipe is perfect for potlucks or barbeques, as it can easily stay outside without being refrigerated for a few hours without spoiling. You can certainly modify the ingredients a bit to use up what you have, keeping the oil/vinegar base the same. The amount here would easily serve 15+ people and is great for large gatherings.

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked orzo pasta
• 1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach leaves, finely chopped (about 3 cups)
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup pine nuts (these are VERY expensive to buy, omit if on a budget)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper (I used black)
• 1/2 cup high-quality olive oil
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 
  
• Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water. 
2. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in spinach, feta, onion, pine nuts, sun-dried tomato, basil and pepper. Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Refrigerate and serve cold. Keeps 3-4 days.

Tip: Make sure you have a fine strainer for orzo as it is quite small, even after cooked. If you don't rinse with cold water, it will clump together so this step is quite important.

Southwest Chicken Salad

           As you have noticed lately, I am big on 'meal salads.' It is all part of the preparation of being able to fit into a bikini on my pending trip to Mexico! To keep things interesting, I am constantly trying new dressings, combinations and toppings for salad so that I don't scarf down Kraft Dinner instead :)
          Last month I had a fabulous salad at the Cheesecake Factory in Florida. I wanted to re-create this combination while staying mindful of calories and fat. I am happy to report that I have succeeded! This Southwest Chicken Salad is fabulous!

Ingredients for 2 large servings:
4-6 cups torn romaine lettuce, washed & dried
1/2 red or orange pepper, sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1 tomato, cut into chunks
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed & drained
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crispy fried onions
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
3 tbsp calorie-wise ranch dressing
3 tbsp barbeque dressing

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine ranch & barbeque dressing. Mix well.
2. Combine dressing with lettuce and chicken, toss well.
3. Arrange lettuce and chicken on a plate. Top with peppers, tomatoes, black beans, and sprinkle cheese & fried onions on top.

Nutritional Information: About 300 calories per large serving. 5 Weight Watcher points.

Thai Mango Chicken Salad

My mother-in-law makes the BEST salads. She is the Queen of salad-making. So when she mentioned that she had a good recipe for a Thai Mango Chicken Salad, I knew we were in for a treat.
This is definitely a main-course salad. It stands on its own two feet without being some type of appetizer for another meal. I paired it with fresh bread and white wine and it was the perfect light meal.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

2 firm, but ripe mangoes 

1 large sweet red pepper (could also use yellow, orange, or combination)

2 carrots, coarsely grated

6 cups mixed greens torn (I like spring mix or “baby spinach”)

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh mint

4 cooked chicken breasts, chopped or shredded (could also use pork or shrimp)

Dressing Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

1 tsp grated lime rind

2 TBSP fresh squeezed lime juice

1 TBSP fish sauce or soy sauce

2 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp minced hot pepper OR 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In skillet toast peanuts over medium heat until fragrant and dark golden (about 8 minutes) and then set aside.
2. Peel, pit and thinly slice mangoes lengthwise. Seed, core and thinly slice red pepper
3. Mix together mangoes, red pepper, carrots, mixed greens, green onions and mint.
4. In a large bowl, wisk together oil, lime rind, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, hot pepper, salt and pepper.

Toss the salad with dressing to taste, then sprinkle with toasted peanuts. This recipe serves 4 for a main course salad.

Platter Greek Pasta Salad

          My husband and I have recently become obsessed with Greek food. I'm not quite sure why it started now, as its been 3 years since I have been to Greece, and he has never been. Regardless, I find myself constantly scouring cookbooks & blogs for Greek-themed recipes.

        This dish has a slight twist on a regular Greek salad, and makes for an excellent side dish or main entree. The recipe printed here serves 8-10 people as a side, and 4-6 people as an entree. I made it for dinner with my in-laws last week, and it was a big hit. It can be prepped & made in about 30-40 minutes, including the time it takes to boil the water & chop all the veggies.

Ingredients:

• Dijon Vinaigrette
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• Big pinch of salt
• Black pepper, to taste
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•  
• Pasta Salad
• 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1 medium yellow pepper, halved lengthwise, seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Ground black pepper and salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons salt for pasta water
• 1 pound medium pasta shells (I used whole-wheat penne)
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped, pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 small red onion, cut into small dice
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

Directions:

1. To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the first five ingredients, then slowly whisk in the oil for a thick consistency. 
2. Adjust oven rack to highest position and turn broiler on high. Toss zucchini and bell pepper with olive oil, salt and pepper, and arrange on a large baking sheet with sides. Broil eight to 10 minutes, until spotty brown, turning zucchini slices and pepper halves once. Set aside in a large bowl to cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces. (You could also cut prior to broiling),
3. Bring 1 gallon of water and 2 Tbs. of salt to boil. Add pasta; boil using package times, until just tender. Drain thoroughly and set aside to cool.
4. Put vegetables, pasta and remaining ingredients (except dressing) in the bowl and toss with 3/4 of dressing mixture to coat. Put in fridge until almost ready to serve (up to 24 hours).
5. Arrange romaine lettuce onto platter. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Place pasta salad mixture on top and serve immediately.

Couscous, Black Bean & Mango Salad

           One of my favourite things about summer is the abundance of fresh produce at the market & grocery stores. The choices are limitless and the price is reasonable - a cooking delight. At the market this morning, I picked up mangos, onions, red pepper, cilantro, spinach, cucumber, tomatoes - everything (except the mango) grown locally. 
         I am always looking for a new summer salad, preferably something that can be taken to a potluck or BBQ without spoiling. This recipe is perfect for any outdoor gathering, and pairs well with chicken or burgers from the grill. Plus, it used up some of my market purchases!

          


Ingredients:
1 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth, boiling
1 large ripe mango
1 can (19 oz) black beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 cup chopped red onion
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped 
3 limes or 4 tbsp lime juice
olive oil


Directions:
1. In a saucepan, mix couscous & boiling broth. Cover & let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
2. Combine all ingredients & mix well. Drizzle with olive oil & lime juice.
3. Serve immediately or keep up to 3 days in fridge.

Asian Beef Salad

           Last year, the husband and I ordered a full years worth of organic meat. It comes from a few farms near Barrie, and we have been really happy with the quality and taste of all the meat - except for one type. the sirloin tip steak. It is quite tough, largely because there isn't enough fat on the meat. Its too lean. So I have been trying to figure out ways to use the steak and get it tender enough to enjoy.
           The biggest trick to this meat (and any other cheap cut of beef) is to marinate it extensively. This steak I marinated for about 6 hours, although overnight would have been ideal.  I am happy to say though, that this steak turned out fabulous. And it was absolutely perfect for the Asian Beef Salad.

Steak Marinade/Dressing:
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp sodium-reduced soy sauce
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/3 cup apple or orange juice
1 tsp minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, smashed


Steak:
1 lb sirloin tip steak


Salad:
6 cups leaf lettuce
1 small red pepper, thinly sliced
red onion
1/2 cup snow peas


Directions:

1. Whisk ingredients for marinade together. Pour half over sirloin steak and let marinade 6+ hours, or overnight. Refridgerate remaining dressing.
2. Pre-heat BBQ. Grill steak 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Do not overcook steak (nothing past medium). Let stand 3 minutes before slicing into thin strips.
3. Combine lettuce, red pepper & onion in a large bowl. Pour remaining dressing over and toss lightly to coat. Arrange on plates with steak on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion, if desired.

          

Roasted Beet & Grapefruit Salad

           I know most of you are tempted to close your screen just based on the title of this post. Roasted Beet and Grapefruit salad?!? That was pretty much what I thought when I came across this recipe in Chatelaine. It seemed too 'out there', too adventurous. But the same day I saw the recipe, my friend Kennedy blogged about trying new vegetables on her blog Running After Balance. Her goal is to try a new vegetable every week, so that she isn't eating the exact.same.food. each week.

             Well, since I have little shame and am easily inspired, I am going to copy Kennedy and pick up a new fruit or vegetable at the grocery store once a week. Then I'm going to make a new recipe, and then I'm going to blog about it. Good or bad, I will let you know.  I think its a fabulous idea, and I am looking forward to adding new foods to my palette.  Hence where I got the inspiration to make a roasted beet and grapefruit salad.

             Friends, I was most skeptical. I read the ingredient list carefully, knowing that I couldn't make any substitutions when I had NO idea what I was making in the first place.  I debated scrapping the "Vegetable of the Week" idea completely. But then I re-read Kennedy's post and decided to go for it.

             This recipe is very, very good. The roasted beets & grapefruit are a wonderful compliment, and the salad is utterly refreshing. Its easy to find all of the ingredients, and very inexpensive to make. I highly recommend making this as a starter for a dinner party. Its impressive and unique while being simple to make. My only caveat would be that you have to really like both grapefruit AND beets. The husband doesn't really like beets. He did try this though, and said it was "much better than he thought."

Ingredients:

4 beets, trimmed & washed

2 grapefruits

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp horseradish

salt and pepper

1 tsp parsley

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Rinse beets with water so they are damp. Lightly wrap in foil and roast in oven, about 60 minutes until they are tender. Let cool (about 1 hour) then peel & slice thinly (1 beet should make 8 slices).
2. Cut ends of grapefruit, then peel including the whites. Slice into rounds. Put into bowl with beets.
3. Combine vinegar, horseradish, salt, pepper & parsley. Drizzle over beet & grapefruit, then toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Chatelaine.

Fabulous Bean Salad

            Now that spring is here, the darling husband & I have been BBQing a lot. Burgers, steaks, chicken, pretty much anything that could possibly go on the grill, does. So I have been trying to come up with good spring side dishes. This bean salad is absolutely delicious, and makes the perfect accompaniment to an outdoor meal. Another plus is that because there is no mayo or egg, you could take it to a potluck or outdoor event without worrying about spoilage. Have fun with the ingredients - you could easily substitute another type of bean, or try a different type of onion. 

                         

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can six-bean blend, drained & rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 
  
• Directions

1. Mix beans with onion, peppers & celery in a large bowl.
2. In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, oil, sugar, and herbs. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves; do not boil.
3. Pour warm dressing over bean mixture, and marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Source: Adapted from "Super Duper Bean Salad", Allrecipes

Healthier Tuna Pasta Salad

        I have always loved tuna pasta salad. Its a great picnic food, a nice light lunch, and if done right, relatively healthy. With bathing suit season just around the corner, this recipe is a perfect adaptation of tuna pasta salad - it has about 1/3 less calories than a regular recipe but without compromising the flavour.

Ingredients:
4-5 cups cooked rotini pasta
2 stalks celery, diced
2 dill pickles, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 tin tuna, drained
1 tsp fresh dill weed
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2/3 cup light mayo
2 tbsp skim milk
1 tbsp dill juice from pickle jar


Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk milk, mayo, dill juice, dill weed & pepper. 
2. Combine rest of ingredients, then mix with mayo mixture. Let sit in fridge for 1 hour prior to serving.
3. Add more milk/mayo mixture as needed.


Serves 4


  

Summer Spinach Salad

I despise winter the way that most people despite Mondays. I can deal with Monday as its just one day of the week. Winter is every day of the week for 6 months a year. Or 11 months, if you lived in Ontario last year. It lasts forever. So to deal with it, I pretend its actually summer. If its above minus 10 and not a blizzard, its BBQ weather in our household. It is also summer salad weather if there are mandarin oranges at the grocery store.

This salad recipe is simple but it jazzes up what might otherwise be an ordinary starter. And it makes winter go by just a little bit faster.

Salad Ingredients:

6 cups baby spinach

2-3 mandarin oranges, peeled & segmented

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup fresh sliced strawberries

1/8 cup slivered almonds

crumbled feta or goats cheese (optional)

1 small apple, sliced (optional)

Vinaigrette:

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup orange juice

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp white sugar (optional)

Combine vinaigrette ingredients in small bowl & whisk well. Pour over salad. & toss.

Serve immediately. Serves 4.

World's Best Potato Salad

I'm not normally a huge fan of potato salad, but I had a whole bunch of mini potatoes that needed to get used up. I found an interesting looking recipe from Betty Crocker, so I thought I would try that with just a few changes for personal taste. Success!! I am proud to say this recipe will win over even the most skeptic people.

Ingredients:

15-20 mini potatoes, or 5-6 large

3 eggs

1 cup celery, chopped

1/3 cup red onion, diced

2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp regular mustard

1/3 cup sweet relish

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 tsp celery salt

dash of garlic powder

dash of pepper

Directions:

1. Cover potatoes in large pot with water, bring to a boil. Let boil uncovered, for 12-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender but not mushy. Do NOT overcook. Rinse with cold water, and when cool enough, dice. I leave the skins on.

2. Meanwhile, put eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Put in ice bath to cool and when ready, dice.

3. Mix remaining ingredients in bowl and when eggs and potatoes are cool, add and mix well. Best if sits in fridge for at least 1 hour for flavours to blend.

Source: Betty Crocker Anniversary Cookbook

Greek Salad

Justin & I love Greek food. For me, it started a few years ago when I visited Greece - before that, I hadn't eaten an olive or feta in my entire life! Now, Greek/Mediterranean food is a staple in our diet. We have "Greek Night" almost every week. Here is a staple: authentic Greek Salad:

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, washed & chopped

2-3 Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped

1 small red onion, sliced

1/2 cup feta, crumbled in large pieces

1/2 cup pitted olives

1/4 tsp oregano

Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

Whisk dressing ingredients in small bowl & mix well with ingredients. Let sit 30 mins in fridge & serve.

Mango & Black Bean Salad

This recipe was given to me at a bridal shower by Jennifer Adolph, a cousin of Justin's. I have made it countless times & tweaked it only slightly - it is phenomenal! I must admit that I was skeptical but it makes the perfect addition to lunch or a potluck. For those of us on our yearly post-New Year's diet, this recipe is perfect.

Ingredients:

2 lg ripe mangoes

1 clove garlic

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup corn kernels

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed

1/2 cup chopped red onion (green onion also works)

1/2 cup diced red pepper

3 tbsp fresh lime juice (important!)

2 tbsp fresh cilantro

1/2 tsp cumin

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add garlic & stir in corn till brown (about 7 min)

2. Once corn has cooled, stir into rest of ingredients & mix well.

3. Best if chilled in fridge overnight.