Archive for Salads

kale and pomegranate salad

February 21, 2012 · Filed under Salads, side dishes, Vegetarian · Tagged

Photo from Fed and Fit

  

This is one of the prettiest salads I have ever seen!  WordPress featured this salad from “Fed and Fit” last month and it looked super scrumptious!  It also looked like something I could retro-fit for those of us that like to keep it moving…you know how I operate!

Original Recipe in Black, The Good Stuff 411′s version in Red!  Either way, Enjoy!

kale and pomegranate salad

serves 9 ( serves 4 twice)

Ingredients:

1 head of curly kale (1 bag of Harvest Sensations Kale Salad or Kale Salad in a bag from Trader Joe’s)

½ head of purple cabbage (add or skip)

1 bunch of flat leaf parsley (about 2 cups) (add or skip)

2 pomegranates (pomegranates already seeded.  can buy at Costco, trader joe’s, Safeway, whole foods)

5 limes (Lime juice about 8 Tb, I only use Nellie & Joe’s Famous Lime Juice, any grocery store.  That said as much as I like limes and salt, the kids not so much-or at least not more than a few bites, little taste buds:)…so back to Galeos (see Favorite things post), yummy, healthy, and they eat every last bite!)

1 T sea salt

Directions:

NOTE: Use Half of everything if you are doing this for 4

Dump Kale Salad Mix into a pretty salad bowl

Remove the stems before finely chopping the kale and cabbage, then set aside.

Roughly run knife through the parsley and toss with the kale and cabbage.

Dump lime juice and salt into a small bowl and mix or get Galeos out of the fridge:)

In a bowl, juice the limes and add the sea salt to dissolve.

Dump lime juice/salt combo over kale salad and combine well (remember only half if serving again later during the week or for lunch) or now add dressing!

Deseed the two pomegranates. The best way to deseed pomegranates is to cut the fruit in half then carefully break it apart with your hands and lightly brush the seeds away from the membrane. [Make sure to either wear an apron or something red! The juice stains.]

Massage the kale, cabbage, and parsley with the sea salt lime dressing. You can perform this step a couple of hours before serving. The acidic dressing will help breakdown some of the rough texture of the kale.

Open package & dump pomegranate seeds over dressed salad and serve!

Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds over the dressed salad and serve!

Time: 20 minutes Time: 5 minutes

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Guiltless BBQ Chicken Salad

January 24, 2012 · Filed under Chicken, Eat this - Not that, Salads, Veggies · Tagged , ,

There is something about the tangy flavor of BBQ Sauce, and the creamy, savory flavor of ranch dressing that, when combined, make me weak.  A few days ago I set out to create a “healthy” version of a BBQ Chicken Salad, and I was really expecting a so-so lunch.   Guess what?  I was WRONG!  This was one of the best MEALS I have had in a long time!  Fast. Simple. Healthy.  AND TASTED AWESOME!  You are not even going to believe what is in this (or should I say -not in this)…but I promise you will not be disappointed! WOW!

1.  Place Kale Salad in a bowl (Have as much as you want, and whatever brand, all the stores have them now.  I still like Harvest Sensations)

2.  Place a few spoonfuls of Hannah’s Tzatziki on the kale and mix throughly covering all of the kale. (This is a Costco product that is AWESOME!  Anywhere Ranch and/or sour cream previously went…this should go)

3.  Place Trader Joe’s Chickenless Pulled Chicken in the microwave for 2 min (following directions)

3.  Dump half the bag of BBQ Chicken onto the kale salad.  Using a fork and a knife chop/mix it all up

 

4.  I added these yummy peppers, but you could add black beans, corn…any veggie you want!  Chop/mix one more time

5.  Dump into a bowl, add 6-10 Blue Corn Chips and VOILA!  Heaven in a dish! 

There will not be a disappointed taste bud in your mouth!!!

Here is the 411 on my Guiltless BBQ Chicken Salad:  Calories 260/Fat (Total 9g/Saturated 2g)/ Sodium 690mg/ Carbs 27 g (3g sugar)/ protein 21g

Just to compare here is the 411 on a HALF BBQ Salad from CPK (from their website):   Calories 709/Fat (Total 100 g/Saturate 9g)/ Sodium 896 mg/ Carbs 57 g (sugar not disclosed would guess at least 30)/ protein 26g

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Food & Friends

November 7, 2011 · Filed under Salads, side dishes · Tagged

It is so awesome to spend time with old friends, people who have now known me over half my life!  Even cooler, when you share common interests, like eating healthy!  We had three days of parties, football, beer and junk food so we decided to kick the long weekend off by eating in Thursday night!  We pan roasted some salmon and whipped up this “Wilted Kale Salad” recipe they were making at Met Market when we stopped for groceries (and more beer)!

It was super simple to make, DELICIOUS, and one I am already planning again for this week!

 

Wilted Kale Salad

Serves 4

  • 1 package Harvest Sensations Organic Kale Salad
  • 4 slices bacon, diced (could use turkey bacon, or omit)
  • 1 shallot minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the Kale Salad in a large salad bowl (think the one pictured above was big enough?)

2. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp; add shallots and garlic and cook for 10 seconds; add the vinegar and whisk in the olive oil until well blended. Salt & pepper to taste.

3. Pour the hot vinaigrette over the salad and toss until well coated.  A sprinkle of Asiago cheese can be added if you wish.  Serve at once with a crusty loaf of bread.

 

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The Most Amazing Salad

August 27, 2011 · Filed under Salads, side dishes · Tagged , , ,

 

A friend’s Sister-in-law brought this dish to a dinner party earlier this summer (thanks Suzanne).  It had been on my mind ever since.  I finally tracked it down and it is by far my new favorite dish!  I have to tell you this is just a TAD more labor intensive than a simple salad, but well worth it.

The Most AMAZING Salad

( Whole Wheat Couscous with Cherries & Arugula) 

Couscous
1 cup water
2/3 cup orange juice
1 1/3 cup (1/2 pound) whole wheat pearl couscous (I used Israeli Tri-Colored Couscous)

Salad
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2/3 cup dried cherries
2 stalks celery, finely diced
3 ounces baby arugula, finely chopped (I didn’t chop because I didn’t have time, worked out fine)
1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces young Gouda or sharp white cheddar (didn’t have this either so tossed in some feta)

Put the water and the orange juice in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the whole wheat couscous, cover the pan, and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Prepare a large baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper. When the couscous is done (it will have absorbed all the liquid) spread it out on the baking sheet to cool.

Whisk together the orange juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add the dried cherries and microwave for 2 minutes on HIGH. (Or, bring the mixture to a light simmer in a saucepan on the stove, then stir in the cherries and turn off the heat.) Let the cherries stand in the liquid for at least five minutes, or until they are glossy, plump, and soft. Drain off the liquid into another cup, and reserve it.

When the couscous is lukewarm to the touch, pick up the parchment paper and slide the couscous off the paper into a large mixing bowl. Take the reserved poaching liquid drained from the cherries, and whisk vigorously until it is combined and emulsified. Stir this into the couscous.

Stir in the steeped cherries, minced celery, arugula, toasted walnuts, and sliced shallots. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Use a sharp vegetable peeler to create thin shavings of the cheese. Toss this with the salad. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Original photo

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Good clean fun

May 10, 2011 · Filed under Salads, side dishes · Tagged , , , ,

A few years ago we were fortunate enough to meet some wonderful people from Turkey!  They introduced us to some of their friends and this group is just plain fun!  But more notably they are all really energetic, healthy and SO YOUNG looking!  Diet. Diet. Diet.  The Turkish Diet is a Mediterranean Diet and consists of meat, eggplants, green peppers, onions, peppers, garlic, lentils, beans, tomatoes, nuts, spices, herbs, olive oil, and fresh fruits.  Basically the diet we should all aspire to eat. 

So a few weekends ago we attended one of their infamous soirees (these people know how to party)!  The food at this party was some of the best I have ever tasted and it was missing all the things you would normally find on a party spread.  No cream sauces, no pasta, no dips, no chips, no bacon wrapped this or that.  Nothing deep-fried! 

This beautiful buffet of healthy, yummy foods was devoured and replenished 6 or 7 times!  After eating no one was “beached” on the couch because eating these kinds of foods does not send your body into a food coma, but rather leaves you ready to rock-and-roll!

I cornered the caterer to get the 411 on what I was eating because it WAS THAT GOOD!  Here are two of the dishes that are SO incredibly easy to make, and super healthy!

Shepherd’s Salad

Ingredients

  • 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 2 cucumbers, seeded and chopped
  • 1 bunch parsley, leaves picked, not chopped
  • 1/2 cup pitted and halved kalamata olives
  • 1/2 small red onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 ounces Greek feta cheese, diced (I used crumbled)

Directions

Toss together all ingredients except feta cheese in a large bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour to allow flavors to develop. Toss in the feta cheese just before serving and taste for seasoning and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Quick and Easy White Bean Salad

(Fasulye Piyazi)

Ingredients

  • 1 14.5-ounce can white beans, drained but not rinsed
  • 2 Tbsp chopped red onion
  • A squeeze of lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons wine vinegar (red or white)
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry herbs de provence (crumbled) OR 1 teaspoon of some combination of finely chopped rosemary, tarragon, thyme, and lavender
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

  • After you chop up the onion, squeeze a little lemon juice over it and let it sit while prepping the other ingredients.  This will take the edge off the onion.
  • Combine all ingredients into a serving dish. You can serve right away if you want, but if you chill for a few hours, the flavors will come together better.

Lasts a couple of days in the refrigerator.

I made both of these the next day and the only problem was I WANTED MORE!  SO next time I will double both recipes because they just get better the longer they sit.  I took the leftovers out the next day and had a fabulous lunch!  Just add the feta as you go on the Shepherd’s Salad so it won’t get soggy!

And again, do not under-estimate your kids!  Mine said yuck, had their “No Thank You Bite” and ate both no problem!

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Would the REAL Apple/Walnut/Lentil Salad please come forward

October 17, 2010 · Filed under Salads, side dishes, Vegetarian · Tagged , , , ,

So remember my “Don’t be Lazy” post from a few weeks back? Well flipping through a magazine and here is the real thing!

Apple Walnut Lentil Salad

1 Cup green or black lentils (Trader Joes people, cut and pour)

1 chopped apple (Granny is my pick but any apple will do)

1/4 C walnuts

1/4 C scallion or green onion

Crumble blue cheese or goat cheese on top

Dress with balsamic vinaigrette

A Reminder of HOW GREAT these little Lentils are for us!

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Don’t be lazy.

September 17, 2010 · Filed under Salads, Trader Joe's · Tagged , , , ,

Starving.  Long day.  Headache.  Didn’t eat much, and since I was at the fair with my kids what I did eat wasn’t the best.  3:45pm and I have the refrigerator door open!  Never a good thing.  As I expected, nope, nothing to eat.  So I close the fridge and move towards my known danger zone…the pantry!  Here I can find carbs, which will equal a quick, easy fix, which will end with another dip and me back in the fridge.

I thought to myself “Don’t be lazy.” Back to the fridge where I found the following three items;  an apple, a cucumber and a package of Trader Joe’s lentils.  (Again, if you live by a TJ’s always keep these in your fridge, they are good for like 6 months so you have no excuse for not having them already cooked and on hand).

3:50pm.  Nicer-dicer.  A splash of balsamic vinegar, a drizzle of EVOO, pepper and I am eating a snack, or small meal, that I would probably pay $15 for at a posh little cafe when meeting a girlfriend for lunch.  Time 3:54pm.

Don’t be lazy.  Think outside the box and don’t make excuses.  There is always a healthier option if you want to find it. 

I don’t know the breakdown on what I just ate, because I am too busy to figure it out.  But 1 small apple, 1/2 c cooked lentils, and 1/4th a cucumber….I know enough to know it was all pretty darn good for me:)  And it took 4 minutes to make.  Hardly effort!

Happy Friday!

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