Panzanella Salad with Spinach

I made this salad recently and it was so delicious.  Its fancy and maybe a little time-consuming, so its great for a fancy dinner or when you're asked to bring a salad to a get-together.

source

Panzanella Salad with Spinach

From Jenny Evans Gatherings

For the bread:

1 crusty loaf of multigrain bread (I used Kroger's PS brand multigrain bread)

2 Tbs. olive oil

Salt and Pepper to season bread

For the Vinaigrette:

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

2 Roma tomatoes, cut into 1/2-in cubes

1 red bell pepper, chopped small

1/2 red onion, chopped small

3 large garlic cloves, minced

15 large basil leaves, chopped or julienned

8 oz. container of small, fresh mozzarella balls each cut in half

4 cups baby spinach leaves, cut into 1/3 inch slices

salt and pepper to taste

For the bread, heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the loaf into 1-in cubes and toss with olive oil.  Lay single layer on a baking sheet  and sprinkle with with salt and pepper.  Roast for 15 minutes and let cool. 

For the vinaigrette, put all ingredients into a blender and puree.  For the salad, in a large serving bowl, combine all of the ingredients and pour the vinaigrette over everything.  Salt and pepper and toss well- allow to sit for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Cherry-Tomato, Watermelon Summer Salad

I recently ordered this book to get more info on eating a plant based diet and have loved reading it. I mainly ordered it for the 150 recipes he includes at the back which are pretty amazing. It has been a great resource for wanting to incorporate healthier meals into my diet.

I made this tomato watermelon salad tonight and it is the PERFECT quick summer salad. Watermelon is all the rage this summer :)  and this recipe incorporates every fresh summer flavor your little heart could desire. I halved the recipe and sat down and ate the whole thing. It would be perfect to take to a summer BBQ as well. Yum!

2 Boxes of Cherry or grape tomatoes halved (large amounts of lycopene which fights cancer and heart disease)

1 Bunch of Cilantro (2 handfuls) chopped (detoxifies colon, pulls heavy metals out of body, relieves gas, prevents nausea, antiinflamitory)

3 Green onions, white and green parts chopped (Rich in Vit K which is good for bone health and immune system)

1/2 medium watermelon cut into bite-sized pieces (hydration assisting in weight loss, lycopene, vit A, potassium)

3 tablespoons of lemon juice  and lemon or lime zest

3 tablespoons of balsalmic or sherry vinegar

Lentil and Brown Rice Salad

For those of you who are trying to get that bod in swimsuit shape for the summer and love a hearty salad try this one! I seriously inhaled this one and it was a piece of cake to make. If you haven't been able to tell I've been trying to eat more plant based whole foods and share my recipes. I am feeling awesome and have had so much fun trying new fun ingredients. Even if you consider yourself a picky eater, I don't care it's worth the benefits to make healthier choices.
via wellvegan.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup green lentils (if you live near a trader joes they have precooked lentils that are cheap)
• 1/2 cup brown rice (trader joes also has a brown rice medley that you store in the freezer and throw in the microwave for 3 min as is makes for quick prep for this meal)
• 2 large carrots
• 2 radishes
• handful of cherry tomatoes halved
• 2 ribs celery sliced thin
• 1/4 cup currants or craisins
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 4 cups mixed greens or any other lettuce. I used mixed greens mixed with kale
• Drizzle of balsalmic vinegar over the top

Instructions

1. Cook rice and lentils according to package directions. Set aside to cool. While the rice and lentils are cooking, prep the rest of your ingredients.
2. Assemble all tossing

Spicy, crisp chicken on Mint Avocado Salad

I made this for dinner tonight with Tofu and I really liked it, Beau not so much. I'm sure it would be great/better with chicken and has lots of great flavors. I've never cooked with mint but I loved it on the salad. I also added a little siracha sauce to make it more spicy. Panko can be found at the local grocery store in the asian isle. So when you're feeling adventurous I would try this salad out. Also I would add the dressing on individually rather then coat the entire salad in it before hand.

Ingredients

• 1 package regular tofu, firm or extra-firm, drained or a couple of chicken breasts cooked and sliced into strips
• 1/3 cup spicy Asian chile sauce, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dressing
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt
• 1 cup panko
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 heads butterhead lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup fresh whole mint leaves
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced lengthwise

Instructions

1. Cut the tofu in half horizontally (slicing parallel to work surface). Keep the tofu stacked; cut crosswise in half to make 4 rectangles. Cut each rectangle into 2 triangles.
2. In a large bowl whisk together 1/2 teaspoon chili sauce, orange zest, orange juice, and olive oil. Season the mixture with salt to taste. Set aside.
3. Pour the remaining 1/3 cup chile sauce into a shallow bowl. Place the panko in a separate shallow bowl. Piece by piece, gently coat the tofu in the chile sauce and then the panko, patting it on each piece to coat.
4. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat half the canola oil over medium heat. Gently place half the tofu in skillet. Pan-fry the tofu, turning once, until outsides are crisp and brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat. Repeat the process with remaining oil and tofu.
5. Add lettuce and mint to bowl with dressing; toss to coat. Place equal mounds of salad in center of four plates; fan avocado slices on top. Arrange 2 tofu triangles next to the avocado and serve immediately.

Wheat Berry and Arugula Salad

OK, OK I know I"m kind of on a roll here with salads but I had my left over Arugula so I thought I would make this. This is definitely one of the better things I've made in our marriage. A tad laborious but definitely worth the mix of flavors and textures. The recipe I made did not call for feta like what's pictured here but I bet it would have been great with some feta or bleu cheese crumbles in it. I hadn't planned on Beau eating any because he doesn't like a lot of the stuff in the salad but he had some and loved it!

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1 cup orange juice (from about 2-3 oranges) - I used pulpy orange juice
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. agave nectar (or honey or sugar)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

For the salad:

• 1 cup wheat berries, uncooked
• 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry, and chopped
• 2 oz. kalamata olives, sliced
• black pepper, to taste
• 8 oz. baby arugula
• garnish with green onions if desired

Instructions

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot with a 1/2 tsp. salt. Once the water is boiling, stir in wheat berries and partially cover. Cook for one hour, stirring often, until wheat berries are tender but chewy.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by simmering the orange juice in a small sauce pan until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 15 minutes. Pour reduced orange juice into a small bowl and cool in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Whisk together the cooled orange juice reduction with the cilantro, lime juice, water, oil, agave nectar, cumin, garlic, salt, paprika and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
3. To assemble the salad, toss the chickpeas, red peppers, olives, and wheat berries in a medium bowl with half of the dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. In a separate bowl, toss arugula with remaining dressing. Divide among 4 plates and top each with 1 cup of the wheat berry mixture. If you are making it ahead of time or plan on having leftovers the next day, do not toss the arugula with the dressing ahead of time. Simply pour the dressing on top of arugula right before serving.

Asparagus, White bean, Arugula Salad

Vegan Recipe I"m posting for my own records since I know the the Jewkes' are picky picky eaters! Fast, really yummy, worth a try if you're trying to get all you vitamins and nutrients and cut the processed stuff out.

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced 1/8 inch thick (about 1 cup)
• 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed of tough ends and cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
• 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, plus 2 tsp.
• 14 oz. arugula (1 large bunch), washed, dried, and stemmed (about 6 cups lightly packed)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in nonstick skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke; stir in onion and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add asparagus, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper; cook until asparagus is browned and tender-crisp, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Off heat, stir in beans; transfer to large plate and let cool 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 3 tbsp. oil, vinegar, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper in medium bowl until combined. In large bowl, toss arugula with 2 tbsp. dressing and divide among salad plates. Toss asparagus mixture with remaining dressing, place a portion over arugula, and serve.

Lemon-Orzo Salad

Took this yesterday to an Easter dinner we were invited to and it was mm mm good. I skipped out on the chicken because I was too lazy to cook it and I didn't feel like it would add much. Otherwise it is so stinkin easy and fast I would highly recommend it!

3/4 C uncooked orzo pasta
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind
3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp honey
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 C cooked shredded or diced boneless, skinless chicken
1/2 C diced cucumber
1/2 C diced red bell pepper
1/3 C sliced green onions
1 Tbs chopped fresh dill, or 1 tsp dried dill
1/2 C crumbled feta cheese

Cook orzo according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta feels cool to the touch.  Drain and place in a large salad bowl.

While orzo cooks, combine lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic, honey, and black pepper.  Whisk to combine.

Add chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, green onions, and dill to pasta.  Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.  Divide onto 4 plates and sprinkle with feta.

apple dijon kale salad

another great recipe from Budget Bytes. i usually steer clear from anything dijon but it is really subtle in the dressing and you could even decrease the amount you put in. it went great with the teriyaki salmon i made but is also a great easy lunch salad. i added some feta cheese i had because who doesn't like feta cheese?

apple dijon kale salad

$5.53 recipe / $1.38 serving

otal Recipe cost: $5.53 
Servings Per Recipe: 4 large salads (or 6 side salads) 
Cost per serving: $1.38 (for four) 
Prep time: 30 min. Cook time: 0 min. Total: 30 min. 

INGREDIENTS		COST
1/3 cup	olive oil	$0.96
1/4 cup	apple cider vinegar	$0.24
1 clove	garlic	$0.08
1.5 Tbsp	dijon mustard	$0.16
1/4 tsp	salt	$0.02
10-15 cranks	fresh cracked pepper	$0.03
1 bunch	kale	$0.99
1 medium	granny smith apple	$0.87
1/4 cup	raisins	$0.36
1/2 cup	walnut halves	$1.82
TOTAL		$5.53

STEP 1: Tear the kale leaves from the stems. Cut the leaves into thin slices and then rinse well under cool water (in a colander). Allow the kale to drain as you prepare the rest of the salad.

STEP 2: In a blender combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, clove of garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until the garlic is minced and the dressing is smooth.

STEP 3: Wash the apple and chop it into chunks. Roughly chop the walnut halves. Make sure the kale is as dry as possible and then combine it in a large bowl with the apples, walnuts, and raisins. Pour the dressing on top, starting with half, and toss to coat. Add more dressing as desired (I used the whole batch). 

Fiesta Chicken Salad

Fiesta Chicken Salad

3 cups red leaf lettuce
3 cups napa cabbage
1 cup cooked, diced chicken
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1/3 cup tortilla chips, crushed
1/4 cup corn (fresh)
pumpin seeds, toasted (or pepitas)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Cojita cheese, crumbled

Mix together and add dressing (below).

Cilantro Lime Dressing:
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 Tbs minced garlic
1/2 cup oil

Blend.

Cranberry-Avocado Salad with Candied Spiced Almonds and Sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Pic courtesy of the cafe sucre farine

I made this for dinner last night and it was SOOOO delicious! Christian went on and on about what an amazing cook he thinks I am the whole time he was eating (he's a little biased).  I love a good green salad with some fruitiness to it, but then you add the avocados and cilantro and then the nuts...oh my goodness. The nuts were amazing. I also added chicken because we are a meat-eating family:). Another plus is that you can make the nuts ahead of time and store them for lots of different recipes! (I only made 1 cup of nuts and it was plenty.)


Cranberry-Avocado Salad with Candied Spiced Almonds and Sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette
from The Cafe Sucre Farine

Ingredients for the dressing:  (I halved the dressing and it was more than enough)

⅓ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
½ teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried mustard
1 tablespoon minced sweet onion
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup vegetable oii
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the salad:
12 ounces baby spinach, arugula, field greens

1/2  small bunch cilantro, washed and dried, leaves removed whole from stems
2 medium avocados, peeled and halved
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup Candied Spiced Almonds

 Candied Spiced Almonds (I made one cup of almonds and it was plenty)

Ingredients:

5 cups sliced almonds, or a 1 pound package*
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin*
1-1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika* - some smoked paprikas are quite hot, if you don't like "hot", just use 1 teaspoon and they will be mildly spiced.
1 teaspoon vanilla
sea salt

*The cumin and the smoked paprika give just a hint of mysterious, delicious flavor - even though these are savory spices, these almonds are still wonderful served with sweets like ice cream or yogurt.

Candied Spiced Almonds Directions:
1. Place a large sheet of foil on a work surface. Spray with cooking spray or rub a teaspoon of oil over foil with a paper towel.

2.  Place sugar in a large non-stick sauté pan and heat over medium heat , occasionally tipping and swirling the sugar until it is all melted into a pale golden syrup.

3. Lower heat immediately and add butter, cinnamon, smoked paprika and vanilla. Stir until well combined and all butter is incorporated into the sugar syrup.

4. Add the nuts and stir gently to coat. Don't worry if you have some clumps of caramelized sugar - they will melt as you continute to sauté the almonds. Cover and continue to cook on low, stirring every minute or so until almonds are a delicious golden brown. Watch very carefully as they can go from beautiful to burned very quickly! Turn out onto prepared foil and sprinkle liberally with sea salt. Spread out on foil to cool.

 

Salad Directions:
1. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a pint sized glass jar and shake well to dissolve sugar.

2. For the salad, place greens and cilantro leaves in a large bowl. Add avocado and dried cranberries and about 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss gently. Scatter candied almonds over salad and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pass extra dressing at the table.

6 dinner size salads, 8 side salads

Chinese Chicken Salad

Pic courtesy Foodie Crush

I made this a while ago and can't believe it's taken me this long to post it b/c it was SOOO yummy! I love a good salad and this was different from most I've tried recently. I loved the crispy wontons with the pasta and the nuts. All those different crunchy textures really made this scrumptious!

Chinese Chicken Salad
from Foodie Crush

12  3-inch wonton skins, sliced into 1/4″ strips
1/4 cup canola or corn oil for frying
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 chicken breast, shredded
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted lightly
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 cups cooked fusilli pasta noodles, cooled
dressing
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or grapeseed oil
6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil (add more to taste if you prefer a strong sesame taste)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1. Heat canola or corn oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, fry wonton skins in batches of 5-7 strips for 30 seconds each side or until lightly browned, working quickly so they don’t burn. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels until cooled.
2. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, chicken breast, green onion, almonds and pasta.
3. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk well until sugar dissolves. Dress lettuce mixture with 2-3 tablespoons of sesame dressing and top with sesame seeds and wonton strips and serve.

Roasted Red Pepper and Asiago Caesar Salad

On our recent girls' trip to Utah, we ate at Cafe Zupas and I ordered this salad and their amazing Cauliflower Soup (if you ever go, you MUST try this soup).  It was a perfect combination.  I kept thinking that I could make this same salad at home and so I went home and did just that.  Its so delicious and so easy to throw together.  What I loved about it too is that you can make it into a meal by  adapting it to what you and your kids like (see suggestions below).  My kids LOVED this when I added pasta to it and we all ate it for dinner.

courtesy

Roasted Red Pepper and Asiago Caesar Salad

Adapted from Cafe Zupas

Head of Romaine Lettuce, chopped

Jar of sweet Roasted Red Peppers, diced small (add desired portion)

Asiago Cheese, shredded

Brianne's Asiago Caesar Dressing (found in dressing aisle)

Garlic Croutons (we like Texas Toast Garlic & Butter flavor)

Shredded Chicken (optional)

** Preparation Suggestions: you can prepare this however you like, whatever proportions you like.  Leave out the croutons, add shredded chicken, add a box of cooked pasta, make it into a wrap, whatever you like! We made it without chicken and added cooked pasta and ate it as a main course. 

Autumn Chopped Salad

photo from espressoandcream.com

A lovely little salad to throw together.  I loved the combination of the poppyseed dressing and the balsamic vinaigrette.  My new favorite item in a salad: pears!

Autumn Chopped Salad

From espressoandcream.com

Ingredients

*6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce

*2 medium pears, chopped

*1 cup dried cranberries

*1 cup chopped pecans

*8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled

*4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

*Poppy seed Salad Dressing (I like T. Marzetti)

*Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Instructions

*On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some of the balsamic vinaigrette. (I would estimate that I used about a cup of dressing: 70 percent poppy seed dressing and 30 percent balsamic vinaigrette) If you prefer your salad to have more dressing, feel free to experiment with the combination.

BBQ Chicken Salad

photo from mariescookingadventures.blogspot.com

This is obviously a pretty basic recipe but sometimes I just like to be told what to do instead of thinking about it.  I really liked combining the bbq sauce with the ranch, too!

BBQ Chicken Salad (and some avocado dressing)

 Recipe from mariescookingadventures.blogspot.com

What you need

For the SALAD

• 3 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
• 2 cups BBQ sauce  (1 cup, 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup water
• lettuce (red, romaine, green leaf)
• frozen corn (cooked and chilled)
• 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 cucumber (seeded and cubed)
• 2 tomatoes (diced)
• tortilla strips (if desired)
• 1 green onion chopped

For the chicken: place chicken breasts and 1 cup BBQ sauce with 1/2 cup water in the CrockPot. Then, let cook 4-6 hours on LOW and shred for the salad.

For the salad: shred the lettuce, cook the corn, slice the cucumber and tomato, prepare the beans! I put all of the ingredients on a plate for serving, but could leave in bowls of tupperwares. 

BBQ Sauce Dressing 

• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 cup ranch dressing

Simply combine the BBQ and ranch in a bowl and mix (or whisk) until blended. You can use more or less as desired, best results are obtained, in my opinion, from equal parts 

ginger steak salad

I was craving salad tonight and found this recipe. It ended up being amazing! Beau and I couldn't eat it fast enough (its perfect serving sizes for dinner for 2)! I added a few more things to our salad and it turned out really good. I put in the cherry tomatoes she suggested, some raw halved walnuts for texture and goat cheese (soooo good). I also used a mixture of spring mix and butter lettuce and left out the jalepeno. I didn't worry about the sherry either for the marinade i just added a little cooking white wine that I had on hand but it would be fine without. Finally, like the last thing I posted, I cooked the steak on my iron skillet which is what ms. pioneer woman suggests and it turned out fabulous, tender, flavorful. I'm telling you if you don't have one get one.

Ingredients

• MARINADE INGREDIENTS:
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Sherry
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
• 1 whole Rib-eye, Strip, Or Sirloin Steak
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• _____
• FOR SALAD DRESSING:
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons White Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
• 2 cloves Garlic, Finely Diced
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger, Minced
• ½ whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Diced
• _____
• SALAD INGREDIENTS:
• 2 whole Green Onions
• 8 ounces, weight Salad Greens (baby Lettuce, Endive, Radiccio, Etc.)

Preparation Instructions

Combine steak marinade ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Mix and place steak into bag. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Combine salad dressing ingredients and slice green onion.

When steak is finished marinating, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a hot skillet. Cook steak about 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until medium rare. Remove from skillet and keep on a plate, allowing to cool slightly.

Toss salad greens in 3/4 of the salad dressing. Place steak on cutting board and slice thinly, then pour juices from the plate over the top. Mound tossed salad on a platter, then place sliced steak on top of salad. Pour remaining salad dressing over the top. Sprinkle green onions over the salad, and add cherry tomatoes if that makes your skirt fly up.

thai noodle salad

i have made this twice now and beau and i are both in love. he DEMANDED that i put this up for you all to see. you can add or take away from the salad ingredients as you please but the key ingredient is the dressing. if you like thai/peanuty stuff this dressing is to die for. this time around i doubled it so that i could keep more in the fridge for when i wanted a swig. ( i also added quite a bit of water at the end to make it not so thick)

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad
Recipe by OurBestBites.com

8 oz Linguine Fini (or regular linguine)- i just used spaghetti
4 C shredded greens: any combo of napa cabbage, romaine lettuce or even spinach
2 C thinly sliced purple cabbage
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
1/2 medium cucumber, halved and sliced
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
3 C diced grilled chicken
honey roasted peanuts (about 1/2 cup)

Thai Peanut Salad Dressing (save some time and make this part ahead!)

Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Add a spoonful of salt and then add your pasta. While pasta is cooking, start chopping those veggies.

You can really use any mix of veggies you want. I have a thing with rainbows, so whenever I make this type of salad I pick the vegetables purely based on color so I can have something in every shade of the rainbow.

You can play around with the leafy greens. I like to use both napa cabbage and romaine lettuce. If you're eating this right away lettuce works great, and spinach is even good in there. However, if you're taking it to a picnic, or serving it on a buffet or anything like that where it will sit a while, I recommend going heavy on the cabbage because it will stay nice and crunchy for ya.

As soon as your pasta is done drain it and run some cold water over it until it's cool. If you're not going to use it right away, add a drizzle of the salad dressing and stir to coat. This will prevent the noodles from getting all clumpy. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

When you're ready to assemble the salad, place noodles, veggies, and chicken in a large bowl.

Pour the Thai Peanut Dressing over everything, stirring as you go until you have enough to coat. I use it all!

Dressing:

1/2 C peanut butter
1 lime, juiced and zested
2 1/2 t sesame oil
1 T seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 T soy sauce
3 T honey
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 T minced ginger
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro (stems and all)
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/4 t kosher salt*
2-3 t sriracha chili sauce*
2-4 T water*

*The need for salt may differ depending on the brand of PB you use. Taste first and then add.
*I use 3 t Sriaracha, but you may want more or less depending on your preference of heat levels. Again, taste first and then add.
*Lastly, the addition of the water is purely for consistency which again, depends on the PB brand you use. Add water until you get the consistency you want, or leave it out completely.

Place everything in a blender and mix until smooth. Makes about 2 cups.

Christmas Ribbon Jello Salad

This jello salad appeared on our Christmas dinner table every year growing up- and for good reason. Its delicious, festive, and easy to put together. I've probably made it for the last 9 Christmases in my own home since I've been married. Its definitely a great tradition.

courtesy google images

Christmas Ribbon Jello Salad

Becky Jewkes

1 3-oz. pkg. Lemon Jello

1 small can crushed pineapple, drained

1 3-oz. pkg. Lime Jello

1 3-oz. pkg. red Jello (I use raspberry)

1 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup fresh whipped cream + some for topping

Bottom Layer: Dissolve lime jello according to package directions. Pour into a 9X13 dish and set until firm.

Middle Layer: Dissolve lemon jello according to package directions. Let set until partially firm. Mix whipped cream, cream cheese, and pineapple and fold into the lemon jello. Carefully pour over first layer and set until firm.

Top layer: Dissolve red jello according to package directions. Carefully pour on top of the middle layer. Set until firm.

Top jello salad with thin layer of fresh whipped cream.

Tomato and Avocado Salad

Thanks again to Dagmar for this one...sounds delicious!

courtesy

Tomato and Avocado Salad

Dagmar Jewkes

3 tomatoes

1 large avocado

Bunch of cilantro

Garlic Salt

Lemon Juice

Green Onions or Regular diced onions (optional)

Dice vegetables and toss with seasonings to taste. Enjoy!

Marcy's Barbeque Chicken Salad

Marcy's BBQ Chicken Salad
(Family size)
1 pound skinless, boneless Chicken breast*, brush with barbecue sauce and BBQ on the grill or in oven. Cut into bite-size pieces (2 cups cooked chicken)
8 cups mixed greens (Romaine with some spring mix is good)
1 red apple, core, cut in bite size pieces, leaving on the red peel
(toss with a little lemon juice to keep white)
1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen or defrosted – doesn’t matter)
1/2 cup spicy peanuts
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1 cup tortilla thin strips, or slightly crushed reg. tortillas chips, blue or plain
1 cup dressing , ¾ cup ranch dressing mixed with
¼ cup *barbecue sauce
1 cup blue cheese or *shredded cheese, mix cheddar and jack
*if it’s a non-blue cheese group

Toss ingredients together except for dressing and chips. Let people serve themselves the amount of dressing they prefer. Serve chips to the side so don’t get soggy.
Serves 6-8 generously

Broccoli, Grape & Pasta Salad

picture from Southern Living

I got this recipe from the September 2011 Southern Living magazine. It is a good recipe to have on hand when you are looking for something easy and good to take to a BBQ, party, pot luck, etc.

Broccoli, Grape & Pasta Salad
Southern Living

1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 package farfalle pasta (bow-tie)
1 lb fresh broccoli
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup diced red onions
1/3 red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pas 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted & fragrant.
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems and separate florets into small pieces. Peel away tough outer layer of stems. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add broccoli, hot pasta and grapes and stir to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Stir bacon and pecans into salad just before serving.

* I didn't have grapes on hand when I made this recipe and it was still really good. I also didn't use all the mayo mixture.