Category Archives: Salad

June 5, 2012 · 3:20 pm

Maui Cashew-Pesto Kale

Sometimes inspiration for healthy dishes happen to me when I least expect it.

Like in the middle of vacation. In Maui.

In the middle of cocktails, in the middle of laying on the beach, in the middle of a great book.

You never know.

We had stopped at this roadside juice bar for a bite to eat to take to the beach. A raw, vegan, laid back kind of place that only my family thinks is a normal stop in the day. None of us are raw, vegan or even vegetarian eaters, but these types of places never disappoint {whether its for the people watching or the food, in my opinion}.

And so, there we were. Among the dreadlocks and natural fiber clothing, in our swim suits and sunglasses.

And, there it was.

A little pesto–macadamia nut kale salad that caught my eye. Raw. Vegan. Intense, as salads go. And yet, pretty damn refreshing looking after a morning of hiking in the warm weather. Yet light enough to lay in a bikini for the rest of the afternoon, if you know what I mean.

Let’s just say that I ate it–quickly and with no complaints. And then, just because I wanted to make sure; I went back and bought another one. And I ate that one too.

All in the name of research, of course. For you all.

So immediately, when I got home, you better believe that I tried to re-create that little plate of goodness. And then you also better believe that it’s what I’ve been eating for lunch almost everyday since.

Yes, it’s been almost 3 weeks. But who’s counting?

Without the cheese, this pesto is a little bit lighter and cleaner for a lunch bite that tastes way more indulgent than it really is.

Plus kale automatically makes you feel good about yourself when you put it in your shopping cart.  And, once it’s made, it keeps in the fridge for a 3-5 days, making it perfect for big batch making and lunches on the go.

You really can’t go wrong here, is what I’m trying to say.

Cashew-Pesto Kale:

Ingredients:

2 bunches green kale, washed, de-stemmed and torn into pieces

Cashew-Pesto:

3/4 cup raw cashews

4 oz fresh basil (the large container)

3 TB nutritional yeast (look in the bulk section @ the store. lots of b vitamins here)

Juice of 1 ripe lemon

1 clove garlic

sea salt + pepper

baby tomatoes or sweet onions (optional for color & flavor)

Directions:

1. In a blender, add basil leaves, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, cashews, garlic and spices. Blend with a small bit of water if you need it.

2. Add kale pieces to a large bowl and dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Drizzle a tiny amount of olive oil over the leaves, then add as much pesto as you’d like. Rub with your fingers so each piece is coated well.

Keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days, and tastes best after marinating for a day to soften the leaves.

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May 14, 2012 · 4:10 pm

Summer Garbanzo Bean Salad

Summer is officially here in Seattle.

Well, for the week at least.

Let us pretend.

The season for boating, picnicing, fresh cocktails, and less time in the kitchen in general. In my kitchen, anyways. I, like many Seattlites, have the intense tendency to want to be outside at every possible moment when the weather is nice. So much so that I get anxious when I’m inside, even to make something for dinner.

I call it my accidental cooking season. Things that just get thrown together because I bought way too many vegetables at the farmers market or store, or there’s a last min dinner somewhere and I need to make something quick.

Now, I know me using the phrase “I just threw it together” will undoubtedly annoy some of you. But you are one of those people, you probably need to try it more often. Let loose and get crazy.

It’s true. Not everything is going to turn out great. But that doesn’t mean it will turn out bad.

Especially if you are using good, fresh food. And summertime is full of fresh food, if you let it be. If you’d like a Sarah tip for the season, it would be to get out of your grocery store rut and stop by a produce stand or farmer’s market at least a few times this summer. Forgo the daily banana habit and embrace some berries or plums instead. And don’t buy boxed or bagged lettuce every week. You haven’t known lettuce until you try a fresh summer grown one. There’s a huge difference in taste, an even bigger difference in price, and much more nutrient and antoixidant value. A easy win-win. The hard part is doing something different than your normal routine.

Most of the time, accidental cooking will give you some  good combinations that you can tweak for the next time, until its something you love. But you have to take the risk in the first place. I promise you, it’s worth it, but you just have to trust yourself a little bit more in the kitchen. That’s where the great things happen.

In true perfect timing, the first accident of the season happened a few weeks ago for me. And its a good one, for wherever your summer adventures take you- the summer garbanzo bean salad. Garbanzo beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, basil & avocado with lemon and olive oil drizzled on top. Perfection.

Summer Garbanzo Bean Salad:

Ingredients:

2 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (or homemade)

1 English cucumber, thinly sliced and cut into quarters

1 pint baby tomatoes, cut in half

10-15 leaves fresh basil, chopped

1 avocado, cubed

Raw parmesean (optional but amazing), grated over the top.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or tupperware. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt and pepper. Toss to combine and serve on it’s own (delicious), over a green salad, or in endive leaves as a easy party appetizer (both pictured below).

The best part? Aside from tasting great, it keeps well in the fridge for a few days, making it perfect for a grab and go lunch option, summer picnics or an easy dinner on a warm night.

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April 19, 2012 · 6:10 pm

Salad Making 101 & The Wedgie You Do Want

You little Salad-Lover.

Is that a compliment or an insult? Hmm.

Either way, being a salad-lover is often what people associate most with a “healthy” eater. Am I right?

I am one, and I have no shame.

Shocking, I know.

I could probably could eat one everyday without getting sick of it.

Notice I said eat one, not eat the same one everyday.

Is this you?

If so, welcome to Salad Making 101.

We’ll start with Rule #1. And that says a lot, coming from a little lady who hates rules while cooking. But it’s because there really is only one rule.

#1.  You’ve got it mix it up. Otherwise you’ll get Salad Burnout {the very serious aversion to making your own salads, in particular. This may or may not include ordering salads at restaurants}.

Those of you who think you don’t like salad, probably have a bad case of Salad Burnout. Or, your concept of salad is wilted old lettuce and some sad carrot shreds, which {quick news flash}, no one likes. You probably learned one or two basic salad recipes and made them all the time on your last “eat healthy/lose a few lbs/this is what healthy people do” sort of kick.

And then, that ended. Because no one can eat the same thing or close to it everyday and be a happy person. And that’s actually a good thing. You need variety in your food, to get access to all the different vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

So. Everyone. It’s time to mix it up. Salads can be great MEALS if you give them a little attention, especially as we head into summer, when everyone craves lighter, refreshing meals that don’t weigh them down. In fact, they can be one of the healthiest meals around, if you let them be.

And no, I’m not talking about the ones loaded with processed croutons and bottled dressing all over it. Yeah. Right. Sorry to burst your bubble if you were happily telling yourself that.

So, how can you change it up?

1. Change Up Your Lettuce:

  • Try butter lettuces, green and red romaine, baby or full size spinach, arugula, iceburg, kale, or farmers market varieties. All have very different textures and tastes, and they completely change the salad as a whole.
  • Forgo the lettuce completely: some of my favorite salads have happened when I take out the lettuce. This creates more of a deli salad style, like my Chopped Greek Salad. A pro: you can dress the salad and it keeps in the fridge for a few days, making it perfect to bring for lunches or have around as an immediate topping dumped over lettuce for a quick dinner.

2. Add Some Crunch:

  • Slivered almonds or other nuts, sunflower seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped celery, jicama or carrots give a nice satisfying crunch.

3. Vary Your Dressing:

  • The easiest way? Switch out your vinegars in your homemade dressing. {You all are making your own right? Bottle dressings = poison. It only takes 30 seconds, I promise and you can make a bigger batch for the week if you want}. Try white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar {great for digestion}, champagne vinegar, red wine vinegar, fig balsamic, etc. to get a different taste.
  • Sarah’s Everything Dressing/Marinade Recipe: 2 TB olive oil + 1 TB balsamic vinegar + 2 tsp dijon mustard + sea salt & pepper.
  • Try tomato paste, clean BBQ sauce {read your ingredients} or pureed avocado, instead of the dijon mustard in your dressings to thicken the consistency.
  • Add some dried herbs or chopped garlic: Dried herbs or chopped garlic in the dressing can punch up the flavor quite nicely.
  • Try lemon, grapefruit, orange or lime juice instead of vinegar for a nice light taste.
  • Forgo the dressing completely and use salsa, hummus or white bean dip instead.

4. Add Fresh Herbs:

  • There is nothing better than chopped basil on any salad, or fresh mint on a greek or fruit salad. Just try it. It really adds a lot.
  • Instead of buying the expensive and small packages of basil at the store, buy a potted basil plant at Trader Joes or any home & garden store. About the same price as the package, and it keeps on giving.

5. Beans, and more Beans:

  • So many varieties are great for adding more substance in your salad:
  • Try garbanzo beans, white beans, black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, lentils or black eyed peas. Get crazy.

6. Add Clean Meat or Fish:

  • For a heartier meal, add some natural chicken, beef, turkey or lamb (grilled, shredded or ground), or wild fish (grilled or smoked like salmon).
  • Your seasonings for your meat or fish can become the center theme for your salad meal. For example, some cumin + garam masala + cayenne pepper transforms ground turkey or beef into a great mexican dish, while grilled steak marinated in unrefined sesame oil and scallions brings a asian-inspired theme to your dish.

7. Avocado It Up:

  • It needed it’s own section, for a good reason. Just do it and don’t ask questions. Healthy, satisfying good fat content and the perfect creaminess without any cream.

8. Turn Up the Heat:

  • It may sound strange, but adding hot dishes to lettuces like spinach or kale can give you a creamier texture:

9. Get Cheesy:

  • The best way to utilize cheese, in my opinion. This creates creamy little decadent bites throughout your meal. So many varieties to play with as well:
  • Goat, feta or blue cheese crumbles and small mozzarella balls work great; or parmesean, pecorino-romano and cheddar varieties are perfect grated over the top. {side note: real cheese is not orange in color. Is milk orange? You do the math.}
  • If you can, get some raw milk cheeses. They taste better and digest much better for most people, even those with lactose problems. It’s not a weird or scary thing, all cheeses in Europe are made this way. And they know their cheeses.

10. Keep it Simple:

  • All restaurants offer it on their menu, but a simple mixed green salad with fresh lettuce and a clean dressing can be a nice change once in a while. I love butter lettuce or mixed greens with my Everything Dressing, subbing out balsamic vinegar for apple cider vinegar. I could eat bowls of this. {Meaning that I do}.

Need another salad idea?

11. Try twists on old classics, like this week’s Wedge Salad, otherwise know {in my head} as the Wedgie. The Cool Wedgie.

Sorry, I can’t help it.

  • Instead of a heavy creamy dressing {which there is nothing wrong with if it’s homemade. I just don’t prefer it personally}; I used my Everything Dressing, and added crumbled gorgonzola on top. With cheese that has such a strong taste, you only need a small amount to get lots of flavor.

The Cool Wedgie {a re-make}:

{Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 Head iceberg lettuce
1 Carton baby tomatoes, sliced
1 Cucumber, seeds scooped out and sliced
Gorganzola or blue cheese crumbles (or goat/feta if you don’t like blue varieties)
 

Everything Dressing (see recipe above)

Directions:

1. Cut iceberg lettuce in half from the stem. Cut away stem. Rinse both halves well, keeping them intact. Place face down on the cutting board and slice into equal sized wedges.

2. Arrange wedges on the plates, stacking a few pieces per plate. Sprinkle with tomatoes, cucumbers and cheese and drizzle with dressing. Sunflower seeds can be a great addition as well.

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March 21, 2012 · 6:20 pm

Falafel Salad with Cucumber-Dill Dressing

Maybe it’s the Mediterranean streak in my blood, but I am quite certain that I could eat a Greek salad every night of the week and be a very happy girl.

Or, any Greek food for that matter.

(Which is what I’ve been doing lately, if you really want to know).

And then, one day, that wasn’t enough.

Not quantity, necessarily.

But more of my favorite Greek dishes in one place, without all the fillers and stuff I don’t care about. Pita bread and garlic breath hummus, that’s you.

So there you have it. A twist on the old classics: greek salad, falafel and tzatziki, all in one glorious place.  And you don’t even have to be a high maintenance restaurant orderer- it’s easy to do at home, fresh, healthy, and creates the perfect leftovers for lunch. As if you need any other reason than the fact that it tastes amazing.

Falafel Patties

Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans

2 small zucchinis, shredded

3 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons cumin

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons sesame seeds or tahini (optional)

sea salt + pepper

Other great ingredients to add: shredded carrots, onion or more spices (garam masala, thyme or curry powder).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 385. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor with a bit of water if needed and blend together.

2. Scoop the falafel batter with a 1 TB measuring spoon, and space evenly on a lightly oiled or sprayed baking sheet. You can also fry them on the stove top if you like a bit more crisp:

3. Bake for 15-20 min, then flip and cook another 10-15 min until they brown evenly.

Cucumber-Dill Yogurt Dressing:

Ingredients:

1 cup organic whole milk greek yogurt

1 cucumber, seeds scooped out and sliced thinly

1 tablespoons dried dill

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 clove garlic, chopped

sea salt + pepper

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir together. Great as a dressing or side dish.

Chop romaine lettuce and add baby tomatoes or chopped bell peppers. Add the falafel patties and top with the cucumber-dill dressing:

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January 25, 2012 · 8:18 pm

Roasted Beet Salad {with goat cheese}

Beets. Always loved ‘em. Never cooked them on my own. They’ve always looked too intimidating to me- like a knife can’t even get to it. I mean, look at them:


Little tough guys.

But with such a high concentration of antioxidants, iron, anti-inflammatory & detoxification properties (not to mention great taste and color), I knew I had to suck it up sooner or later and learn how to make them.

Well, I did it. I loved them. And while they were a tad bit messy and took a bit longer in the oven than most roasted veggies, they were surprisingly not hard at all to make. And delicious.

In my book, they are good Sunday cooking recipe for the week- perfect in so many different ways, including on it’s own as a cold deli side dish, warm or cold on top of mixed greens, sprinkled with goat cheese, blue cheese or feta,  pinenuts, walnuts or hazelnuts, or with orange or grapefruit zest.

You can alter the basic recipe almost infinitlely. That is, if it makes it past 2 days in your fridge. Mine sure didn’t.

Roasted Beet Salad:

Ingredients:

5 medium beets

Dressing: 2 TB Olive oil + 1 TB red wine vinegar + 2 tsp dijon mustard+ sea salt & pepper.

Organic goat cheese, blue cheese, or feta cheese for finishing (optional).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Scrub beets to remove dirt:

2. Wrap each beet in foil and place on a baking sheet in the oven for 1 hr.

3. When they are done, unwrap each beet to let the steam escape and let cool for a few minutes. When cool enough to touch, slide the skins off with a knife (this is the messy part). Note: do not use a wood cutting board or it will stain. Cut into rounds, then sticks, then horizontially into cubes.

4. Place cubes in a glass or tupperware container. Whisk your dressing together, then toss to coat, add any extras you’d like and refrigerate or enjoy. As with anything, they taste better the next day, so make it ahead if you have time.

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January 18, 2012 · 5:53 pm

Parmesan Kale Chips

Kale was just named the “healthiest” vegetable around last week, with the most nutrients per bite than anything else out there.  Heavy doses of vitamin k, vitamin a, magnesium, fiber, calcium, omega 3 fatty acids, a extremely high antioxidant count and detoxifying compounds. Impressive, right?

Also impressive {to me, at least} are those people that can eat plain steamed or sauteed kale.

If you’re not quite at that level yet {kale beginner}, these crunchy, crispy, dissolve in your mouth parmesan kale chips might be a much better place to start. So much so, you might even like eating them. To like eating all those vitamins and minerals = not a bad thing.

These little snacks were {9 & 10 year old girl} tested and approved this past weekend when I was doing one of my healthy eating & cooking family sessions- with screams- literally screams of delight- as they came out of the oven. If that doesn’t make you think about trying them, I don’t know what will.

Ingredients:

2 heads kale* (dinosaur, red or green or any combination of the two)

organic, extra virgin olive oil

organic parmesan cheese, grated (or nutritional yeast if you are dairy free)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Wash kale and remove inner stem. Tear kale into small pieces, or keep as a long leaf, depending on the look you want. I’ve done both, but bite size pieces are less messy to eat and easier to store.

2. Add to a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands, so each leaf is coated evenly:

3. Spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper:

5. Bake until crispy, around 25 mins. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese and place back in oven until the cheese melts.

Eating your vitamins never tasted so good. These probably won’t last very long in your kitchen. But if they do, store in a airtight container, for up to 4 days in the fridge.

*The volume of kale will reduce to half after they are cooked.

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September 8, 2011 · 5:52 pm

Sauteed Mushroom & Goat Cheese Salad

I have a new favorite salad.

Shocker.

Yes, I admit to having intense phases with certain foods – this being one of them. But, this one is different.

This is about the technique- once you do it, you’ll see it can apply to many other dishes as well. And that is worthy of sharing, in my book.

The “technique” in this case is combining hot food in a cool salad, which doesn’t normally sounds appealing. But the goat cheese changes it all.

Doesn’t it always?

You’ll see.

And thank you for allowing me to use the word “technique” when referring to anything going on in my kitchen.  Julia would want to roll over in her grave.

It is so. so. so good.

Maybe so good, you’ll forget I even used the word in the first place.

Note: If you don’t like mushrooms,  try sauteed or grilled peaches, plums, figs, or roasted red peppers or grilled eggplant instead.

Sauteed Mushroom & Goat Cheese Salad:

Ingredients:

1 head red butter lettuce

1 container assorted baby tomatoes

1 cucumber

1 package sliced mushrooms

crumbled goat cheese

Dressing: 3 TB olive oil + 2 tsp balsamic vinegar + 2 tsp dijon mustard, sea salt and pepper. Whisk or blend.

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Add mushrooms when it gets hot enough. Season well with pepper and a bit of sea salt as they cook. Cook until well done, then set aside:

2. Wash and peel a few strips off the cucumber skin with a peeler. Cut into rounds, then into fourths. Slice tomatoes in half:

3. Wash lettuce leaf by leaf. Stack leaves on top of each other, then slice 3-4 times vertically, 3-4 times horizontally into bite sized pieces. Throw into salad spinner, spin, and dump into a large salad bowl.

4.  Add cucumbers & tomatoes. Sprinkle with goat cheese:

5. Add sauteed mushrooms on top. Drizzle with your dressing and toss. Serve immediately:

6. Pause, and wait for it.

There it is.

Technique baby.

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June 14, 2011 · 5:56 pm

Italian Zucchini Salad

Q & A: From my inbox this week:

Q: I love going to farmer’s markets this time of year, and it sounds silly, but I never know what to make with the food that’s available there. Any ideas?

A: Yes, it’s not a silly question- because farmer’s market’s are seasonal, not every ingredient in most recipes are widely available at that time, so you have to be a bit creative. A sure bet all summer long are zucchini and summer squashes, so give this Italian Zucchini Salad a try next time: it’s quick, fresh, and has a slight kick to it.  It’s a perfect make-ahead lunch or side dish for light summer dinners, and when you buy it from a farmer’s market, it will be a lot less expensive for the ingredients. What’s not to love?

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini

1 large yellow summer squash

fresh basil (or oregano, tarragon or other fresh herbs)

1 generous scoop organic whole milk ricotta cheese

1/2 lemon

high quality extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

red pepper flakes, sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. With a vegetable peeler, thinly scrape the zucchini and summer squash into long ribbons:

Zucchini & Summer Squash Ribbons

2. Add the ribbons to a wide bowl. Season generously with sea salt and pepper. Drizzle with your high quality olive oil. Toss and set aside.

3. Roll up basil leaves and snip over the bowl with kitchen scissors- as much or as little as you’d like. Any other herbs are great too:

Zucchini, Squash & Fresh Basil

4. Add a small scoop of ricotta cheese. Season with more pepper. Squeeze a 1/2 lemon over the top:

Zucchini, Squash, Basil & Ricotta with lemon

5. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes (use your discretion of course), toss and serve:

Italian Zucchini Salad, photographed by simplyrealfood

Notes: If you have the time, let the salad settle in the fridge for at least an hour (or overnight) before serving. Other great variations could include fresh garlic, goat or parmesan cheese, roasted baby tomatoes, fresh chopped mint, pine nuts or olives.

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May 13, 2011 · 11:37 pm

Simple Summer Heirloom Tomatoes

Heirloom Tomatoes

photographed by simplyrealfood

In honor of the first farmer’s market’s opening in the area this week,  it’s time for a fresh and healthy appetizer that oozes that sweet summertime feelin’. It can hardly be considered a real recipe because it’s so simple to assemble, but will become a favorite of yours I am sure- even for those non-tomato lovers out there. Perfect for a dinner party or meal all on it’s own.

A throwback to my days living in Rome, these heirloom tomatoes prove to be very much worth the extra cents for such flavor, as all Italians know. High quality ingredients means that you don’t need to use a lot of them for great flavor and presentation.

Mozzarella, goat cheese, a hard crusted baguette, and marinated onions or olives also make great variations.

Ingredients:

Heirloom tomatoes of different shapes, sizes, colors and varieties
Extra virgin olive oil
course ground sea salt & pepper*
chopped basil (optional)

*Fun fact: True sea salt will have a slight pink, gray, or orange tint to it, which is what you want. If it’s glowing white, your salt has been bleached and stripped of most of the natural nutrients. Grain size is just a matter of personal preference, so choose what you like.

Directions:

1. Slice each tomato horizontally in equal sized slices:

2. Arrange tomatoes as you like. Sprinkle with a generous amount of sea salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Add a garnish of chopped basil if you’d like, although it is delicious without:

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April 13, 2011 · 2:45 pm

Sesame Snap Peas

Seriously, 5 minutes. That’s all you need for this healthy little dish.

You get your veggies in, earn yourself some extra time, and have a great snack for the next few days. Easy-peasy and a snap to prepare if you know what I mean. What more can you want?  Inspired by one of my favorite deli items from PCC, these sesame snap peas are the perfect spring dish for adults and kids alike.

Sesame Snap Peas

Ingredients:

Sugar Snap Peas

Toasted Sesame Oil (unrefined)

Black and White Sesame Seeds

Sea Salt

1. Wash and cut off the ends of the snap peas. Add to a bowl.

2. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil, a mix of black and white sesame seeds and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss together and serve.

I told you it was easy. Now you have no excuse for not eating enough vegetables this week!

Tip: These keep great in the fridge for a few days as well, so you can make a big batch to have for the week.

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