BABY BOK CHOY SALAD

It’s been a long time since I last posted, and now that we are quarantined during the Coronavirus pandemic, I thought it was a good time to renew and start sharing again. I have found that this has been a time of finding small projects to do that have a beginning and an end, which has given me a greater sense of accomplishment and added happiness and contentment through this “shelter at home” time. This salad is a simple one with a handful of ingredients that I hope you will enjoy. The ingredients I used were ones I had on hand, and the fish was leftover from the grilled sea bass we had from the night before.

The ingredients are:

2-3 cups baby bok choy (I found a package from Organic Girl already separated and washed)

1 large or 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

5-6 white mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 cup lightly steamed sugar snap peas or snow peas

1 avocado, cut into small chunks

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 6-ounce piece of cooked fish, or a small packet of tuna fish, broken into small pieces

or instead: 1/2 can Cannellini beans (white kidney beans)

Optional: 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

DRESSING:

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

3-4 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

To make the dressing, I find it easiest to put all the ingredients into a covered jar and shake vigorously until fully emulsified. Place all the salad ingredients in a bowl, add the dressing to your taste, toss and serve. The fish will give you the protein (plus omegas) you need to make this a complete meal. The same goes for the Cannellini beans which are full of protein.

Please comment below on your thoughts or ideas on this salad! Remember to take this time to experiment in the kitchen and try some things you’ve been wanting to try. I would love to hear of any recipes or ideas you have come up with during your time at home! Stay safe and well!

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

Summer is here in full force, and I have been so lucky to be a part of a local farm share here in Charlotte, NC, and always have MORE than enough vegetables for my week.  Today was a good day to figure out what to do with what is left in this week's share, and I decided that bread and butter pickles was a great choice.  Also, in the email from Wild Hope Farm about this week's share, Farmer Peanut gave us a great recipe for this, which I tweaked a little.  (https://www.wildhopefarm.com/)

Let's get started with our list of ingredients:

• 4-5 cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of fresh garlic scapes (shoots), trimmed and cut into small coins (optional)
• 1/4 cup pickling salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Begin by washing and slicing the cucumbers, onion and garlic scapes.  Combine them in a large bowl, add the pickling salt and stir well.  Cover the mixture with ice and let it sit for 2 hours at room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a medium-size sauce pan, bring the sugar, vinegars, water and spices to a boil.  When the cucumber mixture is ready, drain this and add it to the sauce pan and bring it back to a light boil.  Remove it from the heat and let it cool completely.

Store the pickles in airtight jars or containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.  Let me know any changes you make or ways you enjoyed yours this summer!  

FRESH GARLIC SCAPES 

SOBA NOODLE SALAD

Inspired by one of my all time favorite Moosewood Restaurant cookbook recipes, Spicy Szechuan Noodles, this is a simple Asian noodle salad with peanut sauce and a little spice.  I usually serve this at room temperature and have also added grilled chicken right off the grill before serving.

Here is your list of ingredients:

• 1 package soba noodles
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3-4 tablespoons tamari sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 cup radish sprouts (or your sprouts of choice)
• 1 English cucumber, deseeded and cut into crescent slices
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• 2-3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (I used a mixture of white and black seeds)

Begin by cooking the noodles by the package instructions, drain and rinse them.

While the noodles are boiling, mix together the nut butters, warm water, tamari sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and red chili flakes. In a large bowl toss the noodles with the dressing, stir in the cucumber, sprouts and toasted sesame seeds and serve.  

KASIK SALATASI (SPOON SALAD)

This salad was an idea from a dear friend of mine I knew when we lived in Germany who happened to be our travel agent.  He now lives in Turkey, and described this recipe to me a few months ago as an idea for my blog.  It is chock full of all the freshest ingredients and is such a great accompaniment to any grilled fish or meat or paired with a hearty soup with some crusty whole grain bread on the side toasted and drizzled with a little olive oil and sea salt.  

The name describes how this salad should be eaten.  Everything is chopped finely, including an array of fresh herbs, drizzled with a simple vinaigrette using pomegranate vinegar and can be eaten with a spoon.  Let's begin with the salad ingredients:

• 2 cucumbers, peeled, deseeded and finely chopped 
• 1-2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 6-8 grape tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on the size (3-4 finely chopped Roma tomatoes are also a good option)
• 1 red and 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
• 4-5 scallions, finely chopped (or 1-2 shallots, finely chopped)
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped (yielding approximately 1/2 cup)
• 10-15 mint leaves, finely chopped
• 5-6 dill sprigs, finely chopped
• 2-3 cups arugula, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

The simple vinaigrette consists of 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup pomegranate vinegar,  the juice of a half lemon and kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Combine these ingredients in a small bowl or glass measuring cup and blend with a hand blender until fully emulsified. 

After chopping all the salad ingredients, simply combine everything in a medium salad bowl, toss with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.  Please post any comments with ideas or questions; I would love to hear from you!

FARRO AND ARUGULA SALAD

I was inspired to create this salad from a recipe I read in the New York Times cooking blog I receive daily.   Farro is an Italian grain similar to barley that has gained more popularity recently (even though it is considered an ancient grain) and is an excellent addition to a salad.  It is a great source of iron and is high in fiber, magnesium and Vitamins A, B, C and E.   The addition of farro makes the salad more substantial which makes this dish an excellent one-dish meal with health benefits for the start of your 2018.

Let's begin with the salad ingredients:

• 1 acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise, and sliced thinly
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small pieces
• 8-10 radishes, halved
• 2-3 turnips, quartered 
• 2-3 zucchini, chopped
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
• 4-5 cups loosely packed arugula
• 5-6 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
• 5-6 tablespoons olive oil for roasting vegetables
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the farro, you will need:

• 1 cup farro
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sliced shitake mushrooms
• kosher salt to taste

For the farro, bring 2 cups salted water to a boil, add the farro and shitake mushrooms and bring back to a boil.  Lower the heat to simmer and let it cook for 10-15 minutes.  Remove it from the heat and let it sit for 15 minutes while preparing the roasted vegetables.

Preheat the oven to 400° F.  Cut the acorn squash in half lengthwise, deseed it and slice it very thinly into half-moon slices and place on a roasting pan.  Drizzle it with olive oil, sage and kosher salt to taste.  Place it in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.  

On another roasting pan place your chopped cauliflower, radishes and turnips, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place them in the oven and roast them for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.  And lastly, roast the zucchini and asparagus on a separate pan in the same manner (drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper) for 8-10 minutes.  I roast the vegetables all separately to avoid overcrowding and to cook them evenly with a light brown color.  Depending on your oven size, you can roast two or all three pans together, alternating racks after half of the cooking time.

Finally, here are the dressing ingredients:

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Blend the dressing ingredients together with either a hand blender or a whisk until fully emulsified.  

Place all ingredients, including the farro, arugula, fresh sage and feta cheese, in a large salad bowl.  Add in all the roasted vegetables, drizzle with the dressing , season to taste with salt and pepper, toss and serve immediately.   

Please feel free to comment or share your ideas or additions!  

ROASTED ACORN SQUASH WINTER SALAD

It's the time of the year to add some more fall, robust vegetables to salads, and this one can be dressed up with pomegranate arils, dried cherries or dried cranberries to give it more pop.  I love the combination of the spices used when roasting both the squash and the candied pecans with the sharpness of feta cheese.  Some of the recipes I came across to get ideas from used delicata squash, which I did not have on hand, so I opted for acorn squash and sliced it very thinly. 

The vinaigrette consists of both balsamic and red wine vinegar combined with maple syrup, a combination that goes really well with the roasted squash and pecans.  To begin with, here are the ingredients for the salad:

• 1 acorn squash, deseeded and sliced thinly
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 teaspoons dried sage or 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped finely
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 large head or 2 small heads romaine lettuce, washed and torn (or chopped)
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced and soaked in ice water for 20-30 minutes
• 4-5 sprigs of Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries, chopped (or 1/2 cup Pomegranate arils)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

To begin, preheat the oven to 415° F. then wash, half and deseed the acorn squash.  Slice it very thinly into half-ring slices, and toss it with olive oil, sage and salt and pepper and place it in a large roasting pan.  Roast for about 20 minutes until it reaches a nice golden color and is cooked thoroughly.   Set it aside to come to room temperature.

After washing and chopping the lettuce, place it in a bowl and add the purple onion,  parsley, and the chopped dried cherries or cranberries (or pomegranate arils).  Soaking the sliced onion in ice water helps to remove some of the bite and mellows the flavor of the raw onion. 

For the candied pecans, you will need:

• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch of cayenne (optional)

Simply heat the olive oil in a saute' pan over medium high heat, add the pecan halves and roast them for about 5 minutes, stirring to evenly cook them.  When they have reached a nice brown color, turn the heat down to low and add the maple syrup, salt and cayenne (if using) and continue to cook them for a few minutes, stirring to coat all the pecans.  Remove them from the pan onto a plate and let them cool and set.  These keep well in a tightly sealed jar for a few weeks.  For this salad, I use about 1/2 cup, depending on the number of people I am serving.

For the vinaigrette, you will need:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of cayenne (optional)

Combine all these ingredients in a bowl or carafe and blend with a hand blender.  You can also put all the ingredients in a stand blender and blend until fully emulsified.  

Finally, add the cooled squash to the other salad ingredients, add in the feta cheese and candied pecans, drizzle with about 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette and toss gently to combine.  Alternatively, if you are serving the salad later, you can layer all the ingredients on top of the salad greens and put it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it and dress it right beforehand.  

I wish all of you a happy holiday season and would love to hear any comments  you may have!

FALL ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD

I could eat roasted vegetables just about every night of the week and love having leftovers to either make a salad with or toss with pasta the next day.  The fall root vegetables mixed in with mushrooms, bell peppers, asparagus, fennel or any combination of your favorites, are always a crowd pleaser in my house.  This past week I made this for my daughter's end of season tennis dinner, and after so many positive comments, I decided this was a good one to post this week.  

I like starting earlier in the day washing and cutting up the vegetables, so that when the time comes to roast them, they are ready for tossing with olive oil, garlic and herbs.

To begin with, here are the ingredients I used, and feel free to add or leave out any vegetables to make it work for your family's taste buds.

• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped
• 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1-2" pieces
• 1 butternut or acorn squash, peeled and chopped (I have even bought a container of butternut squash already peeled and chopped)
• 2-3 parsnips, chopped
• 1 bunch fennel, trimmed and chopped
• 1 large or 2 small red or orange bell peppers, chopped
• 1-12 oz. package of white mushrooms, chopped (I used a combination of white and portobello)
• 2-3 shallots, chopped (or one yellow onion, chopped)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 5-6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Some of these vegetables cook faster than others, so in this combination, I put cauliflower, fennel, parsnips, squash, peppers and shallots in one large foil-lined pan (for easier clean up later).  In the other pan I put asparagus and mushrooms.  Sometimes, depending on the amount I am making, I will just add the faster cooking vegetables to the pan halfway through and give them a good stir, maybe add a little more olive oil, and put them back in the oven to finish cooking.  This time I was making enough for a crowd of 16-18 people, so I opted to use 2 big pans so the vegetables have room to cook evenly.

Preheat the oven to 400° F on roast (I use convection roast) and toss the vegetables with olive oil, garlic, thyme, oregano and salt and pepper.  I find that using my hands to toss them is the easiest way to get everything mixed well.  The cook time really depends on you;  I let all the vegetables get a nice light brown color, which takes about 20-25 minutes.  If you are using 2 pans, place the second pan in the oven after 10-15 minutes, so that everything is cooked at the same time.  If you are adding the other vegetables halfway through, add them in after 10-15 minutes and give them a good stir and continue cooking.  

Remove the vegetables from the oven and let them come to room temperature.

While the vegetables are cooking,  mix the dressing, which is an herb-lemon vinaigrette.  Depending on how many people you are feeding, you may not use all the dressing and can save it for your next salad.  Here are the dressing ingredients:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• Juice of 2-3 lemons (about 1/4 cup)
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients in a bowl or large glass measuring cup and mix well with a hand blender or whisk until fully emulsified.  If using a whisk, mix vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, dijon mustard, herbs and salt and pepper together, slowly whisk in the olive oil, and set aside.  Some people prefer to use a stand blender to make dressings, which is always an option.  Simply put all the ingredients except for the olive oil in first, turn the blender on low speed and slowly add in the olive oil until fully emulsified.  

The salad ingredients are very simple:

• 1 large or 2-3 smaller heads of Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 5-6 sprigs of parsley or par-cel and/or 2-3 cups baby kale (or any mixture you prefer), chopped
• 1 avocado, peeled and chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded (optional)

The type of lettuce you use is up to you.  I think romaine holds up really well with the vegetables in this particular salad and parsley and kale adds a nice crunch.  Par-cel is actually a wild celery that is grown more for its leaves than its stalk and looks very similar to flat leaf parsley.  I bought it for the first time and loved the flavor and crunch that it added to the salad.  

Place the salad greens in a large bowl, add the vegetables, the avocado and parmesan cheese, if using, toss well with the dressing and serve immediately.  As always, I would love to hear your thoughts and comments on this salad and any additions you may have made!  Happy fall! 

NOODLE BOWLS WITH TILEFISH

I made another trip to my favorite local farmer's market last Saturday to get my inspiration for this dish.  I had ordered 3 Tilefish filets ahead of time and knew that was on the menu, but I had not yet decided how I was going to cook it.  For those of you who don't know Tilefish, it is a nice firm white fish with a delicate, sweet flavor, because they feed on a variety of shellfish. 

The pak choi and mushrooms looked so good again, so I decided to put an Asian twist on my dish.  I had rice noodles in the pantry, so I then decided I would make a type of noodle bowl topped with the sauteed Tilefish.  

For the noodle sauce (and for drizzling over the dish after serving), you will need:

• 5-6 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• 1/4 cup Tamari or soy sauce
• 4 limes, juiced
• 1/2 cup sesame or almond oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the fish and vegetables (for 3 people), you will need:

• 3 - 1/2 pound Tilefish filets (or other firm, white fish)
• 2-4 tablespoons sesame oil to cook the fish and vegetables in
• 1 bunch broccolini, trimmed
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 4-6 large or 6-8 medium shiitake mushrooms, chopped
• 1 bunch oyster mushrooms, chopped (1 cup +-)
• 5-6 small bunches pak choi (leaves separated and left whole), or 2-3 cups chopped bok choi
• 1 package rice noodles
• pea shoots or any type of sprouts to garnish (optional)
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Starting with the sauce, put all ingredients in a glass measuring cup or carafe and blend with a hand blender or place in a blender and pulse on high until fully emulsified and set aside.  This may be more sauce than is needed, and it can be kept for up to one week in the refrigerator.  I have enjoyed using it on other salads this week.  

Wash, dry and chop all the vegetables and set aside.  Bring a large pot of water to boil for cooking the noodles in.  While that is coming to a boil, wash and thoroughly dry the fish filets and place them on a plate and season them with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a hot skillet and begin by placing the fish in the pan skin side down.  Let it get nice and crispy on one side (about 2-3 minutes) and flip it over to continue cooking on the other side.  Lower the heat to medium and cover the skillet while the fish continues to cook.  They should only take 5-7 minutes to finish cooking, depending on the thickness of the filets.  

Meanwhile, once the water comes to a boil, put in the rice noodles and let them cook for 8-10 minutes.  I found I needed to keep stirring them during the cooking time to avoid having them stick together!  

In another skillet, heat another 1-2 tablespoons more oil and saute the broccolini for about 2 minutes, then add in the red bell pepper and mushrooms and cook for another 1-2 minutes.  After this has almost fully cooked, toss the pak choi in and toss until everything is combined.  The pak choi really only needs a minute or two to cook and keeps its nice green color if not overcooked.  Keep the heat on a low simmer while everything else is still cooking.

Once the noodles have finished cooking, drain them well, place them back in the pot, pour about 1/2 cup of the sauce over them and toss.  To serve, place about 1 cup of the dressed noodles in each bowl, top with the vegetables and fish filet, drizzle with a little more sauce and top with pea shoots or sprouts.  

The feedback I got back from my family is that they wanted to try it next time with rice or quinoa.  Please give me feedback of any changes or questions you may have after trying this dish!  

ASIAN PAK CHOI SALAD

Last weekend when I was at a local farmer's market, I met a lady, who is a hydroponic farmer with Rogue Farms here in Charlotte, who introduced me to pak choi, a Chinese cabbage in the same family as bok choy.  After researching it, I found that they are both of the same plant, but pak choi is simply a different variety. I was there picking up fresh tuna steaks and had already bought bok choy to saute' with the tuna that night and was looking for more ideas.  She had picked the pak choi young, so the leaves were small and tender, and she gave me the idea of eating it raw in a salad. 

The tuna steak recipe I was using was from Tyler Florence's cookbook, "Eat This Book", and the ginger soy dressing sounded like a great dressing to also use with the salad.  The dressing I ended up making was based on his recipe with a few tweaks.

Here are your salad dressing ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 jalepeno pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced or grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• juice of 4 limes
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large glass measuring cup or carafe with hand blender or in a regular blender (or whisk ingredients together for a dressing with more texture) and set aside.

For the salad, you will need:

• 4-5 bunches baby pak choi
• 3-4 cups baby kale
• 1/2 cup pea shoots, chopped 
• 1/2 cup white mushrooms, sliced
• 4-5 scallions, finely chopped
• Optional:  1 avocado, sliced

Wash and stem the pak choi and place in a large bowl, add the baby kale, pea shoots, mushrooms, scallions and avocado (if using).  Lightly toss with the ginger soy dressing and serve.  This was a great accompaniment to the seared tuna.  I even still sauted the bok choy I had already purchased with sliced shitake mushrooms and more scallions and served this with the tuna.  

Please note:  If you have trouble finding pak choi or pea shoots, feel free to substitute chopped romaine or any crunchy lettuce with any other microgreens!  

BRINGING BACK JELL-O

I don't know about you, but I grew up in the era of congealed salads, especially around the holidays.  My 86-year old mother's famous one was lime green and consisted of lime Jell-O, canned pineapple, chopped pecans, bits of creme cheese and marshmallows. It was always a dish at our family holiday celebrations.  I remember other versions of congealed salads that contained canned "fruit cocktail", which we all know consists of not ONLY high fructose corn syrup but also sugar AND (more) corn syrup.  Yikes! 

In my research of gelatin salads, I found this very entertaining article,  "A Social History of Jell-O Salad, The Rise and Fall of an American Icon" (www.seriouseats.com).  Here is an excerpt from that article referring to a period in the late 1800's to early 1900's:

Instant gelatin fit the bill. It was fast, unlike the traditional method of making gelatin. It was economical: a housewife could stretch her family's leftovers by encasing them in gelatin. And, since sugar was already included in the flavored mixes, the new packaged gelatins didn't require cooks to use up their household stores of sugar. It was also neat and tidy, a quality much valued by the domestic-science movement as well as its Victorian forebears, who were mad for molded foods of all kinds, says Belluscio. Jellied salads, unlike tossed ones, were mess-free, never transgressing the border of the plate: "A salad at last in control of itself," Shapiro writes. Cooks in this era molded everything from cooked spinach to chicken salad, with care to avoid the cardinal sin of messiness.

Here is another excerpt from this article regarding the fall in popularity of congealed salads today:

In its heyday, Jell-O salad was ubiquitous across the United States. Today it is, in the words of Perfection Salad author Laura Shapiro, "a once-loved dish safely congealed in the decorative mold of history."  

 I decided since the holidays are around the corner, I would reinvent my mom's Lime Jell-O Salad and attempt to make a healthier version.  

Here are your ingredients:

• 3 packages Knox Gelatine
• Juice of 4 limes 
• 2-3 tablespoons sugar or 5-6 drops liquid Stevia (or to taste)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 8 ounces creme cheese, cubed
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Optional:  1 cup green grapes, halved
•                  1 cup mini marshmallows

First, put the 3 gelatin packets in a small saucepan and add in sugar.  After mixing these together, add in 2 cups water and place the pan over medium heat.  While it is heating, whisk the mixture until all the sugar dissolves.  Before it comes to an actual boil, remove from the heat and add in lime juice.

Pour this into a bowl and set in the refrigerator to chill and start congealing.  When it reaches the consistency of raw egg whites, fold in all the chopped ingredients to incorporated everything well.  

After reading more on the internet, lightly oiling the gelatin mold with a vegetable oil will make it easier to release later, but I simply poured the mixture into a wet mold and placed it in the refrigerator for a 2-3 hours.  After it has completely set, place the mold into a rimmed bowl and pour hot water around it to release it.  (I also found this link to be very helpful with tips and tricks for congealed salads that you might consider referring to, "Tricks and Tips:  Fun Things You Can Do With Jell-0 Gelatin Desserts".)

Next simply invert it onto a serving platter and garnish as desired.  If this is a dish that will be included in a holiday buffet, I would recommend keeping it refrigerated until right before serving.  I would love to hear your stories of congealed salad family recipes!

SPINACH PIE

Clearly, spinach pie is not a salad, but I am switching gears and moving into some dishes that remind me of the cooler weather coming up (hopefully!).  This is a huge favorite in my family, and in fact, my oldest daughter in Boston emails me about 4 times a year for the recipe.  Her last recent email prompted me to add the recipe this week.

As far as the crust, many of you may have a great recipe for either regular or whole wheat crust.  I happen to love this sprouted spelt crust that I find either at Whole Foods or Earth Fare from Wholly Wholesome that comes in a package of two.  They have several different types to choose from if either you are pushed for time or just prefer store bought ones.*

Another time saver is to take the frozen spinach out of the freezer the morning of the day you plan to make the pie.  This allows the spinach time to thaw on its own which I find makes it much easier later to squeeze all the liquid out.  Sometimes I end up having to microwave or cook it a little to finish the thawing process, let it cool a little and place it in a colander.  I then simply take several paper towels and press down on the spinach to release all the excess water.  

One last time saver is one that requires a little thinking ahead.  If I am making brown rice the night before for another dish, I will make extra so that I have 1 cup for this recipe the next day. I have also bought packages of cooked brown rice or grain mixes that only require a little heating up.   Otherwise, the first step would be to cook the rice and have it ready in time to assemble the pie before baking.

For the Spinach Pie you will need:

• 2 pie shells (see above)*
• 3 12-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach
• 1 8-oz. package white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (to cook the mushrooms and onion in)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4-5 large eggs
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I use an Italian mixture)
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 385 F.  

Like I mentioned above,  prepare the chopped spinach and squeeze as much water out as possible to avoid a watery filling.  Then take a medium size saute' pan and place it on medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Saute' the chopped onion until lightly browned and move into a large mixing bowl.  

In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil and saute' the mushrooms until lightly cooked and move them to the bowl.  Add in the cooked rice, 4 eggs, chopped oregano, nutmeg and chopped spinach and mix well.  Stir in the shredded cheeses and salt and pepper and continue to incorporate all of the ingredients. If the mixture is not well incorporated, add in another egg.  

Divide the mixture between the 2 pie shells and bake for 40-45 minutes.  Take the pies out and let them rest for about 5 minutes, slice and serve.  An addition that my family loves is a drizzle of Picapeppa Sauce which you can find in any grocery store.  As well, the beauty of making 2 spinach pies is that they freeze so well if you have one leftover.

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does!

CHICKEN TABBOULEH

Traditional tabbouleh is a Levantine vegetarian dish, or eastern Mediterranean dish, that typically consists of bulgur, chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, finely chopped parsley, mint, and onion and is seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and sometimes garlic.   This tabbouleh has the addition of chicken and the dressing uses fresh orange juice and zest instead of lemon.  You can definitely play around with the ingredients; this is just a version I have made for years that also keeps well in the refrigerator and is a great leftover for lunch the next day.

Here are the dressing ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice and zest from one orange
• 1/4 cup white balsamic or white wine vinegar
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar or carafe and shake well or mix with a hand blender until fully emulsified and set aside.

For the salad, you will need:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup bulgur wheat
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 cup parsley, finely chopped

To begin, place washed chicken breasts in a medium-size sauce pan on high heat and cover with chicken broth.  When this has come to a boil, turn down to low heat and simmer until chicken is fully cooked (usually takes about 15-20 minutes).  Remove chicken breasts and place them on a plate or shallow dish to cool a bit.  

Add the cup of bulgur to the sauce pan and let this sit in the hot broth for 20 minutes or so while you prepare the rest of the salad.  If after 20 minutes the bulgur is not completely cooked, turn the heat back on simmer and continue to let the bulgur cook until al dente stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking to the bottom of the sauce pan.

After chopping the bell pepper, scallions and parsley, add them to a medium bowl and stir in the raisins.  Take the chicken breasts and cut them into bite-sized pieces and add to the other chopped ingredients.  

When the bulgur is fully cooked, add it to the chopped chicken and other ingredients, pour over the dressing and toss to fully combine everything.  I usually serve this salad over romaine leaves with roasted asparagus on the side.  

*the beautiful wooden (poplar) platter, or bread bowl, is from J Parker Reclaimed in Laurel, MS, my hometown.  

VIETNAMESE RICE PAPER SALAD

My inspiration for this salad came after a conversation with Mila, a manicurist, who noticed I was looking at salad recipes in a magazine.  She told me about this Vietnamese Rice Paper Salad, Banh Trang Tron, which is a very popular street food in Vietnam.  I decided to take her recipe and give it a Megasalad twist.

The most interesting part of assembling this salad is cutting the rice paper in strips before softening it with the dressing.  (I almost wished I had younger kids at home to help me out that night!)  As well, the original recipes I could find called for dried shrimp or squid and dried beef or jerky, and I substituted sauteed scallops instead.  I also added several other ingredients that I thought complimented the salad.  

So, here are the dressing ingredients:

• 1/2 cup light sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce + 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Juice of 2 limes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Optional:  pinch of chili paste

Mix all ingredients in a glass jar or salad dressing carafe, shake well or blend with a hand blender until emulsified and set aside.

Salad ingredients:

• 1 package brown or white rice paper (spring roll wrapper)
• 1 pound sea scallops, rinsed and dried well
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 mango, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 2 cups sugar snap peas, lightly sauteed
• 2 cups shitake mushrooms, sliced and lightly sauteed
• 3-4 scallions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 3-4 tablespoons sesame oil (or any light oil) for sauteeing scallops, snap peas and mushrooms 
• Optional topping:  1 cup radish sprouts and 1/3 cup salted peanuts, finely chopped

Begin by taking 2-3 sheets of the rice paper at a time and cut them into strips with kitchen shears.  Don't worry about uniformity; I tried to cut them roughly in the width of fettuccini (1/4") each.  For this recipe, I cut 12-15 sheets of the rice paper.  Place the cut strips in a wide, shallow bowl.  

Next, heat 1-2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a saute' pan on medium high heat.  Saute' the snap peas until bright green and until they soften a bit but still have crunch (about 5 minutes).  Using a spatula, move them into the bowl on top of the rice paper strips.  

Add another tablespoon to that same pan (medium high heat) and saute' the scallops until lightly browned on both sides (about 2-3 minutes on each side).  Move them into a bowl or onto a plate to cool a bit before chopping them.

Again, add a tablespoon more of oil to the pan (medium heat) and saute' the mushrooms until softened and lightly browned (about 3-5 minutes) and move them into the bowl with the rice paper strips and snap peas.  After the scallops have cooled enough, cut them into quarters and add them in.  

Add the chopped red bell pepper, mango, cilantro and scallions to the other salad ingredients, pour over the dressing, making sure that the noodles are well coated, and let this sit for about 5 minutes.  After the noodles have had time to soften, I found the best way to mix it well was with my hands.  The noodles tend to stick together some and this was the easiest way to separate them and to incorporate everything.   I also ended up adding in about 1/3 cup warm water to soften the noodles more.  

Lastly, sprinkle the chopped peanuts and radish spouts (if using) on top and serve right away.

Again, PLEASE, give me your thoughts and any suggestions or additions!

An ngon miệng nhé!  (ENJOY YOUR MEAL!)

CORN SALAD

Silver Queen corn, a summer favorite of mine and perhaps for many of you, makes a fabulous corn salad with very few ingredients.  Our family has a place at Lake Burton in Clayton, GA, and the local farmers' markets there are full of corn, okra, peaches, eggplant (both Japanese and standard), heirloom tomatoes, local dairy products,  local beef and pork, and locally made sour dough bread.   We all have access to farmers' markets throughout the U.S., this one just happens to be my favorite stopover during my stays there in the summer months.

I don't know about you, but I often buy everything that looks good to me (and usually too much of it!) and come home looking for recipes for what to do with all my produce finds.  I recently read about and bought a beautiful new cookbook, The Love & Lemons Cookbook, an Apple-to-Zucchini Celebration of Impromptu Cooking by Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews, a husband and wife collaboration perfectly organized with this in mind.   It is divided into 26 chapters by produce type, and each chapter gives you a variety of recipes for each vegetable or fruit.   Each recipe has a gorgeous photo to go along with it, and every recipe is very doable for weekday or weeknight cooking. They started with the "Love & Lemons" blog "to share not only my recipes but the idea of local seasonal cooking".  

For the Corn Salad dressing, here is your list of ingredients:

• Juice of one large lemon
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and blend with a hand blender or whisk until fully emulsified and set aside.

For the Salad, you will need:

• 5-6 large or 7-8 small ears of corn, Silver Queen if available
• 1 large or 2 - 3  small shallots, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 3-4 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped

Boil the ears of corn for 5 minutes on high and drain immediately in a colander in the sink.  This can be done ahead of time to give the corn time to cool off for easy removal of the kernels.  Next, finely chop the shallots and red bell pepper and put in a medium-sized salad bowl.  After grating the cheese and finely chopping the basil, take each ear of corn, stand it up on either end and carefully cut the kernels off the cob and add to the shallots and red bell pepper.  

Add the dressing to the chopped ingredients, add the cheese and basil, toss everything together, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve at room temperature.  This salad goes well with any other favorite summer salads, like Customized Caprese Salad, and grilled chicken or beef.  

AS ALWAYS, I would LOVE to hear any comments or additions you may add to this simple summer corn salad!  

SIMPLE KALE SALAD

When I used to make kale salads, I found the whole leaves hard to chew and pick up with a fork.  I have found that thinly slicing the kale leaves into strips or parboiling the leaves before making the salad, creates a salad well worth the extra step!  The other secret I swear by is another favorite tool I purchased from Sur la Table, the Chef'n Looseleaf Kale and Herb Stripper,  which I use to strip the stem from the leaves when washing them.  

I also want to give a plug for the goodness of kale greens.  They are loaded with nutrients, antioxidants, fiber and iron and are detoxifying.  Check out Mind Body Green's Top 10 Health Benefits of Eating Kale.

For the dressing, you will need:

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-3 tablespoons dijon mustard
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the salad, you will need:

• 5-6 cups stemmed kale, either thinly sliced or parboiled
• 1 cup sesame wheat sticks or honey sesame wheat sticks, crushed*
• 1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds
• optional:  1 cup marinated or canned artichoke hearts, chopped

If you want to serve this salad as a main dish and want some added protein, feel free to add grilled chicken, fish or any protein, either tossed with the salad or served on top after serving the salad.  This salad can serve 5-6 as a side dish and 3-4 as a main dish.             

To make the dressing, either combine all ingredients in a glass liquid measuring cup or mixing carafe and blend with a hand blender, or using a whisk, mix vinegar, minced garlic, dijon mustard and salt and pepper together, slowly whisk in the olive oil, and set aside.

Combine all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl, add the dressing, toss and serve. Another great thing about kale salads is that the leaves hardly wilt at all and leftovers are SO good the next day!  You can even toss the salad ahead of time and serve it later.

AGAIN, let me know your thoughts on this salad and any additional ingredients you may have added to yours!  Also, if you have any salad recipe requests or suggestions, please ask or share! Happy crunching!!!

*NOTE:  I find sesame wheat sticks in bins in the regular grocery store or at any health food grocery store, such as Whole Foods or Earth Fare.  I have seen them packaged as well;  I go back and forth between the salted ones and the honey sweetened ones.  To crush them, I simple put them in a ziplock bag and use a wooden rolling pin to crush them and get the consistency I want.

                                                  Pictured here is the Simple Kale Salad plated with the addition of grilled Tuna.

SUMMER STEAK AND PEACH SALAD

After a summer dinner of grilled steaks with good friends, we end up with leftovers, and I love to figure out ways to use them the next day.  Most of you have had a steak salad of some type, but I decided to put together a seasonal one combined with summer peaches and heirloom tomatoes, since they are so abundant right now.  I think that either crumbled feta or goat cheese would also be a nice addition as well as sliced avocado and fresh basil.   All of these fabulous ingredients tossed in a nice, light vinaigrette will make my husband smile after putting so much effort into grilling those steaks so beautifully the night before.  

Let's start with the dressing:

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of one medium to large lemon
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or dressing carafe and mix well either with a whisk or by using your Cuisinart hand blender until fully emulsified and set aside.

For the salad:

• 1 large head of romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
• 2-3 petite filets, thinly sliced, or any steak you like to grill
• 1-2 peaches, thinly sliced
• 1 large heirloom tomato, cubed
• 1 package of crumbled feta or goat cheese
• 1 avocado, chopped or thinly sliced
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh basil, slivered

Optional:  1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped and/or 1/2 cup sliced white mushrooms

After washing and chopping the romaine lettuce, scatter it onto a deep platter or in a large, shallow bowl. Arrange the sliced steak, peaches, tomatoes, and avocado any way you like.  Sprinkle the crumbled feta or goat cheese and slivered fresh basil on top and drizzle the whole platter with the prepared dressing.  Serve immediately with a nice, whole grain toasted baguette drizzled with olive oil and kosher salt.*

Please share any suggestions with me of any optional ingredients you used or your favorite steak salad recipe!  I would love to hear from you!

*Or, because we had twice baked potatoes with our steaks, I took the leftover top of the potato skins that I cut off when stuffing them, drizzled them with olive oil, and sprinkled them with a little kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  After roasting them in the oven at 400ºF for about 15 minutes, I sprinkled them with a little parmesan cheese. 

ASPARAGUS AND CANNELLINI BEAN SALAD

Inspired from a Clean Eating recipe, this salad has become a favorite among friends and family, especially in the summer season.  I would have never thought to create a RAW asparagus salad, but the combination of the asparagus (finely chopped), cannellini (white) beans, walnuts, purple onion, parmesan cheese and a light, citrusy vinaigrette is fabulous!  For a side dish, this recipe can serve 6-8 people.  It goes really well with a summer menu of grilled chicken (or your protein of choice), the Caprese Salad from my previous blog, and roasted potatoes with rosemary and olive oil.  

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To get started on this crowd pleaser, here are the ingredients:

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar (or white balsamic vinegar, depending on your taste)
• juice of 1 lemon
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

• 1 bunch asparagus, finely chopped
• 1 small or 1/2 medium to large purple onion, finely chopped
• 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped, saving a few sprigs for garnish

I begin by making the dressing.  One of my favorite kitchen tools is a Cuisinart hand blender which I always use for mixing up dressings.  Simply measure and combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon and salt and pepper in a small bowl, or in the mixing container that comes with the hand blender, blend the dressing until it is emulsified and set aside.

Next, I finely chop the asparagus, purple onion and walnuts.  I find the easiest way to roast the walnuts is in a small skillet on the stove.  It only takes a few minutes on a medium flame to bring out their flavor and give them a nice, light brown color.  Remember to toss the walnuts around to help them get an even color and to avoid burning them.  While the walnuts are cooling, I grate the parmesan and chop the basil.  

After combining all the chopped ingredients in the bowl, I add the dressing and give it a good stir.  To serve, I place a few basil sprigs on top.  Please let me know your thoughts including any additions you make to this super summer asparagus salad!

CUSTOMIZED CAPRESE

How to customize your basic Salad Caprese:

I have spent the last few summers growing basil, searching for just the right tomato - preferably heirloom -  and building new and interesting takes on everyone’s favorite, Salad Caprese, aka Insalate Caprese, Tomato/Mozzarella Salad, Caprese Salat, etc., depending on where you live.  While not all of us are salad geeks like me, I hope this article will spark your salad geekness and make you appreciate building beautiful salads to enjoy during the best season.  

Before telling you how to build the salad, I wanted to give a plug for heirloom tomatoes.  My husband has often asked me why they are so special, and I find myself having to research a little every time that question is posed (because he’s not happy with the answer, “They just are.”).  So, after researching it AGAIN, here is a simple explanation of why they’re so good:  Heirloom tomatoes are generally varieties that have been passed down through generations because of valued characteristics and which are open pollinated (they self pollinate or are pollinated by the same variety).  I personally love the flavor of heirloom tomatoes and encourage you to use them in this salad.

Back to the salad—the basic ingredients are:

• 2-3 cups torn or chopped romaine lettuce (or lettuce of choice)
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced (or 1 pkg. of miniature balls sometimes called “Tinys”)
• 1/4 cup +- fresh basil leaves, slivered 
• 2-3 tomatoes, sliced
• Olive oil and balsamic vinegar to drizzle
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Optional:

• 2-3 marinated artichoke hearts, sliced
• 1 avocado

The beauty of Salad Caprese is that you can be as creative as you like; this is just the latest Megaversion.

To assemble, I usually chop the romaine, add it to a serving platter or shallow bowl and drizzle it with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt.  Next, I add the sliced tomatoes (I arrange the slices in a circle if using a shallow bowl or round platter) and top them with the sliced mozzarella or the miniature mozzarella balls. 

If I’m adding artichoke hearts, I slice them and place them in between some of the tomato slices.  Also, if I’m adding avocado, I typically chop and place it in the center of the dish.   

Next, I drizzle more olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste, add a pinch of salt over everything, and then add some freshly ground pepper.  The last step is to adorn the salad with basil leaves; its super easy.  First, I take the basil leaves and stack them on top of each other.  Then I take out my kitchen shears, slice the leaves into small slivers and sprinkle them all over the top of my creation.  And that’s it.  Simple, yet beautiful and delicious.  It’s such a wonderful summertime meal addition.

I hope you’ll give this version a try and let me know what you think.  I’d love to see pictures of your creations!