TABBOULEH

I made Tabbouleh for the first time tonight.  I have been meaning to try this dish for so long, and I am REALLY glad that I finally made time to do so. It is absolutely delicious, and the whole family loved it (even the "particular" ones!).  
Tabbouleh is a classic Middle Eastern salad made with fresh herbs, bulgur wheat, and tomatoes. There are variations in which 3 cups of parsley and very little grain is used, and some which do not include cucumber or cumin.  Experiment and see what you like best.  
Tabbouleh makes a wonderful, refreshing vegetarian main course, and it works equally well as a side dish. Try it alongside grilled chicken.  We tossed in some diced avocado for a nice, creamy addition.

1 cup bulgur wheat
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
5 green onion (both green and white parts), thinly sliced 
1 1/2 cups parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup mint, finely chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place bulgur wheat in large bowl.  Add boiling water, and cover with tight-fitting lid. Let sit for 15-20 minutes, until bulgur is tender and water is mostly absorbed.  Drain any excess liquid.  Allow to cool to room temperature.  Add tomatoes, cucumber, green onion, parsley, and mint.  Stir gently to combine.  Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, and cumin together until well-emulsified.  Stir the dressing into the salad and mix well.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.   
Chill for 1 hour or serve at room temperature. 

RADICCHIO, HARICOTS VERTS, AND SWEET LETTUCE SALAD

Bridget recommends this recipe, which she found through Cooking Light (www.cookinglight.com).  This sounds Spring-y and delicious--I am going to make this tonight!  Haricots verts are a variety of green beans that are long, slender and stringless.

2 cups haricots verts, cut into 2-inch pieces 
1 tbls walnut oil (or olive oil)
1 tbls balsamic vinegar
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grated orange rind
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 cups torn Boston lettuce
2 cups (1-inch) cubed sourdough bread (about 4 oz), toasted
1 cup shredded radicchio
3/4 cup chopped prosciutto (about 2 oz)
1/2 cup orange sections

Cook haricots verts in boiling water 2 minutes, or until tender-crisp.  Rinse with cold water; drain.
Combine oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, orange rind, and Dijon mustard in a large serving bowl. Stir well with a whisk.  Add haricots verts, lettuce, and remaining ingredients to bowl.  Toss gently to coat.  

Serves 6

Cal: 122
Fat: 3.5g
Protein: 5.5g
Carb: 17.7g
Fiber: 2.5g 
Chol: 6mg
Iron: 1.6
Sodium: 449mg
Calcium: 35mg

TZATZIKI SALAD

This cucumber salad is simple, summery, and refreshingly delicious.  It couldn't be much easier, and it's super-healthy.  Cucumbers provide us with valuable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits, and yogurt is high in protein and calcium. 
And don't forget: It tastes really good!

2 cucumbers, peeled and seeded
Plain yogurt, about 4 to 6 oz
1 teaspoon dried dill
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garlic salt, to taste

Peel cucumbers.  Slice in half lengthwise, and scoop out seeds with a spoon.  Slice each half into 4 strips, and chop into 1/2" dice.  Place cucumber in medium bowl, and add remaining ingredients.  Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve.

NOTE: You can also make this into a dip by combining the ingredients (add 2 tbls olive oil & 1 tbls vinegar, if you like) in a food processor or blender and serving as a dip for grilled meats, veggies, or pita bread.

SCRUMPTIOUS SUMMER SALAD

My friend Kelley makes the most delicious salads.  I am hooked on this particular combination--I've made it 4 times this week alone!  You can substitute any number of ingredients and dressings, but the following recipe is a delicious melding of flavors and textures.  Even if you don't normally care for Balsamic dressings, try this one--everyone I've had try it so far has really liked it, and it whips up in a snap. 
I have provided amounts for one large, meal-sized salad, but you can easily add more or less to suit your needs.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!


SALAD
Mixed baby greens and spinach, approximately 4-6 cups
1-2 tbls red onion, diced fine
2 tbls pecan halves, broken
2 tbls Athenos Black Peppercorn cheese, diced fine
1-2 tbls dried cranberries
1 can Mandarin oranges (use approximately 12 orange sections per salad)

Combine all of the above ingredients in a large bowl or plate.  Top with approximately 2 tbls of Balsamic Vinaigrette.

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
11/2 tbls brown sugar

Combine all ingredients & whisk thoroughly.  If brown sugar does not dissolve completely, heat dressing in microwave for 10 seconds.  Stir again before serving.  Store any remaining dressing in refrigerator.

MEXICAN BEAN SALAD

This salad is really, really good, and it's very different, too.  It's definitely healthy--loaded with 3 kinds of beans that are rich in protein and fiber, crisp veggies, and heart-healthy olive oil.  It makes a perfect warm-weather meal (no cooking!), or serve it as a side dish anytime. Yummy!


1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
10 oz frozen corn (no need to thaw or cook)
1 small red onion, minced
1/4 cup olive oil*
1/4 cup red wine vinegar*
2 tbls lime juice
1 tbls lemon juice
1 tbls sugar
1 tsp sea salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 tbls ground cumin
1/2 tbls black pepper
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce (more or less, to taste)

*If you prefer less dressing, reduce vinegar & olive oil to 1/8 cup each.

Dressing:
In medium bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Once sugar has dissolved, whisk in olive oil gradually until all ingredients are well-incorporated.  Allow dressing to set at room temperature. 

Salad:
In large bowl, combine beans, green & red pepper, corn, and red onion. Toss well.

Pour dressing over veggies, and mix well.  Serve chilled or at room temperature.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Serves 10.

CAPRESE SALAD

This is such a great summer salad, because it takes advantage of the delicious summer tomatoes, cucumbers, & basil.  It calls for Balsamic Vinaigrette for the dressing, but feel free to substitute the dressing of your choice.  Be sure to use fresh mozzarella cheese.  It can be found in ball-shaped packages in the deli section.  These make main-dish sized salads, but the recipe is easily adjusted for quantity.

Serves 4

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbls brown sugar (more if dressing is too tart)

Combine all vinaigrette ingredients. Whisk to blend thoroughly. Allow to stand at room temperature until ready to serve.

Salad:
Approximately 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-size pieces
4 large tomatoes, chopped into small chunks
4 fresh basil leaves, sliced very thin
1/2 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise & then slice paper-thin
1/2 red onion, sliced paper-thin
4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
Crusty bread, torn into bits--optional

Divide all ingredients equally among four salad bowls, layered in order given. 
Drizzle Balsamic Vinaigrette over top.  If adding bread pieces, add them after the dressing, as the bread will absorb a lot of the dressing.

CHOPPED SALAD WITH BEANS

This recipe is based on a Bobby Flay recipe--just a few minor changes (less oil & cheese, more beans). Serve it as a main course or as a side dish.  I made it tonight for the first time, and I really enjoyed it. I used grape tomatoes instead of the beefsteak, and it gave it a pleasantly sweet flavor. Also, I could not find white cheddar, so I used all Monterey Jack. Hope you enjoy this, too!

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 heaping tbls Dijon mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups romaine lettuce, finely chopped
2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, seeded & diced
(I used grape tomatoes, quartered)
1/2 can red beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 can garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 cup Nicoise olives, chopped
(I used a small can of sliced black olives)
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, cubed
1/2 cup white cheddar cheese, cubed
Crumbled corn chips &
Fresh chives, chopped, for garnish

Whisk vinegar, mustard, salt, & pepper until smooth. Whisk in oil, & blend until emulsified. In serving bowl, toss lettuce, tomatoes, beans, olives, & cheeses. Garnish with corn chips & chives. Serve balsamic vinaigrette on the side. I found I needed very little dressing. It is very good & flavorful, but a little went a long way.

Serves 4

SPINACH SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE FRITTERS

When I was in St. Louis recently, my son took me to an Italian restaurant that was really good. Of all things, I had a spinach salad that was possibly the best salad I have ever had. I have tried my best to recreate it, & I think that I've come pretty close. This should be called a "dessert salad"! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. This calls for a Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. I usually do not care for Balsamic Vinegar, but I thorougly enjoyed it in this dish. The combination of sweet & tart, crunchy & soft, and cold & warm really makes this salad unique and absolutely delicious. Try it, & let me know what you think!

Tips:
*Make candied walnuts, dressing, and fritters ahead of time.
*Refrigerate fritters for at least 15 minutes before cooking, and cook them right before you are ready to serve salads.
*Have individual salads assembled & ready to serve by the time the fritters are finished cooking.

Serves 4

Goat Cheese Fritters: One log of goat cheese, cut into 4 rounds about 1/4" or so thick (available in deli section of grocery store but may be called "chevre" or "chavrie"; be sure to buy the plain goat cheese, not the seasoned variety) You will not use the whole log.
1/2 cup finely ground plain bread crumbs (not Italian), pre-packaged, or make your own by grinding a slice or two of dry bread in a blender
1 egg whisked together with 1 tbls water
2 tsp olive oil

Place bread crumbs & egg mixture in 2 separate shallow dishes. With your (clean, please) hands, gently press goat cheese rounds to flatten slightly. Dip each round in egg mix, coating well, and then dip in bread crumbs. Cover thorougly with crumbs, pressing crumbs gently into cheese round. Place rounds on waxed paper & refrigerate for 15 minutes-1 hour. When ready to cook, heat olive oil in small skillet over medium to med-high heat. When hot, add goat cheese rounds. Fry on one side for 3-4 minutes, and then turn very gently & cook on other side for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Remove from heat & place on top of salads. Serve immediately.

Candied walnuts:
2 tbls Turbinado or brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, broken in half

Heat sugar in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally. While heating, lay out a sheet of waxed paper. Once sugar is completely melted, turn off heat & immediately add walnuts, stirring constantly. Once walnuts have been thoroughly coated, spread them out onto the waxed paper. Quickly separate them a bit with the spoon you've been using. Allow them to cool completely, then break them apart into smaller pieces. (Try not to eat them all before you finish the recipe.)

Balsamic Vinaigrette: 1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbls brown sugar (more if dressing is too tart)

Combine all ingredients. Whisk to blend thoroughly. Allow to stand at room temperature until ready to serve.

Assembly:
One (maybe more) 10-oz bag baby spinach (or desired amount to fill plates)
4 tbls dried cranberries or dried cherries
4 tbls green onion (green part only), sliced thin OR 4 very thin slices of red onion, rings separated

Fill each plate with spinach leaves. Sprinkle about 1 tbls dried cranberries or cherries on top of each salad. Sprinkle 1-2 tbls walnuts over each salad. Follow with green or red onion over each. Place 1 warm goat cheese fritter on top of each salad. Drizzle with Balsamic vinaigrette, or serve vinaigrette on the side. Serve immediately.

SPINACH, WHITE BEAN, & BACON SALAD

OK...I'm going to confess right here that I haven't actually tried this recipe yet! However, it sounds so yummy & foolproof that I'm going to go out on a limb & post it. This time of year, we're all so busy, & this sounds like a simple, healthy & deliciously different recipe. Warm salad--Perfect for this cold weather.

This recipe is from The Ultimate Christmas Book.

1 tbls olive oil
3 slices turkey bacon
12 oz fresh shitake mushrooms, stems removed, & caps thinly sliced
1 can white beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 cup low-sodium mixed vegetable juice*
2 tbls red wine vinegar
1 tbls Dijon mustard
salt & pepper, to taste
12 cups spinach, washed & blotted dry
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin 2" strips
1 red onion, cut in half & sliced thinly

Heat 1/2 of the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon & cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; blot to remove excess oil. When cooled, chop into 1" stips. Pour remaining oil into skillet & heat. Add mushrooms, & cook until tender, 5-10 minutes. Add beans, & cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine vegetable juice, vinegar, mustard, salt, & pepper in small bowl. Add to mushroom mixture, & bring to a boil.

In large serving bowl, combine spinach, bell pepper, red onion & bacon. Add the mushroom mixture to the salad, & toss well. Serve immediately.

*I'm assuming the veggie juice is V-8 or a similar product

(Based on 6 servings)
Approximately 160 calories per serving

CHICKEN FLORENTINE SALAD

Here's a delicious salad recipe that was given to me by a good friend that we visited in Colorado. (I'm going to have to hit her up for some more recipes; everything she makes is scrumptious!)It's great as a summery main dish; or try it without the chicken as a vegetarian entree or side dish.

4 main dish servings

Vinaigrette:
2 tbls. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbls. finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup olive oil
1 tsp. chicken base*
salt and pepper to taste

Salad:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled & thinly sliced,
approximately 12 oz. (You can purchased pre-grilled chicken;
see "helpful products" post)
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
3 tbls. capers, rinsed & drained
8 oz. spinach (approx 1 bag), very thinly sliced
1 cup purple cabbage, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup orzo** (measured uncooked), cooked, drained & chilled

Directions:
Mix all vinaigrette ingredients; whisk thoroughly.
Toast pine nuts in dry skillet. Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl. Pour about half of the vinaigrette over the salad & toss. Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper. Pass remaining vinaigrette at table, as desired.

*Chicken base is like bouillon granules but in a paste form; find it by the bouillon in the grocery store. You can use granules, but you will need to dissolve them in a bit of water first in order to blend into the vinaigrette.
** For added flavor, add 1 tsp. chicken base to orzo while cooking. After cooking, drain, but do not rinse. Chill, stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking.

Cal: Approx 450 per serving

CHICKEN SALAD

Use chicken from the poached chicken recipe, below, or any cooked chicken for this recipe. I have also used grilled chicken for a somewhat smoky flavor.

2-3 cooked chicken breasts, boned, then shredded or chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped fine
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
1/2 large apple, chopped with skin on
3/4 cup red grapes, quartered
1/2 cup Miracle Whip Light salad dressing
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
salt to taste
4 cups romaine or butter leaf lettuce, loosely packed

Combine all ingredients except lettuce. Mix well. Chill & serve on bed of lettuce.

Serves 4
Cal: Approx 210 per serving, based on 16 oz of chicken of chicken for whole recipe

MANDARIN ORANGE SALAD

This is a delicious and very summery salad. Many of you may have had this before, but just in case you don't have a recipe, give this a try... This is a simple recipe, but start it a few hours before serving, so that you can chill the ingredients.

Serves: 6-10, depending on size of salad


SALAD:
10 cups spinach (or other lettuce) leaves (approx two 10-oz bags of spinach)
1 cup chopped celery
4 green onion w/tops, thinly sliced
1 can mandarin oranges (approx 8 oz), chilled

ALMOND TOPPING:
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 tbls + 1 tsp sugar

Chill can of mandarin oranges in refrigerator. Mix together all dressing ingredients. Once sugar has dissolved completely, refrigerate dressing to chill. Prep & chill salad ingredients separately--no need to combine yet. To make almond topping: Heat sugar in small non-stick skillet until dissolved. Add almonds & toss until coated & crisp. Pour onto waxed paper, spreading mixture out a bit. Cool & break apart. Store at room temp until ready to use (try not to eat them yet!).
When ready to serve, drain mandarin oranges & toss w/other salad ingredients in large serving bowl. Shake or stir dressing well , pour over salad & toss. (Note: If this salad will be sitting for any length of time, you may wish to serve the dressing on the side to prevent it from becoming soggy.) Sprinkle almonds over all.

Nutrition (based on 6 svgs):
Cal: 160
Fat: 11.2g
Chol: 0
Sodium: 253mg
Carbs: 14g
Fiber: 2.5g
Protein: 2.8g

DRESSING:

1/4 cup olive (or other) oil

2 tbls cider vinegar

2 tbls sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp lemon pepper

1 tsp dried parsley

MEDITERRANEAN CHOPPED SALAD

1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch dice (1 1/4 c.)

1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 c.)

Table salt

3 Tbls. extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbls. red wine vinegar

1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tsp)

1 (14oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 c. pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1/2 small red onion, minced (about 1/4 c.)

1/2 c. roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 romaine heart, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 3 cups)

4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 c.)

ground pepper

1. Combine cucumber, tomatoes, and 1 tsp. salt in colander set over bowl and let stand 15 minutes.

2. Whisk oil, vinegar, and garlic together in large bowl. Add drained cucumber and tomatoes, chickpeas, olives, onion, and parsley; toss and let stand at room temperature to blend flavors,

5 minutes.

3. Add romaine and feta; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Submitted by Mary Ellen Knop from July/August 2009 Cook's Illustrated magazine

Note from Pam:
  This has become one of my absolute favorite recipes of all time!  LOVE IT!!!  I always serve it as the main course, but it would make a fabulous side dish as well.

PORK CUTLETS WITH WARM FLORENTINE BEAN SALAD

Makes 4 servings

2 tsp. olive oil, divided

1 lb. boneless pork cutlets

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced (or may use dried)

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

1 c. reduced sodium chicken broth

1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

6 oz. fresh spinach leaves (about 6 cups), washed and tough stems removed

1 Tbls. fresh minced basil

2 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork cutlets and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove pork from skillet and set aside.

Add remaining oil to skillet. Add garlic, onion and fennel and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are just crisp-tender.

Arrange pork over vegetables. Season with crushed red pepper, pepper, and salt. Add broth and beans. Cover and cook over medium heat, 2 minutes or until beans are hot and liquid is boiling. Add spinach and basil: cover and cook 2 to 4 minutes or just until spinach is wilted and pork is cooked to doneness and is slightly pink inside. (Do not overcook)

Spoon vegetables and pork into a deep platter. Blend lemon juice into remaining liquid in skillet then pour juices over pork and vegetables.

Recipe is from the Eating for Life in the Kansas City Star