Rice and Spinach Salad

Ingredients:
6 cups fresh spinach, torn
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil (preferably extra virgin)
1 tbsp honey
1 cup green grapes, cut in half
1 cup raspberries
2 oranges, peeled and cut into sections
2 tsp fresh basil
2 cups of brown rice, cooked and chilled
Salt and pepper to taste
Add spinach, rice, grapes and sunflower seeds to a large salad bowl and combine.

Blend vinegar, oil, honey, basil, salt and pepper thoroughly and pour over rice mixture. Toss until well coated then gently add oranges and raspberries.

This would make an ideal accompaniment to any BBQ meat.

Salad with Goat Cheese and Apricots

Ingredients:
7 dried apricots, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cups lettuces of your choice, chopped
1/4 cup pistachios, shelled
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss well and serve!

I tried making it at home with various bottled dressings, but it just never came close to my favorite restaurant versions, that is until I came across this recipe – Enjoy!

Do a little research into the background of the caesar salad and you’ll find that it is named not for some illustrious Roman emperor, but for Caesar Cardini, a Mexican chef working in Tijuana in the 1920s, who would dramatically serve it up table-side. (At least that’s how the story goes.) Fast forward to this century and you have what is probably the most popular restaurant salad in the country, with plenty of variations around the theme of romaine lettuce, garlic, Parmesan, and croutons. What follows is my she-can-cook-a-lot-better-than-I-can friend Suzanne’s recipe, family size. I love Suzanne’s caesar salad, and have been a frequent guest at her house when it has happened to have been served (lucky!) She makes her own croutons from scratch, from baguette slices that have been brushed with olive oil, toasted, and then roughly chopped. This she does while the garlic has been soaking in olive oil in the serving bowl, a great way to infuse the oil with garlic.

Continue reading “Caesar Salad” »

From Simply Recipes.

Salmon Pasta Salad

• 15-1/2 oz canned salmon
• 8 oz macaroni
• 2 cups cucumber, sliced
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese cut into this strips
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Lemon Dressing

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dill weed
• 1/2 tsp lemon peel, grated
• Pepper to taste

Cook macaroni according to packet instructions. Drain, rinse and cool.

Drain and flake salmon and place into large serving bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss.

Blend together all ingredients for the lemon dressing.

Add the lemon dressing to the salmon pasta, toss well and enjoy.

Spinach and Rice Salad

• 6 cups fresh spinach, torn
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil (preferably extra virgin)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 cup green grapes, cut in half
• 1 cup raspberries
• 2 oranges, peeled and cut into sections
• 2 tsp fresh basil
• 2 cups of brown rice, cooked and chilled
• Salt and pepper to taste

Add spinach, rice, grapes and sunflower seeds to a large salad bowl and combine.

Blend vinegar, oil, honey, basil, salt and pepper thoroughly and pour over rice mixture. Toss until well coated then gently add oranges and raspberries.

• Lettuce leaves
• 4 tbsp grated Brazil nuts
• 4 tbsp chopped dates
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 2 carrots, grated
• 2 raw beetroots, grated
• About 12 oz grated cabbage
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• Vinaigrette of your choice

Place lettuce leaves on plates. Combine the Brazil nuts and the chopped dates and put them in a pile in the middle of the plate. Add the other vegetables in piles around the nuts and create an appetizing and colorful dish.

Just before serving, pour a bit of vinaigrette over the salad to moisten.

Apple and Carrot Coleslaw

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 8-10 oz white cabbage, finely shredded
• 2 apples, grated
• 6 oz carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp fresh basil leaves, chopped

Method:
In a small bowl combine the orange juice and sunflower seeds and let them soak for about 1 hour.

In a big bowl combine vinegar, oil, honey and basil and whisk together. Add finely shredded cabbage and toss. Then add the grated apples and carrots and gently combine. Add the soaked sunflower seeds, gently toss the coleslaw and chill in your fridge.

This delicious coleslaw will be enjoyed by the whole family. Together with some yummy sausages or pork chops, it’ll make a lovely mid-week dinner.

Spicy Winter Slaw

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 (16 ounce) bag coleslaw
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine
1 Serrano chile sliced thin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons lime juice

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet until hot over medium high heat. Add the mustard seed to the hot oil. Cover the skillet and heat the mustard seed 30 seconds or until the popping stops completely. Add the coleslaw mix, cilantro and chile and blend together. Sprinkle in the salt, cumin and turmeric and stir well to incorporate the flavors. Continue cooking and stirring continuously for 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender. Pour in the lime juice and cook an addition 1 minute.

Serves 6

Baked Potato Salad Recipe

1 (28 ounce) package O’Brien potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounce package of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard
1/3 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

Place the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Heat until oil is hot. Add potatoes. Cook until lightly brown on both sides about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a large rectangle baking dish with butter. Place the potatoes, 1/2 the bag of cheese, the mayonnaise and mustard into a large mixing bowl. Add the bacon and stir until mixed together well. Place in the prepared baking dish. Top with the other 1/2 bag of cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.

I don’t remember where I first came across this recipe, but it definitely gives good old pasta salad an interesting twist. The kids love it… Give it a try.  

Yankee Doodle Noodle Salad

12 oz. cooked noodles (about 4 1/2 cups)
2/3 cup ranch-style dressing
2 – 1 oz. diced turkey jerky
1/2 – 7 oz. puffed cheese snacks, crushed
1 thinly sliced large red onion
1/2 – 6 oz. pack slightly crushed potato
1 large bunch radishes, trimmed and sliced
chips, your choice
1 cup fresh corn kernels, blanched
12 halved or quartered cherry tomatoes

Cook the noodles, per directions, and then toss with turkey jerky, corn, onions, radishes, and corn.  Mix in 1/2 cup of the ranch dressing and puffed cheese snacks. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top, then sprinkle on the crumbled potato chips. Decorate the top of the salad with the halved cherry tomatoes. Serve with the remaining cheese puffs and potato chips.