Pear, Apple, Peach Salad

This past summer I wanted something different for our annual family Father's Day BBQ. Something refreshing as a side dish, but not typical boring green salad. So, I came up with a yummy combination of the two....a fruit salad that is more of a side dish than a dessert.

Ingredients:

2 Pears Sliced
2 Apples Sliced
2 Peaches Sliced
2 Stalks of Celery cut into small pieces
1 C. Diced Jicama
1/4 C. Fresh Mint leaves roughly chopped
Juice of 2 limes
1 T Olive Oil
1/4 C. Honey
Pinch of salt and pepper

Add the apples, pears, peaches, celery and Jicama to a large bowl. Mix lime juice, olive oil, honey, mint, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Pour dressing mixture over fruit and celery. Toss it all together to coat. Serve immediately or chill until ready.

Classic Macaroni Salad

 

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar ( I used apple cider vinegar)
1 tablespoon mustard (you can use, yellow, brown or Dijon)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb macaroni, cooked, drained and cooled
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped red/yellow or orange pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato

Prepsaration:

Whisk together 1st 6 ingredients in a small bowl to make dressing.  In a large bowl combine cooled macaroni, celery, red pepper and tomato.  Pour dressing over the top and mix to combine well.  Cover and chill.

Wedge Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing

LOVE this version of  wedge salad.  It combines sweet and salty together for the perfect combination of flavors.  Very easy to whip up and of course delicious!

Ingredients:

1 head of iceberg lettuce, core removed and quartered

1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled

1/2 cup glazed pecans, chopped

1/2 cup blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

For dressing: 

1/2 avocado

1 cup ranch dressing

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation:

In a blender combine avocado, ranch dressing, milk and herbs.  Blend until smooth. 

To assemble salad place one quarter of lettuce head on a plate.  Sprinkle 1/4 of blue cheese over lettuce wedge.  Next pour on about 1/4 cup of prepared dressing.  Sprinkle 1/4 of the bacon crumbles, and 1/4 of the chopped pecans over the dressing.  Serve immediately.  

Cilantro Coleslaw

This is a traditional coleslaw kicked up a notch. I LOVE the addition of cilantro, so delicious and really changes the taste of the usual every day coleslaw.  You can also add any veggies that you want, I like the addition of crispy sweet pepper slices.

Ingredients:

2 - 8oz bags of prepared cole slaw mix,  (It's just easier ;)
1 sweet bell pepper, sliced thinly -  your color choice (red, orange, yellow)
A big bunch of chopped cilantro - who needs to measure??
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

Place coleslaw mix (discard the dressing that comes with the slaw if you bought a kit) and sliced peppers in a large bowl, set aside.  In a small mixing bowl coming, milk, mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk together until combined.  Pour milk mixture over coleslaw and mix until throughly coated.  Place in refrigerator to chill.  Chop up a big bunch of cilantro (I don't measure but you want anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup of cilantro) Before serving remove coleslaw from the refrigerator and  mix in cilantro.  Serve cold!

Kale Salad with Peanut Dressing

This is a great Pinterest find.  My sister Susan made this for a family BBQ and I loved it!  I have since made it twice and everyone who tries it raves about it and wants the recipe.  I've altered the original recipe slightly but you can see the original recipe here at Kitchen Fiddler.  This is a copy kat recipe of Houston' Kale Salad.

Ingredients:

4 cups finely chopped kale
2 cups finely chopped savoy cabbage
1 scallion finely chopped, white and green parts
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey


Preparation:

In a large bowl combine, kale, cabbage, scallions, cilantro and roasted peanuts

In a small bowl, combine peanut oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over kale and toss well to coat.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Autumn Chopped Salad

We are always looking for new salad ideas and this one was so perfect for this time of the year.  Absolutely delicious!  Susan made this for lunch the other day when we were eating outside in her Sukkah.  I LOVED the combination of the sweet and salty.  Even my husband who during the entire meal said that he wouldn't eat the salad because it had fruit and nuts in it ended up finishing the salad (eating directly out of the salad bowl, mind you) it was that good.  It's a must try! This recipe was found on Pinterest and it took me awhile to find the original source but I'm so glad I did because it's from a fantastic blog Espresso and Cream.  Check it out when you get a chance.

*Susan substituted bacon bits for the bacon to keep the salad kosher

Ingredients:

 6 to 8 cups of Chopped Romaine Lettuce
2 medium pears, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
*8 slices bacon, crisp and crumbled
4 to 6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup Poppy Seed Dressing
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions:

In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Mix poppy seed dressing with the balsamic vinaigrette. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, Toss and serve immediately!

Broccoli Salad

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This is an all time favorite salad for summer time.  My family has been making this for BBQ's for years and we give out the recipe constantly because it's always a big hit.  Because you use raw broccoli this salad really lasts a long time without getting soggy which makes it a great salad to bring to a friend's house, block party or anywhere that it might have to sit out for an extended period of time.   



Ingredients:

1 head broccoli, stems discarded, florets cut small
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sugar
3 T red wine vinegar
1/2 small red onion, finely minced
1/2 cup raisins
1 package ramen noodles, broken into small pieces,uncooked, discard the seasoning packet
1 cup raw sunflower seeds, not salted or roasted
1 cup raw cashews, not salted or roasted

Preparation:

Place broccoli in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk mayo, sugar, vinegar, and onion
Pour dressing over broccoli.
Add raisins, crumbled ramen noddles, sunflower seeds, and cashews.
Toss to combine

Tips
*There is enough dressing to double the amount of broccoli  but keep the rest of ingredient amounts the same
* Toast the ramen noodles in a dry hot pan on the stove top
* If not serving immediately, add the cashews and ramen noodles right before serving but you can dress the broccoli with the raisins and sunflower seeds a few hours in advance.  

Roasted Beets (How to....)

Roasted beets are so delicous and very easy to make.  My favorite way to eat them is in a salad with goat cheese and candied walnuts!! YUM! 

Ingredients:

4 - 6 raw beets, skin on
Olive oil
coarse salt
fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:

Wash beets under running water making sure to clean off any dirt by rubbing with your hands.  Dry beets with a clean towel. 

Cut off top of beet exposing the inside of the beet, place on a small square of foil.

Drizzle the top of the beet with olive oil

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Close up foil around beet and seal tightly.  Place beet packets on a lined baking sheet and roast in oven at 425 degree F. for about 45 minutes.  Check beets around 30 minutes by opening packet and inserting a for into the center of the beet.  If the fork easily goes down into the beet then they are done.

Let packets cool on baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes so you can handle them. 

To peel (use latex gloves to protect your skin or you will end up with purple hands)

The skin of the beet will peel off easily by rubbing gently with your hands.

Slice and enjoy in your favorite salad.  I will post the recipe for our roasted beet salad soon!

Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Salad

I really love tomoatoes but I especially love heirloom tomoatoes.  I think they are so pretty and I love how they all have a different level of acidity and flavor. This is a super light summer salad that is a perfect side dish for a quick dinner.  We served this along grilled hamburgers so dinner was ready in about 20 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 - 2 cups heirloom cherry tomoatoes sliced in half

1 avocado cubed

1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

6 basil leaves chiffonade 

Preparation:

Place tomoatoes and avocado in a bowl.  Mix vinegar, oil and soy sauce in a small bowl and pour over tomoatoes and avocado.  Sprinke with chiffonade of basil and toss to coat.

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Bok Choy Salad

My family has been making this salad for a very long time and it never disappoints. This a classic Susie Fischbein recipe from the original Kosher Palate cookbook. There a very few ingredients which makes it easy to throw together for a get together or to bring to someone's barbecue. The dressing is made from regular pantry ingredients (with the only exception of the oriental ramen noodles). This salad components can be prepared the day before and left in the refrigerator overnight. A couple of tips: Leave the sunflower seeds, ramen noodles and almonds off the salad until just before serving so they stay nice and crunchy. I never use the entire bottle of dressing on the salad. I use approximately 2/3 of it. I think it is better lightly dressed. Another good tip is to toast up the ramen noodles in a dry frying pan until lightly browned. I personally think they taste better that way.

Ingredients:

2 pkg ramen noodles (oriental flavor)
3/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. olive oil
1/3 C. white vinegar (apple cider vinegar works well too)
2 tsp. soy sauce
3 heads bok choy
2 bunches of scallions, chopped
1 (7.25 oz) jar of sunflower seeds
3 c. sliced almonds

Preparation:

Removing seasoning packets from ramen noodles and set noodles aside.  Combine seasoning packets, sugar, oil, vinegar, and soy sauce in a cruet or jar.  Cover tightly and shake vigorously (dressing may be prepared in advance). Slice bok choy into bite size pieces, including the stems.  Combine bok choy, scallions, sunflower seeds, and almonds in a large bowl.  Toss gently with dressing. Top with ramen noodles and toss.

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Terra Chip Salad

Another really delicious salad.  My Mom made this and brought it to my daughter's 4th birthday party and it was a HUGE hit.  Delicious sweet/tangy dressing with the crisp greens and veggies and the delicious nuts and crispy terra chips.  You can't go wrong, a must try!

Ingredients:

1/3 C. oil
1/3 C. red wine vinegar
1/4 C. sugar
3 T. ketchup
2 T. grated onion
1 head romaine lettuce
1 C. spinach leaves
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
1 (6 oz.) package of slivered almonds
1 (4 oz.) jar of pine nuts
1 (6 oz.) package of Terra chips, divided

Preparation:

Combine oil, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, and onion in a cruet or jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously; set aside. Tear and combine lettuce, spinach, bell peppers, and avocado in a large bowl. Sprinkle with almonds and pine nuts. To serve, add dressing, tossing to coat. Crumble 3/4 package chips and sprinkle on top. Arrange chips around edge of bowl as a garnish.

Stawberry Mango Salad

Ingredients:
1/2 C. sugar
3/4 C. vegetable oil
1/3 C. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. salt
8 C. mesclun or gourmet mixed salad greens
1 C. sweetened dried cranberries
1 C. strawberries, quartered
1 large mango, peeled, pitted and cubed
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 C. candied walnuts

Preparation:
Combine sugar, oil, vinegar, and salt in a cruet or jar.  Cover tightly and shake vigorously.  Combine greens, cranberries, strawberries, mango, and onion in a large bowl, tossing well.  To serve, toss with enough dressing to coat.  Sprinkle with candied walnuts.

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Ceasar Salad

Ceasar salad is one of my husbands favorite salads and until recently I never tackled making it the traditional way.  It was very easy and the taste was so much better than just buyimg some ceasar dressing to put over romaine lettuce.  I like this recipe by Tyler Florence.  It makes a HUGE amount of salad so I would suggest using one head of romaine lettuce and  half the dressing or as much as you would like for your taste..  When I made it I used one head for dinner with friends on Staurday night and then saved half the dressing and used the 2nd head of lettuce and the rest of the dressing for for dinner for my family on Monday night.

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, smashed with a pinch of salt and a little olive oil

4 anchovy fillets

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon dijon mustard 

2 lemons, juiced

2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus extra for garnish 

Freshly ground black pepper

2 heads romaine lettuce

Preparation:

Make the dressing: Smear the garlic paste over the inside of the salad bowl. Put the anchovies, egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, and water into a blender and process for 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth. With the blender running, pour the olive oil in slowly for the dressing to emulsify. Stir in the Parmesan, a pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper; set aside. (Refrigerate the dressing if you will not be using it right away.)

Assemble the salad: Tear the lettuce into a large bowl. Add enough dressing to coat the salad to your liking. Add some extra Parmesan and toss the salad well. Serve immediately.

Egg Salad

I really only like egg salad that is homemade so I can control the amount of mayo. I like to experiment with different ingredients to add in. This one I made recently for a family brunch and it came out yummy.

Ingredients:

8-10 hard boiled eggs

1/4-1/2 cup of low fat mayonnaise

3-4 celery stalks chopped

1/2 small onion chopped

1 T fresh dill chopped

paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl together and chill.

Avocado Tomato and Onion Salad

My whole family loves guacamole so I wanted to make a salad with the same flavors. I served it along side my Healthy Taco Lasagna (see below) the other night and it was a big hit. It is a great, simple and refreshing side dish.

Ingredients:

3 plum tomatoes
2 ripe avocados
1 small red onion
lemon juice
salt and pepper

Preparation:

Cut the avocado, tomato, and red onion into bite sized chunks. Toss with fresh lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.