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Grilled Squash and Tomato Salad

By on April 16, 2012 in Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes

Hello summer!

Sure, it’s only the middle of April, but as we all know the temperatures climb high early. Luckily our produce follows the trend, and we’re already getting summer staples like tomatoes, basil, and squash in our boxes! Personally, I’m looking forward to gorging myself on zucchini and eggplant this summer. To tide me over until that point, I made this quick salad.

If you cook this on the grill, you’ll need a fine-mesh grill-proof basket, unless you’re really confident in your ability to not lose veggies down in the flames. I opted to not turn on the grill and used my grill pan on the stove, which works just as well and is less messy.

 

Grilled Squash and Tomato Salad

Olive oil

1 summer squash

1 medium tomato

Fresh mozzarella

2-3 basil leaves

Salt and pepper

 

Heat a grill pan to medium-high, then turn down to medium. Add a tiny bit of oil, such as through a spray bottle.

Slice squash lengthwise into planks, and slice tomato thickly. Place slices on the grill pan and cook 3-5 minutes a side, until tomatoes are quite soft but squash is still firm. Remove to a plate.

Slice or rip mozzarella and scatter over the top. Chiffonade basil and sprinkle on, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 1.

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Grapefruit Avocado Couscous

By on March 12, 2012 in Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes

In order to make sure I keep getting fresh-tasting, delicious meals during this crazy week of Not-Wanting-To-Cook-SXSW, I’ve made a refreshing grapefruit and avocado couscous salad. It’s perfect for this almost-spring weather we have, and I love how pretty the Texas grapefruit looks alongside the green avocado. Make sure you use avocados that are firm, yet ripe. You want the avocado to maintain its shape in the salad and not get mushy.

You can easily add a zesty vinaigrette to this salad, but I prefer to let the fresh flavors of the grapefruit and avocado shine.

Grapefruit Avocado Couscous Salad

1 cup dry couscous
2 large red grapefruit
2-4 small avocados (or 2 large)
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
Juice of 1 lime
½ cup diced fresh parsley or cilantro
Salt and pepper

Set a saucepan with 2 cups of water or vegetable stock to boil. Once water is boiling, pour in couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Section your grapefruit (a helpful tutorial video is located over at Kitchen Daily) and place onto a paper towel. Halve avocados, remove pits, and slice into small chunks. Put avocado in a large bowl along with shallot; drizzle lime juice over the top and stir gently.

Fluff couscous with a fork and add to the bowl. Add grapefruit and parsley or cilantro and stir gently to combine all ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and chill until ready to serve, up to 12 hours in advance. (Any longer and the avocado might start to oxidize and turn an unattractive brown.)

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Salad of Roasted Beets, Grapefruit, and Escarole

By on February 27, 2012 in Gluten-free, Recipes, Salads, Vegan

The inspiration for this dish is Elise Bauer’s Orange and Beet Salad Recipe, one one of my favorites this time of year– the brief window when both citrus and spring root veggies are in season in Central Texas.

I replaced the arugula in her recipe with escarole; this mild winter green has a slightly bitter flavor, with a crunchier texture than arugula.  I also opted for Texas pecans over walnuts, since you can’t beat the nutty pecan flavor against the pucker of Texas grapefruit.

To sweeten up Elise’s dressing, I added local honey and grapefruit juice. Our grapefruit have been quite juicy this year, so be sure to peel and segment the grapefruit for this salad over a small bowl. You’ll probably catch enough juice to make the dressing, without needing to juice a separate fruit.

 

Salad of Roasted Beets, Grapefruit, and Escarole (serves 4)

1 bunch escarole, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
3 beets, roasted and skins removed, chopped
1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented
1/4 cup pecan halves
Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon honey
salt and pepper to taste

Roast the beets well ahead of time, and peel away the skins once the vegetables have cooled. Prepare remaining veggies and grapefruit,  and combine them in a large bowl. Whiz the dressing ingredients together in a blender, or mix them together in a small jar. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss, serve immediately.
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Mixed Green Salad with Garlic Honey Vinaigrette

By on December 15, 2011 in Recipes, Salads

 

When it comes to holiday entertaining, it doesn’t get any easier than mixed greens and vinaigrette. This base recipe is ultra-simple and pared down to keep the budget low, but you can easily make the dish your own by adding chopped fruits, nuts, raw vegetables, or whatever you have available in your pantry.

Substituting three heaping tablespoons of raspberry preserves or orange marmalade for the honey and garlic in this recipe is a simple way to transform the dressing to a fruity vinaigrette. You can use a flavored vinegar to mix things up.

This recipe yields just over a cup of salad dressing– twice the portion than you need for a dinner party of eight. The extra dressing will keep well in a jar or bottle in the refrigerator. Just be sure to allow the dressing to come to room temperature before serving, since the olive oil will thicken when it is cold.

Mixed Green Salad with Garlic Honey Vinaigrette (serves 8)
Salad:
2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves, stems removed
1 bunch leaf lettuce, stems removed
1 bunch arugula, tough stems removed
Dressing:
3/4 cup organic olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup local honey
2 garlic cloves, pressed into a paste
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Chop the spinach, lettuce, and arugula into bite sized pieces and place them in a large salad bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Toss salad with half of the dressing and serve immediately. Store the remaining dressing for another use.

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Meatless Monday: Veggie Taco Salad

By on July 18, 2011 in Main Dishes, Salads, Vegan

Try this speedy recipe for a flavorful main dish salad to start the week!

Recipe from VegKitchen blog
http://www.vegkitchen.com/recipes/everyday-meals/main-dish-salads/taco-salad/

 

Incorporating all the lively flavors of tacos, this tasty salad is quick and easy to prepare, and is a great choice when you’d like a hearty main-dish salad.

Serves: 4 to 6

  • 4 to 6 corn tortillas, allowing 1 per serving
    (or see Note for a shortcut)
  • 2 medium firm ripe tomatoes, diced
  • 1 large green bell or red bell pepper, cut into short strips1 small avocado, diced
  • 1/2 cup black olives, chopped
  • 1 cup grated vegan cheddar cheese (great with Daiya!)
  • 15- to 16-ounce can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
  • Mixed baby greens or dark green lettuce, torn, as needed

Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup tomato sauce or good-quality ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, or more, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut the tortillas into strips about 1/2  by 2 inches long. Heat a large skillet and toast the tortilla strips over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are dry and crisp. Set aside to cool.

Combine the remaining salad ingredients in a serving bowl. Use greens or lettuce as needed, according to the number of servings needed.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir together until well blended. Pour over the salad, toss well, and distribute to individual serving bowls. Divide the tortilla strips among each serving, scattering them over the top of the salad as a garnish.

Note: For a shortcut, simply use good-quality stone-ground tortilla chips, crumbled, in place of the tortilla strips.

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