Red Quinoa, Apple and Carrot Ribbon Salad with Curry Citrus Dressing

I am sure one of you resolutions this years is to work out more, eat less junk food, or lose weight. I think 90% of resolutions made involve one of the above mentioned topics. My resolution is to eat more greens and to not get wrinkles  have at least 3 vegan days a week, along with some others you probably don't care about. Whatever you resolution is, I hope it last longer than the end of January and if it is to eat more healthy here is a great recipe for you!

Red Quinoa, Apple and Carrot Ribbon Salad with Curry Citrus Dressing

2 large carrots, peeled

1 medium apple

1 cup cooked red quinoa

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon yellow curry powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup fresh mint

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

In a small bowl whisk together shallot, garlic, honey, lime juice, olive oil, salt, curry powder and cumin. Set aside. 

In a large bowl use a vegetable peeler to create carrot ribbons with the two large carrots. Cut apple into matchsticks and add to bowl, along with cooked quinoa. Roughly chop mint and cilantro and add to bowl, reserving a few sprigs for garnish. Pour dressing over carrots, apples and quinoa and toss to coat. 

Remove salad to a serving platter and garnish with fresh herbs a some fresh cracked pepper. 

Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Kale Salad

I am borderline psychotic in need of a nap so without further ado..... a recipe full of winter veggies and roasted seeds. BAM.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Kale Salad

1 spaghetti squash

2 cups kale, torn into small pieces

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides, setting the seeds aside. Place skin side down on a pan along with the onion and brush with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 35-45 minutes until flesh of the squash is tender. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool. While squash is cooling place seeds in a bowl, and toss with olive oil and sea salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, until they begin to brown. Remove from oven and set aside. 

In a large bowl add kale and a little olive oil. Massage the oil into the kale leaves for about 2 minutes until they begin to soften. You could alternately sautee the leaves if you didn't feel up to giving a plant a rub down. After leaves have softened, use a fork to remove the flesh of the squash from the skin and add to the large bowl. Chop cooked and cooled onion and add to bowl along with parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Top with toasted squash seeds.

Jicama and Grapefruit Salad with Persimmon Dressing

Your first thought: What is a persimmon? Your second thought: What is a jicama?

Both legit questions. I only know the answer to one. Jicama is a root of a ....vegetable/bean plant? It sort of taste like a cross between an apple and a potato. Super crunchy, slightly sweet, really confusing on your taste buds.

Persimmon....not so much. I grabbed a few because at the grocery store there we tons of them, so I figured they must be in season....and I love fresh fruits and veggies in season. After some google work I discovered that is is a fruit, with two varieties, that can be made into puddings. Not much help, so I just decided to cut a piece off and go for it. Surprise! For some reason I was expecting a tomato. It is a mildly sweet, smooth textured fruit.

So I thought I would make a salad out of two fruits/vegetables you will never see. But in case you inherit a jicama farm from your Latina grandma.... you are set.

Jicama and Grapefruit Salad with Persimmon Dressing

2 cups jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 grapefruit

1 handful cilantro

1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 avocado, cubed

1/2 persimmon

1/2 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon grape
seed or olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons agave nectar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Over a small bowl, peel and cut grapefruit into segments, catching juices in the bowl. Add grapefruit segments to a large bowl along with jicama, cilantro, red onion, and avocado.

To the small bowl add juice of 1/2 lime, agave nectar, grape seed oil, salt, and garlic. Chop the persimmon into tiny cubes and add to dressing. Whisk until combined and pour over salad. Toss to coat and serve!

Baby Greens and Roasted Beet Salad

This might be my new all time favorite salad. I had it 3 times in Summerland, with all ingredients fresh from my husbands parents garden and it was to die for. It is sooooo simple too. 

You can easily jazz this up with your choice of dressing, bacon, nuts. 

You could also question my judgement because I just used the phrase "jazz this up."

And you can also tell by this recipe that I occasionally falter on this vegan diet . But goat cheese and beets are made for each other. So I had to. 

2-3 cups washed baby greens

1 cup arugula 

1 large beet

1/4 small red onion

1/2 cup parley or dill (or both)

1/3 cup of goat cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Salt and Pepper

First you will need to roast your beets. Pretty Simple. Cut off the greens and the bottom and place on a sheet of foil. Top with a little olive oil, wrap up and put in the oven for 45 minutes on 400 degrees. Once roasted, allow to cool and the skin will peel right off. Then chop into wedges or slices and set aside.

Next place all of your washed greens and arugula in a large bowl. Chop herbs and slice onion and place in the bowl, along with olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to coat. 

Plate greens on a nice dish and top with beets and chunks of goat cheese! 

That is it! So simple and so tasty. 

Warm Sesame Green Bean and Quinoa Salad

My mom used to make a recipe similar to this when I was growing up. I think instead of quinoa it might have been brown rice though, obviously, because quinoa is now the trendy thing to eat. And no one had heard of it until about 2 years ago. And now I put it on my face at night as a cleansing mask. Just kidding :) I wish I had a badass story to go along with this but I just got back from a mega long run and I think I just might take a nap instead. Happy Wednesday!

Warm Sesame Green Bean and Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa, cooked

3 cups green beans

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon chili paste

In a large bowl combine rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, sesame seeds, honey, and chili paste. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Place trimmed green beans in a steamer basket and place over  boiling water. Steam for 3-4 minutes until barely tender. Drain and add to bowl with dressing,  along with cooked quinoa. Toss to coat. This salad is best when served warm, but not hot.

Cucumber Sunomono Salad

My friend Nikki has a super cute blog about her journey into motherhood, DIY crafts, and some awesome recipes. She recently did one on Sunomono salad, which is my absolute favorite cold Japanese style noodle salad. The rest of the post is super funny too, and I am sure any mom-to-be readers will love it as well. Here is a link to her blog:

Two Loonies and a Penny

 I tried to find the most authentic Sunomono salad recipe I could on the Internet and go from there. Let's just say you can definitely tell I don't live in Japan, and the liquor stores don't sell sake. I ventured to the super run down asain mini mart down town, and besides the way too vast selection of douches( ya you read that right) it wasnt too bad.

 This recipe is my best shot at Sunomono salad, which I have to say didn't turn out as bad as I thought it might. You might not see it on the menu at your local sushi joint anytime soon, but given my materials (which I am guessing might be yours as well) it was great!

Cucumber Sunomono Salad

6 inch piece of cucumber

Japanese Rice Vermicelli

 1/2 cup sushi vinegar

1/3 cup white vinegar

5 tablespoons sugar

1 cup water

1/2 of a lemon

In a small saucepan add sushi vinegar, white vinegar, sugar and water. Cook on medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and place in refrigerator until cooled. 

While dressing is cooling in the fridge bring a large pot of water to a boil and add rice noodles. Cook until softened, then drain. Keep in cold water until ready to serve. 

Very thinly slice cucumbers and lemons. 

To assemble add a handful of drained rice noodles and a few slices cucumbers and lemons to a bowl. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup of noodle dressing over noodles. 

Eat up!

Kale and Red Cabbage Detox Slaw

I am always weary of anything labeled "detox". What does that even mean? If I drank a bottle of poison, then ate this salad would I be cured? Is that a little dramatic? Lol, ya I guess. This salad is clean and pure. Raw vegetables. Nothing touches heat. A dressing containing apple cider vinegar, a great cleanser, and olive oil. Protein and healthy fats from pumpkin and sunflower seed. I am guessing that is as cleansing as it gets? 

Kale and Red Cabbage Detox Slaw

2 cups raw kale

2 cups red cabbage

1 large carrot or 6-7 baby carrots

1/2 cup fresh parsley

1/2 cup red or green onion

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

salt & pepper to taste

Chop kale and cabbage into thin slices and add to a bowl. Grate or very thinly slice your carrots and add to bowl. Finely slice red onion and chop parsley, and add to bowl along with sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. 

In a smaller bowl add vinegar, oil, mustard and salt and pepper. Whisk until emulsified and pour over slaw. Toss to coat. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour to allow flavor to combine. 

This is also super easy to make into an Asian slaw, which I did the second time I made it. Add some red peppers and sesame seeds. For the dressing use sesame oil, ginger, rice vinegar and a little soy sauce. It is a great way to continue to reap the benefits of such a healthy salad, but have a totally new flavor!

Quinoa & Mixed Green Salad with Spicy Candied Pecans

This salad is modeled after my absolute favorite salad at Earl's restaurant. The combination of cooked quinoa and greens threw me off at first, but oh my gosh is it ever delicious. I have made my version of their "West Coast Prawn Salad", which I am sure is reduced in calories and vegetarian friendly! It is filling, yet light and has pecans and avocados so you get your healthy fats for the day!

Quinoa & Mixed Green Salad with Spicy Candied Pecans

2 handfuls of washed mixed greens

1/2 ripe avocado, diced

1 cup strawberries, sliced

1 cup cooked & cooled quinoa

2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup pecans

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1/2 tablespoon cane sugar

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add pecans, sugar, and cayenne pepper. Stir to coat, and keep stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until toasted. Set aside. 

In a large bowl add quinoa, avocado, and strawberries. Stir to combine. Add mixed greens on top and toss until the quinoa is mixed through. This is where you would add your dressing if you wanted. I made a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, raw sugar, and pepper. Just pour over the top and mix until coated. 

Transfer salad to a plate and top with your candied pecans and feta cheese!

Chickpea Salad

I was determined to do a post this week, since I hadn't done one in... forever. I have been cooking some delicious stuff too! The problem is the weather. It has been so cloudy and dark, that even in the middle of the day it is hard to get some good natural light in my house. Especially because our house is basically a cave, with window that all face the wrong way for good picture taking. All we are missing is mold and a troll. Okay maybe a little dramatic. 

Anyways... here is a great alternative to tuna salad and chicken salad. It is great in a sandwich, but also tasty on top of a salad. The first time I made it, I stuffed it is a pita with some sprouts and avocado. Delish. I ran out of pitas though, so I had to settle for pictures on bread. Either was is good, and ready in mere minutes!

Chickpea Salad 

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons mayonnaise 

1 tablespoon Dijon or brown mustard

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

2 green onions

1 rib celery

1/4 cup Swiss or Havarti cheese

Salt & pepper

Combine chickpeas, mayo, mustard, and celery salt in a bowl. Using the back of a fork, mash slightly to combine ingredients. 

Dice green onion and celery and add to bowl. Cut cheese into small pieces and add to bowl. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. 

Serve on your favorite whole wheat bread, or on top of mixed greens. 

Caprese Panzanella Salad

Panzanella is a salad made of bread. Those Italians weren't a big fan of vegetables were they? And while I think your salad should normally consist of leafy greens, having this every now and then won't hurt. A traditional panzanella salad had olives, cucumbers, and no cheese. This twist combines two of my favorite salads that aren't green. Caprese and Panzanella! 

Caprese Panzanella Salad

Loaf of stale or fresh crusty bread (3 to 4 cups)

1 cup basil leaves

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1 cup bocconcini mozzarella

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bread into small 1 inch cubes. Place on baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until bread is toasted brown. Shake 2-3 times throughout toasting process. 

While bread is toasting, roughly chop basil and add to a large bowl. Half cherry tomatoes and mozzarella and add to bowl, along with chopped onion.

In a small bowl combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. 

Remove bread from oven and add to bowl of basil, tomatoes, and cheese. Pour small bowl of vinaigrette over bread salad. Toss to coat and serve immediately. 

Summerland Quinoa Salad

I have found the perfect salad for all of the vegetarians out there, and it can easily become a vegan favorite too! My brother-in-law, Brett, made this for dinner one night this summer and it was an absolute hit. The unusual flavor combinations work so well together. Strawberries with salt and pepper. Dried cranberries and Swiss cheese. This will soon become your favorite way to have quinoa.  This dish can be served hot as satisfying side dish, or cooled as a protein packed salad. The best part is that it took me 20 minutes to make, start to finish!

Summerland Quinoa Salad

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 cup strawberries

2 stalks celery

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon Sea salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

*to make vegan, leave out Swiss cheese :)

Rinse and dry celery and strawberries. Cut celery in half length wise, and then chop into small pieces. Slice strawberries into thin pieces. 

Place into a large bowl, along with dried cranberries, Swiss cheese,  salt, pepper, and olive oil. Chop parsley and add to bowl. 

Cook quinoa and allow to cool slightly. Add to bowl and toss to combine. Top with fresh parsley or chives.

Roasted Beet Salad with Brown Sugar Pecans

A few days ago my lovely friend Lyn (who has an amazing garden!) gave me 4 GIGANTIC beets, and some delicious fresh lettuce from her garden. I ate the lettuce in a day, but the beets - I wanted to do something special with. And special usually requires time. So, since I had some to spare tonight, I decided to try my hand at a roasted beet salad. Beets are so good for you, are fun to cook with because of their amazing pink/purple color, and remind me of Dwight Schrute. If you don't know who that is.... friends off.

Roasted Beet Salad with Brown Sugar Pecans

2 large beets, or 5-6 regular sized beets

Olive oil

Sea Salt

1/2 cup of feta or goat cheese

1/2 cup pecans

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (I chose parsley)

1/2 lemon

Preheat over to 400 degrees.

Wash and dry beets. You can leave whole, or cut in half to reduce cooking time. No need to peel! After roasting the skin comes right off!

Place beets on a large piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, and then fold up into a little tin baking dish :) Pinch sides shut and place in oven. Baking time depends on the size of the beet. For these bad boys it took about an hour and a half. For regular beets 35-40 minutes should do.

Remove beets from oven and allow to cool. While beets are cooling melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Add pecans and sugar, tossing or stirring to combine. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. 

Once beets have cooled, remove from foil and peel. You can use a knife to help, of just rub off with your fingers. Next slice beets into rounds, or cut into wedges. Place into a bowl.

Add candied pecans, cheese, and fresh herb. Then sprinkle with salt and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over top. For great flavor, use the oil that is left in the foil. Next spritz with lemon juice.  Toss to combine and enjoy your pink teeth! You can also top a salad with these for a more filling dinner!

Southwest Quinoa Salad

 Vacation really puts a damper on my blogging. But I guess I shouldn't complain :) I got to see all of my friends and even meet some new ones! I just got back from Alaska, and 10 days without a new post was driving me crazy! So to celebrate my return to Oscar's Sandwich and also celebrate the end of eating junk food on vacation (yet again), I whipped up this vegetarian dish that is healthy, a complete meal, and ready in a matter of minutes. This can be served as a side dish, used to stuff bell peppers, or eaten as a whole meal! 

Southwest Quinoa Salad

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

1 ear of fresh corn

1/2 cup black beans

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup onion

1/4 cup cilantro

2 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Makes 4 cups

In a large pot, bring enough water to cover ear of corn to a boil. Add corn and boil for 4-5 minutes. Remove corn from water and set aside to cool. 

Dice onion and mince garlic and set aside. Cut cherry tomatoes into fourths. Roughly chop cilantro. 

Add all chopped vegetables and herbs to a large bowl. 

Rinse and drain black beans and add to bowl, along with lime juice, chili powder, cumin, pepper flakes, salt, pepper and olive oil. 

Once corn is cooled, using a sharp knife, hold ear of corn perpendicular to a cutting board, and cut away kernels. Add to bowl, and stir to combine. 

Add quinoa to bowl and toss to coat. This dish can be served warm or cold, and it delicious both ways. Add with your favorite southwestern toppings such as avocado or salsa for a perfect vegetarian meal!

Chopped Vegetable & White Bean Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

After a vacation I always feel.... how do I put this? Like a piece of garbage. It is so hard to eat healthy on vacation, especially on a cruise where you are surrounded by dessert. So after a trip to the store to stock up on food (with under 500 calories per serving) I decided I need to make something refreshing and healthy! I was so surprised how great this turned out, and I was still eating it 2 days later with a different flavor every time! And the best part was, I got to use fresh herbs that I planted a few weeks ago. They didn't even die after not watering them for 10 days while on my cruise :)

Chopped Vegetable & White Bean Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

2 mini cucumbers or 1/2 large cucumber

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1/2 red onion

1/2 yellow bell pepper

1/2 orange bell pepper

1 can white beans

Vinaigrette 

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

2 tablespoons fresh basil

salt & pepper to taste

Rinse and drain white beans and place into a large mixing bowl.

 Slice mini cucumber in half, length-wise, and then chop into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Add chopped cucumbers to bowl.

Slice onion into thin strips and then rough chop these strips, adding to bowl when finished. 

Half cherry tomatoes and add to bowl. 

Cut bell peppers into small pieces and add to bowl. 

To make vinaigrette add olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice to a small bowl. Mince garlic, and chiffonade herbs and add to bowl , along with salt and pepper to taste.  Using a whisk, beat until vinegar and oil are emulsified and fully combined. 

Pour over beans and vegetable. Using a large spoon slowly toss to combine until all vegetables are coated. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until cold. You can eat alone or use to top a green salad! 

Avocado and Grapefruit Salad on Baby Greens

If you have ever spent a considerable amount of time in the Sea-Tac Airport (which I am assuming all you west-coasters have) you have probably eaten at the Anthony's restaurant in the "Seattle Marketplace". Every time I have a layover in Seattle (every time I fly anywhere) I eat there just to get the Grapefruit, Avocado, and Crab Salad. It is so good, and the flavors compliment each other so well, I just can't bring myself to order anything else! Since I usually don't have leftover crab laying around, I tried to make this salad a vegetarian dish, and it turned out just as delicious. With a few additions, subtractions, and dressing change ( from creamy to vinaigrette) this salad might even be a *gasp* UPGRADE from Anthony's. If you do have leftover crab, well, then tell your butler to whip this up for you ;)

Avocado and Grapefruit Salad on Baby Greens

1 large ripe avocado

1 large grapefruit

4-5 cups of washed baby greens

2 tablespoons of oil of choice

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon white sugar or honey

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper to taste

Rinse and pat dry your salad greens. Place into a large bowl, that will allow for tossing. 

Cut avocado in half and score with a sharp knife into a diamond pattern. You can then either peel away the skin piece by piece, or attempt to turn the avocado inside-out, if that makes any sense. This is probably the easiest and neatest way to cut your avocado into cube, and you don't waste any either! Set your avocado cubes aside. 

Cut off the top and bottom of the grapefruit, then cut away the rind. Be sure to leave no white pith. This is what makes grapefruit bitter. Next section your grapefruit by cutting along both sides of each white segment line, all the way to the center. Each section should easily fall out. Set your sections aside, and save the middle section of the grapefruit for the vinaigrette. 

To make the dressing squeeze what you have left after sectioning the grapefruit into a bowl. Get as much juice as you can. Add the vinegar, oil, Dijon mustard, sugar, and salt & pepper. Using a whisk, stir until emulsified and completely combined. 

To assemble, pour your fresh salad dressing over the washed greens. Use tongs or forks to toss, coating every leaf with dressing. Transfer greens to plate, and top with cubed avocado and sectioned grapefruit! A meal in a minute with a chef's touch in it :)