Salad Greens with Strawberries & Walnuts And Raspberry Vinaigrette
Mixed greens Walnuts, toasted
Strawberries Red Onions
Vinaigrette:
1 T. raspberry preserves ¼ tsp. Minced garlic
1 ½ tsp. Salt ¾ cup raspberry vinegar
1 ½ tsp. Black pepper ½ cup Canola oil
Combine all ingredients except oil in blender. Blend and add oil slowly until blended.
Sheila’s Basil Beet Salad
½ Cup grated raw beets ½ cup beet greens (loosely packed)
½ cup chopped fresh spinach 2 Tbs chopped Walnuts of Pine nuts
1 Fuji or a sweet, crisp red apple 2 tsp basil cut in tiny strips
(use ¼ cup julienne apples and the remainder
cut in thin wedges to place around the bowl)
Dressing: 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs maple syrup
½ Tbs walnut oil
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Courtesy of Sheila Sattler Kale, owner of Closer Walk Bookstore in Fredericksburg
Winter Fig and Pear Salad
6 cups mesclun greens, rinsed & dried 2 Bosca Red Pears, cored & thinly sliced
6 fresh figs, cut into 1/8s ½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
For a nice presentation, line 4 plates with the mesclun greens. Arrange the pear slices on top in a fan shape. Scatter the figs over the pears. Sprinkle the walnuts & parsley over the salads. The salad plates can be prepared a few hours ahead, covered with plastic wrap and held at room temperature.
Vinaigrette:
¼ cup olive oil ¼ tsp. sea salt
2 Tbs. White wine vinegar ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and shake well. (This can be made a day or two earlier.) Just before serving shake well and drizzle the vinaigrette over the salads & serve.
Winter Green Salad with garlicky vinaigrette
2 ¼ cups (4 ½ oz) arugula
2 ¼ cups (4 ½ oz) watercress
1 cup (2 oz) red leaf lettuce
1 cup (2 oz) romaine leaves
2 ¾ cups (5 oz) radicchio
2 ¾ cups (5 oz) endive
Vinaigrette:
1 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
6 Tbs. Extra virgin olive oil
First make the garlicky vinaigrette. Put all the ingredients in a screw-top jar, and shake vigorously until thoroughly blended. Set aside.
Roughly tear the arugula, watercress, red leaf lettuce and romaine leaves, and put them in a salad bowl. Finely slice the radicchio and endive, add them to the bowl, and mix well.
Pour the dressing over the salad, toss and serve. Serves 4.
Each serving contains:
Calories 173, Protein 2g , Fat 17g (saturated 2.5g), Carbohydrates 2g, Fiber 2g, Calories from fat 91%, Good source of vitamin C
Cynthia’s Chopped Salad
½ cup celery, sliced diagonally 8 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half ½ cup garbanzos
3 asparagus spears, blanched, cut into 2-inch lengths 2 Tbs. walnuts
½ avocado, cut into ½ inch cubes 1 cup green cabbage, chopped in 1-inch pieces
¼ cup edamame (soy beans, available in frozen veggie dept)
Dressing:
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
Mash with wooden spoon or mortar and pestle, then add:
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
¾ tsp. black pepper
4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil or flax seed oil
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Pour dressing over and toss well. The dressing can be prepared in larger amounts and kept refrigerated. (The olive oil congeals when cold so let the dressing come to room temperature before serving). Serves 4.
Courtesy of Cynthia Pedregon, owner Peach Tree Tea Room in Fredericksburg, and author of many cookbooks
Beets with Orange Vinaigrette
3 pounds fresh beets (3 bunches) or ½ tsp. sugar
3 15-oz cans of baby beets, drained 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbs raspberry vinegar ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs freshly squeezed orange juice ½ cup small-diced red onion
3 Tbs good olive oil zest and segments of 2 large navel oranges
If using fresh beets, trim off the green tops and place the beets in a large pot of salted water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the beets are just tender. Drain and allow to sit until cool enough to handle.
Peel and dice the beets into ½-inch cubes. (If using canned beets, drain the liquid and dice the beets into ½-inch cubes.) While the beets are still warm, place them in a mixing bowl and add the raspberry vinegar, orange juice, olive oil, sugar, salt, pepper, red onions, orange zest, and orange segments. Mix well, taste for salt and pepper, and serve cold or at room temperature. Serves 6-8.
This recipe tastes better if it is allowed to sit in the refrigerator for a few days while the vinaigrette soaks into the beets. If you are in a hurry, use canned baby beets. Beets are sweetest in late summer and early autumn.
Raisin Coleslaw
½ cup raisins
½ cup apple juice
½ baked potato, skin removed
1 tsp. mustard
1 Tbs. lemon juice
4 cups cabbage, shredded
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 cup beets, shredded (optional)
2 cups apples, peeled and shredded
¼ cup scallions, finely chopped
Blend the raisins, apple juice, potato, mustard, and lemon juice, then mix all the ingredients together. Use this in place of a lettuce salad for lunch or dinner.
Caesar Salad
½ baguette, day-old, preferably whole wheat, diced
½ cup soft tofu
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan-style soy cheese
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tsps. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. chopped capers
¼ tsp. honey
salt to taste
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 large head romaine lettuce, rinsed, dried and chopped into bite-sized pieces.
Preheat the over to 375 degrees. To make the croutons, place the diced baguette on a baking sheet, and bake until golden brown, for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Put the tofu, soy cheese, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, garlic, capers and honey in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble the salad, put the lettuce in a salad bowl. Add ¼ cup of the croutons and half of the dressing. Toss well to coat the leaves evenly with the dressing. Garnish with another ¼ cup of croutons. Serve immediately.
Each serving contains: 110 calories; protein 9g; fat 4g; carbohydrates 12g; cholesterol 0mg; sodium 210mg; fiber 3g.
Another Caesar dressing:
Dressing:
2 tablespoons almond meal (see hints below)
3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons almond meal (see hints below)
3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup water
Bistro Salad
2 lbs baby red potatoes
1 lb baby green beans
2 Tbs. virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 crisp radishes, sliced
2 handfuls baby spinach
2 Tbs. chopped spring onions or chives
Cook potatoes in boiling, salted water for 20 minutes or until tender. Rinse in cold water, drain, and cool. Cook beans in boiling salted water for two minutes. Rinse, drain, and cool.
Mix oil, lemon juice, and mustard. Season to taste. Combine veggies, salad, toss with dressing. Serves 4.
Quinoa with Fresh Corn & Black Bean Salad
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 ½ cup vegetable stock
3 ears corn, shucked and steamed
1 cup cooked black beans
1 cup diced red peppers
1 ½ cup cherry tomato halves
½ cup minced red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
½ tsp. sea salt
½ avocado, sliced
(3 cups water to 1cup beans; 1 tsp salt keeps beans whole)
Bring the vegetable stock to boil; add the quinoa, bring to a boil again, then cover and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook the quinoa until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. While the quinoa is cooking, make the dressing by combining the vinegar, olive oil, garlic and sea salt.
Cut the corn kernels off the corncob and set aside. When the quinoa is done put in a large mixing bowl, fluff with a fork and let cool. When the quinoa is cool, add the corn, beans, tomatoes, pepper, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and dressing, tossing well. Serve garnished with a slice of avocado Serves 4 to 6.
The natural palate. 830.990.0699. the naturalpalate@hotmail.com
Quick Arugala Salad
1 cup seedless green grapes
1 bunch Arugula (4 cups) or spinach
½ cup thinly sliced fresh fennel
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
sea salt and pepper to taste
Wash and dry grapes, Arugula, and fennel to prevent the
dressing from becoming diluted. Dry in a salad spinner, if you have one, or pat dry with paper towels. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange grapes, Arugula and fennel on a plate and drizzle with dressing. Serves 4.
Warm Potato & Edamame Salad
1 12-oz. package frozen shelled edamame (soybeans)
¼ head green cabbage, finely shredded (about 1 cup)
16 small red, purple, or new potatoes, halved (about 1 lb)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup olive oil
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
4 cups baby greens
Bring pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Blanch edamame 3 minutes in boiling water, then transfer to medium bowl with strainer or slotted spoon. Blanch cabbage in same pot of boiling water 1 minute, and place in same bowl. Drop potatoes in boiling water, reduce heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and add to edamame mixture. Cool 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, and toss with oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
Place greens in serving bowls, and mound potato salad on top.
Each serving: cal 351; prot 13 g; fat 17.5 g; sat fat 2 g; carb 37 g ; chol 0 mg; sod 330 mg ; fiber 9 g; sugar 6 g .
Insalata Faioli (Italian Bean Salad)
One 15-ounce can cannellini beans
5 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 stalks scallions, finely chopped
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
¼ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
4 cups arugula
Put the cannellini beans in a strainer and rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and scallions. In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Fold the beans into the vegetable mixture, add the dressing, and shower with fresh parsley. Serve over arugula. Serves 2.
Each serving: cal 306; prot 12g; carb 46g; fat 9g.
Ginger Orange Dressing
Juice of 1 orange
1 teaspoon walnut oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice and walnut oil. Mix in the fresh ginger, salt, and pepper. Serves 2.
Each serving: cal 83; prot 0.6; carb 9g; fat 5g.
Green Salad with Mango and Tomato
4 cups mixed salad greens, rinsed and dried
1 large ripe tomato
1 ripe mango, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Arrange the greens evenly among 4 plates. Slice off the top and bottom of tomato, and discard. Slice the tomato into 4 1/2inch slices. Place mango slices next to tomato slices on top of greens. Whisk together the lemon juice, salt, pepper in a bowl. Whisk in the oil. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve. Serves 4.
Each serving: cal 111; prot 1g; carb 12g; fat 7g; fiber 2g.
Guaca-pea-Camole Dip
4 cups frozen peas
2 tablespoons water
juice of two limes
1 tablespoon low-fat silken tofu
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ cup diced tomato
¼ cup diced onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Cook frozen peas in boiling water until soft, about 10 minutes. Place peas, water, lime juice, tofu, salt, cumin and chili powder in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape mixture into a bowl. Add tomatoes, onions and cilantro and mix. Serve as a garnish for any Southwestern or Mexican entrée, or serve by itself with salsa and tortilla chips (see below). Yield 3 cups.
Each 2 tablespoon serving: cal 18; prot 1.2g; carb 3g; fat 0.1g; sat fat 0g; chol 0g; sod 68mg; fiber 1.2g.
Tortilla Chips
12 – 6” corn tortillas
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each tortillas in half, then cut each half into 3 triangles resulting in 72 pieces. Arrange triangles evenly on 2 baking sheets, overlapping if needed. Bake 15 minutes, flip triangles, and bake 15 minutes more or until golden and crisp.
Each whole tortilla: cal 58; total fat 0.5g; calcium 46mg; potassium 40 mg; folic acid 26mg.
Quick Cold Cucumber Salad
1 cucumber
1 medium tomato or red bell pepper
1 small red onion
Mediterranean Dressing:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice or wine vinegar
1 medium clove garlic
sea salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh or 1 teaspoon dried dill (optional)
Slice onion, press garlic, and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Slice cucumbers, dice tomatoes (or slice bell pepper). Combine onions, garlic, cucumbers, and tomatoes or bell pepper in a bowl and dress with lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, and olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.
Ranch Dressing
½ cup Nayonnaise
½ cup Vegenaise
¼ cup soy milk
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon parsley leaves
1 ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Makes 1 cup.
Chickpea and Lentil Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
4 cups cold unsalted water (for the lentils)
1 cup French green lentils (lentils de Puy), picked through and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas; or 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 small red onion, halved, peeled, and diced fine
1 red bell pepper, diced fine
1 cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and diced fine
6 marinated sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
½ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into this strips
Vinaigrette
¼ cup olive oil ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. sea salt 2 Tbs. White wine vinegar
Place the water and lentils in a big saucepan, and bring them to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not losing their skins. Drain the lentils in a colander and dump them into a big bowl. Drain and rinse the canned or soaked chickpeas in a colander. If you are using dry chickpeas, place them in a pot with 4 cups of cold unsalted water, and bring them to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for an hour or more, until the beans are tender and have lost their chalky, raw-bean flavor. Drain well in a colander and cool to room temperature, then dump the chickpeas into the bowl with the lentils.
Toss the remaining ingredients except the basil on top of the beans Toss the salad with a big spoon or with your hands until all the beans are evenly coated with the vinaigrette. Sprinkle the basil over the salad and toss again, gently, so you don’t bruise the basil. Taste for salt. If the flavors need to be heightened a bit, drizzle a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar over the salad.
Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least an hour, so the beans can absorb the flavor of the vinaigrette. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes 4 servings.