Salads – Page 3 – First Look, Then Cook

Lemony Orzo – Veggie Salad with Chicken

Published on August 16, 2010 by Dawn2 Comments

One of my favorite summertime dishes is to make an orzo salad with chicken mixed in. Add a little dill and a lemon vinaigrette, and you’ve got yourself a perfect meal, especially when it is hot outside. I usually make a big batch of it and bring it to our community swimming pool for Sunday night dinner. It is my hope that someday even the kids will go nuts over it.

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and it looked just like the version I make (sans the recipe). I decided to give it a try to see how it compared. I have to wonder if somehow there was a secret camera hidden in my kitchen that watched me make this – it was just like my own rendition. It was so delicious and light, you just couldn’t help but have seconds and thirds. The kids didn’t know what they were missing, but had they known, there wouldn’t have been as much for the adults…I guess when they are finally able to appreciate this pasta salad, I will have to double the recipe.

Ingredients

3/4 cup uncooked orzo
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1/2 cup diced English cucumber
1/2 cup prechopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain and place in a large bowl.

While orzo cooks, combine lemon rind and next 6 ingredients (through black pepper), stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle juice mixture over orzo; toss to coat. Add chicken and next 4 ingredients (through dill); toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with cheese.

Serves 4.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Lemony Orzo – Vege Salad with Chicken

Summer Barley Salad

Published on July 25, 2010 by Dawn2 Comments

I have really started to like making salads out of barley. It is much healthier than pasta, and has a great nutty flavor. I have never much been into cold rice salads, so this is a perfect alternative. I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and I was so excited – I had been thinking about all the barley I had in the pantry, and how I was going to use it.

The first time I made barley, it turned out almost like a risotto – and even though when mixed with the rest of the ingredients, it still tasted great – for some reason I was just not satisfied with the texture. The next time I made barley, I decided to rinse it after I was finished cooking. That definitely did the trick – and the barley didn’t all stick together. From now on, I always rinse the barley after I am done cooking it. Not only does it cool the barley off, but the grains don’t stick to each other, and allows all the other ingredients to mingle in just the right way.

Now I just need to get my kids to start eating it…and when I do, then I know I was successful. Even though the kids didn’t like this salad, all the adults I served it to LOVED it. There were hardly any leftovers, and there were only 4 adults. The flavors were wonderful, just perfect along side the grilled steak we had for dinner. This is definitely a summer salad keeper.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked pearl barley
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 cup diced seeded plum tomato (about 2 small)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
20 kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

Cook barley according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Cool completely. Combine barley, corn, and next 4 ingredients (through kalamata olives) in a bowl. Combine juice and next 4 ingredients (through garlic), stirring well with a whisk; drizzle over barley mixture. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Serves 8 as a side dish.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Summer Barley Salad

Greek-Style Pork Chops

Published on July 23, 2010July 24, 2010 by DawnLeave a comment

Summer to me is synonymous with grilling – even if it is cold and rainy outside. For some reason, the fact that it is summer encourages me to buy meat at the market that tastes great on the grill. My husband is the grill master of the house. So, I have a confession to make…I don’t even know how to use the grill, or turn it on. I really rely on him to do the grilling, which means I can spend more time baking. We all win.

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and it looked so simple, I had to make it right away – especially because my market basket just happened to come with all the other ingredients. Everything about this dish was terrific. The yogurt gave the pork just a little extra punch, and it also went perfectly with the cucumber tomato salad. The next night I served the rest of the salad with the leftover yogurt, and it made a wonderful dressing. If you don’t have a grill, you could easily do the pork in a grill pan on the stove – but it is summer (at least in spirit here), so at my house we grill outside.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops
3/4 cup plain fat-free Greek-style yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/2 cups diced plum tomatoes (about 2 medium)
1 cup diced seeded cucumber
1/2 cup diced red onion
Cooking spray

Preparation

Combine 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, oregano, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and garlic in a zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag, and seal. Marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature, turning after 10 minutes. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon oil, yogurt, 1 tablespoon dill, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk. Cover and chill. Combine tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Sprinkle tomato mixture with 1/8 teaspoon salt; toss to combine.

Heat a grill. Remove pork from bag, and discard marinade. Sprinkle both sides of pork evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add pork to grill, and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from grill, and let stand for 2 minutes. Place 3/4 cup tomato mixture on each of 4 plates, and top each serving with 1 pork chop and about 3 tablespoons yogurt mixture.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Greek-Style Pork Chops

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus and Red Peppers

Published on July 2, 2010 by Dawn7 Comments

I don’t know what it is about grilling season, but I am constantly looking for great sides that can be served warm or cold next to some nice grilled meat fresh off the BBQ. I am a huge fan of couscous – but then one day I discovered Israeli couscous…I love those little balls of pasta – they are so perfect with fresh vegetables, and make a delicious side dish that you can serve at any temperature. I remember trying to explain Israeli couscous to my daughters one evening – I told them that they were like rice except that they were pasta. Then I had to explain the difference between rice and pasta – and that rice is a grain, and pasta is made from semolina flour, etc…and the conversation got way too complicated pretty quickly.

I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit, and it reminded me that I had a package of Israeli couscous in the pantry. The vegetables in the recipe though didn’t do it for me – they were all green. I felt that like I needed some additional color in there, so I modified the recipe slightly below. The fresh lemon dressing was excellent – be sure to use fresh lemon juice for this one, it is worth it. I served this with some nice steaks that my husband grilled, and the dinner was a huge hit – we ate every last bit of the couscous. My favorite part of this recipe? You can substitute whatever vegetables you have in your garden, or refrigerator. This will be on our menu a lot this summer.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves, minced, divided
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 1/3 cups Israeli couscous (6 to 7 ounces)
1 3/4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
14 ounces slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Test-Kitchen Tip

To trim asparagus, hold onto the top of the stalk with one hand and bend the bottom of the stalk with your other hand. The stalk will snap, separating the woody end from the tender top.

Preparation

Whisk 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, and lemon peel in small bowl; set dressing aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add couscous, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until most of couscous is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add 13/4 cups broth, increase heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 10 minutes, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls if too dry.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add asparagus, sugar snap peas, green peas, and remaining garlic clove. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; sauté until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to large bowl.

Add couscous to bowl with vegetables. Drizzle dressing over. Add chives and cheese; toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 6.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Israeli Couscous with Asparagus and Red Peppers

Southwest Rice and Corn Salad with Lemon Dressing

Published on April 26, 2010April 27, 2010 by Dawn4 Comments

My family loves rice. There was definitely a time when I was making rice at least a couple of times each week. I always had to time things just right though because it is a good 25-30 minutes from start to finish – and then there is the clean-up. I hated when the rice would stick to the bottom of the pan…ugh!

Well – I was talking to my sister-in-law on the phone (who happens to be a food consultant) telling her about the rice I found at Trader Joes in the freezer section – and how easy it is to make – and how delicious it is. In 3-4 minutes, I have a perfect batch of rice – with absolutely no clean-up. Then she told me about the latest product she was working on – she said, if I liked the rice at Trader Joes – wait until I tried this. So I did – and not only does it taste amazing, it is ridiculously healthy. It is really the perfect rice – especially when using it in a recipe – when the recipe calls for a cup of rice – no problem, just measure it out, and put it in the microwave. In minutes, it is done. So – when I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit – I knew that the Brown, Red, Wild Rice Medley would be perfect. I was right. I served this to a bunch of moms at my daughter’s Book Club, and they loved it! It was definitely a hit. Half of them even thought their kids would love it.

Now, this new product is not available everywhere – so if you happen to live in an area where this rice is not available, go to their website and send them a message.

Ingredients

1 cup Brown, Red and Wild Rice Medley
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 2 ears) or frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup chopped fresh poblano chiles or green bell pepper
1 cup diced seeded red bell pepper
1 cup 1/2-inch cubes yellow zucchini
1 avocado, halved, peeled, diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Cook rice using package instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain again.

Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and 3 tablespoons oil in small bowl. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add corn, poblanos, yellow bell pepper, and zucchini. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are just tender, 6 to 7 minutes; scrape into large bowl. Add rice, avocado, green onions, cilantro, and dressing; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Southwest Rice and Corn Salad with Lemon Dressing

Greek Chicken and Barley Salad

Published on February 2, 2010 by Dawn4 Comments

Feta cheese – yum. It is just one of the many cheeses I always try and keep in the refrigerator. I love making Greek Salads – but truly, my favorite part is the feta. When I graduated from college, I went back to Europe to travel for a couple of weeks before I started my job – my time in France my junior year gave me such a bug, that I had to go back to visit a few places I had missed. One of those places was Amsterdam. I ended up meeting a friend of mine from High School there, and we went to this Mediterranean café for dinner – I normally try to stick to the specialties of the region, but this place was packed – and the food looked amazing. I had a greek salad that night that I will never forget. The feta was so fresh and delicious, I finished off the leftovers on my friend’s plate as well – he was laughing at my determination to not waste a single bite.

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light – and it happened to win an award – how could I pass it up? The barley in the salad make it particularly intriguing to me – that is not a grain I have cooked before, although I do love it. I thought the nuttiness of the barley would go perfectly with the feta cheese – and I was right. The best part of all though was the lemon vinaigrette – use it sparingly, but boy what a burst of flavor it brought to the dish. We had some friends over for dinner that night, and it was a huge hit. I can see why it won an award.

Ingredients

Salad:

2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 cups cubed seeded cucumber
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup cubed yellow bell pepper
1/3 cup reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives

Dressing:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

To prepare salad, sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add 1 cup broth; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until done. Cool; shred chicken. Discard broth.

Bring 3 cups broth to a boil in a large saucepan; add barley. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Cool. Combine chicken, barley, cucumber, and next 4 ingredients (through olives) in a large bowl.

To prepare dressing, combine 3 tablespoons oil, rind, and remaining ingredients; stir well. Add to barley mixture; toss well. Cover and chill.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here: Greek Salad and Barley Salad

Avocado and Grapefruit Salad

Published on January 14, 2010May 6, 2010 by Dawn2 Comments

The other morning I was about to leave for work and noticed that I had a very ripe avocado on the counter, which was sitting next to a grapefruit. I thought about our plans that evening, and decided that the only way I was going to eat the avocado before it passed its prime was to bring it to work. I chucked them both into my bag, and off I went.

When it was lunch time, I decided I would just make an avocado and grapefruit salad – those two flavors pair beautifully together – the tartness of the grapefruit with the creamy mild avocado is wonderful combination. When I tried it though, it was missing something. It needed a dressing – not a heavy one, but it needed something else. I decided to venture to the cafeteria to see what I could find. Now, I work at a big company – and there are a lot of foodies around that make sure the cafeteria is somewhat decent. We have famous chefs like Thomas Keller and Mario Batali that show up every once in a while to sign books – I was sure I could find something that I could make work.

I went to the salad station, and none of the dressings sounded good – so I decided to make my own. I took some olive oil and balsamic, and put them in a to go container. As I was making my way past the condiments – it hit me – it needed a french vinaigrette – so I put in a dab of Dijon mustard – mixed it all together and that was it. It was beautiful. Thanks cafeteria for helping with my creation.

Ingredients

1 pink grapefruit
1 ripe avocado
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbl. balsamic vinegar
3 tbl. olive oil

Preparation

Supreme the grapefruit by cutting about 1/4″ off of both ends so the pink flesh shows through. Take a knife and carefully cut off the skin around the fruit so that all the white is removed. Cut down along fruit section to the center, then turn knife to loosen section and lift out. Repeat for other sections. Place the grapefruit in a bowl.

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and score the avocado in a cross-hatch pattern, being careful not to break the skin. Scoop out the avocado with a spoon and separate the chunks of fruit adding it to the grapefruit.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small container with a lid – and shake until everything comes together. Drizzle dressing over the grapefruit and avocado one tablespoon at a time, tasting after each tablespoon so as not to add too much dressing.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here: Avocado and Grapefruit Salad