No Shell Taco Salad

It's recipe swap time again!  This time, for Blogger's Choice, I was assigned Tina's blog, Tasty Treats by Tina.  I had a few things bookmarked, but ultimately I chose a dish that I threw together with some leftovers that made a great lunch!

Normally I wouldn't think of putting cucumbers in a taco salad, but like I said, I was basically cleaning out the fridge with this one :)  So, anything goes...feel free to toss in whatever you have on hand.  I would have loved some jalapenos in here...and olives...what can I say, I was overdue to go shopping!

Obviously, a shell would be fantastic for this (or even chips underneath) - but if you're keeping it low carb, this is the way to go!  You don't even miss the carbs with this one.  Thanks for a great salad, Tina!


No Shell Taco Salad
adapted from Tasty Treats by Tina

1 pound ground beef
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1/4 chopped onion
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1/2 cucumber, sliced
cherry tomatoes
romaine lettuce
shredded cheddar cheese
salsa
sour cream

Place meat to a large skillet and cook over medium high heat.  Add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and stir to combine while cooking.  Once fully cooked, remove from pan and drain fat.

Combine all veggies in a bowl.  Add meat and cheese.  Mix salsa and sour cream in a small bowl, and use as dressing for salad.

A Tribute to Daniel Saraga

As I've mentioned before, the food blogging community is a pretty tight knit one.  Although many of us have never met in person, we still have a special bond based on common interests and passions that revolve around cooking, baking, writing, sharing recipes...all of the things that we food bloggers do.  Because of this, we feel the need to join together when tragedy strikes among us.  This is the reason for my post (as well as the posts of many others) today.

Daniel Saraga, author of The Haggis and the Herring, passed away suddenly a few weeks ago at the age of 37.  His wife gave a touching eulogy at his funeral that she published on their blog for all to read.  Daniel was in the same group as me in the Secret Recipe Club, which is how I became more familiar with his blog, his writing, and his personality.  He always struck me as a man who loved his family and food and joined them together quite frequently, just like I do.

When deciding which of Daniel's recipes to choose for his tribute, I felt myself being drawn to one that is his mother's.  Daniel shared it on her birthday.  It seems like a fitting time to honor her as well - the woman who gave him life, and who undoubtedly is suffering an awful loss right now.




I hope Daniel's family and friends can find peace during this tragic time, and know that the food blogging community has you all in our thoughts and prayers.  This tribute is our way of paying our respects.  RIP Daniel.


Mom's Creamy Greek Salad Dressing
from The Haggis and the Herring

1/4 cup vinegar (I used champagne vinegar)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon onion powder (I used garlic powder)
5 garlic cloves

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix.  Enjoy :)

Orzo Salad with Zucchini, Feta & Olives

As much as I love the fall, I have to remind myself that technically, it is still summer.  It reached 80 degrees yesterday (with low humidity!) so the weather is still keeping it real.

Not that it needs to be summer to enjoy some of this deliciousness.

With the addition of kalamata olives, this salad was amazing.  Make this soon!

Orzo Salad with Zucchini, Feta & Olives
adapted from Real Simple

8 ounces orzo (1/2 box)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 small zucchini, thinly sliced, cut into half moons
salt and pepper
1 cup kalamata olives
2 cups crumbled feta
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Cook orzo according to package directions.  Drain and run under cold water to cool.

While orzo is cooking, combine oil, vinegar, red pepper and zucchini in a large bowl with a bit of salt and pepper.  Let marinate for about 20 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Add orzo, olives, feta and dill to to zucchini mixture.  Toss to combine.  Serve immediately, at room temp or cold.

Tabouleh

Summertime is the right time to be Mediterranean.  It's just too easy.

Parsley from the garden.  Mint from the yard.  Tomatoes from the farmer's market.

Mouthwatering!

Tabouleh
slightly adapted from Simply Recipes

2 cups water (or stock)
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups bulgur wheat
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice from 2 lemons
5-6 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 scallions, chopped
2 cups parsley, chopped
1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
pita chips

Place bulgur in medium sized bowl.  Add salt to liquid and bring to a boil, then pour over bulgur.  Let sit for 30-60 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine oil, lemon juice and bulgur.  Mix well.  Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Taste and adjust seasonings and ingredients accordingly.  Let marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving.  Serve with pita chips.  Will keep in refrigerator for about a week.

Serves 6-8.

Linked to:  Tastetastic Thursday

Watermelon, Feta & Basil Salad

I've been trying to come up with creative ways to satisfy my sweet tooth that aren't too "bad".  Don't get me wrong, I've been loving my ice cream, but sometimes you have to push it aside and behave yourself.

And when it's a dish like this, you don't mind one bit.

I love this salad for so many reasons...it's quick and easy, it's healthy, and best of all it tastes delicious.  Refreshing doesn't even begin to describe it.  And using my garden herbs always makes me happy.

I have to say, although this recipe is terrific, this salad tastes really great even without the extras.  Straight up watermelon, feta and basil is perfect if you don't feel like dressing it up.  Either way, you can thank me later :)

Watermelon, Feta & Basil Salad
slightly adapted from In Good Taste

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 (approximately 8 pound) watermelon, cubed
1 cup feta cheese
1 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves

Whisk oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Add watermelon and feta and toss gently.  Top with basil and serve.

Linked to:  Sweets for a Saturday

Low Carb Coleslaw

Another coleslaw recipe, you ask?  Why, yes.  Yes it is.

You see, I have a soft spot for anyone who has to follow a low carb diet.  I was pretty much tortured throughout my entire pregnancy, so I know how difficult it can be.  Therefore, when I experiment and come up with a really tasty alternative, I must share it immediately.  Especially a seasonal one like this.

Regular coleslaw is usually chock full of sugar...this tastes so delicious, you'll never realize it's missing the real thing.

Low Carb Coleslaw
1 bag shredded cabbage
10 large radishes, sliced thin
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
salt & pepper
2 packets sweet n low

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Black Bean & Quinoa Salad

Can you believe it's already the middle of July!  What summer fun have you been having so far?  We've been down the shore, gone to local carnivals, parties, BBQs...the usual warm weather activities.  Looking forward to lots more coming up.

In the meantime, I'll stay cool with another delicious summer salad.  A healthy one of the grain variety. A versatile one that allows you to pretty much dump in whatever you've got on hand.  Super easy to make, too!

Black Bean & Quinoa Salad
1 cup quinoa, cooked, drained and cooled
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sliced bell peppers (I used the red, yellow and orange frozen mix from Trader Joe's...fresh obviously works, too)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of one lime
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Taste as you go and adjust seasonings accordingly.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, or serve immediately.

Buttermilk Coleslaw

I apologize in advance for the super quick post but I'm having one of those "so much to do, so little time" weeks.

Which is why this side dish is perfect.  When you're invited to that last minute BBQ, or need a quick accompaniment to your main dish at home, remember this.

Finished in about as much time as it took me to write this post :)

Buttermilk Coleslaw
adapted from Paula Deen

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons buttermilk
salt and pepper
2 (12 ounce) bags coleslaw mix

Whisk all ingredients together (aside from coleslaw mix) in a large bowl.  Add coleslaw mix and toss to combine.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Serves 6.

Caprese Pasta Salad

Cool, easy side dishes and salads for the summer are crucial to have in your recipe file.  You never know when company will stop by or when you get invited somewhere and need to throw something together at the last minute.  Like this pasta salad.

They'll keep inviting you back, as long as you keep bringing it.

I threw this together while we were down the shore to go with sandwiches.  It totally hit the spot!  It's great if you need a dish that can be made ahead or transported.  

Make this for the 4th!

Caprese Pasta Salad

1 pound rotini pasta

4 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 ball fresh mozzarella, chopped

1 cup chopped fresh basil

1 can pitted black olives

1/2 large onion, chopped

salt and pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar

Cook pasta according to package instructions, or even a minute less.  Drain and run under cold water.  

In a bowl, combine all ingredients.  Adjust seasonings, oil and vinegar to taste.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Quinoa Salad with Veggies

I'm a mess lately.

I'm forgetting things.  I can't keep things in order - even with lists.  I walk into a room and don't remember what I went in for...

I'm too young for this!

One thing's for sure - I'll never forget this "recipe" - or probably even have to refer back to it.  It's that easy.  Perfect for summer.

Quinoa Salad
adapted from food. com

4 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled
veggies of your choice (I used broccoli, cherry tomatoes, scallions and red peppers this time around)
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 to 1 1/2 lemon(s)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix quinoa, seeds and veggies together.  Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and mix, then add to quinoa mixture.  Stir to combine, and season to taste.  Serve at room temp or refrigerate.

Dijon Potato Salad

It's (almost officially) summertime.  A time when you want to have different salad recipes to choose from for all of those parties, BBQs, picnics...if you're like me, it's all about variety!  

Don't get me wrong...I love my MIL's version, as well as my Mom's...but this one hits the spot, too.

This is a quick and easy potato salad that caters to the mustard lovers.  I whipped it up last week with stuff I had on hand for a delicious BBQ side at home.  Perfect for this weekend's get together!

Dijon Potato Salad

3 cups red potatoes, cut into big chunks

1/4 cup onion, diced

1/4 cup scallions, chopped

1/3 cup celery, diced

1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white vinegar

salt and pepper

Cook potatoes until slightly soft.  Meanwhile, add remaining ingredients all together in a large bowl.  Drain potatoes and let cool, and toss into large bowl with other ingredients.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The Best Tuna Salad

There are plenty of people out there rolling their eyes, I know.  The sight of "the best" anything has that effect on some.  And that's fine.

So to all you eye rollers out there, just do me one favor.  Try this recipe.  THEN tell me what you think.

I mean it.  Leave me a comment.  Prove me wrong.

Until then, I agree with Cook's Country...this IS The Best Tuna Salad!

The Best Tuna Salad
from Cook's Country Magazine

3 cans solid white tuna packed in water (I've always preferred Bumblebee)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (CC recommends Hellmann's...that's all we EVER use in this house!)
1 celery stalk, finely chopped

Drain tuna and pat dry with a paper towel.  Microwave oil and onion for about 2 minutes, until onion begins to soften.  Mix with tuna, lemon juice, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Let marinate for 10 minutes.

Stir in mayo and serve (I like my tuna salad cold so I always refrigerate it for a while before eating).

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (and a Bloggers Bake for Hope reminder!)

FACT:  I have a love/hate relationship with ranch dressing.  Why, you ask?

I love it because, well, it's just delicious.  Rich, creamy, tasty...

I hate it because it's not exactly that great for you.

So, I can feel a bit less guilty about it if I make it myself...right?  RIGHT?

Yeah, I'd say that's right.

And remember, today is the last day to bid on tasty treats for a great cause!  Head over to Bloggers Bake for Hope now and check out all the goodies that are being auctioned off.  And please, spread the word!

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
slightly adapted from Simply Recipes

1 cup light buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

Stir buttermilk and mayonnaise in a medium bowl until fully combined.  Add remaining ingredients and adjust for taste.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Cauliflower, Walnut & Parsley Salad

Anyone out there love raw veggies as much as me?  There's just something so satisfying about that big, loud crunch...so, I try to find different ways to dress them up.   Sometimes straight up gets kind of boring, you know?

Forget the mandolin the original recipe writer suggests using if you love the crunch.  Like me.

Cauliflower, Walnut & Parsley Salad

slightly adapted from Lucullian Delights

1 small head cauliflower

chopped walnuts

chopped fresh parsley

lemon juice

sea salt

extra virgin olive oil

Cut cauliflower into bite size chunks, chopping stems off.  Put in a bowl.

Whisk together parsley, lemon juice, salt and oil (taste as you go) then add to cauliflower.  Top with walnuts and serve.

Lemon & Dill Bean Salad

Beans, beans, good for your heart...

...and good for a quick lunch, or side...and easy on the wallet...and delicious!

LOVE this salad.

Lemon & Dill Bean Salad

from Mele Cotte

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Gently toss all ingredients together in a bowl.  Serve or refrigerate.

Shaved Asparagus Salad

What words pop into your mind when you're thinking about spring?  I have a few:

baseball (go YANKEES!)
flowers
cleaning (guess I should start my spring cleaning one of these days...)
asparagus

Yes, asparagus.  One of my favorite vegetables.  And perfect this time of year.

I made this salad on Easter and it was a big hit.  It was nice to bring something different to the table, literally.  And you can bet this will be seen on our table a lot in the near future.

Shaved Asparagus Salad
from Chow

zest of 1/2 lemon, finely grated
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallot (from about 1 medium)
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons pignoli nuts, lightly toasted, cooled
1 pound asparagus spears, tough bottoms removed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup shaved Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

Combine lemon zest, lemon, vinegar, shallot and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl.  Let sit for 15 minutes.

Using a peeler, thinly slice asparagus lengthwise into strips and place in a bowl (I threw the tips in, too).  Whisk oil into vinegar mixture in a thin and steady stream.  Adjust seasonings according to taste.

Add pignoli nuts, dressing, half of the cheese and all the parsley to the asparagus and toss.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving.  Add remaining cheese to top and serve.

Linked to:  Tastetastic Thursday

Lemon Lentil Salad

How's the weather by you?  We've been having very unseasonably warm temps here in Northern NJ.  I'm excited to start firing up the grill more and switching gears a bit with what we've been eating.  With warmer weather comes lighter foods and cold dishes.  And I'm glad I discovered this one.

We love lentils in this house, and I've been meaning to start incorporating them in salads.  This will be a regular dish here from now on, and you can bet there will be lots more to come!  I brought the leftovers to work for lunch and they were even better the day after.

I served this with grilled Italian sausage...YUM.  I think it would go with lots of things...fish, chicken, pork tenderloin...whatever you like.  Plus, this is a great side dish to take to picnics - no mayo and easy to transport.

Try it soon!

Lemon Lentil Salad
adapted from Allrecipes

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups water
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and picked through
1 bay leaf
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley (which I forgot to add...oops!)
2 scallions, chopped

In a small bowl, combine first 9 ingredients and set aside.

Add water, lentils and bay leaf to a pot and bring to boil.  Reduce to simmer and cook, uncovered, until slightly tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain and discard bay leaf, and place in medium sized bowl or container.  Add tomato, parsley, scallions and dressing and stir gently.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Serves 4.

Raw Kale Salad with Walnuts, Pecorino & Lemon

Kale is everywhere these days.  I find it funny that over 20 years ago, when I was waiting tables at a family restaurant while in college, we used it as a garnish for plates.  No one would even dream of eating it.  Now, it's one of the famous "super foods" that's all the craze.   And I will proudly say that I'm a fan.

This salad was delicious.  It was the dish that represented the movie "War Horse" for my 24x24 party.  In the film, the horse owner was a farmer, so I wanted to choose a farm to table dish to represent it.

Crunch, crunch.

So eat up and make Dr. Oz proud! :)

Raw Kale Salad with Walnuts, Pecorino & Lemon
slightly adapted from Amateur Gourmet

1 bunch kale, stemmed, washed and torn into pieces
1 cup walnut pieces
2 lemons
grated pecorino romano cheese
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Put kale in a bowl.  Place walnuts in a dry skillet and toast until fragrant and warm.  Remove and chop.

Zest both lemons and add to kale.  Toss in walnuts, then juice lemons over the mixture.  Add oil (a generous amount, or else however much you like), salt and pepper, then toss.

Add cheese in (again, as much as you like) and toss salad several times to ensure everything is coated.  Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Mediterranean Couscous

Incase you haven't noticed by now, we're big into mediterranean dishes and flavors here.  I seem to always have the ingredients on hand, which makes it easy for me to come up with different ways to use them.

I've made something similar to this many times, most recently when we had greek pork tenderloin (you can even see it on the plate with the pork in that post).  I could eat sides like this every day.  So easy, so fresh, so delicious.

You could even throw the pork directly into it...or shrimp, chicken, salmon...you get the idea.  And if you haven't tried Israeli couscous before, now's your chance!  I buy it at Trader Joe's.  Love it.

Not too many exact measurements here, as you can see...just taste as you go along.

Mediterranean Couscous
1 box Israeli couscous (1 1/3 cup), cooked according to package instructions
feta cheese (plain or Mediterranean flavored, crumbled)
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 large tomato, chopped
12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
chopped parsley
extra virgin olive oil
freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
dried oregano

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix.  Refrigerate and serve cold later, or serve immediately warm.

Winter freshness

How many of you do the Feast of the Seven Fishes for Christmas Eve?  Or, maybe you don't, but would like to start?

I plan on sharing some of our recipes with you...I was going to do one big Christmas Eve roundup post but now I'm not really feeling it.  So, I hope you can be patient, which should be fine...after all, you have just about a year to prepare if you want to make it yourself :)

Today's recipe actually doesn't include fish.  It's one of the best side dishes that we serve every year - a nice, light, fresh salad that compliments the fish and pasta very nicely.  It's so easy to make, and really delicious.  It would go well with just about any main dish, really.

We don't normally add grapefruit to it, but thought we'd try something different this year.  It was great!  This is another one of "those" recipes that doesn't include exact measurements...just taste as you go.  You can do it, I promise :)

Citrus Fennel Salad
2 blood oranges
1 large pink grapefruit
2 meyer lemons
1 fennel bulb
black olives of your choice, left whole (I took the picture before adding the olives!)
1/2 large red onion
extra virgin olive oil
citrus vinegar
a few squeezes of fresh orange juice
a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper

Cut unpeeled oranges and lemons into very thin round slices.  Lay them on bottom of serving platter.  Peel the grapefruit and section it.  Line pieces around edge of platter.

Cut fronds off fennel bulb and cut bulb into thin pieces.  Lay on top of oranges and lemons.  Peel onion and cut into thin round slices and place on top of fennel.  Add olives.

Squeeze orange and lemon juice on top, then add a few splashes each of oil and vinegar.  Top with pepper and serve.  This can be served cold or at room temp (we serve at room temp).

Linked to: Back to Basics