Salad Daze.

It's been awhile since I posted a favorite recipe so I thought I'd share 2 salads that I made recently. It's been hot and I love to eat salads for lunch and dinner when the temperature soars.

Curried Quinoa Salad with Zuccini, dried cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds.

1 C cooked Quinoa (follow package directions)

2 small zucchini, halved and cut into slices

1/2 small yellow onion, diced fine

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. curry powder

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, for frying

1-2 tbsp. water

salt and pepper, to taste

2 tbsp. dried cranberries

2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds

Heat oil in pan and add diced onion. Saute until tender, Add curry powder and saute for another minute. Add garlic to heat through and then add water. This will make a curry paste. Add sliced zucchini and fry for a minute or so until tender crisp. Then add quinoa and cranberries, stirring until mixed through. Transfer to serving dish, salt and pepper to taste and top with pumpkin seeds. This can be eaten hot or can be put in the fridge overnight and enjoyed cold.

YUM

Market Salad with Bocconcini Cheese and Balsamic Dressing.

This salad is best when made with ingredients you've picked up fresh from the farmers market. Use what you like. Toss all ingredients together with dressing.

Romaine lettuce, torn

English cucumber, sliced thin

radishes, sliced thin

Roma tomatoes, quartered

green onions, sliced thin

fresh parsley leaves, torn

fresh basil leaves, torn

cocktail sized bocconcini cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic Dressing

1 tbsp. good balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

I'm always throwing together ingredients and playing in the kitchen to come up with tasty creations. You may remember my big salad recipe here, or my veggie chili recipe. If you're a foodie, or just love to create and cook please feel free to direct me to your blog, or share one of your favorite recipes in the comments.

Cheers!

Another Tasty Tuesday

My easy veggie chili simmering in the pot.

All dressed with grated natcho cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

Have I mentioned that we are all "foodies" here. The Food Network is just about always on and we all like to get in the kitchen and whip up some wonderful creations. Today I threw together a pot of my veggie chili before I got into the studio to begin work. When my husband makes his famous chili it's an all day affair and we have plenty for freezing. Last time he did this we had 12 litres of chilli. Yum!!! However, I like to cook Rachael Ray style which is fast and easy. I threw this light vegetarian chilli together in about 20 minutes with ingredients I just happened to have available. Next time I make it, I'll probably have different ingredients in the house and it will be a whole new taste. I usually add firm tofu but as I was out, I added fresh edemame. I like to be adventurous and throw different ingredients together and come up with very stress free recipes. Do you like to cook? If you have any easy recipes that you'd like to share please feel free to comment here.

1 large vidalia onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped into small bite sizes pieces
2 small zucchini, chopped the same as carrots
1 package fresh/frozen edemame, shelled
1 28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
1 19oz. can black beans
2 chilis in adobo sauce (less for less heat)
2tbls. chili powder
1/2-1 tsp cumin
black pepper to taste
1 big squeeze of ketchup

On medium heat in a large pot, fry the onions for a few minutes just to soften. Add all the other ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Garnished as desired and enjoy.

My "Big Salad" Nicoise

It's another Tasty Tuesday!! We are all so busy these days that sometimes it can be a real challenge to get a meal on the table. Especially one that's made with real food and can be prepared in a hurry. When life gets super hectic around here I like to make a "big salad" for dinner. Here's my version of a "big salad nicoise". As I'm quite casual in the kitchen, this recipe can easily be changed up in ingredients and amounts to suite your specific needs and what happens to be in season. If you don't like one of the ingredients that I've used here, by all means substitute something you like. You can even take this dish up a few notches and use fresh seared Ahi tuna. The "Big Salad Nicoise" pictured above easily fed 2 adults and a 16 year old son for dinner with no leftovers.

Salad Ingredients

1 small head romaine lettuce
1 small red bell pepper, sliced thin
1/2 English cucumber, diced
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
4 hard boiled eggs, quartered
fresh green beans, steamed
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
1 can tuna, drained
1/2 cup kalamata olives,
9 cocktail size boccaccini cheese balls
6 slices black Forest ham

Dressing

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper
1/2 small shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dijon mustard

Arrange salad ingredients onto a platter. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour as much as is needed over salad. Store any leftover dressing in refrigerator. Enjoy with a nice glass of chilled white wine, and some good conversation.