Chickpea Salad
Serves 4 (use as a salad, wrap or sandwich) What you need: 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 tablespoon tahini 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (or mayonnaise) 1 teaspoon Dijon or spicy brown mustard 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar 4 scallions or 1 small shallot, thinly sliced 1/4 cup diced celery 1/4 cup diced pickle or relish (sweet or dill your choice) pinch each sea salt and black pepper 1 tablespoon roasted sunflower seeds lemon juice from 1/2 lemon What to do: Place the chickpeas in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork, leaving only a few beans whole. Add tahini, yogurt, mustard, maple syrup, onion, celery, pickle, salt, and pepper, to the mixing bowl. Mix to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add sunflower seeds and fresh lemon juice. Serve a scoop on a large lettuce leaf, as a sandwich or in a wrap. (adapted from Alexandra cooks) |
Garden Salad
Serves 6 What you need: 24-ounce bag Garden Salad Mix 20 grape tomatoes halved 1/2 cup seedless cucumber sliced 1/2 cup kalamata olives 1 very thin slice red onion quartered Olive Garden Dressing (store bought or see recipe below) 1 cup homemade croutons or bread crumbs 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese Assemble the Salad: Place the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and onion, in a large bowl. Pour desired amount of dressing on top and toss. Sprinkle with croutons/bread crumbs and cheese. Olive Garden Dressing Recipe: 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon sugar 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl, or shake in a mason jar for 30 seconds. If very thick, add a small amount of water if needed to thin out |
Mexican Corn Salad with Sausage
Serves 6 What you need: 5 tablespoons lime juice 3 tablespoons olive oil 4 cups frozen corn 1 shallot, sliced into thin rings 1 serrano pepper 1 stalk stalks celery, sliced thin 3-4 oz roasted red peppers or pimentos 2 Tablespoons canola oil 16 oz Italian Ground Sausage 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp celery seed 1 tsp chili powder 1 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled 1 cup roughly chopped fresh celery leaves (or cilantro) Lime wedges for garnish What to do: In a large serving bowl, whisk together lime juice and olive oil. Stir in shallots, celery and serrano. Set aside. In a large skillet add canola oil, then crumble sausage into small pieces. Sprinkle with garlic powder, cumin, celery seed, and chili powder. Turn heat to medium-high, cook and stir until golden brown, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer sausages to the shallot mixture. Pour off (and save) some of the remining oil. In same pan, add 1/3 of the corn just covering the bottom. Cook over med-high heat, not stirring, until lightly charred on 1 side, 3-4 minutes. Transfer corn to the sausage shallot mixture. Repeat until all corn is lightly charred, adding in some of the drained grease if necessary. Toss to combine; let stand until cooled to room temperature, 15-20 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup Cotija Cheese and 1/2 cup celery leaves. Garnish with remaining 1/2 cup celery leaves and 1/2 cup Cotija cheese. Serve with a lime wedge. |
Couscous Friends Salad
Yield: serves 6 entrée portions (or 10-12 side servings) What you need 3 cups couscous (or quinoa), cooked (about 1 cup uncooked) 1 cup cucumber, chopped (about 1 English cucumber) 1 shallot, diced 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped 1 cup feta, crumbled 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas rinsed and drained 1/2 cup pistachios 1/2 cup cooked turkey bacon, chopped 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed 1/4 extra virgin olive oil 1 Tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon Kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Feel free to add extra ingredients. Toss in a handful of chopped cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, julienned sun-dried tomatoes, or even dried cranberries. |
Barefoot Contessa Chicken Salad
What you need 2 boneless chicken breasts halves baked and cooled 1/2 cup good mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried) 1 cup pecan pieces Lettuce leaves, for serving. What you do
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Friendship Luncheon Chicken Salad
Since this is a First Presbyterian Church Recipe you can be sure it is delicious - serves 8 What you need 2/3 cup mayonnaise (146 g) 1-1/2 tsp lemon juice 1-1/2 tsp curry powder 1-1/2 tsp soy sauce dash of sea-salt and coarse pepper 6 cups cooked chicken breast diced (3 large halves) 1 can water chestnuts diced 1-1/2 cup seedless grapes halved 1-1/2 cup pineapple bits drained well 1 cup finely chopped celery 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds What to do Mix ingredients for dressing. Stir chicken, water chestnuts, grapes, and celery together Toast almonds in a frying pan over med heat stir and watch, the almonds will burn easily Sprinkle almonds on top of each serving. |
BLT Chicken Salad
combines all the flavors of BLT's in a creamy chicken salad) Servings 8 What you need 5 cups chicken cubed (2.5 lbs) 2 cups bacon cooked and chopped (1 lb) 1 cups celery diced 2 cups grape tomatoes quartered 1 c. mayo 4 Tbsp half & half 2 tsp fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill) 1tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder What you do Combine chicken, bacon, celery, and tomatoes in a medium mixing bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Stir mayo mixture into chicken mixture until well combined. Serve on bread or lettuce |
Chef Tim's Panzanella Salad with Chicken
(Italian Tomato Bread Salad) This wonderful recipe for Italian Bread Salad makes use of Chef Tim's Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette. What you need 6 Roma tomatoes, medium cubed 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4' half moon. (This is an important step.) 1/2 red onion thinly sliced (optional) 16 Medium fresh basil leaves cut into thin strips 3 Cups cooked, cubed seasoned chicken breast 3 Cups Croutons (made from a small baguette ) 6 oz Chef Tim's Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette What to do Toss all ingredients. Let sit 2 minutes, and re-toss. Let sit 1 minute. Re-toss again and serve on a bed of lettuce greens. https://cheftimfoods.com |
Roasted Greek Salad
Serves 4-5 What you need 1/3 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 clove garlic, minced 2 cups cherry tomatoes 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into chunks 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks 1 small red onion, cut into chunks 10 ounces block feta, cubed 2 lemons, halved 2 English cucumbers 1 cup Kalamata olives 1 sprig fresh dill What to do Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Mix together the olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic in a small mason jar. Set aside. Place the cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, and feta in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil mixture and toss. Spread on a sheet pan with the lemon halves and roast until the vegetables and feta have browned, 15 to 17 minutes. Allow them to cool, about 20 minutes. To assemble, toss the roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and feta together with the cucumbers and olives then place on a platter. Add the juice from the roasted lemons to the remaining olive oil mixture in the mason jar. Secure the lid and shake until combined. Drizzle the salad with half of the dressing. Arrange dill leaves over the top and serve with the remaining dressing on the side. |
Columbia Restaurant’s Original “1905” Salad
Serves 6 (slightly adapted) What you need 1 large head iceberg lettuce broken into pieces 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half 12-14 oz baked ham slices, julienned 8 oz Swiss cheese slices, julienned 1 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated 1 jar pimiento-stuffed Spanish Olives What to do Divide lettuce among 6 bowls. Top with tomato, ham, and Swiss cheese. Serve olives on the side. Toss with “1905 Dressing". Sprinkle Romano or Parmesan cheese on top. Serve immediately. “1905” Dressing Ingredients 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic clove, minced 3 teaspoons dried oregano 3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce Juice of 2 lemons Salt and pepper to taste Salad Dressing Preparation Mix olive oil, garlic, and oregano in a bowl with a wire whisk. Stir in vinegar and lemon juice, gradually beating to form an emulsion, and then season with salt and pepper. For best results, prepare a few hours ahead of time. |
BLT Sandwich Salad
Recipe courtesy Sunny Anderson for Food Network Magazine
4 servings.
What you need
For the salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 slices white bread
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the bacon:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
12 strips center-cut bacon
6 sprigs fresh thyme
For the dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the lettuce, onion and tomatoes in a large bowl; set aside.
Meanwhile, cut the bread into crouton-size cubes. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and toast, tossing, until golden, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Make the bacon: Mix the brown sugar, paprika, lemon zest and crushed pepper in a small bowl. Add the bacon and press to coat on both sides. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; place the thyme sprigs on the parchment paper, then lay a strip of bacon on top of each sprig. Bake until the bacon is caramelized and crisp, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet. Cut the bacon into bite-size bits using scissors; add to the bowl with the lettuce. Discard the thyme.
Make the dressing: Whisk the mayonnaise, syrup, mustard and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add the dressing to the salad and toss. (This is enough dressing for the whole salad, but you can use less if you want a less wet salad.) Sprinkle the croutons on top and eat.
Recipe courtesy Sunny Anderson for Food Network Magazine
4 servings.
What you need
For the salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 slices white bread
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the bacon:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
12 strips center-cut bacon
6 sprigs fresh thyme
For the dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the lettuce, onion and tomatoes in a large bowl; set aside.
Meanwhile, cut the bread into crouton-size cubes. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and toast, tossing, until golden, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Make the bacon: Mix the brown sugar, paprika, lemon zest and crushed pepper in a small bowl. Add the bacon and press to coat on both sides. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; place the thyme sprigs on the parchment paper, then lay a strip of bacon on top of each sprig. Bake until the bacon is caramelized and crisp, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet. Cut the bacon into bite-size bits using scissors; add to the bowl with the lettuce. Discard the thyme.
Make the dressing: Whisk the mayonnaise, syrup, mustard and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add the dressing to the salad and toss. (This is enough dressing for the whole salad, but you can use less if you want a less wet salad.) Sprinkle the croutons on top and eat.
Winter Pear-Apple-Chicken Salad
(serves 4) What you need: 1 firm pear 1 sweet apple (Gala) 2 cups diced cooked chicken 10 oz mixed green lettuce 3 oz baby spinach 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/2 cup pecan (roasted) pieces 4 tablespoons dried cranberries 1/4 cup lemon vinaigrette dressing What to do: Core pear and apple then slice thinly. Place all ingredients in salad bowl (except vinaigrette). Pour in vinaigrette; toss to coat. Serve. |
Ramen Noodle Salad
Serves 6 (photo credit: Num's the Word) What you need: 1 (16 ounce) package coleslaw mix 1 package chicken-flavored ramen noodles, broken into 1/2-inch pieces 1 Ramen seasoning packet ⅓ cup light olive oil (or other neutral oil) 2 tablespoons white sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds 1/2 cup slivered almonds 1 cup mango or fruit of choice (optional) What to do: Whisk olive oil, reserved ramen seasoning packet, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, salt and black pepper together until smooth. Put coleslaw mix in a large bowl. Pour dressing over slaw mixture and toss to coat. Stir in broken ramen noodles. Refrigerate for an hour. Just before serving stir in sunflower seeds, slivered almonds and fruit. |
Tuscan Tortellini Salad with
Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes Serves 6 What you need 14 - 16 oz fresh cheese tortellini 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 1/2 tbsp. honey kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 lb chopped salami or prosciutto 3 oz baby spinach 2 oz sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan What to do In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and transfer to large serving bowl. Make dressing: Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey and season with salt and pepper. To bowl, add prosciutto, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and dressing and toss until well combined. Garnish with Parmesan. |
Quinoa Veggie Salad with Zesty Vinaigrette
(recipe from Tracy Scott) Serves 6-8 What you need: 8 oz box red quinoa (cooked and cooled) 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 teaspoons lemon juice 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard 3/4 cup olive oil 1/2 seedless cucumber diced 1 yellow or orange pepper diced 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced 2 stalks celery diced 1 small carrot shredded What you do: Place the vinegars, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and mustard into a blender. Drizzle in the oil while blending at high speed until the dressing is thick. Combine the cooled quinoa, cucumber, pepper, tomatoes, and celery. Pour the dressing overtop and gently fold until evenly mixed. |