RSS Feed

Category Archives: Salads

Romaine Salad with Chicken, Cheddar, Apples, Spiced Pecans and Cranberry Vinaigrette

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Veronica

This is another recipe I made earlier in the spring and waited to post until the transition from summer to fall because, while salads are typical summer fare, this one incorporates fall flavors like cranberries, apples, and spiced pecans.

If you want to know how this salad tastes, just read the title.  And imagine all those things together on a plate.  There is a lot going on here and you get such a wonderful symphony of flavors and textures with each bite–salty from the nuts & cheese, sweet & tart from the apples & vinaigrette, crisp lettuce & onions, savory & tender chicken, crunchy spiced pecans.  It’s a glorious thing!

Romaine Salad with Chicken, Cheddar, Apples, Spiced Pecans and Cranberry Vinaigrette

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3-4 medium)
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup water
1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 8-10 cups)
8 ounces sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped or sliced thin
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup spiced pecans, store-bought or following the simple recipe below

Dried Cranberry Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is shimmering and hot. Add the chicken and cook until it is nicely browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken over, add the water, and cover the skillet. Cook the chicken, letting it poach, until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool slightly before carving.

Toss the lettuce, cheese, apple, pecans, onion and dried cranberries together. Divide the salad among the serving plates. Slice the chicken on a diagonal and arrange over the salad. Serve with the vinaigrette.

Quick Spiced Pecans:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups pecan halves
1 tablespoon sugar

Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the spices and then the pecans. Toast the nuts, stirring often, until the color deepens slightly and they are lightly toasted, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and toss with the sugar. Let them cool completely before tossing with the salad.

Dried Cranberry Vinaigrette:
*Makes about 1 1/2 cups dressing

1/4 cup cranberry juice or water
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup red wine or raspberry vinegar
1 shallot, peeled and quartered
1 small garlic clove, peeled
2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the cranberry juice (or water) and cranberries in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for one minute until hot. Process the hot cranberry mixture, vinegar, shallot, garlic, thyme, mustard, salt and pepper in a blender until the shallot and garlic are finely chopped. With the blender running, add the oil and continue to blend until the dressing is smooth and well-combined. Thin the dressing, if needed, with additional cranberry juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

6 Comments

Posted in Lighter Fare, Meats, Salads. Bookmark the permalink.

Warm Chorizo & New Potato Salad

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Veronica

This is a very simple summer-friendly recipe that is also, shockingly, husband-friendly. My poor man just does not get the amount of meat and potatoes he believes he requires, so when I served him this salad, he was so ecstatic to be eating meat and potatoes, that he didn’t even care there was a bed of lettuce underneath.

The meat and potato mixture is substantial and satisfying, but I really think you need the egg on top to complete the salad. Jenna said it was optional, but I’m not going to tell you that. You need the warm yolk to run out over the salad and serve as a dressing. It really pulls the whole thing together quite nicely.

Warm Chorizo & Potato Salad

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

1.5 lbs new, red, or gold potatoes (I used gold)
Salt and pepper to taste
15 oz chorizo sausage
16 oz mixed salad greens or shredded lettuce
1 lemon
4 poached or over-easy eggs

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into bite-size chunks; add to the water and once boiling, reduce heat a bit and continue to boil until fork-tender, but not mushy. Meanwhile, start your sausage to cooking. Add to a skillet and cook over medium heat, breaking it and crumbling with a spatula as you go. Remove from heat if it gets done before your potatoes are ready. Once the potatoes are tender, drain and add to the sausage. Stir well and cook another minute or two. Season with salt and pepper. Divide salad greens among four plates, then divide sausage and potatoes on top of each. Top with a poached or fried egg and serve immediately.

Recipe source: slightly modified from Jenna’s Everything Blog

15 Comments

Posted in Meats, Mexican, Salads and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa Salad

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Veronica

Last week, I shared the Fudge Babies recipe, divulging how late I was in jumping on the raw dessert train.  Well, raw desserts aren’t the only thing I was incredibly slow to catch on to.  Until this week, I also had not tried quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), despite seeing it on nearly every blog I frequent!  I’ve been saving recipes for years, finally bought some over a month ago, and finally, finally, made something with it this week.

Quinoa is gluten-free and while it’s not a grain (it’s a seed), it is often used in place of rice and is cooked the same way.  Although I’ve now enjoyed it, I still can’t tell you if I like quinoa or not, because I couldn’t identify its flavor apart from everything else in this salad.  The salad itself was stupendous, so I guess if I didn’t like quinoa, I wouldn’t have liked the salad as much.

It has a pleasant Mexican flavor profile, and while carbohydrate-heavy, it is also fiber and protein-rich.  It is so delicious that I am a bit ashamed to admit I couldn’t even wait to sit down and eat it from a bowl like a civilized human being.  As soon as it was done, I took a taste and then stood over the pan, shoveling it into my mouth with the ginormous serving spoon.  In my defense, I was stressed, approaching a certain time of month, very hungry, and found this salad to be irresistible.  The perfect storm of coincidences to bring out the barbarian in me.

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa Salad

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen sweet yellow corn
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When shimmering and hot, add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the quinoa and cover with broth. Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).  Stir in the frozen corn and black beans. Cover and let the pot sit off the heat until the corn and beans are heated through, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve warm or chilled – it is delicious both ways!

Serves 4 as a main dish, serves 6-8 as a side

Per serving (1/4 of recipe): 417 calories; 7 g fat; 72 g carbohydrates; 17 g fiber; 20 g protein; 10 Points Plus

Recipe source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

16 Comments

Posted in Lighter Fare, Meatless, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Buffalo Chicken Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Veronica

I first made this salad back when I was Somersizing and most of my meals consisted of proteins and fats, but it’s actually very any-diet friendly as well.  I used a lot more butter the first time, because I could, but I prefer it this way with less butter and more hot sauce because I like things on the spicy side. If you don’t, you might want to add less hot sauce at first and slowly build up to your own threshold. I’m not usually a fan of blue cheese dressing, but the cool, tangy flavor really compliments the spicy chicken by contrast.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

Blue Cheese Dressing
¾ cup sour cream
1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Milk or heavy whipping cream to thin, as desired

Salad
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ lbs chicken breasts, cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
½ cup hot sauce
5 oz bag of salad greens
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes

To make the dressing, place everything but the cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and add milk or cream if you want it thinner.  (My photo is not a good indication of this dressing’s appearance, as I went a little heavy on the cream so that it was nearly half dressing, half cream!  It is quite thick before you add milk or cream.)  Add cheese and process until cheese chunks are as small as you like. Store covered in refrigerator 24 hours before serving.

For the salads, heat a skillet over medium-high and add olive oil. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until center is no longer pink, about 10 minutes; drain off the juice. Add the butter and stir until melted, then stir in the Worcestershire and hot sauce until the chicken is evenly coated.

Divide the salad greens among 4 plates, then add the celery & tomatoes to each. Top with buffalo chicken pieces and serve with blue cheese dressing.

Serves 4

Per Salad (with 2 tablespoons dressing): 450 calories; 25 g fat; 11 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 43 g protein; 10 Points Plus

Recipe source: dressing recipe from allrecipes.com, salad recipe by Veronica Miller

14 Comments

Posted in Lighter Fare, Meats, Salads and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Dilly Cucumber Salad

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Veronica

I remember as a little girl, whenever my Grandma Millner would visit, our refrigerator would smell faintly of onions and vinegar because she’d always have a big bowl of cucumber salad stashed in there.  Back then, I remember eating it without complaint, but I wasn’t all that impressed with it.  I think I may use more sugar than her, because I’m practically addicted to the recipe I use now, and you all know how much I like my sugar!

This is a wonderfully cold, crisp, sweet, and briny salad to serve during the warmer months, and a great addition to a potluck or barbecue.  It reminds me of a better and fresher version of bread and butter pickles, though not quite as sweet.  This makes a huge bowl so feel free to cut the recipe down if you don’t think you’ll need this much. Enjoy!

Dilly Cucumber Salad

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

4 cucumbers
1 large white onion
¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon dried dill
2 teaspoons salt

Wash cucumbers well (I get them wet and rub a little dish soap over them to get help get the wax off, then rinse them very well with warm water).  Cut cucumbers in half, then lay flat side down and slice; place slices in a very large bowl. Next, cut the onion in half lengthwise.  Place halves flat-side down, cut in half again lengthwise, then slice very thin width-wise; add to the cucumbers. Measure in remaining ingredients, stir well, and refrigerate overnight before serving. Stir once or twice if you can. The salt will cause water to come out of the veggies and by morning, the liquid will be filled up to the level of the veggies. Serve cold with a slotted spoon.

Serves 16.

Per serving: 52 calories; 0 g fat; 293 mg sodium; 145 mg potassium; 13.1 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 1 g protein; 1 Point Plus

Recipe by Veronica Miller

17 Comments

Posted in Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Pineapple & Mango Salad

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Veronica

I’m ba-ack!  My husband, sister, and I had a fabulous time with our friends in Texas and I put together a slideshow if you are interested, which you can view here.

I had planned to share my favorite basic cheesecake recipe with you upon my return, but you will have to wait until Monday for that one because I’m on a deadline to get a mango recipe posted for BSI (Blogger Secret Ingredient). Trust me, I’m doing you a favor! This salad is so delicious and you don’t risk gaining ten pounds if you go wild and eat the entire recipe.  Which you might be tempted to do with the cheesecake.

OK, so I’m a mango purist.  Mangoes are my absolute favorite fruit and I find them so delicious as they are, with nothing added, that it’s hard for me to make a recipe with them.  There is, however, a lovely salad that I make with them from time to time (usually when I have a mango surplus, because using my only mango for anything other than eating plain would be sacrilege) that is so simple and pure in itself, I don’t feel like I’m adulterating the fruit by including it in the salad.

There are only three ingredients and they marry so well together that in the past I have been inspired to give the salad names that would usually be associated with cocktails, like Hawaiian Sunrise and Tropical Paradise.  To keep things simple and pure, in keeping with the recipe itself, I decided to just go with Pineapple & Mango Salad for it’s official title.

I’ve made this salad with parsley, mint and cilantro and I usually prefer the parsley, though any of them will work.  If you think another sounds better, go with that.  I think it is a matter of personal taste, or perhaps even occasion, as when I’m serving it as dessert after a Mexican meal, the cilantro seems best.  And if you want to give it a little more tropical feel, add in some sweetened coconut.  I did that this morning on my second bowl and thought it was nice, though being a mango purist I can’t exactly condone the behavior. ;)

Pineapple & Mango Salad

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

1 ripe pineapple
4 ripe mangoes
1/2 cup fresh parsley, mint, or cilantro, chopped fine

Cut a slice off the bottom of the pineapple and cut the top off as well.  Sit the pineapple up on on its now-flat end and slice down around the sides to remove the outside.  Keep cutting until you have no pits remaining in the flesh.  Cut the pineapple into quarters, then slice the middle off of each to remove the pit.  Lay each quarter on its back, cut into thirds length-wise, then chop into chunks.  Place the pineapple chunks in a large bowl.  Peel the mangoes and cut the flesh away from the seed.  Chop the flesh into chunks and add to the bowl.  Add the parsley and stir until combined.  Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least until well chilled, before serving.

Veronica’s notes: this salad is perfectly delicious when the fruit is ripe, but if yours is a little under-ripe, you can add in some agave nectar or other sweetener of your choice.  If you don’t feel like cutting up a pineapple, you can usually find fresh cut pineapple at salad bars at supermarkets, or even in the refrigerated produce section.  There is a simpler way to cut the flesh from a mango, which is depicted here (I don’t use this method because I feel like I can’t cut the cubes close enough to the skin and I waste too much of the mango), and to see a tutorial on cutting pineapple, click here.

Recipe source: CW (that’s my Mom.  Dad calls her CW, which stands for Crazed Woman, and she calls him “crazy man.”  Gotta love my dysfunctional family! :) )

This is linked with Nutmeg Nanny for BSI: mangoes.

Questions of the day: 1) Is there anything you love so much in its natural state you can’t alter it?  2) What is your favorite fruit?  3) Do you know anyone that has mean/teasing pet names for their significant other?

7 Comments

Posted in Breakfast, Lighter Fare, Salads, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Restaurant-Style Tabouli

Posted on March 31, 2011 by Veronica

Hummus and tabouli are my favorite sides to serve with Lebanese fare.  Not only are they simple to make, but crazy delicious!  My Mom’s tabouli consists predominantly of bulgar wheat, and most recipes I’ve found are the same, but I noticed when I ordered it at restaurants, it was mostly parsley with a tiny bit of bulgar in it.  Not only is this lower in calories (bonus!), but I actually prefer the taste.    The parsley and lemon make for a very refreshing salad!  Here’s my version of restaurant-style tabouli.

Restaurant-Style Tabouli

Printable recipe
Printable recipe with link

3 bunches parsley, chopped
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup fine bulgar wheat
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover, and let sit overnight before serving.  There is no need to cook the bulgar, as it will absorb moisture from the salad and become tender in a few hours.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 76 calories; 3 g fat; 12 g carbohydrates; 3.5 g fiber; 3 g protein

Recipe by Veronica Miller

I used red onions in the first picture, and white onions in this one. You can also use green onions, if you prefer.

On a personal note: I’m leaving to visit friends in Texas so this is the last recipe I’ll be posting for a while.  I know I’m not a regular poster anyway, so you guys won’t even miss me!  Nevertheless, I will return later next week with some sweets & savories for you. You’re in for a few treats! :)

12 Comments

Posted in Mediterranean, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Baked Potato Salad

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Veronica

This recipe comes from another favorite recipe blog (I have so many!), Evil Shenanigans.  You can tell just from the name of this blog that there is going to be some seriously fattening, i.e. evil and delicious, foods on it.  And there are.  Just incredible.  Like this potato salad.

I’m not a huge fan of potato salad and never had one that I had to keep eating after the first bite.  I could have just tossed my potato salad as easily as eat it.  Until now.  I actually caught myself taking scoops of it out of the serving dish to eat on my way to putting the leftovers in the fridge!  It has turned me into that girl.  You know what I mean by that girl.  The one that secretly keeps jars of frosting in her cupboard and eats them with her finger.  Except my frosting, in this case, is baked potato salad.

It’s basically all the essential elements of a loaded baked potato, but in potato salad form and yes, it’s as good as you think it would be.  Make it.

Baked Potato Salad     
Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

4 large russet potatoes
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar
1/4 cup chopped chives, divided (I used 2 tablespoons dried chives)
8 strips thick cut bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

In a medium bowl whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream until well mixed.  Add 3/4 of the chopped chives along with some salt and pepper.  Whisk to mix. Fold in the cheese and bacon.  Cover and chill for thirty minutes.

 Peel and cube the potatoes into 1/2″ pieces.  Cook the potatoes in salted water until fork tender.  Drain and cool slightly.  Fold the cooked potatoes into the chilled dressing.  Garnish with the remaining chives.  I recommend serving this warm or at room temperature because it’s not as good cold. 

Serves 6-8

Recipe source: Evil Shenanigans

27 Comments

Posted in Salads, Side Dishes and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

Hamburger Salad

Posted on August 13, 2010 by Veronica

There is a local burger joint called Spangles that has a “protein style” option for their burgers, which means they’ll give you the guts of the burger in a styrofoam container, sans bun, with extra veggies.  I came to love this when I was on the Atkins diet (which I have long since ditched), and still order their Gourmet Supreme burger “protein style.” 

I think this was the original inspiration for the Hamburger Salads I started making at home this summer and eat quite frequently because they’re fast, easy and delicious.  Essentially it’s a bed of lettuce topped with all the inner components of a hamburger: burger patty, onion, pickles, tomato, onion, and a drizzle of ketchup and mustard.  It doesn’t lay as heavy on my stomach as a big burger and is really nice and refreshing in these hot summer months. 

Hamburger Salad
Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

grilled hamburger patty, chopped
chopped red onion
dill pickle slices
chopped tomato

your choice of salad greens
ketchup & mustard

Place salad greens on a plate and top with the burger, onion, tomato and pickle.  Drizzle salad with ketchup and mustard.  To kick it up a notch, add some shredded cheddar cheese for a cheeseburger salad!

Serves 1

Recipe by Veronica Miller

18 Comments

Posted in Burgers & Sandwiches, Lighter Fare, Salads and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Watermelon & Tomato Salad

Posted on June 7, 2010 by Veronica

I got this recipe from my friend, Pia, who has a wonderful blog with tons of ethnic recipes, particularly Filipino since she is from the Philippines. Now, I know what you were thinking when you read the title of this post.  You’re wrong! Watermelons and tomatoes CAN be put together in a salad–and it is delicious!  This salad is sweet, salty, acidic, tangy, and is so refreshing.  You will love it.

Watermelon & Tomato Salad
Printable recipe

5 cups seedless watermelon, cut into cubes
1/2 lb. tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium red onion, thinly julienned
freshly ground black pepper
chopped cilantro for garnish

In a large bowl mix chopped watermelon and tomatoes. Stir in sugar and salt and place in fridge to marinate for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, mix in red wine vinegar, olive oil and onions. Keep chilled.

When ready to serve add freshly ground black pepper and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serves 8.

Nutritional Info (per serving): 106 calories; 7 g fat; 11 g carb; 1 g fiber; 1 g protein

Recipe source: Inato lang Filipino Cuisine and More

18 Comments

Posted in Lighter Fare, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian & Vegan and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
→
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,276 other followers