Apple Cranberry Salad

 

 Green apples, Balsamic vinaigrette, and fete CHEESE!!! Yes!!

DRESSING
1/4 C. Olive Oil

 Few springs chopped parsley
Pinch dried oregano
1 minced garlic clove
Sprinkle of dried red pepper flakes
Chopped cranberries
1/2 Tb Raw honey
salt and pepper to taste

VEGGIES
I filled a large bowl with equal parts of each green.
{Romaine hearts, mixed greens, and baby spinach}
1 thinly sliced green apple
a few slices of red onion
1 container of baby tomatoes
handful of cranberries
walnuts to garnish
1/2 lb. feta cheese

 

enjoy!

 



Steak Salad with Homemade Cilantro dressing

 Dressing Ingredients:

1 cup Cilantro (no stems)

1/2 plain greek yogurt

2 Tsp Fresh Lime juice

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tsp white wne vinegar

Salt to taste

Puree all ingredients in a blender!!

 

For the Salad:

1 head romaine lettuce chopped or torn

1 pint baby tomatoes (halved)

Sliced red onion

1 carrot (grated)

1 diced Red bell pepper

1 can organic black beans (rinsed)

 For the steak:

I marinated my meat like I would for carne asada. Add the juice of half a lime, season with garlic salt and seasoning salt, chopped onion, chopped cilantro. Set aside for 20-30 minutes. Grill to a medium rare or medium... I did about 3-4 minutes per side. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

To assemble the salad, add some greens and veggies to your bowl, top with meat & drizzle with yummy dressing!!!

ENJOY!!

Quinoa and Roasted Pepper Salad

This recipe was adapted from Pinterest, I thank the quinoa gods everyday for allowing me to come across this recipe.... I know my mom & sister do too!! It's pretty amazing, very flavorful.

 It's perfect alone or as a side dish, and the long it hangs out in the refrigerator the better.

Original recipe! 

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked Quinoa (red & white variety)

1 Red  & 1 Yellow Bell Pepper (roasted & peeled)

1 can of peeled Garbanzo beans

1/4 Red Onion (thinly sliced)

1/4 bunch Chopped Cilantro

1/2 lb Crumbled Feta cheese

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup chopped Cilantro

2 minced Garlic cloves

1/2 cup Olive oil

2 Tb Red wine vinegar

2 Tb Lemon juice

Salt & pepper to taste

You can make this dressing in the blender, by throwing everything in or slowly incorporating the oil with the vinegar and then adding in remaining ingredients. Either way will work.

Cook the quinoa & allow to cool completely. Meanwhile, roast the bell peppers, peel and dice. Peel the garbanzo beans, thinly slice the red onion and chop the cilantro. In a large pretty bowl, add the cooled quinoa and its veggies. I like to add half the crumbled feta and half the vinaigrette, mix to incorporate all ingredients & then add remaining dressing, mix again!

 Lastly crumble remaining feta on top, makes it look pretty... I like pretty things! 

Refrigerate until your ready to eat or not! Don't forget leftovers are amazing!!

ENJOY!!

Kale/Spinach/Romaine Chopped Salad

This week I was visiting my parents for dinner, my mom loves when I help with dinner so I decided to make a different type of salad. Keep in mind my mom always has a well stock pantry and refrigerator so this salad came together quite easy. There are many variations of similar salads out there, I always mix and match ingredients and vinaigrettes from salads I've tried in the past.

 

This salad seriously filled me up & left me craving more. I can stress how delicious it turned out!!!I'm always looking for ways to incorporate kale into my dishes. I decided to add ingredients I love the most and would of course blend well together. As far as the vinaigrette I made, it's a very basic recipe, for the most part I make my own dressings. Sometimes I add dijon mustard to this recipe and other times I omit it. If you want to make it alittle more "Greek" for a Mediterranean salad add oregano to the mix. It's so versatile!

 

For the Salad:

Half head of kale 

1 romaine heart 

1- 1 1/2 cup spinach leaves 

1 pint cherry tomatoes

Lots of crumbled feta

1/2 of chopped Pecans 

1/4 cup dried cranberries 

Let's get started, wash & chop your greens very finely and place in a large bowl. Slice cherry tomatoes in half and chop pecans (set aside for now). Now for the dressing... 

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

3 Tb red wine vinegar 

1 Tb Dijon mustard

6-7 chopped sundried tomatoes 

1/2 tsp salt

Ground pepper 

Pinch of raw sugar

Place all ingredients in a bowl, mix together. Add remaining topping to your salad bowl (pecans, tomatoes, cranberries and crumbled feta). Add dressing and completely toss all ingredients together. Add more cheese or pecans if desired. Serve immediately!! 

Ask for seconds! 

 

Enjoy!! 

Ree's, Quick Italian Salad

 

Who loves Olive Garden salad?? Or any fab Italian salad for that matter? ME! ME!

This recipe was adapted from Ree Drummond also known as Pioneer Woman, she's amazing!

Click the link to view her recipe: Ree's Italian Salad

I made this salad for a family BBQ and it was a total hit! I'm sharing it because some of you may not be familiar with Pioneer Woman & if you are yay!! You'll love this side.

 

I followed the dressing recipe to a T! It's so yummy, why mess it up!

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup grated Parmesan (pre-grated in a pack from the store)

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, pressed

Juice of 1 lemon

 

In a blender add the olive oil, mayonnaise, Parmesan, parsley, sugar, vinegar, black pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic and lemon juice and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

 

You can also use a good store bought Italian dressing,

but if you have these ingredients on hand, try it!

 

For the salad I used the following, 

2  romaine hearts (chopped)

1/2 head iceberg lettuce (chopped)

6 whole pepperoncini

1/2 cup whole black olives (sliced in half)

1/2 cup whole red cherry tomatoes

1/2 small red onion (sliced into thin cirlces)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan or more

 

Wash your veggies and dry. In a large bowl add the lettuce combination and mix together, top with the remaining veggies, I assembled them on top neatly. Looks pretty! 



 

I set the dressing in a bowl near by, as well as extra parmesan cheese.

 

Enjoy!!



Mixed Greens topped w/ Quinoa & Ground Turkey

The best thing about salads is making them your own, so be creative & remember you're the boss!!

Prep a mixed green salad with all your favorite veggies,
brown ground turkey using my (taco seasoning),

http://shesohungry.blogspot.com/2013/05/homemade-taco-bell-seasoning.html

& lastly cook quinoa accordingly.

Plate the salad, add 1/2 to 1 cooked quinoa, & top with ground turkey.

Drizzle My Habanero Lime Vinaigrette!!

http://shesohungry.blogspot.com/2013/08/habanero-lime-vinaigrette.html

ENJOY!!

Mexican Crab Salad

 This recipe is made with imitation crab.

 Imitation crab is made from a fish called 'Pollock' which is flavored to taste like crab.

 I had to look this up a while back, the name imitation crab is well intimidating! Haha!
This is also used in California rolls.

RECIPE:

2lbs Imitation Crab meat

4-5 small cucumbers (diced)

4 Roma tomatoes (diced)

1/2 red onion (minced)

half bunch of cilantro (chopped)

*4-5 Serrano peppers (optional)
2 avocados (diced) 

4 lemons (juiced)

Salt to taste

Shred the imitation crab meat, chop all the veggies. Combine together, add lemon juice & salt. 

Allow it to sit for 1-2 hrs. before serving.

Serve on a pretty platter..

Enjoy with a tostada, crackers, over a green salad or on its own.. I usually add tapatio to mine!! Yum!!

ENJOY!!

Cold Quinoa Salad

Give this a try, so easy, healthy & delish!!

RECIPE:

2 cups cooked Quinoa

(Cook accordingly)

1 pkg. cherry tomatoes (halved)

3-4 small cucumbers (diced)

1/2 red bell pepper (diced)

1/2 yellow bell pepper (diced)

4 slices red onion (slices)

handful of parsley (chopped)

Fete cheese *optional

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Allow to cool completely.

Chop all the veggies!

Place the cooled quinoa in a large bowl.. 

Chop up the parsley..

Vinaigrette:

1/2 lemon (juiced)

1/4 olive oil

Salt & pepper (to taste)

Add lemon juice & olive oil into a small bowl, season with salt & pepper 

& whisk together until it creates a thick vinaigrette.

Add your veggies & parsley to the quinoa as well as the vinaigrette. Mix to combine.

 Top with feta cheese or not!

Serve!

The following day I added feta, sooooo good!!

Enjoy!!

Cabbage Slaw (Mexican style)

My family uses this cabbage slaw recipe for numerous dishes... Great addition to all types of tacos, enchiladas or as a side salad. I can't think of a better name than calling it a

 'Mexican slaw' because of its ingredients.

So, for now that's how I'll refer to this slaw.

RECIPE

1/2 green cabbage (thinly sliced)

1/4 bunch of cilantro (chopped)

1 tomato (diced)

2 small cucumbers (diced)

1/4 onion (finely diced)

1 lemon 

1 TB salt

1/2 TB oregano

(great for 3-4 people, use whole head of cabbage for 5 or more people)

Begin by finely slicing all the cabbage, place in a large bowl fill with water & allow to sit for 10 minutes or so. This cleans it! Remember it must be very thinly sliced (as my mom would say).

 After it has sat drain out all the water, make sure its almost dry before adding other ingredients.

Diced, tomato, cucumbers, onion & chop the cilantro...

Place in a separate bowl (if cabbage is still draining)..

Add salt, oregano & lemon & incorporate.

Add in cabbage incorporate well well tomato mixture & your done!

ENJOY!!