March 14, 2010
By Anne in Mexican-Inspired, Raw, Side Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian
I first made this slaw to go with fish tacos, but glory be, I generally cannot stop eating it, even without the tacos. It’s so refreshing, crunchy, and tart. It’s the perfect bright and juicy counterpoint to Tex-Mex dishes, such as the chicken enchiladas we had for dinner tonight. I’ve tried adding other ingredients and spices to this slaw, but we’ve decided it’s gilding the lily to do so. It’s just right this way, in its role as supporting salad.
Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw
This salad is fine on its own but is a total delight in conjunction with other dishes that are heavy in garlic, cumin, and peppers.
Ingredients:
- 1 small head cabbage
- 1 onion
- juice of two limes
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
Directions:
- Slice cabbage in quarters and remove core. Shred each quarter thinly so that the individual shreds are slender in width but a few inches in length.
- Put cabbage in a bowl and mix in all the other ingredients. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Serve immediately or chill for half an hour before serving.
March 13, 2010
By Anne in Grain, Vegetarian
Today I judged at a swing dance competition, which took many (wonderful) hours. I was lucky enough to get a salad down the old gullet! Not much to say about this salad, although it was tasty. Greens, radishes, peppers, celery, avocado, and a bit of leftover Tabbouleh salad from Ballard Market.
March 12, 2010
By Anne in Fruit, Lunch/Snack Salad, Raw
Last night’s “salad” (Thai fresh rolls) got me thinking about how nice it would be to have more fork-free salad options. This one is a total winner. Cut the top off of an apple, then carve the insides out with a melon baller or other scooper. Use the apple flesh for the salad, along with the ingredients listed below. When you close it up, I wonder if you could hold it closed with a rubber band? What a cute addition to a sack lunch! It’s kind of a spin on Waldorf salad, but lighter and more zesty.
Stuffed Apple Salad with Pistachios and Oranges
Ingredients:
- 2 crisp apples
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 handful of pistachios
- 1 handful of raisins
- 2 radishes, quartered and sliced
- 1 orange, peeled and diced
Directions:
- Cut the tops off of the apples. Reserve the tops.
- Scoop the apples out with a melon baller.
- Chop up the apple flesh and mix it with the rest of the ingredients.
- Stuff the apples and close them with the tops of the apples.
- To eat, take off “lid,” hold the apple vertically, and carefully eat the salad as you also take bites around the edges of the apple shell, as if you were eating the last of an ice cream cone or a messy burrito.
Serves 2.
March 11, 2010
By Anne in Asian-Inspired, Vegan, Vegetarian
Nope, didn’t make these. The number of degrees on our daughter’s thermometer has an inverse relationship with the number of minutes we spend in the kitchen. In other words, she had a fever today and we ordered takeout. Man, I love Thai food. And I love salads gift-wrapped a go-go. More time to spend snuggling on the couch.
March 10, 2010
By Anne in Vegetarian
This was not a salad to satisfy a powerful hunger. This fell under the category of recreational flavor experimentation. When I was playing with these ingredients I heard the telltale sound of the stepstool banging against little two-year-old legs as my kid arrived on the scene to help. She loved this salad more than I did. Specifically she was into the lavender cheddar and the balsamic. I can’t help but think this kid is going to be a chef when she grows up. What two-year-old takes time out to learn how to say “balsamic reduction”? My favorite part of this salad was the pears/balsamic with the rosemary blossoms.
Pear Salad with Balsamic Reduction
Ingredients:
- Sliced pears
- Balsamic vinegar, cooked slowly to a reduction over medium heat
- Greens
- Lavender cheddar cheese (I bought this at PCC)
- Rosemary — plus blossoms
March 9, 2010
By Anne in Lunch/Snack Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian
This salad was just perfect. I had a few extra minutes while I was doing other things, so I threw some lentils in a pot with stock, carrot, onion, celery, bay leaf, and thyme, then I cooked them for about 45 minutes. They were so great with the crunchy cold veggies! The tart lemon and the mild heat from the chile pepper tied the veggies and lentils together beautifully.
Lentil Spinach Salad
Ingredients:
- Chopped celery
- Chopped tomato
- Chopped Carrot
- Lemon Juice
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- Mild Chili Powder
- Cooked lentils (see above)
- Baby spinach leaves
Directions:
- Blend together the chopped raw veggies with the lemon juice, oil, and seasonings.
- On a bed of baby spinach leaves, arrange the veggies, then pour over some lentils.
March 8, 2010
By Anne in Raw, Salad Dressing, Vegan, Vegetarian
This “creamy” dressing is made by making a puree of pistachios with grapefruit juice. Bring out a green color in your dressing by adding a few spinach leaves to the mix.
Grapefruit Pistachio Salad Dressing
Ingredients:
- Juice of one grapefruit
- 2 handfuls of pistachios
- small cube of fresh ginger (about 3/4 inch)
- 1 T orange blossom honey (or other honey)
- 1 or 2 T rice vinegar
- 3 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- pepper, to taste
- Basil or tarragon, to taste
- A few spinach leaves, for color
Directions:
Whiz all ingredients together in a blender or mini-food processor until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with greens and some chopped grapefruit and pistachios.
March 7, 2010
By Anne in Lunch/Snack Salad, Pasta, Uses Leftovers
Oh, this was a good leftover salad lunch. Crunchy fennel is so amazing with pesto!
Linguini Pesto Salad
Ingredients:
- Leftover linguini with pesto (that was made with chicken breast and spinach)
- Shredded zucchini
- Chopped fennel
- Chopped tomato
- Chopped red bell pepper
Warm up the pasta, then mix it in with the chopped veggies.
March 7, 2010
By Anne in Lunch/Snack Salad, Main Course Salad, Uses Leftovers
Attractive, it is not. However, the comfort-food-meets-good-health appeal is irresistible. The red wine vinegar and oregano harmonize with the browned bits of the meatballs. The tomatoes add necessary tangy juiciness. Even though I wouldn’t take another picture of this one, I will definitely eat it again, exactly like this, in perfect simplicity.
Meatball Salad
Ingredients:
- Mixed greens
- Meatballs, chopped
- Grape tomatoes, halved
- Diced onion
- Red wine vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Oregano
- Salt & pepper
March 5, 2010
By Anne in Side Salad, Vegetarian
Feast your eyes on this beauty! I did not make this lovely and delicious salad. You can have it yourself at The Tin Table at the Century Ballroom on Capitol Hill. It’s made with arugula, roasted golden beets, grana padana, and sherry vinaigrette. To me, a restaurant’s salad is the litmus test for the rest of the menu. This well-excecuted salad, with its fluffy shaved cheese and well-balanced vinaigrette, perfectly foreshadows other amazing dishes here. I had the mahi-mahi tacos on this night as well. Total bliss.