chicken bacon caesar salad

 These Abby Thome salads (or wrap filling) are amazing, mostly thanks to the delicious Caesar dressing. I don't think I will ever buy from a bottle again! When I'm making this dressing for side salads, I just eyeball the ingredients in a jar and usually make 1/3 to 1/2 the recipe as written. 

Ingredients

Salad

• 5 heads of romaine, chopped
• herb grilled chicken, chopped
• 1/2lb crispy bacon, chopped
• quick croutons
• caesar dressing
• parmesan cheese

Dressing

• 1 cup mayo
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar OR @garlic.expressions OR both!
• 1.5 tsp worcestershire
• 1.5 tsp anchovy paste (I always leave out)
• 1 clove of garlic, grated (or 3/4 tsp garlic powder)
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (I always add extra)
• juice of 1/2 lemon (just as good without)
• lil’ pinch of salt
• lots of black pepper

smoked mozzerella pasta salad

Kory, Gage, and I love this pasta salad from the Whole Foods deli, but found this copycat recipe from Made in a Day to make a bigger batch for much cheaper at home.

Ingredients

• 16 oz organic rigatoni pasta
• 9 oz roasted bell pepper strips
• 8 oz smoked mozzarella, cubed
• 2.5 oz shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 oz white wine vinegar
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more as needed
• 5.5 oz mayo
• 5-6 oz fresh baby spinach
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp dried parsley
• salt & pepper 

Instructions

1. Boil water in a large saucepan and cook rigatoni as directed. While pasta is cooking, place fresh spinach in the colander When pasta is al dente, pour hot pasta and water over the spinach to blanch it. Rinse, drain and run cold water over noodles and spinach to cool .
2. Whisk together in a large bowl (big enough to hold pasta salad), vinegar, garlic, parsley, cayenne pepper, and mayo.
3. Add rigatoni noodles, spinach, peppers, smoked mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Toss with a large spoon until blended. 
4. Chill for 30 min to 1 hour. Tossing every 15 minutes to blend. Serve as a side dish with your favorite summer meal! 

pomegranate chicken salad

A delicious lunch recipe from a neighborhood blogger, Everyday M&K.

Pomegranate Chicken Salad

Prep Time10 mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken salad, pomegranate chicken salad, quick lunch

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded (rotisserie) chicken
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup celery (peeled and chopped)
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

• Mix all of the ingredients except for a few pomegranate and pumpkin seeds in a large bowl.
• Serve in lettuce cups, on crackers, or toast.
• Garnish with remaining pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds.

Potato Salad

I can’t imagine ever needing more than a half recipe of this potato salad from www.aspicyperspective.com. I upped the mustard to taste (we like lots of mustard in potato salad) and Kory and I both really liked it.

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes or Klondike Goldust potatoes
• 2 cups mayonnaise (your favorite brand)
• 1 cup refrigerated sweet pickle relish
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, or 1 part yellow + 1 part dijon
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon celery seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 4-5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 3 celery stalks,  diced
• 1/2 cup sweet onion,  diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
•  Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Cut the potatoes into quarters and place them in a large stock pot. Fill the pot with cold water until it is 1 inch over the top of the potatoes. Set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt and cook the potatoes for 13-15 minutes, until fork tender.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mix the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish including juices, mustard, apple cider vinegar, celery seeds, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Stir until smooth. Then chop the eggs, celery, onions, and dill.
• Once the potatoes are very tender, drain off all the water. Remove the loose peels and chop the potatoes into 1/2-inch chunks. It's okay if they are soft and crumbly. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Gently mix in the dressing until it coats the potatoes well. Then stir in the eggs, celery, onions, and dill. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh dill and paprika.
• Cover the potato salad and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. If you have time to make it ahead, it tastes even better on day two! Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.

curried chicken salad

This is great lunch recipe either plain or on a pita or naan from Ina Garten. I follow the recipe exactly but use golden raisins instead of regular.

Ingredients

• 3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise 
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chutney
• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 cup medium-diced celery (2 large stalks)
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and dice the chicken into large bite-size pieces.

For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth.

Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the celery, scallions, and raisins, and mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Add the cashews and serve at room temperature.

grilled thai beef salad

This recipe from Ellie Krueger is one of my favorite lunches.

Ingredients

• 1 pound top-round London broil or flank steak, about 1 to 1 1/2-inches thick
• 3 tablespoons lime juice, divided
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium gluten free soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1 1/4 teaspoons red curry paste or chili-garlic sauce
• 1/2 head red-leaf lettuce, torn (about 6 cups)
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup), divided, for garnish
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried
• 1 cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

Directions

Rinse and pat the meat dry. Place in a sealable plastic bag or small glass dish. In a medium bowl combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, soy sauce, canola oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red curry paste. Pour half the mixture into the bag with the meat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice to the bag. Seal tightly, and marinate meat in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Reserve the rest of the mixture refrigerated, to dress the salad.

Spray grill or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat. Grill steak until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side, depending on desired doneness. Let rest until room temperature then slice thinly against the grain.

Combine lettuce, sliced shallot, cilantro, basil and beef in a salad bowl, reserving a few shallots for garnish. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates and garnish with reserved sliced shallots.

grape, avocado, and arugula salad

I make variations of this salad from gimmesomeoven.com fairly regularly for lunch. Often it's just arugula, grapes, goat cheese and candied cashews with a quick homemade balsamic vinaigrette, but I like to keep the full recipe on hand for when I'm feeling ambitious enough to consider the original ingredients.

GRAPE, AVOCADO AND ARUGULA SALAD

This grape, avocado and arugula salad is fresh and light, and it makes for the perfect meal or side salad.

TOTAL TIME: 10 MINS

 

PREP TIME: 10 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

• 6 cups fresh arugula, loosely packed
• 2 cups halved seedless grapes, red or green or a mix
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
• half a small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• balsamic vinaigrette (ingredients below)

WHITE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or traditional balsamic vinegar)
• 2 Tablespoons honey or agave nectar, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

TO MAKE THE SALAD:

Add salad ingredients to a bowl, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

TO MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE:

Whisk all ingredients together for 30 seconds until combined.

honey mustard brussells sprout slaw

I love this salad from Cookie and Kate as lunch with grilled chicken and we used it as a Thanksgiving side as well. I usually buy a bag of cruciferous crunch from TJ's instead of shredding my own sprouts.

Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Slaw

• Author: Cookie and Kate
 
• Prep Time: 20 mins
 
• Total Time: 20 mins
 
• Yield: 4
 
• Category: Salad

★★★★★

5 from 20 reviews

This delicious slaw recipe features crisp, shredded Brussels sprouts tossed with tangy honey mustard dressing, toasted almonds and dried cherries (or cranberries). This is a great gluten-free salad or side dish, perfect for potlucks or holiday meals.

INGREDIENTS

Coleslaw

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts
• ⅓ cup slivered almonds, toasted (hickory smoked almonds would be great if you can find them)
• ⅓ cup tart dried cherries or cranberries, chopped
• ⅓ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Honey mustard dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Shred the sprouts: First, cut off the tough ends of the sprouts and any browning outer leaves. Then shred them in a food processor using the slicing blade, pressing the sprouts against the blade with the provided plastic pusher. If you don’t have a food processor, slice them as thinly as possible using a sharp chef’s knife, then give them a few extra chops for good measure.
2. If you are using raw almonds, toast them over medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and turning golden on the edges.
3. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard and garlic until emulsified. In a medium serving bowl, toss the shredded sprouts with the almonds, chopped dried fruit, Parmesan and dressing. Serve.

wild rice salad with pecans and cranberries

I made this salad (yet another cranberry-containing salad...) for a friend's dinner party that ended up being cancelled.  I had absolutely no problem polishing off the whole bowl for lunch over the past few days.  I did let Kory have a little bit and he also liked it, so it's a keeper!  The recipe is based on one I found at foodess.com.

To toast pecans, cook in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until aromatic, about 5 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry brown/wild rice mix
• 4 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup minced parsley
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine wild rice, water, 1 tbsp olive oil, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 50 minutes, or until tender. Drain in a fine meshed sieve, and run under cold water to cool completely. Let stand in sieve for 5 minutes to fully drain.
2. In a medium bowl, combine wild rice, green onion, pecans and cranberries.
3. In a liquid measuring cup, combine oil, soy sauce, vinegar and parsley. Pour over salad and stir well to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.
4. May be made up 24 hours in advance and refrigerated until serving.

spinach, almond, and orzo salad with cranberries

I found this recipe on Family Kitchen and it is my new favorite salad.  The flavor combination of the tangy gorgonzola cheese and the sweet cranberries is amazing.  Throw in the toasty almonds for texture and the salad is officially perfect.

(photo from Family Kitchen blog)


Spinach and Orzo Salad with Cranberries and Almonds
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com


1 cup whole wheat orzo, uncooked
3/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
about 3/4 of a 6 oz bag of baby spinach, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dried cranberries
4 oz gorgonzola, crumbled

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (I toast in a nonstick skillet over med heat for about 5 minutes)
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1-2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3cup light flavored oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook orzo according to instructions on package, set aside to cool completely.

To prepare dressing,  whisk together in a small bowl (or shake in a jar) sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, vinegar, oil and pinches of salt and pepper.

In a large salad bowl combine orzo, almonds, spinach and cranberries. Gently toss ingredients with 1/3-1/2 amount of dressing, add more or less to your liking.

Add crumbled gorgonzola and gently toss again.

Serve immediately at room temperature or slightly chilled.

broccoli sunshine salad

I made this recipe from Betty Crocker's Cookbook for Elle's first birthday party.  It was definitely yummy and extremely simple, but I did make a few changes.  I didn't have any cider vinegar, so I used red wine vinegar and I'm not a raisin fan, so I used a mix of dried cherries, cranberries, and blueberries.  I also used mozzerella cheese instead of cheddar.  I used Applegate Farms Sunday bacon to keep the recipe free of artificial nitrates/nitrites.