Since I’m all gross and sweaty every evening after my kid’s swim team practice (it’s so hot outside already!), I’m really in the mood for salads so thought we’d keep going with this salad theme for the week. I am very fortunate that my kids do like salads, and fortunately they are really simple to throw together. And, I almost always have at least a few of the ingredients around the house.
So, most of the time, we start with a big bowl of spinach because it’s so mild and nutritious…
“Hey Tate, what does spinach do to our bodies?” My sweet pasty little hunk. He’s very proud…
I think for us, the key to a good salad is to use something that is a little sweet such as a fruit. We like to use ONE of the following:
strawberries (great with feta and roasted walnuts or almonds)
apples (feta and any nuts)
pears (love with some feta)
raisins
cherries (goes great with pistachios)
grapes
Then, we like to add a little crunchy (or salty) like roasted nuts/seeds so we’ll add ONE of the following:
sunflower seeds
pine nuts
walnuts
almond slivers
roasted flax seeds
pistachios
And then sometimes we also like to add either a little bacon or some feta. Either of these is almost guarenteed to make a salad yummy!
A good standard salad dressing we like is:
1/4 EVOO
1 tbsp balsamic
dash of celtic sea salt
dash of garlic (sometimes)
When I’m making this strawberry salad (see above) with roasted walnuts and feta, I’ll use a few drops of stevia in the dressing. The sweet and salty makes this my kid’s favorite salad!
Oh, and quick note about the kale (with nutritional yeast) I’m so obsessed with. So I have tried many different temperatures and cooking times and I think I’ve figured out my favorite combination. So, I’ll preheat the oven to 300, cook the kale (with EVOO, nutritional yeast (and cashews if time), and a dash of apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and salt) on a cookie sheet with parchment paper for 15 minutes. Then, I’ll turn the oven off (keep the kale in the stove) and I’m ready to start my day. Then by lunch, or even more a mid morning break, I have a great snack waiting! Love this stuff!!
Chris Colwell -speaking of Kale…..I found out an interesting fact that I’m sure Lan would never know, but the Kale will last in your refrige in a tight container for 10 DAYS!!!!! Yes you read that right. I made the Kale last week before we went to LA and my husband was not crazy about it. I ate as much as I could in 2 days and could not stand the thought of throwing it away so I thought I would put it in the fridge and see what happened. I just ate the rest of it this afternoon. YUM! as always.ReplyCancel
landriav -Hey Chris! So good to know, and you’re right, would have never guessed, or had the chance to test, but so great for others to know. Thanks for posting that. I’m like you, I cannot stand to waste food!! How was LA?? Hope to see you soon!ReplyCancel
With temperatures already in the high 80’s (that was quick, wasn’t it?) this might have to be the week of salads. They are so good and refreshing this time of year, and can make for such an easy dinner.
When we were in California, I needed some breakfast for the early flight home. So, I picked up a Mediterranean chicken salad at a local store the day before and it was a great breakfast, believe it or not! Anyway, I finally got around to trying to replicate it and it was a huge hit in our family, even with my olive-hating husband. He actually said, “please make this once a week.” I couldn’t believe it.
Anyway, last night, my sweet husband grilled up 3 pounds of chicken on The Egg, which makes things like this and the Chinese chicken salad so so easy to make later in the week. I think we’ve just added a new staple to our Sunday routine…
So this is more chicken, less salad, but the amount of spinach is up to you. This is what I used:
1 lb. grilled chicken
1/4 cup fresh calamata olives (Whole Foods olive bar)
organic cherry tomatoes, cut in half (used most of the container so about 1 cup)
purple onion (I used half of a precut container so the equivalent of about 1/2 onion)
1/4 cup regular crumbled feta
handful or two of spinach
For the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp tarragon
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp red wine
celtic sea salt, a dash or two
Here’s what you need to do:
Cut up tomatoes, chicken and onions and olives and put in a large bowl.
Add in the feta and stir all together.
In a small bowl, use all of the dressing ingredients and mix well.
Add the dressing to the large bowl and stir well.
Finally, toss in a handful (or two) of spinach and enjoy!
If you don’t use too much spinach, it saves really well for leftovers.
Nicole -Oh my gosh! Best salad I’ve ever eaten!!!!ReplyCancel
landriav -So glad you liked it Nicole! After seeing your post, it made me realize I need to make this again. We are having it tomorrow. 🙂 Thanks for posting!ReplyCancel
GiGi Eats Celebrities-Wow! I would like that once a DAY not once a week! ha ha! Simple chicken salads like that make me so happy, especially when they’re NOT made with MAYO! All you need is a little OLIVE OIL! 🙂ReplyCancel
landriav -Ha! So glad you liked it!! We make it at least once a month and are always sure to make a huge batch of it since that stuff doesn’t last long around here!! Thanks for commenting!! 🙂ReplyCancel
justin -I absolutely LOVED Whole Foods Store Mediteranean Salad and found this when I googled it on line. What does 1/4 EVOO mean? I know it means Extra Virgin Olive Oil but how much is “1/4”? Cup? TBS? TSP?
Great recipe which I will definitely try once I get the actual specific recipe. I’ll also get my grilled chicken at Costco where it is grilled and precooked. 🙂ReplyCancel
landriav -Hey Justin! Sorry about that, it’s 1/4 cup. And good to know about the precooked chicken! I’m all about ease!!ReplyCancel
He’s a good little puppy and well, has nothing to do with food. But c’mon, how can I not introduce you to our new family member?! My sweet daughter has wanted a dog for YEARS, so today, we got to surprise her with this bundle of love. I don’t think it’s a day she’ll soon forget, and neither will we. It was so much fun!
Okay, so on to the yummy stuff. I guess avocados must be in season because they are just perfect lately. We are eating guacamole at least 2-3 times a week. It’s such a super food in my book and it makes me feel so good for the kids to get this good fat. Tate is SURE it makes him run faster. I don’t doubt it!
Anyway, we typically just use carrots for dipping or use it as a garnish with dinner. But, I have to admit that I do miss chips and guacamole. Something about the salt and crunch! So…we went with sweet potato chips tonight with our guacamole and it was a hit! Thanks for the idea Danna!
For our guacamole, because we do it so often, we keep it pretty simple. I just use 1-2 avocado, fresh cilantro chopped, juice from 1/3 lime, and some celtic sea salt. But, feel free to add fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, etc.
For the sweet potatoes, I use our mandolin to get the perfect size chip, and save time. I do love that thing but please be careful! I just cut myself for the 2nd time on it! Anyway, preheat the oven to 400, slice the potatoes, line on cookies sheet, spray well with coconut oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook on 400 for 15-20 minutes. I will flip them half way though and add more coconut oil. Then, turn off the stove and let them sit at least another 30 minutes. If you have time to let them sit a couple of hours, they will be super crunchy, but just cook them 15 minutes (versus the 20) so they won’t burn. Enjoy this great appetizer!
And in case you’re wondering, this little guy will be on a grain free, gluten free, preservative free diet. I haven’t had to buy dog food, well, ever, but the choices they have for dogs is amazing! I love that everyone is starting to get the gluten connection, even for the dogs!!
Tuesday was a really long day and by the end of it, I was starved and tired. Thankfully, a wonderful meal (thank you Helen!) was waiting for me and my family at a friend’s house. And, I’m telling you…we CHOWED! The brussel sprouts didn’t even make it home. The kids and I were literally arguing about sharing them on the car ride home. I think I actually lead the charge on that. Bad mom.
So tonight, I had to make more brussel sprouts to compliment the meal my sweet friend Helen made for us. Actually, I made them again because they were so freaking good, but also because they went so well with the whole dinner.
Anyway, here’s what Helen put together. I’m lazier than her so I would probably just use butternut squash or maybe just sweet potatoes or maybe just carrots, but here’s what she did:
Roasted Vegetables
1 lb carrots, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 butternut squash (Trader Joe’s precut fresh)
3 tbsp EVOO
some parsley
Preheat oven to 425. Cut carrots, sweet potato, butternut squash into 1-1 1/4 inch cubes. In a large bowl, mix the veggies with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Then, place the vegetables, laid out evenly and flat, on a cookie sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until all vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped parsley (optional), and serve hot.
So I make brussel sprouts a lot, but these were incredible! It’s amazing how just an ingredient or two can make all the difference. In this case, it was the roasted walnuts, but more importantly was the lemon juice at the end. It gave it just the right amount of zest. I think I’m going to have to start using more lemon! Anyway, here’s what she did:
Preheat oven to 350. Toast 1/2 cup chopped walnuts on baking sheet for 10 minutes, until brown. Let cool, and transfer to a bowl.
Now, turn the stove up to 450. Cut brussel sprouts (I used a bag from Trader Joe’s) cut in half or in quarters. Add about 2-3 tbsp evoo, salt and pepper and mix together. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until fork tender. I usually toss half way between cooking. Toss sprouts in a bowl with walnuts and drizzle a little more olive oil on top. Lastly. don’t forget to squeeze the juice of a lemon on sprouts. Yum!
Lastly, the pork loin, oh the pork. It was so simple, yet so flavorful. Here’s what she did for the marinade:
3 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 t bsp fresh rosemary, chopped
4-6 gloves garlic, minced (Trader Joe’s pre-pealed packs are easy)
Marinate it at least 4-6 hours but preferably over night. Grill and enjoy!
I have been really spoiled for almost 2 weeks now, and I have to admit, it’s been nice. Really nice. But reality is coming back, and I will be back to cooking again next week – I promise! If anyone has any good summer recipes and would like to share, I would love to hear about them!
So I cannot take credit for this fabulous meal, but my extremely kind neighbor put this together for our family and it was amazing. Thanks again so much Rosemary! I’ve actually been craving it ever since she brought it over, so will have to make it very soon. I also loved the veggie puree that went with it. It was amazing and something I will use with other meats going forward. It reminded me of the cauliflower mash (which I love with chicken and pork) but this was the perfect compliment with the salmon. And, it was super light and fluffy.
Here’s what you need:
Salmon fillets
Teriyaki sauce (I would use gluten free tamari)
Olive oil
Seasoning of choice
Almond meal
Salt & pepper
Prepare the salmon fillet by rubbing in the gluten free tamari or teriyaki and some extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle on herbs and spices of choice, as well as almond meal, in whatever quantities you prefer. Apply a light spray of olive oil as well as salt and pepper. Then pop it in the oven at around 340 degrees for 20 minutes and that’s it! That’s my kind of recipe!
For the veggie puree, just sauté a chopped onion and some garlic. Then blend this with your steamed vegetables of choice (brocolli, carrots and celery this time ), some Greek yogurt, and some chicken broth (optional). If you have a Vitamix, even better! If blended on high for about 5 minutes, it makes a delicious, fluffy purée that can also be mixed in with any of your kids’ meals, for secret added goodness.
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landriav - test comment
Chris Colwell - speaking of Kale…..I found out an interesting fact that I’m sure Lan would never know, but the Kale will last in your refrige in a tight container for 10 DAYS!!!!! Yes you read that right. I made the Kale last week before we went to LA and my husband was not crazy about it. I ate as much as I could in 2 days and could not stand the thought of throwing it away so I thought I would put it in the fridge and see what happened. I just ate the rest of it this afternoon. YUM! as always.
landriav - Hey Chris! So good to know, and you’re right, would have never guessed, or had the chance to test, but so great for others to know. Thanks for posting that. I’m like you, I cannot stand to waste food!! How was LA?? Hope to see you soon!