Category: salads

Mediterranean salad

Mediterranean Salad

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Mediterranean Salad

This Mediterranean salad is very filling, especially if you add the chickpeas or make it alongside Walnut Falafels. I think the lemon and garlic dressing ties it all together.

This is a play on a bulgur salad I used to make. Now that I am gluten-free,  I use quinoa, oat groats or brown rice to make it. Making it all veggie by using cauliflower rice is a great tasting option as well.

The dressing is also one you could easily whisk together at the beginning of the week to have on hand for green salads throughout the week.

This recipe makes enough for 5 main dishes, or is a great one to make during your weekly prep time and then portion out for the week. It holds up well and would last covered and sealed for up to 5 days. It’s a wonderful one to portion into jars for the week and then pack in extra greens on top so that you have a salad meal ready to go. Easy grab-n-go, so you’re not tempted by the drive through.

It also makes a great summer dinner for the family. I hope you enjoy it.

 

Print Recipe

Mediterranean Salad

Fresh vegetables and grain tied together with a garlic lemon dressing.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: chickpeas, quinoa, vegetables
Servings: 5
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • mixing bowl
  • small saucepan
  • Cutting board
  • sharpened chef's knife

Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • 1 cup quinoa, oat groats, millet or rice
  • 2 ½ cups water
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 cup zucchini, diced
  • 1 stalk of broccoli
  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup parsley, minced
  • 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed optional

For the Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp water or white wine vinegar
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 1/2 tsp salt and ground pepper

Instructions

For the dressing:

  • Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl and let sit so flavors meld while making the salad.

For the salad:

  • Combine grain and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer according to grain directions. usually cooking quinoa for 10-15 minutes, taking off the heat and and letting it steam, covered for 5 minutes. Oat groats and rice will take longer, about 25-30 minutes, just don't cook until its mushy. You want it to be separate grains, not sticky and a little chewy.
    If using cauliflower rice, you can lightly steam it or use it raw.
  • While grain is cooking, prep the vegetables. Dice the onion, pepper and zucchini. Quarter the tomatoes. Cut the florets from the broccoli stem into small bit size pieces. Peel the remaining stem to remove the thick outer fiber and then dice the crunchy inner stem of the broccoli. Remove the leaves from the parsley stems and mince.
  • Combine vegetables and chickpeas, if using, in a mixing bowl, toss to combine.
  • When the grain is tender, drain any remaining water from the pan and add grain to the vegetables and let cool.
  • Add half the dressing and toss to completely coat the salad. Enjoy the salad at room temperature. Add more dressing before serving or pass with the salad.

Notes

I usually make this salad without the chickpeas and pile falafels on top. 
Veg patty and Brussels Sprouts

Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Crunchy with a bit of sweetness is the BEST way to eat Brussels sprouts! These Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts are a favorite and easy to make your own.

Veg patty and Brussels Sprouts
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Maple Brussel Sprouts

Crispy sweet Brussel sprouts make a perfect side dish
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brussel sprouts
Servings: 4
Author: Chef Kim

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoons maple syrup
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 or fire up the grill.  Rinse the sprouts under running water and pull off any loose outer leaves. Trim the stem if it has dried out or turned brown, and cut each sprout in half through the stem end.
  • Place the sprouts in a bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Toss to coat the sprouts and pour onto a baking sheet turning them so the cut side is down.
  • Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until they get a little brown and crispy. If grilling, pour onto a sheet of foil and wrap the foil loosely and pinch edges to seal it and place it on a hot grill for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Enjoy!!

 

bean, orange and arugula salad

White Bean, Orange and Arugula Salad

Chef KimLeave a Comment on White Bean, Orange and Arugula Salad

Pile this salad into a bowl for a full meal. It’s filling and satisfyingly tasty. Adding beans to a salad, increases the protein, carbohydrate and fiber content.  White beans, oranges and arugula complement each other in flavor and texture, making a tasty bite with each forkful. Give this bean, orange and arugula salad a try!

This salad has a citrus dressing – a combination of hop pepper and lime which adds a nice acidic tang to the sweetness of the orange and spiciness of the arugula. The creaminess of the beans help to mellow some of the spice, but feel free to leave it out if you are sensitive to cayenne.

When considering the sprouts for this salad, use leafy sprouts rather than the crunchy legume sprouts. And depending on your desire for spice, radish sprouts add a kick, while pea shoots, broccoli, kale and sunflower sprouts are all mild. I decide based on whats available and freshest at the store if I haven’t sprouted any myself.

For another recipe post using leafy green sprouts and crunchy sprouts as the focus, go HERE.

Oranges add sweetness and tang along with a juiciness that  lends itself nicely to compliment the dressing. Blood oranges are available only certain times of the year. If you can find them, give them a try. But don’t shy away from the recipe if you can’t find them, navel oranges are very nice, just a little sweeter. If you are not comfortable cutting the orange as indicated, you can add segments of the peeled orange without removing the membranes.

peeled and sliced orangeorange peeled with a knife

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have any questions about this or any other recipe, please don’t hesitate to connect with me.

bean, orange and arugula salad
Print Recipe

White Bean, Orange and Arugula Salad

Prep Time15 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: arugula, citrus, orange, salad, white bean
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • knife
  • large serving bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 small hot red chili thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 T fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • Sea salt ground black pepper
  • 3 cups cooked white beans navy, cannellini, great northern (or 2 cans)
  • 3 navel or blood oranges sliced or supremed
  • 2 stalks celery very thinly sliced on a diagonal
  • 1 cup sprouts pea, radish, or broccoli, divided
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves divided
  • 4 cups arugula

Instructions

  • Combine the chili, oil, lime juice, vinegar, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the beans and let them marinate in the dressing while preparing the vegetables.
  • Use a knife to peel the oranges by cutting the peel off each end of the orange, set the orange on the cut end to stabilize and cut the peel from the flesh from top to bottom all around the orange. Once the peel and outer membrane is removed, slice thinly crosswise.
  • Add the oranges, celery, half the sprouts, cilantro and arugula to the beans and dressing, toss to coat and serve.
  • Garnish with more spouts.

Three Ways to Use Your Canned or Dry Beans

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Three Ways to Use Your Canned or Dry Beans

We have been under stay-at-home orders for about four weeks now. Did you stock up on canned items or dried beans?  I ended up getting the last 2 pound bag of navy beans on the shelf when I was shopping a couple weeks ago.  I have since batch-cooked them all, giving me a large quantity of white beans to incorporate into snacks and meals. I froze a few bags, used some in this SOUP and came up with the following three ways to use your canned or dry beans. For a primer on cooking dry beans go HERE.For each of these recipes you can use canned beans or some you’ve cooked yourself. Any white bean will do.

The first recipe is for a snack dip or lunch spread and one of the favorites in my house, Roasted Carrot Hummus, where we load it on flatbread crackers or pita bread and pile on chopped veggies or raw kraut or kimchi.

This next recipe is a hearty salad with White Beans, Oranges and Arugula. I love fresh greens with beans. Another combination to consider is: roasted chickpeas with garlic and back pepper, or plain tossed with shredded kale, bell peppers and tomatoes with a balsamic dressing

The third bean-based recipe is a Mediterranean Skillet Meal. It’s easy to make with staples on hand. Again canned beans work just as nicely as your own cooked beans. I had artichokes and canned tomatoes in the pantry, so this came together quickly. If you make this during the summer when the tomatoes are at their peek, slow roasted tomatoes substituted for the canned tomatoes are lovely!

Try one of these recipes or all of them and make beans a common ingredient in your meals. Not only do beans taste good and have a nice supply of vitamins, minerals and fiber, they actually improve the gut microbiome, which is an important part of the immune system. At this time, during this pandemic, the immune system is vitally important. (Actually it is all the time.)

Nutty Stuffed Delicata Squash

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Nutty Stuffed Delicata Squash

This recipe comes together quickly, but will take about 40 minutes to bake depending on the size of your squash. The one I used in this recipe was pretty large for a Delicata. But this recipe works with any size squash.  Delicata is easy to work with because there’s no need to peel this squash, the skin is tender enough to eat and doesn’t really have much flavor.  Just be sure to wash the squash before using.

The filling is a combination of sauteed onions, garlic and nuts. I used almonds and walnuts, but pecans and pine nuts could be thrown into the mix as well. To bind these together we’ll mix equal parts chickpea flour and water, add some nutritional yeast and plant milk and any herbs you’d like to bump up the flavor. Mix this with the onions and nuts and spoon into the squash. Place in the oven and bake until tender.

 

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Nutty Stuffed Squash

Fall flavors come together in this light dinner or lunch fair with sweet squash and crunchy nuts.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chickpea flour, harvest flavors, hemp seeds, pine nuts, winter squash
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 large Delicata squash
  • 1 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/3 cup almonds chopped or slivered (sub pecans, hazelnuts)
  • 1/3 cup walnuts chopped (pine nuts or seeds)
  • 1/4 cup chickpea flour
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 T plant milk
  • 1-2 T nutritional yeast to your liking
  • 2 tbsp fresh herbs to taste rosemary, sage, thyme or go sweeter with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove

Instructions

  • Wash your squash, halve it and scoop out the seeds.
  • In a bowl, combine the chickpea flour, water, plant milk and nutritional yeast.
  • In a skillet over medium high heat, saute onion and garlic until soft and golden. Add the nuts, herbs, a couple pinches of salt and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and pour in flour mixture.
  • Stir to evenly mix. Spoon this into the squash halves. Depending on the size of your squash, you may have extra filling. If you do, cook the filling in muffin tins, it will make a mock mini quiche.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until the squash is tender when pierced.

 

Cauliflower Happiness + 3 Recipes

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Cauliflower Happiness + 3 Recipes

I’m sure the cauliflower farmers are happy with all the new cauliflower products out there (pizza, buffalo tenders, tortillas) and the push to substitute this bland low carbohydrate vegetable for potatoes and rice. But we can be happy as well, because it is easy to prepare and is a nutritional powerhouse boasting high amounts of vitamin C and B6, calcium, magnesium phosphorus and potassium, antioxidants and fiber. All this leads to improving memory, inflammatory response, blood pressure, cardiovascular risk and cancer reduction.

I love it and use it as a base for cream sauces, frozen and added to smoothies, and as the star of a crunchy turmeric salad. If you try these recipes, please leave a comment.

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Creamy Cauliflower White Sauce / Gravy

Creamy and dairy free sauce that can also be used as gravy with a few additions.
Prep Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower, cream sauce
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cauliflower separated into florets
  • 1 cup yellow onion
  • 1-3 garlic cloves to taste
  • 1/2 cup cashews soaked to soften
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup broth or plant milk
  • 1 T white miso
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning or thyme, oregano, marjoram
  • pinch cayenne or black pepper to taste
  • For Gravy: 1 lb mushrooms sliced

Instructions

  • Add the cauliflower, onion, garlic and water to a pot, bring to a boil and turn heat down to low, cover for 10 minutes until cauliflower is very tender.
  • When done cooking, add the mixture to a blender along with the cashews, broth/milk, miso, and seasonings. Let cool a bit so the heat doesn't blow the top off the blender. 🙂  Blend for a full minute, scrape down the sides of container and blend for another 30 seconds. It should be thick and creamy. 
  • Use this as a white sauce for noodles, over root vegetables to make a scalloped casserole, in a squash lasagna or to make creamed greens. 
  • For a gravy, slice and sauté mushrooms and another 1/2 cup of chopped onions, and pour this sauce into the pan once the mushrooms have cooked and lost most of their moisture. Use the gravy over grains, cooked with lentils, on top of veggie burgers or as a Rague with kale, chard and collard greens.
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Cauliflower Berry Smoothie

Prep Time5 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: berries, cauliflower
Servings: 1
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1-2 cups spinach
  • 1 cup nut or oat milk
  • 1/2 tsp spices to taste cinnamon & ginger, or maca & cacao

Instructions

  • Blend everything until thick and smooth. Drink Up!
Print Recipe

Turmeric Cauliflower Salad 

This crunchy, creamy and satisfying salad hits the spot. A one bowl meal.
Prep Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower, turmeric
Servings: 4
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • large mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 4-5 cups cauliflower florets in bite size pieces
  • 2 T red onion chopped
  • 1 rib celery chopped
  • 1 cup chickpeas optional
  • 2/3 cup veganaise or mayo
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (more to taste)
  • 1 T rice or cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Veganaise, turmeric, vinegar, mustard and pepper. Taste this and see if you'd like more turmeric.
  • Break up the florets and add to a mixing bowl along with the onion, celery and chickpeas. Stir mixture, tossing to coat everything with the dressing. chill and serve. Keeps for 5 days.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Raspberry Vinaigrette
  • 1 ½ cups raspberries
  • 1 T raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 T honey
  • 3 T olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 1 T fresh basil, minced or 1 tsp dried

 

Blend berries, vinegar and water together and pour through a nut milk bag or sieve to remove most of the little seeds. Combine and whisk in remaining ingredients until emulsified..  Dress salad greens and enjoy. The vinaigrette will keep for about a week, refrigerated.

Creamy Tahini Dressing

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Creamy Tahini Dressing
  • 1/2 c tahini
  • 1/4 c Immune vinegar*
  • 1/3 c raw kraut
  • 2T coconut aminos
  • 1tsp Dijon
  • 2T nutritional yeast
  • 1tsp dill weed
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1 date, pitted
  • Pinch salt
  • Water if needed

Use a blender to blend everything until smooth and creamy.

This is great dressing for a slaw with cabbage, peppers, spinach and sprouts or tossed with kale and dehydrated to make kale chips.

*immune vinegar is cider vinegar infused with mustard seed, horseradish, peppers, ginger and turmeric. Substitute plain cider vinegar if you don’t have Immune vinegar.

Sprouts – Two Salads

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Sprouts – Two Salads

Sprouts are filled with vitamins, minerals and proteins and chlorophyll all necessary nutrients for building our red and white blood cells and easing inflammation.

Activated Almond Salad

  • 1 cup almonds, soaked 4-8 hours (sub sunflower or pumpkin seeds)
  • 1 Zucchini
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 1/4 cup fermented pickle, diced
  • 3 T lemon juice
  • 1 T honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 2 T fresh dill weed or 1/2 T dry
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Lettuce or cabbage leaves

Add almonds or seeds to a food processor and pulse to break up into a flaky texture. Add chopped zucchini and pulse a couple times to chop and mix with the almonds.  Place this mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the chopped celery, diced onion, shredded carrot and chopped pickle. In a small cup or bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey or maple syrup and mustard. Stir in the dill and sea salt. Pour this dressing over the nut and vegetable mixture and stir well to incorporate and coat everything with dressing, Scoop this mixture onto lettuce or cabbage leaves or onto a slice of your favorite bread.

Crunchy Super Sprout Salad

  • 3 cups pea shoots or sunflower microgreens, chopped
  • 2 cups leafy green sprouts (salad mix, clover, alfalfa)
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage or slaw mix
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • oranges
  • 1 cup crunchy sprouts (mung bean, lentils, adzuki bean)

Combine all salad ingredients and toss with your favorite dressing or drizzle with the citrus vinaigrette below :

  • ¼ c orange or lemon juice
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 T honey
  • 1/2 tsp dijon
  • 1 tsp dried dill, oregano, basil or your favorite herb blend
  •  

Asian Collard Salad

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Asian Collard Salad

I had a great salad yesterday, that was so easy to make. I wanted to share it with you because collard greens are probably one of the least used raw greens. I love them especially as wraps for slaws, quinoa salad and avocados (that was my lunch today).

For a single serving:

4 collard leaves or more, cut off stem and into bite size pieces

1 apple, chopped

1 tangerine or orange, sectioned

Place all of these in a single salad bowel. Toss with Carrot-Ginger Dressing.

No Oil Dressing:

1 carrot cleaned and chopped

1 inch slice of ginger, peeled, and minced

2 Tbs rice or cider vinegar

4 Tbs pure water

1 Tbs Braggs aminos

Place all dressing ingredients into a blender and blend well. The carrot will not get completely smooth. Toss with salad and enjoy the wonderful flavors of sweet and spicy!