Avocado Love: A Salad

When buying avocados, I always get an extra and give a half to my six-year-old daughter. She loves scooping the fruit out of the peel with a spoon and eating it up. She's determined to grow an avocado tree, and there are a number of pits buried in our backyard in random locations. Unfortunately, I've never heard of an avocado tree growing in Oregon.

If you love avocados too, you'll enjoy this salad. It's super simple and quite delicious. It can be a nice alternative for those who like Caesar salad. It's made with tender butter lettuce, lime citrus instead of lemon, red onion for bite, and avocado for creamy richness.

Salad with Avocado, Onion, and Lime Dressing  PRINTABLE RECIPE

1 cup thin slivers of red onion (about half an onion)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups torn butter lettuce
1 cup sliced avocado (about 1 avocado)

Combine the onion, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a salad bowl. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Add lettuce and avocado and toss gently.

My Gluten-Free Bread Salad

I don't know why it's been so long since I made bread salad  -->– well, there's the gluten thing. That may have something to do with it. But even though I discovered a decent gluten-free baguette several months ago, it only occurred to me recently that I could use the bread to make panzanella.

The gluten-free baguette I use is made by Against the Grain Gourmet. They have a plain (original) baguette and a rosemary version. The rosemary flavor is very subtle and I prefer it to the plain. Against the Grain also makes a good frozen pizza. Yes, the crust is a little different, but it's still good. I like the pesto pizza, which happens to be nut-free (made with sunflower seeds, instead of pine nuts) – a bonus at my house since my son is allergic to nuts.

They have a variety of other products that I look forward to trying as well. Check out their web site at Against the Grain Gourmet. In the Portland area, you can find some of their products, including the baguette and pizza (both in the freezer section), at New Seasons Market and Whole Foods.

Now, back to the panzanella. I really don't have an exact recipe for you. Like most salads, I just add this and that until the proportions look and "feel" right. Then I whisk together some dressing (again, I rarely follow a recipe) and we're good to go. For my family, this is an entree, so we make a giant salad and that's it for our dinner.

Mine is not really a traditional panzanella as I include some baby greens, cucumbers, and Parmesan. But I've seen many different versions of this Italian salad in cookbooks and magazines, so I think mine qualifies. Here are the ingredients for the yummy bread salad I made a few nights ago:

Bread Salad  PRINTABLE RECIPE

SALAD
Baby lettuces (like the organic baby lettuce mix from Trader Joe's)
Sugar plum tomatoes – halved lengthwise (or if you're feeling lazy, leave them whole)
Red onion – cut into thin slivers (if you like big chunks of onion, that's fine, but I don't)
English cucumber – sliced
Gluten-free baguette (or day-old rustic wheat baguette if gluten is acceptable) – cut into cubes
Fresh basil – cut into ribbons or torn into small pieces
Parmesan cheese – shredded or shaved 

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
Note: Depending on the size of your salad, this may be more or less dressing than you need, but I wanted to give you some proportions to work with.
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp finely minced garlic
2 tsp finely minced red onion
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

1. Combine the lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and some of the basil in a large bowl. Top with the bread cubes and some of the Parmesan cheese.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the salad, specifically the bread cubes. Let the bread soak up some of the olive oil for a couple minutes before you add the dressing and toss well.

4. Top with a little more basil and Parmesan cheese, and serve.

Grandma's Cucumbers with Sour Cream

We grilled up some chicken sausages the other night, heated some baked beans (out of the can), and put out some good mustard and sauerkraut. I was trying to think of something other than the usual side salad or coleslaw to serve with our meal, and my grandmother's cucumbers with sour cream dressing came to mind. I couldn't remember the last time I had these cucumbers - maybe not since my grandmother, who died many years ago, made them. The recipe was not to be found in my collection, so I went to epicurious on my iPhone and found a recipe from House & Garden, 1956!

I used fresh chives from my backyard and fresh dill from the grocery store. Lowfat sour cream worked fine, but I probably wouldn't try it with nonfat. The salad turned out pretty good - cool, crisp, and creamy all at once. Next time I think I'll add a little extra sugar and maybe a bit more vinegar too to give it some extra zing. For now, here's the original recipe from 1956:

Sour Cream Cucumbers  PRINTABLE RECIPE

1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp chopped chives
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tsp celery seed
2 firm fresh cucumbers

1. Dissolve the salt and sugar in the vinegar, add the sour cream and stir until smooth. You may like more or less vinegar, salt or sugar, but don't make the dressing too sweet. Add the chives, dill and celery seed.

2. Slice the unpared cucumbers paper-thin and combine with the dressing.

3. Chill for 1 hour or more. Sour cream cucumbers improve in taste as they stand. The flavor of the cucumbers seeps into the dressing.

Above Average: Salad with Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Basil, and Olives

I’ve made this salad before and it’s always good. But something happened when I made it for our dinner last night. I’m really not sure what the difference was, but it was way better than usual. Both Dave and I thought so. As we ate, we kept repeating, “Wow! This is really good!”

I don’t have an exact recipe for you. But I’ll tell you about how I generally make this salad and what I did that might have made it go from good to excellent this time. I never measure. I just throw together mixed baby lettuces, mini tomatoes (usually mini pearls or grape tomatoes from Trader Joe’s), marinated mozzarella balls, fresh basil, and sometimes kalamata olives. I eyeball it and add a little more red (tomatoes), green (lettuce, basil), black (olives), or white (mozzarella) until the balance seems about right. I then add a basic combination of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar (nothing too fancy for either one), usually with a little garlic, salt, and pepper.

So, that’s the basic salad I’ve done quite a few times. What was different this time? Well, I found myself shopping at Safeway, which is unusual, and I used their baby lettuce mix. It’s pretty standard, but I do think it has more spinach than most of the bagged lettuce mixes. Dave commented that he really liked all the hearty spinach leaves. I also got tomatoes there – Nature Sweet Cherubs. They were definitely sweet and yummy. Next, instead of using my own olive oil for the dressing, I used the herby oil from the Trader Joe’s marinated mozzarella balls. I’ve done that before, so I don’t think that made all the difference. I do think it may have had something to do with the garlic: At my regular grocery store, Fred Meyer, they only had purple stripe garlic as opposed to the ordinary white skinned garlic they usually carry. And I did notice, as I selected a head, it was very aromatic. And when I minced it up for the dressing, it was juicier, and again, more aromatic than I’m used to. Finally, I added a little extra fresh basil to the dressing – something I don’t usually do since there’s already basil in the salad itself.

I still don’t really know what specifically made the salad so much better than usual, but Dave insisted I write down exactly what I did, so we could make it again. I didn’t actually measure or count anything however, so this is just to the best of my recollection:

Mozzarella Salad with Tomatoes, Basil, and Olives  PRINTABLE RECIPE

SALAD
Safeway baby lettuce mix – about 3/4 of the bag
Nature Sweet Cherubs (tomatoes) – most of the container – halved lengthwise
Trader Joe’s marinated mozzarella balls – most of the container – halved
About a dozen or so large fresh basil leaves – cut into thin ribbons
About a dozen pitted kalamata olives – quartered

DRESSING
Approximately half the oil from the marinated mozzarella balls
1/4 cup or so balsamic vinegar
1 purple stripe garlic clove – finely minced
1 or 2 medium to large fresh basil leaves – finely minced
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper – to taste

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together. Pour dressing over salad and toss, or spoon dressing over individual salad servings – that’s what we did this time. (Note: we had leftover dressing).

Good luck! I hope yours turns out fantastic!

Apple Salad with Basil & Mint

It's hot in Portland this week – over 100 degrees! That means I'm going to have to share another salad recipe. We've been eating salad at our house all week: an Asian noodle salad with crisp vegetables, the lentil orzo salad I shared recently (with some tomatoes added), and a hearty bread salad (panzanella).

Here's another salad that's good for a hot day. The original recipe called for chicken. I simply omitted it and added some celery instead for balance. It turned out fine, and the salad is faster and easier to make too!

Apple Salad with Basil & Mint  PRINTABLE RECIPE

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
4 scallions (white and light green parts only) - thinly sliced
2 Granny Smith apples - diced
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
2 Tbsp thinly sliced fresh mint
kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup roasted peanuts - roughly chopped

In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, vinegar, and brown sugar, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the scallions, apples, and celery, and toss. Add the basil and mint. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste and toss again. Top with peanuts and serve.

Asparagus Apple Salad with Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette

Cheese is one of my favorite things to eat, and bleu cheese – well, in my opinion, it’s one of the very best things on earth. This recipe calls for only one ounce of it, so please, splurge on the good stuff. It’s really worth it.

I also love asparagus. It’s my favorite vegetable. So, when I saw this recipe I just knew it had to be good. The original recipe calls for Gala apples, which are sweet, crisp, and slightly tart – a good choice, I'm sure, but I went for lots of tart with Granny Smith.

For some reason, I think this salad would be great with a steak, but it’s Meatless Monday, and anyway, it’s plenty good all on its own.

Asparagus Apple Salad with Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette  PRINTABLE RECIPE

1/4 cup (1 oz) crumbled bleu cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

2 cups of 2-inch asparagus pieces
4 cups torn butter lettuce
2 cups thinly sliced apples – granny smith, gala, or your choice

1. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

2. Cook asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water, and drain again.

3. Combine the asparagus, lettuce, and apple slices in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.

Lentil Orzo Salad with Feta & Mint

There’s a deli near my workplace that, unfortunately, is not too good. The prices are high, the service is poor, and the food just isn’t that great. But, because it’s so convenient, I end up going there for lunch every now and then. Plus, they sometimes have this lentil salad that’s actually really good. So good, I hunted down the recipe.

It’s a tasty and filling summer salad. The mint and the dill work together really well with the olives and feta and garlic vinaigrette. It’s a bit oniony (is that a word?), so if you think it might be too much for you, go ahead and reduce the amount of onion (and garlic too, if you like).

Lentil Orzo Salad with Feta & Mint  PRINTABLE RECIPE

1-1/4 cups dry orzo pasta
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup dried brown lentils - rinsed & drained
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 cup kalamata olives - pitted & chopped
1-1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1 small red onion - diced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper - to taste

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add orzo and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Mix in 1 Tbsp olive oil. Cover and refrigerate until cool.

2. Place lentils in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover, and simmer over low heat until lentils are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together 5 Tbsp olive oil, vinegar, and garlic to make the vinaigrette.

4. Remove pasta from refrigerator and add lentils, vinaigrette, olives, feta, onion, mint, and dill. Stir until well mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Cooking for a Crowd (and my Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing)

Cooking a full meal for over 20 people is not an easy thing for me, especially in someone else’s kitchen. It was for my son’s 5th birthday, which we celebrated while visiting family in Minnesota. I decided a spaghetti dinner was they way to go. It’s a crowd-pleaser, the kids love it, and it’s not too complicated. Add salad, garlic bread, a couple simple appetizers – no problem!

Well, I don’t have much experience cooking for more than six or eight, so the first thing I had to do was put my multiplication skills to work, so my recipes would make enough for the large group. Then I realized I probably shouldn’t make sauce from a jar as I usually do. What would everyone think of a food blogger who didn’t make her sauce from scratch!? I went online and found a recipe for spaghetti and meatballs that sounded good. The reviews were all positive, so I decided to go for it – fingers crossed.

Next, I put together my master list of all the meal components: spaghetti, tomato sauce, meatballs, basil pesto, salad, garlic bread, plus cannellini bean dip, cheeses, and olives for pre-meal snacking. I kept thinking of more things: Spider-Man birthday cake, ice cream, drinks, ice. The grocery list was huge!

I made the salad dressing and basil pesto a day ahead. Then the day of the dinner, while everyone else went out for a day of fun on Lake Minnetonka, I stayed behind and cooked, hunting around the unfamiliar kitchen for the required cooking implements, improvising at times. I found two large pots for sauce and another not-quite-big-enough pot to boil spaghetti that evening. I made 64 meatballs and even though there was a nice large skillet, it took four or five rounds to brown them all. I made the cannellini bean dip that afternoon too.

After cleaning the kitchen, I sat down and made a list of what needed to be done starting at 4:30 to have appetizers out at 5:00 and dinner ready to serve at 6:00. The family then returned from the lake and we bathed and dressed the children. I showered and dressed myself, and before I knew it, it was time to start checking items off the to-do list. My sister and husband helped out as I heated the sauce and meatballs. The checklist worked pretty well, but I still found myself scrambling to wash the lettuce and throw the salad together at the last minute, and even worse, I forgot to start the water to boil the pasta! Thank goodness someone volunteered to take care of the pasta, and someone else poured me a glass of wine. I never would have made it without them.

In the end, everything came together, and dinner was served, buffet style, shortly after 6:00. Overall, it was a good meal, though there was way too much food. The sauce was fine, but I think sauce out of the jar would have been just as good. The meatballs received lots of compliments, as did the basil pesto, and everybody loved my husband’s out-of-this-world, fantastic garlic bread. I got a few requests for recipes, and I’ll publish them here over the next few days. One of those requests was for the cannellini bean dip, which I posted previously – see Quick Dips.

Here’s the salad dressing recipe that Mary Ann asked about (no onion). It’s a Caesar style dressing, but a little lighter – no egg yolks.

Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing with Parmesan  PRINTABLE RECIPE

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves – chopped
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
2 tsp finely chopped anchovies or anchovy paste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour dressing over torn or chopped Romaine lettuce and toss with additional Parmesan cheese and croutons. This recipe makes enough for two large salads (about 2 large heads of Romaine lettuce per salad).

Asian Noodle Salad

It you want a break from potato salad, coleslaw, and standard pasta salad at your next barbecue or pot luck, you might like this. I love the toasty flavor of sesame oil (I can smell it just by thinking about it), with soy, lime, garlic, and cilantro. You can leave out the peanuts if there are allergy issues, but it really isn’t quite as good. Try substituting sunflower seeds if you need to.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

12 to 15 oz chuka soba noodles
1-1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
juice and grated zest of 1 lime
1/2 cup soy sauce (I prefer the “less sodium” type)
2 tsp Vietnamese chili garlic sauce (I use one from Huy Fong Foods)
2 Tbsp sugar
2 cloves garlic – minced
1 cup grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add noodles and boil as package directs (usually about 2 minutes). Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine oil, vinegar, lime juice and zest, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sugar, and garlic. Stir until sugar dissolves. Mix in peanuts, carrots, and cilantro.
3. Cut through the noodles to make the lengths more manageable. Add to bowl with soy vinaigrette and toss. Chill for at least an hour and toss again before serving. If the noodles seem a little dry, add a little more soy sauce and vinegar.

The Food We Choose (and my favorite grilled tofu recipe)

One of my readers suggested I write something about issues related to how our food is produced – raising of crops and livestock, food processing, etc. I’ve decided not to do so. For now, I want this blog to be about enjoying food and cooking, not a commentary about what we should or should not eat or why. I will say these issues are very important to me. Food production methods and the impact on our environment are the reasons I stay on a mostly vegetarian diet. I will ask that you think about where your food comes from; consider using organic products; and consider buying from local farmers. I understand that buying local and organic can be costly and somewhat inconvenient, and it may not be an option for you/your family at this time. But at least be aware of what you’re actually getting for the food dollars you spend – the impact on the environment, the economy, and the nutritional value. If you want more information, I have provided a few links on the side bar under the heading, THE FOOD WE CHOOSE. It’s up to you. I’m done.

Now I want to talk about tofu. I happen to like it, but let’s not pretend it’s a meat substitute. It’s a decent protein source, and when prepared well, it can be really enjoyable, but you’re never gonna fool anyone into thinking it’s chicken or steak. It’s not meat; it’s soybean curd.

Tofu itself is bland, however it absorbs the flavors of seasonings and marinades very well. Asian restaurants, where I generally substitute tofu for meat in stir-fry and curry dishes, seem to do the best job preparing tofu. Marinated and stir-fried, it can be very flavorful. Fried tofu is also good, and the frying adds a little bit of a crusty, chewy, even meaty texture.

My favorite way to prepare tofu at home is marinated and grilled with green beans and onions. I think the key to success is to remove excess water from the tofu before you start. This allows the tofu to absorb all the flavor of the marinade. The original recipe, from Vegetarian Times, calls for arugula for the salad. I find that my family is happier with mixed greens with just some arugula. I’ve also found that frozen green beans work just as well, if not better, than fresh green beans, so that’s what I recommend. Finally, I’ve always prepared this on a rectangular, stovetop, cast iron grill pan. Feel free, however, to try it on an outdoor grill, using a perforated rack to cook the beans and onions.

Spicy Grilled Tofu & Green Bean Salad  PRINTABLE RECIPE















15 oz extra-firm tofu
5 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp mirin
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp Vietnamese chili garlic sauce (I use one from Huy Fong Foods)
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 Lb frozen green beans
1 medium yellow onion - halved and cut into slivers
5 oz mixed greens

1. Wrap tofu in paper towels or a tea towel and squeeze gently to remove excess water. Re-wrap in a fresh, dry towel and allow to set for about 15 minutes.

2. Mix together soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, vinegar, chili garlic sauce, and garlic in a 9" x 13" inch glass baking dish.

3. Unwrap tofu and pat dry. Slice into 3 pieces horizontally and then cut each of those pieces in half. Add tofu to marinade, turn over to coat, and let sit for 15 minutes.

4. Heat a cast iron grill pan over two burners on medium-high heat. Spray tofu with cooking spray on both sides, and grill until browned and crusty – 3 to 4 minutes per side.

5. Arrange greens on a large serving platter, and place grilled tofu on top.

6. While the tofu grills, add beans and onion to remaining marinade, and toss to coat.

7. Grill beans and onion, turning frequently with tongs, until beans are tender and browned – 8 to 10 minutes.

8. Arrange beans and onion on top of tofu. Pour any remaining marinade over salad and serve.

The Dragon Herb: Potato Salad with Green Beans, Tomoatoes, & Tarragon

Tarragon, also known as "dragon herb" or "little dragon," is a lovely thing. I really only came to appreciate it last summer when I found and made a recipe for green bean and tomato salad with tarragon dressing from Food & Wine magazine. I enjoyed it so much that I’ve been experimenting with tarragon and on the lookout for recipes ever since. If you’re not cooking with fresh tarragon already, please give it a try. It’s simply wonderful! I wrote last week about a tarragon-butter sauce that's divine. Try that or try the salad (below). I’m sure you'll enjoy them both.

For some reason, back when I first made the green bean and tomato salad, I had an irresistible urge to add some potatoes to the recipe. I did, and it turned out fantastic. I like to use a combination of purple, red, and yellow potatoes and a mix of green and yellow string beans. It makes for a nice, colorful salad. If you prefer, however, you can use green beans only and whatever color potato you prefer – just stick with with smaller ones from the waxy family of potatoes.

Potato, Green Bean, & Tomato Salad
with Tarragon Dressing  PRINTABLE RECIPE

1/3 Lb small to medium purple, red, and yellow potatoes
3/4 Lb green and yellow string beans
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium shallots – minced
2 Tbsp chopped tarragon
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pint mini pearl or grape tomatoes – halved

1. Place potatoes in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender – about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until just tender – about 4 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to continue cooling.
3. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil with shallots and tarragon, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Cut the cooled potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl along with the beans and tomatoes.
5. Add the dressing and toss well. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend before serving.