Greco-Roman Orzo Salad
June 25, 2008
Gorgonzola and feta mixed with capers and kalamata olives really make this a tasty side dish.
Ingredients:
1 pound orzo
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, minced
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, quartered
1/4 pound feta (any flavor), crumbled
1/4 pound Gorgonzola, crumbled
2 tablespoons capers, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Method
Make orzo according to package directions, omitting salt. Let cool slightly. While pasta cooks, whisk together sugar and balsamic vinegar until sugar is dissolved. Add salt and red pepper flakes. Slowly pour in olive oil, stirring constantly until well-combined. Mix pasta with olive oil dressing. Mix in parsley, olives, cheese and capers. Adjust salt to taste. Serve at room temperature.
Notes: If you don’t let the pasta cool before adding the remaining ingredients, the cheese will melt, which you don’t want - this isn’t a cheesy pasta bake. If you refrigerate the salad the olive oil will congeal, making the pasta stick together. Make sure to let it come to room temperature - 30 to 45 minutes - before serving if it’s been refrigerated.
Number of servings: 8
Mediterranean Mushroom Salad
June 25, 2008
This salad is a great accompaniment to any Italian dish with its light and fresh presentation.
Ingredients:
1 pound white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup diced roasted red bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced pitted black olives
1/4 cup minced green onion
1/4 cup diced cucumber
1 tbsp snipped parsley
1 tbsp snipped oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp orange zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
5 ounces baby salad greens
garnish, toasted pine nuts and crumbled feta cheese
Method
Place mushrooms and next 6 ingredients in a large heat proof bowl. Combine the rest of ingredients except greens in a small sauce pan. Gently heat until hot and well blended. Pour over mushroom mixture and stir to coat. Let marinate at least 30 minutes. Place greens on a platter and spoon mushroom mixture on top. Garnish salad with nuts and cheese.
Notes:
Number of servings: 6
Confetti Spring Salad
June 25, 2008
1 lb pasta (your favorite pasta - rigatoni, shells, macaroni, etc.)
2 carrots, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup fresh peas
1 bunch broccoli florets (1/2 cup)
1 lb fresh asparagus
1 red bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)
3 red radishes, sliced
8 oz baby spinach leaves, washed
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small bunch green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)
FF Dressing of your choice–there are plenty on fatfreevegan!
Cook the pasta according to directions on package. While pasta is cooking, bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a saucepan. Place carrots in water and lightly blanch in water for 1 minute, or until bright orange. Remove with slotted spoon and place in large mixing bowl.
Repeat blanching process with peas. Add peas to mixing bowl. Blanch broccoli, remove from water and place on cutting board. Chop and add to mixing bowl.
Blanch asparagus, remove from water, place on cutting board and cut into 1 inch pieces. Add to mixing bowl.
Add drained pasta to mixing bowl. Mix gently with blanched vegetables. Add bell pepper and radishes. Toss to mix. Add dressing to salad and toss gently. Place one fourth of the spinach leaves on each serving plate. Top with pasta salad and garnish each salad with tomatoes and green onions.
- adapted from fatfreevegan.com
Asparagus Pasta Salad
June 25, 2008
3 ounces dry angel hair pasta
1 pound asparagus, cut diagonally into 2 inch pieces (I got 10 ounces after breaking off the tough lower stalks)
3 ounces red onion, sliced and quartered (about 1/2 cup)
6 canned artichoke hearts, quartered
1 cup unsweetened frozen blackberries, thawed
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 Sweet n’Low packets (or 1 tablespoon sugar if you prefer)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fat free Italian dressing
couple twists of ground pepper
Break pasta into one to one and one-half inch pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 5 minutes or until done the way you like them. Rinse with cold water and set aside. Place onions and asparagus in steamer and steam about 6 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Stir asparagus and onions into the pasta and add the rest of the ingredients. Chill well. This makes approximately 4 cups. One cup equals 155 calories of which 10 are fat calories.
Aloo Saag (Indian Creamed Spinach & Potatoes)
June 25, 2008
This spicy spinach sauce is so good I could probably eat it on its own and be perfectly happy, but the potatoes make it a little more substantial — serve it with basmati rice or pita bread and you have yourself a simple but filling meal. Use whatever potatoes you like, though I prefer the waxy red or white-skinned varieties over the mealier-textured Russets. As for the spinach, I find that fresh spinach yields a brighter green-colored sauce with a slightly nicer flavor, but if you’re feeling lazy, frozen still yields a pretty tasty result.
1 lb. fresh spinach leaves, washed well (or frozen if you must)
2 cups 1/3″-dice potato (about 6 new potatoes)
4 fat cloves garlic
1/2 medium yellow onion
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more as needed
1 tsp. garam masala
3 Tbsps. plain soy milk, plus more as needed
crushed red pepper to taste
serves 2 as main dish, 4-6 as a side
time 20-30 minutes
1 Wash the spinach leaves well and drain. Toss them in a pot along with a 1/2 cup of water. Heat on high for a few minutes, stirring, until the water starts to steam and the bottom leaves begin to wilt. Give it a good stir, cover, lower heat, and cook for about 7 minutes, until just tender. Drain (don’t worry about getting out all the water.) Puree until smooth in a blender or food processor.
2 Meanwhile, toss the diced potatoes in a pot with water to cover, and bring to a boil. Add a ½ tsp. of salt. Cook the potatoes for about 10-15 minutes, until tender. Drain.
3 Cut off the root ends of the garlic cloves and lay cloves flat. Lightly pound with the side of your knife blade and peel off the papery skin. Finely mince up the garlic. Peel and finely mince the onion as well.
4 Heat up a couple tablespoons of water in a good-sized, non-stick sauté pan. Cook the garlic and onion over medium heat until soft and yummy-smelling, adding more water if necessary. Stir in the turmeric and cook a minute or two more.
5 Toss in the spinach puree and potatoes and stir well. Add the milk, salt, garam masala and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper to taste. Bring to a low bubble, and cook a few minutes more to let the flavors meld. If the mixture looks too dry, add a little more milk. Enjoy!
– adapted from www.digsmagazine.com
Apple-Zucchini Salad
June 25, 2008
3 medium zucchini, washed, shredded
2 crisp apples, washed, cored, diced
1/3 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
Fresh lime juice from 1 large lime
Drizzle of brown rice syrup, to taste
Pinch of ground cumin, to taste
Pinch of curry powder, to taste
Pinch of cinnamon, to taste
Fresh mesclun greens for serving
In a bowl combine the zucchini, apples, raisins, lime juice, brown rice syrup, and spices. Toss well. Taste for seasoning adjustments.
Serve on mesclun spring greens as a refreshing side dish.
Optional garnish: Pumpkin seeds
Servings: 6
Cranberry Gelatin Salad
June 25, 2008
Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
1 (16.5 ounce) can pitted dark sweet cherries, drained
10 1/2 ounces crushed pineapple with juice
1 (6 ounce) package cherry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the cranberry sauce.
2. Cut the cherries into pieces and add them to the melted sauce. Stir in the pineapple with its juice. Remove mixture from heat.
3. In a medium bowl pour the boiling water over the gelatin. And stir until all the gelatin has dissolved.
4. Add the gelatin mixture to the cranberry mixture and stir. Stir in the optional nuts. Pour into a 9×13 inch pan and chill until set.
Filipino Caesar Salad
June 25, 2008
serves 10
Ingredients:
4 cups lettuce leaves, chilled
½ cup Chinese ham, diced
2 pcs pan de sal, cubed
1 tbsp cooking oil
¼ cup grated cheese
1 ½ tsp garlic, chopped
2 tbsp bagoong
1 tsp calamansi juice
1 tsp mustard
2 egg yolks
½ cup corn oil
Prodecure: Stir-fry the Chinese ham and season with salt, then set aside. In the same pan, stir-fry the pan de sal cubes, season with salt, then set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the garlic, bagoong, mustard, and calamansi juice. Slowly pour in the corn oil, then add the grated cheese. Pour over the lettuce leaves and top with ham and pan de sal.
Filipino Chicken Macaroni Salad Recipe
June 24, 2008
Estimated preparation and cooking time: 1 hour
| Chicken Macaroni Salad Ingredients: |
· 1/5 kilo macaroni noodles· 2 to 3 pieces, medium sized carrots· 1 big chicken breast· 500 ml of mayonnaise· 1 can (836 g) pineapple chunks or tidbits· 1 big white onion, finely chopped· 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish· 3 hardboiled eggs, diced· 1 cup diced cheddar cheese· 1/2 cup raisins· salt and pepper to taste
| Macaroni Salad Cooking Instructions: |
· Cook macaroni noodles according to package cooking instructions. · In a pot, boil carrots in water for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked.· Drain carrots and let cool. Peal skin then dice.· Boil chicken breast in water with salt. Drain chicken breast, then shred in 1 inch lengths· Drain pineapple chunks or tidbits.· Combine all ingredients while adding salt and pepper, to taste.· Refrigerate, then serve.
Spinach Salad with Barbecued Chicken, Grilled Red Onion and Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette
June 24, 2008
Ingredients:
For the roasted shallot vinaigrette:
1 shallot
drizzle of olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chicken stock
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon freshly chopped chives
freshly ground black pepper
For the barbecued chicken and grilled onions:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 4 ounces each
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium red onion, sliced thickly
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
For the spinach salad:
8 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
Directions:
For the roasted shallot vinaigrette:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. With the skin on, cut the shallot in half lengthwise. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Drizzle the shallot with a bit of the olive oil and place them on the baking sheet cut side down.
3. Roast in the oven until the shallot is very soft, about 20 to 30 minutes.
4. When the shallot is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and the root end. Puree the shallot and salt in a food processor.
5. Add the mustard and puree. Add the vinegar by the tablespoon, pureeing after each addition.
6. With the motor running, add the olive oil and stock slowly through the feed tube.
7. Stir in the chives and pepper. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
For the barbecued chicken and grilled onion:
1. Preheat the grill to medium-high.
2. Brush the chicken breasts and onion slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill the chicken for about 4 to 6 minutes each side, depending on the thickness until the chicken is cooked through. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, brush the chicken on all sides with the barbecue sauce. Grill the onion about 2 to 3 minutes per side, using a spatula to turn the onions while being careful to keep the rings together. Remove the chicken and onions from the grill and place on a cutting board to rest. Cut the chicken into strips. Separate the onion slices into rings.
(The chicken and onions can be grilled in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.)
For the spinach salad:
1. Place the lettuce in a bowl and toss it with the vinaigrette. Arrange the chicken strips and grilled onion rings on top.
