asian quinoa salad

Something light and asian flavored sounded good for dinner the other night, so this was my creation.  It's a little hard to post a recipe, as I used some sauces/dressing that you likely won't have on hand, but there are always ways to modify.  It was so light and tasty that I wanted to share it anyway.

Here's the sauce lineup:

We ate the quinoa salad at room temperature over romaine lettuce for dinner, but the leftover quinoa salad was good either warm or cold - I ate it both ways.

asian quinoa salad

Ingredients:
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
sweet chile sauce (any brand)
1 c. dry quinoa
1 T. seasoned rice vinegar (the kind used for making sushi rice)
juice from one lime
1 T. toasted sesame oil
a small bunch of grilled asparagus (about 1 c. cut up)
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 - 1/3 c. edamame
2-3 T. Gyoza sauce (or soy sauce or hoisin)
3-4 c. finely chopped romaine
lemon ginger sesame salad dressing, or other asian flavored dressing
handful of roughly chopped peanuts
black sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions:
Bring 1 1/2 c. water to a boil.  Add quinoa and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.  Pour the rice vinegar, sesame oil and lime juice over quinoa and stir until combined.  Put in a separate bowl.

While the quinoa cooks, heat a grill pan to medium high heat.  Butterfly the chicken breast by cutting the thick part in half, but not all the way through the chicken breast so it is still one large piece.  Coat one side of the chicken with the sweet chile sauce.  Place the coated side down on the grill pan once it's hot.  Coat the other side of the chicken breast with chile sauce.  Cook the chicken for ~5 minutes or until there is there is a good seer on it.  Flip and cook other side.  Once the chicken is done, brush each side with a little more chile sauce.  Remove from grill pan and let rest before slicing.

After the chicken has been removed from the grill pan, place the chopped carrots where the chicken was cooked so that the carrots can be coated with the browned chicken bits and chile sauce.  Cook for a couple minutes then add to quinoa.

While the carrots cook, add the asparagus stalks to the other side of the grill pan and drizzle with Gyoza sauce (or other sauce).  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender crisp.  Cut into 1" pieces and add to quinoa.

Slice the chicken into thin strips and add it, along with the peas and edamame, to the quinoa.  Stir until combined.  Add a little more Gyoza or soy sauce if desired.

To assemble, place romaine in two bowls.  Drizzle with ginger dressing and toss to coat.  Top with quinoa salad and sprinkle with peanuts and sesame seeds.

Note:  This recipe just has enough romaine for two salads, but it can be increased to make more salads.  There is enough quinoa for four salads.

make ahead lunch: quinoa salad

Quinoa.  It is quite the versatile food.  It can be eaten warm or cold, as a main dish or a side, it can be sweet or savory...

I think one of my favorite things about quinoa is that it eats like a grain, but isn't.  It is actually a seed... one that is full of protein and lots of other good things.  Last night for dinner I made quinoa as a sub for rice to go with our shrimp stir-fry, and used the leftovers to make a quinoa salad today.

Quinoa salad is super easy to make.  I always just use whatever herbs/veggies/cheese/meat/nuts I have on hand, toss it with a little olive oil & citrus or salad dressing, and the quinoa salad is complete.  Another great thing is that it lasts for several days in the fridge and the quinoa's texture doesn't change... like when pasta salad gets kind of soggy and the noodles fall apart after a few days.


tomato.spinach quinoa salad


Ingredients:
2 c. cooked quinoa
1 c. halved grape tomatoes
1 c. finely chopped fresh spinach
1/2 c. cooked chicken or turkey, cubed
1/3 c. shredded parmesan
2-4 T. olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp coriander
pepper to taste

Instructions:
Combine the quinoa, tomatoes, spinach, meat, and parmesan.  Stir until combined.  Sprinkle with seasonings and lemon juice.  Drizzle with 2 T. olive oil and stir together.  Taste and add more olive oil, salt & pepper until satisfied.

You can enjoy this salad right away, or refrigerate before eating.

Serves 2-4.


Other quinoa salad ideas (using a dressing/citrus that pairs with the salad):
mexican - black beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, lime, avocado (wouldn't keep as long with avocado)
mediterranean - sun-dried tomatoes, olives, fresh spinach, artichokes, pine nuts, basil, feta
cobb - bacon, tomatoes, corn, avocado, arugula, blue cheese, chopped walnuts
greek - chick peas, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, feta, oregano
fruity - dried cranberries, apples, blueberries, chopped almonds, fresh parsley
asian - carrots, edamame, shredded cabbage, snap peas, cilantro, lime, chopped peanuts
random - roasted beets, goat cheese, orange segments, green onion, chopped walnuts


purchasing side note:  If you live by a Costco, I would recommend buying your quinoa there, as you can get a big bag for $10.  Otherwise, grocery stores like Whole Foods sell it in bulk, or ones like Kroger would have it in their health food section.

tomato cucumber salad

After being with family on labor day and receiving a big bag of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and peppers fresh from the garden, I knew Exactly what I wanted to make with it.  Tomato cucumber salad.    Or at least that's what my family calls it.

It's one of those foods that I think of when I think of summer.  A bowl full of fresh produce from the garden, with a light, zesty dressing.  It's so delicious.  And so light and refreshing that I can eat massive amounts of this salad without a problem.  The minute I finished making this salad I had to have a bowl.  And then another.  I think it's the tomatoes that make it so amazing.  There is nothing better than tomatoes fresh from the garden.  I think I can definitely call them my favorite food.  For sure.

tomato cucumber salad

Ingredients:

Dressing:

1/4 c. canola oil

3 T. vinegar

2 T. sugar

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. salt (or 1/2 salt + 1/2 celery salt)

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. celery seed or celery salt (substitute 1/2 of regular salt with celery salt)

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad:

2 large or 4 small cucumbers, cubed (might want to seed if the seeds are really large)

4-5 large or lots of small tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 yellow or orange pepper, chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 can black olives, drained and cut in half (optional)

crumbled feta (optional)

Instructions:

Mix all dressing ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until combined.  Cut up all veggies and add to the dressing.  Stir until combined.  Taste and add more salt if needed.  If using feta, add right before serving.  The "traditional" salad I grew up eating did not have feta, nor does the one picture as I didn't have any, but it is a good addition.  Refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.  Serves 6-8 (normal people... If they all eat as much as I do, maybe 4 :)).

I always just make the dressing in a large bowl and start adding cucumbers and tomatoes until I think the dressing/produce ratio is right, so you might need more or less tomatoes and cucumbers.  I always like it to be heavy on the tomatoes. :)  

This makes for a great snack, side dish, or lunch if you want something quick and light.  

cucumber salad

Crispy.  Tangy.  Refreshing.  That's how I would describe this salad.  It's quick and easy, and I think it's almost better the second day, or after it's sat in the fridge for a while and all the flavors have blended, making it even more tasty.

sesame cucumber salad

Ingredients:

1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

2 T chopped cilantro

1 T rice vinegar

2 tsp lime juice

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp canola oil

1 tsp sesame seeds

1/2 tsp agave nectar or sugar

salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Make the dressing by combining the rice vinegar through the agave nectar.  Whisk until combined and set aside.  

Thinly slice the cucumbers with a mandoline.  Add chopped onion, jalapeno, and cilantro.  Pour dressing over cucumbers and stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Serves 3-4

* A modification of this recipe.

couscous salad

I realized that I've been posting lots of salad recipes lately... must be summer time. :)  This is an easy couscous salad to throw together for lunch or to take to a summer cookout.  The veggies can be changed for whatever you have on hand - peppers, zuchinni, carrots, asparagus, corn, edamame, etc.  I made a cob style version of this salad that had bacon, corn, tomatoes, edamame, walnuts, and blue cheese that went over well at a cookout.

greek couscous salad

Salad:

2 c. Israeli couscous

1/2 can black olives, halved

1/2 c. grape tomatoes, halved

1 1/2 c. arugula, finely chopped

2 c. blanched green beans (long ones cut in half)

1/4 c. fresh basil, finely chopped

8 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
3 green onions, chopped 

4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

handful of pine nuts

Bring 2 1/4 c. water to a boil.  Add couscous and simmer until cousous is al dente, about 8 minutes.  While the couscous cooks, blanch the green beans by bringing some water to a boil (enough to cover the green beans), then adding the green beans and cooking until tender crisp, 3-5 minutes.  Drain the beans and place them in a bowl of ice water to keep them crisp.  Once the couscous is done, drain that as well and rinse with cold water to keep it from sticking together.  Combine couscous, green beans and remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Dressing:

2 T. sugar

3 T. red or white wine vinegar

3 T. canola oil

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 tsp celery salt

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp ground mustard

1 tsp dried oregano

freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Pour over salad and stir until mixed in.  Add more olive oil if salad needs more moisture.

 

asian salad

This recipe was passed along to me from my aunt, who found it quite tasty... and I had to agree with her.  I love asian food and salads, so this was a perfect combination.  The salad dressing is super good and what really makes the salad.  The original recipe's salad toppings were steak, grilled asparagus, red onions, mango, and daikon or radish sprouts, but I didn't have several of those ingredients, so I made my own combination, of course.

steak salad with hoisin vinaigrette

Steak (and asparagus if using):

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp salt

1 lb. steak (called for New York strip, but can use other kinds)

 1 1/2 T. olive oil

1 lb. asparagus

Coat the steak with 1/2 T. of olive oil and spices and set aside for 30 minutes or up to 1 1/2 hours.  Toss the asparagus with the remaining 1 T. olive oil and season with salt & pepper; set aside until ready to grill.

Grill the steaks until grill marks form, or about 5 minutes, then flip and grill about 4 more minutes (steak will be about medium).  Let rest on a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm while the asparagus grills.

Spread the asparagus on the grill (or on a grill pan) and cook about 5 minutes or until tender crisp, turning a couple times while they cook.

Vinaigrette:

3 T. chicken broth or water

2 1/2 T. hoisin sauce

2 T. olive oil

2 T. white or red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce

2 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 tsp dijon or chinese mustard

1 tsp minced garlic

salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix in a blender or with a whisk until smooth.

Salad:

4 - 6 c. watercress or mixed greens

1 large mango cut into thin wedges

1 avocado cut into thin wedges

1/2 c. edamame

1/2 small red onion thinly sliced or green onions

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

handful of chopped peanuts

Daikon, radish, or pea sprouts 

Arrange cress or mixed greens in bowl and top with steak, asparagus, mango, avocado, edamame, and onions.  Drizzle with vinaigrette and sprinkle with peanuts, cilantro and sprouts.

pea salad

This was a new creation and I was delighted by the outcome.  I have a little mint growing and always think I need to go out of my box of making mint tea with it, so I thought it would go nicely with some sugar snap peas... and it did!

pea salad with mint, walnuts and feta

salad:

2 c. chopped peas

1/4 c. chopped walnuts

1/4 c. feta

1-2 T chopped fresh mint

dressing:

1 tsp sugar

1 T red wine vinegar

1 T olive oil (or more if the vinegar is too strong for your taste)

squeeze of fresh lemon

salt & pepper to taste

Mix the dressing until combined, pour over salad, stir it up, then eat it up!

summer time favorite

We love tomato, mozzarella salad and have lately starting to eat it with watermelon, which turns out to be a fantastic combination.  I had heard about adding watermelon before, but was always a little skeptical... the tomato and watermelon seemed like an odd combination to me, but the watermelon adds a little sweetness and delicious crunch and juiciness to the salad.  I think we can safely say that it's going to be something we eat regularly this summer!

tomato, basil, watermelon & mozzarella salad

There isn't too much of a recipe for this salad - just add the amounts of each ingredient that you like.  I add about the same amount each of cubed watermelon, halved grape tomatoes, and chunks of mozzarella cheese.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and top with chopped fresh basil.  Stir it up and eat away!

brussels sprouts, take 2

So after I made the brussels sprouts in the previous post, there were more brussels sprouts to use up, but I wanted to try something new.  My aunt had told me about a raw brussels sprout salad she had at a restaurant, so I decided to try cole slaw made with brussels sprouts.  The flavor of  the brussels sprouts is stronger than cabbage, so I kept trying to think of ingredients to help tone that down a little.  Also, the texture is a little less crunchy than cabbage, so I needed to add something to give it that crunch.  I added a little of this and that until I came up with this:

brussels sprouts cole slaw

Ingredients:

3-4 cups finely chopped brussels sprouts (I used a little less than 1/2 of a 2 lb)

1 apple chopped

1 avacado cubed

a little red onion diced

a couple handfuls of walnuts chopped (sunflower seeds would be good - I think I was out of those)

sauce:

1/2 c. plain greek yogurt

1 lime juiced

1-2 T red wine vinegar

1 tsp sugar

salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine and enjoy! (and add more yogurt or lime juice until satisfied)  I did eat a little goat cheese with a couple bites, and liked that too.

a staple

cranberry.apple couscous salad

I believe a friend originally introduced me to this recipe and it's become one of our family favorites.  It's lite and flavorful, with the apples and nuts adding a nice texture contrast.  It's a crowd pleasure and makes for a great side that everyone will enjoy .

You can find the original recipe here.

Some ideas and modifications I've tried:

• use walnuts instead of almonds
• add a squeeze of lemon juice to the dressing
• use farro or quinoa instead of couscous (cooking liquid will have to be adjusted)
• add a handful of chopped spinach 
• make it a main dish by adding some chicken 
• use dried herbs if I don't have fresh 
• eat the leftovers over a bed of spinach or mixed greens for a lite lunch