Summer Salad

It is the first official day of summer!!! What this means is that not only will it be super hot, we will be spending more time outdoors than indoors!!! There will be trips to the beach, lots of picnics, barbecues.. what better side than an easy to put together salad!! Summer time you drink more than you eat..
Therefore salad makes for a perfect meal, be it lunch or dinner. You can make ahead and keep it and use the dressing at the last minute!You can use any kind of dressing with this one. This salad goes perfect with a basic vinaigrette as it has fresh mozzarella cheese and watermelon in it!  Sometimes I use a fruit-based vinaigrette such as raspberry vinaigrette.Actually, it is one of my favorite ones. It just adds to the flavor. Try different permutations and combinations and choose the one that works best for you..

Servings: 5-6

Prep time: 15 minsCook time: 0Total time: 15-20 mins 

Ingredients: 

Romaine lettuce: 1/2 head 

Sweet peppers: 3-4 

Persian cucumbers: 2-3, sliced thin

Cherry/grape tomatoes: 8-10 sliced into halves

Watermelon cubes: 1 cup

Bite-sized mozzarella cubes: 1 cup

Dressing of your choice on the side.

Method: 

Wash, clean and chop the lettuce into bite sized pieces. Add this to a bowl. 

Slice the peppers thinly. Add to the bowl. 

Add the tomato halves and the cucumber slices. 

Top it with watermelon cubes and mozzarella cubes. 

Serve the dressing on side. 

Once served into individual plates/bowls, just  before eating, add the desired amount of dressing. 

Mix and eat. 

Enjoy! 

Cooking made easy:

You can add sliced red or white onion, craisins, walnuts and or sunflower seeds if you wish. You can also add other fruits such as pineapple, green apple, strawberries and blueberries if you wish..

Tip for healthy living:

Use as less dressing as possible with your salad. Using a low fat dressing like a vinaigrette is much healthier than a high fat dressing like ranch or Cesar.

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Simple Spring Salad; Meatless Monday

As it is getting warmer outside, the desire to eat food that is light, refreshing encourages. One does not wish to slave in front of a stove when it is hot outside ( well, I never slave in front of the stove anyways!) Quite often you are not even hungry! I tend to make and eat more salads during summer. This is also excellent for BBQs and picnics. It’s makes for a perfect lunch. The kids also like it. You can use any kind of dressing with this one. I like to use a basic vinaigrette. Sometimes I will use a raspberry vinaigrette. My husband likes to pair it with creamy dressing such as Ranch or poppy seed dressing. Either ways this is a salad that is simple and quick to make and something everyone can enjoy! 

Servings: 5-6

Prep time: 15 minsCook time: 0Total time: 15-20 mins 

Ingredients: 

Romaine lettuce: 1/2 head 

Sweet peppers: 3-4 

Persian cucumbers: 2-3, sliced thin

Cherry/grape tomatoes: 8-10 sliced into halves

Dressing of your choice on the side.

Method: 

Wash, clean and chop the lettuce into bite sized pieces. Add this to a bowl. 

Slice the peppers thinly. Add to the bowl. 

Add the tomato halves and the cucumber slices. 

Serve the dressing on side. 

Once served into individual plates/bowls, just  before eating, add the desired amount of dressing. 

Mix and eat. 

Enjoy! 

Cooking made easy:

You can add sliced red or white onion, craisins, walnuts and or sunflower seeds if you wish. 

Tip for healthy living:

Use as less dressing as possible with your salad. Using a low fat dressing like a vinaigrette is much healthier than a high fat dressing like ranch or Cesar.

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Three Bean Salad.. and a Mother’s Day Giveaway!

What better occasion than Mother’s Day to share this very informative post with you all. As mothers we do everything for everyone else but us. We forget about our health, our well-being and “me” as an individual. In this day Cancer is ubiquitous. Every family has atleast one person who has been diagnosed with some form of cancer or the other. For us as women, breast cancer is most concerning. Breast cancer has become quite commonplace today. We can however fight it with good, healthy food and lifestyle. These are also the topics that Dr Kristi Funk addresses in her latest book “Breasts, an owner’s manual" which was released onto the bookshelves on May 1st , 2018. 

For those of you who are not familiar with Dr. Kristi Funk, she is a leading board-certified breast cancer surgeon and specialist in comprehensive wellness, including nutrition, fitness, and stress management. Best known as the breast surgeon for Angelina Jolie and Sheryl Crow, Dr. Funk has compiled her accessible and powerful strategies for reducing cancer risk and achieving optimal overall health into this much-anticipated book, Breasts: The Owner’s Manual. 

To get your own free copy by participating in the giveaway, all you have to do is enter your email Address. 

Dr. Funk embraces meat reduction for healthy living. She personally provided a selection of delicious Meatless Monday recipes exclusively for us bloggers to try. Today I am sharing with you another of her very healthy, quick and easy recipe which is right up my alley: a three-bean Salad! This is a salad that can be rustled up within minutes. It would make for a delicious weekday meal, perfect for potlucks, parties, picnics and barbecues!! Do try it. 

I have tried not to alter anything and I am presenting Dr. Funk’s recipe verbatim.

Three beans walk into a Salad..

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 can black beans (rinsed well)

1 can kidney beans (rinsed well)

1 can chickpeas (rinsed well, save chickpea liquid)

1 avocado cut into half inch cubes

2 Persian cucumbers chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 cup tomatoes (chopped)

1 tsp fresh oregano (preferred) or 1/2 tsp dried oregano

2 to 3 T of red wine vinegar

1-2 T chickpea liquid

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine beans, veggies and avocado and toss gently. Add oregano, then toss, add chickpea liquid, then red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Tip: Chill the beans before making this if you are planning to eat it right away. Or you can make it (minus the avocado), chill for an hour, then add the avocado right before serving.

I am bringing this salad to all my friends at Angie's Fiesta Friday #223. Her cohost this week is the amazing Mollie @ The Frugal Hausfrau.

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Beeting Heart Quinoa Salad; Vegan; Meatless Monday

When I was browsing my local newspaper the other day, I came across this salad recipe that had roasted beets cut into heart-shapes! I just fell in love with the look of it! I cook beets regularly in the form of stir-fry, salad, sauté etc. I have never roasted them! I roasted them this time and I wondered to myself: why didn't I ever think of roasting them before??? I like the roasted beets. The original salad recipe was using salad greens as the base. I didn't have salad greens handy and wanted to make something more filling and nutritious, hence decided to make it a quinoa-beet salad. I also tried this dressing which was so unlike any dressing I have made until now. I was fearful at the beginning, but in the end it was totally worthwhile! The original recipe calls for shallots to be sautéed and then ground with grape seed  oil, champagne vinegar & mustard .  I didn't have some of those ingredients, so I modified the recipe by substituting shallots with white onion and champagne vinegar with red wine vinegar. Instead of grapeseed oil, I used extra virgin olive oil. I also added 1 green chilli while blending to give the dressing a spicy kick! This dressing has a nice creaminess to it without the calories!

You can also serve this salad on a bed of baby greens.Do try this salad if you guys get a chance. I am sure you will like it!

Servings: 4-6

Prep time: 15-20 minsCook time: 15-20 minsTotal time: 30-40 mins

Ingredients :

For the quinoa salad:

Quinoa: 1 cup, uncooked
Water: 2 cups
Salt: a pinch
Cucumber: 1, medium-sized
Cherry tomatoes: 10, sliced into halves,
Walnuts: 1/4 cup, toasted
Scallions: 1, chopped fine.

For the beets:
Beets: 3 medium-sized one
Olive oil: 1 tbsp
Salt: to sprinkle lightly

For the Marinade:

Olive oil: 1 tbsp+ 1/4 cup
White Onion: 1, medium ( around 1 cup, chopped)
Red wine vinegar: 3 tbsp
Dijon mustard: 1 tbsp
Green chilli: 1
Sugar: 1 1/2 tsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375 deg F.
Peel and slice the beets and arrange them on a greased baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle olive oil and salt on the slices. Keep the tray on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30-40 mins or until the beets are tender.

Let the beets cool down. Once they are cool enough to handle, using a heart- shaped cookie cutter, cut the beets into heart-shaped. Keep it aside. Chop the remaining scraps of beets and keep aside.

While the beets are cooking, make the quinoa.
Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 cup washed quinoa. Reduce the flame to low, cover the saucepan and let it cook for 15mins. When done all the water should be gone and you should see small curly strands on the quinoa. Fluff it with a fork/ spoon and keep aside to cool.

When the quinoa is cooking, chop the cucumber, scallion and slice the tomatoes. Add the vegetables to a bowl. When the quinoa is cooked & cooled well, add it to be bowl. Keep aside.

For the marinade:

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Sauté chopped onions until transparent. Turn off the flame and let it cool. Grind it with all the ingredients listed under " for the marinade". Keep aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembling the salad:

Add the desired amount of the dressing to the bowl with quinoa and veggies. Mix well. Add the roasted walnut pieces.

Serve  on salad plates. Top with beet hearts!

You can serve this salad on a bed of salad greens.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

You can use the leftover roasted beet scraps in the salad by chopping it and mixing it. You can modify this salad by using ingredients that you have on hand.

Tip for healthy living:

All the ingredients in this salad are healthy and nutrient-rich.
Quinoa is a good source of protein. Beets have multiple benefits.

Food for thought:

Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination. Voltaire

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Pineapple Couscous Baby Greens Salad.

When I saw Angie's Healthy Recipe Challenge I was intrigued. When I saw that the primary ingredients that she wanted in the dish were pineapple and greens, I was challenged. I wanted to think out of the box and create something that had these ingredients. I was in the process of making Couscous salad with cranberries and walnuts  for dinner . I decided to encompass these two ingredients and come up with a more nutritious salad. The resulting salad was exotic and delicious! My husband loved it! Him saying something is good is a big compliment in itself.

So try this salad when you get a chance. You will be hooked. My neighbor loved it too.. I got the couscous that cooks in just 10 mins. This is perfect for a weeknight dinner! The leftover makes for a perfect lunch.

Here is the recipe:

Servings: 3

Prep time: 5 minsCook time: 10 minsTotal time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Couscous: 1 cup
Water: 1 & 1/4 cup
Salt: a pinch
Olive oil: 1 tsp
Dried cranberries : 1/3 cup
Roasted Walnut pieces : 1/4 cup
Pineapple pieces: 1 cup, diced small
Parsley: 1/3 cup, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper:1/4 tsp
Extra Virgin olive oil: 1/3 cup
Lemon juice: 1/4 cup, freshly squeezed
Sea salt: 1/2 tsp
Sriracha or hot sauce: 1/2 tsp ( optional)
Minced garlic: 1/4 tsp
Baby greens: 4 & 1/2 cups

Method:

Take 1 & 1/4 cups water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add salt, olive oil and couscous. Cover and cook on low for 10 mins. When done, turn of the flame and fluff it. Keep aside to cool.

Add into a small jar, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, minced garlic, Sriracha/ hot sauce. Close the jar and mix thoroughly. Keep aside.

Take the cooled couscous in a salad bowl. To this add the pineapple pieces, chopped parsley, dried cranberries, roasted walnuts & the prepared dressing. Mix thoroughly. Keep it refrigerated until ready to serve.

For serving:
Divide the baby greens equally among 3 plates. Then divide the couscous salad on it. Sprinkle some walnuts &/or parsley on top.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

If you intend to make/ pack this for lunch, then pack the greens separately in a container. Make sure you wrap the greens in papertowel.

Use another container for the salad. I you want the walnuts crunchy, pack it separately in a small container/ ziplock.

Tip for healthy living:

A salad like above can be quite nourishing and filling. It has pretty much all the food groups in it making for a complete balanced meal that is satisfying, yet low in calories.

Food for thought:

A little patience goes a long way. Unknown

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

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Faro Salad; Meatless Monday

Faro is a newfound grain for me. I did say for ME, because Faro is a very ancient grain. It is a essentially a form of wheat that looks more like Barley and has a nutty taste. It is usually found in salads & soups.I came across this grain thanks to my colleague. She brought me this little bag of "quick cook" Faro from Trader Joe's to try. I had never had Faro until then. I decided to make a salad with it. I wasn't sure what would go well with this grain. My friend told me that she had eaten a spinach- tomato-Faro salad and really liked it. I had both spinach and tomatoes in my refrigerator. I decided to use them.

I basically cooked the Faro as per the directions on the package.  I then let it cool down.The yield is amazing. A little bit goes a long way! Just one cup was plenty for 4 people! I blanched the spinach( the reason being these were thick-leaved spinach) and I was not crazy about eating them raw. Of course, the pictures would have looked better with raw spinach. Then again, I am sure you guys will agree that taste is just as important. I sliced some cherry tomatoes. I tossed them all together with lemon-olive oil dressing . I used parsley to garnish it. That's it guys! That simple. I must say that it was absolutely delicious! I  would make this again and again. It would make for a great lunch! Do try this if you get a chance. The Trader Joe's Faro does cook in exactly 10 mins!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Faro: 1 cup, uncooked
Water: 2 cups
Salt: a pinch
Spinach leaves: 1 cup, blanched
Cherry/grape tomatoes: 10-12
Olive oil: 1 tbsp
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Freshly ground black pepper powder: 1/4 tsp
Salt: to taste
Parsley: 1/4 cup, chopped.

Method:

Boil 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt. Add Faro, simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Open the lid, fluff it with a fork and cover again. Keep aside.

Slice the cherry/ grape tomatoes into half.

To a small jar, add  1 tbsp olive oil ( extra virgin), 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper and salt. Shake the jar and mix well. Keep aside.

In a separate bowl, take the blanched spinach, the sliced tomatoes, the cooked faro, chopped parsley and the olive oil-lemon juice dressing. Mix well.

Garnish with parsley.

This salad can be served warm or cold.

Leftovers for lunch with avocado!

Enjoy!

I am bringing amazing salad  to all our friends at Throwback Thursday#43, Fiesta Friday#124  and Saucy Saturdays#49! Angie's co-hosts this week are  Lindy @ Love in the Kitchen and Liz @ spades, spatulas and spoons.

Cooking made easy:

Like I always say, you can add pretty much anything you want into a salad. So feel free to improvise based on the ingredients that are available to you.

Whenever you are unsure regarding the dressing to be used, olive oil-vinegar or lemon juice is the safest bet. Again when in doubt of the proportion, use equal amounts of oil and acid. My trick is that I make extra in a jar and use as much as needed.

Tip for healthy living:

Salads make for a great way to include vegetables & sometimes fruits in a diet. Try to incorporate some kind of salad in all your meals. You will be covered for your daily 5-6 servings of vegetables. 

References: 

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/vegetables
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=55983
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/experts-recommend-5-9-servings-of-fruits-and-veggies-daily

Food for Thought:

Fair isn't everyone getting the same thing. Fair is everyone getting what they need in order to be successful. Unknown.