Category Archives: VEGETABLES AND SALADS

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Quinoa Salad with Apples and Cranberries


quinoa cranberries apple

  • 2 cups uncooked quinoa
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2/3 cup walnuts
  • 2/3 cup feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup cranberries
  • 2 apples peeled and cut in pieces

Dressing

  • 2 tbsp agave nectar (or honey)
  • 1 lime
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/3 cup walnuts

In a medium-size saucepan, combine the quinoa, vegetable oil, and water, then bring them to a boil (Season with salt and garlic salt to taste). Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl, stir, and let it cool completely.

Add the apples, cranberries, feta cheese and 2/3 cup of walnuts to the quinoa and toss the ingredients well.

Dressing. Add olive oil, 1/3 cup of the walnuts, agave nectar and lime juice to a food processor.

Add the dressing to the quinoa and toss once more to coat the salad. Serve at room temperature.

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Quinoa Salad in lime and wine sauce


  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
  • 2 tablespoons white wine
  • 1/2 cup (1/4 pound) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 1 large can of mushrooms
  • 1 large can of asparagus
  • Salt and pepper

Cook the quinoa in 2 cups of water (add salt, a tablespoon of olive oil and garlic or onion salt to taste). While the quinoa is cooking, heat one tablespoon of the oil in a pan. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly browned. Add the lime  juice and wine and allow the mixture to reduce until it is syrup-like. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the cold butter, a few pieces at a time, until the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Drain the quinoa and stir into the sauce. Add the mushrooms and asparagus. Serve cold.

 

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Corn and Red Potato Salad


potato salad

1 lb. very small red potatoes scrubbed

2 ears fresh corn (or 1 can whole kernel corn)

1 ripe avocado, diced

2 scallions (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Pepper

  • In a medium saucepan cover potatoes with lightly salted water. Bring to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook potatoes until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Cut each potato in half, transfer to a medium bowl and refrigerate to cool
  • If using fresh corn, cook it in the grill with the lid closed as much as possible, until the kernels are brown. Turn often. Cut kernels from cobs
  • Add corn to bowl with potatoes along with avocados, scallions, and cilantro
  • In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, and garlic. Gradually whisk in the oil. Pour over the potato mixture and toss to combine
  • Season with salt and pepper
  • Refrigerate until it is time to serve

Serve with Grilled Skirt Steak.

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Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil


Taken from Simplyrecipes.com. Very easy to make.

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil Recipe

  • 6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

1- Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. (If the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube between tomatoes.) Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the stem area. Why use plum tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes? The skins are much thicker and there are fewer seeds and less juice.

2 Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450°F to preheat.

3 While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4 Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.

5 Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.

Serves 6-10 as an appetizer. Makes 24 small slices.

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Artichoke and Asparagus Salad


IMG_4226

1 can asparagus

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1/4 cup olive oil

1 can artichoke hearts, drained

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Optional: mixed greens + arugula

Whisk mustard, salt, pepper,lemon juice, vinegar, lemon zest, thyme and oil together in a large bowl. Gently toss the asparagus and artichokes in the dressing. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

You can serve them just like that or mix with greens and arugula.

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Roasted Asparagus Recipe


INGREDIENTS

1 bundle fresh asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Wash asparagus under cold running water. Trim off and discard bottom tough ends (about 3 inches). Lay the trimmed asparagus spears side by side on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon olive oil over the spears. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and grated parmesan cheese. Roast in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Serve with "Spaguetti and Scallops in a Lemon Butter Sauce"