Here is one of my new favorite lunch time salads.  Since going Paleo, a little over a month now, I find myself in the kitchen a lot during the weekends planning my lunches for the week.  Of course towards the end of the week the cabinets are a bit bare and the only option left is a spinach salad, you know the typical salad…great but boring!  I needed a little change this week which meant I needed several lunch options to avoid the spinach salad come Thursday and Friday.  This weekend I got in the kitchen and got creative.  For example, this salad came about by looking in my refrigerator to see what I had and what I could make.  Sometimes these can be a hit or a miss.  Luckily in the case of this chicken salad it was a hit.  The roasted peppers add a slight sweetness to the salad and the almonds add a slight crunch.  The best of both worlds.  The dressing I adapted from my Chicken Salad with Peas and Herb Vinaigrette, one of my first recipes on the blog, but I changed it up to make it Paleo.  So no honey, no rice vinegar, no honey mustard, etc.  The dressing turned out great and it was the perfect balance with the other ingredients in the salad.  For a fun idea to serve the chicken salad, you can cut an avocado in half removing the pit and place a scoop of salad carefully in the hole where the pit was.  I saw this idea in the Food Network magazine a few months ago and knew I had to try it.  Yum!  Of course that is totally optional.  I have also made “wraps” out of the salad by wrapping it in lettuce leaves.  Another option to enjoy the salad.  I have to say this was meant for this weeks lunch but I found it hard not to eat the whole thing this weekend.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

And just a note to all those that were in the path of Irene this weekend.  I hope you and your family weathered it out ok and there wasn’t too much damage to your homes and towns.  It was hard seeing some of the images over the weekend as I know first hand what a hurricane/tropical storm can be like.  Thoughts are with you all!

Chicken Salad with Roasted Bell Peppers in Avocado Cups

Print Recipe

4 skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)

4 bay leaves

1 quart organic low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth (or half of each, which I did here)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 cup unsalted, roasted almonds, finely chopped

1/2 large red onion, diced

1/2 a bunch asparagus, roasted and diced into small pieces**

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

2 roasted bell peppers (red or yellow peppers), skin removed and diced (recipe below)*

salt and pepper to taste

Mustard Herb Dressing:

1/3 cup fresh parsley, tightly packed

1/3 cup fresh basil, tightly packed

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon gluten-free Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

fresh ground pepper to taste

Instruction:

*To Roast Bell Peppers:

Preheat oven to 45o degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with coconut oil, set aside.  Cut the peppers in half and clean out the seeds and innards. Place them on a baking sheet skin side up.  Bake peppers for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the skins are brownish-black, remove from the oven and immediately place the peppers in a large ziploc bag. Close and let sit for 20 minutes or so (or until the peppers have time to cool and “sweat”). Once they have cooled you will be able to peel the skins right off. What you will have left is a moist, wonderfully cooked pepper. Yummy!
**To roast asparagus, toss asaragus in a little olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper.  Roast in the 450 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on size of asparagus, while bell peppers roast.  Remove and allow to cool before cutting into small pieces.

For Chicken Salad:

Put the bay leaves and the chicken broth in a large pot with a lid and bring stock to a simmer.  Add the chicken breasts to the pot.  Return the broth to a simmer.  Cover the pot.  Turn off the heat.  Let the chicken steep in the stock for 30 minutes to an hour.

While the chicken is cooking, chop the other ingredients – garlic, almonds, onion, asparagus, basil, parsley, roasted bell peppers – and add to a large bowl.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

When the chicken breasts are cooked, remove them from the broth and let them cool.  When they are cool enough to handle, shred the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces by hand.  Mix the chicken pieces in with the rest of the ingredients.

To Make Dressing:

In the bowl of a food processor combine parsley, basil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, and salt.  While food processor is running slowly add olive oil in a small drizzle.  You may have to stop the food processor to scrape the sides.  You want the mixture to come to a liquid consistency.  Add fresh ground pepper to taste.

Add dressing to chicken salad and toss to combine.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.  Or inside a halved avocado.  Take an avocado, remove pit, and place chicken salad in the inside. 

Makes about 6 to 8 servings of salad

I have often been asked if I could post more fish type dishes.  In all honesty I love fish but I always found it so hard to photograph.  Shellfish have been a different story but for some reason fish in a photo never looks “good” in my opinion.  Last weekend I made this salad for my husband and I and it was so delicious that I knew I needed to overcome my fear of photographing fish in order to share this recipe with you.  So yesterday I made it again for my lunch and decided to reach for camera and hope to capture a photo that gives this salmon and salad the justice it deserves.  I hope I did because I’m telling you guys it the the perfect summer salad and the salmon adds a whole other delicious component to the dish.  So even if the photo’s don’t do it justice you must give this a try.

I hope everyone had a great weekend.  Amazing how the summer is flying by isn’t it?!  Just wish the temperatures outside were reflective of the summer almost coming to an end.  Boy is it hot there!  Stay cool out there and I’ll see you back here in a few days to share another recipe. 

Raspberry Glazed Salmon with Summer Salad

Print Recipe

For salmon:

2 wild-caught salmon fillets

3 tablespoons Bronco Bob’s Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (at Whole Foods)

For Salad:

4 cups organic mixed greens

1 large peach, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup fresh raspberries

1/2 cup carrot sticks

1/2 cup cucumbers, sliced and cut into quarters

1/3 cup broccoli slaw

1/3 cup pecans, toasted

Dressing:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste

Instructions:

To make salmon:

Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of Roasted Raspberry Sauce on each salmon fillet.  Cover and let marinate for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until salmon is ready.

For Salad:

In a large bowl add mixed greens, peaches, raspberries, carrots, broccoli slaw, and pecans.  Toss well.

For Dressing:

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice.  Add ground black pepper to taste.

Place salad on two plates and drizzle salad dressing over salad (or your favorite dressing) and top with salmon or place on the side.  Enjoy!

So last week I told you about the fruit stand I went to where I found these peaches, but I neglecting to tell you about all the wonderful veggies they had too.  So I’m back to tell you they had VEGGIES!  Lot’s of them and they were beautiful!  They had peppers, zucchini, sweet corn, fresh herbs and so much more.  What does a girl do with all this stuff looking back at you.  You pick them up and bring them home and get busy in the kitchen.  That’s what happen and this orzo salad was born.  It’s light, it’s fresh, and it’s filled with all things good…well at least all things good in my book.  After all it’s filled with a rainbow of colors and in your mind you sing “Over the Rainbow” when you make it and then you smile.  I just love that!  Again, that’s why this salad is pretty darn good in my book. 

We enjoyed it as a side salad and we also enjoyed it with some grilled chicken tossed with it.  That’s the beauty of salads like these you can pair it with something or leave it the way it is and it’s still a rock star!  It’s already a planned side dish for the 4th of July due that reason. 

Enjoy everyone!  See you back here soon.

Grilled Vegetable Orzo Salad

Print Recipe

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 large zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1/2 pound orzo

1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped

1 ear sweet corn, kernels cut from cob

3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Dressing:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon seat salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. 

In a small bowl, toss red pepper and zucchini in 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Place vegetables in the preheat grill pan.  Grill vegetables until soften.  About 5 to 8 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook orzo according to package instructions.  Rinse with cold water until the orzo is no longer warm.  Pour orzo into a large bowl and toss with grilled vegetables, spinach, corn, and basil.

Whisk together olive oil, grapeseed oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and pepper.  Pour dressing over salad and toss until dressing is incorporated.  Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Serve at room temperature or cold.

Get Grillin’ with Family Fresh Cooking and Cookin’ Canuck, sponsored by Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, Rouxbe and ManPans.

I’m back with another mango recipe.  I know, I know another mango recipe but I warned you.  I had lots remember.  I’ve got my fingers crossed you aren’t tired of mango’s yet.  I was hoping the recent doughnut post would break some things up too.  Did it work?  Again, fingers crossed.  I ran across this recipe on Our Best Bites and I knew as soon as I saw it I had to try it.  It looked so light and refreshing and just the thing I have been wanting lately.  It also was perfect to use up the last of the mango’s.  Yes, you heard that right…the last of the mango’s.  Yipppeee!  And don’t worry I told my neighbor to hold off on the mango’s for awhile.  I had to explain to her that the whole house was almost mango-ed out.  Plus all of you. 

This salad is a great summer time side dish or served as a main dish with a side of chicken or fish.  I’ve actually made it twice already so that tells you how much I loved it.  I’m glad I ran across it because it is my stack of favorites now.

Enjoy!! 

Mango Quinoa Salad

Print Recipe

2 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature

1 – 14 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 medium ripe mango, peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

4 green onions, thinly diced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cook quinoa according to package directions.  Quinoa can be cooked in water or broth.  I suggest using vegetable or chicken broth for enhanced flavor.  I used a combination of vegetable broth and water for this recipe and it turned out great.

Place cooked and cooled quinoa in a large bowl.  Add mango, red pepper, green onion, black beans, and cilantro.  In a small bowl combine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice.  Whisk until smooth and pour on top of salad.  Toss to combine and add salt and pepper to taste.  Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Recipe from OurBestBites who adapted from Ali Vincent

I first want to stop for a minute and tell those in the South affected by the lasted storms that my thoughts are with you and your family.  It is so sad to see the damage that has been done.  I had some great friends that went to school in Tuscaloosa and it’s heart breaking to see the city and what the tornadoes have done to it.  Again, my thoughts and prayers are with you all affected by these storms.

Here is another zucchini filled recipe….I’ve been loving zucchini lately.  Not only is this quinoa recipe filled with zucchini but plenty of other great vegetables and some of my favorites, like asparagus, carrot and spinach.  It’s a jammed packed recipe filled with good for you ingredients.  I have to admit this recipe was dreamt up as I was working out on Monday night.  Yes, I guess I wasn’t giving my workout it’s 100% attention, but I like to think this was all for something good.  I knew I needed to have something great to have for the rest of the week for my lunch and I had a bin filled with lots of great veggies.  I think the best part about this recipe is the quinoa being cooking it in carrot juice and vegetable broth.  It gives the quinoa so much extra flavor and in the end you really don’t need to add any dressing to this recipe.  And if your not familiar with quinoa it’s a great grain and actually contains more high quality protein than any other grain.  Which could easily make this recipe a main dish with the vegetables and the protein from the quinoa and the chickpeas.  I hope you enjoy as much as I did this week!  I finished the last of this today for my lunch and I’m totally bummed that I don’t have more.  I guess that means I’ll be making this again soon.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  I’m looking forward to another weekend.  Are you?

Grilled Vegetable Carrot Quinoa

Print Recipe

1 cup quinoa

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup carrot juice

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bunch asparagus, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups baby spinach, chopped

1 cup chickpeas

1/3 cup toasted almonds, chopped

fresh ground pepper andsalt to taste

Instructions:

Place rinsed quinoa, vegetable broth, carrot juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes.  When done, the grain should appear soft and translucent.

While quinoa is cooking, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Toss chopped asparagus, carrot and zucchini in 1 tablespoon olive oil and then place in heated grill pan.  Grill vegetables for 5 to 8 minutes until soften slightly. 

Add carrot quinoa, grilled vegetables, chopped spinach, chickpeas, and chopped almonds in a large serving bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  

Quinoa can be served warm or cold.  Best kept in airtight container in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

« Previous Page — Next Page »