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Archive for July, 2013

Our “Go-To” Kale Salad

Posted in Avocado, lemon, Quick, Salad, Tomatoes, Vegan, Vegetables, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 31, 2013| 1 Comment »

No official name here, not even a *real* recipe, just a framework for you.

We fell in love with kale salads a few years ago. And I was actually surprised that my husband went for it the first time I made one!

I almost always have a bag of Trader Joe’s curly kale in the frig – it lasts quite a while and is pre-prepped (torn and washed) so this salad is easily thrown together. I also always have a ripe avocado – they’re either ripening on the counter or there are ripe ones *on hold* in the frig. This salad frequently accompanies our other “go-to” meal item, our homemade frozen tamales, as the flavors are complementary.

"Go-To" Kale Salad

“Go-To” Kale Salad

Kale, washed and torn from stems

Olive oil

Salt

Garlic powder

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Avocado, diced

Lemon (or lime) juice, just a squeeze, to taste (a few drops of bottled works in a pinch too!)

Sriracha Sauce (aka Rooster Sauce), to taste, if desired

Roasted Sunflower Seeds

Place your kale in a bowl and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and a dash of salt. Massage kale with your hands until the leaves are coated. Sprinkle with garlic powder and let it rest while you make the other parts of your meal; the leaves will soften. Top kale with remaining ingredients and serve.

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Happy July 4th!

Posted in quinoa, Salad, tagged , , , , , , , on July 4, 2013| 4 Comments »

Well, we’re halfway through the summer semester and I still haven’t gotten back to blogging very much. I am cooking more. In fact, I am trying to select one recipe each week from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. I have had this cookbook for a couple of years and haven’t really utilized it very often. So it is a goal of mine to pick this cookbook up more often.

I did recently remake a recipe that I came up with last summer and never blogged about, so finally, here it is. I am always looking for good things to take with me in my thermos to eat during my lunch break at work or the long day I have on campus this semester. And I remembered this recipe when I started seeing those beautiful red, seedless grapes on sale. I also tried this recipe out on my group of gluten free girlfriends (last summer though) and everyone enjoyed it. I hope you will too! (PS: It does contain meat as it was just for me and my lunches.)

Yes, you’re probably already celebrating, with your holiday picnics underway as I type, but this recipe would be a good one to take to a potluck or summer barbecue later this summer.

And with that, I had better get off the computer and go get ready for the July 4th Extravaganza over at my friend, Heidi’s, house. I hope you’re enjoying your holiday!

Poppyseed Quinoa Chicken Salad

Poppyseed Quinoa Chicken Salad

1/2 cup dry quinoa, cooked according to instructions

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup grape halves

4 oz chicken, cooked and diced

2-4 Tbsp poppyseed dressing (such as Briannas or Ken’s)

1/4 cup almonds, sliced or chopped

Cook quinoa according to directions. Allow to cool completely. Mix together cooled quinoa, celery, grapes and chicken in a large bowl. Stir in dressing, as desired. (If your quinoa is still warm you will need more dressing as it seems to soak up more when it is warm).  Mix in almonds before serving.

Size up the recipe for a crowd. As written, this makes about enough for me for 3-4 lunch-sized portions. I often throw it over some mixed greens for some extra umph.

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