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Archives For main course salads

peach + tomato panzanella.

August 6, 2012 — 8 Comments

One of my favorite things: When I tell Daniel what I’m making and he whines about it … then he eats it, and loses his mind over how delicious it is.

Peach + Tomato Panzanella

How on earth could one whine after being presented to the thought of a luxurious bread salad – packed with fresh summer peaches, tomatoes, arugula, basil, and blue cheese – you ask?

Well, it all started when I explained to him what a panzanella is … Traditionally, it’s an Italian bread and tomato salad where the chunks of stale bread soak up the juices from the tomatoes. From there, anything can be added – more veggies, dressing, etc. But none of that matters because I lost him at the whole bread-soaking-up-tomato-juices thing.

In Salad Bar arugula, basil, blue cheese, main course salads, peaches, side salads, summer recipes, tomatoes

grilled chicken salad + blackberry vinaigrette.

July 12, 2012 — 8 Comments

It’s time to get back into the {salad} swing of things!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Mango, Avocado + Blackberry Vinaigrette

I’m seriously creeped by how long it’s been since I’ve shared one. I’ve had so much going on (just got off the phone with ABC again, NBD) that I’ve been pretty lazy about it. This one‘s been my go-to, because I can toss in a can of tuna and white beans and literally have dinner ready in 5 minutes.

But suddenly, I had a craving for something bigger and better. I’ve been obsessing over blackberries lately, because I’ve had some seriously good batches of them – as opposed to the blueberries I’ve been buying, which have for whatever reason been sour and lame. What’s up with that? For a blueberry-fiend like me, it’s pretty much the worst!

The idea of combining blackberry and mango in a salad just took me over, and from there the avocado was a natural addition. And then, pistachios! My new favorite addition to salads. If you buy them already roasted, shelled, and salted, they’re so easy – and they add the most savory flavor. I especially love them with avocados. Plus, they’re one of the lowest-calorie nuts (they are the lowest, actually, until you get into the roasted/salted world) and they’re super-high in potassium. Love, love, love.

Things didn’t really get good, however, until I decided to turn my happy little carton of berries into a vinaigrette.

In Healthy Eats, Salad Bar avocado, blackberries, dressings + vinaigrettes, main course salads, mango, pistachios, summer recipes

tropical spinach salad with grilled shrimp + feta.

May 21, 2012 — 15 Comments

Spinach and strawberries are a classic combination when it comes to salads, but here – we’re taking that up a notch.

Tropical Spinach Salad with Grilled Shrimp + Feta

I almost skipped out on this week’s recipe for The Food Matters Project, and I’m so glad I didn’t. I’ve had a lot of craziness going on lately, between my trip to Louisville last week, catching up on work, and the ever-insane social calendar. I had a wedding last night, for instance – but I still ~~found~~ made the time to put this salad together yesterday so that we’d have dinner ready for the next couple of nights … and so that I could share it with you, of course!

Who doesn’t love a good main dish salad this time of year? It’s easy, it’s quick, and best of all … it’s bikini season-friendly!

It can be easy to fall into a salad-f0r-dinner rut once you find one you like. I tend toward arugula and store-bought rotisserie chicken with my go-to mustard vinaigrette during those extra-crazy weeks when I can’t even fathom putting more than 2 minutes of thought into dinner. This salad is a little more creative – and yes, it takes a bit more prep – but it’s still super-quick and easy.

In Food Matters Project, Healthy Eats, Salad Bar basil, citrus, dressings + vinaigrettes, feta, main course salads, pineapple, shrimp, spinach, strawberries, tropical, weeknight fix

rainbow chopped salad.

May 16, 2011 — Leave a comment

I typically don’t use recipes for weeknight salads, but every now and then I stumble upon something unique and fabulous that I simply must try.

Such was the case with this gorgeously colorful salad that I actually first saw in my print edition of Bon Appétit a couple of months ago. It’s full of all kinds of delicious fruits like apple, Asian pear, and mango – and my favorite addition, the red cabbage, which adds so much crunch and texture. The dressing is also something different that what I normally would use, with the red wine vinegar and the hazelnut oil, which is a perfect pairing with the toasted hazelnuts tossed in the salad. And then, there’s the blue cheese, which was deemed optional in the original recipe – I, however, feel it’s a must. The flavors are all so unique and unexpected, and yet they pair together wonderfully.

I added chilled, cooked shrimp to make this a main course, but you could also certainly use chicken breast. Or even go without – this salad’s got plenty going on to keep you satisfied.

Rainbow Chopped Salad

Adapted from Bon Appétit

6 cups chopped romaine hearts {or 2 bags}
1 small head red cabbage, sliced
1 large Fuji apple, halved, cored, diced
1 Asian pear, halved, cored, diced
1 mango, peeled, diced
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
3 cups cooked shrimp or chicken breast, diced {for a main course salad}

Shallot Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 – 1/2 cup hazelnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

To make the dressing, whisk vinegar, shallot, and honey in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing to taste. Combine romaine and next 5 ingredients in very large bowl (or even 2 large bowls); toss to blend. Add dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among plates. Sprinkle with blue cheese and serve.

Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as a side or starter.

In Healthy Eats, Salad Bar blue cheese, hazelnuts, main course salads, salads with fruit, vinaigrette recipes

arugula + italian tuna salad.

April 11, 2011 — 2 Comments

Allow me to introduce you to my latest favorite weeknight fix.

Or – perhaps I should introduce to my latest favorite ingredient: canned Italian tuna packed in olive oil. It’s the secret to this salad, and the secret to getting a complete, protein-packed meal on the table – no cooking involved.

I’m thinking about making this salad a weekly thing. It’s so delicious, and so easy to throw together with staple ingredients you can easily keep on hand – like white cannellini beans, tuna, and a hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

I suppose you could use regular canned tuna, but the Italian tuna in the olive oil is so much more flavorful. I recommend splurging and stocking up on a few cans. This way, all you’ll need to remember to pick up from the store is the arugula and tomatoes and you’ll have a healthy, delicious meal ready any night of the week.

Arugula, Italian Tuna, and White Bean Salad

Adapted from Cooking Light

Juice of 1 lemon
2 – 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata or Niçoise olives
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 (6-ounce) cans Italian tuna packed in olive oil, drained and broken into chunks
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (5-ounce) package fresh baby arugula
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved

Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add tomatoes and next 5 ingredients (through arugula); toss. Top with cheese.

Serves 4.

In Healthy Eats, Salad Bar arugula, canned tuna packed in olive oil, main course salads, parmigiano-reggiano, weeknight fix, white beans

skirt steak + arugula salad with blue cheese.

December 16, 2010 — 3 Comments

This time of year, we could all use a little more salad in our lives.

This salad, however, isn’t your average salad. This salad just so happens to be filled with some of my favorite ingredients ever to exist. Anything with arugula instantly wins me over, and I love the addition of skirt steak – it’s a great way to mix up the usual grilled chicken routine. Topping it all off with a super-easy mustard vinaigrette and crumbles of fresh blue cheese just takes it to the next level. It’s so delish, and best of all, so simple – you’ll be ready to eat in less than 15 minutes.

Which means more of another thing we could all use more of right about now: TIME! Cheers to that!

Skirt Steak + Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese and Mustard Vinaigrette

Via Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Gourmet

1 pound skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat, halved crosswise, at room temperature
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
1/2 pound baby arugula
3 tablespoons minced chives, 2 thinly sliced scallions, or 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion {for garnish}

For the Steakhouse Mustard Vinaigrette:

1 tablespoon coarse Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/3 cup olive oil

Pat steak dry and season on both sides 1/2 teaspoon salt and many grinds of black pepper.

Got a cast-iron skillet?

Heat skillet on medium-high to high and add olive oil. When oil begins to shimmer, place steak in skillet and let it cook for 5 minutes without touching it. Turn it once, and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare.

Got a grill?

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal or high heat for gas. Oil grill rack, then grill steak, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, 4 to 6 minutes total for medium-rare. If using an indoor grill, heat to medium-high and cook for about the same time.

Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest, loosely covered with foil, for five minutes. Arrange arugula on a large platter. Thinly slice steak on the diagonal, across the grain. Arrange over arugula, then toss halved cherry tomatoes and blue cheese over platter. Add vinaigrette to taste, then add garnish of your choosing. Serve with additional vinaigrette on the side.

Serves 4.

In Fabulously Simple, Salad Bar arugula, blue cheese, main course salads, skirt steak, smitten kitchen obsessed, vinaigrette

salmon niçoise platter.

August 10, 2010 — 4 Comments

Would you believe me if I told you this was my favorite salad?

It’s true. I know, I say it a lot.

Ask anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of dining out with me. If a Niçoise salad is on the menu, I’m ordering it. Whether it’s served with salmon, seared tuna – even tuna from a can, which happens to be the traditional way to go – the decision is easy. I’m in.

And now that I’ve started making it at home, it’s really on. The best part? It’s easy enough to throw together on a weeknight for two, and yet equally impressive when serving for a larger crowd.

Trust me. Your friends will love it. Try serving it on a fish platter, like this. They’ll go crazy.

Roasted Salmon Niçoise Platter

{à la Ina Garten}

Adapted to serve 2-4

1 lemon
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
A few garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-4 salmon fillets
Potatoes of your choice, cooked and cut into slices {I used baby red potatoes}
Haricots verts, blanched
Tomatoes {either cherry or cut into wedges}
Hard-booked eggs, halved
Salad greens {I used mixed – you could also use watercress or arugula}
Handful mixed olives
Anchovies, optional

For the vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons champagne vinegar {or white wine vinegar}
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Begin with a simple marinade for your salmon. Zest and juice your lemon and whisk in equal splashes of olive oil and Dijon mustard. Add garlic, season with salt and pepper, and pour the mixture over the fish (on a sheet pan covered in foil for easy clean-up). Let it sit for about 15 minutes or so.

To cook the potatoes, bring them to a boil in a large pot of salted water. Lower the heat and let them simmer for 10-15 minutes until they’re slightly tender when pierced with a fork. Drain them, placing the colander of potatoes back over the pot and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let them steam for about 15-20 minutes. To blanch the haricots verts, place them in a pot of boiling water for about a minute, remove and place into an ice bath. If you need help hard-boiling your eggs, click here.

Roast the salmon in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how big the pieces are. You want it almost cooked through. Remove to a plate and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together Dijon mustard and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, and slowly whisk in olive oil. Now just spread your greens on a platter, and top with all of your ingredients. Drizzle with vinaigrette and enjoy.

In Dinner Party Worthy, Healthy Eats, Salad Bar ina garten, main course salads, marinades, perfect presentation, salmon, vinaigrette

waldorf chicken salad, lightened up.

August 2, 2010 — 3 Comments

Greek yogurt has officially changed my life.

At first, it only found its way into the mini-meals I consume throughout the day, usually consisting of yogurt, berries, nuts, and bit of honey.

But now – since discovering that you can use it in place of mayo in a creamy chicken {or tuna} salad – now, it’s on.

Why am I so obsessed? For one, it packs a serious protein punch: one cup gets you about 20 grams. And when you use the plain, which I do, you’re getting the lowest amount of sugar possible. It’s also fat free, of course, and it has a perfectly creamy and slightly tangy taste.

It’s perfect in this salad, which I made for dinner served over a bed of cold, crisp Romaine. You could also eat it plain, or grab some bread or a wrap and sandwich it up. The idea is that you’re replacing half of the mayo – or less, or more if you’d like – with the Greek yogurt, lowering the total fat content and up-ing the protein. It’s a pretty much a win-win.

Skinny Waldorf Chicken Salad

Adapted from Skinny Taste

2 poached chicken breasts, cubed {I poached in water; see original recipe if you want to use chicken broth}
2 apples, chopped
2 cups halved red seedless grapes
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 – 1/2 cup good light mayo
1/4 – 1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup pecans or walnuts
Mixed greens of your choice {I used Romaine}

To poach the chicken, place the breasts in a pot and fill the pot with enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, and then turn the heat down and let them simmer for a few minutes. Take the pot off the heat, cover it, and let the chicken continue to cook for about 15-20 minutes. You can use chicken broth instead of water if you’d like, and adding veggies or herbs will help you add more flavor. I wasn’t that concerned with flavoring the chicken for a salad like this, but I did throw in a few celery leaves just because they were there.

Combine all ingredients, adding nuts just before serving, and serve over salad greens of your choice.

I used more Greek yogurt than Gina did in her original recipe, because I wanted to make it even healthier – and we all know I’m a little protein obsessed. Feel free to play with the proportions to your taste.

In Healthy Eats, Salad Bar apples, celery, chicken, grapes, greek yogurt, how to poach chicken breasts, lunch, main course salads

the salad bar: the ultimate summer salad.

July 26, 2010 — 4 Comments

A salad is always a good way to start the week, especially after weekends of food + drink debauchery.

Especially when said salad has bacon. And pan-fried fresh corn.

Um, yeah. I went there.

There’s also grape tomatoes, avocado, and grilled chicken. Probably some red onion. And did I mention there was bacon? And we can’t forget about the dressing. Or maybe we can – because I just did. I can’t remember what’s in the dressing. It’s definitely an herb vinaigrette. I’m thinking basil.

What do you think? Let’s go with basil. Chop some up, and add a good squeeze of lemon. Salt and pepper, and slowly whisk in your olive oil. That’s it. Fresh basil-lemon vinaigrette.

Let’s get back to this pan-fried corn. Eating it alone is heaven, and adding it to a salad is just outrageous. Fresh corn right off the cob, a little butter, and some salt + pepper = a party in your frying pan. I used to eat this stuff all the time growing up, and let me just tell you – it’s addicting. The fresh corn just sings here, but in a crunch frozen or even (gasp!) canned would do. But it would have to be a very big crunch.

Go. Make it. Now.