Black Kale Salad from L&S

On one of our recent trips to Los Angeles, we went to the restaurant Love & Salt and fell in love (as seen in this post).  They have the type of menu that makes you want to go back every day to try something new.  Nothing disappoints, and I mean NOTHING.  Like their salad that's made up of black kale, soppressata, olives, pickled peppers, breadcrumbs and ricotta salata.  Everything about this salad is perfect, especially the way they julienne the ingredients so they are perfectly uniform.  When everything is the same size it's just easier to eat!  That's my jam.  And then let's talk about the breadcrumbs which, if I had to guess, are toasted in olive oil or butter until they reach a crisp, golden perfection.  The crunch they offer the salad is beyond... and such a nice change from biting into a big crouton.  The pickled peppers and olives give off the perfect, salty bite.  I can't imagine a better protein than the soppressata or a lovelier, creamier cheese than the ricotta salata and the black kale is the perfect vessel for this salad... a sturdy, earthy green that holds everything together.

My son would say, why don't you marry this salad??        

Maybe I will, son, maybe I will.   

As you can see, I tried to recreate it at home using a red-wine vinaigrette and it was pretty damn close to the restaurant version.  Excuse me while I pat myself on the back.  If you decide to try this combination... make sure to julienne your ingredients and do NOT forget to toast your bread crumbs.  In fact, I took leftover focaccia bread from our pizza delivery, put it in the food processor and THEN toasted it in the best olive oil I had!  I made a ton and now I put it on every salad.  The End.  

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Roasted Cauliflower & Corn Salad

When I'm on vacation and in an unfamiliar kitchen without my own arsenal of kitchen ingredients, I love to make up recipes.  Oh, when you're on vacation you love to relax, shop, get facials?  You sound normal.  I sound not normal.  However, I gotta be, gotta be, gotta gotta be me (all I listen to is the Teen Beach 2 soundtrack).  I made up this salad the other day, and while it may not look very appetizing (I think it could use some chopped chives on top?), it really, really was.  Roasted vegetables, fluffy quinoa and crunchy garlic croutons... a perfect side dish for just about anything!     

Roasted Cauliflower & Corn Salad

(Serves 6-8)

Printable Recipe

1 head cauliflower

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more to make croutons with

1 tsp cumin

Zest of one lime, plus juice for salad

Salt and pepper

4 ears corn

1 box quinoa, cooked

4 pieces bread, chopped into small pieces 

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Break up cauliflower into florets and place on a baking sheet.  In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, cumin and lime zest.  Pour over florets and toss with hands.  Season with salt and pepper.  Wrap each ear of corn in foil.  Roast corn and cauliflower in oven for 30 minutes.  I use this time to make my croutons.  In a large skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Add bread and garlic, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until bread is golden and crispy.  Once veggies are roasted, place cauliflower in large bowl.  Let corn cool enough to handle, and then slice kernels off and add to bowl.  Add cooked quinoa and croutons to bowl, and toss.  Finally, add cotija cheese and squeeze some lime into bowl.  Season to taste with salt and pepper!   

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TODAY tonight: Cauliflower Steak

If you're unfamiliar with my "TODAY tonight" series, it's when Carson won't stop talking about something he ate at work, so I make it at home to shut him up.  However, this time around, I didn't even have to wait to hear him rave.  I was watching Aarti Sequeira on the show and I instantly wanted everything she cooked.  She made cauliflower three ways, and I could practically taste the vibrant, Indian flavors through my TV screen.  

It was the "cauliflower steak" with a lime yogurt sauce that made me run to the store for the vegetable.  I cook cauliflower a lot, but something as simple as cutting it differently and marinating it with different spices completely transformed it for me.  I am obsessed.  Even my son loved it!  I will make this again, and again, and again.  Recipe here.

And speaking of Today Food and vegetables, I will be there tomorrow trying to get Carson to eat a particular one he doesn't like... wish me luck!

We served it with a version of this salad because we just can't get enough.

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Kale, Quinoa and Chicken Salad

People, it's hot.  Like, real hot.  Like, I thought I'd sit outside for a minute with my computer and let my just-showered-hair (after 3, fine 4 days) dry in the summer breeze until I realized my boobs were already sweating HOT.  When it's this hot, I feel the need to eat really light, probably because my body feels bloated and heavy and I also want nothing to do with the kitchen.  This is, eat lots of vegetables (and sip white wine for lunch?) type of weather.  But I always forget how easy it is to throw a salad together for lunch.  For some reason it doesn't SEEM easy, but with leftovers involved and some minor weekend prep, a week-day salad can be effortless.  See the one I just made below...

Kale, Quinoa and Chicken Salad

Serves 3

Printable Recipe

1 bag frozen quinoa with vegetables* (or 2 cups cooked quinoa)

3 cups baby kale

1 cup shredded roasted chicken

1 avocado, diced

3 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted

1/3 cup crumbled greek ricotta** (or goat cheese, or feta)

Balsamic glaze

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Prepare quinoa as instructed on bag (I did this Sunday night and kept it in tupperware).  Assemble rest of ingredients and toss.  Drizzle with balsamic glaze and olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

*Found this in the organic section of the freezer.

**Sometimes I get in a feta/goat cheese rut, so I tried this Greek ricotta the other day and I'm OBSESSED!  So creamy.

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The Perfect Chopped Salad

Moms and Dads!  Any tips or tricks for a baby who wants to get up at 5am?  Listen, I'm not complaining that she's sleeping soundly (usually) from 7pm-5am, but is it really necessary to wake up with the sun and the mother f'ing birds??  I feel like today has been eleventy hours long already, and yes that is my favorite made-up number.  

    Well, if I don't fall asleep mid-post or start spastically dancing from too much coffee, I will attempt to talk about my favorite chopped salad.  I am a BIG fan of salads with as many ingredients as possible.  Every bite is like a little party in your mouth.  I love a good restaurant chopped salad but it's just as easy to make your own version at home.  Throw anything and everything you have into it!  To me the most important thing is a variety of fresh flavors and textures.  Something crunchy, something smooth, something salty, something bright.  Another important part: chop everything roughly the same size.  No one wants to cut their salad with a knife, unless it's a wedge, because wedges win at life.  This particular salad has diced salami, crumbed cotija cheese, sliced cherry tomatoes (both red and golden), fresh corn cut off the cob, chopped up sweet red peppers, toasted pine nuts, finely chopped basil and diced avocado... all atop a bed of baby arugula.  I like to keep my dressing simple... a drizzle of balsamic glaze, a splash of olive oil and some freshly squeezed lemon.  Salt, pepper, done.  Goodnight.  Oh, the day isn't over?  Blarghdjskh  

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Buffalo Chicken Chop Salad

The following guest post was written by my BFF (can I still say that at 33?) Katy.

Minnesota beauty, mother of two girls I miss every day, best photographer ever... can't get through the day without texting her one billion times.  

Check out her photography and blog, you will not regret it.

Hello Siriously Delicious People!  

A friend was coming for lunch the other day and my hostess skills are so very rusty that I was a bit panicked about what I would whip up at the most loco time of day: kids at my feet, house a mess, laundry piling, to do list creeping in the creepiest way.  Basically a circus.  Welcome to the circus, guest of mine.  Thank goodness old trusty came in to save the day.  It always saves the day.

BUFFALO.

This is a recipe I've shared and over shared and I'll keep doing it because our love never falters.  It's healthy and sinfully scrumptious, too.  Ladies and Gentlemen, let me reintroduce you to:

Buffalo Chicken Chop Salad

Printable Recipe

Chicken, chopped or shredded

Buffalo sauce (I prefer Frank's Red Hot but any will do)

Cucumber 

Tomatoes

Greens

Red onion

Bleu cheese or Gorgonzola

Other toppings: beets, peppers, jalapeños, herbs, apple, beans, avocado, etc.

Dressing: dollop of greek yogurt, splash or two of red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Top with crumbled chips or nuts for crunch

And how to swing a lunch date with two minis at your feet:

1. Prep chicken with dinner the night before (marinate in Buffalo sauce).

2. Day of, wait until baby is asleep.

3. Occupy three year old with sprinkles, peanut butter, graham crackers.

4. Chop veggies.

5. Arrange in a shallow (preferable for presentation) bowl.

6. Serve and enjoy!

  

*All photos taken on iPhone.  Go here for some great tips on upping your food pic game!

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Green Goddess Chopped Salad

Two salads in a row, can you handle it?  Are you like, Siri, make a cronut already you idiot.  Don't call me an idiot!!  I'll get to the unhealthy stuff, but another salad I wanted to recreate from our New York trip was one we ate at a restaurant called Quality Meats.  If you're ever in the city, go there, and order the Broccoli Cheese Bites.  But also order the Green Goddess Chopped Salad, it's so good.  I tried to remember the gist of it - chopped romaine and spinach, granny smith apples, avocado, parmesan cheese and sunflower seeds - and I made it at home with a store bought dressing.  But you could also make your own dressing here.  It's a delicious salad and you are a delicious person.

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Pesto Quinoa Salad

WHAT UP BLOG?!  Sorry, it's been awhile, I've forgotten how to do this.  I should probably not start by sounding like a tween.  Is that how tweens sound?  I'm a cool mom.  ANYWAY.  I've missed you guys!  Last week, in New York, all I could think about were things I wanted to cook and share with you.  Like this salad we ordered in our hotel room one night.  It was so simple and delicious and I knew it would be easy to recreate and I was right.  I'm usually right, except for when I'm wrong, which is most of the time.  

Pesto Quinoa Salad

(Serves 6-8)

Printable Recipe

2 cups quinoa

4 cups water

2 T olive oil

2 small zucchini, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

3 cups arugula, chopped

1 7oz. store-bought pesto, defrosted

Salt and pepper

In a medium-sized pot, combine water and quinoa and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.  Uncover, fluff with a fork, and remove from heat.  Set aside.  While quinoa is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add zucchini and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add arugula and cook for another minute or so.  Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.  In a large bowl, toss quinoa and vegetables and add pesto.  Stir, and season with salt and pepper to taste.    

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Rice A Roni Salad

First of all, let me apologize for the lack of posting.  If you're new to this blog, then you are unaware that we are completely remodeling our kitchen.  With that, and summer traveling, it's been difficult to find the time to cook and obsessively bake like I'm used to doing.  But, I promise to wow you with some Fudge Brownie Cookies and maybe homemade ice cream (flavor ideas? anyone?) later on this week.  Thank you for being patient.  I am in love with you.

Ok on to business... I am from the Midwest, where anything can qualify as a "salad."  Fruit + Jello?  Salad.  Macaroni + Lunch Meat?  Salad.  Rice A Roni + red pepper, green onion, water chestnuts, artichoke hearts and mayo?  Salad.  While I'm not really a fan of the former two, the latter is delicious.  A great, easy side for a summer BBQ.  And you can pretend you're dieting by eating SALAD.

Prepare Chicken flavored Rice A Roni as directed on box.  Let cool.  In a large bowl, add 1 diced red pepper, 3 chopped green onion stalks, 1 can sliced water chestnuts (roughly chopped), and half a can of artichoke hearts (also roughly chopped).  Add half of the juice from the artichoke hearts and 1/2 cup mayo.  Stir in Rice A Roni, and season to taste.  I like to add some red pepper flakes as well.  

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Bok Choy Salad

When was the last time you ate Ramen noodles?  I mean the crispy kind in the package where you just add water?  For me, I'm thinking college might have been the last time?  And I probably chased it down with Bacardi Limon shots.  (I might throw up, excuse me).  Well, coincidentally, a college friend sent me a recipe that included Ramen noodles, but in the form of a salad.  A Bok Choy Salad, with crisp greens and crunchy noodles, almonds, sesame seeds and a sweet and salty dressing (recipe here).  It was SO GOOD.  If you're going to a party and you're in charge of a side, please make this.  Or, as the recipe suggests, make it a dinnertime meal by adding sliced chicken and mandarin oranges!  Exclamation mark!  This salad excites me!  Seriously, the texture and flavor is wonderful.  Next time, I'll add some red pepper flakes for a little kick.  Make it.  Affordable + crowd pleaser + delicious.

*tip: after browning the noodles, nuts and seeds, let cool and then place in a plastic bag - I found it was easier to break apart the noodles once in the bag*

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