bean salad

my friend, rebecca, made this salad for us over the summer and i loved it.  i forgot to ask her for the recipe but i improvised my version from a recipe i found at allrecipes.com and i am super happy with the result.  this salad is packed with protein and makes a great side dish, main course, or snack...

ingredients/supplies:
-5 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
-3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil
-1/3 cup fresh cilantro
-2 limes
-1 teaspoon agave (or sugar)
-1 small red onion
-4 green onions
-1 or 2 jalapenos
-1 pound shelled edamame (i used frozen and it was 1 package)
-3 cups frozen corn (again, i used frozen for ease- 2 packages)
-2 handfuls of cherry or grape tomatoes
-salt to taste
-15 ounces of black beans (1 can if you are using canned)
-measuring cups and spoons, a strainer, a large mixing bowl, a large spoon, a knife and a cutting board

prepping/chopping/mixing:
prep:
-thaw the edamame and corn (i just left it out for 2 hours and it thawed but if you want to speed up the process, just throw them in a pot of barely salted boiling water for about 3 minutes and strain...be sure to cool them after)
-drain, rinse, and strain the beans
-wash and dry the jalapeno and green onion

chopping:
-chop the onions (green and red), jalapenos (i diced mine without the seeds or veins), and half or quarter the tomatoes

-chop the cilantro at the last minute, right before adding to the dressing mixture explained below

mix:
-in a small bowl mix the 5 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil, the juice of 2 limes, 1 teaspoon of agave, and a pinch of salt
-add the red onions, green onions, jalapenos, and cilantro to the dressing

-in a large bowl mix the corn and the edamame and pour the dressing over and mix

-add the black beans and the tomatoes give a careful, final mix so that tomatoes and beans do not fall apart

-salt to taste

it is good right when you make it but it is excellent after chillin in the frig overnight...

enjoy!

cucumber and chickpea salad

after all that baking...i am craving something crunchy and delicious...this salad is light and lovely...

ingredients/supplies:
-1-2 organic cucumbers
-1 can of organic chickpeas
-1/2 red onion
-1 lemon
-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
-1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
-kosher salt and pepper to taste
-2 bowls, a knife, a fork, and a cutting board

prepping/chopping/mixing:

prep:
-wash and dry the cucumbers and chickpeas

chop:
-slice the cucumbers into bite size pieces and place them in a bowl and set aside
-slice the red onion into thin, small pieces
-slice the lemon in 1/2

mix:
-sprinkle the cucumber with salt and set them in the frig for about 1 hour...this will expel some of the water in the cucumber to keep them extra crunchy in the salad for days
-after 1 hour, drain any excess water from the cucumbers
-in another bowl, place the extra virgin olive oil, squeeze the lemon, add the red wine vinegar, and whisk this dressing using a fork, and add salt and pepper to taste
-toss drained cucumbers, the red onion, and the chickpeas in the dressing and add more salt and pepper to taste

adding crumbled goat cheese to the mix is an amazing way to add an extra richness....also a bit of fresh thyme is also great tossed in...


enjoy!

toad in the hole

about a year ago...i was at my friends shawn and dave's house...he was cooking for their kids and he did the most amazing thing with a piece of bread and an egg.  i have been making it ever since i saw dave make it...i love that you have an extra piece of toast to put jam on or salmon or have it plain...

ingredients/supplies:
-1 slice of ezekiel bread (or any bread that you prefer)
-1 egg
-1 tablespoon of olive oil
-a pinch of salt
-a frying pan, a cookie cutter or a biscuit cutter or a knife to cut a hole in the bread

prepping/cooking:

prep:
-cut a hole in the bread
-heat the frying pan over medium heat

cooking:
-add olive oil to pan when the pan is hot
-add the bread to the pan and flip the toasts quickly to oil both sides
-crack egg into the hole in the bread
-add a pinch of salt to the egg
-flip both toasts after about 2 mins or when the egg whites start to turn white in color

i love salad for breakfast so i served it over a spring mix tossed with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon of champagne vinegar and a pinch of fleur de sel.  I decided to enjoy the toasted middle with smoked wild salmon, cream cheese, and capers...but...i often place a bit of jam on the toasted middle to have a touch of sweet in the morning...

enjoy!

baby arugula salad

this is one of my favorite salads...it is so fresh and simple.  i serve it with a shallot and red wine vinaigrette that is so easy to make....

ingredients/supplies (makes 1 large salad or 2 small salads):
-2-3 handfuls of organic baby arugula
-1 handful of organic garbanzo beans
-1 handful of organic heirloom baby tomatoes
-1 heart of palm
-1/4 of an avocado
-dash of grated parmesan cheese
-1/2 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
-1/3 of a shallot
-2-3 pinches of fleur de sel (or kosher salt)
-a large bowl, a whisk, a cutting board, and a knife

prepping/chopping/mixing:
i mix everything in 1 bowl...starting with the salad dressing...

prepping:
-wash and dry the arugula, tomatoes, and the garbanzo beans
-measure the extra virgin olive oil and vinegar into a mixing bowl

chopping:
-slice the tomatoes, heart of palm, and the avocado
-dice the shallot

mixing:

-whisk the olive oil and vinegar together and add the shallots and 2-3 pinches of salt

-add the arugula, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, heart of palm, avocado, parmesan cheese to the bowl and toss together 

i take this salad on the go all the time...i pack all the veggies together and keep the dressing separate in a glass jar until i am ready to eat...so filling and delish....

enjoy!