June 25, 2016 by Liz @ spades, spatulas, and spoons

June – Summer Detox Salad

Detox salads are all the rage on the internet and Pinterest. And with good reason. It is summer vacation time, yes? And who doesn’t need an occasional detox after too much summer fun. In fact these salads are a good idea anytime you need to boost your daily dose of fruits and vegetables. There are at least 3 servings of vegetables, plus protein, and fiber…all in a single bowl. Use whatever produce is in season, add some nuts, healthy fat as in avocado, and protein. For this salad I used fresh salmon since it is currently in season, but shrimp or chicken would also work. There is a detox salad for every season. This is a hearty lunch or dinner in a single bowl, you don’t need to be “detoxing” to enjoy it.

A big dose of Southern hospitality has driven me to this summer detox salad. I spent a week catching up with family. It was a week filled with love, wonderful conversation, great food, and celebration. I have two brand new beautiful grandnieces, so we have a lot to be grateful for. My extended family is getting bigger…

And so is my waist.

What did me in? If you are curious here are a few of the highlights:

Southern Biscuits and Plum Conserve

Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Pickles

And, of course, delicious wine.

French Rose

So, detox salad for a few days seems like a very good idea. I don’t have a “real” recipe for this. It’s a variation of my “everything but the kitchen sink salad“, and a summer version of the “clean out the fridge soup” I make in the winter. Be creative. Use the freshest produce you can find at the store or farmer’s market. Feel free to substitute, the only rule is to use ingredients that are in season. If you can find organic produce, all the better. I harvested the first summer tomatoes and cucumbers from my garden, and added some wild arugula that has become a weed. For a sweet touch and some heft I added the first summer corn, then some sharpness from thinly sliced red onion, crunch from a small handful of nuts, and healthy fat from avocado.

The first garden tomatoes

Tomato, Cucumber, Red Pepper, and Onion

Add some corn.

Summer Detox Salad

For protein I used salmon, but shrimp or chicken or even cubed feta would be a delicious substitute.

Cubed Salmon, Sauteed, and Drained

Let your creative juices run wild, I even tossed in a lonely apricot that needed to be eaten.

Summer Detox Salad

3 tomatoes, cubed
2 cucumbers, peeled if necessary and cubed
2 ears of corn, cooked – they would be delicious grilled, kernels cut from the cob
1 red pepper, cubed
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pound of fresh salmon, cubed and browned, then drained on paper towels
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
2-3 handfuls of fresh arugula, romaine, or baby spinach1 avocado, peeled and sliced
Small handful of toasted nuts – pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts or pecans

Dressing

Use a version of my basic vinaigrette, substituting lemon juice for the vinegar in the original recipe.

4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
Kosher salt to taste, a good pinch
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Mix the lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper together in a small jar. Shake well to blend. Add the olive oil and shake again to emulsify. The vinaigrette will keep for a week in the refrigerator.

Or, for a dose of fermented food and probiotics, whirl a few tablespoons of fermented lemon pickle with some olive oil and a tablespoon of mayonnaise. A few parsley leaves added a touch of green.

Fermented Lemon Pickle

Fermented Lemon Pickle, olive oil and mayonnaise

Summer Detox Salad

I am taking this to share with the partying group at Angie’s for Fiesta Friday. Come visit Fiesta Friday #125 by clicking on the link. This week’s co-hosts are Quinn @ dadwhats4dinner and Elaine @ Foodbod.

June 18, 2015 by Liz @ spades, spatulas, and spoons

June in the Kitchen – Warm Squash and Garbanzo Bean Salad with Tahini Dressing

I seem to be stuck on dishes that work on a buffet these days. It’s the impulse to cook foods that are excellent warm or at room temperature, easy summer food perfect with something tossed on the BBQ. This dish could also be a main course for a vegan or vegetarian meal.

Warm Squash & Chickpea Salad with Tahini Sauce

The recipe is adapted from Food 52 “The Genius Recipes“.

Warm Squash & Chickpea Salad with Tahini

2 lbs of winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes.
1 garlic clove, minced finely
1 teaspoon Zahtar
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups of home cooked chickpeas or 1 can of cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup of roughly chopped cilantro

Tahini Sauce

1 garlic clove, crushed to a paste with a pinch of salt
3 1/2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons of tahini paste
2 tablespoons of water (plus more if needed to thin)
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the squash with the garlic, allspice, Zahtar, olive oil and salt and pepper. Place in one layer on the baking sheet and roast for about 25 minutes until soft and starting to brown. Let cool for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce. Mix the crushed garlic with the lemon juice, add the tahini paste. Thin with water and add the olive oil. Whisk into a smooth sauce and taste for seasoning.
To assemble, place the warm squash, chickpeas, red onion, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the tahini sauce and mix carefully. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Warm Squash and Chickpea Salad

I’m taking this for the buffet at Angie’s for Fiesta Friday #73. Come join the fun.

June 7, 2015 by Liz @ spades, spatulas, and spoons

June in the Kitchen – Peach, Arugula and Prosciutto Salad

I first read about this combination of juicy peaches, rich prosciutto and peppery arugula in Michael Chiarello’s cookbook “Casual Cooking“. The cookbook was published in 2002 and is still pertinent 13 years later, offering recipes that are flavorful and delicious in addition to being easy to prepare. Michael Chiarello is a chef in Napa Valley, which is sometimes called the Tuscany of America. He is founder of the Tra Vigne restaurant in St. Helena. Recently a post I read on Fiesta Friday #71 for a “Grilled Nectarine and Arugula Salad” on Caroline’s Cooking triggered my memory, her recipe sounds delicious. I haven’t made Michael’s version in several years, it used to be a favorite because it is so versatile. Serve it as a first course (on individual plates), on a platter as part of a buffet, or even as dessert.

Use peaches, or nectarines, or a combination…I think even apricots would be wonderful.

Warm Peach and Prosciutto Salad with Arugula

1/4 lb. of thinly sliced prosciutto
1 lb. of peaches or combination of peaches (peeled) and nectarines, each cut into 8 wedges
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
4 cups loosely packed arugula, washed and dried

Lay out the prsciutto on individual plates or a platter. Let it warm to room temperature.
Place the sliced fruit in a bowl and add the salt and pepper (salt no more than 10 minutes before cooking or they will soften too much).
Heat the butter in a large skillet and cook on medium until starting to brown.
Add the thyme, and bay leaf to the skillet and warm for 30 seconds to flavor the butter.
Add the peaches and balsamic vinegar, cook for an additional 30 seconds to warm.
Turn off the heat and take the skillet off the burner, add the arugula and toss quickly just to wilt. Remove the bay leaf.
Add the contents of the skillet to the platter of prosciutto.

Warm peach salad with proscuitto and arugula

Warm peach salad with prosciuitto and arugula

June 5, 2015 by Liz @ spades, spatulas, and spoons

June in the Kitchen – Roast Carrot and Avocado Salad with Crunchy Seeds

Here is another salad using roast carrots, this time with avocado and some crunchy seeds. Use my seedy mix if you have it on hand, otherwise toast some sunflower and sesame seeds in a dry skillet. Roasting carrots concentrates their sweetness, it’s become my new favorite way to eat them. Boiling them first means they cook much faster and don’t burn, and a citrus marinade adds flavor. You can make this ahead, it is good at room temperature. A platter would be perfect for a buffet. Or, serve individual plates as a first course.

Tricolor Carrots

Carrot & Avocado Salad with Crunchy Seeds

3 bunches of small carrots or larger ones, peeled and cut into 3 inch lengths and halved (about 2 lbs)
Kosher salt
1 orange, halved
1 lemon, halved
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted in a dry skillet
2 medium cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into about 12 wedges
2 cups mixed micro greens, baby sprouts, and herbs.
1/4 cup of creme fraiche, sour cream, or soft fresh goats cheese
3-4 tablespoons of seedy mix, or 2 tablespoons of toasted sunflower seeds and 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Prepare the carrots, then cover with salted cold water in a large pot, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes until almost tender.
Drain and transfer to a rimmed non-stick or parchment lined baking sheet.
In a blender container or food processor combine 1 teaspoon each of squeezed orange and lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the toasted cumin, garlic cloves, thyme, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth.
Pour over and coat the carrots with the marinade, tossing to mix. Add the halved lemon and orange to the pan.
Roast until browned is spots, about 20 minutes. Shake the pan once to brown evenly.
Once cooked to your liking, remove the pan and let the carrots cool.
Squeeze the juice from the roasted citrus halves into a small bowl. Add any remaining fresh juice, 6 tablespoons of olive oil, and the sugar. Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
Spread the carrots on a platter or serving dish (or on individual plates), add the avocado slices, cremefraiche and top with the greens.
Roast Carrots
Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with the toasted seeds.

Roast Carrots with Avocado, microgreens sour cream and seedy mix

Carrot and Avocado Salad

Serve at room temperature.

I’m taking this to serve at the buffet on Fiesta Friday #71 at Angie’s. Please come and join us at the party.

April 15, 2015 by Liz @ spades, spatulas, and spoons

April in the Kitchen – Carrot and Avocado Salad with Crispy Kale and Hijiki

The pictures don’t do this dish justice, it was absolutely delicious. You can serve this vegetable dish either warm or at room temperature as a salad. It’s an amazing combination of flavors and textures. It’s also a powerhouse of nutrition. Sweet spring carrots, creamy avocado, crispy baked kale, and crunchy hijiki seaweed combine to make a stunning salad.

Recipe adapted from “The Fat Radish, Kitchen Diaries“.

Carrot and Avocado Salad with Crispy Kale and Hijiki

(serves 6)

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons seasame oil
1/4 cup mirin
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 ounce dried hijiki (about 1/4 cup), rinsed and soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, drained
1 bunch curly kale, stripped from the stem and torn into small pieces
5 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 pounds spring carrots, scrubbed and trimmed
2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into wedges.
Black sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, seasame oil, mirin, fish sauce, garlic and ginger. Add the drained hijiki and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
Place the kale on a baking sheet and rub with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle with the five spice powder and salt. Place in the oven and bake, turning once, until crispy, about 20 minutes. Set the kale aside to cool.
Crispy Kale
Bring a pot of salted water to a bowl and add the carrots. Cook until nearly tender, about 10 minutes depending on size. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain and cool. Cut in half lengthwise.
Place the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Add the carrots to the pan and cook, stirring until brown and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Spoon the drained hijiki and its marinade over the carrots, add the kale and avocado wedges (if not serving immediately, wait to add the avocado), stir gently to combine.
Add the avocado just before serving and combine gently.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

This dish would be suitable for vegetarians and can be gluten free if you use gluten free soy sauce.

spades, spatulas & spoons

Adventures in gardening, cooking, and eating

Salad

June – Summer Detox Salad

Like this:

June in the Kitchen – Warm Squash and Garbanzo Bean Salad with Tahini Dressing

Like this:

June in the Kitchen – Peach, Arugula and Prosciutto Salad

Like this:

June in the Kitchen – Roast Carrot and Avocado Salad with Crunchy Seeds

Like this:

April in the Kitchen – Carrot and Avocado Salad with Crispy Kale and Hijiki

Like this:

If you like this post, please share:

Like this:

If you like this post, please share:

Like this:

If you like this post, please share:

Like this:

If you like this post, please share:

Like this:

If you like this post, please share:

Like this: