Clean & Delicious with Dani Spies
Fuel your body. Feed your life!
Scroll down to watch the step-by-step video.
The next time you get your hands on some juicy, delicious, seasonal tomatoes, do yourself a favor and make this simple quinoa salad.
It’s light, bright and loaded with garden fresh flavors!
Oh! And if you like simple salads like this one, be sure to check out my Mango + Black Bean Quinoa Salad and Minty Pea Quinoa Salad.
I’ve learned that when it comes to cooking, it’s more important to observe the technique instead of the details of the exact recipe.
So for instance, the details in this recipe would be the balsamic strawberries and feta cheese. They make a great combo, they’re delicious and they’re in season right now, but you could easily change up the topping with whatever you had on hand.
You could do a different fruit or skip the fruit and go right for an all veggie salsa-like topping.
Or you could skip the topping and serve the chicken over a big bed of spinach or arugula. Whatever road you travel the details always have endless options.
Now on the flip side, the lightly sautéed chicken breast would be the technique. It is a super simple, quick, healthy way of preparing the chicken. And since we are using a non-stick pan we are able to get the browning results that sautéing provides without having to use a lot of added fat.
Once you have this cooking technique in your back pocket, you’ll never let chicken sit in your fridge again. At the very least you know you can give it a light sautee and serve it with some of your favorite fruits or veggies.
What are some of your favorite ways to make a quick chicken dish? Have you ever tried adding fruit to your chicken before?
*note: This recipe was one of the strawberry recipes featured in my ‘Strawberries 3x’ video. You can watch the step-by-step below.
[Read more…] about Pan Seared Chicken with Strawberries + Feta Cheese
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It’s kind of hard to believe that it’s been exactly one year since we moved from California to New Jersey (where I grew up).
It has been an action packed year and I’ve had all types of mixed emotions (re: swearing we made a mistake during the midst of winter!) but when all is said and done coming back to ‘The Jerz’ was the right choice.
It’s so awesome to be back with friends and family, enjoying the seasons, and sharing all of my favorite childhood memories with my kids.
But in the name of our 1-year moving anniversary, I just had to make a dish that reminded me of our 12 years in LA.
This simple, crunchy, fresh cucumber salad was something my hubby and I used to order from one of our favorite restaurants in California. They would have this on the menu every summer and I just couldn’t get enough of it so I had to go home and try to recreate it myself.
This is the kind of salad you will want to bring to every bbq, picnic, and cookout you go to this summer. Think about it, ‘cucumber + corn + feta + avocado + kalamata olives + fresh lime juice’ I mean really, need I say more?
The real secret weapon are the persian style cucumbers because they are so, so, so crunchy and refreshing (they are the little guys with no seeds inside – they always have them at Trader Joe’s). So it’s definitely worth the effort to seek them out.
And if you like a little heat to your salad, a bit of diced jalapeño would be great here too (but I’m keeping it PG so my kids can’t use ‘the spicy excuse’ as a reason not to try it).
So give it a try and let me know what you think! And if you want the step by step, check out the video below.
[Read more…] about Persian Cucumber Salad With Corn And Feta
The idea for this recipe came from one of my FaceBook peeps. I was looking for ways to use Greek yogurt in an appetizer-type recipe and when I saw the suggestion for a beet-dip, I was hooked.
This really is one of the simplest dips to make (especially if you are using pre-cooked beets!) and it’s beautiful color makes it perfect for the holidays.
Everything else I might say about this festive dip I seem to have already rambled on about in the video, so without any further ado, I offer you my Greek Yogurt, Beet & Feta Dip.
Enjoy!
Yield: 10 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Combine yogurt, garlic, and beets in a medium sized bowl. Stir in chunks of feta cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Serve with toasted pita chips or baked potato chips. Enjoy!
Makes 1 & 1/4cup dip Makes 10 -2 tbsp servings.
Nutrients per 2tbsp: Calories: 29; Total Fat: 0.6g; Saturated Fat: 0.4g; Cholesterol: 2mg; Carbohydrate: 2.3g; Dietary Fiber: 0.2g; Sugars: 1.9; Protein: 3.9g
I love ANY meal that I can make once and eat twice (or several times for that matter), especially meals that seem to get better the second time around, like this Spinach, Feta, & Brown Rice Pie.
This recipe is similar to a Summer Squash Frittata or a Potato Crusted Swiss Chard Quiche except, it’s heavier on the ‘fillings’ and lighter on the eggs.
I originally saw this recipe in Eating Well Magazine and immediately thought it would be a great ‘make-ahead-lunch-idea’.
It’s one of those recipes that works hot, cold, or at room temperature and can be eaten with a spoon, fork, or fingers (because we all know that as much as we try to avoid it, sometimes lunch has to be eaten on-the-go, in the car!).
If you think of the recipe as a blueprint you can make this dish 101 different ways simply by changing up the fillings. I’ve got quinoa, broccoli & cheddar on the brain right now but I bet a black bean, tomato, corn, and spicy jack cheese version would be great too!
Would love to hear if anyone gives this a try with some new flavor combinations… be sure to come back and let me know in the comments!
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 40
Pre heat oven to 425. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray or olive oil.
In a medium bowl beat together eggs, eggwhites, milk, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over a medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for a few minutes or until they are translucent (about 5 minutes). Stir in garlic and spinach and cook for another couple of minutes.
Transfer veggie mixture to a large bowl and stir in rice and Feta cheese and egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies and then transfer everything into the pie pan. Smooth out the top using a spatula.
Bake the ‘pie’ for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for a few minutes before cutting up. Enjoy!
Makes 6 servings.
Calories: 260; Total Fat: 9.9g; Saturated Fat: 4.6g; Cholesterol: 82mg; Carbohydrate: 29.9g; Dietary Fiber: 2.7g; Sugars: 3.4g; Protein: 11.8g
As much as I love the East coast and my Jersey roots there are a few things in California that I would find very, very, very hard to leave behind… the weather (obviously!), the year-round outdoor activities (especially the hiking!), and of course the Farmers markets (aka the availability of amazing, seasonal, top-notch ingredients).
But since having Katie and Jachs, I have found it much harder to peruse the farmers markets like I once did. Rather, I often find myself b-lining it straight to my favorite vendors and buying the same old produce week after week… until now… because I finally decided to join a local CSA (and I am absolutely giddy about it!).
For those of you not familiar with CSA’s it stands for Community Supported Agriculture and basically it’s like buying a ‘produce subscription’ to a local (or several local) farms.
I joined a CSA here in CA called Abundant Harvest (based on a dear friends recommendation) and here’s how easy it was:
My box was stuffed with fruits and veggies including; Persimmons, Pomegranates, Red Leaf Lettuce, Green Beans, Kale, Fresh Mint, Kabocha Squash, Bell Pepper, Zucchini, & Patty Pan Squash. I just loved the surprise of opening the box and discovering all that was inside!
I now have a kitchen full of local, seasonal ingredients that will inspire me to get creative in the kitchen again! And this salad was the first thing I came up with. You see, when you have a box full of fall produce with 80 degree weather, moving in the direction of a Fall salad is an easy decision to make.
The measurements I give in the recipe are ‘guestimates’ so feel free to adjust things a bit to your liking!
Oh and if anyone is interested in finding a CSA for themselves, you can pop over to LocalHarvest.org to help locate one in your area!
Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Place Arugula and Butter lettuce in a large bowl and toss with olive oil and vinegar. Season with some salt and pepper and divide lettuce among two large plates.
Evenly divide persimmons, pomegranate, feta cheese, and pumpkin seeds on top of each salad. Sit back and enjoy!!
Serves 2.
Calories: 239; Total Fat: 13.3g; Saturated Fat: 2.8g; Cholesterol: 5mg; Carbohydrate: 28.5g; Dietary Fiber: 5.8g; Sugars: 18.4g; Protein: 6.8g
The best thing about working with fresh, seasonal produce is that you always know whatever ingredients you have on hand are going to taste great together! It’s simply the way Mother Nature intended it and it’s an easy way to learn how to pair foods together.
My favorite way of remembering this is:
What grows together, goes together.
So simple yet so true! So when I saw my little zucchinis, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil sitting on the counter after visiting the farmer’s market this week, I knew they’d all work well in a simple, clean & delish dish. Now all I had to do was decide what type of dish I wanted to make – and that’s when it hit me!
I remembered a reader leaving me a tip in the comments a few months back. She said that she liked to make a salad using raw zucchini and feta cheese!
Now this was an eye-opening tip for me b/c I had never eaten summer squash raw before, I usually cook it up, so naturally I was intrigued and this was my chance to give it a go.
Here’s what I learned about working with raw Summer Squash:
Needless to say, this salad was light, refreshing and full of flavor. I’ve actually made it several times in the past couple weeks and am so excited to be working with Summer Squash in a whole new way!
So tell me… have you eaten raw squash before? If so, what do you like to do with it? Do you have any tips or recipe ideas you can share?
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Be sure to choose young, tender, seasonal squash because it will make or break this salad!
Make sure to slice your Squash as thin as you possibly can. If you have mandolin, this would be a great time to use it.
Combine the squash, tomatoes, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice and olive oil.
Gently mix in the feta and basil and finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil right before serving.
Makes 6 side servings (about ¾ cup each)
Nutrients per 3/4-cup: Calories: 90; Total Fat: 5.8g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 10mg; Carbohydrate: 8g; Dietary Fiber: 2.2; Sugars: 3.7g; Protein: 3.3g
This Quinoa Tabouli Salad is yet another no-cook meal that beats the heat (provided you’ve pre-prepped your quinoa over the weekend;).
It’s light, refreshing and simple to make so get out your grocery list and jot this down because this is a no-brainer recipe that you’re gonna wanna add to this weeks menu!
Traditionally, Tabouli is made with bulgur wheat but quinoa works really well and offers a bit more bang for your buck when it comes to nutritional value! It’s higher in protein than any other grain and even has a kiss of the heart-healthy omega-3 fats we all want in our diet. But with that being said, feel free to use whatever grains you have in the pantry (millet, amaranth, and cousous all work too!). Remember, at the end of the day, Clean and Delicious is also about quick and simple.
This version of Tabouli puts a slight spin on my Chicken Tabouli Salad (my go-to fave) by skipping the chicken and adding in some cucumbers and fresh feta cheese. The cucumbers add crunch and volume to the salad while the feta lends it’s tangy, creamy, self to the party. I always recommend buying your feta in a block and crumbling it yourself rather than paying more for pre-crumbled feta that is loaded with anti-caking agents and sadly lacking in the taste and texture you get from fresh feta.
I often enjoy this salad on it’s own for a light lunch but really love to serve it as a side dish to some grilled chicken or fish. It’s also great for entertaining… put out some pita and hummus and then serve your tabouli along with some grilled kebabs and perhaps a nice crisp white wine. Tell your friends to bring dessert and enjoy a Summer meal at it’s best!
Yield: 5 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Combine quinoa, scallions, mint, parsley, cucumbers, and garbanzo beans in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, (I like to use a spouted Pyrex cup) whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and then pour over the quinoa mixture, combine well.
Gently toss in the tomato and feta cheese. Enjoy!
Makes 5 – 1cup servings
Nutrients per 1-cup: Calories: 235; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 2.2g; Cholesterol: 4mg; Carbohydrate: 27.4g; Dietary Fiber: 4.6; Sugars: 2.1g; Protein: 7.3g
Okay, I wanna know the truth… how many of you were intrigued by this salad until you got to the topped with sardines part?
Better yet, how many of you think that you HATE sardines but in reality you have never even tried them so technically speaking you don’t really know whether you hate them or absolutely LOVE them?
Don’t worry, I’ve been there too, so let’s chat…
For starters, sardines are a nutritional powerhouse!
They are low in mercury, high in Omega-3’s and great source of Vitamin D. As a mater of fact the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch rates sardines as a “Best Choice” fish when it comes to choosing nutritious, sustainable seafood.
But enough with the resume, let’s talk flavor! Honestly, the first word to come to mind when I think of sardines is FLAVORFUL. They are very full of flavor. It is true that they have a “fishy” flavor but they are “fishy” in a good way and they pair deliciously with flavors like mustard, vinegar, red onion, and even avocado!
The good news is that you can take sardines on in baby steps. If you have never had sardines before and are thinking about giving them a try, think about buying boneless, skinless sardines that are packed in either water or olive oil (preferably not soy bean oil). They are a lot less intimidating and so, so tasty!
If you need a little more encouragement or a few more good reasons to eat sardines, check out Summer Tomato’s, “6 Reasons To Eat More Sardines” article. You never know what’s gonna inspire you to try something new… so read on!
As for this Greek Salad, it’s a perfectly simple and nutritious meal that can be made in such a short amount of time without ever having to turn the oven on. It’s perfect for these hot summer months.
I like to add some toasted pita to the salad for a little extra crunch factor. It’s kind of like adding a crouton BUT if you wanted to keep this salad a bit lower in carbs, you can simply skip the pita all together.
SO tell me… do you like sardines?? Do you eat them? Do you have a favorite way to prepare them? Let’s try to find some creative ways to get more of these nutritious fishes into our diets!
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Toast the pita bread until it is brown and crispy (but not burnt) and break into bite size pieces. Set pita aside.
Whisk lemon juice, oil, garlic, Greek seasoning, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
Add tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, red onion, olives, feta cheese, and toasted pita*; gently toss to combine.
Divide salad among four plates and top with sardines. Enjoy!
*NOTE: If you are not serving the salad right away, do not add the pita to the mix because it will get too soggy. Simply crumble the pita onto the salad right before serving instead.
Makes 4 servings
Whisk lemon juice, oil, garlic, Greek seasoning, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
Add tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, red onion, olives, feta cheese, and toasted pita*; gently toss to combine.
Divide salad among four plates and top with sardines. Enjoy!
*NOTE: If you are not serving the salad right away, do not add the pita to the mix because it will get too soggy. Simply crumble the pita onto the salad right before serving instead.
Makes 4 servings
Nutrients per 1.5-cup serving; Calories: 339; Total Fat: 13.5g; Saturated Fat: 3.6g; Cholesterol: 26mg; Sodium: 437mg; Carbohydrate: 36.5g; Dietary Fiber: 9.8g; Sugars: 5.1g; Protein: 21.8g
As the long weekend rolls in, I am rolling out… of town that is.
Yep, me and the family are headed to Palm Springs for a little fun in the sun tomorrow, BUT I couldn’t leave before without sharing these deeeelicoius burgers with you guys.
Greek Style Turkey Burgers have been a favorite of mine for quite some time now so I’m super excited to have finally had the chance to share them in a video post.
Remember the Tzaziki video from last week? Well, you may wanna revisit that recipe before making these burgers because topping the Greek Style Turkey Burgers with Tzaziki is a match made in heaven and absolutely delicious.
Hope you all have a chance to kick back and enjoy the long weekend!
And if you have any burger favorites up your sleeve, I’d love to hear about them:).
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
*Serve w/ Butter lettuce leaves and Tzaziki
Place turkey in a large bowl and add garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper, and yogurt. Using your hands, combine until everything is well incorporated.
Add peppers, olives and feta cheese to turkey mixture and gently work into the meat until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Form four patties. I like to keep them nice and fat!
Heat grill pan over a medium heat and drop burgers on the pan. Grill for about 6 minutes or until cooked through.
Place burgers inside a few leaves of butter lettuce and top with a couple of tablespoons of Tzaziki. Enjoy!
Serves 4.
Nutrients per 1 burger wrapped in 2 leaves of butter lettuce w/2 tbsp of tzaziki: Calories: 225; Total Fat: 6.9g; Saturated Fat: 2.4; Cholesterol: 66mg; Sodium: 430mg; Carbohydrate: 7.8g; Dietary Fiber: 1.4g; Sugars: 4.3g; Protein: 33.6g
Growing up, there was always a fifty-fifty shot that “macaroni” (as my parents like to call it) would be on the dinner menu.
We easily had pasta three times a week.
Spaghetti and Meatballs, Linguini and Clam Sauce, Pasta Fagioli, Cheese Raviolis, Lasagna, and Fusilli with Meat Sauce were just some of our childhood staples.
And as a mother who wants to get a simple meal on the table rather quickly, I get it. Pasta is a fast, easy, and delicious solution for busy, weeknight dinners, but how can we ensure that that we are not sitting down to a nutritionally void meal?
It’s actually very easy.
Here are my 5-top ways to bulk up the nutritional value of your pasta dish:
1. Use a whole wheat or whole grain pasta
This is by far one of the easiest ways to bump up your pasta’s nutritional profile. By choosing a whole wheat or whole grain pasta (even a whole grain blend) you automatically increase the protein and the fiber content which in and of itself creates a more nutritious and balanced meal.
2. Cook your pasta al dente
It takes our bodies a longer time to break down and digest al dente pasta which results in more stable blood sugar levels (this is a good thing). If you are still not ready to give up your white pasta then this just may be your saving grace!
3. Add some form of protein
I know, I know, I’ve talked about this a thousand times but that’s because it is important! Again, you add more nutrients and balance out the meal so you don’t end up with blood sugar that resembles The Six Flags “Steamin’ Demon”. And this doesn’t mean you have to add meat. You can bulk up the protein by including beans, tossing in some nuts, or stirring in a little cheese.
4. Veggies, Veggies, Veggies!!!
Need I say more? I try to make my plate more veggies than pasta – this is an easy way to ensure that you are not over doing the pasta serving size, too!
5. Skip the take-out and make it yourself
It’s true. The more love that goes into a dish, the more nutritious it will be. Taking the time to make your food will always result in a more nutritious meal. Wanna double the dose of home-made nutrition?? Cook with someone you love (or at the very least, someone you like a lot 🙂
For those of you who have been reading for a while, you know this is a topic I have covered before both here and here. I can’t help myself… pasta is just one of those things that gets SO much slack and I really want to show you guys that it doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. We really can find ways to make pasta a part of a clean and delicious lifestyle!
Hope you guys enjoy this one! If you have any questions regarding the recipe, feel free to ask.
Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 1hour 15 minutes
Pre heat oven to 400.
Remove the beets greens from the beets and give both a really good rinse.
Place the beets on a rimmed baking sheet and pop them right into the oven. They will take any where from 25-45 minutes to cook, depending on their size. Ultimately you want to be able to easily pierce them with a fork.
Once the beets have cooked and cooled a bit, you can rub the skins right off and cut them into small bite sized pieces.
Stem the greens, and cut them into thin ribbons.
Cook your pasta according to the package and be sure to reserve some of the pasta water.
Heat the oil in large non-stick sauté over a medium high heat. Add in the onions and garlic and cook for about five minutes until the onions are translucent. Add in the beet greens and season with some salt and pepper. If you need a little extra liquid, stir in some of the pasta water.
Once the greens have wilted, stir in the chopped beets, fresh basil, pasta, and ricotta cheese. Gently mix until everything is combined and the cheese has coated all the pasta. Adjust your seasonings.
Plate into two big bowls and top each with a tablespoon of feta cheese. Enjoy!
Serves 2.
Nutrients per 1/2 recipe: Calories: 395; Total Fat: 11.3g; Saturated Fat: 3.9g; Cholesterol: 20mg; Sodium: 442mg; Carbohydrate: 61.9g; Dietary Fiber: 10.9g; Sugars: 14.9g; Protein: 15.9g
Ever notice how fresh, nutritious foods not only taste great, but also happen to be absolutely beautiful? I mean honestly, I could walk circles around a good produce section or a local farmers market just ooohing and aaahing at all the beautiful colors and shapes that surround me.
Am I alone here? (I realize that I might be).
Now any of you that have ever worked with red beets before know very well that unless you are wearing gloves (which I never do) your hands will turn the same brilliant red color that penetrates the beet. Pretty much anything that comes in contact with red beets will absorb their color (beware cutting boards!).
I suppose you could say that red beets are a bit of a “pigment-pushing-bully.”
BUT it is exactly that deep-red-purple-crimson pigment, also known as betacyanin, that gives beets their powerful cancer-fighting ability!
A characteristic, that many would argue, is well worth a few red finger tips.
Oh and the greens! I know that I can’t be the only one guilty of throwing these delicious (and super nutritious) babies out from time to to time; but whenever I take the time to clean them up and cook them, I am never disappointed.
If you’ve never tried beet greens, think something along the lines of Swiss Chard. They are earthy and once cooked soft and tender. I love adding a splash of apple cider vinegar to beet greens just to round them out a bit and give them a nice little pop!
SO… what about you??
What do you guys like to do with your beets and/or beet greens?? I’d love to hear your ideas ans suggestions in the comments:).
Yield: Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Pre-heat oven to 375.
Peel beets and cut them into small bite-sized pieces. Toss beets with one teaspoon of olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
Place beets on a rimmed baking sheet and pop in the oven for thirty minutes or until the beets are fork tender.
While the beets are cooking, heat remaining olive oil in a nonstick sauté pan over a medium high heat. Reserve 2 tbsp of onion and set aside. Toss the remainder of the onion into the oil and cook for about five minutes or until the onions are tender.
Stir in beet greens and apple cider vinegar. Allow to cook until the greens are just wilted – this will only take a minute or so.
Allow everything to cool a bit before assembling the salad.
In a large bowl combine the two tablespoons of raw onion that you reserved earlier with dill, beet greens, roasted beets, and quinoa. Season with salt and pepper.
Gently toss in the feta cheese and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 156; Total Fat: 4.9g; Saturated Fat: 1.3g; Cholesterol: 4mg; Sodium: 243mg; Carbohydrate: 23.4g; Dietary Fiber: 5.5g; Sugars: 7g; Protein: 6.4g
Even though I’m using summer flavors in this video, I urge you to just take the basic technique of making the frittata and then add whatever veggies and herbs you have on hand. By doing this you can make this recipe idea work no matter what time of year it is.
For example, to capture some real fall flavors you could try butternut squash and sage, or sweet potato and rosemary. Actually, you could even try zucchini with some thyme and carrots if you wanted to keep with the squash theme.
Whatever flavor combo you choose, frittatas are a great make-ahead-meal because they work well hot, cold, and at room temperature, so you can always make one and leave it in the fridge for a quick breakfast, lunch, or dinner (so flexible is the frittata, no?).
Yield: Seres 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Preheat oven to 400.
Combine eggs, egg whites, milk, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add mint and feta cheese to egg mixture and gently stir. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and a pinch of salt and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Give it all a stir and shut off the heat.
Pour the egg, herb, and cheese mixture over your veggies and pop the pan into the oven for 20 minutes or until the eggs are set. Enjoy!
Serves 4.
Nutrients per Serving: Calories: 131; Total Fat: 5.8g; Saturated Fat: 2.2g; Cholesterol: 116mg; Sodium: 354mg; Carbohydrate: 6.1g; Dietary Fiber: 1.3g; Sugars: 2.4g; Protein: 13g
Greek Salad is one of my favorites. It doesn’t require any fancy ingredients – you can get everything right at your grocery store and if you do a little pre-preppin’, this dish is really just “assembly only.”
I would however urge you to get a GOOD feta cheese, not the pre-crumbled or low fat versions. A nice, fresh, creamy, tangy feta can really make this salad. I find that the low-fat, pre-crumbled fetas are kind of rubbery and tasteless and really a waste of time (but hey, that’s just me).
Because I almost always cook up some chicken on the weekend for a quick lunch or dinner option, Beng and I topped our salads with some “Very Greek Grilled Chicken” (a recipe that I got from Kalyn’s Kitchen) that I made earlier in the week. This salad would also be awesome with some grilled shrimp. Adding a little protein over the top really turns this into a main course (you could also serve some pita and hummus to really take it over the top).
One last thing, when it comes to salad dressing, the classic vinaigrette is three parts oil to one part vinegar (or acid) but I prefer one part oil to two parts vinegar. It makes for an overall lighter dressing, and I don’t miss the extra oil at all. If you are used to making the classic dressing, you may find my style a little thinner, so feel free to experiment with the counts.
Enjoy.
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Salad
Dressing
Dressing
Combine your garlic, oregano, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside until you are ready to use.
Salad
Once you have all of the ingredients chopped up, this salad is pretty much assembly only.
Place your romaine in a large bowl or serving dish and top with veggies and feta cheese. Drizzle your salad dressing over the top right before you are ready to eat and enjoy!!
Serves 4.
1/4 of the salad with 2 tbsp of dressing:
Calories: 215; Total Fat: 14.6g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 8mg; Sodium: 333mg; Carbohydrate: 19.6g; Dietary Fiber: 3.8g; Sugars: 5.1g; Protein: 5.1g
Delicious and beautiful, I will definitely be making this Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Salad again! I just love the idea of using the flesh of the squash in a salad. It just goes to show you just how darn versatile Butternut Squash really is.
I found this salad over at Yum Sugar (I actually linked to it under my Butternut Squash 101 video). I pretty much stuck to the recipe except for a few minor adjustments.
For starters, I chose not to toast the walnuts. I really love the rich, raw flavor of walnuts and wanted to leave them just as they were.
The original recipe also called to toss the Butternut Squash in a quarter cup of brown sugar before roasting, but I decided that since butternut squash has a natural sweetness all on it’s own that I would skip the added sugar and go for something savory instead. I tossed the squash with some fresh chopped rosemary (one of my favorites) but am certain that sage or thyme would work just as well.
I also couldn’t resist finishing the salad off with some freshly crumbled feta cheese. The tangy, salty flavor of the feta was the perfect balance to the sweet and savory squash. Add some antioxidant rich pomegranate seeds and you’ve got yourself one heck of a cool weather salad.
This salad could easily serve as the main dish but also makes a great partner for some roasted chicken.
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Toss butternut squash, olive oil, rosemary, and crushed red pepper on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove squash from oven and flip them around a bit before popping them back into the oven for another 15 minutes or so. You are looking for the squash to begin browning and become nice and tender.
(The squash can be made up to two hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
While the squash is baking whisk the orange juice, lemon juice, and oil together. Season with some salt and pepper and set aside.
When you are ready to assemble the salad, combine the lettuce, pomegranate seeds, and walnuts and lightly toss in the dressing. Spoon warm or room temperature squash over the top of the salad and sprinkle with feta cheese. Enjoy!!
Calories per serving: 235; Total Fat: 15.3g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 8mg; Sodium: 119mg; Carbohydrate: 24.8g; Dietary Fiber: 4.1g; Sugars: 9g; Protein: 4.8g
My initial plan was to make this salad using farro, but I couldn’t get my hands on any so I turned to the cupboard for a convenient alternative.
I wanted to use a heartier grain or rice and thought Israeli couscous would do the job. Couscous is really just another form of pasta (it’s like really little pasta balls). The only difference between Israeli couscous and regular couscous is the size. Israeli couscous is bigger and the size makes for a great texture (just be sure to cook your couscous like you would your pasta… al dente!).
This recipe is from one of my bootcamp students (have I ever told you guys that I teach bootcamp?). I was so excited to see that one of the ingredients was asparagus since it is the Food Focus this month! She made the salad with the farro and loved it, so if you can manage to get your hands on some farro definetly try it!
Another thing I really liked about this recipe is the vinegar. Sherry vinegar brings a whole new layer of flavor to this salad and I really don’t think it would as delicious without it.
Yield: Serves 6
Cook couscous according to package.
Meanwhile, steam asparagus for about four minutes or until just tender. Combine couscous, asparagus, tomatoes, onion, and garlic.
In a small bowl whisk together oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad and combine. Finish by stirring in feta and dill…Enjoy!
Calories: 196; Total Fat: 8.4g; Saturated Fat: 1.9g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 15mg; Carbohydrate: 26.9g; Dietary Fiber: 4.5g; Sugars: 7.2g; Protein: 7.7g
