Marinated Peppers

I didnt expect to like these so much.  I thought I would add them to a salad but I find myself eating them just as I have written below.  If you choose to use them in a salad then definitely add feta and maybe chick peas.

Marinated Peppers

makes a small dish worth

4 large peppers, preferably Italian shaped

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 T olive oil

3 large cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

If you're using Italian peppers then slice them so they are rings, otherwise, slice them in strips.  Toss with remaining ingredients and let sit for at least an hour but longer is better.

Simple Summer Salad of Cabbage

This is all I want to eat when it's hot out.  I think it would probably work well with grated carrots or beets but I havent tested it... yet.  Because it's summer and it's too hot, I mix everything in one bowl, the same bowl that I will serve it in.

Simple Cabbage Salad

quantity depends on size of cabbage

1 medium to large head of cabbage, sliced thin

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon dijon

1 1/2 teaspoons honey

salt

If your cabbage was small, then you might want to half the ingredients.  You can mix the dressing in the bowl first and add your cabbage or add the cabbage first and spoon the ingredients over it, then mix together or use a small bowl to mix the dressing first.

Ranch Dressing

This is the best ranch dressing EVER.  You'll want to drink it, ok maybe not, but you will want extra on your salad.

Ranch Dressing

2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2-3 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
dash of dill, dried, but fresh would be even better
dash of oregano, dried, but fresh would be even better
splash of vinegar (we like Apple Cider Vinegar here)
1/2 cup of plain yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup of mayo
splash of liquid (whey, buttermilk, milk)


Sprinkle garlic with kosher salt.  Using the flat blade of a knife, smoosh (it's a word, right?!) the garlic until it almost melts a bit.  Put it in a ball jar.

Add the remaining ingredients to the jar.  Shake.  Taste.  Adjust everything to your taste.  This is a little light on the mayo, so you might want to add more mayo.  Use more liquid to thin it out if it's too thick.  Let it sit in the fridge for an hour if you have time, or use it right away.  It should keep for a week or so.

My new favorite salad that needs a new name (aka Lemon quinoa chickpea avocado salad)

This is my new favorite salad.  I had it at a potluck and couldnt stop thinking about it.  It was just THAT good.  After making it, I think it's a super versatile salad, so I am suggesting tons of alternatives depending on what's fresh and good by you right now.  Allow over an hour, since the salad likes to sit together for a bit before serving.


Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad
serves 6 as a side

1/2 C. dry quinoa
2 C. vegetable broth
1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1 c. veggies (cherry tomatoes cut in half, peppers, cukes)
2 large avocados, diced
2 C. spinach, chopped fine
1 bunch cilantro (or basil), chopped fine
1/4 C. onion, regular or red (optional), chopped fine if using.

For the dressing:
zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tsp. dijon mustard
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sweetener (we like maple)
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 small cloves garlic, minced
dash of salt and pepper

To make quinoa - Put the quinoa and broth into a saucepan.  Let sit for 15 minutes.  Then bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 20-25 minutes.  It will still have a bit of broth in it, but it will be completely cooked.  Set it aside to chill.

Add beans, veggies, greens, and onion if using to a serving bowl.

Mix dressing ingredients together and pour over bean-veggie mixture.  When quinoa is cool, add that it in.  Add avocado last then let the salad sit together for 15-30 minutes for the flavors to blend.  Serve room temp.

Asian Slaw

This is my 6 year old's favorite slaw.  The fish sauce makes it salty and I bet that's why he likes it.  I find it refreshing and light (it's mayo free!) plus it's insanely simple.

Asian Slaw
(serves 3-4 as a side)

1 cloves garlic, crushed (optional, I often skip it)
3 Tbs fish sauce
1 TB fresh lime juice
1 TB rice wine vinegar
1 TB sugar

3-4 cups shredded cabbage and carrot
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)

Mix everything together.  Pour over shredded cabbage.  Enjoy.

Hake Cakes (aka fish cakes)

I had hake in the freezer and I dont know why but I just needed to make fish cakes.  Hake cakes!  After a day in the garden (hooray for Spring!), we loved them.  My 6 year old inhaled 4 or 5 of them but that was mostly because he loves tartar sauce.  They're simple, quick, and fun.  We had appetizers, so I just served it with ginger coleslaw and of course a tartar sauce (just mayo, capers, and a splash of rice vinegar).

Hake Cakes
serves 4 adults (I think!)

5 portions of uncooked white fish (hake or cod)
1 egg yolk
2 medium eggs
1 teaspoon thyme
zest of one lemon
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
heaping 1/3 cup mayonnaise
heaping 1/3 cup bread crumbs

In a large bowl, flake fish with a fork.  In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, eggs, thyme, mustard, lemon zest, and mayo. Stir in bread crumbs, then pour over fish and mix.

Heat a large pan, medium heat with oil. Shape cakes and place in pan (if you'd rather plan ahead, you can shape them and refrigerate them first) and cook until golden brown on both sides.  Keep them warm in the oven while you make the rest.

Serve with tartar sauce, or make into a sandwich tartar sauce, lettuce, avocado, cukes, and/or tomato.  You could also serve them as appetizers or over a salad.

Tofu "chicken" salad

This is just so simple, so adaptable, and so good.  You have to try it today, ok, maybe tomorrow.  I dont have a recipe, but here's some guidance:

Tofu "chicken" salad

Press tofu.
I like to cut it, then wrap it with 3 paper towels, and press it on top of a cookie drying rack with a cast iron weight on top.  I like to start pressing it at lunch for dinner.

Cook it.
I pan fry it.  A little oil.  Wait to flip/stir until one side is toasted. Then toast the other sides.  Let cool a little.

Toss it.
I mix in a splash of balsamic vinegar, then a little mayo/yogurt, and then... maybe some mustard with diced red peppers, or curry and raisins with coconut... However, you make your chicken salad, do that.

Serve it.
I think a bed of spinach is great here, but it would probably work well in a wrap or a pita.

Chicken Finger style chicken

This is yet another Smitten Kitchen recipe (see a pattern?  I love Smitten).  We've only made the chicken from this recipe.  I serve it with ketchup for the kids, like chicken fingers and over lettuce for the adults.  It's super easy, moist, flavorful... fun!

Check out Smitten's recipe here or follow the recipe for the chicken below.

Chicken fingers
almost imperceptibly modified from Smitten
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water or milk (or whey!)
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated pamesan
4 small organic chicken breasts, butterflied and lightly pounded/flattened (not tenderized; a good organic chicken breast will already be tender) to 1/4-inch thick*
Kosher salt and pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying

Set up a standard breading procedure in three wide deep plates. Fill one with flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the panko and grated cheese. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Take each piece of chicken through the breading procedure: dredge lightly in the flour, then the egg wash and then through the bread crumbs. Lay the breaded chicken on a sheet tray (or just use the flour dish) and refrigerate for at least one hour. [Do ahead: You could even prep these the night before, to save time. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap in the fridge.]

Pour olive oil into a large saute pan.  Bring to a medium-high heat. Test the oil by flicking flour or bread crumbs into the oil. If it doesn’t sizzle, wait! When the oil is hot, test it again by dipping the edge of a piece of chicken into the oil, the oil should gently sizzle. Cook the chicken in the oil in batches on both sides until it is a lovely golden brown color and is crispy, about four to five minutes on the first side and three to four minutes on the second. Do not crowd the pan or the chicken will become very greasy and soggy. When the chicken comes out of the oil lay it on paper towels to drain off the excess oil and sprinkle with salt. [Do ahead: You can keep the chicken in a low oven to keep it warm while the rest of the chicken is cooking. I did this to hold it until we were ready to eat.]