Avocado Thai Crunch Salad

This salad has it all!  Two kinds of cabbage, avocado, peanuts, carrots, cucumbers, edamame, crispy won ton skins, and two dressings that compliment each other so incredibly well.  Seriously this has so many layers of flavor, color, and texture - it truly is a feast for the senses.  It was inspired by the Thai Crunch Salad at California Pizza Kitchen, another place we used to frequent before I became more concerned about GMOs and pesticides.  Now I can say I have mastered a home version that uses only organic ingredients - Woohoo!  This does take some time to prepare, but many of the elements can be made ahead of time.  I always make this salad to have two days in a row because I love it so much.  

 Ingredients (makes 4 large entree salads)

Salad
1 head cabbage, chopped in 1/4" strips
1 head red cabbage, cored and chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and julienned
2 bunches green onions, white and light green parts chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned
1 large bunch cilantro, chopped
2 C cooked and shelled edamame
2 cups roasted peanuts
4 avocados, chopped
1 C Cilantro Lime dressing
4 C fried won ton strips
1 C Thai Peanut Dressing

Cilantro Lime Dressing
1/4 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 tsp agave nectar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 C olive oil

Thai Peanut Dressing
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp water
2 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Make the Cilantro Lime Dressing by putting all of the ingredients except for the olive oil into a food processor.  Process until smooth, about 1 minute.  Then, with the machine running, slowly add the olive oil.  Continue processing for 1 more minute.  Store in the fridge until ready for use. Whisk before using.
2. Make the Thai Peanut Dressing by putting the peanut butter, honey, vinegar, water, and soy sauce into a small bowl.  Whisk to combine.  Add sugar, salt, cayenne, and oil.  Whisk until fully incorporated.  
3. Assemble the salad by placing the cabbage, carrots, green onion, cucumber, cilantro, edamame, and peanuts into a large bowl.  Add the Cilantro Lime Dressing and toss to combine.  Plate the salads and top with won ton skins and avocado.  Drizzle the Thai Peanut Dressing on top and serve.  

Adapted from California Pizza Kitchen

Chinese Chicken Salad

I love having a big entree salad for dinner, it just feels so clean and healthy.  I try to have a salad dinner several times a month and this salad was a wonderful addition to my line-up.  It has so many textures with the lettuce, cabbage, won ton skins, sugar snap peas, almonds, and chicken.  The dressing was light and the oranges added an extra burst of flavor in every bite.  This will be on permanent rotation in my house from now on.  I hope you try it too!

Ingredients (makes 4 entree salads)

For the salad:

1 large head romaine, chopped into bite sized pieces

1/2 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

1/2 pound sugar snap peas, sliced into 1 inch pieces

1/2 C cilantro, finely chopped

4 -5 C cooked chicken or Gardien Chick'n Scallopini, cut or torn into pieces

1/2 C scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 C sliced almonds

crispy fried won ton skins

toasted sesame seeds

8 mandarin oranges, peeled and separated

For the dressing

1/4 C soy sauce

1/4 C lemon juice

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

3 Tbsp peanut oil

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing.  Whisk thoroughly and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and scallions.  Pour 1/3 C dressing in with the chicken and scallions.  Toss to combine.
3. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, cabbage, sugar snap peas, and cilantro.  Add dressing (whisking continuously to prevent separation).  Toss to evenly coat.  Add the chicken mixture and toss.  
4. Serve on individual plates and top with almonds, sesame seeds, won ton skins, and orange slices.    Enjoy!

Black Bean and Kale Quesadilla

I am so excited about this recipe!  It is a fun new way to sneak some more kale into your kid's diet.  These are so tasty, the kids won't even believe that there is any kale in them!  They are also jam-packed with black beans, tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado, making this a very hearty quesadilla (not just a big pile of melted cheese).  

Another great aspect of this meal is the fact that you can make the bean mixture and grate the cheese ahead of time.  That makes the dinnertime rush much easier to handle!  Serve these with a great side dish like Roasted Mexican String Beans or Spanish Rice, and you've got a fantastic meal for the entire family!

Ingredients

4 large handfuls of kale, stem removed and chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

15 oz cooked black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 C Restaurant Style Salsa

1/3 C chopped cilantro

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp chili powder

juice of 1 lime

6 flour tortillas

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz Greek yogurt or sour cream

3 green onions, sliced

Directions

1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a medium fry pan over medium-high heat.  Add the kale and cook, stirring constantly until wilted, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and place into a large bowl.
2. To the kale, add the beans, salsa, cilantro, tomatoes, avocado, salt, pepper, chili powder, and lime juice.  Mash with a fork until smooth.
3. Put an even layer of bean mixture onto half of a flour tortilla (about 1/3 C).  Sprinkle an even layer of cheddar cheese on top of the bean mixture.  Fold the tortilla in half.
4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large fry pan over medium high heat.  Cook the quesadillas for about 3 minutes, or until golden.  Flip and repeat on the other side.  
5. Serve topped with more salsa, yogurt or sour cream, and green onions.  Enjoy!

Adapted from Kiwi Magazine Dec. 2012

Not-a-Lotta Tostada

I just LOVE tostadas.  The crispy shell.  The fresh veggies.  The spicy salsa.  Mmmm.  Not to mention the edible bowl!  That just makes any soup or salad better, right?  :)  The only problem I have with tostadas is the fact that they are usually very big.  I mean ginormous!  For someone who is trying to manage their portions, it makes it kind of difficult to have because you don't want to waste a bunch of food!  Also, the huge fried tortilla isn't going to help that waistline of yours.  Well, I fixed both of those problems!

These tostadas use soft taco-sized baked tortillas!  You heard me, BAKED!  And it is so easy you won't believe it.  The size is perfect for a light dinner, or it can be a side dish if you prefer a bigger meal.  Once you have the shell, fill it with whatever you like and enjoy!  Below are the ingredients we used, but I didn't list any quantities since it is to your taste.  Just make it up as you go and have fun! 

Ingredients

flour tortillas

spray oil

black beans

lettuce, chopped

tomatoes, chopped

onions, chopped

green onions, chopped

cheese, grated

salsa

guacamole

sour cream

 Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Flip over a standard muffin tin.  Lightly spray both sides of a tortilla and place in the open space between the muffin wells.  Weigh it down with some dried beans or something similar (I used dried chickpeas).  Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes until the edged are golden and crisp.
4. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Top with whatever you like and serve!

Pico de Gallo

I have a confession.  Before this, I had never made my own fresh tomato salsa.  Can you believe it?  Me neither!  Oh man, I have been missing out!  It is so incredibly simple and I can't believe it has taken me so long.  Having farm fresh tomatoes, onion, and cilantro pack this with flavor.  There is absolutely no reason to ever buy pico de gallo from the store again.  Ever.  If you need some, just follow the instructions below and enjoy!

Ingredients

3 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (more if desired)

handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 a lime, juiced

1 Tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Let chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Ultimate Mexican Pizza

It's a known fact...I love pizza.  If I could have it every single day, I would.  If you ask me, it's the perfect meal!  It includes grains, dairy, and a variety of fresh produce!  Sounds pretty balanced, huh?  I love trying new combinations of veggies on my pizzas and boy did I find a winner!  This Mexican pizza is PACKED with veggies and is even given an extra boost with a base of beans in lieu of the standard tomato sauce.  This gives the pizza tons of fiber and a virtually fat-free source of protein.  By making your "refried" beans at home, you have control over the salt levels, lowering the overall sodium content of this meal.  

This pizza with the toppings shown above is awesome (that is how my 3 year old ate it), but if you want to make it truly "Ultimate" you have got to add my Restaurant Style Salsa and some broken tortilla chips on top of your pizza slices.  Seriously life-changing people!  The combination of hot pizza with cold salsa and crunchy chips is a match made in heaven.  All the prep can be done ahead of time, making this a great dinner when you are short on time in the evening.  Go ahead.  Try it tonight!  :)

Ingredients (add to your liking!)

Your favorite pizza dough or crust
refried beans
jack and pepper jack cheese, shredded
sliced olives
fresh or frozen corn
tomatoes, seeded and chopped
green onions, chopped
cilantro, chopped
avocado, chopped
Restaurant Style Salsa
tortilla chips

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 475 degrees with a pizza stone inside.  
2. Ready your pizza dough/crust and add toppings.  Start with an even layer of refried beans.  Next add cheese.  Then top with all the veggies except cilantro and avocado.  
3. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.
4. Remove from the oven and add cilantro and avocado.   Just before enjoying, top with salsa and chip pieces.  

Island Kale Salad

Kale is a staple at our house.  I just love how healthy it is and my daughter loves to eat it!  We make our parmesan kale chips every few weeks because they are such a great snack.  I had been trying to find another way to enjoy fresh kale and I created the most delicious salad!  If you are lucky enough to live near a Veggie Grill restaurant, it is inspired by their All Hail Kale salad.  (side note: if you can, go eat there!  The food is fantastic!!)

The salad consists of fresh kale tossed with quinoa and a ginger papaya dressing.  Then it is topped with a fresh corn salsa and crunchy walnuts.  What's not to love?  It is crisp, clean, and delicious!  Corn season is coming to a close, so go pick up some fresh sweet corn and make this salad today!

Ingredients (serves 6 as a side)

For the Salad

2 bunches of kale, washed, removed from stem, torn into 1 inch pieces

1/2 C uncooked quinoa, cooked and cooled

Fresh Corn Salsa (recipe below)

Island Dressing (recipe below)

chopped walnuts

For the Dressing

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 C fresh papaya, chopped
1/3 C lime juice
1/8 C rice vinegar
1/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 C canola oil
1/4 C agave nectar

For the Fresh Corn Salsa
2 ears sweet corn, kernels removed
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp lime juice

Directions

1. Put all the dressing ingredients (except canola oil) into a blender and pulse until smooth.  With the machine running, slowly add the oil and blend until emulsified.
2. Place the kale, quinoa, and dressing into a large container or sealed bag and shake to evenly coat.    Refrigerate 6-8 hours.
3. Make the fresh corn salsa by combining all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
4. To assemble the salad: plate the dressed kale and top with 1/2 C of the corn salsa.  Add the chopped walnuts as desired.  

Inspired by Veggie Grill's All Hail Kale

Huevos Rancheros

If you can believe it, I had my very first huevos rancheros meal less than 2 years ago.  I can't believe what I was missing out on!  As soon as I tried it, I knew I had to make it at home.  While it might not be a "health food" because of the crispy tortillas, I do love the sheer volume of veggies you can pack on top! An added bonus of making it yourself is you can cook the black beans at home minimizing the added salt you might find elsewhere.  This dish is great for breakfast or dinner.  Best of all, you can customize it to your family's tastes with your favorite veggies!

Ingredients (makes 3 servings)
1 C dried black beans, cooked and drained (or 1 can, drained)
1/4 C olive oil, plus 1 Tbsp
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion, chopped
8 oz cheddar cheese, finely grated
6 oz sliced olives
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 avocado, diced
4 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
6 eggs, over easy (2 per plate)
Restaurant Style Salsa
sour cream
6 flour tortillas (2 per plate)

Directions

1. Heat about 1/4 C olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Place one tortilla at a time and cook until the underside is crispy and golden.  Flip and repeat on other side.  Place on a paper towel to drain excess oil.  Repeat for all the tortillas you plan on using.  Set aside. 
2. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions, beans, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Cook eggs over easy while you assemble the rest of the dish.  Place 1 tortilla on a large plate.  Top with about 1/4 C of the black beans.  Top with the other tortilla.  Ad more black beans, then cheese, then the rest of the veggies.  Top with the cooked egg.  Add salsa and sour cream to taste and garnish with cilantro.  

Restaurant Style Salsa

There's just something about going to a Mexican restaurant and snacking on chips and salsa while you wait for your meal.  It is soooo goooood!  You can never purchase salsa as tasty as they serve in a restaurant... but now you don't have to.  This salsa that will put restaurants to shame! 

I started playing around with salsas a few months ago, and have slowly created this perfect salsa.  I'm serious. It's amazing!   My husband literally begs for this if I haven't made it in a few weeks.  I love how incredibly simple it is.  Just throw everything into a blender!  That's it!  I will never buy salsa from the store again.  I like my salsa with a bit of a kick to it, so if you like a milder salsa, cut back on the jalapeno.  This salsa is amazing on its own, or add it to tacos, burritos, or anything you choose!  Just make it!  Tonight!!  :)

Ingredients
1 (28oz) can of diced tomatoes
1 (15oz) can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
1/2 C onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, thinly sliced
a pinch of sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 C fresh cilantro
1/2 a lime, juiced

Directions

1. Place all the ingredients into a blender or food processor.  Pulse until desired consistency is reached.  It doesn't take much.  I like a slightly chunky salsa, so I only pulse my Blendtec blender about 4 times.
2. Taste with a chip and adjust the seasoning as desired.  
3. Allow to chill at least one hour before serving...if you can wait that long!

Inspired by The Pioneer Woman

Shared on OrgJunkie

Fresh Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad

Nothing says summer quite like farm fresh corn.  It is one of those things we ONLY eat when it is locally available.  Even though you can get it year round in your neighborhood grocery store, I never do because store-bought corn is just not good!  Believe me, once you try local corn picked from the fields the same day, you will wonder how you ever ate anything else!

This salad is such a great side dish to a variety of meals.  It works great for a backyard BBQ, paired with a pasta, or even tacos!  Many corn salad recipes have you boil the corn cob first, but sweet corn is amazingly delicious raw off the cob.  Plus, it makes for easier prep!  The colors are vibrant and the taste is wonderful.  I hope you enjoy this salad all summer long - like I know I will!  :)

Ingredients
4 ears sweet corn, kernels removed
2 tomatoes, discard seeds and chop
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, discard seeds and chop
1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 2 limes
4 oz crumbled feta
pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine corn, tomatoes, onion, red pepper, jalapeno, and cilantro.  Stir to combine.
2. Add lime juice.  Stir to combine.
3. Season with pepper to taste. 
4. Can be made up to this point a day in advance.  When ready to serve, add crumbled feta.  
5. Serve cold.

Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Make Your Own Quesadilla

Cinco de Mayo is coming up this Saturday, so I couldn't resist making some Mexican food this week.  Quesadillas are such a quick and easy meal, and you can fill them with just about anything.  The best part for me is offering the fillings and letting my daughter make her own!  She is more apt to try a variety of veggies if she gets to assemble it.  :)

I have all the filling options prepped ahead of time and I lay them all out for the family.  I try my best to have an assortment in a variety of colors and textures.  No plain cheese quesadillas here!

Each person layers on the fillings and I cook them on the stovetop.  It takes a couple of rounds to cook them all, but again, it is so easy!

Ingredients

tortillas

olive oil

shredded cheese (we usually opt for sharp cheddar and pepper jack)

yellow onion, diced

green onion, thinly sliced

red pepper, diced

sweet corn 

sliced olives

salsa (we make our own)

sour cream

These are what we had on hand this week.  In the past we have also used diced tomatoes and avocado. You could also add grilled chicken or any other meat if you like.  

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat.
2. Lay the tortilla flat and fill one half of it with the fillings you choose.  Make sure you really stack them on there.  You will be surprised how thin they get once the cheese melts!
3. Fold the tortilla over into a half-moon shape and place into the fry pan.  I prefer using a large fry pan so I am able to accomodate 2 quesadillas at once.
4. Cook until the cheese has started to melt and the underside is golden brown.  Flip once to brown the other side.
5. Once cooked, remove from the pan and place on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.  Top with salsa and sour cream if you like.  Enjoy!!