Family Friendly Pasta Salad | Day 31 of 31 Days of Salad

posted on: Tuesday, January 31, 2012


I thought I'd end this month of salads with pasta salad, the only real salad both of my kids will eat. Pasta salad is the ultimate family friendly salad recipe, don't you think?

I can't believe we're already 31 days into 2012 and that tomorrow is February. I am so excited for February. I get to celebrate 9 years of having Christian in my life. I get to celebrate Carnaval in Brazil with my mom, my older sister, and my nephew Bruno, all coming out to visit us for a week. I also get a new niece and a new nephew due any day now. Then it's March and I'll turn 29 and start the countdown to 30. Crazy. There are lots of good things to look forward to, but mostly a lot of good things to appreciate now.




I want to thank all of my guest bloggers, my friends, who wrote a salad post this month on Kitchen Corners. Thanks for giving me a bit ( a lot, because I know it takes a while) of your time to create something tasty for Kitchen Corners. I also want to thank my readers who have been supportive, who have left comments, pinned, tweeted, Facebooked, Stumbled, etc and have helped make this month a great one.

To the moon and back thank you.
xx
Da

Family Friendly Pasta Salad
(printable version)
serves 4


250 g cooked Farfalle (Bow Tie) pasta
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Olive oil and salt to taste


Mix the cooked pasta with the diced veggies and cheese. Drizzle olive oil and season with salt. Serve cold.





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Napa cabbage, Asian Pear and Carrot Salad | Day 30 of 31 Days of Salad

posted on: Monday, January 30, 2012

Napa Cabbage, Asian Pear & Carrot Salad


Napa Cabbage, Asian Pear & Carrot Salad

I can't believe January is coming to an end. I could not have done this month of salads without the help of all my guest bloggers, how fantastic they all were! Today our last guest blogger Mary, The Food Librarian, is here to show us how to make a napa cabbage salad. The Food Librarian was one of the first blogs I ever started reading. I love that we've been blog friends for so long. You can also follow her on twitter and Facebook. Thanks Mary.

Hi! I'm delighted Damaris asked me to guest post a salad this month. I've been following Damaris for years and remember meeting her at the first BlogHer Food with teeny tiny baby Maria in her arms. Although we only had that brief meeting, I know she is a friend I can turn to for inspiration and wonderful updates of her lovely family. Wishing you and yours a wonderful 2012 filled with yummy salads! - mary the food librarian

Napa Cabbage Salad collage
This simple salad combines Napa cabbage, toasted almond silvers, Asian pear, carrots and sesame seeds. Have you seen the Julienne Peeler? It comes in handy making nice carrot julienne strips.

Napa Cabbage collage 2
I'm a big baker but love salads. My favorite salads combine vegetables and a bit of sweetness. Asian pears are perfect because they have a great crunch and don't brown like regular apples. Pick up some Asian pears when you see them in the farmer's market!

Napa Cabbage, Asian Pear & Carrot Salad
Napa Cabbage, Asian Pear & Carrot Salad 
(printable version)


4-5 cups Napa cabbage, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
1 Asian pear, sliced
Sliced almonds, toasted and cooled
Sesame seeds to garnish


Dressing:
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil such as canola
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoon sugar
Salt & Pepper



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Bulgar Wheat Salad | Day 29 of 31 Days of Salad

posted on: Sunday, January 29, 2012


Bulgar wheat is a little like magic. Unlike cracked wheat, bulgar wheat is pre-cooked and so it requires minimal cooking time when preparing it. A quick soak in boiling water will do the trick. Bulgar wheat is also very filling which is great if you're trying to make a quick nutritious salad that will stick to your stomach for more than 5 minutes.

Today I made two bulgar wheat salads, one sweet with oranges, walnuts, soft white cheese and honey and another savory with tomatoes, gorgonzola, olives, onions, and cucumbers.

The most traditional salad that uses bulgar wheat is Tabbouleh salad, native of Lebanon, where the bulgar wheat is used more of a garnish than as the main ingredient.

Today I was feeling hungry so I wanted the bulgar wheat to be the main ingredient and everything else to be more of a garnish.

There are a few ways to prepare bulgar wheat. If you're doing a small quantity you can just rinse the bulgar wheat out in several changes of cold water until it fluffs up. If you're doing a bigger quantity, more than just a few tablespoons, than soak 1 cup of bulgar wheat in two cups of hot water and let it stand for 10 minutes. You can also add 1 cup of bulgar wheat to 2 cups of boiling water and stir for 2 minutes before removing it from the heat, then let it sit for for 4 minutes. No mater what method you use make sure you drain the excess water.

Sweet Bulgar Wheat Salad
serves 4

1 cup prepared bulgar wheat
2 oranges peeled, seeded, and sliced into cubes
1/4 cup slices soft white cheese
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
honey to taste

Gently mix all of the ingredients in a medium bowl minus the honey. Add the honey when the salad is ready to be served.

Savory Bulgar Wheat Salad
serves 4

1 cup prepared bulgar wheat
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tomato, diced
1 small cucumber peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 of a medium onion, peeled, shredded
olives to taste
gorgonzola to taste
vinegar (optional)

In a medium bowl season the prepared bulgar wheat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the diced tomato, cucumber, onion, and olives and gently mix. Sprinkle the gorgonzola on top and drizzle with vinegar.









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Endive and Spinach Salad | Day 28 of 31 Days of Salad

posted on: Saturday, January 28, 2012




Kara and I met at church when we lived in Santa Cruz. She and I connected over food and parenting. She is the mama to two beautiful little girls, Ada and Lola. Kara is a total sweetheart, and didn't make fun of me for not knowing anything about American football when we watched the superbowl together at her house, and she also didn't seem to mind that I devoured all the snacks she had made. You can follow her on her blog, Kara in the Kitchen  for some tasty recipes and also on Facebook. 

Hello Kitchen Corners readers! I am so excited to be a part of Damaris' 31 days of salad. I first met her when my family and I moved to Santa Cruz. I'd been wanting to start a food blog for a while, and when I found out that she had one, I told her so. She said, "Do it!" So I did. And here I am, almost one year later -- cooking, baking, and blogging away. I hope you all enjoy this salad, it is my own re-creation and combination of two salads that I love. Let's start off with the correct pronunciation of endive. It's on-DEEV, not on-DIVE. My French-speaking husband says so. Plus, doesn't it make you feel refined? "I'll have the ondeeeev salad, please." So fancy.




Endive & Spinach Salad

2 endives 
2 handfuls baby spinach 
1 apple or pear, thinly sliced (optional) 
1 oz. walnuts, chopped 
1/4 c. Craisins 
1/4 c. blue cheese crumbles 

In a medium bowl, toss endives, spinach, and apple. Sprinkle with walnuts, Craisins, and blue cheese crumbles. 

For the Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette 
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar 
1 Tablespoon stone ground mustard 
1 teaspoon brown sugar 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Combine ingredients and puree using an immersion blender, food processor, or blender. Serve atop salad and enjoy!



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The Leftover Salad | Day 27 of 31 Days of Salad

posted on: Friday, January 27, 2012



Today I cooked for a total of 1 minute. I made a salad using leftovers. I do that a lot actually. I don't make elaborate meals every day. In fact most days our meals are simple, repetitive, reliable. Things I know the kids will eat. Basically we eat a lot of rice and beans.

It's not everyday that dinner is center stage. Usually dancing in the living room is center stage. Or building a fort, or going to the beach, reading books, those sorts of things. And then when we need a break we sit down as a family, give thanks to God for our food, our life, our family, and we eat, we clean up, and we go right back to where we left off.

Today my 1 minute of cooking was the 1 minute I needed to assemble this salad.




I didn't even bother to make any for the kids or for anyone else. It's rare when I get the chance to do that. Usually someone needs me. But at that exact moment everyone was fine. They were either dancing or cuddling.

I use leftovers on salads pretty often. It's easy to throw some black beans on top of some arugula and quickly slice some tomatoes. These are my favorite kinds of salads actually. There's something psychologically satisfying in using leftovers.

Today, no recipe. Just a quick hi.

p.s Enzo and Iris were dancing to the tune of this little gem when I snapped that shot. If you need a little song to carry you over to the weekend I think that song will do the trick.

xoxo







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Great Ingredients to Add to your Salad | Day 26 of 31 Days of Salad

posted on: Thursday, January 26, 2012


I met Marie last year in Mexico at Food Blog Camp. She introduced me to two very addicting things - the game Angry Birds and the books The Hunger Games. Marie is super fun. She's also super smart and a great writer, photographer, and cook. You have to check out her blog Meandering Eats. You can also find Marie on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks Marie your your great post.

I recently visited my sister-in-law to celebrate her baby shower. She's been telling me that pregnancy can be rough, but at least the clothes are comfortable. Loose dresses, empire-waisted tops, and pants that look like everyday jeans or cordoroys (and fit like them), but are equipped with elastic waist bands. To my husband's dismay, I may have explored the possibility of buying a pair of these pants. Clearly, I'm in need of a few weeks of cleansing salads to get myself back into shape.

So, when Da asked for a guest post, I was happy to oblige for the sake of a swift kick in the non-elastic-waisted pants. Yet, at the latter part of a month of salads, I was a little stumped as to an interesting salad recipe. I thought I'd talk a little about my favorite salad ingredients. Some can add a few calories, but they also add a lot of flavor, which helps me stick to a healthier regimen. One of the best ways to bring lots of flavor, but not a lot of crud, to a salad is to make vinaigrette. Store-bought salad dressings tend to have a lot of sodium, fat, and other unhealthy ingredients, so making your own ensures control over what goes into the salad. I like Mark Bittman's super-simple vinaigrette and scale the ingredients down for a single serving in a jar. Put the lid on, take it to work, and shake it up when I'm ready for lunch. Dried fruits, like cranberries, raisins, or currants, are fantastic additions whether or not fresh fruit is available. I find that dried fruits pair excellently with nuts. Pictured above are pistachios and candied walnuts.


On the other hand, we're extremely lucky here in California to have fresh fruit year-round. In January, citrus is the most common, but so are apples and pears. I love adding fruit to a salad. Healthy, simple, and a sweet contrast to the saltier dressing. Also, fruit can be added to the vinaigrette. Think about raspberry vinegars or lemon oils. Cheese is an excellent topper, but too much defeats the point of a salad. I love a simple chevre and for more flavor, mixed in dukkah seasoning. The dukkah is smoky and nutty, which works perfectly with tart goat cheese.


Root veggies like beets and fennel taste fantastic. I like to roast them and I know some like to add the raw fennel fronds to salad. One of my favorite salads is arugula, roasted beets, grapefruit, chevre, and another favorite topping: fresh mint. Top with a simple vinaigrette and it's a salad that is flavorful and filling. In the summer, add pine nuts and swap out the grapefruit for watermelon. Salads like these keep me out of the maternity-wear stores... although those elastic-waistbands are still extremely tempting.



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Arugula with Yogurt Dressing and Granola Salad | Day 25 of 31 Days of Salad

posted on: Wednesday, January 25, 2012


Since our month of salads is coming to an end I'm feeling a little daring and willing to expose some of my salad secrets. I love salad with granola. Please don't think I'm weird, because I promise you arugula and granola go so, so, well together.

Arugula (or as the British call it, rocket) is my favorite leafy edible green, which is strange because I'm a total wimp when it comes to hot spicy food, and arugula is a bit spicy, just a teeny bit. But I love how my mouth tingles when I eat it, and I love how crunchy and refreshing it is all at the same time. Add some yogurt dressing and some granola and you've got yourself a great salad.





Arugula with Yogurt Dressing and Granola
(printable version)
serves 2


Arugula, enough for 1 small salad bowl (I personally like using hydroponic arugula)
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
1/2 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons granola


Gently rinse out and dry the arugula. Mix the yogurt with lime juice to make the dressing. Gently toss the arugula with the dressing and add the granola on top.





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