Coconut Corn Salad

Coconut Corn Salad  Rating: 9

This was a slightly warmed, sweet concoction that made our taste buds sing!  Go ahead and give that lime a good squeeze as it adds a bright, wonderful, and welcomed contrast to the sweet ingredients.

Please do NOT substitute canned or frozen corn.  You deserve better. We used shredded coconut instead of flaked or shaved because that is what we had.  And though it is not mentioned, the coconut is UNsweetened and sometimes difficult to find in regular grocery stores.  They only seem to carry the sweetened version in the baking aisle.  We buy ours at an Indian market in large bags (use it in our Go-To Granola all the time).

It came together rather quickly and was best when served immediately.  Certainly enjoyed it as leftovers too but it was not the same.

Carmelized Squash Salad with Pistachios

Caramelized Squash Salad with Pistachios and Goat Cheese  Rating: 7

We had several baby butternut squash from our garden and after enjoying their cuteness for some time, it was time to massacre them and ingest them.  Look how cute and little!

I chose this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens October 2012 issue.  They have several squash recipes but this one looked easy and fresh.  I omitted the optional goat cheese only because I am trying to cut down on dairy and animal based foods in general. 

It was still a good salad.  Very mellow but not bland. I bought radicchio for the first time and was wary when I tasted this bitter lettuce on its own.  But when mixed in the salad, it was just right--a good contrast to the sweetness of the squash and the citrus of the dressing.  Still, we did not feel this salad was anything special.  Served it with cornbread because, well, I am admittedly on a cornbread kick.

I LOVE squash so you will probably see more recipes as the season progresses and even beyond since it stores so well.

Curried Tofu Salad

Curried Tofu Salad  Rating: 7

This could so be an 8 but I didn't add any mango chutney or walnuts this go around.  Did add a light drizzle of honey to the sauce in place of the chutney, black instead of red grapes, and full fat mayo in place of low fat mayo.  Quick and easy.  Served it on whole grain toast with a side of kale chips.  Fairly well received by my kids. I actually liked this better than some chicken versions of the same salad.

Barley, Corn and Haricot Vert Salad

Barley, Corn and Haricot Vert Salad  Rating: 6

Don't be intimidated. Haricot Vert is just skinny green beans.  Although we enjoyed the freshness of the veggies it was pretty disappointing.  This combination did little to tantalize.

Avocado Mango Salad with Blue Cheese, Bacon, and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Whole Wheat Jalapeno Focaccia

Avocado Mango Salad with Blue Cheese, Bacon, and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds  Rating: 10

This recipe was one we got from Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday when we checked it out from our local library.  His recipes are unique and he often gives variations. 

We would just like to start by saying, God bless Rick Bayless.  We loved this recipe!  There was A LOT happening in our mouths--sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy, crispy.  Just delicious.  Those roasted pepitas rocked! 

We went with blue cheese because we like that punch but it can be made with a Mexican cheese.  We added the jalapeno in the dressing, but only half and with seeds and membranes removed.  Also, it calls for Bibb lettuce and that would truly be best as it is tender and would meld well with all the taste bud love going on.  We used our sturdy romaine because that is what we had on hand and we were still very happy.

Whole Wheat Jalapeno Focaccia  Rating: 8

We served it up with this bread.  It was just the right amount of spiciness and with the warmth and the whole wheat, it felt very comforting. 

We've used this focaccia recipe before but with some changes for Orange Rosemary Focaccia.

Tuna Salad with Raisins

Tuna Salad with Raisins  Rating: 9

Thought this would be perfect on some dried out sprouted bread we had sitting in the fridge.  Just toasted the slices and loaded them with this yummy recipe. 

The salad had a good mix of flavors and textures--creamy, crunchy, slightly sweet, fresh.  The dill was amazing in this.  Besides the crunch of the celery, the walnuts added a different layer of crunch and offered a slight, well, nuttiness.  This is way better than your average tuna salad.  Would be good on just a bed of lettuce as well. 

I did use 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt and healthy tablespoons full of fresh dill.  It was great!

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Peppers, Avocado, and Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Peppers, Avocado, and Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette  Rating: 9

This was something that was easy to put together in the a.m. for a healthy, fresh lunch.  I only used 3 Tbsp. of oil and I'm glad I did.  I may cut down slightly on the salt and sugar next time.  Served it up with slices of watermelon.

Greek Watermelon Pizza

Greek Watermelon Pizza  Rating: 7

We brought home a 21 pound watermelon for Watermelon Seed Spitting Week so you know we were going to have it in at least one of our meals.

Ingredients:
whole wheat pitas
herbed cheese spread
cucumber, sliced
yellow tomato, sliced in wedges
kalmata olives, halved
watermelon, diced and patted dry with a paper towel
cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Warmed the pitas, spread them with cheese and piled on the rest of the goodness.  Sliced it and served it up.  The flavors worked.  It was fresh, yummy, and way too messy.  I'd make this again but serve it up as a salad with a bit of spinach or romaine and keep the warmed pita wedges and cheese spread on the side.

Sweet and Tangy Meatballs on Brown Rice with Grated Raw Beet Salad

Sweet and Tangy Meatballs  Rating: 8

This was a freezer/slow cooker meal I prepared with several other options one super woman day.  It is not a particularly healthy option because even if you use all fruit spread and sauce free of high fructose corn syrup, it is still loaded in sugars.  But sometimes bad feels oh so good.  And it did.

The meatballs I used were homemade and turkey.  I use this recipe when I want to make a big batch for a few freezer meals or just to keep a stash in the freezer.  I always seem to get more than the 20 meatballs.  I use a cookie dough scooper to help me make them and they are pretty wet and loose but come out just fine. They are perfect for a quick add in to spaghetti, soups, or pastas.

Turkey Meatballs  Rating: 8

We served it all over brown rice and with this salad on the side.  Add yes, this is the last of the beets from the farmer's market.  I'm sure some of you are quite relieved.

Grated Raw Beet Salad  Rating: 8

I tweaked it a bit.  First off, I just give the beets a good scrubbing and keep the peel on if I'm grating.  I used OJ from concentrate and added 1 tsp. orange zest.  I also added a good pinch of ground cumin.  Didn't bother to serve it on a lettuce leaf because, although I had them and it would have been pretty, I was feeling lazy.

Cucumber Peanut Salad

Cucumber Peanut Salad  Rating: 7

Our garden is generating a healthy supply of cucumbers so we made this Indian salad tonight and served it up with garlic naan (a type of flat bread) and a lemony yogurt sauce.  We substituted one seeded jalapeno in place of the serano peppers, olive oil instead of ghee. and regular yellow mustard seed in place of black.. It was refreshing and the warm heat was nice.  The peanuts gave it a nice crunch but would go soggy in leftovers.

Beet and Carrot Pancakes with Creamy Yogurt and Avocado, Orange, and Kohlrabi Salad

Beet and Carrot Pancakes with CreamyYogurt  Rating: 8

These were surprisingly good.  They were naturally earthy but sweet and the yogurt sauce was creamy with just enough zing.  Also, they looked rustic but were beautiful for their color.

They were a cinch to make.  Grate carrots and beets (raw, not peeled, just scrubbed) in the food processor and toss with the few remaining ingredients.  She is not kidding about the cooking spray.  The sauce rocked Neal's world and it was so easy.  I used dried dill instead of fresh.  Served it with this salad.

Avocado, Orange, and Kohlrabi Salad  Rating: 7

What is Kohlrabi? 

We picked these up at the farmer's market as our "new item to try."  I knew what they were from a friend showing me them in his garden back in high school and I knew they were in the broccoli-cabbage family. 

They were a pain in the rear to peel (I'm not to skilled with a knife and I have a scab on my thumb right now to prove it).  Anyhow, Neal really liked them in the salad and I thought they were a bit to fibrous, even grated.  I have to give kohlrabi another try because we have a "try it at least twice rule" in case we had a bad batch, a crappy recipe, or lack of skill in preparing a new item.  Neal rated the salad a bit higher as is but we typically post the lower score.  I'd make this salad again for sure but maybe with broccoli slaw.  I think I would give it an 8 then.  The dressing is just right and we love avocado.

Asian Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing

I wish I took a picture but it was one of those evenings that the kids are driving you nuts and you just want to get food on the table so they will stuff their mouths so you can enjoy near quiet for a moment.

Asian Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing  Rating: 9

Having said that, PLEASE go to the recipe link and just look at the picture!  This is a gorgeous salad that just looks as good as it tastes.  In reality, my plate of rainbow would have been missing some purple because I didn't use prepackaged slaw. 

This recipe it so quick to put together!--especially if you have a food processor to slice and grate for you.  Even if you don't, it's a snap!

The salad was way yummy!  I thought the dressing was just perfect.  I didn't add any additional salt but did use salted peanuts. I did add a bit of broccoli slaw because I had some broccoli stems to use up.  I even forgot the scallions (told you it was a crazy night) and it was still a 9!

Make this tonight!

Lightened Up Cobb

Lightened Up Cobb  Rating: 8

What makes it lighter?  No bacon and a vinaigrette dressing in place of a creamier option.  What would make this a 9? Creamy dressing.  What would make this a 10? Bacon.

Given that we are still big fans of this salad with it's creaminess from the yolks, avocado, and blue cheese.  It's filling, fresh, and one of those salads you can just shove in your mouth like a pig. 

Just throw together romaine (sturdy enough to stand up to all the other ingredients), slice hard boiled eggs, cubed grilled chicken, scallions, avocado, tomato, blue cheese crumbles, and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Roasted Red Pepper Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Tomato Salad with Buttermilk Basil Dressing

Roasted Red Pepper Grilled Cheese Sandwich  Rating: 8

Plain and simple: 2 slices of provolone, half a roasted red pepper (we canned these ourselves when they were super cheap at the market), buttered seeded rye bread.  Such a treat.

Tomato Salad with Buttermilk Basil Dressing  Rating: 6

We had an abundance of sweet tomatoes from our garden so I made this side.  I didn't have fresh basil like I thought so I used dried and I used plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.  It wasn't amazing, and quite possibly because of the substitutions I made.

Spring Salad with New Potatoes

Spring Salad with New Potatoes  Rating: 8

I made this last summer while my mother-in-law was visiting and she loved this salad so much she requested the recipe.  It is a lovely potato salad that is lightened up with other veggies and a zingy dressing.  It is not your average potato salad, it is better.

This time around I subbed green beans for asparagus because that is what I had on hand, but I do prefer it with the asparagus.  I also used snap peas and radishes from the garden. You can put whatever seasonal veggies sound crisp and fresh to you.  I cheated on the pickled onions this time and just put some thinly sliced white onions in a leftover jar of pickled banana peppers Neal canned last season.  Just as good.  Served it up with slices of pineapple.

Phyllo Pie with Lemon Tofu and Winter Greens and Shaved Spring Vegetable and Apple Salad

Phyllo Pie with Lemon Tofu and Winter Greens  Rating: 8

This was a very time consuming recipe so if I make it again I am going to simplify it a bit.  This was again, from Peter Berley's Flexitarian Table.  I used this adapted on-line recipe.  It was very good.  The lemon tofu was awesome.  Sadly, we didn't taste the sun dried tomatoes at all.  I just can't commit that kind of time to making a recipe that is "very good." 

Shaved Spring Vegetable and Apple Salad  Rating: 8

Again, a recipe from Peter Berley's Flexitarian Table with an online version for you.  This was light and refreshing.  I omitted the sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes) and was still happy with the outcome.  We have found that we love shaved fennel in a salad on more than one occasion.  Getting paper-thin fennel and radish slices is a cinch with a mandolin.

Asian Turkey Burgers with Slaw Topping and Mango Cucumber Salad

Asian Turkey Burgers with Slaw Topping  Rating: 9

I used this meatball recipe for meatballs before but on this night I made them into patties and cooked them up on griddle.  They were topped with fresh mung bean sprouts and grated carrot that had been dressed with the dipping sauce.

Mango Cucumber Salad  Rating: 8

This was also well received.  It went great with the burgers.  The sweetness of the mango was nice.

Kickin' Southwestern Quinoa Salad

Still have lots of pinto beans. 

Kickin' Southwestern Quinoa Salad  Rating: 8

Pretty good salad that came together pretty quick.  Used Anaheim pepper instead of jalapeno, pintos in place of black beans, lemon juice instead of lime juice, and a large Roma tomato in place of the heirloom tomatoes.  The beans and the quinoa made this a protein packed meal.  Would be nice served on a bed of lettuce as well.

Pineapple, Mango, and Meyer Lemon Salad

This recipe came from March 2012 issue of  Whole Living magazine in an article titled Naturally Brilliant.  The article promoted "eat-your-colors" diet which spotlighted a given color per dish.  Here, we enjoyed the bright yellows.

Pineapple, Mango, and Meyer Lemon Salad  Rating: 9

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pineapple, skin removed, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 mango, peeled, pitted, cut into 1/2 pieces
1 Meyer lemon, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced, seeds removed, plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (rind stays on the lemon and is part of the salad)
1/2 cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes

Method
Combine fruit and lemon juice in a bowl.  Top with coconut flakes.

177 cal per serving, 30g carbs, 2 g protien.

Beautiful and so good!  Not filling so maybe a good light breakfast or lunch.  Felt like a real treat to eat.

Orange, Strawberry and Navy Bean Salad

Orange, Strawberry and Navy Bean Salad  Rating: 6

Fresh, fruity, and a lot of different flavors going on.  Loved the toasted sesame seeds in this. Beans didn't really do anything but add substance to the salad. Wouldn't necessarily make it again. 

We used romaine lettuce instead of bok choy and the next day for lunch I used shredded cabbage instead of lettuce.  Both were good but the finely shredded cabbage was better.  Used canned great northern beans instead of navy because I had it on hand.