Category: salad

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Green Salad with Portobello Mushrooms, Figs, and Rosemary-Yogurt Dressing

Sweet figs, creamy tart yogurt, earthy mushrooms, and crunchy nuts combine in a palate sensaation. You can grill the portobello mushrooms in advance. Or grill a lot of them, use them for another dish, and make this salad with the leftovers.

True yogurt, a local yogurt produced in Vermont, is delicious and Lactose-Free!

Serves: 2 as a main course or substantial first course (easily multiplied)
~6-8 oz baby spinach or other greens, rinsed and dried well
1 onion, diced
~3-4 portobello mushroom caps
5 oz plain yogurt
Zest of 1/2 lemon and juice of 1 whole lemon (zest half the lemon, then juice it)
~10 dried figs, minced
handful of walnuts or hazelnuts
1T olive oil plus more for brushing
pinch dried rosemary (or a 3x larger pinch fresh)
pinch salt
pepper

1. In a small skillet, heat onion and a pinch of salt in 1T olive oil over medium-low heat until onion caramelizes. Stir occasionally. When onions are mostly browned, throw walnuts in the pan to toast for a few minutes.
2. Meanwhile, brush mushroom caps with olive oil. Grill or Broil ~5 minutes; check for doneness. Chop into large pieces.
3. Make the dressing: Whisk together yogurt, rosemary, lemon juice and zest, and salt and pepper to taste.
4, Toss in a large bowl: greens, caramelized onions, nuts, mushrooms, and figs. Slowly add dressing to taste.

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Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad

Eye-poppingly colorful and tongue-teasingly textured and tasty.

Adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Time: 25 minutes with cooked quinoa, 40 minutes with uncooked quinoa
Serves: 4, or 4-6 with other dishes
Make Ahead: Yes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C cooked quinoa (or other grain), or 1 C raw
2 sweet potatoes, in roughly 1/2″ cubes
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 C EVOO
2 T sherry vinegar (or balsamic or red wine vinegar)
1/4+ C minced fresh parsley, chives, or mint for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

1) Cook quinoa in 1.5 C water with a pinch of salt and a splash of EVOO. Bring to a boil and simmer ~20 minutes. Fluff with fork.
2) Boil sweet potatoes in salted water about 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain. (Chop other things while quinoa and sweet potatoes are cooking).
3) Whisk together oil and vinegar.
4) Toss together all ingredients. Add 1/2 dressing, then more to taste. Add salt and pepper and garnish with parsley, chives, or mint. If making ahead, add the herbs just before serving.

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Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad

Eye-poppingly colorful and tongue-teasingly textured and tasty.

Adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Time: 25 minutes with cooked quinoa, 40 minutes with uncooked quinoa
Serves: 4, or 4-6 with other dishes
Make Ahead: Yes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C cooked quinoa (or other grain), or 1 C raw
2 sweet potatoes, in roughly 1/2″ cubes
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 C EVOO
2 T sherry vinegar (or balsamic or red wine vinegar)
1/4+ C minced fresh parsley, chives, or mint for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

1) Cook quinoa in 1.5 C water with a pinch of salt and a splash of EVOO. Bring to a boil and simmer ~20 minutes. Fluff with fork.
2) Boil sweet potatoes in salted water about 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain. (Chop other things while quinoa and sweet potatoes are cooking).
3) Whisk together oil and vinegar.
4) Toss together all ingredients. Add 1/2 dressing, then more to taste. Add salt and pepper and garnish with parsley, chives, or mint. If making ahead, add the herbs just before serving.

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Simple Edamame Salad

So easy. So good. Two tips: steam the edamame rather than boiling them to keep them crunchy. Shave the cheese rather than grating it for ultimate texture. Any hard, salty, flaky, buttery cheese will work — I’m partial to sheep’s-milk cheeses, especially those from Spain. Leftover vinaigrette goes well on tomatoes or other vegetables. Can be made ahead, with the cheese and mint added just before serving.

Inspired by Mark Bittman, the Minimalist

Serves: 4-6
Time: ~20 minutes
Make Ahead: Yes

1 package frozen shelled edamame
~3 oz pecorino romano or other similar cheese
handful minced mint

Dressing:
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2T red wine vinegar
~4T EVOO
sea salt
lots of freshly ground black pepper

1) Steam edamame for 5 minutes or until just tender. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
2) Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients. Don’t skimp on the paper.
3) In bowl, slowly add dressing to edamame. You want the beans to look slick, but not be swimming in liquid. Toss and adjust seasoning to taste.
4) Add shavings of cheese (use a vegetable peeler) and garnish with mint.

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Simple Edamame Salad

So easy. So good. Two tips: steam the edamame rather than boiling them to keep them crunchy. Shave the cheese rather than grating it for ultimate texture. Any hard, salty, flaky, buttery cheese will work — I’m partial to sheep’s-milk cheeses, especially those from Spain. Leftover vinaigrette goes well on tomatoes or other vegetables. Can be made ahead, with the cheese and mint added just before serving.

Inspired by Mark Bittman, the Minimalist

Serves: 4-6
Time: ~20 minutes
Make Ahead: Yes

1 package frozen shelled edamame
~3 oz pecorino romano or other similar cheese
handful minced mint

Dressing:
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2T red wine vinegar
~4T EVOO
sea salt
lots of freshly ground black pepper

1) Steam edamame for 5 minutes or until just tender. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
2) Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients. Don’t skimp on the paper.
3) In bowl, slowly add dressing to edamame. You want the beans to look slick, but not be swimming in liquid. Toss and adjust seasoning to taste.
4) Add shavings of cheese (use a vegetable peeler) and garnish with mint.

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Recipe: Roasted Beet, Fennel, Pear, Orange, and Walnut Salad


Delicious, hearty, and healthy. A burst of color on the winter table. You can roast the beets and fennel several days ahead for this delicious salad. The beets turn everything a freakish shade of pink so I find it best to dress them separately from the rest of the salad, lay them on top, and only stir them into the salad when serving.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour or more to roast the beets; roast fennel while roasting beets
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Serves: 4 as a main course for lunch; more with other things

Ingredients:
3 large beets
2 bulbs fennel, fronds removed and chopped roughly
2 pears (any kind)
2 oranges or clementines, sectioned, pith removed if desired
2-3 handfuls walnut halves, toasted if desired
1 handful mint, chopped roughly
2 lemons, juiced + zest of 1 lemon
1/2-1 C olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
additional olive oil
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Remove leaves from beets, leaving a few inches of stems. Rinse the beets, and while still wet, wrap them individually in foil, or place them together in a covered pan. Roast in 400 degree oven for about 1 hour until tender. (I learned this technique from Mark Bittman, who learned it from the great Jean-Geoerges Vongerichten) (You can refrigerate the beets, still wrapped, for about a week).
3. Meanwhile, remove the outer layer from the fennel and cut into small spears. Put in pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast alongside the beets for 20-25 minutes, or until beginning to caramelize (brown).
4. Make the vinaigrette. Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, 1/2-1 C olive oil, 1 clove garlic, pinch of salt, and pepper to taste in a small blender or food processor until emulsified.
5. After the beets have cooled, peel them. The skin will slide right off. (Bittman says if you use paper towels you won’t stain your fingers, but I haven’t figured out how to get away without beet on my hands).
6. Cut the beets into quarters, then into slices. Place in a bowl. Dress with 1/2 vinaigrette.
7. In another large bowl, toss together the roasted fennel, pears and oranges. Dress with 1/2 the vinaigrette. Toss with walnuts, mint, and (some) fennel fronds.
8. Lay the beets gently on top of the salad mixture, garnish with mint and fennel fronds, and serve.

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Recipe: Roasted Beet, Fennel, Pear, Orange, and Walnut Salad


Delicious, hearty, and healthy. A burst of color on the winter table. You can roast the beets and fennel several days ahead for this delicious salad. The beets turn everything a freakish shade of pink so I find it best to dress them separately from the rest of the salad, lay them on top, and only stir them into the salad when serving.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour or more to roast the beets; roast fennel while roasting beets
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Serves: 4 as a main course for lunch; more with other things

Ingredients:
3 large beets
2 bulbs fennel, fronds removed and chopped roughly
2 pears (any kind)
2 oranges or clementines, sectioned, pith removed if desired
2-3 handfuls walnut halves, toasted if desired
1 handful mint, chopped roughly
2 lemons, juiced + zest of 1 lemon
1/2-1 C olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
additional olive oil
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Remove leaves from beets, leaving a few inches of stems. Rinse the beets, and while still wet, wrap them individually in foil, or place them together in a covered pan. Roast in 400 degree oven for about 1 hour until tender. (I learned this technique from Mark Bittman, who learned it from the great Jean-Geoerges Vongerichten) (You can refrigerate the beets, still wrapped, for about a week).
3. Meanwhile, remove the outer layer from the fennel and cut into small spears. Put in pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast alongside the beets for 20-25 minutes, or until beginning to caramelize (brown).
4. Make the vinaigrette. Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, 1/2-1 C olive oil, 1 clove garlic, pinch of salt, and pepper to taste in a small blender or food processor until emulsified.
5. After the beets have cooled, peel them. The skin will slide right off. (Bittman says if you use paper towels you won’t stain your fingers, but I haven’t figured out how to get away without beet on my hands).
6. Cut the beets into quarters, then into slices. Place in a bowl. Dress with 1/2 vinaigrette.
7. In another large bowl, toss together the roasted fennel, pears and oranges. Dress with 1/2 the vinaigrette. Toss with walnuts, mint, and (some) fennel fronds.
8. Lay the beets gently on top of the salad mixture, garnish with mint and fennel fronds, and serve.

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Recipe: Salad with Arugula, Cranberries, Oranges, and Walnuts

Colorful and fragrant, this salad will liven up any fall or winter meal. The dressing is made right in the pan, making cleanup simple. Great way to use leftover Simple Cranberry Sauce.

Total Time: <10 minutes with prepared Simple Cranberry Sauce; <20 minutes from scratch
Prep Time: <10 minutes with prepared Simple Cranberry Sauce; ~15 minutes from scratch
Substitutions: Any nuts may be substituted for the walnuts. Any salad green may be substituted for the arugula. Salad can easily be made without the nuts. Those looking to replace nuts with something crunchy might try sesame seeds, panko bread crumbs plain or sauteed briefly with garlic, croutons (see my homemade crouton recipe to follow), water chestnuts, radishes, baby corn, or fresh or canned corn.

1/4-1 batch simple cranberry sauce (see
1/4 lb (at least) of arugula per person
1-2 oranges or clementines for every 2 people
3 T olive oil or walnut oil
balsalmic vinegar
maple syrup
pinch of salt

Heat olive or walnut oil in a large saute pan. When oil is hot, turn heat down to low and add arugula and a pinch of salt. When arugula begins to wilt, add oranges or clementines. To make the dressing right in the pan, add a few tablespoons each of balsalmic vinegar and maple syrup, to taste. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve immediately.

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Recipe: Salad with Arugula, Cranberries, Oranges, and Walnuts

Colorful and fragrant, this salad will liven up any fall or winter meal. The dressing is made right in the pan, making cleanup simple. Great way to use leftover Simple Cranberry Sauce.

Total Time: <10 minutes with prepared Simple Cranberry Sauce; <20 minutes from scratch
Prep Time: <10 minutes with prepared Simple Cranberry Sauce; ~15 minutes from scratch
Substitutions: Any nuts may be substituted for the walnuts. Any salad green may be substituted for the arugula. Salad can easily be made without the nuts. Those looking to replace nuts with something crunchy might try sesame seeds, panko bread crumbs plain or sauteed briefly with garlic, croutons (see my homemade crouton recipe to follow), water chestnuts, radishes, baby corn, or fresh or canned corn.

1/4-1 batch simple cranberry sauce (see
1/4 lb (at least) of arugula per person
1-2 oranges or clementines for every 2 people
3 T olive oil or walnut oil
balsalmic vinegar
maple syrup
pinch of salt

Heat olive or walnut oil in a large saute pan. When oil is hot, turn heat down to low and add arugula and a pinch of salt. When arugula begins to wilt, add oranges or clementines. To make the dressing right in the pan, add a few tablespoons each of balsalmic vinegar and maple syrup, to taste. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve immediately.

Posted on

Recipe: Salad with Arugula, Cranberries, Oranges, and Walnuts

Colorful and fragrant, this salad will liven up any fall or winter meal. The dressing is made right in the pan, making cleanup simple. Great way to use leftover Simple Cranberry Sauce.

Total Time: <10 minutes with prepared Simple Cranberry Sauce; <20 minutes from scratch
Prep Time: <10 minutes with prepared Simple Cranberry Sauce; ~15 minutes from scratch
Substitutions: Any nuts may be substituted for the walnuts. Any salad green may be substituted for the arugula. Salad can easily be made without the nuts. Those looking to replace nuts with something crunchy might try sesame seeds, panko bread crumbs plain or sauteed briefly with garlic, croutons (see my homemade crouton recipe to follow), water chestnuts, radishes, baby corn, or fresh or canned corn.

1/4-1 batch simple cranberry sauce (see
1/4 lb (at least) of arugula per person
1-2 oranges or clementines for every 2 people
3 T olive oil or walnut oil
balsalmic vinegar
maple syrup
pinch of salt

Heat olive or walnut oil in a large saute pan. When oil is hot, turn heat down to low and add arugula and a pinch of salt. When arugula begins to wilt, add oranges or clementines. To make the dressing right in the pan, add a few tablespoons each of balsalmic vinegar and maple syrup, to taste. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve immediately.