Green Carrot Club

Adapted from Yummly.

Ingredients

makes 5 servings

• 2-3 cans chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
• 2 red pepper (diced)
• 1 cup corn kernels (from can, frozen/thawed or fresh)
• 2 cups edamame (cooked)
• 4 scallions (white and green parts finely sliced)
• 2 packages mixed greens

Dressing:

• juices from 2 limes
• 1-2 large garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together dressing ingredients.  Toss with vegetables, chickpeas and greens.

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I think this may be the first dressing we made with peanut butter, not sure how that happened.  It was delicious.  When preparing it, be careful not to dilute it too much.  Cucumbers and cilantro might be good additions to this.

Adapted from Vegangela.

Ingredients

makes 5 servings

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For this one we used pearled couscous, but regular could also be used.  The dried apricots give this a great texture and sweetness.  It’s been so nice outside lately we’ve been able to eat outside.  Makes for good photos.

Adapted from BBC Good Food.

Ingredients

makes 4 serving

• 2 cups cooked couscous (pearled)
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/4 cup almond slices , toasted
• 1 container baby spinach

Dressing:

• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil

Cook couscous according to package directions.  Whisk together dressing ingredients.  Toss dressing with chopped ingredients, couscous and spinach.

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I had some ingredients leftover from taco night, so I decided to make a mexican style salad.  These are so easy, but so tasty.  The dressing is literally just salsa (I recommend the brand Casa Sanchez), I added some lemon and olive oil last minute, but not sure it needed it.  Eat up avocados now while they’re good.

Ingredients

makes 5 servings

• 3 hearts of romaine, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 box cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 2 avocados, chopped
• 1/2 cup blue corn tortilla chips, crushed

Dressing:

• fresh salsa (Casa Sanchez)
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil

Toss all salad ingredients with the salsa.  Squeeze on some fresh lemon and drizzle with olive oil, if desired.

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This salad is super easy and really tasty.  It only involved chopping an onion as long as Trader Joe’s is stocked with kale and the broccoli slaw.

Adapted from Shutterbean.

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

• 1 12 oz. bag broccoli slaw
• 1 bag/head of chopped kale
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup shaved parmesan

Dressing:

• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• salt & pepper

Mix olive oil with balsamic vinegar.  Add salt & pepper to taste,

In a large bowl, toss the broccoli slaw, kale, red onions,dried cranberries, sunflower seeds with dressing until well combined.

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It’s strawberry season!  It’s still early so we can look forward to a few more months of great strawberries.  Enjoy.

This one is from oh she glows.

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

• 1/4 cup Slivered almonds, toasted
• 2-3 Tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
• 1-2 packages of spinach
• 24 oz. of strawberries, chopped
• chiffonade 1 cup fresh basil

Dressing:

• 1 cup fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup packed fresh basil
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tsp pure maple syrup, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon each of fine grain sea salt & black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 300F. Toast the almonds for about 7-8 minutes and then remove and add the coconut. Toast another 2-4 minutes, or until lightly golden, watching closely so the coconut doesn’t burn.  In a food processor, add the strawberries, basil, lemon juice, and oil. Process until smooth. Add in the salt, pepper, and maple syrup to taste and process again.

Toss salad with dressing and serve.

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Fancy balsamic vinegars are everywhere now.  This one uses a fig balsamic.

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

• 2 bags of Power to the Greens, or any greens
• 1 package of cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup grated parmasan cheese

Dressing:

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Sorry, it’s a little out of focus.  It’s funny how many pictures taken on phones turn out fuzzy.  I’d say 67% do.  We got a system down, if we take 3 pictures 1 usually turns out.  My regular photographer was out of town so I only got 1 this time.

This salad was super easy, especially if you buy the pre-cut broccoli.

Ingredients

makes 3 servings

• 1/2 packages whole wheat pasta spirals
• 1 package broccoli cut in bite size pieces
• 1 package of Power to the Greens (Trader Joes), or other greens
• toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:

• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• juice from 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Boil pasta according to package.  30 seconds before pasta is done, put broccoli in the boiling water to blanch.  Drain pasta and broccoli and rinse with cold water.  Whisk together dressing ingredients.  Toss dressing with pasta, broccoli, and greens.  Sprinkle sesame on each serving of salad.

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I went way off course from this inspired recipe when I couldn’t find eggplant at the farmers market.  You’d think a blog focusing on “healthy”, “natural”, “vegetarian”, “organic” foods would pick produce that’s in season.  Anyway, I made most of this up based on finding cheap radishes and what was leftover in my fridge.  It may be a little heavy on the radishes, but thankfully they weren’t too spicy.

Look at these radishes.  For only $1 a bunch!

Very loosely adapted from Green Kitchen Stories.  I do want to make a more accurate version of this someday in the summer.

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

• 3/4 head green leaf lettuce, cut into thin strips
• 2 bunches of radishes, chopped
• 4-5 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 cucumbers, chopped
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked

Dressing:

• juice from 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon sumac
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt

Rinse quinoa.  Bring 1 cup of water and quinoa to a boil.  Turn down to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes.  Whisk dressing ingredients together.  Toss dressing with all veggies, chickpeas and quinoa.

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Hey, this is our 100th salad post!  Woohoo!

To make the veggie ribbons, just use a vegetable peeler.  You can only peel so much, but instead of wasting the oddly shaped leftover pieces, just cut them up into small pieces and add to the salad.  Why not?

Adapted from Sprouted Kitchen.

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

• 1 bag of baby spinach
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 persian cucumbers, thinly sliced or shaved
• 1 carrot, shaved
• 1 package pea sprouts
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup tahini
• juice from one lemon
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 Tablespoons chives
• 1/3 cup water (adjust with more water if thinner dressing is desired)
• salt and fresh ground pepper

Whisk together dressing ingredients.  Add water to desired thickness.  Shave carrots and cucumbers, cut up remaining leftover pieces.  Toss spinach, carrots, cucumbers, pea sprouts and sunflower seeds with dressing.  Plate salad and then top with avocado slices.

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