Aisian Quinoa Salad

I found a really delicious new quinoa salad to make for my lunches.  I just LOVE all of the flavors in this salad.  I found it from two peas and their pod.  It is sooooo good.  I made it on Sunday and had it for lunch all week.  You could also add some shrimp to it and have it for dinner!

Click on the above link for the directions, but the yummy ingredient list is:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped red cabbage
1 cup shelled and cooked edamame
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup diced cucumber

For the dressing:
1/4 cup lite soy sauce or tamari sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Quinoa, Red Pepper, and Cucumber Salad With Avocado and Lime

Here is my salad for the week!  I am thinking this will be yummy in a wrap as well.  :) I adapted it from here.  

Kosher salt


1 cup quinoa


1 garlic clove, pounded to a smooth paste with a pinch of salt


1 large shallot, finely diced


1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced


Juice of 3 limes

1 medium red pepper, halved, seeded, and finely diced


1 English (seeded) cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)


1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish


3 ripe avocados, diced

Directions

1. Cook 1 cup of uncooked quinoa according to package directions.

2. Put the garlic, shallot, jalapeño, and lime juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. 

3. Put quinoa, red pepper, cucumber, diced avocado and chopped cilantro in a medium bowl. Add garlic, shallot, jalapeno mixture.  Fold to combine.

Makes 5 servings

Wheat Berry Salad

Have you ever had wheat berries before?  They are the whole wheat kernel, composed of the bran, germ, and endosperm.  They are a true whole grain.  This is what I have made for my lunch for the week.

I decided to add some wheat berries to some veggies to make the salad I found here.  Ir is so yummy and I LOVE the crunch of this salad.  It is very satisfying.

Serves 4

1 cup wheat berries, preferably the soft white variety
1 lb tomatoes, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and finely chopped
3 celery stalks, cut lengthwise into thirds and finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
the juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Soak the wheat berries for 8-16 hours.  Drain them in a fine-mesh sieve or colander. Pour wheat berries into a large saucepan, fill it about two-thirds of the way with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until grains are tender with some chew still left, about 1 hour. Drain, then run under cool water to bring wheat berries to room temperature. Drain thoroughly. Add the chopped vegetables.

Mediterranean Farro Salad

I love farro.  I love salads.  I love making salads on Sundays to have for lunch all week.  :)

I adapted this recipe from here.  Actually, the only thing I changed, was I omitted the olive oil.  

• 10 ounces farro (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 8 ounces green beans, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup pitted black olives
• 1 medium red pepper, cut into thin strips (about 4 ounces or 1 cup)
• 3 ounces Parmesan, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 small bunch chives, snipped (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups of water with the farro. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the farro is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and simmer until the farro is tender, about 10 minutes longer. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and stir. Cook for 2 minutes.  (I used a frozen steamer bag of beans that I tossed in the microwave, so either way will work.)   Transfer the cooked green beans to a bowl of ice water and let cool for 2 minutes. Drain the green beans.

Once the farro has cooled add the green beans, olives, red pepper, Parmesan, and chives. Stir to combine. In a small bowl mix together the sherry vinegar, mustard, pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Pour the sherry vinaigrette over the farro salad. 

Creamy Roasted Broccoli

I am the only person in my house that eats broccoli.  No matter how I make it, they always turn their noses up at it.  Now I just make it for myself and hope someone shows some interest in it.  I love roasting broccoli.  It gives it a yummy, nutty flavor.

3 cups of fresh broccoli
1/2 cup garlic hummus
2 Tablespoons of parmesan, grated
A few spritzes of olive oil

Roast your broccoli in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes or so.  Add the hummus and parmesan and eat.  It really couldn't be easier.  It is a delicious side dish, snack or lunch.

Caprese Roasted Tomatoes

I had this as a side dish to my steak last night and it was DELISH!  I love Caprese salads so it was no surprise to me how yummy these were.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 large tomato, cut in half
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 hands full of baby spinach
1 hand full of basil leaves
fresh mozzarella, sliced

I poured the balsamic in a dish and placed the tomatoes, cut side down, in the vinegar.  I let them sit for about 20 minutes or so.  I then put the tomatoes cut side up on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Then I tossed the spinach and basil in a pan and wilted it with a couple of spritzes of olive oil.  When the spinach and basil was almost done, I added the minced garlic until fragrant.  Once the tomatoes were done in the oven, I put half of the spinach/basil mixture on top of each tomato.  Then I added a slice of fresh mozzarella to the top and put it under the broiler until all melty.   So yummy!

Warrior Salad

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I am so ready to get back to my regular schedule.  I have eaten whatever I have wanted and not worked out as much I should have.  It is the holiday season, so I'm not going to dwell on it.  What's done is done.  Time to move on and get back to it.  I can absolutely tell I have not been eating well or been working out.  I have less energy and just feel kind of blah.

I got the recipe for this salad from a cookbook that I got for Christmas (The Chew) and it is from Daphne Oz.  I changed it a little by not adding as much olive oil, but here it is.

Serves 4

Dressing:
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp real maple syrup
1 tsp. whole grain mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Salad:
2 cups cooked quinoa
3/4 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced

Nutritional info:  265 calories, 0.5 g saturated fat, 46.1 g carbs, 5.5 g dietary fiber, 8.3 sugars, and 8.4 g protein.

Turkey Salad

It is no secret that I love Chicken Salad.  I very much enjoy making it with some fat free greek yogurt and dijon mustard and rolling it up in a wrap.  So, I figured I would make some turkey salad wraps since I had some left over turkey!  You can make your turkey salad however you like to make your chicken salad.  Some people like celery, grapes, cranberries, pecans or walnuts in theirs.  I made some very basic greek yogurt and dijon for mine.  Sooooo good.  It was a great way to use up my leftovers.

Quinoa Cucumber Caprese Salad

I LOVE CAPRESE SALAD!  I know it has to do with the delicious fresh mozzarella, but the combination of that with the basil and tomatoes is a match made in heaven.  Here is my lunch for the week.  I can eat it as a salad or in a wrap, of course.

1 English cucumber, diced
1 Avocado, diced
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
1 cup quinoa uncooked
juice of 1 lemon
3 minced garlic cloves
3 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
4 oz fresh mozzarella, diced

Cook the Quinoa according to the package directions.  Mix all of the ingredients together and there you have it...Easy Peasy.  This salad is a little higher in calories and fat than my normal salad, but I just love it so much.  It is worth it!

Tomato and Basil Salad

The garden is getting a little out of control, so this week I made a very simple salad for my lunches this week.

4 cups of chopped, seeded tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped basil
1 can white beans
1/2 cup quinoa dry, cooked and cooled
2 oz of any hard cheese grated such as pecorino or parmesan
2 Tablespoons of Balsamic

This makes me 5 servings to have as a salad or in a wrap.  Nutritional facts: Saturated fat: 2.4 grams, dietary fiber: 5.6 grams, sugars: 2.4 grams, protein: 9.5 grams, 187 calories.

Back to Basics: Salad

I make my breakfast and lunch ahead of time every week, so I don't have to think about what to have to eat.  This keeps me on track to make better food choices.  Instead of making one salad to last me the entire week for lunch, I decided that I would make a new salad every day this week.  Call it my super convenient salad bar.  Sunday night I boiled some eggs and chopped up mushrooms, red bell peppers, cucumber and broccoli and bagged them individually.  I also picked up some bagged salad.  This will be the basic salad all week.  I can change it up every day by adding leftovers like chicken or steak or BACON!  I can also add dried cranberries, walnuts, almonds, fresh herbs from the garden or deli meat.  The possibilities are endless!

What is your favorite kind of salad??

Mediterranean Crunch Salad

My lunch for this week is Mediterranean Crunch Salad and I found it at the Whole Foods site.  I altered it a bit to fit my tastes and you can do the same.

1 can of Garbanzo beans (15 oz)
1 chopped English cucumber
1 cup of quartered cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup diced onions
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup of finely sliced kale, thick stems removed
20 Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced,
3 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon, finely chopped fresh thyme
1 Tablespoon, finely chopped parsley

As always, this is good as a salad, side, or in a wrap.

My version makes 5 servings and is 170 calories.  It has .7 grams saturated fat, 4.9 grams dietary fiber, 3.4 grams sugar, and 6 grams protein.

Mediterranean farro salad

I know I am late with my post today. I have been without power since Friday. I could whine and complain about it, but I have a generator and my town is not underwater and I am not watching fires come closer and closer to my home. I will just be thankful that I can do some of my everyday activities that I enjoy (thank you gas stove). Please excuse any typos or formatting issues as I am doing this all on my iPhone.

Here is my lunch for the week. I can keep it in a bowl or toss it in a wrap.

3oz fresh mozzarella, diced
4oz kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups farro uncooked
About 25 cherry tomatoes quartered
1/4 cup diced red onion
3 minced garlic cloves (or less)
About 30 chopped basil leaves
2 Tablespoons balsamic
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook and cool your farro and add it with all the other ingredients. Enjoy!!

Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chick Pea Salad

I prepare my breakfast and lunch every Sunday for the week ahead, so there is never a question about what I am eating.  For my lunch, I usually make a new salad I can stuff in a wrap.  This week I made a Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chick Pea Salad that I adapted from here.  It is so summery and fresh!

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (cook it using package directions)
1 can of chick peas
1 pint of quartered tomatoes
2 diced avocados
2 garlic cloves
1/4 onion
1 bunch of cilantro
2 cups of spinach leaves

dressing:
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp. dijon mustard

In a food processor, zap the garlic, onion, cilantro and spinach until chopped finely.

Combine in a large bowl the cooled quinoa, chick peas, tomatoes and avocados.

Whisk the lemon juice and mustard in a small bowl.

Combine the mixture in the food processor to the ingredients in the large bowl and then pour the dressing over the top.  Combine all the ingredients together gently.  Eat on its own as a salad or put in a wrap!

Cranberry Walnut Salad

I love having fruit in my salads.  It is a nice change from my normal vegetable dinner salad and this is so easy to make!

1 serving of bagged salad (I used Fresh Express Fancy Greens because I am fancy.  HA!)
2 Tablespoons of chopped walnuts
2 Tablespoons of dried unsweetened cranberries
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
the juice of half a lemon

Summer Chopped Salad with Garbanzo Beans and Quinoa

I do love a summer salad with beans and/or quinoa.  I eat them for lunch all week.  I eat them as a salad or I put them in a wrap on top of some fresh spinach.  I adapted this salad from this original recipe.

1-14 oz can of garbanzo beans
1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded, cored and diced
1 English cucumber, diced
3 green onions, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 oz feta cheese
20-30 fresh basil leaves chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the quinoa as the box suggests.  Then combine with all of the above ingredients once cooled.

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

I missed having a Quinoa salad to put in my wrap at lunch, so I made this one.  I am a huge fan of cilantro...and avocado....and wraps  :)

serves 6

1 can black beans
1 avocado diced
1 cup cooked quinoa
about a pint of quartered cherry tomatoes
4 scallions minced
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno minced
salt and pepper to taste

For my wrap, I put the salad on a bed of baby spinach as I always do.

Nutritional Info (salad only):  Saturated fat .2 grams, dietary fiber 4.8 grams, sugar 1.5 grams, protein 6.5 grams.

Spring Vegetable Farro Salad

This is my first time ever making farro and boy am I going to find ways to eat it all the time.  It is so good and good for you.  I adapted the recipe from here.

2 cups farro, uncooked
10 asparagus spears
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 red onion
1 can of artichoke hearts
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
8 minced garlic cloves
30 fresh basil leaves, chopped
juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup balsamic
4 oz grated parmesan
4 scallions chopped (light green and dark green parts only)

Put the farro in a pot with about 4 cups of water and simmer with the lid on for 20-25 minutes.  Drain water if any remains and allow to cool.

Cut up the asparagus, zucchini, squash, onion, artichokes, peppers into bite sized pieces. Add to a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking oil.  Add the minced garlic as well.  Make sure the veggies aren't too crowded on the sheet.  Cook at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes or so.  You want your veggies to be tender, not mushy.  When done, allow to cool.

Once everything is cool, mix the farro and the veggies together as well as the basil, lemon juice, balsamic, cheese and scallions.  Put in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

This makes A LOT!  I made it and had it for lunch for the week.  Mine made 10 cups of salad.  I have also put it in a wrap for lunch (surprise, surprise).

Quinoa, Tomato and Bean Salad

I needed a side dish for our turkey burgers last night, so I decided to make a fun salad.  I had all of the ingredients in my refrigerator/pantry, so I just threw it all together easily.  It was so yummy and SO GOOD FOR YOU!!

makes 4 large servings

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 can of white beans (you could use any beans you like.  I just had these on hand)

1 pint of tomatoes halved or quartered

20-25 basil leaves cut into ribbons

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons of olive oil

3 garlic cloves

the juice from half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Nutritional info: 171 calories a serving, .6 grams saturated fat, 6.1 grams dietary fiber, 1.6 grams sugar, 7.1 grams protein.

Guess what I am putting in a wrap tomorrow with the leftovers?

Avocado Egg Salad

To add to my collection of lunch wraps, I made this one today.  It makes 3 servings.

2 Whole hard boiled eggs
4 Hard boiled egg whites
1 avocado diced
3 Tablespoons of Greek Yogurt (I used Fage 0%)
1 Tablespoon of chopped chives
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

I put mine on some spinach inside my low carb wrap.  My calorie total came to 197 calories, 9 grams of fat, .8 grams saturated fat, 8.1 grams dietary fiber, 1.8 grams sugar, and 14.4 grams protein.