Egg Salad

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons Just Mayo
1 tbsp cream cheese [optional]
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon lemon juice [a squeeze of fresh lemon juice]
6 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 c chopped dill (a small handful)
5 chopped olives (or pimientos) [optional]
1 tsp sweet relish [optional]
1 tsp chopped parsley [optional]

To serve:

bread, lettuce, sliced radishes

Directions:

Mix well.

NOTE1: Some people separate the yolks and mix with the mayo.

 

Tofu Salad Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

2 ounces cubed Parmesan
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
11/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
11/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 cup silken soft tofu
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Starting on the lowest speed, chop the cheese cubes in the blender jar until it settles into the bottom of the jar, gradually increasing the speed. Add the garlic down the chute and chop until minced.

Next, add the mustard, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and tofu to the blender and blend until smooth. While the blender is running, drizzle olive oil down the middle of the vortex that has formed. Add more or less of the olive oil and blend until it reaches salad dressing consistency.  Add in the lemon juice.

NOTE: For vegan, omit parmesan.

NOTE2: Vegetarian/vegan worcestershire sauce is available.

Tabbouleh

Note: This makes the amount you usually get in a restaurant as a side dish, half a cup or so? For my family of four, it is the perfect amount.

2 tsp fine bulgur wheat
Juice of 1 large lemons, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from 1/4 bunch)
¼ cup chopped fresh mint (optional)
1 ripe tomato, very finely chopped
1/4 sweet onion, finely chopped or 1 scallion, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Place the bulgur in a bowl, and cover with water by 1/2 inch. Soak for 30 minutes, until slightly softened. Drain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer, and press the bulgur against the strainer to squeeze out excess water.
2. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with the lemon juice, parsley, mint, tomatoes, onion and salt.
3. Leave in the fridge overnight, so that the bulgur can continue to absorb liquid and swell.
4. Add the olive oil, toss together, taste and adjust seasonings.

Syrian Chickpea Salad

Chickpea Salad

400g tin fava beans/broad beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans OR half of the cooked chickpeas
handful fresh parsley leaves
1 beef tomato, roughly chopped
squeeze lemon juice
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
good pinch ground cumin
2–3 spring onions, thinly sliced

1. To make the chickpea salad, mix half the remaining cooked chickpeas with the beans. Add the remaining ingredients and season to taste.

 

 

Egg Free Ranch Dressing

Note: This recipe has dairy, but no eggs. It actually comes out BETTER than Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, though.

Ingredients:

1/4 c Just Mayo
1/4 c yogurt (not the whey, just the solid part)
fresh ground black pepper
salt to taste
2.5 tsp Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1 tbsp whipping cream
1 tsp cholula
1/4-1/2 tsp Ploughman’s mustard

Directions:

Mix well and enjoy!

Tastes great with salad, as a pizza dip, or a vegetable dip.

NOTE: You can add fresh chopped dill, fresh chopped spinach, and the giardiniera mix from Potbelly’s sandwich shop for a phenomenal dip. It IS a bit spicy, though, so watch it with the Potbelly mix if you can’t tolerate spicy food.

Hidden Valley Ranch Mix

This is an imitation of those Hidden Valley Ranch packets they sell everywhere. It actually tastes better though 🙂

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dry buttermilk powder (they sell this at Walmart)
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried chives
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried celery flakes
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed

Directions:

Mix everything together.

To use mix, you can make it the following ways:

• Mix yogurt and milk, add a spoonful of mix
• Mix mayo and sour cream, add a spoonful of mix

Ambrosia Salad

Mix:

1 bag Kraft miniature marshmallows (white or colored)
1 can mandarin oranges (or fresh)
1 can crushed pineapple (or cubed)
1 c toasted chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1 c baker’s coconut (or fresh)
1/2 c maraschino cherries (optional)
1 c halved red seedless grapes (optional)
1/2 c sour cream (or vanilla yogurt)
1/2 c whipping cream (or cool whip)(optional)
2 tbsp sugar (optional)
cinnamon (optional)
nutmeg (optional)

Optional:

diced mango
diced papaya
diced banana
diced apples

 

 

 

Spicy Szechuan Salad

Salad:

1 small head crinkly Chinese cabbage, sliced in long, thin strips
1 small head red or purple cabbage, sliced in long, thin strips
2 c fresh bean sprouts
2 c fresh alfa alfa sprouts
1 or 2 carrots, cut into julianne strips
8 radishes, thinly sliced

Dressing:

1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp dried basil, pounded in a mortar and pestle
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/3 c wine vinegar
1/3 c soy sauce
1/3 c sesame oil
1 tbsp hot chili flavored sesame oil

Rice Salad

Ingredients:

3 c water
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1 pinch saffron
1/2 c converted rice (?)
1/2 c oil
2-3 tbsp white vinegar
fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Bring water to boil.
2. Add bay leaf, salt, saffron.
3. Stir in the rice so the water never stops boiling.
4. Reduce heat to low or warm.
5. Cover and let cook 11-13 min.
6. Toss with fork.
7. Drain the rice and add oil, vinegar, and some fresh ground black pepper. Let it cook with this sauce. Then add:

Add:

2/3 c finely chopped onion
1/3 c finely chopped seeded tomato
1/2 c finely chopped celery
1/2 c finely chopped green pepper
1/4 c raisins
1/2 c pinenuts
1/3 c chopped parsley

Toss well. Add more oil and vinegar and seasoning to taste.

Spoon into salad bowl.

Decorate with sliced eggs and tomatoes.

Serve very cold.

Tomato Salad

Okay, I’ve been having cupcakes for breakfast the past few days, I need to switch gears to something healthy.

The key to this recipe is the quality of the tomatoes. The recipe aims to bring out the natural flavor of the tomatoes, not disguise them with too many spices or dressings.

Recipe is for one person. Scale up accordingly.

Ingredients are approximate, as tomato sizes and personal preferences vary. If you’re not sure, start out on the low end, and slowly add more, tasting as you go, until it’s just right for you.

Ingredients:

1 tomato (vine ripe, campari, roma, whatever as long as it is fresh and yummy – you can tell it”s good if you slice the tomato open and it actually smells like tomatoes in your kitchen)

1/2 – 3/4 tsp sugar (to taste)

1/4-1/2 tsp salt (to taste)

1/4-1/2 tsp cumin powder (to taste)

1/8 tsp asafoetida (DO NOT ADD TOO MUCH OF THIS!!!!!!!)

twist of lemon or lime (if you like, it’s totally optional)

Directions:

Slice or dice tomatoes into bowl. Add all the ingredients to the tomatoes.

Mix well. Enjoy.