Shrimp and Avocado over Wilted Arugula

I found myself with the dilemma last night of leftover produce in my fridge but a desire to eat something different. With a hefty amount of arugula and basil, my first instinct was to make pesto. The two greens go great together and, add a few toasted walnuts or almonds, you've got a great pesto on your hands. However, I have made a lot of pesto recently. Traditional basil, cilantro and even a corn pesto have all made their way into my meals over the past few weeks. It's not that I don't love pesto--because clearly I do--it's just that I wanted to use that arugula in a different way. I wanted to mellow out that peppery bite without losing it altogether. And I wanted to use it as a background for a lot of other delicious flavors.

 I thought in terms of a salad; the good kind of salad where the lettuce is mostly used as a bed to hold a bunch of other great ingredients. And when mixed together, you have bites full of lots of different flavors as opposed to just a lot of lettuce. That's my kind of salad. So this is what I came up with. A simple sauteed mix of sweet shrimp, juicy tomatoes and meaty mushrooms. And then to finish it off I added that peppery arugula and creamy avocado.  Full of color, full of flavor and definitely not your everyday salad. The warm shrimp wilt the arugula, taking away some of the bite and turning it into a cross between a sauteed green and a lettuce. Chicken could be substituted for the shrimp but I would saute it separately and then toss everything together at the end. This salad makes for a great, healthy meal with some toasted bread or pita points.

Shrimp and Avocado over Wilted Arugula (serves 4)

• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 4-5 oz mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bellas)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, divided, from 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 4-5 cups arugula
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
• Salt and pepper

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
Saute mushrooms until they begin to brown, about 5-8 minutes.
Add garlic, season with about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and saute for another minute.
Add cherry tomatoes, stirring to combine, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add shrimp and cook until fully pink, another 8 minutes or so.
Toward the end of cooking, add lemon zest, 1 tbsp of lemon juice, and 2 tbsp of basil.
If there's a lot of liquid in the pan, drain some off before adding the shrimp to the arugula. 
In a large bowl, toss together arugula, sauteed shrimp mixture, and avocado.
Season with remaining olive oil, lemon juice, basil and a pinch more salt and pepper.

For a printable recipe click here


Shrimp and Avocado Over Wilted Arugula

Peach and Tomato Salsa

People keep commenting on how summer's coming to a close. Schools are starting back up, it's mid-August, and I think a lot of people are just ready for fall. This summer has definitely been hot and it's hard to believe it's coming to end when temperatures are still reaching 100 here in the Bull City. Even though the summer season might technically be ending, I am still planning to take advantage of the great summer produce available for as long as I possibly can. Although I could do without the 100% humidity, I love summer and the delicious fruits and vegetables that come with it. This simple peach salsa is a perfectly example of the great produce you can get at the farmers' market. It is made almost entirely from things I picked up on one of my Wednesday evening visits. I love mixing the sweetness of peaches with savory tomatoes and cucumbers. Sauteing the peaches brings out their natural sweetness as well as making them a perfectly soft contrast to the crisp cucumbers. Although salsas often have the Latin flavors of lime and cilantro, I went with a more Italian style, using lemon juice and oregano. These two flavors work great together and pulled all of the ingredients of the salsa together nicely. Serve this with grilled meat, like pork tenderloin, or even as a side salad and enjoy the tastes of summer for a little bit longer.

Peach and Tomato Salsa

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if large
• 1 medium cucumber, diced small
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped small
• Salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Saute the peaches, allowing each side to caramelize lightly.
Remove from heat and let cool before dicing into large chunks.
In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, cooled peaches, lemon juice and oregano.
Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper.
Can be made a few hours ahead, as flavors continue to blend as it sits. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For a printable recipe click here

Roasted Beet with Arugula Pesto Sandwich

I made a pizza the other night using similar ingredients from the roasted beet salad I've made many times. I topped the pizza with goat cheese, roasted beets and prosciutto and then served it with an arugula salad dressed simply with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Don't get me wrong, the pizza was very good, but this post is not about that pizza. Instead I wanted to write about what I did with the leftovers since this sandwich puts the pizza to shame. I would usually just toss the arugula and beets together and make a simple salad for lunch. I do enough cooking for dinners that I rarely put much effort into my lunch. But after a good workout at the gym, I felt inspired to do something more exciting for my midday meal. Since I love pesto, and know that it can be made with arugula, I decided to make a pesto to spread on a sandwich with the roasted beets. I wanted to also include the tangy, sweet taste of balsamic vinegar since I love the way it pairs with both beets and the peppery taste of arugula. Instead of just pouring it onto the sandwich and making the bread soggy, however, I chose to saute the beets in the vinegar, infusing them with the balsamic flavor, while also warming up the beets. Between the lightly toasted whole wheat bread, the sweet and tangy beets and the nutty, peppery pesto, this sandwich was pretty spectacular. Because beets take about an hour to roast, I recommend making a few extra for dinner some night when you want to make roast beet salad or use them on top of pizza, and then use the leftovers for this sandwich. Or make dinner a casual affair some night and serve up these sandwiches with a side of potato salad or mixed fruit.

Roasted Beet with Arugula Pesto Sandwich (makes 2)

• 1-2 cups arugula
• 1/3 cup feta (I used a Mediterranean spiced feta)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup roasted beets, sliced into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 4 slices whole wheat bread

In a food processor or blender, combine arugula, feta and pine nuts. Reserve a few arugula leaves to garnish each sandwich. Process to combine ingredients.
Add about 2 tbsp of olive oil and blend till smooth. If too thick, add a bit more oil. Season with a pinch of black pepper.
In a small saute pan, heat a couple drops of olive oil.
Add beets and balsamic; season with salt and pepper and saute until vinegar is absorbed and beets are heated through, about 5 minutes.
Toast the bread; spread with arugula pesto and top with roasted beets; garnish with reserved arugula leaves and serve immediately.

For a printable recipe click here

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

I've written numerous times about dishes that include zucchini and other summer squash. They've been so beautiful at the farmers' market and grocery store, that I keep buying them and coming up with new combinations so we aren't always eating exactly the same thing. Generally, I only like zucchini when it's cooked, but not at all when served raw such as on a veggie and dip platter. However, I was intrigued by yet another recipe in Bon Appetit magazine that uses thin slices of zucchini "ribbons" combined with Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. My love of those two ingredients helped me push past my usual distaste of raw zucchini and prompted me to give this salad a try. Am I ever glad I did! The zucchini is sliced so thinly and then dressed with a delicious mix of lemon juice and olive oil, that it tastes nothing like the bland sticks of raw zucchini found on most veggie platters. To make the thin ribbons of zucchini, I used a regular old vegetable peeler but a mandoline would have also worked wonderfully if you happen to have one. Because I used a vegetable peeler, I found that it was easiest to make ribbons out of about 3/4 of the zucchini, leaving the remaining 1/4 for something to hold on to. I used the leftover thick piece of zucchini chopped up into a stirfry. A mandoline would allow you to slice the entire thing in to ribbons but either system works. This makes a delicious, light salad as a starter or even as a simple lunch with some leftover chicken.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (always use good oil for salad dressings)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 1 large lemon
• 1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper
• 5-6 medium zucchini
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• Small wedge of Parmesan cheese

Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and crushed red pepper. Season with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Set aside.
Slice the ends off of the zucchini and peel long ribbons from top to bottom with a vegetable peeler or mandoline. You want about 4 cups + of ribbons.
Toss the zucchini ribbons with basil, pine nuts and most of the dressing. Add more dressing if desired.
Season with a bit more salt and pepper if needed.
Plate and shave strips of Parmesan cheese over the top or sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

For a printable recipe click here

Miso Steak and Salad

In Japanese cuisine, miso is used in all sorts of dishes and is considered a staple in most pantries. Here in the US, we usually associate miso with nothing more than the soup served before dinner at Japanese restaurants. However, miso--made from fermented soy beans--can be used to flavor a variety of dishes and adds a great earthy, slightly salty taste to other ingredients. It can be found in many supermarkets and at specialty stores such as Whole Foods. It looks like a thick hummus and usually comes in white, yellow and red varieties. The white miso, used in this recipe, is the most mild and least salty of the three. Yellow miso would also work as it is still quite mild. Based on a recipe from Bon Appetit, I made this miso dressing and used it as a steak marinade, a salad dressing, and a pasta dish (recipe to come). The dressing took on a slightly different taste in each application, giving the meal dimension while coming together nicely because of the taste of miso throughout. I served the steak sliced over the salad and the pasta on the side but each could be served as separate meals. The following recipe makes enough dressing for all three applications, so adjust accordingly. Or make all of the dressing and have extras for lunch salads.

Miso Steak and Salad

• 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 6 tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 tbsp white miso
• 3 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• Garlic salt
• Salt and pepper
• 1.5 pound flank steak
• 5 oz mixed baby greens
• 1 large cucumber, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

In a small bowl, combine vegetable oil, rice vinegar, white miso and ginger. Whisk to blend.
Season to taste with a pinch of garlic salt and black pepper.
Season both sides of the flank steak with salt and pepper.
Spread 1 tablespoon of dressing over each side of the steak (2 tbsp total).
Allow steak to marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 6.
Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Grill steak, 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare.
Toss together mixed greens, cucumber, red pepper and cilantro. Dress with approximately 6 tablespoons of dressing, adding more or less to taste.
Reserve the remaining dressing for other salads or for Miso Soba Noodles.
Allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
Serve a few slices of steak over the salad with a few slices of avocado.

For a printable recipe click here

Greek-Style Quinoa Salad

After making smoked salmon with quinoa salad, all I've wanted to do is cook quinoa. It's so easy, extremely healthy and can be used in any number of ways. Like rice, it can be flavored with just about anything but takes less time to cook than brown rice with more health benefits than white rice. It's pretty much perfect if you ask me. But in the effort to not cook the same thing every night, I held off for awhile before coming up with a different quinoa dish. This Greek-style dish came about because of what I had on hand, left over from a Greek salad I had made earlier in the week. The red wine vinaigrette is easy to mix up and can be used on salads or tossed with cooked vegetables or even to marinate chicken. Home made salad dressings can be intimidating but they are actually quite easy and far superior to the store bought kind. They don't last as long as the bottled versions because they lack all those chemical preservatives but they can easily be made in quantities that you can use up that week. I used a yellow bell pepper that I had but any color will work as would the addition of cucumbers, olives or red onion. Cherry and grape tomatoes are beautiful right now at the farmers' market and at most grocery stores. This salad can be served either warm or at room temperature and as a side dish or even a simple lunch on its own.

Greek-Style Quinoa Salad

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or water
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup red wine vinaigrette (see below)
• black pepper

Combine the quinoa and stock/water in a small sauce pot.
Bring to a boil; turn down, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly before mixing the quinoa, tomatoes, bell pepper and feta together in a large bowl.
Pour in 1/3 cup vinaigrette and mix thoroughly. Add more vinaigrette if the salad is too dry.
Sprinkle with black pepper.

Red Wine Vinaigrette: (makes about 3/4 cup)

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Combine vinegar, mustard, honey and oregano and mix well.
Stream in olive oil, whisking to combine.
Season with salt and pepper. Add more honey or oil if the vinegar taste is too strong.

For a printable recipe click here

Smoked Salmon Quinoa Salad

I recently went to a potluck in my parents' neighborhood to celebrate my sister's upcoming graduation from high school. I wanted to contribute a simple side dish to share with everyone and be able to try out a new recipe. I opted for a dish that could be started the day before when I had more time and only needed a quick toss together before service. Because the host of the potluck has celiac disease, I wanted to be considerate and make something gluten free. I browsed some gluten free blogs and found this amazing quinoa and smoked salmon salad, a perfect side dish for a potluck, from Gluten-Free Girl. Quinoa is a great grain for those of you unfamiliar with it. It is considered a "perfect food" because it is one of the few vegetarian options that make up a complete protein. Generally you must eat rice with beans to make a complete protein, or a piece of meat. And not that there's anything wrong with rice and beans, or meat for that matter, but I think it's pretty cool that quinoa does that all on its own. It cooks up quickly and resembles couscous. It definitely works as a great alternative to rice or pasta and is perfect for anyone who has a gluten intolerance. I cooked the quinoa the day before and then tossed the rest of the ingredients together before heading to the potluck. The salad can be served cold or at room temperature.

Smoked Salmon Quinoa Salad

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• pinch of salt (optional)
• 6 oz smoked salmon, sliced
• 1/3 cup capers, drained and rinsed
• 2-3 tbsp prepared horseradish
• 2 tbsp chives, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan, with a lid, over medium high heat.
When the butter melts and begins to foam, add the quinoa.
Toast the quinoa for a few minutes until it's lightly browned and begins to pop.
Add the chicken stock and a pinch of salt, if desired.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes covered, until the liquid is absorbed.
Spread the quinoa onto a cookie sheet to cool. This can be done a day ahead.
Toss the cooled quinoa with the salmon, capers, horseradish and chives.
Add the lemon juice right before serving, adding more or less to taste.

For a printable recipe click here

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Salad

Whenever I have guests over, I like to serve a salad before the meal. It's something I can make ahead of time, toss together when ready, and serve whenever seems best. I'll often serve the salad while I'm waiting for something else to cook. This gives my guests something to eat besides the usual cheese or olives and adds another component to the meal as a whole. I find that a few simple, tasty ingredients can mix together and make a great salad. To challenge myself and keep my guests interested, I try to make different salads as often as possible. Although I love my roasted beet salad, it's good to mix things up a bit. I also try to use as many ingredients from the farmers' market as possible. Fortunately, there were a good number of lettuces at the Durham Farmers' Market as well as some delicious, creamy goat cheese from Celebrity Dairy. I chose the peppercorn crusted variety but any flavor would lend a unique taste to the mix. To add a meaty, hearty component to my salad, I decided to go with portobello mushrooms. They're thick, flavorful and even better when grilled. I mixed in some toasted sunflower seeds for crunch and topped it all with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. The result was a great combination of flavors and textures that made for a perfect start to the whole meal.

Portobello Salad (Serves 6)

• 4 portobello mushroom caps, wiped clean
• 1/2 log of goat cheese, about 3-4 oz
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 10-12 cups lettuce mix (I used baby mixed and red leaf)

Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• 6 tbsp olive oil (or so, depending on how tangy you like your dressing)
• salt and pepper to taste

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and brush both sides lightly with olive oil.
Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
Place mushrooms on the hot grill, top down.
Grill for about 6-8 minutes, making sure not to burn the tops.
Flip them and grill the other side for another 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender.
Remove and season with salt and pepper.
Let cool and slice into 1/2 inch strips.
Toast the sunflowers in a small, dry pan, stirring constantly so the nuts don't burn, about 5 minutes.
For the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl or small container with a lid, whisking to combine.
This can all be done ahead of time and held until you're ready to eat.
Toss the lettuce, crumbled goat cheese and sunflowers seeds in the dressing.
Plate the salad and lay a few strips of mushroom over each.

For a printable recipe click here

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Salad

Roasted beet salad

Beets are another favorite of mine available during the fall and winter months. Fresh beets are far superior to canned so make this when you have the time to roast the beets. They can be done at any time during the day since they'll be served cold. All of the ingredients in this salad can be found at the Durham Farmers' Market or at your local grocery store. The creaminess of the goat cheese and sweetness of the beets pair perfectly with the spicy, peppery arugula. If you don't like arugula, try the salad with any mix of lettuce you like. I prefer the salad with a balsamic vinaigrette or even just balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. But use whatever you have on hand. This salad goes great with the pumpkin soup in the previous post or with grilled chicken or fish.

Roasted Beets:

Preheat oven to 450F.
Cut beet leaves off, leaving about 2 inches of stem.
Wrap beets in aluminum foil, about three beets per pouch.
Place pouches on a cookie sheet and put on the middle rack in the oven.
Roast beets for about 1 hour (they should be easy to pierce with a fork).
Let cool before peeling off skins. I cut off the two ends and then peel the remaining skins.
Be careful as beets make everything they touch a deep purple but it will wash off your fingers.

Salad:
Toss washed arugula, beets and crumbled goat cheese in salad dressing, sprinkle with a little cracked black pepper and enjoy!

For a printable recipe click here