PEAR AND TOASTED WALNUT SALAD WITH CRANBERRY VINAIGRETTE

We enjoyed this wonderful fall salad at our first vegan Thanksgiving feast and let me tell you that it was amazing!! The pears were definitely the highlight of this salad while the walnuts and cranberries gave the salad that fall holiday feel. I doubled the recipe for my family of 5 so that we would for sure have enough and it was more than enough. We had two big salad bowls one of which we saved for the next day. If you are going to save some for the next day be sure to reserve the dressing in a container, because nobody likes soggy salad.

Serves: 4 to 6

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 teaspoon guar gum (or substitute 2 teaspoons olive oil)
• 3 tablespoons walnut halves or pieces, toasted
• 2 large ripe pears, each cut into 8 to 12 slices
• 4 to 6 cups greens, including bitter ones like arugula or cress
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the water, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, mustard and 2 tablespoons of the cranberries in a food processor. Process. Add the guar gum and process. Set aside.

Put washed and dried greens in a large bowl. Pour half the dressing over the greens and toss. Arrange pears over greens and sprinkle walnuts and cranberries over pears.

Add remaining dressing if you like. Top with freshly ground pepper. Serve right away.

Recipe by The Veggie Queen, Photos by Laura Spear 

Vegan Italian Pasta

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups shell, bow-tie or corkscrew pasta (I used wacky mac noodles)
• 2 cups broccoli, chopped
• 1 cup cauliflower, chopped
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 6 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup Italian salad dressing
• 3/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 avocado, chopped

Preparation:

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well. In a large salad bowl, combine the pasta, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, artichoke hearts and onion.
Toss with the dressing, then cover and chill for 4 hours.

Before serving, toss the salad with the olives, tomato and avocado.

Recipe from about.com vegetarian food, Photo by Laura Spear

Bon Appétit,

Vegan Tabbouleh Salad

For Tabbouleh Salad:

• 3 cups (705 ml) water
• 1 cup (176 g) uncooked bulgur wheat
• 3 cups (180 g) finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 large cucumber, seeded and diced (about 2 cups [270 g])
• 1 cup (180 g) diced tomatoes (approx. 2 seeded tomatoes)
• 1⁄4 cup (12 g) finely chopped mint leaves
• 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
• 3 tablespoons (45 g) minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

For Burgers:

• 1 recipe Tabbouleh Salad (above)
• 1 cup (120 g) whole wheat flour
• 3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sesame oil (optional)

Preparation

Tabbouleh Salad

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the bulgur wheat, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, mint, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Add the cooled bulgur and mix thoroughly.

Burgers

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Line a baking pan with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

Add the flour and cornstarch to the Tabbouleh Salad mixture. Knead until well incorporated. If your mixture is too wet, add a little more flour.

Form into 10 patties. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping halfway through, until firm and just beginning to brown. You can eat them just like this, but they get extra yummy if you panfry them in a little sesame oil after you bake them, just to get a little golden crispy crust!

Serving Suggestion You can eat this patty warm or cold. I like it all by itself, but it’s also super yummy in a pita or on flatbread. It’s also good on a wheat bun with a schmear of hummus or tzatziki sauce. 

Recipe is from the cookbook "the best burgers on the planet". Photos by Laura Spear

Bon Appétit,

Eyeball Taco Salad

Ingredients


2-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)

3/4 cup water

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 package (12-1/2 ounces) nacho tortilla chips, crushed

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

4 cups torn iceberg lettuce

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

10 slices tomato, halved

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

10 whole pitted ripe olives, halved

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Place tortilla chips in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan; sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese. Spread meat mixture over top; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Top with lettuce and onion. Cut into ten 5-in. x 3-in. pieces. On each piece, arrange two tomato slices for eyes; top each with a dollop of sour cream and an olive half. Yield: 10 servings.

Recipe by Taste of Home, Photo by Laura Spear

Pilgrim Salad

Pilgrim Salad is pictured in the two green bowls.

Ingredients
1 cup pecan halves
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
8 cups mixed greens
1 cup dried cranberries
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss pecans, canola oil and pumpkin pie spice together and place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, shaking pan once during baking time. Let cool.

Warm a large skillet over high heat, mist lightly with cooking spray and cook corn for about 3 minutes, until corn turns slightly brown. Let cool.

Make vinaigrette: Whisk mustard, vinegar, shallot and garlic together. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss all salad ingredients together. Add vinaigrette, toss well and serve.

Recipe from All you magazine fall 2009, Photo by Laura Spear

Crumbled up in Blue Summer Salad

This is the perfect quick and easy salad for summer it combines fresh fruit with creamy blue cheese and the crunch of bacon and walnuts.

Romaine Lettuce
Crumbled Blue Cheese (creamy if you can find it)
Raspberries (I halved them)
Walnuts
Crumbled Bacon
Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Fill a large Salad Bowl with Romaine Lettuce, layer crumbled bacon, crumbled blue cheese, raspberries, walnuts.
Toss to mix, and drizzle with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Tip: To make this salad quick buy the pre-cooked bacon, just a quick zap in the microwave and you are good to go.

Recipe and Photo by Laura Spear

Black Bean and Couscous Salad

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked couscous
1 14 ounce can chicken broth
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 onion diced
1 Green pepper chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 15 ounce can of corn
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2 quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add onion, green pepper, cilantro, corn and beans and toss to coat.
Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe from all recipes, photo by Laura Spear

Hawaiian Fruit Salad with Banana Dressing

Ingredients

3-1/2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
3 cups honeydew balls
1-1/2 cups cantaloupe balls
1 medium mango, peeled and cubed
1 cup green grapes
1 cup halved fresh strawberries
1 kiwifruit, peeled, quartered and sliced

BANANA DRESSING:

2 small bananas, cut into 1-inch pieces (if you like)
1 cup (8 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In a food processor, combine the bananas, sour cream, brown sugar and lemon juice. Cover and process until smooth. Serve with fruit. Yield: 14 servings.

Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad

I absolutely love the packaged South Beach Diet  cranberry walnut chicken salads that you can by at the supermarket. So I did a few combinations and came up with this, which I think is yummy!

4 cups Cubed Chicken Breast
3/4 - 1 cup Mayonnaise (depends how much you like mayo)
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup walnuts
1 teaspoon Cilantro

Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl until combined well.

Serve:
By itself
on lettuce or spinach
on bread
on bread with lettuce
in a pita
with pita chips

Recipe and photos by Laura Spear 

Veggie and Tortellini Salad Trifle

Ingredients


1 package (16 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini

2 cups fresh broccoli florets

2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 celery ribs, finely chopped

1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese



PARMESAN DRESSING:

3/4 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Peppercorn Grinder
Directions

Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large 2-1/2-qt. glass salad bowl, layer the tortellini, broccoli, tomatoes, celery, olives and cheese.

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients; spoon over salad. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Top with some ground pepper.  Yield: 10 servings.

Classic Layered Salad

8 cups chopped iceberg lettuce

1 10 oz package frozen peas, cooked, cooled

1 pkg 6 ounces smoked ham, chopped

3/4 Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Sugar

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 mozzarella cheese

2 small tomatoes chopped

green onions chopped (for garnish)

Layer the lettuce, peas, and ham in a trifle bowl

Mix the Mayo, Parmesan, sugar and spread it over the salad to seal.

Refrigerate several hours or up to 24 hours

Top with Cheddar and Mozzarella cheeses, tomatoes, and green onions just before serving

Toss Gently

7-Layer Mexican Salad

What You Need

1-1/2 cups torn fresh spinach
 1 small tomato, seeded, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
3 Tbsp. sliced black olives
1/2 cup rinsed canned kidney beans
 1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese
 2 Tbsp. KRAFT Light Ranch Dressing
 3 Tbsp. TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS Thick 'N Chunky Salsa


LAYER first 6 ingredients in serving bowl.

DRIZZLE with dressing and salsa.

REFRIGERATE several hours or until chilled.

Chicken Salad with Walnuts and Raisins

Ingredients:


1/2 c. raisins

1 1/2 TBS. red wine vinegar

1/3 c. white sugar

1 1/2 to 2 c. walnuts

1 1/2 lb. raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast (or use 2 c. leftover chicken)

1 c. mayo

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper


A day before, soak together: > 1/2 c. raisins > 1 1/2 TBS. red wine vinegar

Also ahead of time, caramelize walnuts. For smaller amounts, as in this recipe, use a medium-small skillet; for best results, use a heavy skillet, such as iron. Preheat until quite hot, even smoking. Turn heat off, turning back on as needed to finish "melting" the sugar. Sprinkle the sugar in the hot pan across the whole surface, and let melt on its own, without stirring. Tilt the pan to encourage the melting process; the melted parts will help dissolve any remaining white parts. Use: > 1/3 c. white sugar

To pan of caramelized sugar, which should soon appear translucent and golden, add: > 1 1/2 to 2 c. walnuts

Pour walnuts into the heated pan, stirring until mixed well with caramelized sugar. Turn into large bowl to cool.

For the chicken, you can bake some boneless, skinless chicken breasts at 375 degrees for one hour: > 1 1/2 lb. raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast (or use 2 c. leftover chicken)

Chop (or process) the cooked chicken, add to a big bowl. Also chop: > The cooled, caramelized walnuts

Mix all ingredients together in the bowl: > 2 c. fine-chopped celery > 1 c. mayo > 1/2 tsp. salt > 1/4 tsp. pepper > Soaked raisin/vinegar mix > Caramelized walnuts > Chopped chicken

Mix all the above together. To serve for lunch or a light dinner, scoop onto lettuce leaves or make into sandwiches. For appetizers, put onto thin-sliced sweet baguettes.



Recipe and pic from All Recipes

7 Layer Overnight Trifle Salad

Layer in a glass bowl:


1 medium head of romaine lettuce shredded

1/2 cup thin sliced onion

1 cup thin sliced celery

1 can drained water chestnuts sliced

1 10 ounce bag frozen tiny tender peas

4 to 5 hard boiled eggs



Mix the following ingredients and spread over the top of the assembled layers:

2 cups mayonnise

2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 tsp seasoned salt

Chill overnight

Sprinkle with 2 hard cooked eggs grated, 5 slices crisp bacon crumbled, tomatoes cut in wedges or cherry tomatoes cut in half and scattered on top. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley.

Mediterranean Layered Dip

Mediterranean layered dip

(eat with baked pita triangles or buy pita chips)

You will need:
1 cup of garlic flavored hummus
1/2 cup fat-free yogurt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of finely chopped mint
1 1/3 cups of seeded and finely chopped cucumbers
1 1/3 cups of seeded and finely chopped roma tomatoes
1 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
pinch of salt
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
3 ounces reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped Kalamata olives (about 8)
Optional: 6 pita pockets cut into triangles and baked for dipping

Layer it in a casserole pan starting with the first ingredient and moving through the list.
Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.


You can also use this dip in a pita pocket with slices of chicken,  see my Greek Isle Pocket recipe for more details.