Category: salads

Cherry Tomato and Baby Bocconcini Salad

tomato and bocconcini salad - trust in kim

These pretty little yellow tomatoes came out of my garden this summer, along with the greens, so I just added the bocconcini to make a salad.  Nothing says summer like tomatoes fresh from the garden, and the cheese is mild enough that it doesn’t steal the limelight from their flavour. It’s nice with a little bit of bread to soak up any extra balsamic glaze. Delicious and super fast!

What you need:

  • some cherry tomatoes
  • fresh greens
  • baby bocconcini
  • basil
  • balsamic glaze, storebought
  • salt and pepper

What you do:

  1. Place the greens on plates.
  2. Distribute the whole tomatoes and bocconcini on top of the lettuce.
  3. Stack a few basil leaves up, roll them, then slice the roll thinly – this is a chiffonade.  Loosen up the basil strips and place a few on each plate.
  4. Drizzle a little balsamic glaze on top, then add a tiny bit of salt and pepper.
  5. Enjoy right away!

Mexican Caesar Salad

 

chicken caesar salad - trust in kim

Here’s an interesting twist on the usual Caesar – this one has an avocado and yogurt in the dressing, and a few extra veggies, making it a pretty healthy salad.  The recipe comes from Jamie Oliver’s Save with Jamie.

I didn’t actually make this one myself; I’ve injured my shoulder and can’t cook, so my wonderful friend John came over and cooked this for me.

What you need:

  • 2 boneless chicken breasts
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 2 pinches dried oregano
  • olive oil
  • 1 head of romaine lettuce
  • cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • cucumber, sliced into rounds (I like to use the mini cukes, but English works too)
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1.5 oz Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • 2 anchovy fillets (I used a bit of anchovy paste)
  • 5 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • juice of 1 lemon + an extra lemon just in case you need it
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 rashers of bacon
  • a small loaf of bread (we made it into garlic toast)

What you do:

  1. Place the chicken on a large sheet of parchment paper and toss it with salt, pepper, cayenne, oregano, and a little olive oil.  Fold the parchment paper over and flatten the chicken to about 3/4 inches thick by basking it with a rolling-pin.  Get  a grill pan or a cast iron frying pan really hot before placing the chicken in the pan.  Grill for 3-4 minutes per side.  It should get nice and browned.  Remove the chicken from the pan
  2. Fry the bacon until crispy, then let it sit on a paper towel to remove the excess fat..
  3. To make the dressing, put the avocado flesh, half the grated Parmesan, garlic, anchovies, yogurt, lemon juice, a few drops of Worcestershire, and the olive oil into a blender (or use an immersion blender as I did). Blend until smooth, then add a little salt and pepper to taste, and possible more lemon juice.
  4. Break pieces of washed and dried lettuce into a large bowl and add about half of the dressing, mixing until it is all coated. Toss in some tomatoes and cucumber rounds. You can either arrange the salad on a platter, or on individual serving plates: arrange the chicken on top, then crumble some bacon on top, along with some Parmesan.
  5. Enjoy with a nice loaf of warm crusty bread or garlic bread.

Roasted Butternut and Cauliflower Salad with Tahini Sauce

Roasted Butternut and Cauliflower Salad with Tahini Dressing - trust in kim

This roasted veggie salad is one of my newer favourites. The veggies caramelize and become even more delicious when they are roasted, but this salad is really just an excuse to use this tahini dressing.

You can easily make it into a full meal by adding some quinoa or another grain.  I’ve also made it with some sumac-spiced chicken on the side.

What you need:

  • 1 butternut squash
  • olive oil
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • salt and pepper
  • baby spinach

For the dressing:

  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup of warm water
  • 1/2 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • dash of hot sauce

What you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and get two baking pans ready.
  2. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Cut the stem off; if you wish you can peel it, but the peel is edible, as it turns softer when it is baked. Cut the squash into slices and toss them with a little olive oil.  Place on a baking sheet, salt and pepper lightly, then put into the oven.  It will need about 30 minutes to cook.
  3. Cut the cauliflower into florets and place on another baking sheet.  Throw it into the oven and set the timer for about 15 minutes.  At that time you can flip them over so the tops have a chance to brown up.  Flip the squash oven now too.
  4. When the vegetables have both browned up nicely they are ready to eat. If one looks done before the other you should pull it out of the oven.
  5. While the vegetables are in the oven you can make the tahini dressing.  Begin by putting the tahini in a bowl and add a little bit of water to mix until the tahini becomes liquid.  Then add more water until it is all combined.  Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
  6. Place the spinach on a large plate, (add your grains now if you are using them) and top it with the squash and cauliflower.  Drizzle with the tahini dressing.
  7. Enjoy!

Green Couscous

green couscous - trust in kim

This scrumptious recipe comes from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty – love this book!  I used the larger Israeli couscous, which is also called pearl couscous, but you can feel free to use the smaller version.  I really liked the texture of the larger couscous, which has a bite more similar to a small pasta. The recipe involves cooking the couscous, then coating it with a lovely green herb paste, then topping it with pistachios, green onions, fried onions, arugula or spinach, and a little green chile.

I enjoyed this salad alongside roasted cauliflower and squash with tahini sauce. I absolutely love this meal, and my leftovers at work were the envy of many. This would also make a great picnic salad, instead of a pasta salad.

What you need:

 

  • 1 cup Israeli couscous (or regular – just cook it according to the package directions)
  • just over 1 cup boiling water/ chicken broth/ vegetable broth
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced (I like to use a sweet onion)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted and chopped
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 fresh green chile, finely sliced
  • 1 & 1/4 cups arugula or baby spinach

What you need for the herb paste:

  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped dill
  • 2 tablespoons chopped mint
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil

What you do:

  1. Cook the couscous according to the package instructions.  I used homemade chicken broth to give it a little more flavour, but you can use water or veggie broth if you have it.
  2. Fry the onions in the olive oil over medium heat until they are golden and soft.  Mix in the salt and cumin, then set aside to cool
  3. Blend all the herb paste ingredients together.  You can use a food processor, but I used an immersion blender because that’s what I have in my tiny kitchen, and it worked well.  Add a bit more olive oil if you need; I left out 2 tablespoons of oil that the recipe called for.
  4. Mix the herb paste into the cooked and slightly cooled couscous, then mix in the pistachios, green onions, green chile and arugula or spinach.  I added the spinach to individual portions because I knew I would have leftovers, and I thought it would wilt over night if I mixed it in.
  5. Serve at room temperature.

Seedy Tahini Coleslaw

seedy tahini coleslaw - trust in kim

I’m a sucker for a coleslaw – as long as it’s a healthy one; no mayo for me! Okay, so I love the mayo ones with sunflower seeds, but… I think it kind of defeats the purpose of eating healthy cabbage, to load it up with mayo.

So this recipe has no mayo, but it is still creamy and loaded with flavour. I made some and ate it for leftovers for days, and enjoyed it every time.

What you need:

  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 large orange, freshly squeezed
  • 4-5 Tbsp Tahini
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp chili powder or 1/2 tsp cayenne (used a freshly ground dried guajillo pepper)
  • 1 Tbsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 medium head of green cabbage, chopped into thin strips
  • 1/ small sweet onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds, black and/or white
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

What you do:

  1. Combine the dressing ingredients, from apple cider vinegar to salt.  I find it works best to put the tahini in a bowl, then add a little liquid to make a paste, then a little more liquid, and then the rest of the ingredients.
  2. Combine the dressing with the cabbage and onion until every bit of cabbage is coated in dressing. Let this sit in the fridge for an hour or two.
  3. Toast the sesame seeds in a frying pan until they are lightly browned.  Crush them with a mortar and pestle or in a grinder; this allows you to digest them better. Toast the pumpkin seeds.
  4. Serve the salad with some seeds sprinkled over top.  Do this at the last minute so the seeds remain crunchy.

I found the recipe here.

Spinach Salad with Glory Bowl Dressing

spinach salad with glory bowl dressing - trust in kim

This is my favourite salad dressing.  It is a really simple salad, but so good, and makes me wonder why anyone would buy a salad dressing.  This dressing is so perfect on spinach, and it makes a great side to almost anything.

What you need for the dressing:

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon tahini

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/3 cup vegetable oil (the recipe calls for 1/2 cup canola)

What you need for the salad:

spinach

mushrooms, thinly sliced

What you do:

  1. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender, or use a stick blender to combine.
  2. Dress your salad with a few tablespoonfuls of dressing. The remainder of the dressing can be refrigerated for a few weeks.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tomato, Dill and Capers

Roasted Cauliflower with dill, tomatoes and capers - trust in kim

Here’s a fabulous vegetable recipe that you will love if you enjoy cauliflower.  I’ve changed the recipe a little (from Ottolenghi the Cookbook) by roasting the cauliflower instead of steaming and then frying it, as the recipe calls for.  I love the flavour you get when you roast cauliflower, and the method in the cookbook was too many steps for me at the time.  I was happy with the results, as was my sweetheart who was dining with me. I also used less oil in the dressing: 1/4 up instead of 1/2 a cup.  Even 1/4 cup  in one vegetable recipe seems like a lot of oil to me. Anyways, another yummy vegetable recipe that I will definitely make again.

What you need:

2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped coarsely

1 tablespoon French whole-grain mustard

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cauliflower divided into florets

1 tablespoon chopped dill

1 & 2/3 cup baby spinach leaves

about 20 cherry tomatoes, halved

salt and freshly ground pepper

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.  Place the cauliflower florets on a baking pan and roast for 20-30 minutes, or until they are nicely browned.  You’ll want to check on them halfway through and give the pan a bit of a toss.

2. To make the dressing mix the capers, mustard, garlic, vinegar, and some salt and pepper.  You can do this in a food processor, with an immersion blender as I did, or if you’re feeling energetic you can just use a whisk.  Add the olive oil slowly while blending, until the dressing is thick and creamy.

3. Cut the tomatoes in half, and wash and dry the spinach and chop the dill.  When the cauliflower is done combine it with the dill, spinach, tomatoes and dressing.  Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

 

Tomato, Corn and Cucumber Salad

tomato cucumber and corn salad - trust in kim

Here’s a really simple salad I’ve made a few times this summer, using tomatoes from my garden and cucumbers from a friend’s garden (and corn from the produce store).  I just used my favourite homemade vinaigrette, super easy and delicious.

If I use tomatoes and cucumbers out of season I always choose the little ones – cherry tomatoes and those small cucumbers.  They have way more flavour.  And for winter corn I prefer canned over frozen, and I usually us Peaches and Cream.  Still, the summer ones are the best, so I make this a lot while these things are growing nearby and in season.

What you need:

tomatoes

cucumber

sweet onion

corn on the cob

a few green olives

dressing ingredients:

about 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

about  1/4 teaspoon sugar

salt

pepper

white wine vinegar

olive oil

What you do:

1. Boil a pot of water for the corn and let it cook for a couple of minutes.  Remove the corn and run it under cold water.

2. To make the dressing, put the mustard in a bowl and add the sugar and some salt and pepper.  Add a little vinegar and mix it into the mustard so there are no lumps.  Mix in a bit more vinegar, then drizzle in some olive oil while mixing with a fork.  After you’ve added a bit, have a taste and see what you need to add more of.

3. Cut the cucumber and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.  Chop the onion and olives.  Cut the corn off the cob, and put all the vegetables together in a bowl.  Toss it with some dressing and serve it up.

Enjoy!

Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Basil and Dijon Vinaigrette

cucumber, tomato and red pepper sa

tomatoes - trust in kim

 

I was lucky enough to be given some home-grown cucumbers, and then I went and picked these tomatoes and some basil from my garden.  If you don’t have access to garden-fresh produce you can visit your local farmer’s market, or just try to find some that look tasty in the produce store.  I like cherry tomatoes and the smaller cucumbers because they and often the tastiest option from the produce store.

I don’t use measuring tools to make my salad dressing, so the ingredients are ‘a little of this, a little of that’ and then you can taste your own way to a yummy dressing.

What you need:

some tomatoes

some cucumbers

part of a sweet onion

a few sprigs of fresh basil

dijon mustard

a little sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper

apple cider vinegar

olive oil

What you do:

1. Cut the tomatoes and cucumbers into bite-sized pieces.  Cut a bit of onion into smaller pieces.  Put them all into a bowl.

2. To make the dressing, put a small spoonful of dijon into a bowl or cup. Add a few pinches of sugar and a little salt and pepper.  Combine these, then pour in a touch of vinegar and mix it up.  Add a few tablespoons more vinegar and mix it, then slowly add some olive oil.  When you’ve mixed in a few tablespoons of olive oil, have a taste and see if you need more oil or anything else.  It shouldn’t taste too acidic, but you also don’t want it to be too oily.

3. Pour some salad dressing over the veggies and toss them until everything is coated.  Chop up a few leaves of basil and garnish the salad with them.

Enjoy!

Kamut and Veggie Salad

kamut salad - trust in kim

During summertime I like to have food in the fridge that I can grab as a quick healthy snack, or take out on a picnic.  I love the taste of Kamut (which is a trademarked name for khorasan wheat) because it tastes buttery and nutty, and I like that it’s a sturdy grain that has a good chewy bite to it. It is high in protein, so it makes a good meal-in-a-bowl salad.  It is also high in a number of nutrients, including zinc, manganese and magnesium. I’m particularly interested in the magnesium because it helps absorb calcium.

I love this dressing, from the Whitewater Cooks book.  I use it often on a green salad, but it works great on this heartier salad as well.

So yes, it’s nutritious, but it also tastes great.

What you need: 

about 3/4 cup Kamut (I used farro because I couldn’t find any Kamut at the stores near my place)

1/2 cup sugar snap peas, chopped into 2cm pieces

1/2 large sweet onion, chopped

1 sweet orange or red pepper

a few medium-sized tomatoes chopped, or a whole bunch of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

optional: herbs of your choice, or salad greens

optional: freshly ground black pepper

What you need to make the Whitewater Glory Salad Dressing:

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon tahini

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup vegetable oil

What you do:

1. Cook the Kamut in lots of water for at least an hour, or until the grains are tender.  Drain any excess water and let the grains cool. This step can be done ahead of time.

2. Put all the dressing ingredients except the oil into a blender, or use an immersion blender, and give it a good mix. In a steady slow stream, add the oil until it is all blended in.

3. Put all the chopped veggies into a bowl along with the cooled Kamut and mix with the dressing.  Add some dressing and taste to see if it needs a little more dressing, or some pepper.

4. Serve cold or room temperature, either on its own or on a bed of salad greens.