Roasted Delicata, Corn and Black Bean Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

I woke up the other morning with this salad on my mind. Well, the roasted delicata squash and corn aspect of it, anyhow. As the day went by, the other components- black beans, avocado, grape tomatoes and a cilantro-lime vinaigrette, based off of a fajita marinade I had a while back- fell into place.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who sometimes spends all day dreaming up a recipe. (Right?) Adding and taking away ingredients in my mind. Of course, there are those days I'm tired or uninspired, and I just want to follow someone else's recipe or make an old standby, but I love when I am so excited to began putting together the meal that I've spent my day pondering over. This was one of those recipes- when Sage came home from work, he was a little surprised to find I had dinner already prepared. I just didn't want to wait any longer.

I'm happy to share that it was every bit as wonderful as I'd imagined it to be. Everything worked so perfectly together. The warm roasted squash, the sweet corn, vibrant tasting vinaigrette and the creamy avocado, it was all just right and definitely worthy of a day spent thinking about it.

Roasted Delicata, Corn and Black Bean Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
serves 3-4 as a meal

for the roasted vegetables:
3 ears corn, kernels sliced off
1 pint of grape tomatoes
1 (1 lb) delicata squash, unpeeled, seeded and cut into about 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

for the vinaigrette:
1 cup (loosely packed) cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/3 cup lime juice (from 2 limes)
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce (use a vegetarian version, if that matters to you)
2 tsp agave or honey
2 tbsp canola oil
1/4 tsp salt

for the salad:
4 cups (loosely packed) baby spinach
4 cups (loosely packed) mixed greens
1 cup (cooked) black beans, drained and rinsed, if using canned
1/2 Haas avocado, sliced

Preheat oven to 425. Toss corn kernels, grape tomatoes, and squash with olive oil and season with several pinches of salt and lots of pepper. Spread in single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until squash is tender and tomatoes have collapsed, stirring a few times during roasting. Remove pan from oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Using a food processor or blender, pulse cilantro, jalapeno and garlic together until well minced. Add lime juice, worcestershire, agave, canola and salt and process to blend.

To compose salad, place spinach and mixed greens in serving bowl, top with black beans, roasted vegetables and avocado. Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette. Serve with remaining vinaigrette at the table.

Lentil Salad with Grapes, Apple and Feta

My mom is a magazine junkie. She subscribes to at least a dozen cooking and decorating magazines, and every year for Christmas she gifts my sister-in-law and myself each a handful of subscriptions. Sometimes I struggle to have time to read to read them all each month, but I always eventually work my way through them and tear out and save any recipes I might want to make. Each year, she switches up the magazines I receive, but out of those four or five, I always receive Living and Everyday Food. EDF is easily the magazine from which I try the most recipes.

The other day I was skimming through my binder of clippings and came across this lentil salad. I don't remember saving it, and I'll admit wasn't the most eye catching salad in terms of vibrancy, but I'm sure it was the ingredients that caused me to add it to my to-try collection. Lentils, feta, red grapes, walnuts and thyme are all things I absolutely love. Since I had everything on hand I decided to whip up this salad and then just because it seemed like it would be a nice addition, I included a green apple.

As I was in the middle of putting this together, I sampled a bite and at first, found it so-so. But once I seasoned it with salt, pepper and thyme and added the feta, the flavors just popped and became something I immensely enjoyed. This a wonderful make ahead salad, which can be stored in an airtight container container for up to 3 days. I tinkered with the quantities in order to make it 3 servings, so it would be perfect for people who like to make a salad to take for several days of work lunches. It holds up great and is just as delicious on day three.

Lentil Salad with Grapes, Apple and Feta
adapted from Everyday Food
serves 3

1 cup water
1/2 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil
1 Granny Smith apple, seeded and diced
1 cup red grapes, halved
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces
1/3 cup crumbled feta (I used reduced fat)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
baby spinach leaves, for serving (optional)

In a small saucepan, bring water and lentils to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Drain any remaining water, and rinse under cool water and drain again.

Meanwhile in a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice and honey. Next whisk in olive oil. Stir in apples, grapes, celery, walnuts and cooled lentils. Add feta and thyme and then season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, serve on a small bed of spinach.

Parmesan Roasted Vegetable Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing

Hi there! It's been quite a while since I posted. Like all summer, actually. I didn't set out to take such a long break from blogging, but I have a good excuse, I think. My sweet little baby loves:

Life was starting to feel a little too hectic, and I decided I could give more to my family if I just stepped away from my blog for a while. But after a fantastic summer, I was beginning to really miss the creative outlet, so here I am. I want to thank my blogger friends who took the time to send me emails or post comments asking how I was or telling me I was missed. You ladies rock, and I am excited to be returning to such a great community.

On to the recipe I am sharing today. When Simply Life posted a Parmesan Roasted Potato and Squash recipe the other day, I immediately was inspired for that night's dinner.  I used yukon gold potatoes and yellow squash for the red potatoes and zucchini, tossed in grape tomatoes and then to make it more of a main dish, served it over greens with a tangy yogurt-basil dressing. I do want to note that by itself the dressing seems rather tart and strongy flavored, but mellows perfectly once it is mixed with the warm roasted veggies and cool salad greens.

I adored this salad, and since Sage was out of town when I made it, was lucky enough to get to eat it again for lunch the next day. I don't think to use roasted vegetables on salads too often, but this was such a wonderful reminder of how delicious they are!

Parmesan Roasted Vegetable Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing
Roasted Vegetables adapted from Big Girls Small Kitchen via Simply Life
serves 2-3

3 medium yukon gold potatoes, cut in 3/4 inch pieces
2 yellow squash, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
salad greens of choice- I used a spring mix

for the dressing:
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 to whole small lemon, juiced
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Place the potatoes, squash, tomatoes and cheese in a large bowl. Drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat veggies (about two tablespoons) and season with several pinches of salt, a generous amount of pepper and the parsley and toss to coat well.

Spread in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, and roast for 20 minutes. Flip vegetables over and return to oven for another 15-20 minutes, until slightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine yogurt, basil, garlic and the juice of half a lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add remaining lemon juice if desired. Cover and refrigerate until vegetables are finished roasting.

To serve, place warm vegetables on top of a few handfuls of salad greens and drizzle with dressing.

Creamy Pasta Salad with Tofu and Sunflower Seeds

So guess who didn't still expect to be playing around in the kitchen, let alone blogging. That would be me. My due date has come and gone and I'm still playing the waiting game. But that just means I get to share another recipe with you.

I've noticed that while I've gotten a lot more comfortable using tofu, mostly everything I make with it has an Asian influence to it. Which is all well and good, but I wanted to make something different this time. I decided to browse my blog reader for inspiration and discovered a cold pasta salad with tofu on The Pink Apron. I just love pasta salads, and since it's already getting quite warm where I live, it sounded wonderful!

I definitely used that recipe as inspiration rather than following it, but I was very pleased with the outcome. My family and I really enjoyed this, and the addition of tofu was actually a big hit. The pressing, marinating and baking steps keep this from being a quick-to-throw-together type of salad, but it was worth it, since my former tofu haters both loved the tofu in it. Plus the extra time in the kitchen is a good way to keep yourself occupied...like when you are waiting for big things to start happening.

Creamy Pasta Salad with Tofu and Sunflower Seeds
inspired by The Pink Apron's Honey Mustard Cashew & Tofu Pasta Salad (adapted from Penzey's)

1/4 cup dijon mustard, divided
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp canola or olive oil (I used a blend of the two)
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 (16 oz) pkg of extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into small cubes
10 oz pasta of choice (about 4 cups) -I used a multi grain farfalle 
1 good sized broccoli crown, cut into small florets (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup light mayo -I used the kind with olive oil
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp parsley flakes
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 small carrots, cut into matchsticks or shredded
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Combine 3 tablespoons of dijon, honey, rice vinegar and oil in a resealable container. Season with pepper. Add tofu and toss to coat. Marinate for at least an hour.

Transfer tofu on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, leaving behind as much marinade as possible. Reserve and refrigerate remaining marinade. Bake tofu in oven preheated to 350 for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water according to package directions, adding broccoli during the very last minute of cook time. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water.

To reserved marinade, stir in remaining tbsp of dijon, along with the mayo, sour cream, garlic and onion powders, dill and parsley to make dressing. 

In a large bowl, toss cooled pasta and broccoli with red pepper, carrots, tofu and dressing. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Chill for at least an hour. Prior to serving, add sunflower seeds. (If salad seems a little dry after chilling, you can drizzle with a touch of olive oil.)

Roasted Butternut Salad with Spinach, Avocado and Tahini Dressing

As I've reached the end of my pregnancy, I've run out of steam as far as the kitchen is involved. It's not that I haven't been cooking, I just haven't had my typical enthusiasm and motivation. We've had some very simple dinners, quite a few old standbys and a handful of meals that wound up just so-so.

Recently, completely uninspired, I diced up some sweet potatoes and popped them in the oven to roast, figuring it would give me time to decide what else I wanted to make. But once they were finished, the best I could come up with was an extremely simple salad. (Luckily, my family really likes sweet potatoes and salad, so no one complained.) At one point of the meal, I tossed some of my potatoes on top of my salad...and well, it was pretty fantastic. The warm roasted sweet potatoes with the salty feta and creamy avocado and the tangy Lemon-Tahini dressing- somehow that odd combination really worked.

So much that a week later I was wanting it again. I didn't have any more sweet potatoes, but I had a butternut squash. Instead of the bottled dressing I'd use the first time, I made a homemade version (based from this recipe) and scaled the simple salad back even more. It was a little different, as the butternut is a less starchy and the dressings weren't quite the same, but it was just as yummy. Sage liked it in a "perfect for a side dish" kind of way, while I was content for it to be my meal. But I'm more of a salad lover than he is anyhow. I wasn't going to blog it though, since the picture is nothing too special, (I missed the good light) however, after eating the cold leftovers yesterday and loving it all over again, I decided I needed to after all.

Roasted Butternut Salad with Spinach, Avocado and Tahini Dressing
serves 3-4

for the dressing:
1 large clove garlic, minced
juice from 1 small lemon*
2-3 tbsp tahini*
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium butternut squash (about 2.25 lbs), peeled and diced
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
8 cups loose packed baby spinach (any tough stems removed)
1/4 cup crumbled feta (I'll bet goat cheese would be good too!)
1 1/2 Haas avocados, diced or sliced
thinly sliced red onion, soaked in ice water for 10 minutes, to garnish (I used a couple tbsps worth)

Preheat oven to 400. Toss squash with 1 tbsp olive oil and a few pinches of salt and several grinds of pepper on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20-25 minutes or until squash is tender, flipping half way through. Remove from oven.

While squash is roasting, prepare the dressing by combining the garlic and lemon juice. Whisk in the tahini. Next whisk in the water and olive oil. Set aside.

Once squash is done, toss with a little more than half of the dressing and set aside.

Assembled salad by arranging spinach in serving bowl and layering with warm butternut squash, avocado and feta and garnish with (well-drained) red onion. Serve remaining dressing on the side.

*I had a very juicy lemon apparently, which produced a 1/4 of a cup of juice, instead of the typical 2-3 tablespoons I'd normally get from a small lemon. Since the brand tahini I bought this time is a little more mild, I added an extra tablespoon of it. My resulting dressing tasted rather tart straight from the bowl, but once on the salad, it did not. Depending on the amount of juice your lemon provides and the strength of your tahini, you may wish to start with less tahini and add to taste.

Mediterranean Quinoa and Chickpea Salad

I had no intentions of making this salad until just beforehand. Maybe it was the beautiful weather in the 70s we've been having, but I was suddenly wanting to make something light. Something almost summery feeling. I browsed a few recipes first, not sure what I was looking for, but once I began looking through my fridge and pantry was when I really became inspired. The ingredients I had on hand begged to be made into a salad with Mediterranean flair- full of vegetables, herbs and chickpeas. The quinoa was one of the last elements I decided on, and a very smart addition, if I do say so.

I had plans for a lemony dressing for this, but when I cut open the big, beautiful lemon I had, I found it was...a lemon of a lemon. It had about a half inch thickness of pith and a not even a tablespoon of juice. In it's place, I used a good bit of red wine vinegar. If you'd rather not have the dressing too tangy, you could change the ratio for the dressing, using more oil and less vinegar, but Sage and I thought it was perfect as it was.

In fact, everything about this salad was perfect to us. We couldn't leave it alone and just absolutely loved it. It's as delightful hours later as it is freshly made, making it ideal for entertaining...such as those summer cookouts that aren't too far off in the future.

Mediterranean Quinoa and Chickpea Salad

serves 4-6

Getting the quinoa started first, and then prepping your other ingredients while it cools will help speed along the preparation of this salad.

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup vegetable stock (or water)
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 (14 oz) can of quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained
1 (19 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced (I partially peeled mine)
1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Bring quinoa and stock to boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and grain has opened up. While quinoa is cooking, whisk together oil, vinegar, a few pinches of salt and a generous amount of pepper in a medium bowl. When quinoa is finished cooking, immediately toss with dressing and set aside to cool.

Sprinkle grape tomatoes with a little salt and drain in a collander for about 15 minutes.

Trim artichokes of their tougher ends, leaving only the most tender part of the heart. Discard tough parts, then coarsly chop hearts. (You can chop the entire thing if you wish, but for cold salads, I think it is so much better without the rubbery part.)

Add tomatoes and chopped artichokes to serving bowl, along with the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, feta and herbs. Once quinoa is cool, add to serving bowl and toss gently. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Roasted Pear & Butternut Salad with Gorgonzola and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

I've never really been big on pears and I'm not sure why. I won't pick them out of something like a Martha's Vineyard salad, but I won't just snack on one as I would an apple. However, lately- and maybe its a pregnancy thing- whenever I see a recipe with pears, I've found them oddly appealing. Shopping the other day, a few made it into my basket with the mindset if I didn't enjoy them, Sage and Beckett would.

I figured I'd probably roast them and serve them in a salad, but the idea to pair them with butternut didn't come to me until I saw the pears and the squash sitting side by side in my fruit bowl. Gorgonzola and toasted walnuts seemed like an obvious compliment, as did a simple apple cider vinaigrette. This was one of those times where I knew this was either going to be amazing or totally not work out. Obviously, this was a winner. It was absolutely delicious, fairly quick to make and surprisingly filling. I'm definitely rethinking the pear thing.

Roasted Pear & Butternut Salad with Gorgonzola and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

serves 2

1 small (1 1/2 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

2 firm Bosc pears, unpeeled, cored and cut into chunks the same size as the squash

1 tbsp olive oil, divided

kosher salt

1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

salad greens of choice- I used baby spinach

for the dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp fesh lemon juice

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Toss squash pieces with 2 tsp of olive oil and season with a pinch of salt. Spread in a single layer on one side of a baking sheet. Toss pears with the remaining tsp of olive oil and spread on other side. Roast, flipping squash and pears over during cooking. The pears will be ready at about 20 minutes. Remove them from baking sheet and continue roasting squash until tender, about 5 additional minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

Once squash and pears are roasted, toss with a small amount of dressing and let cool just slightly. Serve over a bed of greens, topped with half of the walnuts and cheese, and the remaining dressing on the side.

Rice Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing

I love how food blogging (and cooking, in general) can be a bit like the childhood game of "Telephone." Each cook can slightly adapt a recipe to suit their preferences, and with just a few minor changes, you get a little something different each time.

Take this wonderful noodle salad. I first saw it on Natashya's blog a while back. Then I once again drooled over it on Joanne's blog, where she swapped out the shrimp for tofu and and used zucchini in place of cucumbers. I vowed to make it soon, but before I got the chance, Cate shared her version with a few more changes, most notably the use of peanut butter instead of cashew butter, chili garlic sauce in lieu of hot sauce and the addition of carrots and cilantro. Naturally, there was a little tinkering when it came time for me to make it too.

I really can't rave about this one enough. We absolutely loved it. A few hours after dinner, I found myself still thinking about it and being grateful there were leftovers for lunch the next day. I've tried several similar recipes in the past that were okay, but nothing worth sharing. This one blows those away, which is understandably why it's making it way around.

Rice Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

adapted from Living in the Kitchen with Puppies (via Eats Well with Others and Cate's World Cooking)

serves 4

I chose not to saute my tofu along with my vegetables, due to my family's preference, and instead marinated it in soy and sesame oil, baked it and served it on the side. If you'd prefer to lightly pan-fry it, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in your skillet, and saute (pressed) tofu strips for several minutes on each side until golden brown. Then proceed with cooking the vegetables.

for the peanut sauce:
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (chunky works fine)
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark sesame oil
3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp dark brown sugar
1/4 cup warm water
Hot sauce, to taste (I used a few dashes of sriracha)

for the salad:
8 oz (linguine-style) thin rice noodles (I used the last of a package, and it might have been closer to 9 or 10 oz)
2 small zucchini, sliced into half moons (2 1/4 cups)
1 large red pepper, sliced into matchsticks (1 1/4 cup)
3 small-medium carrots, sliced thin (1 cup)

to serve:
3 tbsp chopped basil
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
3 tbsp thinly sliced green onion (white/ light green parts only)

Combine the the ginger, garlic, peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and sugar in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add warm water a tbsp at a time, blending until desired consistency. Add in hot sauce to taste.

Bring a large sauce pan of water to boil. Cook the rice noodles for 3 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water. Keep submerged in cold water until ready to use.

Mist a large nonstick skillet with olive oil and heat over medium-high. Add zucchini, red pepper and carrots and cook until just tender, about 3-4 minutes (carrots will still be fairly crisp). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Drain noodles and toss with dressing and vegetables in a large serving bowl. Serve room temperature or chilled. Spinkle with basil, cilantro and green onions to serve.

Bulgur with Chickpeas, Tomato and Goat Cheese

This was one of those spur of the moment meals that wound up being quite lovely. There were limited fresh vegetables in the house but a well stocked pantry of a variety grains and beans. We've been enjoying bulgur lately, so I wanted to make something with that and our ever favorite chickpeas.

I tried quickly to find a recipe using both, but most seemed to be a summery warm/room temperature salad where the bulgur was cooked separately and then tossed with the other ingredients, or the heartier ones were flavored with spices I wasn't in the mood for that day. I just wanted something simple and comforting, and I wanted to cook the bulgur with the other ingredients so it would really absorb those flavors. I decided to wing it, and it came out exactly like I was imagining.

I didn't buy parsley this week at the market, because I've hardly been using it the past few weeks and I feel guilty tossing out a basically untouched bunch. (Naturally though, I could've used it often this week.) I used some dried, but I can only imagine fresh would make this even better. Goat cheese finished this off wonderfully (and I think feta would be nice too) but it would also be good just by itself. This is an easy, healthy weeknight meal, that reheated nicely for lunch the next day.

Bulgur with Chickpeas, Tomato and Goat Cheese

serves 3-4 as a meal

1 T olive oil

1/2 large chopped yellow onion (about 1 cup)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup red bulgur

1 1/4 cup vegetable stock

1 (14.5 oz) can of diced petite tomatoes

1 (15.5 oz) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tsp dried parsley (or 2 tbsp fresh)

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

goat cheese, for serving

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onion and cook until becoming soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in bulgur and toast for several minutes, stirring frequently.

Add stock, tomatoes, dried parsley, chickpeas and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until bulgur is soft and liquid is absorbed.

Stir in lemon juice and top each serving with desired amount of crumbled goat cheese.

Lime Cilantro Butternut Squash with Black Beans and Barley

You know how when you are online shopping, and the site you are on is gracious enough to share with you other items "You might also like..." Only then its something not even remotely related and therefore not something you would like at all. Food blogs often have this little feature, and I am often amused by what the computer thinks are similar recipes. Like when it's a vegetable-laden risotto and it suggests you might also like banana nut bread. (Well, actually I would like both of those, but that's besides the point.)

Recently, I was reading a post on Cate's World Cooking that was about cupcakes, and I noticed the generated suggestion below it was for Lime Cilantro Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans. Now, I'm not really a sweets person or a fan of cupcakes, (so it's funny I clicked on that post at all,) but the sweet potatoes and black beans- that was up my alley. I didn't have the potatoes but I did have a butternut, and I find those interchangeable. I got all excited to have it for dinner that night...and then realized I was out of black beans.

As soon as my pantry was properly stocked with black beans once again, I made it, still opting for the substitution of butternut. I just loved the combination of lime, cilantro, roasted squash and beans. I chose to serve it over barley, and while I really liked the texture that they barley added, I do believe that next time I'll toss the barley with the rest of the salad and let it rest a little, just to soak up the flavors a bit. You could also skip the barley and stuff it into a whole wheat wrap or serve it over salad greens. Or of course, just eat it by itself. You might want to double it as well. With the barley, my version only made 2 dinner sized servings, and I'm pretty sure this would make great leftovers for lunch the next day.

Lime Cilantro Butternut Squash with Black Beans and Barley

adapted from Cate's World Cooking (originally from epicurious)

serves 2

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 1/2 cups water

5 cups peeled, seeded butternut squash in 3/4 inch dice (I got this from half of a 3.25 lb squash)

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

kosher salt

juice from 1 lime (about 3 1/2 tbsp)

zest from half of a lime

cayenne pepper, to taste

3 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Bring barley and water to boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until barley is tender and water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, toss butternut with 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and a couple pinches of salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until tender, flipping halfway through cooking time.

In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining oil, lime juice, zest, a pinch or two of cayenne pepper and another pinch or two of salt. Add cilantro and black beans and roasted squash. Toss gently. Let rest slightly and serve warm over barley. Alternately, add barley along with squash and beans.

Balsamic Roasted Vegetable and Barley Salad

I confess I am terrible at starring recipes in my reader, with true intentions of making them (along with recipes found in the many cooking magazine I get), when very few them do I actually get around to trying. But every so often, one comes along that I just have to try right away. When I saw this warm grain-based salad on Cate's World Kitchen, I knew I had to try it- and soon.

Then I had to wait all last week to make it because Sage was out of town and I knew he'd love it too. It was worth the hype I'd built up in my head and then some. In fact, it was so amazingly good, I had to force myself not to eat the leftovers for breakfast the next day (I managed to hold out until 11:54). And you know you've got something pretty wonderful, when leftovers can excite you that much.

Cate modified this salad, originally found on Veggie Belly made with quinoa, when she accidentally used couscous instead. She mentioned barley as another alternative, which after some deliberation I decided to go with. I think it was the right choice. Nothing against couscous or quinoa (as I love both) but barley was just perfect for this. I followed Cate's lead and roasted the vegetables instead of grilling them. I omitted the eggplant (Sage isn't always a fan), in it's place using extra zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms and adding red pepper. We also topped ours with feta at the table, which went fantastically, as I imagine goat cheese would.

Do yourself a favor and try this one ASAP. I promise you, you will be very happy you you did.

Balsamic Roasted Vegetable and Barley Salad, serves 4

adapted from Veggie Belly via Cate's World Kitchen

for the roasted vegetables:

2 medium zucchini (mine were on the larger medium side), cut into 1/2 inch thick half moons

1 small red onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1 1/3 cup grape tomatoes

8 oz. button mushrooms, halved

1 small red pepper, cut into 1/2 thick wide slices

for the dressing:

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, pressed

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

for the salad:

1 cup pearl barley

3 cups water or broth (I used half water and half vegetable broth)

handful of basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

crumbled feta, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine water/broth and barley in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until barley is tender. Drain any excess liquid, if necessary.

Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add vegetables to bowl and toss to coat. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a baking sheet, reserving remaining dressing. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender.

Arrange vegetables and barley in serving dish and sprinkle with basil. Toss vegetables and barley before plating, and serve with remaining dressing and feta on the side.

Quinoa, Butternut and Cranberry Salad

A few weeks ago, I was asked- begged, really- to get a butternut squash by my two and a half year old while shopping. I always encourage his love of vegetables, so of course I did. After going all spring and summer without having any butternut, we were reminded how much our family just loves it. Ever since then, we've been back to enjoying it regularly, never minding the fact it isn't quite fall yet.

I wanted to make some kind of warm salad, and kept picturing the squash with quinoa. I set out to find such a recipe, and found one I could make with the somewhat limited ingredients I had on hand. I did make some substitutions (shallots for red onion and dried thyme for fresh rosemary,) omitted the butter and added in some honey, but for the most part I stuck to the recipe. I chose to let this cool to just warmer than room temperature before serving, which I much preferred to hot from the oven.

This makes a lot, so unless you are feeding a crowd or don't mind leftovers, I'd suggest cutting this in half. I think next time, I may leave out the vinegar. To me, it gave a noticeable flavor that seemed slightly out of place, but it didn't bother Sage at all. And because I love thyme, I'd probably add more, but that's just me.

Quinoa, Butternut and Cranberry Salad
adapted from Rice of Life

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 6 cups)
2 small shallots, chopped (not quite 1/4 cup) or 1/2 medium red onion
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsbp dried thyme (or more, if desired)
kosher salt
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
1/2 tsbp of honey

Preheat oven to 400. Arrange squash, shallots and cranberries on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and season with thyme and several pinches of salt. Make sure the cranberries are not on the outer edges of the pan, as those ones will overcook. Roast for about 20 minutes or until squash is tender.

Meanwhile, bring vegetable stock and quinoa to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 12 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Uncover and remove from heat.

Add squash mixture to quinoa, drizzle with vinegar (if using) and honey, and toss gently to combine. Serve warm or room temperature.

Spinach-Peach Salad with Walnuts and Gorgonzola

Lately, I've been having some days where I just have no inspiration for dinner. This happened a few nights ago, despite having a huge selection of seasonal produce from my trip to the market the day before. With the dinner hour approaching, I began randomly googling ingredients, hoping for inspiration. Somehow, I stumbled across a Spinach and Peach Salad, even though I hadn't been searching "peaches." Now, we're not usually big on salad with fruit, but I had bought a basket of peaches, which had become quite ripe overnight, so I decided it was worth a try.

I skimmed through several similar recipes, and noted the many variations. Some were as simple as spinach, pecans, peaches and bottled dressing. Some were much more complex. There were different types of nuts, the addition of soft cheeses and onions, even salmon, and dressings that ranged from Poppy Seed, Italian, Raspberry Vinaigrette, and Red Onion. I had Gorgonzola and walnuts on hand, which I thought would go nicely, and I choose to dress mine with a simple balsamic vinaigrette.

I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this. Sage did too. He admitted that while he figured he would like it, he didn't "expect it to be that good." But it was! The tangy blue cheese kept it from being too sweet, and the walnuts gave a needed crunch. I'd meant to add some red onion but forgot, but now I don't know that it needed it. The only thing I do differently next time, is tossing the spinach with most of the vinaigrette before adding the other salad components, just for a prettier presentation.

Spinach-Peach Salad with Walnuts and Gorgonzola

for the vinaigrette:
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 small clove garlic, pressed
2 tbsp good quality olive oil

for the salad:
5 oz. baby spinach leaves
2 small peaches, pitted and diced
1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola

To make the dressing, combine first four ingredients together in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Set aside.

To assemble salad, in large bowl, first layer spinach, top with peaches, walnuts and drizzle with vinaigrette. Top with Gorgonzola. (Alternately, toss the spinach with most of dressing first, then top with peaches, walnuts, drizzle with remaining dressing or serve on the side, and finish with Gorgonzola.)

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Feta and Dill

I've shared my fondness (obsession?) of chickpeas before. They are one of my very favorite sources of protein, and I love how versatile they are. Since we eat them several times a week, in one form or another, it's a good thing my family enjoys them as much as I do. Some of my favorite ways to have them are in hummus, soups, and both warm and chilled salads.

This was a salad I put together, using what I had on hand, and it came out lovely. Perfect for a night when I needed something light and refreshing. Yet it was filling enough that when served with a side of couscous, no one (meaning Sage) was left wondering where the rest of dinner was. But for those of you who couldn't imagine having just salad for dinner, this would be great side dish to share for a cookout or potluck, or I can imagine it would be perfect nestled into whole wheat pita bread for a tasty lunch. But it really does hit the spot for a simple summer meal.

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Feta and Dill

1 (16 oz.) can of reduced sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, soaked for 10 minutes in ice water and drained

1 medium cucumber, diced (I peeled mine, but didn't bother seeding it)

1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta

juice from half a lemon (about 1 1/2 tbsp)

1 tsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp fresh dill, or more to taste

sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, add chickpeas, tomatoes, onion, cucumber and feta. Next add lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and dill. Season with a pinch of two of salt (depending on how salty your feta is) and a generous amount of pepper. Toss gently and taste to test seasonings. Cover and chill for a couple hours before serving.

Roasted Corn and Barley Salad with Basil Dressing & White Bean Dip

Yesterday was one of those challenging days where I needed some kitchen therapy. Beckett woke up cranky and miserable, and by mid-morning, I was cranky and miserable too. Sage was still out of town, and so it was going to be a very long day, if me and the little guy stayed in our grumpy moods. Playing in the kitchen, with Beckett as my little helper, followed by a long workout during his afternoon nap, was just what I needed. Working with end-of-the-week ingredients I had, I managed to come up with some seriously good stuff. This made a wonderful lunch for us, but either one of these would be perfect to take to whatever cookout, gathering or party you may be going to this holiday weekend.

In addition to operating the food processor, Beckett had some fun of his own washing the dishes. (And in case you're wondering, he picked out what he was wearing. I think he's looking forward to football season.)

I've been seeing a lot a grain based salads on blogs lately, and I was in the mood for one. I came up with this to use up some corn, and it was absolutely delicious! The sweet corn and the basil in the dressing were the standout flavors, while the barley gave heartiness and texture. The tomatoes really were overshadowed by the other flavors, but I think they give necessary color to this dish. I would double this recipe if taking to a get together.

Roasted Corn and Barley Salad with Basil Dressing

for the dressing:
1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves
juice from half a large lemon (1 1/2 tbsp)
1 tsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

for the salad:
1/4 cup pearled barley, well washed
1 cup kernels (from 3 small ears of roasted or grilled corn)
10 grape tomatoes,

In a small sauce pan, simmer the barley with 3/4 water, covered for about 40 minutes or until tender. Drain any excess water and set aside to cool.

While barley is cooking, blend dressing ingredients together in a small food processor. Transfer to serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Once barley has cooled, toss with corn kernels, tomatoes and dressing. Enjoy room temperature or chilled.

I was all set to whip up some hummus, when I realized the only garbanzos I had on hand were dried, which wasn't going to help me right then. I probably should've come up with something that had black beans since I have a surplus of those, but instead I settled on a white bean dip. This really is a pretty simple version, but I enjoyed it more than a complex flavored one I've made in the past. I used 2 big cloves of garlic, and it was rather garlicky in a pleasant way, so adjust according to your tastes. We ate ours with carrot sticks and multi-grain crackers.

White Bean Dip

1(15.8 oz.) can of white beans, drained and rinsed (I used Great Northern)

2 garlic cloves, quartered

1 tbsp olive oil

juice from half a lemon (about 1 1/2 tbsp)

1 tbsp chopped parsley leaves

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth, stopping to scrape sides when needed. If you wish, add a little water to reach desired consistency. (I kept our thick.)

Transfer to serving bowl, and if desired drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with chopped veggies, crackers or dippers of your choice.

Grilled Vegetable and Chickpea Salad with Feta

I spent my Sunday afternoon sitting on one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire country. From my beach chair, I watched as my son and husband built a sand castle at the water's edge, while I dug my toes into the powdery white sand, appreciating the gorgeous place where I'm lucky to live, relaxing, and day dreaming- mostly about food. I began to think about slightly warm grilled vegetables, served on a salad, with the addition of chickpeas and feta, and decided that it would be our dinner. After the three of us enjoyed a post-beach nap, Sage and I put together this simple but wonderful salad.

I used zucchini and red peppers for the grilled vegetables (yellow squash and asparagus would be fantastic too) which were allowed to cool slightly, during the time that the chickpeas spent a few minutes on the grill, before being added to the salad. For the dressing, I went with the vinaigrette that I use whenever making a greek inspired pasta salad. I made far more than I needed, so I am going to half the recipe, but still, you probably won't need it all. This salad was great and made a complete meal for me, while Sage enjoyed it as a side along with some grilled chicken. We will definitely be repeating this recipe over the warm months ahead.

For the dressing:

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 tbsp plus 2 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

3/4 tsp honey

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

fresh ground pepper

For the salad:

1 red bell pepper, in 1/3 inch slices

2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4 rounds

1 tbsp olive oil

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

16 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 oz. baby romaine

1 oz. reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled

3/4 cup grape tomatoes

Preheat grill. Combine all dressing ingredients in a plastic drizzle bottle or container with a tight fitting lid, and shake to blend. Set aside.

Toss bell pepper and zucchini with olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to grill basket. Heat over high direct heat, occasionally turning vegetables for even cooking, for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Spread onto a plate and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, place chickpeas into grill basket and grill for several minutes until warmed through.

To assemble salad, arrange greens in bottom of bowl, top with warm vegetables and chickpeas, feta and tomatoes. Serve with dressing.

Lemony Lentil Salad with Feta

My jar of lentils has been staring back at me everytime I open the pantry. I love them, but now that its gotten so hot, I'm really into lighter fare, like salads and grilled veggies...not the hearty soups I usually put lentils into. I wanted to try them in a cold salad, but I've only ever had red lentils that way, and didn't want to waste ingredients if it wasn't going to be any good. A quick google search enlightened me that there are tons of recipes for green and brown lentils out there, and I almost immediately found just what I had in mind.

This was every bit as wonderful as I'd hoped. It was one of those meals that made me question why on earth I eat meat, when eating vegetarian can be that delicious. Seriously, that was what ran through my head. I stuffed the salad into a whole wheat pita, which made it even more awesome and it was filling enough to be a complete meal. Eating Well gives the tip that you can make it up to 8 hours ahead. Don't ask me why only 8 hours, though. I took my chances and brought it for lunch the next day. It was just as tasty and I'm still alive.

I'm very excited to point out that this has raw onion in it. I have not been able to eat raw onion in 3 years since becoming pregnant. It was an aversion that didn't go away. It completely overpowered what I was eating and I was left for days with the taste. I kept trying it, with no luck. But raw onion can do so much for certain dishes, and I was determined to eat it again. This time, I used a small amount and soaked it first in ice water to remove some of the bite, and I was able to eat it!

Lemony Lentil Salad with Feta, adapted from Eating Well

serves 2 as a meal with pita, probably 4 as a side

1/2 cup green (or brown) lentils, rinsed and picked over

1 cup water

1/3 cup diced red bell pepper

1/3 cup diced green bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped red onion (soaked in cold water for 10 minutes and drained)

1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (about 2/3 cup)

2 oz. feta (I used reduced fat,) diced

whole wheat pita, for serving

for the dressing:

juice from a lemon (2 1/2 tbsp)

1 tbsp dijon

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1/4 tsp dried dill

1/8 tsp salt

fresh ground pepper

Bring lentils and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until just tender, making sure not to overcook, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and rinse under cold water.

Once lentils are cool, add to a bowl, with bell peppers, onion, cucumber and feta.

Wisk together all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over salad, and toss.

Serve stuffed in pita bread, if desired.

Avocado Dressing

Growing up, I was lucky enough to have a giant Haas avocado tree growing in my front yard. I thought nothing of having half an avocado served along with my dinner, or the ability to make myself guacamole by simply walking as far as my driveway. We gave them away by the bagfuls and yet there were always more than enough for us. The tree, unfortunately, quit producing fruit a few years back, so now days, I have to buy mine at the grocery store. They most often are rock hard, and there's no guarantee they will become ripe enough to eat before they began to go bad.

But we love avocados in our house, so we are willing to take that chance. The other day, Sage found a ready-to-eat one at the grocery, and I decided instead of just putting it on my salad, I'd make a dressing using it as the base. Since it was enough to dress a few lunch-sized salads, I tried it two ways- twice I had it on a bed of spring greens with a variety of vegetables and then on a salad similar to the one I've had in the past at a local Mexican restaurant. Their Avocado Salad comes with mixed greens (heavy on the iceberg and romaine) tossed in the dressing, and topped with tomatoes, cheddar, and chunks of avocado. (You can also have it with chicken or shrimp, if you so desire.)

I did enjoy it both ways, but I'd say I preferred it the Mexican way. Probably just because the dressing compliments the sharp cheddar so well, and because it had even more avocado on it. It held up well for several days in the fridge, although it did really thicken up. I just added a little water to thin it, but flavor wise it tasted the same freshly made as it did three days later when I had the last of it.

Avocado Dressing

1 ripe Haas avocado

juice from 1/2 lemon (I got about a tbsp and a half)

1 garlic clove, pressed

3-4 tbsp lite sour cream

1 tbsp water

cayenne pepper, to taste

1/4 tsp kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Mash avocado in a small bowl. Add lemon juice and garlic. Mix well.

Stir in 3 tbsp sour cream, water, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary. Add the additional sour cream if too acidic.

Use immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad

This past weekend, my mom and I hosted a co-ed barbecue, in lieu of a traditional baby shower, for my brother and his wife, who are expecting their second child in a few weeks. It was a great time, with lots of yummy food and great friends and family. Best of all, the weather was absolutely fabulous and perfect for a backyard BBQ. (I took full advantage of it by wearing a sundress and flip-flops.)

For one of the many sides we had, I made a pasta salad. Not only are they one of my favorite things to eat at get-togethers/barbeque's, they are also one of my favorite things to make for them. I love coming up with new versions. After some consideration, I decided I wanted to use greek salad components but keep it simple. Originally, I was planning on using farfalle, but then chose to make it with tortellini instead. This came out awesome and I received lots of compliments on this one!

for the dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup good quality olive oil, plus extra, if needed
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp honey
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
several grinds of pepper

for the salad:
2 (1 lb.) packages frozen tri-colored tortellini
1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
6 oz. feta, crumbled

In a container with a tight fitting lid, combine all dressing ingredients. Shake well to blend.

Cook the tortellini until tender, according to package directions. Make sure not to overcook. Drain and give a quick rinse under water, but keep tortellini warm.

Place warm tortellini and olives in serving dish. Pour dressing over top and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours (or over night.)

Before serving add tomatoes, cucumbers and feta. If needed (depending on length of time refrigerated) drizzle with some extra olive oil if dry. Toss gently to combine.