Tag: lettuce

Strawberry Salad with Baked Brie and Champagne Vinaigrette

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You can skip the cheese plate and go straight for the salad, because these leafy greens are served with creamy and decadent baked Brie with a sweet and nutty bourbon glaze. This salad is elegant enough to delight your dinner guests, but quick and simple to prepare. Add grilled shrimp or chicken to turn this side salad into a main dish.

Baked Brie Ingredients:
9.5 ounces Brie
2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon

Strawberry Champagne Vinaigrette Ingredients:
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

Salad Ingredients:
1 head green leaf lettuce, washed and torn
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place brie in a Brie baker or small baking dish. In a small bowl, combine pecans and brown sugar. Spread pecan and sugar mixture on top of cheese and drizzle with bourbon. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
  2. In a mason jar or small container with a tight-fitting lid, combine strawberry jam, champagne vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. With lid securely tightened, shake vinaigrette until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  3. Serve lettuce and strawberries on salad plates and top with a wedge of baked Brie. Drizzle with strawberry champagne vinaigrette and serve.

Servings: 4

Greek Chicken Salad Wraps

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A salad you can hold in your hand is the perfect backyard grub to serve on a hot summer night. The fresh vegetables make a colorful presentation for this build-your-own dinner, and you can change or add more protein options by grilling pork or tofu along with your chicken. Grill your meat and slice your toppings in advance to have a meal you can serve in just a few minutes on a busy night or on an evening when you’d rather kick back and enjoy the sunshine.

Wrap Ingredients:
1 head romaine lettuce
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup feta cheese crumbles
¼ cup pitted Greek olives, thinly sliced

Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients:
1 small cucumber, roughly chopped
1 cup plain, low-fat Greek yogurt
1 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Trim the bottom of the lettuce and separate leaves. Wash and set on a towel to dry.
  2. In a small bowl, combine oregano, garlic, nutmeg, salt, pepper and olive oil. Stir to combine and rub the mixture over chicken. Grill chicken breasts until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from heat and thinly slice.
  3. Combine cucumber and yogurt in a small bowl. Zest and then juice lemon, adding 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice to the bowl. Add garlic, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  4. Add lettuce leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese and olives to a couple of large plates along with the Zatziki sauce, and serve buffet style.

Servings: 4

Grilled Scallop Salad

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Firing up the grill is one of my favorite activities. I love it even more when I can cook my entire meal over the grill in a matter of minutes. I know, lettuce is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of cooking out. However, this sweet and smokey salad with grilled radishes and scallops may become your favorite go-to dish. In less than 15 minutes, you will have a delicious meal for two that is perfect for enjoying on your patio with your favorite white wine. Cheers to fast and healthy seasonal meals.

Salad Ingredients:
8 large scallops
1 bunch radishes, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Zest of 1 lemon
1 head romaine lettuce

Salad Dressing Ingredients:
Zest and juice of 1 navel orange
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions:

  1. Brush scallops and radishes with half the olive oil and season with salt, pepper and lemon zest. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Grill scallops and radishes for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until scallops are cooked through and radishes are slightly tender.
  2. Cut lettuce in half, leaving the core intact on both sides. Brush flat side with remaining olive oil. Place lettuce cut-side down on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes, until grill marks appear and lettuce is slightly wilted.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together salad dressing ingredients. Top each lettuce slice with half the scallops and radishes and drizzle with salad dressing.

Servings: 2

Curried Tofu Salad

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Curry is one of my favorite ingredients to add to creamy salads like this one, and the first curried tofu salad I tasted was at the Good Foods Co-Op in Lexington, KY. After daydreaming about it so much, I had to create my take on the dish, accompanied with plump golden raisins, crunchy almonds and Greek yogurt. Enjoy my Curried Tofu Salad as a wrap with fresh lettuce or as a sandwich on whole wheat bread. Offering both bread and lettuce options and a few types of sandwich spreads is an easy way to entertain and delight your guests with a build-your-own lunch option. For the meat eaters in your life, chicken is a great substitution for the tofu in this dish.

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) block firm tofu
⅓ cup golden raisins
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons curry powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup shredded carrots
¼ cup sliced almonds

Directions:

  1. Place the block of tofu between a few layers of paper towels and place a heavy plate on top. Set aside for 10 to 20 minutes to press and absorb the water from the tofu.
  2. Meanwhile, place raisins in a small bowl. Add enough hot water to cover and set aside.
  3. Crumble tofu in a medium bowl.
  4. In a large bowl, stir together yogurt, curry powder, salt and pepper.
  5. Drain water from raisins. Fold raisons, carrots, almonds and tofu into the yogurt mixture, stirring to evenly coat. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Servings: 4

Grilled Chicken and Cornbread Salad with Buttermilk Ranch

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Move over croutons, cornbread tastes better with this hearty salad. Garlic lovers will love the sautéed garlic scapes along with tangy ranch, crunchy bacon and buttery lima beans. It’s a perfect meal to make with leftover cornbread and grilled chicken. If you have extra cornbread, store it in the freeze and defrost for future salads.

Salad Dressing Ingredients:
⅔ cup plain, low-fat Greek yogurt
¼ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic scapes or green onion
½ teaspoon dried dill
¼ teaspoon white pepper
⅛ teaspoon salt

Salad Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons garlic scapes or green onion, sliced
1 large head green leaf lettuce, leaves separated and torn
Cornbread, prepared
1¼ pound chicken breast, grilled
1½ cups lima beans, prepared from fresh, frozen or canned
8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, buttermilk, vinegar, garlic, green onion, dill, pepper and salt. Whisk until well combined. Cover and refrigerate salad dressing until ready to serve.
  2. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic scapes or green onion slices and sauté until lightly browned.
  3. Place an equal amount of lettuce on four plates and add a slice of cornbread in the middle. Top each plate with ¼ of chicken, lima beans, bacon and sautéed garlic scapes. Drizzle with ranch dressing and serve.

Servings: 4

Steak and Potato Salad with Blackberry Jam Vinaigrette

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This is a salad for all the meat and potato lovers in your life, but it is light enough for those who prefer smaller portions of red meat. It’s the perfect meal for couples who enjoy cooking together, since some of the steps require you to be in the kitchen and the other half is prepared on the grill. Complete this stay-home, date-night meal with your favorite red wine and maybe a chocolate dessert.

Salad Ingredients:
16 ounces small potatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
8 fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for brushing onions
16 ounces sirloin steaks, well-trimmed
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 large onion, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
Spring mix lettuce
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Vinaigrette Ingredients:
2 tablespoons blackberry jam, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place potatoes, tomatoes and sage leaves on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper and toss with a spatula to evenly coat. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until sage leaves are cool enough to touch. Crumble sage leaves over roasted vegetables.
  2. Meanwhile, bring steak to room temperature and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Brush both sides of onion with olive oil.
  3. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat and cook steak to desired doneness. Place onions on the grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove both from grill and let rest for a few minutes. Carve steak into thin strips and separate onion rings when cool enough to touch.
  4. Combine dressing ingredients in a mason jar with a lid and shake well to combine. Add desired amount of lettuce to each plate and top with sliced steak, potatoes, tomatoes, onion rings and blue cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.

Servings: 4

Spring Salad with Strawberry Champagne Vinaigrette

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What a glorious treat to receive fresh strawberries in my spring CSA share. Not only because they are beautiful and delicious, but because I know how much hard work and love the farmers put into growing them and protecting them during an up and down weather season. Thank you Sustainable Harvest Farm for all you do to provide produce for my family and many others.

This salad is one of my favorite ways to enjoy fresh strawberries. Serve it as a side salad or add grilled salmon or chicken for a main meal.

Ingredients:
1 head lettuce
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
1 pint strawberries
¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted
blue cheese crumbles for serving

Directions:

  1. Wash and tear lettuce leaves and place in a large bowl.
  2. In a small jar with a lid, combine strawberry jam, champagne vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Shake until well combined.
  3. Drizzle lettuce with strawberry champagne vinaigrette and top salad with an equal amount of strawberries, pecans and blue cheese.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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Lettuce wraps are a creative way to enjoy fresh lettuces and they are also fun to make, eat and serve. I love dishes that you can dive in and assemble at the table as you share a meal with family or friends. This one is super fast and easy to make and a light meal to enjoy with a hot cup of asian tea.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground chicken
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium bell pepper (any color), chopped
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 head green leaf lettuce, leaves separated

Optional Ingredients:
Handful of fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
Peanuts, chopped
Brown rice, prepared

Directions:

  1. Add canola and sesame oils in a wok or large skillet and heat to medium-high temperature. Add garlic and cook for about a minute or until fragrant. Add chicken and break up with a spatula until it starts to brown.
  2. Add carrots and bell pepper to wok or skillet and cook stirring frequently until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes.
  3. In a small mason jar, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, siracha and ginger. Shake until evenly combined and pour sauce over chicken and vegetables. Stir to evenly coat and cook for another minute or two.
  4. Place chicken and vegetables on a serving platter along with lettuce leaves and sprinkle with peanuts and basil if using. Assemble wraps at the table and serve with brown rice if desired.

Servings: 4

Steak and BLT Salad

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Meat lovers rejoice for this salad that was made for you. The classic bacon, lettuce and tomato (BLT) sandwich is one of my favorite meals to make with farm fresh tomatoes. As an alternative to this time-honored dish, I created a salad and took it up a notch by topping it with grilled steak and blue cheese dressing. This hearty salad is perfect for a relaxing summer weekend and pairs well with your favorite red wine.

Ingredients:

2 (4 to 6 ounce) boneless rib-eye steaks, well-trimmed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons blue cheese, divided
4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
2 cups spring mix lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, diced

Directions:

  1. Bring steak to room temperature and season with salt and pepper. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat and cook steak to desired doneness. Remove from grill and let rest for a few minutes before carving into thin strips.
  2. Combine yogurt, vinegar and 2 tablespoons blue cheese in a mason jar with a lid and shake until salad dressing is well combined.
  3. Add equal amounts of bacon, lettuce and tomatoes to two plates. Top with steak, remaining blue cheese and salad dressing.

Servings: 2

Winter Vegetable Salad

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Butternut squash is the star of my Winter Vegetable Salad, creating a hearty meal that is satisfying for lunch or dinner. Caramelized onions, toasted pecans and creamy goat cheese give this salad a mixture of sweet, savory, crunchy and velvety goodness.

This colorful bowl of nutritious ingredients will brighten your mood, even on a cold and cloudy winter day. Enjoy it with ingredients warm from the oven and stove top or with chilled squash and onions that you have prepared in advance.

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 head romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped
2 ounces (about 4 tablespoons) goat cheese, crumbled
Bottled salad dressing, such as Champaign vinaigrette

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. On a large baking sheet, add butternut squash and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over squash and toss to evenly coat. Arrange squash in a single layer and roast for 30 to 35 minutes until tender and lightly brown, flipping with a spatula halfway through cooking.
2. In a large skillet, heat remaining olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Once butter has melted, add onion slices and sprinkle with sugar. Stirring occasionally, let the onions cook about 20 to 25 minutes, until caramelized and golden brown.
3. Add 2 cups of lettuce to each plate and top with equal amounts of squash, caramelized onions, pecans and goat cheese.
4. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of your favorite salad dressing and serve.

Note: You can substitute baby spinach or your favorite leafy greens for romaine and any type of winter squash for the butternut. Use whatever fresh produce you can get your hands on in February.

Servings: 4