CHICKPEA FETA SALAD

We just started doing Blue Apron, which means perfect and delicious dinner portions for two!  Unfortunately, it also means no easy tupperware of leftovers for lunch at work the next day.  People pack sandwiches for lunch I guess, but that seems like a boring idea.  A stuffed pita bursting with turkey, cucumber and hummus sounds like a lunch I'd look forward to!  But it needs a side.  A bag of chips?  Some sad baby carrots?  Gogurt?  No.  A SALAD?  YES!  This chickpea salad can be a side, a snack or even a meal.

First, make your dressing.  Use the container you're going to use to store the salad in the fridge so you don't have any dishes to wash.  I combined equal parts extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar.  Then some generous dashes of oregano and a big squeeze of lemon.  Whisk it up!  Then, drain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans and add to the bowl.  Dice some cucumber and jarred roasted red peppers and toss them in.  Finally, crumble some feta!!!  It tastes better if you buy it and break it apart yourself instead of buying the already crumbled kind.  I used tomato and basil flavored feta.  You could even use plain and add some more seasonings to the salad, if you'd like.

Ingredients are rough estimates, you can adjust to your preference.

Ingredients

Dressing:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salad:
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 snacking sized cucumbers, or 1 small cucumber, diced
4 ounces roasted red peppers, diced
3 ounces tomato basil (or plain) feta, crumbled
Salt to taste

Whisk together dressing ingredients.  Add salad ingredients and mix well.  Chill for at least two hours before consuming, or overnight for maximum flavor.

ARUGULA SALAD WITH WHITE BEANS AND BACON

This salad is a copycat of my favorite salad from a neighborhood deli.  The exact description from their menu: arugula, pastina, cannellini beans, smokey bacon, walnuts, parmesan cheese, sherry vinaigrette.  I always order it without walnuts, because I firmly believe that nuts and fruit have no place in salads.  Also, I couldn't find a sherry vinaigrette anywhere, so regular balsamic took over dressing duty.  And finally, I realized I had a perfectly ripe avocado ready to be used, and everyone knows bacon and avocado are best friends, so I threw that on there after taking pictures.  The avocado was amazing and I highly recommend you also use one.

The lineup.  I baked the bacon, method here.

How cute is this little pasta?  Reminds me of couscous. 

This salad makes me so happy.

Ingredients

Arugula
Acini di pepe, cooked and cooled (or any tiny, pearled pasta)
Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Bacon, cooked and broken into bite sized pieces
Shaved parmesan cheese
Avocado
Balsamic vinaigrette, or any vinaigrette

Toss arugula in bowl with dressing.  Plate the arugula, then top with remaining ingredients.  Season entire salad with salt and fresh cracked pepper.  Vary amounts of ingredients based on your preferences!

STEAK SALAD WITH HOMEMADE CREAMY AVOCADO DRESSING

You guys, I am so proud of myself.  I made salad dressing!  And it was so darn delicious.  I know, I know, people do it allllllll the time and I am no pioneer.  However, I think it deserves just a little bragging.  Okay, typing with one hand is too difficult.  Time to stop patting myself on the back and continue telling you about this meal!

There's just something about a cold, crunchy salad with slices of warm, juicy steak that makes people happy.  I've had my eye on this "homemade avocado ranch dressing" recipe ever since I spied it on Pinterest.  Not sure it officially qualifies as ranch, but then again what's the definition of ranch?  The dressing doesn't really have a ranchy flavor.  It tastes like avocados.  I know, mind blowing, right?

For the steak: season and grill.

For the dressing: avocados, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt and hot sauce.  I used a handheld immersion blender (greatest invention ever), but a regular blender will work just as well.

Oh and since it's a STEAK salad, you should serve it with macaroni and cheese.  Right?  Doesn't everyone do it that way?  Seriously, it was the perfect accompaniment. 

Ingredients

Steak:
1 lb flank steak, trimmed
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
a pinch or two of coarse kosher salt

Salad dressing:
1 large avocado
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (I squeezed about half the lemon in to avoid browning of avocado!)
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons hot sauce (I used red AND green Tabasco)

Rub steak all over with olive oil.  Sprinkle generously with steak seasoning and rub in.  Sprinkle on salt.  Repeat on other side.  Place in large ziploc bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or 8 hours if you've got a better memory than this blogger).  Preheat grill to medium high heat.  Cook on each side for about 5 minutes for medium rare.  Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes, then slice into strips.

Place all dressing ingredients in blender and blend until desired consistency.  Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Serve steak over romaine and tomatoes.  Sprinkle with blue cheese and drizzle with dressing.  Grind fresh salt and pepper all over salad. 

Perfectly mixed.

BBQ CHICKEN SALAD

Are you trying to eat healthier for the new year?  Are you choking down lots of boring, low calorie canned soups?  Frozen diet meals?  Munching on celery?!  Stop it.  Stop it now.  Eat this salad instead!

It is so simple.  Throw some fresh, boneless, skinless chicken tenders or breasts in your slow cooker.  Pour on a combination of BBQ sauce, Italian salad dressing, and Worcestershire on top.  Cook.  Shred right there in the crockpot, then stir so it soaks up that delicious sauce.  EAT.  See?  Told you it was easy.  Important note: USE GOOD BBQ SAUCE!  Use your favorite, if you have one.  If you use bargain sauce, you will be able to taste the difference.

For the chicken

When you take the lid off your crockpot, it may look super liquidy!  Have no fear.  Just grab a wooden spoon, tongs or two forks and break that chicken apart.  It'll soak up the sauce in no time.

For the salad

Ingredients

For the chicken:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenders/breasts
1 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

For the salad:
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
BBQ sauce
Ranch
Tomatoes (my tomatoes were past their prime, had to omit)
Corn chips

Place chicken in crockpot.  In small bowl, mix together BBQ sauce, Italian dressing and Worcestershire.  Pour over chicken.  Set crockpot to low for 4 hours.  If chicken is frozen, increase time to at least 6 hours.  Shred chicken in crockpot and mix into sauce.  Serve immediately, or cook on low for another 30 minutes.  Place romaine in giant bowl.  After draining and rinsing corn and beans, toss with romaine.  Top with chicken, ranch and BBQ sauce then mix again.  Add chips last so they don't get soggy.

29 of these yummies only have 150 calories!

CHOPPED TACO SALAD

A recipe for salad?  Yes, a recipe for salad.  I love love love Mexican food, but I'm not sure my pants would fit if I gave into my daily cravings.  When I'm in the mood for delicious tacos, burritos or enchiladas I whip up this "healthier" taco salad.  Now, I have a version that is not healthy at all, and another that is a bit more health conscious.

I always start with a big bunch of chopped romaine.  Brown a pound of extra lean ground turkey, then add a can of black beans and a packet of taco seasoning.  Let simmer until most liquid has evaporated. 

Brown ground turkey, add beans and taco seasoning

Now it's time for toppings!  Chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers and avocado are delicious in taco salad.

Now for the dressing: when in piggy mode, I use (coat the salad in) thousand island dressing.  It gives the meal such an unexpected tangy flavor.  It is SO good.  If you're going all the way with full fat thousand island, you may as well throw in some crushed up nacho cheese Doritos.  Totally makes the salad.  For the healthier version, I mix about a tablespoon of ranch dressing with a lot of salsa and hot sauce.  You still get that creamy ranch flavor, but without the calories of a bigger pour.  The salsa will coat your salad nicely, but with minimal calories.  If you still need the Doritos, get the baked kind!

"Healthier" dressing ingredients

Flavor!

Ingredients

Chopped romaine
1 lb extra lean ground turkey
1 can black beans, 15 oz
1 packet taco seasoning (I used Old El Paso)
tomatoes
avocado
green peppers
cucumber
Thousand Island salad dressing
OR
Ranch + Salsa + Hot sauce
OR
Nonfat greek yogurt + Salsa + Hot sauce

Brown ground turkey, add taco seasoning and undrained black beans.  Simmer until most liquid evaporates.  Plate lettuce and top with meat mixture.  Top with chopped veggies, dressing, and chips.  Enjoy!



Truth time: I always eat my salads out of a huge mixing bowl while hunkered down on the couch. Don't judge.

What my salad actually looks like.