Salads and Dressings Archives | Page 5 of 6

Spicy Sesame Cucumber Salad Recipe

June 30, 2012

We planted our cucumbers late this year. The blooms have started and the plants are coming along nicely, but I’m still a bit envious of the mountains of cucumbers I’m seeing from other gardens.

I’ve been practicing patience and it was rewarded last weekend when my parents brought me a few from their garden. I’ve wanted to make Wasabi Cucumber Sesame Salad from She Wears Many Hats for a while. But with no wasabi in the house, I had to use it for inspiration and save the recreation for when our cucumbers arrive.

I went with my favorite chili sauce – Sriracha. These cucumbers have just the right amount of heat, but I will warn you, leave them in the fridge a couple days and the fire begins to build!

Spicy Sesame Cucumber Salad

Adapted from Wasabi Cucumber Sesame Salad from She Wears Many Hats

3 medium pickling cucumbers, thinly sliced

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp Sriracha Chili Sauce

½ tbsp dark sesame oil

2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp sugar

Black sesame seeds for garnish

Place the thinly sliced cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Allow to drain in the sink or over a bowl while you prepare the dressing.

In a small dish, whisk together the Sriracha, sesame oil, vinegar and sugar. Transfer the drained cucumbers to a bowl and pour in the dressing. Toss to coat. You can salt and pepper to taste, but I found I didn’t need to add any more salt. Garnish with the black sesame seeds. Serves about 6.

Blue Potato Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette Recipe

June 26, 2012

My favorite thing that I’ve grown in our garden is the Adirondack Blue Potato. These potatoes have a pleasant texture, and they add a pop of color to summer side dishes.

Blue Potato Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette Recipe | Fake Food Free

In the spring I started a search for a variety of the blue potato. I didn’t want them to eat, but to plant in our garden this year. I finally learned about the Adirondack Blue, but every corner I turned I found that they were sold out.

Then I was surprised at Easter by my parents – Adirondack Blue potato seed from Wood Prairie Farm in Maine!

So we went from this:

To this (they look purple on the inside, but they go by the name blue):

Adirondack Blue Potatoes before planting

And then lots of excitement when we saw this:

Adirondack Blue Potatoes sprouted in the garden

Followed by this:

Adirondack Blue Potatoes bloom before harvest

And this week, we finally got this – almost 15 pounds!

With blue potatoes on my hands I’m now challenged to come up with a few recipes that show off their beautiful color. We’ll start with a potato salad.

The flavor of the blue potato doesn’t really stand out, but they do have a very smooth texture. When cooked until soft (but still firm enough to hold their shape) they are perfect for potato salad.

Now the question is – if you put this on your picnic table would people be adventurous enough to eat it?!

Blue Potato Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette Recipe

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

~ 1 ¾ lbs. blue potatoes
1 small bell pepper, diced (I used a purple lilac pepper)
¼ large onion, chopped fine
Juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 teasppon sugar
~15 fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

I cook the potatoes using a method taught by my mom. Place the whole potatoes in a pot, cover with water, cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Once they boil, turn off the heat. Leave the lid on, and let them sit in the hot water until the potatoes are softened. For this recipe they sat about 15 – 20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and let them cool, chop into bite-size pieces. Add the bell pepper and the onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and sugar. Chop the basil and stir into the dressing.

Pour the dressing over the potatoes and toss to coat. Salt and pepper to taste.

Refrigerate for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve soon after making because the potatoes do begin to lighten a bit as they sit.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Lori Rice and Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

BLT Spinach Salad with Fresh Garlic Dill Dressing

May 31, 2012

As much as I love a tasty whole grain, I am aware when I have a few too many grains in my diet. Once spring race training comes to an end, it’s time to slow down on the bread and oatmeal, and replace them with more fruits and veggies. I have to say the timing couldn’t be better as the garden starts to come around.

I love BLTs and this salad is a great option when you’d rather skip the sandwich part. It’s also a good way to use up some of the fresh herbs from the herb garden!

BLT Spinach Salad with Fresh Garlic Dill Dressing

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes

1 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped

1 cup lettuce (any variety), finely chopped

5 sweet basil leaves, chopped

4 pieces bacon, cooked crisp and chopped (preferably local, pastured)

Dressing:

2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt

1 tbsp water (optional, to thin yogurt if necessary)

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Pinch of salt and black pepper

Prep

Cut the tops off the tomatoes and gently scrape out some of the inside of the tomato with a spoon to create a bowl for the salad. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, lettuce, basil and bacon.

In a small food processor, combine the yogurt, water, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Process until garlic is finely chopped. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

Place half of the salad into each tomato. Serve immediately.

Tomorrow is the last day to enter to win a copy of the Pure Beef by Lynne Curry! (Giveaway Closed)

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free and Lori Rice unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes or images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Strawberry Recipes

May 15, 2012

A past recap of some of my favorite strawberry recipes on Fake Food Free! As I read this, updating this post comes at a good time! Three years later I’m upgrading to another new camera in a few weeks!

You don’t know how dependent you are on something until it breaks down. For most people this is associated with a car or a washing machine, but for the past week and half, for me, it’s been my camera. I didn’t realize that it was possible to miss a camera, but I do now. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen something I want to photograph and then feel cranky when I remember I can’t do so.

Oh, and did I mention I have also realized how much of a photo snob I am now? I could, of course, use the point and shoot, but then I think – nah, it won’t give me the right depth of field or color. Yeah, it’s that bad.

The camera drama started a little over two weeks ago when my Canon Rebel Xsi body died. I made the decision to upgrade to the 60D so quickly, and the trade in went so smoothly that there was barely a hiccup in my posting. Then I started having problems with the autofocus with the new camera. I called Canon for tech help, and back went the camera for an exchange.

Now it’s been a week, and I’m still waiting…

Instead of keeping these pages blank for too long I thought I would recap some of my favorite recipes from the archives. Our strawberry season is coming to a close, but I know for many it is just starting. So here are a few ways we’ve used strawberries around the Fake Food Free kitchen.

Favorite Strawberry Recipes from Fake Food Free

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes

Whole Grain Rhubarb Waffles with Strawberry Butter

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread

Spring Garden Cobb Salad

Easy Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry Rosemary Shortbread

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Smoky Ham Salad with Olives

April 15, 2012

I think I need to plan a picnic. I can’t stop thinking about picnic foods.

This is surprising because I’m not much of a picnic person. All that mayo sitting out for hours in 80 degree weather is enough to turn a person off. But for some reason I’m ready to set my food safety phobias aside for the sake of nice weather and a meal outside.

One food from my picnic memory book is ham salad. We always had it growing up, and I really liked the way my mom would make it. She ground up the ham so it was more of a spread than other versions I’ve seen.

Despite being a fan, I have never made ham salad myself. But with some ham leftover from Easter I thought it was a good time to try and put my stamp on it.

I decided to use what I now call my classic combo for former mayo-only based salads – plain Greek yogurt, a little mayo and spicy brown or Dijon mustard. I’ve had success with coleslaw, potato salad and chicken salad, and I actually like it a lot more than the all mayo versions.

I’d suggest using full fat Greek yogurt. I hear over and over again that people don’t like Greek yogurt, and for the life of me I haven’t been able to figure out why. Then I bought some fat free Greek yogurt by one of the popular brands. (The ones famous for their flavored, diet yogurt who decided to do Greek because it’s cool.)

I now know why people say they don’t like Greek yogurt. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was one of the worst things I have tasted. I threw it out.

So try a full fat version (Greek Gods and Fage are my favorites). I promise it will change your life, at least as far as yogurt is concerned. And because it is yogurt the way it was meant to be, you’ll need much less of it to fill you up, and for flavor and fat in your recipes.

Back to the ham salad. I keep a small amount of mayo in the recipe because it cuts the sour flavor of the yogurt just enough so that it’s not overpowering. I also added some olives, and finished it off with just a bit of smoked hot paprika.

Crackers or a crusty baguette make the best form of transport. And be careful, it might put you in the mood for a picnic. That’s fine by me. I could use the company!

Smoky Ham Salad with Olives

Makes: About 3 cups

Ingredients

2 ½ cups cooked ham, finely chopped
1 large rib celery, chopped

¼ cup green olives, diced

½ tbsp grated onion

¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp spicy brown mustard

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp smoked hot paprika

Prep

In a bowl, combine the ham, celery, olives and onion. Set aside.

In a separate bowl stir together the yogurt, mayo, brown mustard, pepper and paprika. Pour the yogurt mixture over the ham. Stir to mix all ingredients. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes or images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Black Lentil Salad with Roasted Asparagus

March 30, 2012

This simple black lentil salad uses spring asparagus with sweet onions to create a delicious side dish for a seasonal meal.

Black Lentil Salad with Roasted Asparagus Recipe | Fake Food Free

So far we’ve been harvesting single servings of asparagus from the garden. My husband got the first serving, and I got the second. He’s a much bigger asparagus fan than me so I thought that was only fair.

It’s coming up slowly, but I’m not going to complain because it’s a bit early for asparagus anyway. I’ll take the slow arrival as a trade off for having it so early. It must have known how desperate I was to get the garden going this year. Despite the warm winter, I still felt like I’d been cooped up inside for way too long.

This week I did manage to collect enough asparagus to make a salad, and this got me thinking about some black lentils in the pantry. It goes without saying; we are still in clean out mode. It’s amazing how much you can stuff into a small pantry when you are as obsessed with grains and legumes as I am.

The tang of the balsamic vinegar in the dressing for this salad adds a good balance to the asparagus that has turned sweet from roasting. I rounded up all the asparagus I could, but if you have more, add it. It only makes this salad better.

Black Lentil Salad with Roasted Asparagus Recipe

Soon I’ll be looking for ideas to use up all our asparagus. What’s your favorite way to prepare it?

Vegetable Orzo Salad

March 12, 2012

Winter-warming comfort foods have left my mind completely. In their place, I see visions of grills, picnics, sandwiches, salads, and green gardens. It’s like the spring switch has been flipped and there is no going back.

Spring veggies haven’t emerged in the garden, but I had to make something that would indicate to my brain and stomach that it is just a matter of time. I don’t make pasta salad often, but every now and then it makes one delicious lunch, especially when you load it with as many vegetables as possible.

I love orzo in pasta salads because it feels like a lighter choice. Those small pieces don’t sit as heavy as macaroni or rigatoni. Any variety of vegetables can be added to this salad. I’m planning for some asparagus in a few weeks that will make a nice addition.

If you like your pasta salads with a little more dressing, you can double the dressing recipe. Only a small amount is used, but this is a mayo based dressing. If you aren’t into mayo, I have a feeling plain Greek yogurt would work too.

Vegetable Orzo Salad

3 cups orzo, cooked and cooled

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped

1 cup cauliflower florets, chopped

1/8 cup onion, finely chopped

15 black olives, halved

15 green olives, halved

2 generous tbsp mayo

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 ½ tsp mascavo sugar (or white)

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the orzo and veggies in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Best served cold. Makes 6 servings.

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Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)

February 15, 2012

It all changed the night we ordered green papaya salad in Bangkok during our trip to Thailand a few years ago. Up until this dinner I had learned that when you ordered foods spicy they were served to you – tourist spicy. This means that there was barely a chili to be found in the dish. Disappointing, because while I knew I didn’t necessarily want Thai-spicy, I still like spicy food.

That night in Bangkok my husband and I both ordered Som Tam, and I asked for it spicy. The waitress replied, “You want it spicy?” I think I remember saying – a little spicy – but looking back I’m pretty sure she didn’t hear me.

After delivering our order I watched the waitress walk away and sit down at another table with others. Then I looked over at the bar and realized all the staff was watching us.

Once we tasted the green papaya salad we knew why. They wanted to see our reaction. It was by far the hottest thing I have eaten. In our cooking class earlier that week, we had added about three Thai chilies to our Som Tam. I’d say there were no fewer than 10-12 in this version.

I tried coaching my husband, telling him – You can’t stop. You have to keep eating it so you don’t feel the burn! A few bites later for me, and about a half a bite for him, we admitted defeat. When the waitress returned to the table to clear our plates, she gave a smirk and said, “It was too spicy?”

We knew then that there was a bit of a joke being played on us. We’re good sports though; glad we could give them a show.

Fortunately this experience didn’t ruin my preference for Som Tam. It remains one of my favorite meals. I’ve always wished I could make it at home, but green papayas are non-existent around here.

Well, almost non-existent.

I made it up to Jungle Jim’s International Market in Cincinnati this past weekend, and just about squealed out loud when I saw green papaya in the produce section.

This is a modified version of Som Tam. To be honest, I forgot exactly what was in it and failed to pick up some long beans at the market. I also refuse to by supermarket tomatoes this time of year. So this version is without the beans, tomatoes and dried shrimp, but the flavor of the sauce with the garlic, lime and fish sauce was perfect. Even without these ingredients it still tasted just like what we had in Thailand.

This dish can be made with shredded carrot too, but it’s worth the wait if you can find a green papaya. And in those pictures, the chopsticks are just for show. This is a dish most often eaten with your hands accompanied by sticky rice.

I still remember our cooking instructor telling us that foreigners always took too much rice and salad in their fingers when eating. “Just take a little bit,” she said.

Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 – 2 Thai birds eye chilies, sliced

1 green papaya, peeled and shredded

Juice of 2 limes

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp mascavo sugar (palm sugar is used in Thailand)

¼ cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

If you have a mortar and pestle, use it. But you can still make this if you don’t. A bowl and a heavy kitchen tool such as a meat tenderizer worked for me.

Start by mashing the garlic and chilies together. Continue to work them until they are completely smashed and start to form a bit of a paste. Stir in the green papaya. Begin to smash it gently with the garlic and peppers to bruise it slightly.

Next add the lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the peanuts, reserving a few to sprinkle on top. Serve with steamed sticky rice. Makes 3-4 servings.

Here are some other recipes for Som Tam around the web.

Blood Orange Bulgur Wheat Salad with Honey, Meyer Lemon & Cilantro Dressing

February 6, 2012

This grain salad combines sweet blood orange with bulgar wheat and a honey, citrus and herb dressing.

Blood Orange Bulgur Wheat Salad with Honey, Meyer Lemon & Cilantro Dressing | Fake Food Free

I like a straight forward recipe name; something easy to remember and easy to write, if necessary. But sometimes it simply isn’t possible. Sometimes you must name all the ingredients that lie within because they are all too good to be left out.

Take this salad for example. Every part of it makes my taste buds happy. Leaving out any of the above listed ingredients wouldn’t express to you just how exciting it is. Start with the citrusy cilantro, followed by local honey, and then the excitement really begins with the Meyer Lemons. Consider it off the charts once the blood oranges come into play.

So I apologize for that long title, but I hope you will find every part of this salad as tasty as I did.

Blood Orange Bulgur Wheat Salad

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups cooked bulgur wheat

2 ribs celery, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

¼ tsp salt

2 blood oranges, sliced

Prep

Combine all ingredients except the oranges in a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Top with the dressing (recipe below), and toss to coat. Divide salad onto two plates and top with orange slices. Serve room temperature or cold. Makes 2 servings.

Honey Meyer Lemon Cilantro Dressing

Ingredients:

Juice and zest of 1 Meyer lemon

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Pinch of salt

Prep

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and oil. Slowly whisk in the honey. Stir in the cilantro and salt. Pour over the bulgur wheat salad.

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Wheat Berry Salad with Fresh Cranberries and Orange Maple Dressing

January 10, 2012

I first made this wheat berry salad to brighten up a long winter, but with the flavors of fresh cranberries and maple syrup it makes a great side dish for the holiday season or any time of year!

Wheat Berry Salad with Fresh Cranberries and Orange Maple Dressing | Fake Food Free | A delicious cold grain salad for Thanksgiving, the holiday season or any time of year!

I consider citrus season a bright spot in a long winter. When everything is brown and wilted, citrus shows up with its bright oranges and yellows.

It’s the one time of year when I gladly say – send my fruit on over from Florida and California. Because let’s be honest. No orange, lemon or grapefruit trees are going to be popping up anytime soon in Kentucky.

Well, except for my dwarf Meyer Lemon trees in the back room. I have full confidence that I may get a lemon from them one day, but they have a long way to go.

An added bonus to citrus season is that if you are lucky, you still have some holiday ingredients hanging around such as fresh cranberries. I was in the mood for a cold grain salad this week, and the combination of tart, fresh cranberries and the sweet juice of an orange seemed the perfect match. The kale and maple syrup were added for good measure.