Autumn Broccoli Salad
Mmmmm, I just love salads. If you have been reading my blog for very long, you will notice that I post quite a few salads on here. Salads aren’t just for summer! And this Autumn Broccoli Salad makes the perfect side dish for all of your fall/winter delights. Pair this sweet, savory, crunchy salad with everything from roasted meats to soups, stews and chili. This would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving table as well. To make this simple and delicious salad, I start with 2-3 broccoli crowns. Wash and dry the broccoli, then cut the off the florets (into bite sized pieces) and place in a large bowl.…
Tomato, Avocado and Sweet Onion Salad
Follow my blog with Bloglovin Can you believe summer is almost over? Pretty soon it will be pumpkin everything! I will miss the sweet, juicy tomatoes of summer, as they will soon be replaced by those flavorless look alikes. Just look at these gorgeous beauties! I love the vibrant colors of these organic heirloom cherry tomatoes. And, bonus, they were on special this week! I decided the best use for these little jewels, would be to showcase them in a salad. Along with some creamy avocado, sweet onions and a bright citrusy lime vinaigrette. This Tomato, Avocado and Sweet Onion Salad is a big bowl of yum! And it’s…
Simple Weeknight Beef Tacos
Can you believe summer is almost over?? Soon the kids will be back in school and the weeknight dinner rush will be back in full swing. These Simple Weeknight Beef Tacos are one of my favorite things to fix on those nights when you are short on time or too tired to cook. I buy ground beef when it’s on sale and cook up a big batch of taco meat. Then I portion it out and freeze it for those nights when you just don’t have the time or energy to spend in the kitchen. Then you can just grab a package from the freezer, transfer…
Power Greens Salad with Roasted Beet, Orange and Avocado
This Power Greens Salad with Roasted Beets, Oranges, Avocado and Walnuts is so yummy! And Healthy. The power greens are a combination of baby kale, baby chard and baby spinach. They’re called power greens because they are packed with antioxidant(cancer fighting) rich nutrients. The Roasted Beets are also a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. And Avocados are loaded with heart healthy fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. And contain more potassium than a banana! Walnuts are also a great source of heart healthy fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are also the only nut to contain significant amounts of ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid that is considered to be beneficial…
Orange Pico De Gallo
This Orange Pico De Gallo is is a great way to use up those summer tomatoes. It goes great with all of your grilled meats, especially seafood. I originally created this recipe to go with Chili Lime Shrimp Street Tacos With Orange Pico De Gallo And Avocado Crema but it is wonderful as a refreshing salsa with chips as well. Try it with grilled shrimp or scallops, fish tacos, grilled salmon, grilled pork loin or chicken. Top your favorite chicken taco salad, grilled steak nachos or a juicy spice rubbed grilled Tri Tip. Yum! Serve this yummy and refreshing salsa at your next taco night or mexican themed party. Don’t forget the…
Summer Heirloom BLT Sandwich
Summer’s bounty is in full swing. One of my favorite things about summer, besides sunshine and longer days, are those fresh juicy summertime tomatoes! So flavorful and juicy. They are amazing on their own, sliced and sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper. And they make the best BLT sandwiches! My inspiration for this sandwich, not only came from the gorgeous heirloom tomatoes that I keep seeing, but also from a sandwich that I had a few years back at a little coffee shop in town. It was called the TaBLe sandwich. Which consisted of tomato, avocado, bacon, lettuce and egg aioli on toasted whole grain seeded bread.…
Really Good Caesar Dressing
Mmmmmm… Caesar Salad. Who doesn’t love a good Caesar salad? Crisp Romaine, crunchy croutons and fresh parm all tossed with that lemony, garlicky goodness. This classic salad is one of my favorites. It contains the simplest of ingredients but the flavors in that dressing add a beautiful complexity that sets it apart from any other salad out there. This recipe is adapted from a recipe that we used at The Riverplace Hotel many years ago. It is super simple and delicious! The key is to use good quality ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, fresh garlic and Sherry Vinegar. Start by placing anchovies, garlic, egg yolk and whole egg…
Wine Wednesday: “Pinot Noir Granitas aka Semi Frozen Wine Magic” and more…
I think I probably subscribe to about a million food and wine sites. I love it, ok? Don’t judge. I get so many emails everyday that I have become a master at bookmarking things to come back to later. But this one I just knew I had to share right away. It may have been the title of the email that compelled my to open it right away. “pinot noir granitas aka semi frozen wine magic”. Hahahahahaha…. They had me at Semi Frozen Wine Magic! This post came to me from a site called Wine Awesomeness. How could I not subscribe to a site with a name like that??? Anyway,…
Lemon Basil Pasta Salad With English Peas
Lemon Basil Pasta Salad with English Peas is a perfect dish for those hot summer days. I make up a big batch and then serve with grilled meat or fish. Don’t feel like cooking after a long day at work? Toss in some shredded rotisserie chicken from your favorite grocery store deli for quick and easy meal. Or serve alongside some simple cold cuts, cheeses and crusty bread. Yum! This salad is not only delicious but is also super simple to make. Not much prep involved here. And the only cooking required is the pasta. But let me tell ya, it is so yummy (I could…
Grilled Polenta and Vegetable Stacks
I just love simple little side dishes and fun hors d’oeuvres. These Grilled Polenta and Vegetable Stacks are the best of both worlds. They can be used for either a side dish or a hors d’oeuvre. Grilled Polenta and Veggie Stacks are not only pleasing to the eye , they are super yummy (and healthy) as well. And, did I mention, simple to make? All you will need are few simple ingredients, a grill and about 30 minutes to make these little tasty bites. First, take a couple of zucchini’s, wash them well and then cut into 1/8-1/4 inch thick biased cut slices. Next, you will need to…
Honey Lavender Sidecar
This Honey Lavender Sidecar is a delicious and refreshing twist on the simple and classic Sidecar Cocktail. I still remember the first time a tried a Sidecar cocktail. I had met a friend in downtown Portland at this swanky restaurant/bar, El Gaucho, for drinks. She and her other friends were all drinking sidecars and were raving about how good they were. Well, I just had to give it a try. Right? The bartender brought me mine and…. Wow! It was love at first sip. Why had I never tried this glorious liquid before? Had I been living under a rock? That was many years ago but I remember it like…
Rainbow Chickpea Salad
I made this yummy veggie filled Rainbow Chickpea Salad in an attempt to get more healthful veggies into my diet. I find it is so much easier to make healthful choices when I have something yummy already made up. Especially after a long day at work. I like to be able to come home and just grab something out of the fridge and relax. How about you? I usually make up enough salad to last a few days. Then I cook up a simple chicken breast or some fish and voila! Or you can toss this salad with some baby kale and spinach for delicious and healthful meatless monday meal.…
