After a long day at work and a relatively intense workout, I decided to keep it simple in the kitchen today and whipped up a mean bean salad. I chose fava beans and feta cheese for protein (needed for muscle growth after a workout), onions for pungency, tomatoes for acidity and cilantro dressing for a huge burst of flavor. It came together rather quickly and I enjoyed it all with a serving of whole grain crackers (baked with 10 whole grains & seeds). The crackers actually helped to complete the protein provided by the fava beans (adding essential amino acids) and added some much needed crunch factor. For the sake of all the people out there who hate cooking or like something quick and easy, I managed to muster up the energy to share it with all of you. Enjoy folks!
P.S. It's perfect for a potluck: low-cost, flavorful and quick and easy!
For the past few days, I've been hosting a friend from Brown (my alma mater). We spent our time together catching up on life, sharing meals, lounging around, and reminiscing about the good old college days. Yeah, she was, by far, the most low maintenance guest ever! She left on yesterday, with a newfound appreciation for Charm City I might add. That means I'll have about two seconds to catch my breath before welcoming another friend--from Mississippi--to the city later tonight.
On days like this, when time is of the essence, I like to pull together a quick entree salad, instead of cooking, to save time and calories (budgeting for those cocktails, you know). In this case, I used the ingredients I had on hand and built the salad around the sweet sesame seaweed that I bought at Trader Joe's over the weekend. I added ingredients that I thought would complement the seaweed and provide a nice flavor contrast. The resulting salad was juicy, sweet, crunchy, and slightly pungent--a win all around for me. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
I tend to cook with music in the background or I'm jamming away with a headset. My kitchen is lively and energetic. In fact, every meal has its own soundtrack. I become one with the music and the energy feeds my creative process. Cooking is definitely not a chore for me, and I try to make it as fun as possible.
Here lately, I've become a total NPR junkie and I'd be lying if I said I was listening to anything else on the day I created this salad. However, I must say that this salad has the spirit and soul of Ozomatli--the crafty Latin band that blends funk, salsa, hip hop, cumbia, merengue, and the soul of L.A.
Mexican Fiesta Tempeh Salad w/Queso Blanco
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked black beans
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 package of tempeh
garlic powder
cumin
onion powder
1 block queso blanco
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 bag romaine lettuce
2 tablespoons pico de gallo
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1 bottle Southwest Chipotle Dressing*
1 bag Sante Fe Style tortilla strips
1 avocado
* I used this salad dressing as a base and enhanced the flavor by blending it with tamarind paste, olive oil, cilantro, pico de gallo, vinegar, and lime juice in the blender.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and chili powder. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the garlic just begins to turn golden. Add the black beans and stir to coat with the garlic and curry powder. Add the salt and pepper. Stir to combine and turn out the black beans into a large, shallow baking pan. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until crunchy. Set aside and allow to cool.
Then, cut the tempeh into thin strips or cubes. Season to taste with garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder, about 2 to 3 shakes per seasoning. Heat 1 tbsp olive in the frying pan used for the beans. Cook the the tempeh over medium heat until golden brown. Set aside.
Cut a strip of 1" thick queso blanco from the cheese block. Cut into half. In a frying pan, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium low heat. Cook queso blanco on both sides until brown and crust forms. Cut into smaller pieces and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine 2 handfuls of romaine lettuce (or enough for one salad), pico de gallo, cilantro, 3 to 4 pieces of tempeh, 1/4 cup black beans, and salad dressing (about 2 tablespoons). Mix well. Transfer to a serving plate. Top with tortilla strips, fried queso blanco pieces, and avocado slices. Enjoy!
This salad is the second recipe in my "Summer of Salads" series. It developed out of a strong yearning for a tropical fruit salad that was low-glycemic and well-balanced. This salad delivers on both accounts and provides a fresh and exciting alternative to the ubiquitous garden salad.
Recipe development for this salad was a bit of a process. I love mangoes so I knew that would be my key ingredient. Then, I did a little research and found this recipe from Caribbean Pot that provided me with an excellent base for the salad. I made a few modifications and ultimately decided that I prefer a 3:1 salad mixture of arugula and watercress. Otherwise, the watercress is too strong for my personal liking. To make the salad a little more complex, I added roasted cashew nuts, jerk shrimp, and raw green beans and tossed it in a homemade Allspice and Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing.
Mango Watercress Salad with Jerk Shrimp
Ingredients:
5-8 shrimp
1 container Grace Hot Jerk Seasoning
1 cup arugula
1/3 cup watercress
1/8 medium red onion, julienned
1/8 medium red bell pepper, julienned
1/4 cup raw green beans, snapped
1/4 ripe mango, cubed
1 tablespoon roasted cashew nuts
Directions:
Peel and devein shrimp. Rub generously with jerk seasoning and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Remove shrimp from refrigerator and cook using your preferred method -- grill, broiler, or stovetop. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the flesh turns pink. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large salad bowl, toss the remaining ingredients with 2 tablespoons of Allspice and Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing (recipe below). Transfer salad to a serving plate and top with cooked jerk shrimp. Enjoy!
Allspice and Nutritional Yeast Salad Dressing
Ingredients:
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup tamari
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup safflower oil
Directions:
Place first nine ingredients in a blender and combine. With blender running, slowly pour in oil to reach desired consistency.
Note: This recipe yields about 2 cups of salad dressing, which will last approximately 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
I recently returned from a culinary pilgrimage/road trip to the Deep South where I indulged in epicurean delights to my heart's desire. It was great while it lasted. However, I returned to Maryland and immediately went into detox mode, vowing to end the summer with salads. It's been quite refreshing to lighten up my meals and pull together fresh ingredients on a whim. This salad embodies that approach. It was prepared with mesclun greens from my patio garden, tabouleh, sardines, kalamata olives, and toasted caper breadcrumbs. The final product was flavorful and nutritiously dense (e.g., high in protein, calcium, iron, fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C). The caper breadcrumbs were my favorite element of the salad, elevating it to new heights.
Sardine & Olive Mesclun Salad
Ingredients:
1 tbs Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp capers
1 cup Mesclun greens
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbs tabouleh
2 sardines
4 kalamata olives
Directions:
Heat a small skillet over low heat. Add panko breadcrumbs and capers. Toss together and lightly toast for 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
Wash mesclun greens and dry in a salad spinner. Toss greens with balsamic vinegar and transfer to a plate. Top with tabouleh, sardines, olives, and caper breadcrumbs. Enjoy!
