It's the summer and the last thing we want to do is be in the kitchen too long (its hot in there and honestly, you can hire a personal chef to do this!). So let's stay in shape (or get in shape), and keep our diets healthy and light for the summer. My clients love salads in the summer and I'm going to share a few of those recipes with you.
This is a wonderful and filling salad. It has protein from chicken and cheese. It has some carbs from the orzo for energy and some fruit (apple) that gives it a sweet flavor with the sharpness of the goat cheese.
1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips (such as Tyson)
1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 Red Delicious apple, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
Preparation
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 7 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.
3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.
Now most of us think of couscous and refer to the wonderful coarsely ground semolina pasta. I love to use it in salads and savory side dishes. However, I also love Israeli couscous . They are these great pearl sized pasta grains. In Israel, its known as Ptitim. I toast them in olive oil and the sky's the limit with what you can add. In the summer, I add yellow zucchini or green onions and summer herbs like Parsley or Cilantro.
1 cup Israeli couscous (please DO NOT substitute with Moroccan couscous)
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
4 T olive oil, divided
1 cups dried cranberries (craisins)
1 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup spring onions, white parts only, chopped
1/2 medium sized red onion, finely chopped
1 oz cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 shallot, minced
1/2 lemon
sea salt to taste
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat 1 T olive oil over medium high heat. Add the couscous and stir about 1 minute, until the couscous is lightly browned. Stir in 2 cups of broth. Cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the couscous has absorbed most of the liquid and is al dente. Drain in a colander but do not rinse.
Once cooled, stir in the remaining 3 T olive oil to coat and separate the grains. (I've used Herb infused olive oils and that give this dish a bright flavor)
In a serving dish, combine the couscous with craisins, pine nuts, spring onions, red onion, cilantro, lemon zest and shallots. Spritz with lemon juice and adjust seasoning with the sea salt to taste.
Now this is a salad that just screams "fresh" to me. I typically pair this side dish with Pan-Seared Ahi Tuna. It is light and extremely flavorful.
4 ounces soba noodles, or whole-wheat spaghetti
1 large shallot, very thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
1 red pepper, julienne
1/3 cup shredded fresh basil leaves (you can use Thai Basil or Cinnamon Basil)
1/3 cup shredded fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Dressing:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Brown sugar or 1 Tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce, or 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
Salt
6 large Bibb lettuce leaves
Boil noodles according to package directions (4-5 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water. In a medium to large bowl, combine noodles, shallot, carrot, pepper, basil, mint, and cilantro. Combine all dressing ingredients, season with salt to taste, add to noodle mixture, and toss lightly.
Snap off Bibb lettuce leaves and wash and dry. To serve, scoop spoonfuls of noodle salad into the lettuce leaves. This makes beautiful presentation.
If you don't have Bibb lettuce, serve in a large colorful bowl.