A combination of a whole grain, light flavorful vinegarette, and lots of spring vegetables makes for a high protein, high fiber, vegetarian salad, side dish, or one bowl meal. Great as a side for Easter Ham or Lamb. Come on in Spring.
Feeds 8-10 as a side dish. Feeds 4-5 as base to a main course. Takes roughly 45 minutes to make.
1 cup of dried Barley, rinsed
2 cups of chopped, celery
1 small bunch of radish, cleaned and cut into matchsticks
5-6 green onions, sliced on the bias
Dill, 1/2 cup chopped
Dill pickles, 1/2 cup chopped
1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed
Dressing
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 T olive oil
2 T dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T agave syrup
1/2 tsp salt
generous cranks of black pepper
Boil water and cook barley according to package directions. Set aside to cool. To make dressing combine vinegar-black pepper and blend or whisk together until combined. Prepare all vegetables. When barley has cooled to room temp, add dressing and veg. Fold together to combine. Taste for salt and pepper, add if needed. If serving later you may add oil if salad seems to dry for you liking.
We NEED it but most of us don’t get enough of it. Why is it that most things we NEED, we don’t get enough of; water, sleep, patience, fun, magnesium? It’s likely most people don’t get enough magnesium because it’s found in minimally processed, whole foods, AND stress, caffeine and alcohol can cause excessive loss of magnesium. Women entering menopause can also experience a drop in magnesium as their levels of estrogen drop.
Why is magnesium so important? If you’re like most people you enjoy a good night sleep and a nice dump regularly. Magnesium is like the comfort zone mineral. Helping with some 300 bio-chemical reactions in the body, it helps regulate blood flow, blood sugar, nerve and muscle function, sleep, mood, and bowel. movements. It helps in balancing the states we associate with being comfortable. Without adequate amounts of magnesium, you could be experiencing cramps, headaches, depression, fatigue, brittle bones, reduced heart health, increased risk of stroke and diabetes.
Popping a magnesium supplement probably won’t stop a heart attack in its tracks but incorporating magnesium rich foods regularly, could prevent the worsening or the beginning of some major health disfunctions. While supplements may be necessary, that is something to discuss with a doctor. Too much magnesium from a supplement could be dangerous. Too much magnesium from food is impossible because excess will be passed through urine. My opinion is to always get as much nutrition from food as you can. By eating foods rich in magnesium, you will also be getting other important nutrients along with fiber, fat, protein, and enzymes that also play a crucial role in over all health. You can’t spot clean your health… wink.
They look like they’re covered in dirt, but they’re not. That’s the unique spice blend.
Here are some easy, popular food sources of magnesium. In a particular order, from highest amount to lowest, per oz.
Pumpkin seeds/pepitas, chia seeds, almonds, spinach, cashews, peanuts, black beans, edamame, brown rice, plain yogurt
Roasted Pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
Pumpkin seeds have 156 mg magnesium per ounce. The recommended daily for adult men and woman is 300-400mg/day. These guys are great for just snacking but also good as a salad crunchie, soup crunchie, mixed in a grain bowl, or on top of hummus. Start eating these and you’ll be sleeping and pooping like a baby in no time.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
10 oz pepitas, unroasted and unsalted
1 1/2 T pink Himalayan fine salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
1-2 tsp agave syrup
1-2 T olive oil
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss well to distribute oil, agave, and spices. On a foil lined baking sheet, spread out the prepared seeds. Place in the heated oven for 12-15 minutes, start watching after 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, laying out on the tray. Once fully cooled, seeds can be stored in a jar or container.
Make room on the holiday table for more fresh vegetables. This is a hearty salad perfect for cool weather, and pairs well with other traditional flavors of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Slightly bitter flavors of the greens and acidity of the dressing will cut the richness of some other holiday favorites (looking at you sweet potato casserole).
Feeds 6-8 as a side dish. Vegan and gluten free. Fairly quick to throw together but the rutabega does need roughly 60 min to roast. Good at room temperature but wait until ready to serve to add dressing.
Medium bunch of Frisse
1 small radicchio
2 small-medium rutabaga
? oz package of baby bella mushrooms
two small leeks
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 1/2 T agave syrup
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 garlic clove
1 T rosemary needles
1 tsp salt
black pepper
Preheat oven to 375. Wash frisse and radicchio and set aside to dry. Prepare the rutabaga for roasting by removing each end, and using a peeler, peel off the outer waxy layer. Cut each rutabaga into 1/2″ cubes, toss with a little oil and dash of salt and pepper. Spread on a lined and roast for close to 1 hour. Check after 30 min and toss around. Try to prevent rutabaga from getting too soft. After rutabaga is in the oven, remove the root end of leeks and wash well, making sure layers are free of dirt. Remove green end and slice the white portion in 1/4″ circles. Leave circle mostly intact for roasting to prevent burning. Place in a bowl. Slice mushrooms and add to the same bowl. Toss with a little oil and salt and spread on a lined baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 40-45 min, watching to not let the mushrooms shrivel too much. Tear 3-4 handfuls of frisse into managable pieces. Remove core from radicchio and thinly slice. To make dressing combine olive through pepper and blend or whisk vigorously. Lightly toast walnuts in a dry pan on the stove. Just before serving, combine frisse, radicchio, rutabaga, mushrooms and leeks in a large serving bowl. Add dressing (you may not need all of the dressing), and toss. Top with toasted walnuts and dried cranberries.
Another salad to lighten up the holiday table. Cheese can be left out to make this a vegan friendly dish to share and it’s also gluten free. Can be made a day before but not dressed and served at room temperature to optimize oven space; adding dressing and toppings just before serving.
1 # brussel sprouts (cooking spray)
1 medium butternut squash
3-4 stalks of celery, sliced
1/3 pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 T maple syrup
1 tsp miso paste
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With a sharp knife, remove the ends of the squash. Cut the squash in half where the round end starts to straighten out. Using the knife, carefully remove the outer skin of both halves. Cut the round end in half long ways, and remove seeds. Cut the squash into 1/2″ pieces and place in a bowl. Toss with a little oil and salt then spread onto a foil lined baking sheet. Roast squash for 15-20 minutes, checking and removing from the oven before it gets mushy. While squash is cooking, remove the tough ends of the brussel sprouts and slice thinly, placing in a bowl as you go. In batches, cook sliced brussels in cooking spray over medium heat, in a large non stick pan, just until tender. Set aside when finished. Wipe out the pan and place pumpkin seeds in a dry pan, toasting just until they begin to pop. Remove from pan and set aside. To make the dressing combine cider vinegar through salt in a bowl or blender and mix or blend until well combined. When all components are done. Place squash, brussel sprouts, and celery in a large bowl and toss with dressing. Once that is in it’s serving bowl. Top with pumpkin seeds and crumbled cheese. Salad can be served at room temperature but wait until just before serving to add dressing.
A summery twist on the average wedge salad. The BBQ dressing is creamy but light, using a low sugar BBQ sauce for big flavor and low fat yogurt for a creamy texture.
Feeds 4-6. 30-45 minutes
Recipe
1 head of iceberg lettuce
2 ears corn, kernels removed
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped banana peppers
Big pinch kosher salt
1 5.3 oz container of plain, low fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup low sugar BBQ sauce
1 tsp cider or rice vinegar
1 T water
Heaping 1/4 tsp salt
Start by hard boiling eggs. Bring salted water to a boil in a small sauce pan. Slide eggs into pan of boiling water, turn off heat, cover pan and let sit for 9-10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Combine corn through kosher salt in a small bowl and toss to combine. Set aside. To make dressing, combine yogurt through salt and whisk until combined. Peel cooled eggs and cut each in half. Cut iceberg lettuce into wedges. Place each wedge on a plate, drizzle with dressing. Toss corn, then spoon over each wedge. Place egg halves on each plate, drizzle with more dressing, if desired, and serve.
I’m not sure what to call this salad. This salad is everything that I love about Macaroni Salad without the macaroni. PASTA?!! I hardly ever eat pasta because my brain just sets off “bad food” alarms. Pasta is a five alarm emergency in my mind, which makes it hard to enjoy eating it. For everyone else, I believe that pasta in moderation has it’s place but I don’t give myself that much grace. My refined carb phobia is at the bottom of my “things to work on” list. If you, too, have a refined carb phobia, please enjoy this salad as a replacement for macaroni salad when you just want that creamy, crunchy salad next to some bbq chicken.
Serves 4-6 but could easily be doubled. Takes only 10-20 minutes. Gluten Free, Vegetarianish (contains egg)
Recipe
1 can of white beans.
2 eggs, hard boiled
1 c sliced celery
1/2 c diced onion
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/3 c diced dill pickles
1/2 c crème fraiche
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp white or rice vinegar
3/4 tsp agave
1/4 tsp salt (maybe less if pickles are ex salty)
Freshly ground black pepper, couple cranks
After you have hard boiled the eggs, drain and rinse the white beans. Place beans in a medium bowl with chopped eggs-pickles and gently mix. Combine crème fraiche-black pepper in a small bowl and mix to combine. Add crème fraiche mixture to the bean mixture and toss to combine, being carefull not to crush the beans. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Is it salad with noodles or noodles with vegetables? There’s lots of flexibility here with your ratios of vegetables, noodles and dressing. Also with the vegetables and noodles that you use. This is a “choose your own adventure” recipe. You could make this gluten free by using rice noodles. Adding chopped or shredded chicken is also a good addition for meat eaters. For that matter, you could also add shrimp or steak. With the exception of the main ingredients in the dressing/sauce, play around.
Don’t forget to save your pasta water!
Recipe
Takes 30-45 min. Feeds 4.
Vegan, dairy-free, nut-free
1/2 package of Whole Wheat Linguine
2 cups of shredded red cabbage
3 cups finely chopped kale
1 1/2 cups grated or matchstick carrots
1/2 of an English cucumber sliced
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped mint
3/4 cup tahini
1/3 cup + 1 T soy sauce or tamari
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sesame oil
3 1/2 T agave
1 1/2 T chili garlic sauce (spicy optional ingredient)
Juice of 1 lime
2-3” of fresh, peeled ginger root. If using tube ginger or pre-grated, maybe use extra
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp salt or to taste
Start by prepping the vegetables and herbs and set those aside. You may not want to add vegetables, like cucumbers, until right before serving. Keep that in mind and keep vegetables separated as you prep.
For the tahini sauce, I put everything in a Ninja Blender, so I throw in whole cloves of garlic and big chunks of ginger. If you are whisking by hand or using an emersion blender, finely mince or grate garlic and ginger. Either way, combine tahini-salt and blend or whisk until smooth. You can adjust this to make it saltier, spicier or sweeter.
Cook your pasta according to package directions, save pasta water as you drain after cooking. Place pasta in a large bowl. Add a splash of pasta water and toss to combine. While pasta is still warm, add SOME of the tahini sauce and toss. This recipe makes about 2 1/2 cups of sauce-don’t feel pressured to use it all at once. When the pasta has cooled to room temp, add vegetables and herbs, and more sauce if desired. Toss, let it sit for 15-20 min. to let the flavors settle (taste for saltiness. If you’ve gone overboard you can add lime juice to counteract too much salt) and serve. Garnish with sesame seeds and more herbs if you’d like.
Save leftover sauce in a jar or plastic container, adding more to leftovers or using for a dipping sauce, dressing for other salads, or thin out with more soy and use for marinade.
KP The Real 