Mexican Street Corn Salad

I had this salad at a friend's house and had to have the recipe!  The flavors are so fresh and yummy, with a touch of sweetness from the honey in the dressing.  Enjoy it with chips or alone, as a side dish!

Enjoy!

Kirsten

MEXICAN STREET CORN SALAD

Dressing

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cumin

Salad

Splash of oil

4 ears of corn (about 3 cups), shucked, raw, and kernels removed

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup canned black beans, drained & rinsed

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (can sub feta)

1) Mix all dressing ingredients and set aside.

2) Heat oil over medium/high heat in a large saute pan.  Add garlic and corn.  Cook about 15 minutes, flipping frequently, until corn begins to char a bit.  Gentry toss with lime juice and salt.

3) In a large bowl, combine corn mix, black beans, pepper, onion, cilantro and cheese.  Drizzle dressing over and serve either warm or cold.  Perfect over tacos, as a chip dip or by itself as a side dish!

NOTES:

~I used Greek yogurt from Aldi and I didn't need to add any milk.

~Fresh lime juice all the way!

~I used avocado oil, but canola or regular veggie oil would be just fine too.

~Cotija cheese is the best, but if you have a hard time finding it, feta works too and is delish!

Kirsten's Favorite Salad

After going Paleo recently (for elimination diet/allergy purposes), I came up with this little salad.  It's one of my favorite lunches!  I hope you like it!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

KIRSTEN'S FAVORITE SALAD

2-3 cups of your favorite greens
1 cup grilled chicken, chopped
1/2 cup of your favorite cheese, shredded or crumbled
1/2 cup small broccoli florets
1/8 cup sunflower seeds
1/8 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons poppy seed dressing

1)  Place the greens in a large bowl or plate and top with the other ingredients.

2)  Toss with the dressing and enjoy!

NOTES:

~I like to use a variety of greens such as, baby spinach, kale, butter lettuce and romaine.

~For the chicken, I grill up 5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts at a time, lightly seasoned with a little salt and paprika.  I chop them and put them into baggies in 1 cup servings, then I freeze them until I'm ready to use them.

~I like to use Monterey jack or Colby cheese.  I used to buy pre shredded, but after realizing they add a filler to keep the cheese from sticking together, I buy it in bricks and shred it myself, it's more natural that way.  This would also be delicious with bleu or gorgonzola cheese!  If you go that route, I might change the poppy seed to a raspberry vinaigrette!

~I had fresh blueberries from Michigan, but you could really use any berry in this recipe.  You can play with it and omit or add whatever you like!  This mix is just one of my favorites.

Parmesan Chicken Salad

Another creation I came up with yesterday to take to a church BBQ!  I had a rotisserie chicken in the fridge, so I used the meat and came up with this super yummy chicken salad!  I didn't measure anything, so I'll make my best guess on the amounts!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PARMESAN CHICKEN SALAD

3 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup red grapes, halved

1)  Mix the chicken, mayo and mustard until well combined.

2)  Stir in the almonds and parmesan.

3)  Fold in the grapes.

4)  Serve plain, on crackers, bread or lettuce wraps.

NOTES:

~As I said, I guessed on the amounts I used.  When I make it again, I'll measure and change the amounts if necessary, but this is my best guess.

Rice Vinegar Asian Salad

Just finished tossing this together for dinner tonight.  Going to serve it with some Tilapia.  It was one of the easiest recipes I've ever made.  It was done in no time and it's healthy and delicious!  I'm not sure if my kids will like it, but I know my husband will!  It would make a great snack!  Crunchy, tangy, a little spicy, and fun to eat with chop sticks!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: The recipe comes from Allergy-Proof Recipes for Kids, by Leslie Hammond and Lynne Marie Rominger.

RICE VINEGAR ASIAN SALAD

1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 - 16 oz. bag prepared coleslaw cabbage
Cayenne or black pepper to taste
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 tablespoon toasted sunflower seeds

1)  In a large bowl, mix together vinegar, vegetable oil, ginger, olive oil and honey.

2)  Stir in cabbage mixture, pepper, and scallions until thoroughly coated.  Toss in sunflower seeds and stir.

NOTES:

~I did use rice vinegar, but if you don't have it, this recipe would be delicious with apple cider vinegar too.

~I'm not a big fan of vegetable oil and most canola oil is GMO.  I would recommend something healthier like safflower oil.  I'm wondering if peanut oil would give it a nuttier flavor maybe?

~When it was done, I thought it was too tart, so I added an extra tablespoon of honey!  Play around with it until you are satisfied!  Even with the tablespoon I added, it was still pretty tart.

~I used 1/4 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper and I thought it was just the right amount of spice.  For my kids, I might use a little less.

~I toasted the sunflower seeds by placing aluminum foil on a baking sheet, spraying it with non-stick cooking spray and baking them at 375F for 5-6 minutes.  When you can smell them, they are done!  Let them cool before throwing them into the salad.  Also, I used more than a tablespoon, probably more like 1/4 cup.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

This is one of my favorite recipes and it has come in handy this week, since I am doing a two-week elimination diet.  I had it as a snack last night after dinner.  It's fresh, tangy, crunchy and of course, gluten-free!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD

3 tomatoes, chopped
2 large cucumbers, peeled and chopped or sliced
1/2 a large onion, peeled and sliced into strips

Dressing:

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt

1)  Place the cucumber and onion in a medium sized glass bowl.

2)  Add the tomatoes and toss.

3)  Make the dressing by combining all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisking until combined.

4)  Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss.

5)  Add salt & pepper to taste.  Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors combine.

NOTES:

~I recommend using Roma tomatoes because they are meatier with less excess juice.

~You can alter the amount of veggies you use.  If you like less tomato, great, more onion, perfect.  This is a very flexible recipe that you can tailor to your personal preferences!

~I like to add a sweetener to cut the tang of the vinegar a little.  You could use honey, agave, cane sugar or stevia.  I usually add some stevia to mine, so it has the sweetness without the calories.

~This salad is also delicious if you replace the oregano with dill.

~If you like a little "heat", add a couple of pinches of cayenne or red chili pepper.

Southwestern Two-Bean Salad

Another recipe from my cousin Kristin.  Super yummy salad, perfect for summer BBQ's!  Loads of protein, fresh flavors and gluten-free!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: The recipe comes from the Pampered Chef "The Great Outdoors" cook book.

SOUTHWESTERN TWO-BEAN SALAD

Dressing:

1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Salad:

2 - 15 ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 - 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 - 15 1/4 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped (1/4 - 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro

1)  For dressing, whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar, cumin, oregano, salt and black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

2)  For salad, place drained and rinsed beans in a large bowl.  Add all other salad ingredients and toss until mixed.

3)  Add dressing to bean mixture and mix gently.  Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours to allow flavors to blend.

NOTES:

~The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of sugar, but we use only 1/2 a tablespoon and it's plenty sweet.

Tabouleh Salad

This is a recipe that I got from my cousin Kristin.  She made it for a family get together and I had to have the recipe!  It's super healthy, delicious and of course, gluten-free!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

TABOULEH SALAD

1 cup quinoa (cooked)
1 cup loosely packed, roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1 cup diced cucumber

DRESSING:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1) To prepare the dressing, in a small non-reactive bowl, whisk together all ingredients.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

2)  In a large salad bowl, toss together the parsley, tomatoes, green onions and cucumber.

3)  Add the quinoa (after it has cooled).

4)  Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.

5)  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Mexican Quinoa Salad

We had a big potluck luncheon at our school last week and one of the moms made this delicious salad!  Everyone was raving about it and asking for the recipe!  The flavors are fresh and the quinoa is packed with protein!  It's a great meatless meal and it's super yummy!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

MEXICAN QUINOA SALAD

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed with cold water and drained
1/2 cup seeded and chopped red or yellow bell peppers
1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced finely (optional)
1 small red onion, or 2 green onions, chopped fine
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can pinto or other beans (red kidney or black), drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup salsa
Juice of 1 lime (or two if small or not super juicy)
1 tablespoon canola oil
Freshly ground pepper
Sea salt

1)  Heat the water to boiling in a 2-quart saucepan and add the quinoa.  Lower the heat to medium-low and cover.  Cook until the liquid is absorbed, 15-20 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool.

2)  When the quinoa has cooled, add the peppers, onions, tomatoes, beans, cumin, cilantro, salsa, oil and lime juice.

3)  Season with salt and pepper and toss to blend well.  Chill before serving.

NOTES:

~The lady who made it doubled the recipe (the single recipe serves 4) and she also doubled the lime juice per recipe.

~I don't recommend using canola oil, because it is GMO, so I would recommend grape seed oil instead.

7-Layer Salad

This is another family recipe - from my mother-in-love!  She makes it for most holiday dinners and I will probably carry on that tradition.  It's not a super kid-friendly salad, but as they grow, they will love it - it is flavorful and has just a hint of sweetness!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

7-LAYER SALAD

1/2 head Iceberg lettuce
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped green onion (all of it)
1 pound frozen peas (do not thaw)
1 1/2 cups Helmans (or your favorite) Mayo
1/4 cup sugar
1 - 8 ounce package shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled or diced
Grated Parmesan cheese

1)  Layer vegetables in 13x9x2 baking dish in order, with the lettuce on the bottom.

2)  In a separate bowl, mix mayo and sugar.  Spread mayo mix on top of frozen peas w/ a spatula.

3)  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

4)  Top with cheddar cheese and then bacon.

5)  Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate over night for best flavor.

NOTES:

~To make sure it's gluten-free,  check your bacon label!

~To make it dairy-free, just use a cheese substitute for the cheddar and leave the parmesan off.

Pistachio Pudding Salad

This is my niece Erin's favorite - and one of mine too.  It's super sweet and super yummy!  It always goes quickly at potlucks and parties!  You've probably had it at one time or another, it's a very popular recipe.

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PISTACHIO PUDDING SALAD

1 small box pistachio pudding mix
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 (8 ounce) Cool Whip
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)

1)  Combine pistachio pudding mix and pineapple (with the juice).

2)  Add marshmallows, Cool Whip and nuts.

3)  Mix, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Ish's Grape Broccoli Salad

So, you might be wondering who in the world Ish is!  Well, that is my mother-in-love.  She is this wonderful woman who loves me like I'm her own daughter.  She made this recipe a couple of years ago and I had to have it.  It's delicious!!  Oh, her name is really Genny (Genevie), but without giving you the long story, my boys call her Ish!  You are going to love her salad, I promise!  It's always a crowd pleaser!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

ISH'S GRAPE BROCCOLI SALAD

3 cups chopped broccoli tops
2 cups chopped cauliflower
1-2 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup red onion (optional)
2 cups red grapes, cut in half
2 cups green grapes, cut in half
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing:

1 cup real mayo
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar

1)  Mix all ingredients (except bacon) in a large bowl.

2)  Pour dressing over and mix well.

3)  Add bacon just before serving.

NOTES:

~This is a huge recipe, but it can be cut down or increased, depending on the size of the crowd you are feeding!

~It's also a very flexible recipe.  If you don't like celery, leave it out!  If you love nuts, throw some in.  You can play with it and make it your own!

Perfect Taco Salad

This recipe is INCREDIBLE if you like taco salad!  It's my favorite.  Sadly, being gluten-free, I can no longer enjoy the Doritos in it, but it is still delicious!  And you could always substitute tortilla chips to give it a little crunch.

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: I got the recipe from my sister-in-law, but I know it's a very popular recipe.  I have no idea from where it actually originated.

PERFECT TACO SALAD

2 pounds ground beef
1 package gluten-free taco seasoning
1 large head iceberg lettuce, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bottle Catalina salad dressing
1 large package shredded cheddar cheese
1 large bag Doritos, broken into pieces

1)  Brown the ground beef, drain and add the taco seasoning.

2)  Put the beef mixture into a large bowl.  Add the lettuce, onion and tomatoes and toss.

3)  Just before serving, add the chips and cheese and toss again.

4)  Add the dressing, mix well and serve.

NOTES:

~If you are gluten-free, you cannot add the Doritos, but like I said above, you could substitute some gluten-free tortilla chips.

Cajun Chicken Salad

This is another delicious salad, perfect for summertime - or anytime!  It's packed with protein and packed with flavor!  Just check the ingredients in your Cajun seasoning to make sure it's gluten-free.  If you are dairy-free, you can buy dairy-free ranch dressing.

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: This recipe comes from The Pampered Chef Casual Cooking (Easy Recipes for Indoors and Out).

CAJUN CHICKEN SALAD

Spiced Pecans

3/4 cup pecan halves
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

Salad

1 small yellow summer squash, sliced and cut in half
1 small green bell pepper, seeded, cut into rings and quartered
1 cup cherry tomato halves
1 package (10 ounces) mixed salad greens with romaine and leaf lettuce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4-6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
3/4 cup ranch salad dressing

1)  Preheat oven to 350F.  For spiced pecans, toss pecans with oil in a small bowl.  Sprinkle with combined sugar and Cajun seasoning; toss until coated.  Spread pecans in single layer over bottom of baking sheet.  Bake 10 minutes until lightly toasted.  Remove from oven; cool.

2)  Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium coals.  Meanwhile, for salad, cut summer squash into slices and then cut in half.  Cut bell pepper into rings; cut rings into quarters.  Cut cherry tomatoes in half.  Toss vegetables with greens;  put on platter; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3)  Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.  Brush with oil.  Rub with Cajun seasoning.  Place chicken on on grill.  Grill, uncovered, 12-15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center, turning occasionally.

4)  Remove chicken from grill.  Cut chicken crosswise into slices.  Arrange chicken over salad.  Sprinkle with spiced pecans.  Drizzle with ranch dressing and serve.

NOTES:

~The spiced pecans are so delicious - you can make extra and have them for a healthy snack!

Strawberry Spinach Salad

This is one of my favorite summertime salads - but it's so good, you could have it anytime of the year!  And the dressing, oh my goodness, the dressing, I could drink it with a straw it's so good!  It's also gluten and dairy-free!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

PS: This recipe comes from The Pampered Chef Casual Cooking (Easy Recipes for Indoors and Out) cookbook, which has some other awesome recipes in it as well!

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

Dressing:

1 lemon
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Salad:

1/4 cup sliced natural almonds, toasted
8 ounces (1 1/2 cups) strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/2 medium cucumber, sliced and cut in half
1/4 small red onion, sliced into thin wedges (1/4 cup)
1 package (6 ounces) baby spinach

1)  For dressing, zest the lemon to measure 1/2 teaspoon zest.  Juice lemon to measure 2 tablespoons juice.  Combine zest, juice, vinegar, sugar, oil and poppy seeds in a small bowl.  Whisk until well blended.  Cover; refrigerate until ready to use.

2)  Preheat oven to 350F.  For salad, spread almonds in single layer over bottom of baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly toasted.  Remove from oven; cool.

3)  Meanwhile, hull strawberries; cut into quarters.

4)  Cut cucumber in half lengthwise.  Remove seeds with a spoon.  Cut into slices, then cut in half.

5)  Slice onion into thin wedges.

6)  Place spinach in large serving bowl; add strawberries, cucumber and onion.  Whisk dressing; pour over salad, gently tossing to coat.  Sprinkle with almonds.  Serve immediately.

Caramel Apple Salad

My friend Stacy gave me this recipe, so I'm not sure where it originally came from, but it is AWESOME!!  If you are dairy-free, you can't do the Cool Whip, and I haven't looked into non-dairy options for that yet, but I'm sure they're out there!  This is very easy to whip up and everyone raves about it and has seconds, and thirds!

Enjoy,
Kirsten

CARAMEL APPLE SALAD

6 small granny smith apples, skin on, cored and chopped (toss in lemon juice to keep from discoloring)

16 oz Cool Whip
3 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
6-8 Snickers bars
Caramel ice cream topping (optional)
Peanuts (optional)

1)  Mix Cool Whip and pudding mix together in a large bowl, mixture will seem a little lumpy.

2)  Add apples and snickers.

3)  Chill for at least an hour.  Before serving, drizzle with warm caramel sauce and peanuts (if desired).

Easy Summer Coleslaw

This is coleslaw, with a kick!  My husband and I love it!  I don't think many kids would eat coleslaw, but if you want to give it a try, maybe leave out the red pepper flakes to make it more kid friendly!  Also, if your kids like raisins, a handful of those thrown in could make it have more "kid appeal" and would add a little sweetness to it in the process!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

EASY SUMMER COLESLAW

4 cups shredded cabbage
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1)  Place shredded cabbage into a large serving bowl.

2)  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all other ingredients.

3)  Pour over cabbage and toss until well coated.  Refrigerate or serve.

NOTES:

~I buy a whole head of cabbage and cut it up into strips with a sharp knife.  You could use a food processor if you like it finely chopped.