Kale & Apple Salad with Capicola and Candied Almonds

Meal prep Sunday. Made these salads for work for tomorrow.

1/4 c blanched slivered almonds
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Kosher salt

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 slices Capicola, finely diced
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp caper brine (from a jar of capers)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 fuji apple, cut into matchsticks
Half of a bunch kale (about 4 oz)—stems discarded, leaves finely shredded

4 hard-boiled eggs, halved

Preheat a toaster oven to 200°. In a bowl, cover the almonds with water. Transfer to a sieve and shake out the water. In another bowl, combine the sugar, cayenne and a sprinkle of salt. Add the almonds and toss. Arrange the almonds on parchment paper–lined baking sheet and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sugar is lightly caramelized and the almonds are golden.

In a skillet, heat the oil with the capicola and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, 2 -3 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, caper brine and maple syrup and season the dressing with salt and black pepper. Add the apples and kale and toss. Add eggs. Eat!

Jicama Corn Apple Salad

Ingredients:

1 large jicama (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, julienned 

1/2 fuji apple, julienned

1 can corn, rinsed, drained

1/2 jalapeno, diced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice from 2 limes

Juice from 1/2 an orange

2 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 avocado chopped

Salt

Method
Toss together the jicama, apple, corn, jalapeno, red onion, avocado, and cilantro in a large serving bowl. Pour lime and orange juice and over all. Season generously with salt.

Let sit a half an hour before serving.

Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad

I saw this on a friends FB page and it was all over IG for a hot minute too so I decided to make it. It tasted really similar to a ceviche (and especially since I chopped my shrimp). Super yummy!

Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 7/8 cup • Old Points: 4 pt • Points+: 5 pt
Calories: 210.4 • Fat: 9.2 g • Protein: 25.1 g • Carb: 7.8 g • Fiber: 3.6 g • Sugar: 0.6
Sodium without salt: 260.8 mg

1 lb jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1 hass avocado, diced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced fine
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 limes, juice of
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.

In a large bowl combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, jalapeño. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Toasted Quinoa Salad with Shrimp and Snowpeas

Found this on a website and it called for scallops instead of shrimp. I also upped the amount of snow peas and bell pepper for my dish. Came out slammin'!

Active Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
4 teaspoons reduced-sodium tamari, or soy sauce, divided
4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed well (see Tip)
2 teaspoons grated or minced garlic
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups trimmed and diagonally sliced snow peas, (1/2 inch thick)
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

PREPARATION
Toss shrimp with 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce) in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Place a large, high-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil and quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa begins to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover and cook over medium heat until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (Do not stir.) Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in snow peas and bell pepper, cover and let stand for 5 minutes more.
Meanwhile, whisk 3 tablespoons canola oil, the remaining 2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce), vinegar and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the quinoa mixture; toss to combine.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons canola oil and cook the shrimp until pink. Gently stir the shrimp into the quinoa salad. Serve garnished with cilantro and scallions, if desired.

Watermelon, Mâche, and Pecan Salad

It's spring time! You know what that means? Time for some spring salads! This one I found online and decided to make because it seemed different and I had purchased the gorgonzola for another recipe anyway - I was half way there! I enjoyed the peppery aftertaste with the sweetness of the watermelon and the nuttiness of the pecans really heightened the dish. Note: I almost burned the crap out of my pecans. Toast with caution folks!

Ingredients
3/4 cup chopped pecans
5 cups seeded and cubed watermelon
1 (6-oz.) package mâche, thoroughly washed (I didn't have mâche, so I used bib lettuce -which according to the interwebs is an acceptable substitute...that or watercress.)
Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette (see below)
1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake at 350° for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes or until completely cool.
2. Combine watermelon and mâche in a large bowl; add vinaigrette, tossing gently to coat. Transfer watermelon mixture to a serving platter, and sprinkle evenly with pecans and cheese.

Ingredients
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup pepper jelly
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grated onion (I used shallots instead)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preparation
1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients. Gradually add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until blended.

L'apicio

There's a fairly new spot on 1st Ave called L'apicio. I went here for brunch with a friend a while back and since then I've been obsessed with their grilled endive and radicchio salad. I've tried recreating it at home and the best I've got is this:

Ingredients
1 small radicchio, chopped
5 or 6 endive, washed and cut lengthwise
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
fresh cracked pepper
1 lemon
1 tsp mint, finely chopped
1/4 c shaved parmesan
salt to taste

Make it:
The best way to do this is on an honest grill, but if you don't have a BBQ then use a grill pan. Generously brush the endive with olive oil and salt and place on a hot grill pan. Cook for about 3 minutes then flip to the other side and cook another 4 minutes. Chargrilled marks are good for you! While the endive is grilling mix the remaining olive oil, vinegar, juice from the lemon and cracked pepper in a small bowl. Add the radicchio and mix well. Let the radicchio sit for a good ten minutes. At the last minute, plate the radicchio and then top with the endive. Add the mint and shaved parmesan on top. Dig in!

Today's healthy tip is....SALAD!!!!
Get creative with your salad. You don't need to eat romaine or (heaven forbid ICEBERG) every day. Mix it up! Like the salad above, you can make your meal with just about any veggies and the creativity will keep it from becoming boring (and you from straying from your diet). For more salad ideas click the label in my blog. :)

Caprese Salad with Chicken

I love a cold salad with warm chicken. So yummy. This salad is freaking delicious already. I made mine different by using the smaller tomatoes, but they work perfect for a salad. The chicken makes it a meal, momma! These flavors are classic - the fresh basil with the salty mozzarella and the sweet tomato play well with the tangy balsamic vinegar. I could eat this all day, every day.


Ingredients
2 chicken breast, cubed
1 container grape tomatoes, halved (I chose the yellow ones)
8 oz. Formaggio Fresh All Natural Mozzarella (the fresher, the better!)
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (aged if you have it)
8 - 10 large fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp garlic powder
Sea salt to taste
Freshly cracked or ground or coarse black pepper

Directions
Spray frying pan with cooking spray and turn heat to medium. Add cubes of chicken, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook till golden brown (about 20 minutes). Toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, and balsamic vinegar. Slice the basil into rough pieces and toss into the salad. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerated to serve a little bit later too. Serve with fresh Italian bread, if desired.

Jicama Salad

Weekend brunches always call for a salad dinner. I tried to eat healthy today, but we went to Queens Comfort in Astoria (a place known for their mac and cheese and chicken 'n waffles). Needless to say, my corn flake crusted chicken sandwich was fried. Even without a bun, I felt guilty eating it. Tonight - grilled chicken and a refreshing jicama salad on the side. Can't beat that. I love the heat that creeps up with this dish, yet it's super crisp and refreshing. Hmm...I think I want summer time.

Ingredients

1 large jicama (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, then julienned or cubed (easiest to work with if you cut the jicama in half first)
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 a large cucumber, seeded, chopped
1 navel orange, peel cut away, sliced crosswise, then each round quartered
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup lime juice
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of paprika
Salt

Optional
1/2 avocado chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil

Make it

Toss together the jicama, bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, orange, and cilantro in a large serving bowl. Pour lime juice over all. Sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne and paprika. Season generously with salt. Let sit a half an hour before serving.

Arugula and Endive Salad

Went to a dinner party the other night. My responsibility was to bring a salad. I brought a good one.

Ingredients:
1 container baby arugula
2 endive, chopped
1 granny smith apple, diced
1/2 cup sliced roasted almonds
1/4 c dried cranberries

Dressing:
EVOO
Aged balsamic vinegar

Add it all together. Dress. Serve.

Vietnamese Cabbage and Chicken Salad

I came home from work and didn't feel like cooking at all. I was about to order a pizza when I stopped myself. No! I'm going to make something healthy! And I did. This salad is so crisp, flavorful and refreshing. I feel awesome eating it. I found the recipe on Food and Wine and altered it slightly.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3)
3 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, sliced
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger
2 cups water
1 head green cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds), shredded (about 2 1/2 quarts)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
3 carrots, grated
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1 cup coarse-chopped mint, basil, cilantro, or dill, or a combination
1 apple, such as Granny Smith or Fuji, cored and thinly sliced

Rub the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. In a medium saucepan, combine the jalapeño, ginger, and water. Bring to a simmer, add the chicken, and cover the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the chicken steam for 5 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the saucepan; when they are cool enough to handle, pull them into shreds.
Meanwhile, in a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the cabbage with the vinegar, fish sauce, lime juice, and the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Toss and let stand for 10 minutes.
Add the carrots, onions, 1/2 cup of the herbs, and the apple to the cabbage mixture. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Serve the salad topped with the chicken and the remaining 1/2 cup herbs. (I mixed mine all up and I topped it with sliced almonds)

Kale Salad with Pecorino and Lemon

Ok, got this recipe here and the photo. Unfortunately, we made and ate our salad too quickly to get a proper photo. My recipe was identical except I added sliced almonds.

Note about Pecorino cheese. It's a sheep's milk cheese related to Parmesan, but stronger and more robust. Parmesan can be substituted in this recipe. But we really prefer the Pecorino - its strong, salty taste balances the meaty flavor and thick texture of the kale.

Ingredients:
1 large bunch kale, washed and trimmed of stems
4 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Roll several kale leaves lengthwise and using the point of a chef's knife, cut away the thick center stem. Discard. Roll the remaining stack of de-veined leaves into a tight cigar shape and slice into thin ribbons.

Toss the shaved kale with the cheese. Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil and pour over the salad. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Let the salad sit at room temperature for an hour before serving.

Kale Salad with Oranges and Cashews

Found this on eatliverun and made it without avocado and cashews instead of almonds. Makes one giant salad (with leftover dressing).

Ingredients:
1 bunch lacinato kale (“dinosaur” kale”), washed and roughly chopped
2 juicy oranges
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sliced toasted almonds
pinch of sea salt
pinch of black pepper

Directions:
First, make the dressing. Combine the juice of one orange with the olive oil, pinch of sea salt and pepper. Shake or stir until very well combined. Set aside.

To assemble the salad, peel the other orange and separate the sections (peeling off the white pith as best you can). Chop orange sections roughly and place in a bowl with the kale and cashews.

Drizzle about half the dressing over salad and toss well to coat. Enjoy now or stick in the fridge and eat later (this salad will stay good for a couple days in a covered container in the fridge). Dressing will stay good in a sealed jar for a about a week.

Mirin Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:
1 cucumber

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
4 tsp. mirin
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. sugar


What you do:
Peel green from cucumber. Cut the cucumber in half and deseed. Cut into thin slices. Place them into a bowl and set aside. Place the soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, and sugar into a small container with a secure lid. Put the lid on and shake to create the vinaigrette dressing. Pour the vinaigrette over the cucumber, toss to coat, cover, and marinate for 1 hour, stirring once or twice. Just before serving, sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top.

Warm Brussel Sprouts and Red Cabbage Salad

 You are not going to believe me when I tell you that my husband ate every bit of this, but he did. He loved it. Why? Because I made my vegetables so slutty that he couldn't help but love this. Plus, I mean - I liked it too but I love cabbage anyway so there's really no contest. Also, look how pretty this is! Let's get started...

 This is what I mean when I say "make them slutty". Start with 4 pieces of diced of bacon. Fry it up until crispy and then add in diced up chorizo (about 1/2 cup). Just throw it right in with the bacon grease and all. Oh, I used a hickory smoked bacon and it was awesome. Get that if you can. Next step, add about 1 small yellow diced up onion. Let cook until onions are tender. Oh boy - all this bacon and chorizo is sure making my vegetable dish a whore!

 Next - add your red cabbage (chopped - about 4 cups or 1/2 a large cabbage) and your brussel sprouts (about 3 to 4 cups as well). Make sure you cut the bottoms off the sprouts and cut them in half before dumping into the pot. Give it a good stir and let cook for a few minutes before adding 1 cup of chicken broth. Let it cook for awhile (about 10 - 15 minutes or so) until the cabbage is tender.

I served mine with chicken because I wanted a trio of meat in this dish. It was super yummy and even though you got some bad stuff in there, you could still take her home to mom...or to work the next day for lunch. Enjoy!

Annie's Organic Shitake Sesame Dressing

A friend of mine was raving about this particular salad dressing the other day so I thought I'd give it a whirl. I must begin with the fact that I have never been a fan of mushrooms; however, I was also not a fan of olives and now I love them. I think my taste is changing. I've had mushrooms (aka fungus) in a few things recently and didn't mind them. I think they just need to be cooked properly or seasoned properly too. So anyhoo - I decided to get this dressing and boy am I glad. It's amazing. If you aren't a fan of the fungus, you need to try this. It will change your mind! I prepared mine on a chicken salad. Here's how to make it:

3 oz grilled chicken breast, chopped
handful cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups fresh baby spinach, rinsed
1/4 c walnuts
2 tbsp chopped shallots
2 tbsp Annie's Organic Shitake Sesame dressing

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl making sure to coat everything well with dressing and serve!

Moroccan Lentil Salad

This dish is loaded with flavor. I found it on a site called mynewroots.com where the blogger tries to show you how to eat healthy every day. I've had my Trader Joe's lentils in the fridge for a hot minute and now I'm excited to cook up lunch. Obviously, this recipe calls for you to cook your lentils. I left that in there. Since mine were cooked already, I skipped that step. I would highly recommend you make this for lunch or as a side dish with dinner. It is super fresh and very flavorful. I labeled this as Moroccan because of the spice blend. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups (1 lb.) Du Puy lentils
1 medium red onion, diced
1 cup dried currants (you could also use raisins or other dried fruit - I used craisins)
1/3 cup capers

Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (I used Light syrup)
1 Tbsp. strong mustard (I used Nathan's Coney Island Spicy Brown)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric*
1/2 tsp. ground coriander*
½ tsp ground cardamom*
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. ground cloves*
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg*
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon*

* If you have these individually great, if not use about 1 1/2 tbsp ras el hanout

Optional add-ins:
Arugula
Walnuts
Goat cheese
Fresh herbs: flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, basil (I added basil and cilantro)
Sprouts
Crispy seasonal veggies

Directions:

1. Rinse lentils well, drain. Place in a pot and cover with a 3-4 inches of water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Check lentils for doneness after 15 minutes, but they should take about 20 minutes in total. You will know they are cooked if they still retain a slight tooth – al dente! Overcooking the lentils is the death of this dish. Be careful!

2. While the lentils are simmering, make the dressing by placing all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.

3. Finely dice red onion - the salad is best if all the ingredients are about the same size. If using raisins, chop them roughly to make them a bit smaller, and do the same with the capers if they are large.

4. When the lentils are cooked, remove from heat, drain and place under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled slightly but still a little warm, place lentils in a large serving bowl and toss with dressing. Add other onion, capers, and currants. If using other add-ins such as herbs, greens, or cheese, wait until just before serving. Otherwise, this salad can hang out in the fridge for a couple days.

Green bean Chicken Salad

This is super simple and you could leave out the chicken if you wanted this to just be a side dish. I was really satisfied after eating this and felt pretty happy about myself for not eating any processed carbs.

What you need:
One bag of green beans (about 4 giant handfuls)
1c cherry tomatoes (halved)
3 tbsp fat-free feta cheese
1 tsp olive oil
6 oz chicken breast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste

What you do:
Cook the chicken breast in a frying pan with a little bit of non-stick spray and the chopped garlic. When cooked, remove from pan and let cool. Cut into slices. On the stove, steam the green beans for about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove green beans and let cool for a minute or two. Sprinkle garlic powder on the beans. In a separate bowl, add tomatoes, cooked green beans (they can still be warm), feta, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix and plate. Add chicken on top. Viola!

Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Bacon, Parmesan and Cranberries

I don't know if it's because I hiked for 3 hours today and was ravenous when I finally got home, or if this salad was simply the best thing ever. I'm going with the best thing ever. My god - I couldn't shovel fork fulls of this in my mouth fast enough, it was that outstanding. (And also hard to get a lot on your fork at once because the sprouts were shredded so finely). I served with Trader Joe's bulgogi. It was a first time purchase and it won't be my last - the flavors were authentic and the meat was delicious! Another dinner success!

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup (1/8 ounce) tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
4 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled (I used turkey bacon!)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or Craisins)
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp kosher salt
cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Holding each Brussels sprout by stem end, cut into very thin slices using a mandolin or the slicer blade in a food processor. Toss in a bowl to separate layers. (Tip: Trader Joe's sells shredded brussel sprouts already!) Add pine nuts, bacon, cranberries and parmesan cheese.

To make the vinaigrette whisk mustard and vinegar together. Drizzle in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss to combine.

Shrimp on Baby Lettuces

Trying to stay fueled during the day, but not weighed down? This salad is super light but keeps you going with the protein from the shrimp. The fried onions add just the right amount of crunch and makes the salad less boring. The shrimp mixture is really light - you can more Old Bay or red pepper if youwant more flavor/heat.

Ingredients:
6 oz shrimp, cleaned with tails removed
2 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
fresh ground pepper
dash Old Bay
dash crushed red pepper
dash of salt
1cup baby lettuce, rinsed
2 tsp Fried Onions (salad topping)

In a small bowl combine all ingredients except shrimp, lettuce and fried onions. Pour mixture over the shrimp and let sit for 20 minutes. Remove shrimp from mixture and arrange on lettuce. Top with onions.

Champagne Supernova Salad

 I decided to make a colorful salad to accompany my dinner. This is a modified version of a salad that I found on a website about eating well. I think one serving is around 110 calories. Not too shabby. I love how crisp everything tastes and the contrasts I get from the tangy flavor of the dressing to the sweetness of the apple.

INGREDIENTS
4 cups thinly sliced hearts of romaine
2 heads Belgian endive, cored and thinly sliced
1 bulb fennel, trimmed, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 head radicchio, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
1 red apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
1/4 c slivered almonds
Champagne Vinaigrette Dressing, (recipe follows)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING:
1/2 shallot, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

PREPARATION
Toss romaine, endive, fennel, radicchio, apple and almonds together in a large salad bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to coat. Season with pepper.

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare salad without dressing, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Toss with vinaigrette just before serving.