Tag: salad

Kale and Wheat Berry Salad with Tempeh

Melissa King 18 Comments

Are you thinking about getting more kale in your diet, but don’t like the taste/texture?  Then this recipe is for you!  I am right there with you.  The first time I tried kale, I gagged.  I did not like it’s taste.  Up until now, I was able to mask it in smoothies and juice.  I also made an occasional batch of kale chips, but that was it.

kale and wheat berry salad blurred watermark

The key to masking the kale is removing the stems and chopping the leaves up fine in the food processor.   Even my husband who says he hates kale, ate this salad.  I used organic and  non GMO tempeh in my recipe, but feel free to replace it with any other protein you like.  For those of you that are unfamiliar with tempeh, it is made from fermented soybeans.  Fermented soy products contain some health benefits, but they are best used in moderation.  Tempeh has a earthy and nutty taste that goes well with the wheat berries.  Also, since most of the soy in this country is GMO, it’s best to look for a brand that is non GMO verified.  If you are gluten free, just replace the wheat berries with quinoa and it will be just as delicious!

Kale and Wheat Berry Salad with Tempeh

Kale and Wheat Berry Salad with Tempeh

print shopping list
Prep Time 30 min Cook Time 20 min

Ingredients

  • 2 carrots shredded
  • large bunch kale (stems removed. Save them for juicing)
  • 1 pkg tempeh or any other protein sliced in 1 inch cubes
  • 2 cups cooked wheat berries or quinoa
  • 2 T toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cinder vinegar
  • 1/4 cup mirin
  • 1 T soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 -2 tsp fresh ginger minced
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the wheat berries according to the package instructions.  I cooked mine the day before I made this salad. 
  2. Using a food processor , chop the carrots and kale.  You may have to do each one separately. 
  3. In a sauce pan , combine the sesame oil and tempeh and saute for a few minutes on medium heat. 
  4. Once the tempeh has started to cook, add in the carrots and kale and cook for a couple more minutes.  You also may have to add a tiny bit more oil. 
  5. While all of that is cooking, combine the apple cider vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, garlic, salt and ginger. 
  6. Lastly, add the cooked wheat berries and the dressing and cook for another minute. 
  7. Remove from heat and serve immediately or refrigerate for later.  Enjoy!

by

Wheat Berry Salad with Cranberries

Melissa King 23 Comments

On Memorial Day, my daughter wanted to have a picnic at the park.  It was kind of impromptu, so we stopped by Whole Foods to pick up a few things.  One thing we got was this delicious salad with wild rice and kamut.  I decided right there that I would have to create my own version.

wheat berries watermark

I used wheat berries and black rice instead of kamut and wild rice.  It turned out even better that way.  This is perfect for summer.  If you have never had wheat berries, they have a nutty flavor that goes perfect with the long grain black rice.  This is the kind of meal that will keep you full for quite some time.  Since it contains wheat berries and black rice, it could be a complete meal as well.

Wheat Berry Salad with Cranberries

Wheat Berry Salad with Cranberries

print shopping list
Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 30 min

Ingredients

  • 2 cups wheat berries
  • 7 cups water
  • 1 cup long grain black rice
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 T fresh thyme
  • 2 T fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • Juice from 1 large orange or 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 2-3 T oil (I used avocado oil)
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Put the 2 cups of wheat berries and 7 cups of water in a large pot on the stove. 
  2. Bring to a boil and then turn down, cover and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed.
  3. Cook the rice according to the package instructions.  You can even do both of these steps a day ahead if you like.  I did that myself. 
  4. Once the rice and wheat berries are cooled, add in the thyme, parsley, cranberries and salt. 
  5. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients together to make a dressing. 
  6. Pour the dressing over the dry ingredients and mix well.

by

Recipe Notes

This makes at least 4-5 good sized portions. Enjoy!

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets

Melissa King 15 Comments

I have been trying hard to get more beets into my diet.  They are so good for you.  I tried blending them up in my vitamix, but couldn’t get them down.  It was not very good.  Maybe they are one of those things you have to get used to?  Coconut was like that for me.  I used to hate it,  but now I can’t get enough!  I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest.  It’s from Gluten-Free Goddess and it was amazing!  Check out her blog if you get a chance.  Lots of yummy recipes and many are vegan.

beet salad watermark

I have made roasted beets in the past and I thought they were delicious.  So I decided to give this a go.  I am so glad I did!  I did change a few things in the recipe, but I mostly kept it as is.  I am not a fan of oranges in salad, so I omitted those.

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets

print shopping list
Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 1 hr

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked quinoa
  • 2 beets peeled (greens removed) and cubed
  • 2 T avocado or coconut oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Juice of half a large orange or 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari (I used organic soy)
  • 1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 T raw honey or maple syrup
  • 3-4 handfuls of baby spinach
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Place the beets on a lined baking sheet and drizzle with the 2 T coconut or avocado oil.
  3. Sprinkle with sea salt.
  4. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes.
  5. While the beets are roasting, you can cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. I actually cooked the quinoa the day before.  If you buy your quinoa in bulk, cook it 2 parts water per 1 part quinoa. 
  6. Once the beets are done roasting, let them cool.
  7. Once cooled, combine the beets and quinoa in a large bowl. 
  8. In a small bowl, combine: olive oil, orange juice, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic and honey.
  9. Whisk into a dressing.
  10. Pour over the beets and quinoa.
  11. Fold in the spinach.
  12. Now salt to taste and that’s it.

by

Recipe Notes

We got about 4 servings. Enjoy!

Wild Rice, Spinach and Avocado Salad with Sesame Dressing

Melissa King 22 Comments

I have a ton of recipes pinned to try on Pinterest.  It had been awhile since I had tried a new one, so I plucked this up and tried it.  This lovely salad comes from Zizi’s Adventures.  She has a beautiful blog full of yummy recipes like this one.  It looked so good I had to try it.  It tasted AMAZING!  We actually made it twice since the first batch disappeared quickly.  I tripled the recipe and changed a few things the second time around.

avocado sesame salad FG watermark

This recipe has all my favorite ingredients.  In my world, avocados make everything better.  The original recipe called to cook the greens and garlic, but I like them raw better so that is how I did mine.

Wild Rice, Spinach and Avocado Salad with Sesame Dressing

Wild Rice, Spinach and Avocado Salad with Sesame Dressing

print shopping list
Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 1 hr

Ingredients

    Salad

    • 4-5 big bunches of baby spinach chopped (you can do kale as well)
    • 1 1/2 cups wild rice (cooked)
    • 3 avocados sliced
    • 2 cups or 1 can white beans (soak overnight and then cook until soft)
    • 2-3 cloves garlic minced or 2 tsp garlic powder
    • salt to taste

    Dressing

    • 6 T toasted sesame oil
    • 3 T rice vinegar
    • 3 T soy sauce or bragg's aminos
    • Juice of 1 lemon

    Instructions

    1. Cook the rice and let cool. I actually did this the day before. Same with the beans if using dried beans.
    2. In a large bowl, add rice, beans, avocado, garlic and spinach and mix well.
    3. In a small bowl, whisk the ingredients for the dressing.
    4. Pour dressing in the large bowl and mix well until everything is combined.

    by

    Recipe Notes

    I found the best way to do this was with my hands. This dish is best eaten fresh, but will still be delicious the next day. I makes about 5-6 servings. Enjoy!

    Adapted from Zizi's Adventures

    Macaroni Salad with Chickpeas

    Melissa King 16 Comments

    Spring is here and in Texas the weather is starting to get warm.  I have been trying to come up with a bunch of healthy options for outdoor parties.  I already have my Dairy Free Potato Salad and my Pineapple Mango Salsa.  Now I have a macaroni salad to add to the list.

    salad with watermark

    Most traditional macaroni salad is swimming in mayo.  Not this.  This is another meal that is really easy to put together.  I used brown rice pasta for this recipe so it is gluten free as well.  Since I added the chickpeas,  it can be a complete meal and not just a side dish.  The golden balsamic and the pomegranate molasses give it a slightly sweet taste.  Both really make the dish.  You can find the pomegranate molasses at most health food stores.

    Macaroni Salad with Chickpeas

    Macaroni Salad with Chickpeas

    print shopping list
    Prep Time 15 min Cook Time 15 min

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups cooked macaroni (I used brown rice pasta)
    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
    • 1/4 cup chives chopped
    • 1 yellow pepper rough chopped
    • 1 can or 2 cups chickpeas
    • 2 T golden balsamic vinegar
    • 1 1/2 tsp pomegranate molasses
    • 1 T avocado oil
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    1. Cook the macaroni according to the box instructions. 
    2. Let cool. 
    3. Add all the ingredients in one bowl and mix to serve.

    by

    Recipe Notes

    This just gets better as it marinates in the fridge. I like it better the next day. It should keep for about a week. We got about 4 servings out of this. Enjoy!

    Dairy Free Potato Salad

    Melissa King 9 Comments

    Now that Spring is finally here, it’s time to think about outdoor parties and BBQs.  We have a pool so I am sure we are going to do some entertaining.  It’s my favorite time of year.  I have been trying to think of some good BBQ dishes.  First thing I came up with was the Pineapple Mango Salsa.  Now I am giving you potato salad.

    potato salad

    This potato salad is dairy free as well as vegan.  I know there are lots of kids these days with dairy allergies, mine included.  This recipe is for them.  It is pretty darn tasty too.  For the mayo base, I used my Dairy Free Ranch Dressing.

    Dairy Free Potato Salad

    Dairy Free Potato Salad

    print shopping list
    Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 15 min

    Ingredients

    • 2 red potatoes cubed
    • 2 golden russet potatoes cubed
    • 1/2 cup zucchini chopped
    • 1 large carrot diced
    • 3 green onions chopped
    • 1 celery stock chopped
    • 1 cup dairy free ranch dressing
    • 1 T dijon mustard
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    1. In a pan, boil the potatoes to soften them.  About 10-15 minutes. 
    2. Drain and let cool. 
    3. Mix all the ingredients in one bowl. Makes about 3-4 servings. Enjoy!

    by