Lemon Dijon Quinoa Salad

Quinoa has been a staple in my house for a long time. Not only do we use it for dinner at least two times a week, but I ALWAYS make extra so I can use it for other meals. Warmed with milk in the morning makes the perfect cereal, or adding a delicious dressing and fresh veggies turns your lunch into something special. I was planning on having a friend over for lunch, and I knew I wanted to serve a quinoa salad as a side dish to our meal. This recipe popped off the page, and I am sooo happy that I made it! Really, my friend raved after each and every bite. AND, I can’t even believe this, but my PICKEY 18 month-old son loved. every. bite. You will too!

Lemon Dijon Quinoa Salad

Printable Version

Salad

1 cup quinoa, cooked

1/2 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)

1 c. cherry tomatoes cut in half

2 avocados diced

2 C. spinach

1 bunch cilantro

1/4 onion

2 small cloves garlic

Dressing

Juice of 2 lemons

zest of 1 lemon

2 tsp. dijon mustard

2 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. honey

1/2 tsp. cumin

dash of salt and pepper

In a food processor, add your spinach, cilantro, onion, and garlic and process until they are finely diced. You can do this by hand as well if you don’t have a food processor.

Add the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Next add your chickpeas, avocados, tomatoes, and quinoa and stir until everything is combined and coated.

Make your dressing by whisking all the ingredients together. Pour over salad, and mix until combined. Set in fridge for about 10-15 minutes before serving so the flavors set.

Recipe from thediva-dish.com

Makes about 4 cups salad

Broccoli Summer Salad

How many get togethers will you go to this summer and bring the same old side dish? Boring green salad, jello, and baked beans are always on my list. However, I always WANT to bring the show stopper. Well, I just found it! My sister in-law sent me this recipe and honestly, I have made it 3 times this month! It is so refreshing and filling as well. I will admit, women seem to be drawn to it a little more than men, but even my husband tried it and liked it! Feel free to add some grilled chicken to make this a main dish rather than a side.

Broccoli Summer Salad

Printable Version

1 large broccoli crown

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese

7 ounces chick peas or garbanzo beans

20 cherry tomatoes

¼ head purple cabbage

½ avocado

5-8 ounces creamy balsamic dressing (I used Brianna’s)

Dice all ingredients into smaller than bite-size pieces, and combine in a large bowl. Toss together and chill. Prior to serving, add avocado and add desired amount of dressing.

Recipe from Sheridan

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

Lemon Quinoa Salad

Aliright folks...it’s official. Summer is over, fall is gone. It’s winter. It’s a balmy 34 degrees here today, and snow is everywhere around us. I'm just waiting for it to get to Omaha. I love the snow, don’t get me wrong. Every once in a while I just want to jump back..mid-summer. This salad takes me there. I have had alot of quinoa in the past few years, and this lemon vinaigrette makes by far the best quinoa salad I’ve ever had. Like I can’t stop eating it, so the whole “less calorie” thing cancels out when you eat 5 servings!

Lemon Quinoa Salad
Printable Version

1 cup dry quinoa, cooked and cooled

Your choice of veggies...I used...
1 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 ears sweet corn, cut off cob and cooked
15 grape tomatoes, quartered
salt & pepper
1/2 cup feta
basil

Lemon Vinaigrette
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons honey
1 garlic clove, microplaned or finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients for the Lemon Vinaigrette in a jar or bowl, then shake or whisk to combine and set aside.
Add all of your choice of veggies and the cooked, cooled quinoa to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Add vinaigrette, feta cheese, and basil to the bowl. Stir well, taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Recipe adapted from iowagirleats.com
Serves 3.

Apple, Walnut, and Feta Salad (With dressing to die for)

I love to eat salad, and I love Pioneer Woman. I DVR her show and get so excited to see what she is going to make next. The beauty of her recipes is that I virtually always have her ingredients on hand for any given recipe. It makes for delicious, quick weeknight dinners that don’t disappoint. I made this for a church activity, and it got wonderful reviews! The dressing is my favorite part, you can barely taste the mustard but it gives an added flavor, and the maple syrup and vinegar combined, mmmm! Yummy!

Apple, Walnut, and Feta Salad (With dressing to die for)
Printable Version

12 ounces, weight Salad Greens (spring Mix)
2 whole Apples, Cored And Sliced Very Thin
1/2 cup Walnut, halved or chopped
1/4 cup Dried cranberries
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Dijon Mustard
1 ¼  Tablespoon Maple Syrup
2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Add greens, apple slices, walnuts, dried cranberries, and feta cheese into a large salad bowl.
In a small jar, mix Dijon, maple syrup, vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake well to mix.
Pour a little salad dressing over the top of the salad and toss to combine. Taste salad and add more salad dressing to taste.

Recipe Adapted from Pioneer Woman Cooks
Serves 12 as a side dish

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork

This is the real deal. No joke, folks. I have tried, and tried, and TRIED to duplicate the famed Cafe Rio Pulled pork. (If you have never had this pork, you will not regret re-creating it at home. Give it a shot!) I can’t tell you how many recipes have gone in, and out, of my kitchen. They all claimed they were the Cafe Rio Pork recipe, but they weren’t! I had a commenter on my blog give me this recipe, and guess what? THIS IS IT. My hubby took one bite and exclaimed, “THIS IS INCREDIBLE”. It tastes just like Cafe Rio Pulled Pork. Heaven on Earth. I can finally have my #1 craving whenever I want, even if I am in Nebraska! We are having it again tomorrow. And probably next week! SOOO good! This spicy cilantro ranch dressing is delish. I will never change from this recipe, it is right on! I know it looks like a lot of work, but it really isn’t that hard. Please try it. You will L-O-V-E me, and everyone you  feed it to will L-O-V-E you!

Copy Cat Cafe Rio Pulled Pork Salad
Printable Version

Pulled Pork
3-4 lb. Pork Butt or Shoulder Roast
2 small cans El Pato Tomato sauce (found in the mexican aisle, this is a key ingredient)
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
2 1/2 cups brown sugar

Wrap pork completely with foil, place in crock pot and pour ½ cup water around roast. Cook for 8 hours on low. (YES, 8 hours! The longer you cook a pork roast, the easier it is to shred, the more tender it is, the more delicious it is. 8 hours is key!) Remove roast, drain juices, remove fat and shred. Dump the tomato sauces and brown sugar into the crockpot, stir together and add shredded pork back in. Cook two additional hours on low.

Cilantro Lime Rice
2 cups white rice
4 cups chicken broth
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
½ tsp. salt
2 limes, juiced
1 Tbs. butter

Combine rice, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and the juice from 1 lime in a rice cooker or saucepan. Cook according to package directions. When rice is cooked, juice the additional lime and add in butter. Stir to incorporate.

Spicy Cilantro Ranch Dressing
1 envelope Buttermilk ranch dressing
1 cup milk
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 bunch cilantro,
2 large tomatillos, or 4 small, chopped
2 serrano peppers with seeds removed and chopped

Puree the above ingredients in a blender or food processor and refrigerate to thicken.

Additional ingredients
8 Tortillas, preferably homemade or uncooked tortillas for authentic flavor
1 cup colby jack cheese
crisp lettuce, shredded or finely chooped
1 can black beans, warmed
Salsa
Tortilla strips

To assemble:
Cook tortillas and melt ⅛ cup cheese on one side, leave open faced on plate. Top with lettuce, rice, pork, black beans, salsa, tortilla strips, and Spicy Cilantro Ranch Dressing.

Recipe adapted and added to from littlepiggyfood.blogspot.com
Serves 8.

Chili Rubbed Pork with Orange Glaze salad

I love leftovers, my hubby hates them. This makes us go perfectly together! I have learned to make only enough for us two to eat, but every once in a while I make a little too much. In this case, it was a happy accident. I chopped up my leftover meat from my Chili Rubbed Pork With Orange Glaze, added a few fresh fruits, and dumped the extra glaze from my pork over top. I was in heaven. Seriously. Try this.

Orange Glazed Pork Summer Salad
Printable Version

Salad
Romaine lettuce, chopped
Strawberries, chopped
Mangos, chopped
sliced almonds or pinenuts
A protien (Try using this recipe, Chili Rubbed Pork With Orange Glaze, for your protein.)

Dressing
1 1/2 cups orange marmalade
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot sauce(we did 1, but it is quite hot)
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 small limes, juiced

Layer salad with your choice of protien, strawberries, mangos, and nuts. Mix all of the dressing ingredients together and heat in a saucepan or microwave until warm. Pour dressing over layered salad, and enjoy every last bite.

Dressing makes 2 cups.

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

We love quinoa. It now make a bi-weekly appearance in our home. It has replaced brown rice for us and is sooo much better for you. It has an amazingly mild, nutty flavor that goes great with virtually everything. My friends and I have started eating girl-ey lunches together every Monday, and a Quinoa Salad was the perfect fit!

Southwestern Quinoa Salad
Printable Version

3 cups of water
Chicken Bouillon cube (or vegetable)
1 ½ cups of quinoa, rinsed
½ tsp sea salt
Juice from 3 Limes
2 tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 T red wine vinegar
2 T olive oil
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 can black beans, drained
½ cup fresh or frozen corn
½ red onion, diced
½ cup red pepper, diced
1 T minced jalapenos
¼ cup cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot combine water and chicken bouillon and bring to a boil. Add quinoa and salt and boil for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and rinse quinoa and place in a fine metal sieve or fine colander. Bring a fresh pot of water to boil.  Place quinoa in the sieve over it. Cover with a kitchen towel and lid. Steam for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Meanwhile make the dressing by combining lime juice, cumin, chili powder, vinegar, olive oil and garlic. (You can do this in a small bowl or in a blender)
In a separate bowl, combine black beans, corn, onion, red pepper, jalapenos and cilantro.
After quinoa cools, combine with black bean mixture.
Toss with dressing and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Serves 6.
www.cookingquinoa.net

Bookclub Chicken Salad

This salad is outstanding. It is perfect for a summer get-together. I made it for my best friend Teddy's baby shower, and the girls there just devoured it! The dressing has the perfect mix of tart and sweet. I ate the dressing for 2 weeks following on my salads and it jazzed them all up!

Bookclub Chicken Salad

Printable Version

6 to 8 chicken breasts

8 ounces slivered or sliced almonds

4 T. sugar

5 heads romaine lettuce

1-2 bags spinach

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup craisins

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook chicken breasts on the grill, in the oven or in a skillet. Cool and cut into small pieces. In small skillet, sprinkle sugar over almonds and cook over medium heat until almonds are coated and sugar has dissolved.

Dressing

1/4 red onion, or less if onion is large

1 cups sugar

2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 cups vegetable oil

Finely chop red onion in food processor. Add sugar, dry mustard, salt and vinegar and blend until frothy. Slowly add oil. Toss chicken, lettuce, bacon, craisins, and cheese together in large salad bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle almonds on top and serve.

Recipe from Ali

Serves 15-20.