Rachael's Favorite Salads

Delicious and Healthy Salads, Sides and Snacks

 

Hummus

• 2-3 large cans of garbanzo beans (aka chick peas), drained
• 4-6 cloves of garlic
• 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 jar pitted kalamata olives, drained
• 2 T tahini (aka sesame seed paste)
• juice from one lemon (occasionally I'll shred the lemon peel for a zestier hummus)
• salt to taste

Put all of the ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth.  Let stand for at least an hour.  Garnish with paprika.  Serve with tortilla chips, crostini or fresh bread.

Oriental Spinach Salad

This salad is lovely with added grilled, cooled and sliced chicken.
Salad Greens:

• 2 parts lettuce
• 1 part spinach
• 6 green onions, sliced thinly

Toasted Topping- broil these together on a cookie sheet while watching carefully so they do not burn:

• 2 1/2 oz sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 can crispy rice noodles

Oriental Dressing  - heat sugar and rice vinegar until sugar desolves; add soy sauce, oil and pepper; shake well:

• 8 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 5 Tablespoons sugar
• pepper to taste
• 4 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Curry Chicken Salad

• 2-3 de-boned rotisserie chickens from the grocery store (Or - if I have time - I cook the chickens in my crock pot, save the juice for soups and use the chicken for the salad). Pull apart and chop into bite-sized pieces.
• bunch of green onions, diced
• 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro chopped up
• chopped up celery - optional
• several tablespoons of mayo- this just depends on how creamy you want your salad to be; I like it light. Start with a spoonful, then add more mayo as needed.
• 1 cup dried cranberries or blueberries
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans
• 1-2 tablespoons of curry powder- again, this depends on how much curry you like
• salt and pepper to taste
• a few dashes of onion powder

Mix all ingredients together and let it meld for at least 2 hours for the flavors to combine.

Regular Chicken Salad

• 2-3 rotisserie chickens, de-boned and in bite-sized pieces
• bunch of green onions chopped
• chopped celery- optional
• several tablespoons of mayo- again depending on how creamy you like it. Start with a little, then add more as needed.
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• a few dashes of onion powder

Mix all ingredients together and let it meld for at least 2 hours for the flavors to combine.

Pasta Salad

• Cook two packages of pasta- spiral pasta, macaroni, or other bite-sized pasta; let cool while you're preparing the rest
• 1 package of feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 jar of kalamata olives, drained and pitted
• 1 can of artichoke hearts, drained
• a few green or red onions, diced
• cherry tomatoes
• sliced cucumber

Pasta Salad Dressing

• mince 1/2 bunch of fresh parsley- either flat leaf or curly
• 2-3 Tablespoons of Olive oil
• finely grated peel of one lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine dressing ingredients and let it sit until the rest of the salad is put together; stir everything together and let meld for about 2 hours or more before serving.

Broccoli and Red Cabbage Slaw

use only fresh, raw vegetables

• 1 red cabbage, sliced
• 2 bunches chopped broccoli
• 2 shredded or diced carrots
• 1 bunch chopped spring onions or leeks
• 3 ears of corn cut from the cob
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Mix ingredients above in a large bowl, then stir in the dressing:
mayonnaise
Rice vinegar
S&P
Let sit for an hour at least before serving

Great Garlic Cheese Ball 

• 2x 8 oz packages of cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 Tablespoon mayonaise
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix above ingredients together by hand.  Form into balls or logs.  Cover with pecans.  Serve with crackers, fresh bread or crostini.