Category Archives: vegetables

Herb Roasted Tomatoes and Chicken

Posted on July 31, 2012 | 2 comments

    I love to use fresh tomatoes and herbs in my cooking, they are sweet and the roasting just intensifies their sweet flavor. I try to use fresh ingredients whenever possible, and during the summer there is so much to choose from. This is a light dish cooked in the oven, I used dry Herbes de Provence which is something everyone should have in their spice drawer. I used fresh tarragon which gave this dish amazing flavor, if you’re not into the tarragon flavor or just can’t get it I am sure fresh basil will work here just fine. I served with rice on the side . This is a keeper for sure. I got it from Bon Appetit magazine which has a treasure trove of delicious recipes.

    Ingredients:

    1 1/2 lb. cherry tomatoes or any small tomatoes

    6 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

    2 Tbsp. herbes de Provence

    1 tsp. kosher salt ( plus more for tasting)

    freshly ground black pepper

    1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

    1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

    1 small shallot, minced

    2 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar

    3 Tbsp. flat-leaf parsley leaves

    3 Tbsp. fresh tarragon leaves

    Directions:

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine tomatoes, 2 Tbsp. oil and herbes de Provence in a large bowl. Season with some salt and pepper, toss to coat the tomatoes. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large heavy ovenproof skillet , carefully add tomatoes to pan, oil may splatter. Transfer skillet to oven and roast tomatoes, give tomatoes a turn in about 10 minutes, you want tomatoes to burst and release some of their juices, total time should be 15 – 20 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce.

    Meanwhile, season chicken with 1 tsp. salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Sear chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer pan to oven and roast chicken until cooked through, another 10 minutes or so. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest .

    Add remaining 1 tbsp. oil to same skillet, heat over medium heart. Add shallot and cook, stirring often , until softened , about 3 minutes. Deglaze pan with vinegar ( just put in vinegar) scraping up whatever browned bits are in the bottom of the pan, then add tomatoes and their juices and bring to a simmer , sauce will begin to thicken up, about 2 minutes or so. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper to your liking.

    Slice chicken, divide among plates. Spoon tomatoes and sauce over, garnish with fresh herbs ( tarragon and parsley) .

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    Posted in chicken, chicken and tomatoes, tomatoes

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    Smoking Hot Salmon ( on grill or in oven) and a quick Corn Salad from leftover grilled corn

    Posted on July 17, 2012 | 1 comment

    Grilled Leftover Corn for salad

    Always on the prowl for new recipes for Salmon. I usually cook it on the grill in the summer but this could easily be cooked indoors if no grill available. I actually cook this on a piece of aluminum foil on the grill, it really is like an outdoor oven. You can use a basket but I always find it makes such a mess. Whatever works for you, when I have placed fish right on grill it’s just a disaster, so I’ve taken to doing it this way. I played with these ingredients for the marinade and you know I took liberties with the cayenne pepper, so just put a sprinkle if you don’t like it too spicy. The marinade thickened up and it was perfectly delicious with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro. Cilantro can be eliminated but we love it, so it stays on in this house. I had some leftover ears of Grilled Corn so I threw together a very impromptu Corn Salad which is listed below as well.

    Ingredients:

    1 lb. Salmon Filets ( I used 1 1lb. piece for the 2 of us) This time out I got Copper River Salmon and it was just delicious. I use Wild Salmon usually. Use whatever you like best

    For Marinade:

    2 tablespoons unsalted butter

    1 medium shallot – chopped

    1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

    1/4 cup light brown sugar

    Cayenne Pepper to taste ( I was generous with it, but it packs a lot of heat)

    2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger ( if you can’t use fresh ginger, use powder ginger , I wouldn’t omit this spice)

    1/4 cup red wine vinegar

    2 tablespoons soy sauce

    2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

    Directions:

    In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the shallots and saute until softened. Add all the remaining ingredients, except for the cilantro. Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

    Remove from heat and add the cilantro.

    Baste the salmon filet with a bit of the sauce and preheat your grill to a medium high heat. I placed the salmon on a piece of aluminum foil. I just cooked it for about 15 – 20 minutes till the salmon was flaky, and the center was just cooked. You don’t want to over cook it. If you’re placing right on the grill it will cook much quicker. When you finish cooking, remove from grill and serve with some of the remaining marinade as additional sauce. This is delicious with rice and a vegetable. I served with a side of some leftover grilled corn which I turned into a lovely side dish.

    Corn Salad from leftover grilled corn

    I used 4 ears of corn, you can use 4 cups of any kind of corn . I just happened to have had some corn leftover from a barbque.

    1 cup red pepper- diced

    1 medium red onion – diced

    2 – 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro – chopped

    Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice from about 1 small lime

    * 1 Jalapeno pepper – seeded and minced ( make sure to remove all seeds if you don’t like spicy) you can omit all together if you don’t like the flavor . I love it.

    I just added a little olive oil to taste ,  I would say 1 tablespoon

    Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

    This was really a throw together, but it came out so good!!!!!  Allow the ingredients to blend for a few before serving. Enjoy!

    leftover grilled corn

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    Posted in corn, salmon, Sauce, seafood, sides, vegetables

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    Chicken Pesto

    Posted on July 14, 2012 | 1 comment

     

    Pesto after being frozen

    photophoto (3)

    Chicken Pesto fresh off the grill

    A few weeks ago I made some fresh Pesto Sauce for Pasta, I successfully froze the remainder with a thin coating of oil. It came out of the freezer perfectly and I used it as a marinade for some chicken cutlets and it turned out to be so delicious that it is one of my new favorite ways to cook chicken this summer. I love Pesto made with fresh basil, cheese, butter and all those good ingredients why not use it on the chicken? Give it a try, make some pesto and use it for a marinade for chicken and for pasta. And remember if you’re freezing it just put a thin coat of olive oil on top, when it defrosts the oil just seeps into the pesto without disturbing it at all.

    I am going to re-post my recipe from my BFF Susan, it is her recipe for Pesto which I still think is the best tasting pesto. It’s creamy and tasty and never fails me. For my dinner party I used 4 lbs. of cutlets , but when I made it for just us, I used 1 lb. which is enough for 3 people.

    Ingredients:

    Thin chicken cutlets , I prefer the thin kind for this but if you prefer the thicker ones, it’s fine.  How much chicken you will use depends on how many people. The recipe for pesto will yield enough for a lot of chicken ( I used 4 lbs. of cutlets) I marinated my chicken for my party for most of the day. At least 6 hours in refrigerator and took it out an hour before I cooked it, you never want to cook cold meat right out of the fridge plus the marinade needs to come to room temperature. I used plastic bags to marinade the chicken. I love those hefty ziploc bags, they’re the best for this. 2 large bags held 2 lbs. each. When I take it out of baggies, I place in a large baking sheet and sprinkle ever so lightly with a little kosher salt.  It is listed on my blog as Yummy Pesto, if you want to look up original recipe.

    I cooked the chicken on the outside grill and it was really delicious, just 3-4 minutes per side, these were thin cutlets and you don’t want to over cook them.

    Pesto Sauce:

    2 cups fresh basil

    1/2 cup Romano Cheese ( grated)

    1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese ( grated)

    1/2 cup Pignolli Nuts ( and as I’ve discovered Walnuts work just as well)

    1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    1 – 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

    4 cloves garlic

    Freshly Ground Black Pepper ( a few grinds)

    Put all ingredients into the food processor except for the olive oil, slowly add that through the top as it starts to mix. Voila! Perfection! a few minutes later you have this delicious Pesto, perfect for Pasta and perfect as a marinade.

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    Posted in chicken, marinade, pasta, Sauce, vegetables

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    Another Asparagus Salad with Yogurt Dressing

    Posted on June 24, 2012 | Leave a comment

    Oh, so many things to do with asparagus. This recipe is a combination of asparagus, almonds, and eggs.  A different kind of salad served as a meal for lunch or a side salad with dinner. I like to cook the eggs ahead of time. I usually do them in the morning or the day before and leave them in the fridge until I need them. Yogurt dressing adds a bit of a new flavor. I tried the Za’atar in place of smoked paprika. If you still don’t have the Za’atar, you can use smoked paprika or if you like a little kick, use hot paprika. I used Marcona almonds because I love them. The thing that’s really special about this recipe is the way the asparagus is prepared. It’s pan – roasted and you get that same effect you would from a grill but no need to grill or run your oven till the smoke detectors go off.  The original inspiration for this recipe comes from one of my favorite sites, Smitten Kitchen.

    Ingredients:

    2 large eggs (hard boiled and chopped)

    1/3 cup Marcona almonds chopped ( use food processor)

    1 pound asparagus spears , I snap off the ends and I use thinner rather than thicker stalks

    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

    1 lemon (2 tablespoons plus more for a squeeze on asparagus)

    olive oil

    1 cup Greek style yogurt (I used non-fat)

    1 teaspoon Za’atar spice (or smoked or hot paprika)

    1 small clove garlic, minced

    1/4 teaspoon table salt

    Asparagus

    1 tablespoon olive oil

    1 pound Asparagus, snap off the ends

    Kosher Salt and freshly Ground Black Pepper

    Retain a little lemon juice for serving

    Directions:

    Hard boil your eggs using your favorite method. I like to put eggs into a cold pot of water with some salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, I simmer the eggs for at least  fifteen minutes. Then I remove and usually cool down and keep in fridge with shell on ’til I need them. You can plunge into ice water to quick cool. If you leave them overnight in fridge they will be easier to peel, the older the hard boil the easier to peel cleanly.

    Chop almonds in your mini chopper or food processor. Set aside.

    Make yogurt dressing, whisking all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste for Salt and Pepper.

    Now for the best asparagus roasting technique on the stovetop. Take a 12 inch skillet, and heat over medium high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and once the oil is fully heated, add your trimmed asparagus spears – placing as many as you can flatly in pan, they may not all fit, and I did it in 2 batches. Cover the skillet with a lid and I let them cook for about 3 – 5 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat to high, throw a little salt and pepper on the asparagus, and using tongs cook the spears till they’re crisp-tender and well browned along a side or two, I did this for another 5 minutes or so. Make sure your vents are on, my smoke detectors always go off.

    Put a little of the dressing on the serving dish you’re going to use and spread thinly, place asparagus on top of dressing, squeeze a little lemon juice over the spears, the chopped almonds, eggs and a little salt and pepper. Put a dollop of the dressing on top, and the rest of the dressing I put in a small ramekin for the table in the event anyone wanted a little extra.

    Enjoy!

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    Posted in salad dressing, vegetables, vegetarian

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    Asparagus with Arugula and Parmesan – Done Simply Raw

    Posted on June 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

    As you know, I am slightly in love with asparagus. Before the asparagus season ends, I highly recommend this salad. Once the early season goes, you can grill it, you can roast it,  you can douse it in dressings. But in this salad it’s used raw which is really ideal when the asparagus is sweet and fresh. Check out your local green market, and ask where the asparagus is from. I was able to obtain this asparagus at a local market which carried Long Island asparagus, and it was delicious.  Through most of the winter, asparagus comes from Peru; and there’s a lot of early spring asparagus from Mexico and Southern California. The green markets will have regional produce and it’s worth the trip. Just saying… If you don’t buy it at the market, that’s alright too–all asparagus is pretty decent now.  Enjoy this recipe. It couldn’t be simpler.

    Ingredients:

    1/2 lb. medium or large asparagus

    2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

    3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

    nice sized bunch of arugula ( 6 – 8 oz) use as much or as little as you like

    Chunk of parmesan cheese for shaving (with a vegetable peeler)

    Directions:

    Snap off and discard the tough ends of the asparagus. If you have a mandolin, a sharp vegetable peeler or thin bladed knife, use one of those tools to slice the asparagus as thinly as possible, like paper-thin ribbons. If you prefer, you can slice diagonally; just try to get the pieces as thin as possible, because you are not cooking them. So it’s all about thin slices. I used a vegetable peeler.

    In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil to make a dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Place the asparagus ribbons in a shallow salad bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper and coat with some of the dressing. Add the arugula, tossing gently to distribute the asparagus. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.

    With a vegetable peeler, shave thin curls of Parmesan over the salad.

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    Posted in Raw, Salad, salad dressing, sides, vegetables, vegetarian

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    Cold Asparagus Soup

    Posted on June 5, 2012 | 1 comment

    I am still super obsessed with local beautiful sweet asparagus. I found Long Island asparagus today and bought a bunch of it. Joel is away for a few so no problem making it and having to think of something else to make for him. I am planning on enjoying this soup in the fridge for a few days. Super easy, I saw Mark Bittman (love) on the Today show a few weeks ago and saved the recipe for local asparagus. Am psyched and this recipe is super healthy , low-fat and super super easy to make. It literally took no time at all. The cooling down takes some time but I don’t see the harm in eating it before it really chills out do you? Hope you’ll check out some local produce and get the asparagus while the getting is good. I mean you can make this all year round, but its super delish now. I actually ate it while it was still warm with the fresh lemon juice and drizzle of olive oil you can taste the asparagus, and it was just divine.

    Ingredients: 

    4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

    Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

    app. 1 1/2 lbs. chopped asparagus (medium size spears, not too fat) I snap off bottoms

    1 large peeled and cubed potato

    fresh lemon juice for garnish

    * if you’d like drizzle a little olive oil for garnish as well

    some warm crusty bread was awesome with this with a little hard cheese! just saying……

    Directions:

    Bring the stock to a boil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the chopped asparagus and cubed potato, and turn the heat to low so the mixture bubbles gently for about 25 minutes. Cook until vegetables are tender. I added Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper at the point the vegetables went in, I tasted it after 25 minutes and added some more. Add what you like.

    Remove from heat when veggies are soft, I also added another 2 cups of water at this point because a lot of the water steamed out, you’ll have to play that by ear. You don’t want it super thick and you don’t want it super thin, somewhere in the mid range is perfect, you can always add more water, so add slowly.  I used immersion blender when it cooled off  , I didn’t  strain it at all, I liked the way the tiny pieces tasted it in it.  Refrigerate to cool. Garnish with a squirt of fresh lemon juice and you can drizzle in a little olive oil if you’d like.

    *serves 4 – 6 depending on size of servings

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    Posted in soup, vegetables, vegetarian

    Spicy Stir-Fried Asparagus with or without chicken/shrimp

    Posted on June 1, 2012 | 1 comment

    This recipe caught my eye in the NY Times cooking section . The spicy part was what intrigued me the most. I usually make stir fry with a variety of ingredients and use sesame oil. This recipe calls for vegetable oil, and I  just used 2  tablespoons.  You may need to add a little more oil, so add as needed. I made this with just asparagus and brown rice, and chicken. It would be great with shrimp as well. I highly recommend it both ways, and now that the asparagus is so sweet it’s the best time. I have to admit I used a lot of seeds from the jalapeno and it was kick ass, you can remove most of the seeds of the jalapeno and just chop up the pepper, or any other fresh hot chile ( serrano). If you don’t like it spicy , omit the pepper all together and add whatever other ingredients you would like. This meal came together very quickly. We both enjoyed, although Joel didn’t touch the asparagus . I also sprinkled chopped fresh cilantro in mine, I love cilantro. The flavors of the ginger , garlic, jalapeno and cilantro were divine.

    *if you want to keep it vegetarian ( vegan) omit the chicken and you’ll only need 1 tablespoon of oil

    Ingredients:

    1 lb. of asparagus (medium asparagus is fine), cut into pieces . I cut each piece into thirds. About 2 inches long.

    2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided (one for asparagus and one for chicken should be sufficient)

    1 lb. chicken breasts (appr
    ox. 2 pieces and I cut them up into small pieces)

    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

    1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

    1 clove garlic minced

    1 Serrano or other fresh hot chile, finely chopped. (Rule of thumb with peppers: the less seeds the less hot, so remove the seeds if you don’t like spicy or you can also just omit the pepper altogether. If you do that, use rubber gloves when handling peppers, and don’t touch your eyes or nose or anything until you wash your hands, and or remove gloves.) I used jalapeno, easy to get a hold of but any hot fresh pepper will do.

    *if you’d like you can add fresh chopped cilantro, basil. I used cilantro because I love it. This is totally discretionary. I love cilantro

    Directions:

    Snap off and discard the tough bottoms of each asparagus spear. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch lengths. (Do that after you’ve sliced asparagus in half lengthwise.) After you cut up the chicken, place in a bowl or on a plate, salt liberally, then add pepper to your taste.

    Next, in a wok or cast iron skillet (or any skillet you have on hand), heat one tablespoon of oil until very hot, add the chicken and cook until chicken browns up nicely (should be about 5 minutes total). I then remove the chicken, place in a clean bowl and cover with aluminum foil. Make sure you have enough oil, if need be, add more. Then add the asparagus, season generously with salt and pepper and stir well. (Make sure your vent is on or your smoke detector will go off.) Make sure the asparagus is well coated and glistening with oil. Cook over high heat for about 1 minute. You want the asparagus bright green. Add the garlic, ginger, chile and chicken and stir fry to heat the chicken thoroughly (probably about a minute or two).

    * If you’re adding shrimp, cook it first (like the chicken), then just follow the same directions. Shrimp will probably take a little longer depending on the size of the shrimp.

    If you want to add herbs, add them right before serving. Place over rice or just plate it up. Very tasty for sure.

    *this will serve 2 – 3

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    Posted in chicken, seafood, vegetables, vegetarian

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    Tomato Feta Salad

    Posted on May 27, 2012 | 3 comments

    I call this “summer salad” but it’s really a wonderful salad any time of year. I love the salty taste of feta with tomatoes, and a wonderful combination of Middle Eastern spices called Zahtar .DSCN3272

    Try and find this wonderful blend of spices–it will add wonderful flavor to a very simple meal. I like this salad with avocado because I like everything with avocado. It’s optional, as are the olives. This is a beautiful salad served all year but there is something about it that shouts summer, BBQ, and warm nights. The tomatoes are so beautiful right now, especially the heirlooms in all those beautiful colors go and grab some from your local farmers market or road stand. Excuse the picture, it’s fuzzy but you get the picture. It’s a greek salad without the lettuce. A perfect side dish salad to go with any meal. Beautiful with a piece of grilled fish. Enjoy!

    4 large tomatoes , try and go for those beautiful heirloom tomatoes or just some beautiful local ones. (about 1 1/4 lb.)

    Za'atar Spice

    Za’atar Spice

    1/2 red onion

    4 ounces (give or take) feta cheese (try to get as good a cheese as possible. I just crumble it up over the salad, but if you prefer cubes you can go that way)

    Extra virgin olive oil

    freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon should do it)

    1 tablespoon Zahtar

    slices of cucumber (I love the seedless persian ones but any kind will do)

    1 avocado, sliced

    fresh basil

    black olives, pitted

    Slice the tomatoes as thinly as you can and arrange on a large round serving platter in overlapping circles.

    Put cheese over the tomatoes (this is why I crumble it or use a grater). I then drizzle olive oil over tomatoes generously but not too generously–probably about 1/2 tablespoon. I then place the avocado and cucumbers around the platter and add the black olives. Just make sure you get a drop of olive oil on all the tomatoes. Now, sprinkle the 1/2 lemon juice all over the salad. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dust the tablespoon of Zahtar over the salad. You’re good to go. Have a wonderful weekend.

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    Posted in Raw, Salad, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

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    Asparagus – a love affair

    Posted on May 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

    When it comes to eating asparagus it’s a true love affair for me. I love them whole, chopped, sauteed, roasted, on their own, in a soup, you got the feel. Because it’s been so warm here on the East Coast we are seeing an abundance of this wonderful vegetable. Yes of course asparagus are available almost all year round due to global shipping, but are they as delicious as they are right now ? no, right now they are wonderful and sweet tasting. It’s worth holding out for regional produce, it really means spring has sprung to me. This recipe is delicious, tasty and will make a great salad starter, a great side dish, and a lovely luncheon main dish. I actually made this for myself , didn’t think Joel would touch it. It was so delicious and tasted like spring in a bowl. This is a light lovely salad. Quite good if I do say so myself.

    Ingredients:

    1 1/2 pounds medium or large asparagus spears

    2 large eggs – chopped finely

    app. 1/2 pint grape tomatoes ( however many you would like) cut lengthwise or smaller

    Dressing Ingredients: mustard vinaigrette

    1 small shallot, finely diced

    2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

    Kosher Salt

    Freshly Ground Black Pepper

    2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

    Directions:

    Snap off and discard the bottoms of each asparagus spear. If asparagus is particularly tough , peel the lower ends with a vegetable peeler. If the stalks are medium size they don’t require peeling.

    Bring a medium saucepan 1/2 filled with water to a boil, carefully add the eggs and simmer briskly for 10 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool. Let cool down, shell the eggs and set aside, I put in the refrigerator for the time being. Sometimes I make the eggs earlier in the day, or the day before, and just leave in fridge hard boiled and shell them when I’m ready to eat them.

    To make the vinaigrette; in a small bowl, place the chopped shallots, vinegar and a pinch of kosher salt. Let shallots soften up in the vinegar for 5 minutes or so. Whisk in the mustard, then whisk in the olive oil slowly , dressing will start to thicken. Taste for salt and pepper.

    In a large soup pot bring 4 qts. of water to a boil ( make sure water is well salted) Bring to a rolling boil. Add the asparagus and cook for about 3 – 5 minutes, until bright green and just done. Remove asparagus with a large strainer and spread out on a clean dry kitchen towel. I cooked for about 3 minutes, the minute they turn bright green, I take them out. You don’t want to overcook these beauties..

    To serve, place asparagus on a platter or individual plates. Spoon the vinaigrette over the asparagus. I roughly chop the eggs, or if you prefer quarter the eggs. Sprinkle with fresh chives. What I did tonite was get mixed salad greens, chop up the eggs, cut up the asparagus, slice the tomatoes, pour dressing on and it was a beautiful spring salad . It would also be great with tuna fish, anchovies, shrimp, chicken etc. Whatever you’d like. I also think black olives would be awesome.

    This will nicely serve 4 – 6 as a side salad. You can adjust to your liking, use less eggs, more asparagus or less asparagus. If you don’t want to use tomatoes, don’t, I love the tomatoes with the chopped eggs. I used 2 eggs but original recipe calls for 4.

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    Posted in vegetables, vegetarian

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    Couscous Salad, Real Mediterranean Style

    Posted on May 2, 2012 | 3 comments

    It’s springtime so I am thinking of lighter food, and of course salads come to my mind. I make this recipe with couscous or quinoa. I have another recipe for quinoa on my website so I figured that I would make one with couscous this time, but feel free to use either one. The dressing has a definite Greek flavor. This dish is perfectly tasty and served with grilled fish or chicken you have a perfect meal. As far as salads go, this one is perfection. This is not an exact science; if you like a lot of tomatoes, add more. If there is another item here that you don’t like, feel free to substitute, and I’d love to hear what you did. I love to hear variations on my recipes. This is so quick and easy to assemble. Can definitely be made ahead of time.

    Ingredients: 

    Vinaigrette:

    1 clove garlic, finely minced

    1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

    2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

    1 /2 teaspoon dried oregano (if you like to use fresh, use 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh oregano)

    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste – I started with a 1/4 teaspoon of Kosher Salt and a few grinds of the peppermill.

    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (use a good one)

    In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk in the olive oil slowly. Adjust the salt and pepper and set aside.

    Ingredients for Couscous:

    Prepare 1  box (usually 10 – 12 ounces) couscous (or quinoa) according to the directions but use 1/4 less water than it calls for. For example, the Near East Couscous calls for 2 cups of water or broth so I would reduce by 1/2 cup. After cooking, allow to cool for a bit then stick in the fridge for about an hour. I usually cook my couscous in either chicken broth or vegetable broth for extra added flavor.

    1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half (I like a lot of tomatoes, so use more if you do too) I tend to like my tomatoes cut into smaller pieces but cut however you like just don’t leave whole

    1 cup pitted black or Kalamata olives (I prefer Kalamata because they are saltier)

    1 roasted red or orange pepper (you can use from jar) I just eyeballed from the jar, use as much as you’d like

    1 cup garbanzo beans (drained from the can are fine)

    6 ounces cubed feta cheese

    1/4 cup sliced green onions or chopped red onion would work quite well here as well

    * chopped cucumbers would be a nice addition as well, I didn’t use this time

    In a large bowl, gently toss the couscous, tomato, pepper, olives, beans and feta. Add the dressing, transfer to a lovely serving bowl and there you go. This is so delicious and light, it’s a perfect side dish and a beautiful salad .

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    Posted in Healthy Cooking with Candi, Raw, Salad, salad dressing, vegetables, vegetarian

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