Tag Archives: salad

Chinese Chicken Salad

19 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by in Chicken, Easy, LuLu's Classics, Main Dish, Pasta, Weeknight Meals

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Chinese Chicken Salad

This Chinese Chicken Salad is one of our favorite 90’s throwback recipes. First of all…it’s called Chinese Chicken Salad. It’s not even a real salad, but I just couldn’t call it by a different name. If I am going to live in a world where this is considered salad…I’m ok with that. We can continue to discuss why this salad isn’t very PC…but instead I’m just going to stop there and say…Long live the 90’s.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Years later, I can see why my mom made this “salad” all of the time. It’s super easy to throw together, it only gets better after a day in the fridge, and it’s a cure-all for the famous “there’s nothing to eat around here.” Work lunches? Check! Late night cravings? Check! It really is the quintessential salad to eat while standing in front of an open fridge door. Chinese Chicken Salad is a classic for a reason!

Chinese Chicken Salad

We haven’t made many changes since the 90’s, because it’s pretty darn good just the way it is. These days I make it with whole wheat pasta, and after taking the photos we realized sesame seeds were a pretty necessary addition. And Sriracha, did it even exist in the 90’s?!? My mind wants to think it did exist before internet memes and before the obsession got a little out of control, but of course, nobody really remembers life before the internet, or Sriracha. Wait…

Chinese Chicken Salad ADD SRIRACHA

Recipe
Chinese Chicken Salad
by Lulu
Makes about 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 (12 oz) package whole wheat angel hair pasta
  • 3-4 chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup diced green onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (cherry tomatoes also work well here)
  • 1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (I used ones that weren’t packed in oil, if that’s all you have, that’s ok – just drain them well)

for the dressing:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup sesame oil
  • 2/3 cup rice vinegar

optional add-ins:

  • sriracha to add to the finished salad for some kick
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • baby corn, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • if anyone has any other add-in ideas, let me know!

Directions

Prepare the chicken: Do whatever way is easiest for you. I preheated the oven to 400F and added some salt and some asian spice seasoning I had to the chicken and baked them until they were done, about 20 minutes. You can poach the chicken, use rotisserie chicken, whatever works! Just make sure the chicken is cooked. This would not but good with raw chicken.

Add all of the dressing ingredients to a jar, close the lid, and shake! I suppose you could whisk everything together, but vigorously shaking this dressing in a jar is the only way we have ever done it. Make sure you give the dressing enough time to marinate, you want to make sure all the sugar gets dissolved.

Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain. Add pasta to a large bowl, shake the dressing one more time, and add about half of it to the pasta and mix well. Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the pasta. Add the green onion, tomatoes, and sundried tomatoes. Add the rest of the dressing and mix well again. While you can serve immediately, this salad usually tastes better after a night in the refrigerator. Lasts in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Asparagus, Orange, and Lentil Salad

21 Tuesday Apr 2015

Posted by in Entertaining, Events, Healthy, Holidays, Salad

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Asparagus, Orange, and Lentil Salad

Currently, I would guess I have well over a thousand recipes saved, just waiting for me to try them out. It’s a bit overwhelming when there are so many great recipes and so little time. I try to prioritize, plan ahead, and try what’s in season. Things get a little backlogged, and this recipe has been saved since I received the March 2013 issue of Southern Living. The combination of fennel, oranges, asparagus, and beautiful pink lentils was really intriguing to me. End result: I’ve made this salad twice since Easter and can’t get enough. It’s one of those salads that keeps well for lunches the next day, which is a rare occurrence in the world of Salads. Continue reading →

Broccoli Crunch Salad

05 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by in Easy, Entertaining, Salad, Side Dish

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Broccoli Crunch Salad

One of the things in life that I really excel at, seriously, I don’t even have to try – is making healthy things not so healthy anymore. But I am also dangerously good at convincing people (mostly myself) that the un-healthified meal in question is basically like eating plain lettuce.

Broccoli Salad

The real moral of the story here is that for this ridiculous dialog to be happening, there has to be a sliver of healthy goodness in there. I don’t scream out, “HEY, IT’S VEGGIE!” when I’m shoving my face at Burgerville eating my favorite Spicy Anasazi Bean Burger. I usually know when to shut up and just enjoy it. But at least I don’t get the double bacon cheeseburger….

Broccoli Salad

So anyways, this broccoli salad, yeah. It’s pretty good. No, we aren’t eating plain broccoli here, we are throwing on some creamy dressing and bacon. But broccoli is going to steal the show no matter how much we try to trash this up.

Broccoli Crunch Salad

This is a riff on those broccoli salads you have at Bridal Showers, Summer BBQ’s, and the stuff you pick up for lunch from the deli counter. Since first making this, it’s been requested by Jordan for his work lunches several times. However, if you are bringing it to work, you may want to leave out the garlic in the dressing and those red onions out of the salad…Broccoli + garlic + onions can be pretty potent, if you know what I mean. Your call though, it’s really tasty either way!

Recipe
Broccoli Crunch Salad
Serves 6 to 8
by Baked Northwest

Ingredients

for the dressing:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 heaping tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

for the salad:
2 heads broccoli, cut into bite sized florets (you can also trim and cube the stems for use in this salad)
8 ounces (about half of a regular sized package) bacon, cooked and chopped into bit size pieces
1/2 cup slivered almonds (can substitute peanuts or cashews)
1/3 cup Zante currants (can sub dried cranberries)
1/4 cup diced red onions (optional)
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Place all dressing ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk together. Base amounts on how thin you like your dressing. If you like a thicker dressing, add 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Like it thinner? Add about 2 tablespoons. If you want a sweeter dressing, add more honey, if you need a little zing, add some lemon juice! We eyeball ours and it comes out a little different each time, but it’s always delicious.

2. Place broccoli florets and all other salad ingredients into a large mixing bowl and top with dressing. Fold together until fully combined.

3. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

4. Toss salad before serving. This salad is great to make ahead and save for work lunches, but it’s always a hit at parties too!

Spicy Black Bean & Quinoa Salad with Mole Vinaigrette

19 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by in Easy, Healthy, Meatless Monday, Salad, Side Dish, Vegetarian, Weeknight Meals

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Black Bean Quinoa Salad

 

We threw this together on a whim last night for dinner. It came together super easy and quick. It’s super healthy and flavorful. It’s totally portable and I’m probably going to bring it to work for lunch everyday. What more could you ask for, really?!?

To top it off, this salad is VEGAN!!! I was a tad skeptical of the “mole” vinaigrette, I don’t usually go for the mole dishes because I like to eat my chocolate AFTER dinner, thank you very much. But overall, the cocoa undertones are subtle and the chipotle gives it a nice spicy kick. This is not your everyday salad, although you may find yourself wishing you could eat it on a daily basis…

Recipe
Spicy Black Bean & Quinoa Salad with Mole Vinaigrette
adapted from Cooking Light
makes about 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

  • 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
  • 3/4 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Salad:

  • 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2-4 chopped mini peppers (or chopped bell peppers, fresno peppers, etc)
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, drained
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups baby spinach leaves

Directions

  1. Cook the quinoa: Rinse the quinoa well. Combine 1 cup quinoa and 1 cup water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes until you can fluff quinoa with a fork. Let cool.
  2. Make the dressing: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl except for the olive oil; gradually add oil, stirring well with a whisk.
  3. Combine cooled quinoa and all salad ingredients except for the spinach in a large bowl. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Add spinach; toss to combine.

Summer is Here: Greek Orzo Salad

08 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by in Easy, Entertaining, Healthy, Pasta, Salad, Side Dish

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You know Summer is in the Northwest when you see Ranier Cherries...And for me it becomes official when I make this Greek Orzo Salad.

You know Summer is in the Northwest when you see Ranier Cherries…And for me it becomes official when I make this Greek Orzo Salad.

This is my, “crap summer is here and my wedding is 70 days away” post. Well, not really…it’s actually more about one of the best summer salads you’ll ever make. I first made this salad years ago, and I can’t quite remember how I found it, or what even gave me the idea to try to find a Greek Orzo Salad. The only thing you need to know is every time I make it people love it! Plus, it’s relatively guilt-free when you compare it to other mayo-laden pasta salads out there.

Greek Orzo Salad

The other great thing about this Greek Orzo salad? It’s easily adaptable. Don’t like onions? Leave ’em out! Prefer black olives over Kalamatas? Go for it! This recipe is so easy, I probably make it a little different each time, but with the same end result: delish. Continue reading →

Ginger Steak Salad

31 Friday May 2013

Posted by in Bloggerific, Easy, Entertaining, Grilling, Main Dish, Salad, Steak

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Ginger Steak Salad

This is an excellent asian-inspired steak salad. If you aren’t that into salads but love steak, the marinade is great on its own! Feel free to get creative here, next time I think I want to add some homemade croutons or some of those fancy crunchies you see in some salads! This recipe makes me wonder why I don’t eat steak salad more often. Note to self… Continue reading →

Strawberry, Pecan and Prosciutto Quinoa Salad

01 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by in Bloggerific, Easy, Entertaining, Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish

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Strawberry Pecan Quinoa Salad

Dare I say this is one of the BEST Quinoa recipes I have ever discovered?!? It’s such a fun combination of flavors and ingredients that totally compliment each other. I can’t wait to make this for a summer party!

Strawberry Pecan Quinoa Salad

I was so excited to dive into this, that I didn’t end up with any well styled photos. I was just too hungry and it all just tasted too good.

Note: this recipe tastes best the day it is made. Strawberries just aren’t quite the same after they have sat in the fridge overnight. It’s still great the next day, but if you are making it for an event or party serve it the same day.

Recipe
Strawberry, Pecan & Prosciutto Quinoa Salad
adapted from Southern Living
Makes 4 servings (more as a side dish for a party)

Ingredients 
For the Dressing:
  • 1/3 cup diced red onion
  • 3 Tbsp grapeseed oil
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • A pinch of salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Salad:
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 oz. prosciutto
  • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup pecans, toasted
  • 1 cup arugula
  • 1 cup quartered strawberries
  • 1 cup crumbled fat free feta cheese
Bring 2 cups water and 1 cup quinoa to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until quinoa is easily fluffed with a fork. Let cool.
Stir/Whisk together 1/3 cups diced red onion, 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, 3 tbsp grapeseed oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Saute 1 (4oz) package (or 3 oz, or 6 oz…whatever works!) of prosciutto in 1 tbsp hot olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until slightly crisp; drain well, and crumble prosciutto to bite-sized pieces.
Toss together onion/dressing mixture, prosciutto, quinoa, toasted pecans halves, strawberries, feta cheese, and arugula. Serve immediately, or the day it is made.

Favorite Salad Dressing

16 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by in Easy, Entertaining, Healthy, LuLu's Classics, Main Dish, Salad, Sauces, Side Dish, Weeknight Meals

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This is THE salad dressing. It goes great on just about any kind of salad. I cannot tell you how many times I have dug through my email, trying to find the recipe that my mom has sent me on numerous occasions. It is so easy to make, very few ingredients, yet for some reason I cannot memorize this recipe for the life of me! Let’s hope this post helps it sink in more. I’m just relieved that now that I’ve posted it I’ll have easier access to it!

The classic salad for this dressing is a combination of pear, toasted walnut, and bleu cheese. Grilled chicken on top makes it a complete meal (if you aren’t vegetarian).

Last night, I didn’t quite have all of those ingredients, but I was close enough, and it was just as delicious: Asian Pear, candied pecans, and goat cheese, with the dressing drizzled on top. Honestly one of the most delicious and satisfying salads you can have!

Recipe
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Makes enough for a salad that serves 2-4 (depending on if entree size salad or side salad)

Ingredients

  • 3 Tablespoons Olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • dash Salt
  • dash Pepper
  • Squirt of honey mustard
  • Squirt of honey

VARIATIONS:

  • Use dijon mustard or grainy mustard instead of honey mustard.
  • Add a clove of minced garlic if you are feeling a little more zesty!

Add olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper to a bowl. whisk until combined. While whisking, add in a squirt of honey (at least a tablespoon) continue whisking and add a squirt (again, about a tablespoon) of honey mustard. You can add more honey or mustard to taste. I used French’s Honey Mustard, although other brands will work. Just make sure it is REAL honey mustard, not the lighter colored kind you find at some fast food restaurants.

My Kind of Friday

22 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in Appetizers, Boozy, Entertaining

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Otto

There is something to say about ending your work week on a good note and getting off on the right foot to your weekend. For me, the perfect way to end my work week is with a fun meal and a familiar face. Last Friday Jordan arrived with not only himself (enough to make me happy) but with Otto, his new puppy. He is so much fun, and cute to boot. Him and the cats will have to work on their relationship, but they’ll be friends someday I’m sure.

So, for our evening in with our furry friends we just had some cocktails and appetizers – Ginger Lemon Drops, Sweet Potato Hummus with rice crackers and peppers, prosciutto-wrapped dates with goat cheese, a big salad, and some leftover Crunchy Chicken Coconut Fingers. It was pretttttty much amazing.

Ginger Lemon Drops, Sweet Potato Hummus, a salad, prosciutto wrapped dates with goat cheese…Munchies and Cocktails are the best.

Half the time I look at my photos and just laugh – all of the ridiculous mismatched dishes, place mats and tablecloths…cat toys in the background, less than award-winning plating skills. Sometimes my living situation and surroundings don’t really allow me to have award winning photos that make the good blogs out there great…And sometimes I get really depressed about it. But why? I have no reason to be sad over such a silly thing. I have this wonderful dude who brings a cute puppy home with him…what more could a girl ask for? I am pretty sure one day I will have matching dishes, and maybe even a cute backdrop to photograph these matching dishes in. But for now, I have to say I am pretty damn happy, and life is good. Mismatched dishes and all.

Recipe

Ginger Lemon Drop

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 oz vodka
  • 1/2 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup
  • freshly grated ginger
  • sugar for the rim and lemon to garnish, if desired
Add Vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, and grated ginger to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake it up vigorously, pour into a martini glass and enjoy!

 

 

Now for some yummy dates. Savory and Sweet!

Pre-Broiler Action. It takes a few dates to get a hang of it, but I promise once you get going it is super easy, fun, and delicious!

Perfect for a cocktail party for 20 or for 2 🙂

Recipe

Prosciutto Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese

Make as many or as little as you want…wing it!

Ingredients

  • Dates
  • Goat Cheese
  • Candied nuts (pecans, walnuts, anything to add a little crunch!)
  • prosciutto

Remove the pits from the dates. Hollow out a little hole in the date. Add some Goat Cheese, push in a candied nut, and wrap the date in a thin slice of prosciutto. Place Dates on a greased baking sheet and pop under broiler for a few minutes, until prosciutto has browned a little and has gotten a bit crispy. Enjoy!

Greek Quinoa Salad

13 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Easy, Healthy, Salad, Side Dish, Weeknight Meals

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I first found out about Quinoa a few years ago when a friend was always making it because she had to start eating Gluten free. All I could remember thinking was, “Man, this stuff is so good, I can’t believe there isn’t any Gluten.”

There are so many different ways to use quinoa, literally, endless. Get on Pinterest right now, search for “quinoa” and get ready for your head to explode. Some of the possibilities seem insanely unique and delicious. You can compare it to rice or couscous, but many out there would obviously agree there is something special about quinoa. Maybe the craze is a fad, but one thing’s for sure – I’m gonna try as many quinoa recipes as I can.

I am partial to a super basic greek quinoa salad since it is one of the first ways I ever ate it. Adjust the recipe to your preferences –  this one is all about wingin’ it and going by taste.

Recipe

Greek Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked
  • 1 large cucumber
  • 2 tomatoes, diced, or 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
  • half of 1 red onion, diced
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups halved kalamata olives
  • 1 4 oz block of feta cheese, cubed
  • splash olive oil
  • splash red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. dried or fresh oregano
  • 1 tbsp. dried or fresh parsley
  • dash of salt and pepper
  1. Cook 1 cup of quinoa according to package instructions. Usually the rule is 2 parts water, 1 part quinoa. So, usually you cook 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil, then simmer, covered, for about 12-15 minutes until you can fluff quinoa with a fork. Add a spalsh of olive oil and salt and pepper, set aside and let cool.
  2. Add the chopped veggies to a large bowl. Dress with a splash of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Add more salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley to taste.
  3. Add the feta and kalamata olives. toss the mixture, then add the quinoa and toss again.
Makes a large salad that can serve about 6 as a main. Also good as a side and as leftovers.