Category Archives: vegetarian

Brussels Sprout and Avocado Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing

Posted on November 20, 2012 by


It is that time of year again…time for the office potluck Thanksgiving Dinner.  Ever year the cooks in our mist pull out the stops and create carb-heavy, delicious, tempting dishes while the non-cooks at the office bring in  bags of rolls straight from the supermarket deli.  We always end up with way too much of both.

This year I decided to break the rules and bring something unique, healthy and totally low carb.  I found a fantastic looking recipe for a Brussels Sprouts Salad on the cover of Whole Living Magazine this month and decided to go for it.

I changed the recipe slightly from what was featured in the magazine by adding red cabbage for color and modifying the dressing recipe slightly.  The result was a tasty fresh salad that was a refreshing accompaniment to all the typical rich Thanksgiving fare.  The salad was really easy to make though pealing apart all those brussels sprouts did take a little more time than I expected.  (If you are pressed for time you could just shred them like the red cabbage instead of taking the time to peal off the leaves.)

I am happy to report that the salad was a hit at lunch.    Give it a try and see if you gain  a new appreciation for these little cruciferous vegetables as well.

 

Brussels Sprout and Avocado Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing

Prep: 15 minutes  - Makes: 6-8 side salads

  • 1 to 1.25 lbs fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed and leaves separated
  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 1 avocado, pealed and pit removed
  • 2/3 cup toasted pecans
  • Lemon Dijon Dressing (recipe below)

Toss together brussels sprouts, red cabbage, avocado and pecans and Lemon Dijon Dressing.  Serve and enjoy.

Lemon Dijon Dressing

Prep: 5 minutes + 4 hours to chill (to allow flavors to meld together)

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon country Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove of garlic, pressed through a garlic press
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • salt and pepper

Whisk together olive oil, Dijon, country Dijon, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate 4 hours to allow flavors to meld together.  Whisk again before tossing with the salad.

 

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy!

 

 

 Spicy Sesame Roasted Brussels Sprouts

 

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup with Wild Rice 

 

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Posted in low carb, salad, seasonal recipes, vegetarian | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Pomegranate Vinaigrette over Pecan and Peach Salad

Posted on June 13, 2012 by

Oh my goodness, how did it get to be the middle of June all ready??  June means summer and summer means bathing suit season, a fact that sends me into a complete panic every year about this time.  

The start of bathing suit season generally means I need to drag my exceedingly pale body into a store to find a new bathing suit.  Can someone please explain to me why stores put that awful florescent lighting in the dressing rooms??   To any retailers out there who may be reading this - premier lighting in the dressing rooms means I look better when I look in the mirror while trying on your clothes.  If I look better in the mirror when trying on your clothes I am more likely to decide to make them my clothes.   Just sayin’….good lighting pays for itself.

Ok so after the ordeal of shopping for a bathing suit under florescent lights last week, I decided I need to go extra healthy for lunch. I started with a delightful glass of crisp chardonnay (because everyone looks better when I am having a lovely glass of wine) and a beautiful salad for lunch. 

 

I took a few creative liberties with a recipe for Salad with Peaches and Pomegranate-Molasses Vinaigrette from the June issue of More magazine.  I ended up with Pomegranate Vinaigrette over Pecan and Peach Salad.  A few sips and bites later, I went from being crazy girl in the Dillard’s dressing room to a “lady who lunches”.  Ah, perspective!!

Pomegranate Vinaigrette over Pecan and Peach Salad

 Total prep time: 7 minutes  – Makes: 3-4 servings

  • Pomegranate Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe below)
  • baby arugula
  • green leave lettuce
  • 2-3 peaches, sliced
  • 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans

Portion arugula, leaf lettuce, sliced peaches, crumbled goat cheese and pecans into serving dishes.  Top with Pomegranate Vinaigrette Dressing and serve.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette Dressing

Total prep time: 12 minutes – Makes: 1/2 cup

  • 1/2 cup 100% pure pomegranate juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • garlic salt and pepper

Place 1/2 pomegranate juice into a small sauce pan and place on medium-high heat.  Simmer until reduced by half (about 10-12 minutes).

Pour reduced pomegranate juice into a small mixing bowl.  Add Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Whisk very well until full incorporated.  Season dressing with garlic salt and pepper.  Whisk again.  Serve and enjoy!

  

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Posted in nuts, salad, seasonal fruits and vegetables, summer, vegetarian | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Garlic Linguini with Roasted Vegetables

Posted on May 21, 2012 by

If you were looking in my pantry you might worry that I have food hoarding tendencies.  I mean there is A LOT of stuff packed in there.  I have a habit of pick up things that looks interesting at the grocery store with the plan of some great future recipe, only to have those items make their way to the dark recesses of the pantry.  Once things migrate to the back I soon forget all about them.

This month I am actively trying to reach to the back of the pantry and pull out those forgotten items before I have to start chucking things because they have out sat their shelf lives.  Yesterday I reached in a pulled out a box of spinach linguini.  I don’t even remember buying it, so who knows what my original plan was for these green strands of pasta.

I cooked the linguini, tossed it with olive oil, sizzled garlic slices, roasted Roma tomatoes and roasted asparagus.  (Just about any roasted vegetables would work in this dish.)  Then I topped the dish off with some shredded parmesan.  It was a stupendous dish – as beautiful as it was delicious.  I must remember to go diving into the back of my panty more often.  There is good inspiration back there!

 Garlic Linguini with Roasted Vegetables

Prep: 10 minutes – Cook time: 12 minutes (not including time to roast the vegetables)  - Makes 4 servings

  • 1 package (1 lb.) spinach linguini
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
  • 8 roasted Roma tomatoes
  • 1 bunch of roasted asparagus (I did not add the onions in the original roasted asparagus recipe)
  • salt and pepper
  • shredded parmesan

Cook linguini according to package directions until pasta is al dente.  Drain pasta and leave in the strainer.

Return empty pasta pot to medium heat.  Add olive oil and garlic slices.  Sizzle garlic until is starts to turn golden.  (Do no allow garlic to burn or it will taste bitter).

Add cooked pasta to pot with olive oil and toss.  Season with salt and pepper.  Portion onto plates.  Add roasted vegetables.  Top with a sprinkle of shredded parmesan.

 Other Recipes You Might Enjoy!

Mushroom Alfredo Barley Rissotto

 

Prosciutto Parmesan Melts

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Posted in asparagus, meatless Monday, pasta, roasting, vegetables, vegetarian | Leave a comment