3 Way Strawberry Cucumber Salad

Going local for the variety, delicious ripe and nutrient-rich seasonal produce.

Local, luscious red strawberries have SO much more flavor than those shipped hundreds of miles. And strawberries are good mood red foods. But because of pesticide overuse, strawberries rank #1 on the Dirty Dozen list. Another reason to go local. Although they may not be labeled “organic”, local farmers generally follow organic practices.

Variations

  • Basic: Toss sliced (or diced) cucumbers and strawberries with 1/4 cup chopped mint or basil, fresh lime juice and olive oil to taste
  • Green salad: toss it all together with greens (arugula, spinach, lettuces, shredded kale). Or serve over the greens for a pretty presentation
  • Mix and match: add diced tomatoes. Or red bell peppers. Make up your own combinations 😊

  • Full meal: toss with 1 cup of quinoa or other grains (brown rice, barley)

Additions

  • Sliced or diced avocado
  • Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)
  • Soft goat cheese or feta cheese

You can “stretch” the organic strawberries by adding either tomato or red bell pepper to make it more cost-effective.

3 Way Strawberry Cucumber Salad
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Last year I discovered strawberries and avocado combination. This year it’s strawberries and cucumbers. Like most Color My Food recipes this is more of guideline and can be made different ways. Also, changing how the cucumbers and strawberries are cut changes the texture. Instead of slicing in rounds, cut into large dice. Or peel the cucumber into ribbons with a vegetable peeler and cut the strawberries lengthwise rather than horizontally into rounds.
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
3 Way Strawberry Cucumber Salad
Print Recipe
Last year I discovered strawberries and avocado combination. This year it’s strawberries and cucumbers. Like most Color My Food recipes this is more of guideline and can be made different ways. Also, changing how the cucumbers and strawberries are cut changes the texture. Instead of slicing in rounds, cut into large dice. Or peel the cucumber into ribbons with a vegetable peeler and cut the strawberries lengthwise rather than horizontally into rounds.
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Toss the cucumber, green onions, mint and strawberries in a bowl.
  2. Drizzle vinaigrette and toss again.
  3. If using greens, you can serve on top of the greens or mix into the greens.
Recipe Notes

Salad dressing: CMF Basic Salad Dressing

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Crunchy Healthy Broccoli Salad

Some of the most nutrient-dense (nutrients per calorie) foods on the planet are:

  • Greens (including cruciferous like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage)
  • Beans
  • Onions
  • Mushrooms
  • Berries
  • Seeds/Nuts

Eating lots of these vegetables give us optimal amounts of immune-protective micronutrients that can fend of disease.

This salad combines 4 of those superfoods: broccoli, onions, nuts, and berries. It’s a delicious, nutritious way to eat more broccoli and change up dinner salad from leafy greens. Leftovers make a great lunch topped with some chicken and/or leftover grains.

Variations

  • Add leftover bacon, chopped
  • Add avocado, diced
  • Use pumpkin or sunflower seeds instead of nuts
  • Use raisins or other dried fruit instead of cranberries
  • Add 1/2 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
  • Mix in arugula or baby spinach for a more robust salad
  • Add leftover quinoa, brown rice or other grain for a “meal salad”
  • Top with leftover chicken
Crunchy Healthy Broccoli Salad
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Crunchy Healthy Broccoli Salad
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
White Wine Vinaigrette
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Toss, broccoli, green onions, half of cranberries and half of nuts with CMF vinaigrette.
  2. Put into serving bowl
  3. Top with remaining cranberries and nuts.
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Romaine and Apple Salad with Walnuts

My salads are a general framework rather exact recipes with precise ingredients and measurements. My favorite combination for this salad is romaine and a crisp apple – Pink Lady, Honey Crisp and Granny Smith are my preferred choices. But I often make it with other greens.

Variations:

  • Instead of Romaine lettuce, mixed greens, spinach, arugula, baby kale
  • Replace walnuts with any nut (almond, pecan, etc) or seed (pumpkin, sunflower)

Note: I always buy nuts and seeds raw and roast them myself 1) either a large batch on a baking sheet for 5 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 or 2) toasting specific amount as needed in a skillet on the stove top at medium heat

Green Salad with Apple and Walnuts
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Green Salad with Apple and Walnuts
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Trim off base of romaine, and about 1/2 inch from the top. Quarter in half lengthwise, then cut into bite-size pieces
  2. Wash and dry in salad spinner
  3. Thinly slice green onions, using both white and green parts, toss into lettuce
  4. Core apple, quarter, cut into fine slices, then into matchsticks. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice to prevent from oxidizing. Mix half of apple into lettuce
  5. Chop toasted walnuts. Mix half of walnuts into lettuce
  6. Toss salad with CMF Salad Dressing (lemon version)
  7. Sprinkle remaining apple and walnuts on top and serve.
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Spinach Pomegranate Green and Red Salad

Mini-chef asked what salad I was making. I answered “green and red – spinach, red cabbage and pomegranate.  Lots of color, lots of vitamins.” She has a keen interest not just in helping cook, but in the ingredients that go into our food.
Once the salad came together she said, “ you know mama, it’s green and purple.”

Red or purple, the colors make this not only pretty, but powerful: every one of these ingredients are superfoods loaded with phytochemicals (natural plant chemicals, antioxidants and minerals that boosting our immune system and ward off disease. Even healthy factors aside, the flavors and texture are a feast to the palate.

This salad would be a wonderful addition to a Christmas dinner or other holiday menu.

Variations:

  • Baby kale or arugula instead of baby spinach.
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries instead of pomegranate
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion instead of green onion
  • Sunflower seeds, pine nuts, pistachio or chopped pecan instead of pumpkin seeds
  • Add 1/4 – 1/2 cup of shredded red cabbage (I use a mandolin) or 1/4 cup of grated beet
Spinach Pomegranate Green and Red Salad
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CMF Salad Dressing (balsamic vinegar version)
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Spinach Pomegranate Green and Red Salad
Print Recipe
CMF Salad Dressing (balsamic vinegar version)
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Toss green onions, shredded cabbage in a bowl.
  2. Drizzle about 1/4 cup of salad dressing over salad and half of pomegranate kernels; toss again.
  3. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and remaining pomegranate on top and serve.
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Spinach Citrus Salad

In our garden in Cochabamba lives a wonderfully enthusiastic orange tree. It produces truly an astonishing amount of fruit; we’ll harvest 200+ oranges and the tree looks still fully loaded.
The garden is also home to a grapefruit tree, more modest in its output.
With such abundance, orange and grapefruit ended up in this pretty and delicious combination.

Variations:

  • Use only orange or only grapefruit
  • Use orange and beet (roasted or steamed) slices (cut into similar shape as orange segments
  • Use peach or nectarine in place of citrus
  • Add toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or slivered almonds
Spinach and Citrus Salad
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Spinach and Citrus Salad
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Salad Dressing
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Cut away all peel and pith from grapefruit and orange. Separate segments from between membranes
  2. Place spinach and chopped green onion in large bowl. Toss with 2 – 3 tablespoons salad dressing.
  3. Place tossed spinach and green onions on a platter.
  4. Arrange orange and grapefruit segments on top of spinach.
  5. Drizzle another 3 – 4 tablespoons of salad dressing over the salad
Salad Dressing
  1. Mix salt an apple cider vinegar until salt dissolves
  2. In a slow steady stream add extra-virgin olive oil, whisking
  3. Whisk in 2 tablespoons water. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons water if to strong for your taste. Adjust salt and pepper
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Spinach Beet and Feta Salad

The lovely color of beets against the green is pretty to see, the contrast of texture — soft beet against the fresh leaves, creamy feta and the crunch of nuts make this salad delight for the palate. And the concentration of phytonutrients in these power foods are a big boost for the immune system.

Variations:

  • Use arugula or baby kale instead of spinach
  • Add avocado
  • Add orange  (peel, cut away pith and segment the orange slices)
  • Use pumpkin or sunflower seeds instead of nuts

 

Spinach Beet and Feta Salad
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Spinach Beet and Feta Salad
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Peel beets, cut in half and slice or cut in cubes. Steam in a pot over low heat for 10 - 12 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
  2. Place spinach and chopped green onion in large bowl. Toss with 2 – 3 tablespoons vinaigrette.
  3. Place tossed spinach and green onions on a platter.
  4. Arrange beets and feta on top, drizzle another 1 - 2 tablespoons of salad dressing on top.
  5. Sprinkle nuts over salad and serve.
  6. CMF Salad Dressing
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Watermelon Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese

Few things sing of summer as enthusiastically as watermelon. Cold, sweet watermelon joins in spectacular harmony with sharp arugula and creamy fresh goat cheese. The crunch of toasted sunflower seeds contrasts deliciously with the watermelon and goat cheese, making this salad a feast of flavor, texture. I can taste the sunshine.

I toss the salad with CMF Basic Salad Dressing using red wine or balsamic vinegar.

It’s a perfect salad to serve with grilled steaks or chicken on a summer night. Add  CMF Quinoa or CMF Rice tossed with 1 or 2 cups of corn and 1 cup of chopped cilantro. For dessert? Mixed Berry Crisp (I reduce the sugar by half)

As beautiful to look at as it is to eat, people always go back for more of this salad.

Hello summer!

Variations

  • Add 1 cup of cherry tomatoes (or plum tomato cut in large dice). It’s especially pretty with yellow tomatoes
  • Reduce watermelon to 1 1/2 cups and add 1 1/2 cups blueberries
  • Use nuts (walnuts, pecans, pistachio etc) instead of pumpkin/sunflower seeds
  • Skip the pumpkin/sunflower seeds
  • Skip the greens
Watermelon Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese
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Variations: - Use baby kale, or finely sliced lacinto or Tuscan kale instead of arugula - Use pine nuts (I lightly toast them in a skillet) instead of sunflower seeds - Use feta instead of creamy goat cheese
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Watermelon Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese
Print Recipe
Variations: - Use baby kale, or finely sliced lacinto or Tuscan kale instead of arugula - Use pine nuts (I lightly toast them in a skillet) instead of sunflower seeds - Use feta instead of creamy goat cheese
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Wash and spin arugula.
  2. Toss in a large bowl with watermelon and salad dressing.
  3. Add half of goat cheese and sunflower seeds, toss. Serve on a platter, sprinkle remaining goat cheese and sunflower seeds on top.
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Sweet Potato and Russet Potato Salad with Greens and Bacon

Skip the bacon and make it vegetarian.

Did you know sweet potatoes are not the same as yams? Sweet potatoes, native of North America, are a superfood loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Yams are starchy roots native of Africa and also grown in tropical parts of Asia, South America and the Caribbean.

Nutritionally, sweet potatoes greatly outweigh yams. They are sweet and moist. Yams are starchy and dry. I recognize sweet potatoes by their tapered ends and thin, smooth skin. Yams have rough, dark skin.

The original recipe calls for yams. I use sweet potatoes instead, and kale rather than mustard greens. For dinner parties, if vegetarians are among the guests I split the potato salad in half and mix bacon into one half only, leaving the other half for the vegetarians. Or leave the bacon on the side, but I find it more flavorful if the bacon is mixed in.

I’ve made this the day before. But it is thirsty and soaks up the dressing. So if I make it the day before, I make extra dressing add additional dressing before serving.

Finally, for a prettier presentation I like to serve it on a platter over a bed of shredded kale (with dressing mixed in prior to putting the kale on the platter).
How to tell the difference between sweet potato and yam?

Sweet Potato and Russet Potato Salad with Greens and Bacon
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Servings
6 servings
Servings
6 servings
Sweet Potato and Russet Potato Salad with Greens and Bacon
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Servings
6 servings
Servings
6 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
  2. Steam russet potatoes until tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; toss with 1 tablespoon dressing.
  3. In the same pot steam sweet potatoes until tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; toss with 1 tablespoon dressing.
  4. Fry bacon in large skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towels. Drain. Crumble bacon.
  5. Add green onions, half of bacon and sweet potato to russet potatoes. Toss salad with salad dressing to coat.
  6. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Can be made ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature. If made ahead, add additional dressing and toss again before serving.
Recipe Notes

Source: Epicurious: Yam and Russet Potato Salad with Greens and Bacon

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Spinach and Orange Salad with Black Olives

There’s alchemy between oranges and black olive that is delightful.

I like to make this salad with dishes I associate with Spain such as the Roasted Cod with Red Bell Pepper and Tomato Sauce or Seafood Paella with Edamame.

Toss salad with CMF Basic Salad Dressing

Variations:

  • Instead of spinach, use mixed greens or baby kale
  • Instead of green onion, use 1/4 finely sliced red onion
  • Try this salad without the greens, slicing the onion in rounds, red onion in rounds and slivers of black olive sprinkled over them
Spinach and Orange Salad with Black Olives
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Spinach and Orange Salad with Black Olives
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Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. n a bowl carefully toss orange segments, black olives and green onion, reserving a few slices of orange and a few black olives.
  2. Add spinach and carefully mix.
  3. Add about 1/4 cup salad dressing and toss; if desired add additional salad dressing.
  4. Place reserved orange slices and black olives decoratively on top.
Recipe Notes

If serving for company, place salad on a platter rather than in a bowl.

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CMF Basic Salad Dressing

Store-bought salad dressings generally contain

  • high-fructose corn syrup
  • transfats and
  • MSG and other additives.

6 Shocking Facts About Your Salad Dressing

Homemade salad dressing is quite simple and takes only minutes to make. With practice, measuring isn’t necessary,  just whisk and go, adjusting by taste.

[su_expanding_quote_book source_author=”Sally Fallon” source_title=”Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats” full_quote=”We should avoid all bottled and commercial salad dressings, which are invariably made with cheap, low-quality oils that have been stripped of their nutrients and rendered dangerously rancid by high-temperature or solvent extraction processes. Bottles dressings are further adulterated with many ingredients including stabilizers, preservatives, artificial flavors and colors, not to mention refined sweeteners. Almost all bottled salad dressings—particularly low-fat varieties—contain neurotoxic MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein or similar substances. These flavor enhancers are not always listed on the labeled. Ingredients listed as “natural flavors” or “spices” may contain MSG.” short_quote=”We should avoid all bottled and commercial salad dressings, which are invariably made with cheap, low-quality oils that have been stripped of their nutrients”]

Variations:

  • Lime Vinaigrette: Use fresh squeezed lemon (or lime juice) instead of vinegar
  • Balsamic: Use balsamic vinegar instead
  • Dijon: Add 1/2 – 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (season to taste)
  • Creamy: Add 1 – 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
  • Add 1 garlic clove minced (I always include garlic unless the salad has fruit in it)
  • Add 2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
CMF Basic Dressing
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Servings
1 cup dressing
Servings
1 cup dressing
CMF Basic Dressing
Print Recipe
Servings
1 cup dressing
Servings
1 cup dressing
Ingredients
Adjust servings: cup dressing
Units:
Instructions
  1. Mix salt an apple cider vinegar until salt dissolves
  2. In a slow steady stream add extra-virgin olive oil, whisking
  3. Whisk in 2 tablespoons water. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons water if to strong for your taste. Adjust salt and pepper
Recipe Notes

[su_original_recipe]

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