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
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
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

Share this Recipe

Nutrient-Dense Cabbage Mushroom Ramen Soup

This delicious immune-boosting, brain-healthy, cancer-fighting soup combines some of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods.

Cabbage

Cabbage, part of the nutrient-dense cruciferous family, is rich in vitamin K which can help boost memory. Red cabbage has additional antioxidant phytochemicals that protect neurons from damage caused by oxidative stress. These flavonoids can also help improve mood and memory.

Ginger

Ginger has proven anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It is digestive aid that helps breakdown of protein, and it soothes the gastrointestinal tract.  It can also help cognitive functioning, focus and memory.

Mushrooms

Nutrient-dense mushrooms are rich in essential brain nutrient B vitamins and minerals like zinc and manganese. There are several immune-boosting ingredients empower your body to react quickly and powerfully when we are exposed to disease-causing pathogens such as viruses and bacteria.

Onions and Garlic

Throughout history people recognized onions and garlic offered immune protection and could help them get well faster when they got sick. Onions and garlic are rich in:

  • anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds
  • antioxidant flavonoids shown to boost memory and protect neurons from injury
  • brain essential B vitamins

Seaweed

Seaweeds are one of the best foods to obtain essential minerals. The high mineral content supports nervous system function. They also contain high amounts of vitamins, as well as protein.

Sesame seeds

Rich in calcium and abundant in other minerals, particularly zinc and iron, sesame seeds also provide vitamin E.

Nutrient-dense Cabbage Mushroom Ramen Soup
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Nutrient-dense Cabbage Mushroom Ramen Soup
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Soup
Toppings
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. In a stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and mushrooms. Cook 5 minutes until they soften.
  2. Add garlic and ginger and cook 2 – 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Mix in soy sauce.
  3. Immediately add broth, water, and cabbage. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and add in ramen noodles. Cover and cook over medium 5 – 8 minutes until the ramen and cabbage are tender. Stir in the sesame oil, remove from heat.
  4. Sprinkle with toppings and enjoy!
Recipe Notes

*Seaweed is optional. I generally have some in the pantry in the form of seaweed snacks. It defintely improves the flavor and obviously the health benefits as well.

Share this Recipe

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
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Crunchy Healthy Broccoli Salad
Print Recipe
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.
Share this Recipe

Veggie-Loaded Egg Bake

Plant-rich and nutrient-dense, use this as a base recipe and mix it up with different vegetables. Add sausage, smoked salmon, leftover chicken, or ground beef. Make a double recipe and enjoy it throughout the week for breakfast or lunch.

Variations:

  • Finely slice kale or Swiss chard, instead of spinach
  • Replace basil with parsley or cilantro. Or other finely chopped herbs such as rosemary, thyme, dill or oregano. If using fresh herbs, use spinach as the greens as it is more neutral than other greens
  • Or use arugula for the greens and skip the fresh herbs
  • Use finely chopped broccoli instead of greens
  • Add other veggies: asparagus, cauliflower, peas, green beens…
  • Add leftover chicken, bacon, sausage, ground beef

Toppings (optional)

  • Chopped fresh herbs
  • Sliced avocado
  • Chopped jalapeño

Serve with green smoothie from Simple Green Smoothie, a bowl of berries or Orange and Pineapple Medley

 

Veggie Egg Bake
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Veggie Egg Bake
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a baking dish with butter or olive oil.
  2. Combine all vegetables, garlic and pepper. Add optional meat and mix well. Pour into casserole dish.
  3. Whisk eggs with milk and pour over vegetables.
  4. Top with cheese
  5. Bake for 50 - 55 minutes or until eggs are cooked through.
Recipe Notes

http://www.nutritionistreviews.com/2016/01/spinach-and-bell-pepper-egg-bake-fitbit.html

Share this Recipe

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
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Green Salad with Apple and Walnuts
Print Recipe
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.
Share this Recipe

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
Print Recipe
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.
Share this Recipe

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
Print Recipe
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
Share this Recipe

Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup

This recipe is part of my “naked kitchen menu” because it has no spices. Consider this a base that can be varied by using different ground meat, or vegetables and adding spices.

Variations:

  • Use ground bison or grass-fed beef instead of turkey, or ground lamb
  • For the soup, use leeks instead of onions, add a chopped turnip or rutabaga
  • Add 1 cup of chopped broccoli or cauliflower
  • Add 1 cup peas or green beans
  • Add 1 cup of diced potato
  • Reduce the amount of broth to make a chunky stew instead of soup
Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Meatballs
Soup
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Pour milk into a large mixing bowl, tear bread into small pieces and add to the milk; soak 10 minutes.
  2. Add ground turkey, chopped green onions, minced garlic and mix together.
  3. Scoop out with spoon and roll between wet palms to form 1/2-inch balls.
  4. Set aside.
Soup
  1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat just until it starts to shimmer. Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables soften, add chopped garlic and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes.
  2. Place meatballs on top of vegetables.
  3. Gradually pour in broth. Gently stir broth into vegetables without breaking the meatballs. Cover and cook over low heat, just barely bubbling until meatballs are cooked through.
  4. Add kale or spinach, cover and simmer just until kale/spinach is wilted. Gently mix together and serve.
Share this Recipe

Salmon with Orange and Black Olive Salsa

Maybe it is living in the US southwest, maybe it is summer heat, but somewhere along the way, I’ve developed a keen taste for fresh salsa not as a condiment for Mexican foods, but as a zesty way to dress up grilled and roasted fish fillets. Or chicken and pork tenderloin.

In this case, salmon.

Juicy orange, kalamata olives and garden-fresh basil join together in flavorful harmony enhancing the pleasure of every bite atop grilled salmon. No grill? No problem, simply roast the salmon fillet in the oven.

I like to serve this with CMF Rice or CMF Quinoa with the crunch of toasted pecans.

I’ve even served it with Quinoa Tabbouleh for a colorful summertime dinner. Add a spinach salad with sliced red bell peppers or grated carrots and toasted sunflowers seeds and dinner is a visual and tasty delight.

For dessert, Epicurious: Plum Kuchen

Variations:

  • Cilantro or parsley instead of basil
  • With or without olives
  • Green onion instead of red onion
Salmon with Orange Olive Salsa
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Salmon with Orange Olive Salsa
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Peel oranges, cut in slices removing center, and dice into small pieces. Place in a medium mixing bowl.
  3. Chop black olives and add to oranges. Add chopped olives, basil, green onions, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
  4. Mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Roast salmon in oven for 12 minutes or until center is barely cooked. Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes.
  6. Serve with orange olive salsa on top.
Share this Recipe

Kale, Apple and Cranberry Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

Fresh, tangy with the crunch of crisp apple and toasted pumpkin seeds, every mouthful is a delicious, nutritious bite.

Kale, cranberries, green onions and pumpkins sees are all GBOMS – some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. They a delightfully colorful salad.

Variations

  • Instead of large leaf kale (Lacinto, Tuscan etc), use baby kale, spinach or mixed greens
  • Replace dried cranberries with fresh berries or any other dried fruits: currants, apricots, dates
  • Replace pumpkin seeds with any nut (walnut, almond, hazelnut, etc). Fresh is always best (rather than store-bought roasted nuts, toast nuts in a skillet over medium heat.
Kale, Apple and Cranberry Salad with Pumpkin Seeds
Print Recipe
Toss with CMF Basic Salad dressing with Dijon mustard variation
Servings
8 servings
Servings
8 servings
Kale, Apple and Cranberry Salad with Pumpkin Seeds
Print Recipe
Toss with CMF Basic Salad dressing with Dijon mustard variation
Servings
8 servings
Servings
8 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Toast pumpkin seeds in a skillet over medium fire. Remove and cool.
  2. In a large mixing bowl toss kale with kale about 1/3 cup of dressing.
  3. Add apple, green onion and 3/4 of cranberries; toss to combine. Add half of pumpkins seeds and toss again. Add more dressing if desired.
  4. Serve on a platter. Sprinkle remaining cranberries and pumpkin seeds on top.
  5. Make ahead Pumpkin seeds can be toasted 2 or 3 days ahead. Kale can be washed, stemmed and thinly sliced a day ahead. Place in an airtight container and chill. Toss kale with vinaigrette 3 or 4 hours ahead of serving time. Add remaining ingredients 30 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes

A Color My Food original recipe

Share this Recipe