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

Cumin Quinoa and Garbanzo

I like the combination of rice and quinoa, and this dish can be more interesting using wild rice or red quinoa if it is available. But for quicker cooking on a busy night, you can use a single grain (either brown rice or quinoa). You can also make this with another grain such as barley (but increase the water to 3 cups for 1 cup of barley)

Cumin Quinoa and Garbanzo
Print Recipe
Servings
4 serving
Servings
4 serving
Cumin Quinoa and Garbanzo
Print Recipe
Servings
4 serving
Servings
4 serving
Ingredients
Adjust servings: serving
Units:
Instructions
  1. Bring rice and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, 25-30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, combine quinoa, bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return quinoa to hot saucepan. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf, fluff quinoa with a fork, and transfer to a large bowl.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
  4. Add to quinoa. Add rice and garbanzo beans; mix well. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons extra-virgin oil, fresh lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, and green onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Cut avocado into wedges. Serve salad with avocado and lemon wedges.
Recipe Notes

Adapted from Epicurious: Cumin Scented Quinoa and Black Rice

Share this Recipe

Moroccan Tagine with Chicken and Garbanzo

Tagine is a Moroccan stew that takes its name from the earthen pot in which it is slow cooked.  Although I don’t have a tagine pot, the dish has become a regular item in both weekly family meals and entertaining menus because of the colors, the flavors and the diversity.

Tagine is traditionally a stand-alone one-dish entrée served with Moroccan bread on the side to be used as a utensil to scoop up the stew, but I like to serve tagine over couscous (whole-wheat or pearl couscous) or quinoa.

This particular recipe can be switched around a number of different ways:

  1. Make it vegan by skipping the chicken and using only the garbanzo
  2. Use lentils instead of garbanzo
  3. Use chicken only or fish or shrimp
  4. Instead of green beans I’ve used peas or (chopped) broccoli, just make sure to add in the last few minutes so they still have a crunch and are not mushy
Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas and Mint
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas and Mint
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Cover and cook until onion is tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add paprika and next 5 ingredients; stir 1 minute.
  3. Stir in 2 cups water, garbanzo beans, tomatoes with juices, cilantro, lemon, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.
  4. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; add to pot. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
  5. Add carrots and more water to cover if liquid has evaporated; cook 10 minutes.
  6. Stir in green beans; simmer until chicken and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper and more lemon juice, if desired. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with mint.
Recipe Notes

Source: Epicurious: Chick Tagine with Chickpeas and Mint

Share this Recipe