Cracked Wheat Salad

Great with grilled chicken, lamb, or salmon, this side-dish salad also packs well for a picnic. Almost any fruit would work well in place of nectarines--try apricots, peaches, or figs.

Ingredients

1  cup  uncooked bulgur
1  cup  boiling water
1 1/2  cups  thinly sliced nectarines (about 3)
1/2  cup  thinly sliced green onions
1/4  cup  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1  tablespoon  chopped fresh dill
3  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
3  tablespoons  white balsamic vinegar
3/4  teaspoon  salt
1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
3  tablespoons  chopped pistachios

Preparation

1. Combine Bulgar and 1 cup boiling water in a large bowl. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Stir in nectarines and remaining ingredients except nuts; toss well. Sprinkle with nuts.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

Nutritional Information
Calories: 188
Fat: 9g (sat 1.2g,mono 5.9g,poly 1.4g)
Protein: 4.2g
Carbohydrate: 24.7g
Fiber: 5.7g
Cholesterol: 0.0mg
Iron: 1.2mg
Sodium: 307mg
Calcium: 29mg

Crunchy Pear and Celery Salad

Description

Bartlett or Anjou pears are used in this salad for their crisp texture. The nut and cheese combination sets the tone of the dish - white Cheddar and pecans is decidedly American. For an Italian twist, try a good Parmesan with some toasted walnuts.

Ingredients

4 stalks celery, trimmed and cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons cider, pear, raspberry or other fruit vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ripe pears, preferably red Bartlett or Anjou, diced
1 cup finely diced white Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (see Tip)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
6 large leaves butterhead or other lettuce

Instructions

1. Soak celery in a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
2. Whisk vinegar, honey and salt in a large bowl until blended. Add pears; gently stir to coat. Add the celery, cheese and pecans; stir to combine. Season with pepper. Divide the lettuce leaves among 6 plates and top with a portion of salad. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

TIP: To toast chopped nuts & seeds: Cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: To make ahead: Prepare salad without pecans up to 2 hours ahead. Stir in pecans just before serving.
Nutritional Information
Nutrients Per Serving 
Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each
Calories: 221
Protein: 6 gm 
Fat: 14 gm
Saturated Fat: 5 gm 
urated Fat: 4 gm
Carbohydrate: 20 gm 
Fiber: 4 gm 
Cholesterol: 20 mg 
Vitamin A: 285
Vitamin C: 5 gm 
Calcium: 159 mg 
Magnesium: 37 mg 
Potassium: 234 mg 
Sodium: 244 mg

 

Warm Green Bean Salad with Toasted Walnuts

Description

This colorful salad makes a fine prelude to a hearty dinner. Walnut oil's distinctive flavor delivers a rich hit to the dressing.

Ingredients

Dressing: 
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons walnut oil

Salad:
 3/4 pound haricots verts (see Note) or green  beans with ends trimmed

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

6 cups mache (see Note) or Boston lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

Instructions

1. To prepare dressing: Whisk shallot, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil.

2. Cook haricots verts (or green beans), uncovered, in a large pot of boiling water until crisp-tender; 3 to 4 minutes for haricots verts, 4 to 6 minutes for green beans. Drain, refresh under cold water and pat dry.

3. Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.

4. To prepare salad: Combine beans, tomatoes and parsley in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing. Divide mache (or lettuce) among 6 salad plates. Spoon bean mixture onto the greens, sprinkle with the walnuts and serve.

Ingredient notes: Haricots verts is simply French for green beans. However, the term is often used for the very slender beans, also called French beans, found in produce markets. Mache (mosh), also known as lamb's lettuce or corn salad, is a tangy green that resembles watercress. Popular in Europe, it is enjoyed in the first salads of spring. Look for it in specialty stores and farmers' markets.

Makes 6 servings of 1 and 1/2 cups each
Nutritional Information
Nutrients Per Serving 

Calories: 135 
Protein: 4 grams 
Fat: 8 grams
Saturated Fat: 1 gram
 Monsaturated Fat: 1 gram
 Carbohydrate: 15 grams 
Fiber: 5 grams 
Cholesterol: 0 mg 
Vitamin A: 1384 IU
 Vitamin C: 22 mg
 Calcium: 44 mg 
Magnesium: 26 mg
 Potassium: 362 mg 
Sodium: 147 mg

 

Creamy Salad Dressing

Description

This delicious, soy-based dressing can stand head to head with ranch dressing. Look for silken tofu in shelf-stable cardboard containers. It has a different texture than regular tofu and is good for dressings and desserts. This dressing is good on a tossed green salad (remember to pick dark green salad greens), but equally at home on a baked potato or as a dip for raw vegetables. Add a bit of fragrant bleu cheese if you like.

Ingredients

6 ounces silken tofu (or soft tofu, drained)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon expeller-pressed canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender container. Blend until well mixed.

Champagne Vinaigrette

Description

Whirring this dressing in the blender gives it a creamy consistency. If you don't have a blender just mince the shallots, then whisk the ingredients in a medium bowl.

Ingredients

1 shallot, peeled and quartered

1/4 cup champagne vinegar or white-wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon

Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine shallot, vinegar, oil, mustard, salt and pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth.

Nutritional Information
Makes 2/3 cup, for 8 servings
Per serving
70 calories
7 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono)
0 mg cholesterol
2 g carbohydrate
0 g protein
0 g fiber
242 mg sodium
5 mg potassium

 

Arugula & Pear Salad

Description

Besides giving this salad a nutty crunch, walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins, minerals, protein and antioxidants. For an added flavor dimension, crumble some Gorgonzola cheese over each salad.

To make ahead: the dressing will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Ingredients

Dressing:
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
3 tablespoons vegetable broth 
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste. 
Freshly ground pepper to taste.

Salad:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 firm red Bartlett pears
5 cups butterhead lettuce (Bibb or Boston), torn into bite-size pieces 
4 cups arugula, trimmed

Instructions

1. To prepare dressing: Whisk shallot, broth, oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

2. To prepare salad: Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.

3. Just before serving, cut pears into 16 slices each. Place in a large bowl. Spoon on 1 tablespoon of the dressing and toss to coat. Add lettuce, arugula and the remaining dressing; toss well. Divide among 8 plates. Top with the walnuts. 

Makes 8 servings, about 1 cup each.

Recipe by: Kathy Farrell-Kinglsey

Nutritional Information
Nutrients Per Serving 
Calories: 132 
Protein: 2 grams 
Fat: 10 grams
Saturated Fat: 1 gram 
Monosaturated  Fat: 5 grams
  Fat: 3 grams 
Carbohydrate: 10 grams 
Fiber: 2 grams 
Cholesterol: 0 mg 
Vitamin A: 945 IU
Vitamin C: 6 mg
Calcium: 37 mg 
Magnesium: 17 mg
Potassium: 188 mg
Sodium: 94 mg

Orange-Jicama Salad

Description

This colorful salad uses jicama, a crunchy and sweet root vegetable common to Latin countries. The pairing with oranges and cilantro gives it a distinctive Mexican flair. It would be a wonderful salad to serve with Vegetarian Chili or your favorite Mexican meal. During the winter holidays, add some pomegranate seeds to make it even more festive.

Food as Medicine
Low-calorie, fat-free and high in vitamin C, jicama also contains a polysaccharide (linked group of simple sugars) known as insulin, which research has indicated improves calcium absorption in bones, possibly helping to prevent osteoporosis.

Ingredients

4 cups jicama, peeled and julienned
2 oranges, sectioned
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Mix the jicama, orange sections, and chopped cilantro in a bowl. 

2. Whisk together the remaining ingredients, toss with the jicama-orange mixture, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Serves 4

:Nutrients Per Serving
Calories: 125.7 
Protein: 1.8 grams
Fat: 3.6 grams 
Saturated Fat: 0.5 grams 
Mononsaturated Fat: 2.5 grams
 Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4 grams 
Carbohydrate: 23.2 grams
Fiber: 7.7 grams
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Vitamin A: 336.5 IU
Vitamin E: 1.2 mg/IU
Vitamin C: 80.9 mg 
Calcium: 52.9 mg
Magnesium: 26.9 mg
Courtesy of Functional Medicine Institute

 

Arugula & Pear Salad

In addition to adding a nutty crunch, the walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins, minerals, protein and antioxidants. Remember- healthy is delicious!  If you are pressed for time make the dressing ahead; it will keep for 2 days in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

Dressing:

2 Tbl. finely chopped shallots                    3 Tbl. vegetable broth

3 Tbl. extra-virgin olive oil                        1 1/2 Tbl. balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard                                1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Salad:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts                    2 firm red Bartlett pears                    4 cups Arugula trimmed

5 cups Butterhead/Bibb/Boston lettuce torn into bite-size pieces

Tip: For added flavor  crumble Gorgonzola cheese over each salad.
Instructions

Prepare dressing by whisking shallots, broth, oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper in a small bowl.

Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring until fragrant (2-3 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

Just before serving, cut pears into thin slices and place in a bowl. Spoon 1 Tbl. of the dressing and toss to coat. Add lettuce, Arugula and remaining dressing. Toss well. Divide into 6-8 servings and top with walnuts.