Chickpea and Potato Salad with Herb Dressing

Yes, I really have been eating salads for a solid two weeks.  And I don't think any of them were raw salads, either.  Temperature has been variable.  What they all have in common is a distinct sauce or dressing.  This one is a Greek salad that found friends.

I'm also intentionally adding beans to nearly every dinner.  Two months until my cholesterol test.  I hate the term "fiber-maxxing", and I'm not doing that.  I'm attempting to get close to the recommended amount.  The average American who thinks they're getting plenty of fiber is probably consuming half that without supplements.  It's just how we eat.

I couldn't find exactly what I wanted in this sauce.  It isn't pesto, which implies nuts and hard cheese.  It isn't sofrito or chimichurri.  Green goddess is mayo-based, and this is a vinaigrette.  It's a "use up all the herbs in the crisper before they go bad" sauce, plus the green tops off the carrots from my garden that I've eaten recently.

This also fits into my prep cooking chapter.  There was leftover dressing because I had enough herbs to make a double batch.  It is now in the freezer, marinating chicken breasts bought for that purpose.  Also freezer-banked this week was one sweet potato's worth of mini pies.  I have four little crusts left in the freezer.  It was two dozen originally.  The crusts are excellent, and I would buy them again, but I need to have a specific use in mind first.

As a side note, the groceries for this dish were a little over $5, including the cheese, for a 4-serving batch.  I love Super King.  Just a reminder that shopping in-season and looking for loss leader specials can still result in healthy, elegant meals.  This salad would easily be $15 as a vegetarian main dish on a lunch menu.

1 lb red potatoes
*1 15 oz can chickpeas, or 2/3 C dry, soaked and cooked
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 lb Roma (or other) tomatoes, diced
2 Persian or 1 regular cucumber, diced

*2 C assorted fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, and dill
*2 cloves garlic
*Juice of 1 lemon (about 3-4 Tb)
1/3 to 1/2 C olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Scrub the potatoes and dice about 3/4".  I left the skins on.  Place in lightly salted water to cover and simmer until easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.  Drain.

2.  Drain and rinse chickpeas.  Toss all vegetables together.  I wasn't finishing this in one day and kept the cucumber and tomato separate so they wouldn't make the salad watery.  For same-day, it's fine.

3.  To make the dressing, add herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and salt & pepper to a food processor and pulse into a green slurry.  I started with 1/2 tsp of salt.  You can always add more.  My herbs were half a bunch each of parsley and cilantro, the bunch of carrot greens, half a teaspoon of dried dill, and one sprig of fresh mint.  I loved the tiny hint of dill and mint.  Couldn't taste the cilantro, which was surprising.

4.  Scrape down processor and run again while adding oil until you get a mostly smooth dressing.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Pour over vegetables and chill until ready to serve.  If desired, top with crumbled feta shortly before serving.

Difficulty rating  :)

Salmon with Asparagus and Vegetables

I'm not really sure what this is categorized as.  There's pasta in it, but it isn't a "pasta" dish.  It's kind of like a stew, but not really.  Maybe a cooked salad?  The goal here was for the vegetables to be the sauce.  That is absolutely what it became.

While I used the last of the tomato and garlic confit camped out in my freezer, I'm giving directions as though you're cooking from fresh.  It will take longer than what I did.

Yes, I'm using canned asparagus.  I like it.  Substitute fresh if you prefer.  And while we're on the subject of asparagus, I have discovered it growing wild in my yard, mainly under bushes.  Huh?  I can't grow it on purpose.  I've probably been weeding it for the better part of the summer before realizing what it is.  The only explanation is seeds brought in by birds or squirrels.  Someone nearby must be growing it, or have some sprouting from a compost heap that went to seed.  It may be thick enough to eat next year.  Way too hot now for any of it to taste good.  I'll attempt to cut it back over the winter and see what happens.

1 lb salmon fillet
*1 C pearl couscous
1/4 C olive oil, more as needed
*1 dry pint cherry or grape tomatoes
*1 head garlic, cloves peeled and whole
*1/2 lb carrots, peeled and chopped
*1 bunch chard, chopped
*1 can asparagus cut pieces, drained
*1 can white beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste
Thyme, basil, and rosemary to taste

1.  For the salmon, preheat oven to 350º.  Lightly season with salt and pepper.  Roast until center is 145ºF, about half an hour.  Set aside to rest.  Can also be done ahead.

2.  In a large pan, heat the oil over medium low.  Add the tomatoes and garlic.  Sprinkle with salt and herbs and allow to stew until the tomatoes break down and the garlic browns, about half an hour.

3.  Raise the heat to medium, which is where the photos are starting because I already had the cooked tomato & garlic.  Add the chard and carrots to the saucepan and allow to cook down another 15 minutes or so.  This is a good time to start the pasta according to package directions.

4.  Once all the fresh vegetables are cooked, add the canned asparagus and beans.  Stir together, taste, and adjust seasonings as necessary.  If the sauce is too thick, add more oil.

5.  Drain pasta and plate, then add vegetable mixture and top with pieces of salmon.

Difficulty rating  :)

Eggplant with Red Lentil Salad

I didn't want to turn on the oven, but this felt like a great meal for August.  It isn't exactly a stuffed eggplant, which would be a fully baked dish.  It's roasted eggplant with the lentil mixture spooned over, and could be eaten cold as well as hot.

I definitely need to make this again.  The eggplant acted like "steak".  A roasted portobello mushroom would also work, or a zucchini boat.  Fish or chicken would be a good base as well.  The tahini dressing makes everything tangy and gives heft to a very light dish.

2 medium eggplant
1 C red lentils
*2-3 green onions, finely chopped
1 C finely chopped parsley
1 C finely chopped cilantro
1/4 C olive oil, plus a little for the eggplant
*2 Tb tahini paste
*3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
2 Tb lemon juice

1.  Preheat the oven to 375º.  Cut off the caps of the eggplants and split down the middle.  I chose to scoop out some of the insides and roast it separately to make baba ghannouj on the side, but it isn't necessary.  Rub all sides lightly with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Roast until easily pierced by a fork, about 30-40 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

2.  While the eggplant is cooking, rinse the lentils well until the water runs mostly clear.  Simmer in water to cover by one inch until split but not mushy, about 15 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

3.  Chop onions, parsley, and cilantro and add to the lentils in a bigger bowl than you think you need.  Herbs are fluffy.

4.  Whisk together oil, tahini, minced garlic, salt, and lemon juice.  Add a tablespoon of hot water if needed to thin.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

5.  Add dressing to the lentil and herb mixture and toss to coat evenly.  At this point, everything can be chilled to serve cold or plated to serve warm-ish or room temperature.

6.  Plate one half roasted eggplant per serving and spoon over 1/4 of the salad for each.  Serve at desired temperature.

Difficulty rating  π

White Bean Green Salad

This is what I had in mind when I canned my "provençal beans".  I wanted something easy and herby to put on a salad.  This particular salad got a bit more involved than I intended, but it's really good.

I'm more into chunky and cooked salads nowadays.  Not all of them have a leafy green.  This was the equivalent of one bunch of supermarket kale.  Originally, I was going to "massage" it to break down the fibers.  It was tougher than I expected, and had more than one aphid, so I blanched it instead.  Whichever you choose to do will affect the final texture.

The honey mustard dressing really makes the salad.  I went easy on the honey, just enough to counteract the lemon.  There's plenty of sweetness from the tomatoes and carrots.

1 lb asparagus 
*1 bunch kale
2 carrots
*1/2 red onion
1 dry pint cherry or grape tomatoes
*1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
sliced or slivered almonds for garnish
*1/4 C lemon juice
1/4 C olive oil
*1 Tb Dijon mustard
*1 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Trim off tough parts of the asparagus.  The easiest way to do that is to bend each spear.  Wherever it snaps, that was it.  If longer than 4", cut in half.  Blanch in boiling water 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse.

2.  While that's going on, remove stems from kale.  Coarsely chop.  If somewhat tender, massage for several minutes to soften.  If tougher, refill the blanching pot and do the kale too.  I also chose to blanch the carrots, which you can cut into either rounds or sticks.  This finishes the cooking part of this salad.  Chill until ready to use.

3.  For the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, mustard, and honey.  Taste and add salt and pepper.  Every mustard is different, but start with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

4.  Thinly slice the onion and cut the tomatoes in half.  You're now ready to assemble.

5.  In a large bowl, toss together the prepared asparagus, kale, carrots, onion, and tomatoes.  Toss again with dressing.  Add in the beans last, so they don't get mushy.  Plate, then sprinkle with almonds to garnish.  Serve chilled or room temperature.

Difficulty  :)

Tuna and Farro Salad

After a second day of the farinata and waking up hungry, I realized I needed another side dish because the calories weren't cutting it.  This ended up being more of a second main dish, and honestly would have been a full lunch portion for two.

If farro isn't your thing, you can easily substitute barley or another whole grain.  This is the "salad" part of the grain salad.  It could also count as an unbaked casserole or rice dish.  I just needed another couple hundred calories to make this into dinner, preferably with protein and fiber.

*1/2 C dry farro
*1 5 oz can tuna
*1/2 C chopped tomatoes
1 Tb olive oil
*2 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
*1 Tb dried parsley
salt and white pepper to taste

1.  Rinse farro and place in a small saucepan with water to cover by one inch.  Bring to a low boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until split and softened, about 20 minutes.  Drain.

2.  Drain the tuna and stir into the cooked farro.  Add the tomatoes.  Drizzle in the oil, vinegar, parsley, salt, and pepper.  Stir to distribute evenly.

3.  Serve either chilled as salad or warm as a grain side.

Difficulty rating  π

Red Lentil Tabbouleh

I went looking for a protein base for tabbouleh (tabouli) other than quinoa.  There are a lot of recipes that qualify out there, and this one did not saddle me with a bag of bulgur.  I did change quite a bit, mainly reducing the mint.  And serving it with feta made it non-vegan.

Super King is really going to help me stay on track with my dietary goals.  Aside from the few convenience foods, it's basically a road map for diabetic and heart healthy shopping.  It's been getting a lot of complaints on Nextdoor, from people whining that it's half produce and has a tiny bread section.  They also don't like the parking lot, which is the same one that's been there for the past 50 years without many issues.  The week I went shopping for this salad, parsley was 5 bunches for a dollar.  At that price, I don't need to grow it. 

2 bunches of parsley
dry pint of grape tomatoes
2 Persian cucumbers, or one regular
*2 Tb fresh mint
*1 bunch green onions
3/4 C red lentils
1/4 C olive oil
*3 Tb lemon juice 
*1 Tb pomegranate molasses
*Sumac and *celery salt to taste

1.  Rinse lentils well.  Bring to a boil for one minute in water to cover by half an inch.  Turn off the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes, until lentils are split and softened, but not mushy.  Drain and set aside to cool.

2.  While that's going on, finely chop the parsley and mint.  Slice the tomatoes in half, or smaller if desired.  Dice the cucumbers (peel if not Persian).  Slice the onions into small pieces.  Separately, whisk together oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, sumac, and celery salt.  If desired, add red chili flakes for a spicier salad.

3.  Add the dressing to the lentils and stir to coat well.  In a medium bowl, toss together dressed lentils and the vegetables.  I saw this trick on a YouTube video, and it makes sense.  Legumes tend to have a mild flavor, so the sauce should go on them first.  Chill until ready to serve.  If desired, garnish with crumbled feta cheese.

Difficulty rating  π

Pickled Cucumber and Radish Salad

This was part of my Super King haul.  I bought the Persian cucumbers because they were open-stock, not bagged, and the radishes because they were cheap.  Also some of the most beautiful radishes I've ever seen.  The tag was from a farm in Moorpark, so they were SoCal local.  That explains a lot.  I even kept the greens to cook up for the next meal.

The result was a Mediterranean version of sunomono.  Light, tangy, but including herbs.  Those don't generally make it into the Japanese version of the dish.

2 Persian cucumbers
1 bunch red radishes
*1 green onion, finely chopped 
*1/4 C white wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp dill weed
*1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tb toasted sesame seeds

1.  To make the dressing, combine vinegar, honey, salt, dill, garlic, and sesame in a bowl or container.  Add the chopped onion and coat evenly.

2.  Thinly slice cucumbers and radishes.  I could have gotten out the mandoline, but decided to torture myself doing it by hand.

3.  Add sliced vegetables to the dressing.  Stir to coat, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, for flavors to meld.  The radishes will bleed pink into the salad, so it isn't as pretty the next day.  Serve chilled.

Difficulty rating  π

Charred Cabbage with Tahini Dressing

I made a lot of dishes for Purim, but most of them were as easy as this one.  This was the last, and went in while baking the stuffed onions.  It's technically a cooked salad.  If you want to serve it as a proper vegetable side, I would double this and give everyone a quarter cabbage.  Or just buy a bigger one.

I forget where I first saw this idea, probably Rainbow Plant Life.  I couldn't find it again, so the dressing and seasonings are my own.  In a highly seasoned meal, this was a nice, mellow flavor.

1/2 small (1 lb) cabbage
2 Tb olive oil
celery salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
*2 Tb tahini
*2 Tb lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tb hot water
pinch of salt

1.  Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut it in half through the core, and store the other half for another use within a few days.

2.  Preheat oven to 375º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Cut the cabbage in half again through the core, and once more to get 1/8 wedges.

3.  Lay the wedges on their sides on the baking sheet.  Drizzle with some oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.  Rub it in, flip the wedges, and repeat on the other side.

4.  Roast 20 minutes, flip, and roast again until the surface of the cabbage is browned and a fork easily pierces the core.

5.  While the cabbage is roasting, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and hot water until smooth.  Drizzle in a bit of olive oil if desired.

6.  To serve, carefully transfer the wedges to a serving plate so they don't fall apart.  Drizzle with the tahini dressing, then serve any remaining on the side.  Best served hot or warm.

Difficulty rating  π

Sumac Onions

Pickles of all sorts play a large role in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern menus.  These onions sounded like a very easy condiment to add to my repertoire.

Sumac is easier to find than I expected.  The first time I used it, I expected to have to go to an ethnic grocery store.  It's cheaper there, but Sprouts has it in their bulk spices.  For how little I use, that's sufficient.  It makes its way into a dish three or four times a year.

This is very simple.   Make a quick dressing, slice up an onion, toss it in the dressing.  Refrigerate a few hours for flavors to meld, and you're good to go.  I bet this tastes great on burgers.  It could get tossed into pasta salads.  I had it as a palate cleanser, which is really what pickles are for.  I added balsamic to some of the leftovers so they would last longer in the fridge, and that version may make its way onto the Seder table.

1 red onion
*2 tsp ground sumac
*1 Tb lemon juice
1 Tb olive oil
*about 1/4 C chopped parsley
1/4 tsp salt

1.  In a bowl, whisk together the sumac, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and parsley.

2.  Peel and thinly slice the onion.  A mandoline is great for this, but I just did it by hand.

3.  Toss the sliced onion in the dressing.  Refrigerate in a non-reactive container until ready to use.  I recommend metal or glass.  Onion tends to stink up plastic.  Serve chilled or room temperature.

Difficulty rating  π

Creamy Pomegranate Dressing

This was the dressing for the salad I had alongside the bean dip and crackers.  The salad was to use an overflowing planter box that went bonkers after getting 8 inches of rain in December.  The dressing  attacked the condiments door of the fridge.  I made it creamy instead of a vinaigrette to use mayo.  I do wish Passover mayo came in a smaller jar.

Salad dressing is really a hidden place to save grocery costs.  The ingredients cost a fraction of what Wishbone charges, and you can customize any way you choose.  I like making my own so I'm not stuck with a big bottle.  I can make half a cup at a time to use in a week.  The recipes aren't glamorous, and are very hard to photograph, but I really like them.

*3 Tb pomegranate molasses
*1 Tb date syrup, honey, or maple syrup 
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
*1 tsp white wine vinegar 
*1/4 C mayo

1.  Place all ingredients in a small bowl.  Whisk to combine.  The molasses isn't red, it's more like a burgundy.  With the brown of the date syrup, my dressing came out a light caramel color.

2.  Taste and adjust seasonings and consistency.  A little water or milk can thin it, or add more mayo if you want it thicker and less tangy.  Chill until ready to use.

Makes about half a cup

Difficulty rating  π

Chickpea, Greens, and Delicata Squash

To counteract the decadence of Thanksgiving, I invented this salad for the rest of the weekend.  I've never had delicata before, and not having to peel it was a huge draw.  They were cheap at Trader Joe's, and I haven't made squash for a while.

Total coincidence, Chewed Up made almost the exact same dish the day before.  Clinton did a honey mustard vinaigrette, but most of the ingredients overlapped with what I had planned.  I'm not making the croutons.  I was looking forward to a side of soft sliced bread, and roasted seeds for the crunch on the salad.

This salad has a lot of sub recipes in it, but it can be meal prepped in pieces and assembled later.

1 delicata squash
olive oil
5 oz container arugula, spinach, or any baby greens of choice
*1 can chickpeas, or 2/3 C dry soaked, simmered, and drained
*4 oz crumbled feta
juice of 1 lemon
*1 tsp date syrup or honey
salt and pepper
*1/4 tsp dried sage
pinch of allspice
4 oz feta
*1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1.  Preheat oven to 375º.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Wash squash, then cut off the ends.  Slice lengthwise and scoop out seeds, reserving them in a bowl.  Slice crosswise into half-inch thick slices and arrange cut-side up on the parchment.  Drizzle with some olive oil and rub to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast 20-25 minutes, flipping once during baking.

2.  While the squash is roasting, wash the guts off the seeds.  It takes a while.  Drizzle with a bit of olive oil.  Once the squash is out and in a holding container, you can reuse the parchment for the seeds.  Spread out in a thin layer.  Sprinkle with salt and allspice.  Roast until light brown and starting to pop, 10-15 minutes.  Check and stir every few minutes so they don't burn.

3.  For the dressing, whisk together 1/4 C oil, the lemon juice, date syrup, and sage.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If not acidic enough, add a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar.

4.  To assemble, add greens to a serving bowl or plate.  Top with squash, chickpeas, and sliced onion.  Drizzle with dressing.  If desired, toss salad at this point.  Then garnish with feta and the roasted squash seeds.

Difficulty rating  :)