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Posts filed under 'salad'

Millet Orange Tofu Salad with Sweet Potatoes

This salad got a little out of hand. I had some leftover baked orange tofu from last night that I wanted to use for lunch, and I thought a salad might be nice. I’m not sure what happened after that. A few minutes later, I was roasting sweet potatoes, making millet, and whisking together some dressing while trying to find a can of mandarin oranges. I don’t know what happens to me in the kitchen. Sometimes I get a little carried away.

I was really happy with how this turned out. The addition of the millet and sweet potatoes really helped it feel more like a meal that a regular salad does (in fact, it probably would have been better as a dinner than a lunch), and the sweet mandarin orange slices provided a nice burst of juiciness. Not that this salad needed more things added to it, but I think sprinkling some cashews on top would have been nice, too.

Millet Orange Tofu Salad with Sweet Potatoes
Makes two large meals

For the Salad
1 Medium Head of Romain Lettuce, washed and chopped
1 Medium Sweet Potato, peeled chopped and roasted (see below)
1/2 Cup Dry Millet, Cooked (see directions)
1/2 Cup Mandarin Oranges (the kind packed in light syrup)
1/2 Block Baked Tofu*, cut into triangle

For the Dressing
1 Tbs Orange Juice
1 Tbs Soy Sauce
1 Tbs Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
2-3 Tbs Mild Veg. Oil, like canola

Seasoning for the Sweet Potatoes
1 Tbs Soy Sauce
1-2 Tbs Toasted Sesame Oil
2 tsp Sugar

Preheat the oven to 425Âº F.
Toss the sweet potatoes in the seasoning and place in a 8×8 square baking dish. Cover with foil and place in oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until tender but not falling apart.

Meanwhile, place millet in the bottom of a hot sauce pan with a drizzle of oil. Cook until toasty, two to three minutes, then add 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn heat down low. Cook for 20 Minutes. The Sweet potatoes and the millet should finish at about the same time.

While millet and potatoes are cooking, chop, wash and spin dry the lettuce. Place in the refrigerator to crisp up. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing, except the oil. Then add the oil slowly, drizzling it into the sauce while whisking constantly to emulsify. Set aside.

When the millet is done, remove from heat and remove cover. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool. When the sweet potatoes are tender, remove foil and place under the broiler for a few minutes until they brown in some places.

To assemble
Toss the lettuce and the millet together and plate. Evenly distribute sweet potatoes, tofu, and mandarin oranges over the top of each salad. Pour dressing over each salad and serve.

*You can use any kind of baked tofu that you want, homemade or pre-made. I baked mine in orange juice, orange zest, white wine and tamari.

1 comment February 9th, 2007

Kale Salad with Orange-Blackberry Vinaigrette

This salad happened by accident, and I’m so glad it did. I was in Trader Joe’s and saw the most succulent pint of blackberries I had ever seen. I’m sure the cold, rainy day was making me long for summer; I snapped up the blackberries without a single idea as to how I would use them. It didn’t matter, I had to have them.

I toyed with the idea of a blackberry tart, or pie, but when I looked into my refrigerator, a bunch of kale an a single orange begged to be used. I enjoyed this off-the-cuff salad so much that I went out to buy the ingredients again today so I could share it with you.

The dressing, in my opinion, is fantastic. It’s not too sweet, nor too vinegary - a problem that usually turns me off to vinaigrettes. The oil gives it a rich mouth feel, but still the freshness of the oranges and berries shine through. I have to try hard not to make a fool of myself by licking the bowl of my food processor and anything else this heavenly dressing touches.

I adore kale, but perhaps the idea of eating an entire plate of it turns you off a little. I wish I could invite you over to try it first, but if kale isn’t your idea of good time, I’m sure this dressing would go well over whatever leafy green you’re more desirous of. Try the kale if you can, though. It’s fantastic.

Kale Salad with Orange Blackberry Vinaigrette
Makes two to three salads

1 Large Bunch Kale, Washed and de-stemmed
1 Orange, zested and supremed
10 Blackberries, plus more for decoration
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
2 1/2 Tbs Oil (I used canola)

Steam the kale until tender, then shock it in ice water. Drain well, drying the leaves between layers of paper towel.

In a food processor, combine 10 blackberries, 3 orange segments, vinegar, sugar, salt, and 1/2 of the orange zest. Blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oil while blending, emulsifying the dressing.

Plate the kale and top with the vinaigrette, the rest of the orange zest, and extra orange segments and berries. Serve.

9 comments January 16th, 2007

Kohlrabi Waldorf Salad

Of all the winter vegetables I purchased, I decided to try the kohlrabi first. I kept on reading about people generally ate it raw. I’d glance at it and think, You? People eat you raw? Really?

I sliced off the ends and took off the tough skin. It seems I bought one larger than the ideal size, and therefore it was a bit tough. If you’ve never bought at kohlrabi, it’s suggested to select one no larger two and a half inches in diameter. Apparently you can eat the skin if you find one tender enough.

I had read that kohlrabi is actually a cabbage, and people reported the flavor to be anything from broccoli stems to turnips to apples. I found the flavor to be very mild, with the slightly sweet nuttiness of, here’s a surprise: cabbage. I was pleased with it actually. I put it through my food processor with a shredding disc, and found myself snacking on the pieces while I was preparing dinner. Kohlrabi is tasty! It’s so mild, it’s hard to imagine someone actively not liking it.

My plan for it suddenly materialized; I wanted to make a salad with granny smith apples, and a light, creamy dressing. Why not a waldorf salad?

This salad has just a touch of the dressing on it, much less than I’ve seen on real waldorf salads. I didn’t want to overwhelm the delicate kohlrabi, and I also didn’t want the dressing to scream HI, I’M MADE OF SOY MAYONNAISE!

Kohlrabi Waldorf
Makes four small side salads

1 Medium Kohlrabi, shredded
1 Medium Granny Smith Apple, shredded
1/2 Cup Raisins, plumped
1/2 Cup Pecans (or walnuts if you’re feeling traditional)

Dressing
3 Tbs Soy Mayo
1 Tbs Lemon Juice
2-3 tsp Sugar (to taste)
1/2 tsp Salt

Note: If you do not have a food processor, a hand grater or mandolin will also work. You just want to get the kohlrabi and apple sliced in thin strips, and it’d be a pain in the butt with a knife. Feel free to have a go at it that way, though. Directions here are for a food processor with a shredding disc.

Mix all of the dressing ingredients together, refrigerate. Place raisins in a small sauce pan, covered with water. Bring water to simmer and remove from heat. Let raisins sit in hot water to plump, about 15 minutes.

Trim the ends off the kohlrabi. If it’s tender, feel free to leave the skin on. If not, slice it off with a sharp knife. Cut into quarter inch thick slices. Trim the slices to they are narrow enough to fit in the feed tube of your food processor. Process the kohlrabi with the larger side of your shredding disc.

Repeat the process for the apple, leaving the skin on. Mix the apple and kohlrabi in a large bowl. Add raisins and toss with dressing. I used only 2 tbs of dressing, but the recipe makes more should you desire it. Salad may be refrigerated until serving - the dressing should keep the apples from turning brown.

2 comments January 12th, 2007

Roasted Butternut Squash, Hashed Brussels Sprouts, and Sauteed Cremini

Roasted Butternut Squash, Hashed Brussels Sprouts, and Sauteed Cremini Mushrooms

Dinner tonight consisted of roasted butternut squash, sauteed cremini mushrooms, and hashed brussels sprouts with poppy seeds and lemon. The brussels sprouts came from Orngette and they were great. I added a touch more salt than she calls for, but other than that I followed her recipe exactly.

The squash is simply roasted with some olive oil, cinnamon, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and sugar. I sliced it diagonally before baking, letting the spiced olive oil seep down into the cuts.

They were baked at 350Âº until soft, then held in a 200Âº oven until I was ready to plate. The sugar creates a nice sweet crunch, and the slices make it cook a bit faster.

The mushrooms were cooked in olive oil, salt, oregano and thyme over high heat. They were finished with a splash white wine (since I already had it open for the sprouts), and a drizzle of balsamic and some cracked black pepper.

Everything went over well, but Stewart said that he prefers my other sprout recipe over this one. Since I’m an equal opportunity sprout lover, I’ll take ‘em any way I get ‘em.

1 comment December 28th, 2006

Warm Brown Rice and Kale Salad with Italian Baked Tofu

This was my lunch today, which was wonderfully light but filling. The baked tofu is VwaV’s Italian tofu, and the kale was quickly stir fried in the remaining marinade. The brown rice was left plain, then tossed with the kale. Without a strong sauce to cover it up, the nuttiness of the brown rice really came through and complimented the dish.

Super easy. I love simple meals that aren’t boring.

Add comment December 18th, 2006

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