Kale Salad with Cranberries, Edamame and Feta

Romaine lettuce, torn
Kale, chopped
Sliced almonds
Dried cranberries
Shelled frozen edamame, thawed
Crumbled feta
Combine as desired and drizzle with Orange Marmalade Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Orange Marmalade Vinaigrette
3 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs white wine vinegar
1 Tbs spicy brown mustard
2 Tbs orange marmalade
S & P, to taste
Whisk together and go. 

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli 

Walnut-Grape Chicken Salad

Amber Groeling, Hy-Vee Topeka Dietitian, shared this recipe with me.  It's delicious rolled in leaf lettuce or flour tortillas, or served as an open-face sandwich.

½ - 1/3 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt

1-2 Tbs. Olive oil mayo

Zest of 1 lemon

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. agave nectar or honey

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 ½ - 2 cups diced cooked smart chicken

1 cup seedless red grapes, sliced

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 rib celery, diced

½ cup walnut or pecan pieces

Green leaf lettuce, washed and patted dry

Make a dressing from the yogurt, mayo, lemon zest and juice, and agave nectar; season to taste with salt and pepper; stir in chicken, grapes, scallions, celery, and walnuts or pecans. Serve chicken salad wrapped in lettuce leaves. 

Serves 4-6

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli

Quinoa Tabouli Salad

This is a recipe from  Melissa d'Arabian's cookbook, Ten Dollar Dinners.  I like it that instead of using Bulgar wheat as most tabouli salads do, Melissa substitutes quinoa.  It works well as a vegetarian main dish, or in my family's case, we always add leftover grilled chicken or pork tenderloin to make it a meal.  It's also a great make-ahead recipe - definitely a plus!

Serves 4

1/2 cup quinoa, cooked in vegetable or chicken broth according to package directions, then fluffed
with a fork
1/2 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh mint
3 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 scallions, white and green parts both, chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbs. olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place quinoa into a large mixing bowl.  Stir in parsley, cilantro, mint, tomatoes and scallions.  Create a vinaigrette in a small bowl by whisking together the juice and zest of lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper; pour over quinoa mixture and toss to combine.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 1 - 1 1/2 hours to let flavors combine before serving.  

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli

Curried Couscous Salad

Delicious as it pretty, this salad is great as a side dish OR as an entrée – I love to add grilled chicken in the summer time.  This is a Barefoot Contessa recipe and it may seem like a lot of ingredients, but it goes together very quickly. 

1 ½ cups couscous

1 ½ cups boiling vegetable broth

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

1/3 cup evoo (extra virgin olive oil)

2 tsp. white wine vinegar

1 – 1 ½ tsp. curry powder and ¼ tsp. turmeric

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup small-dice celery

½ cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley

1/3 cup dried cranberries, 1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds

3 scallions, thinly sliced, use both green and white parts

½ small red onion, small-dice

Place couscous into a medium-size mixing bowl.  Bring broth to a boil; pour over couscous in bowl and stir to combine.  Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap or foil and allow couscous to set for 5 minutes; fluff couscous with a fork.  Meanwhile, whisk together yogurt, evoo, vinegar, and spices; season to taste with salt and pepper.  Pour prepared dressing over couscous and mix gently; toss in celery, parsley, cranberries, goldens, almonds, scallions and red onion and mix well.  Taste to see if seasonings need adjusted.  Salad is best served at room temperature.  

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli

Layered Mexican Chicken Salad

From Weber's Way to Grill Cookbook, adjusted by Chef Alli

Marinade
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, approx. 4 oz. each

Dressing
1 large poblano chile pepper, chopped (after roasting until blistered, blistered skin removed)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 large clove garlic
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad
4 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1 1/2 cups crushed blue or yellow corn tortilla chips
1 cup diced ripe roma tomatoes
2 avocados, diced
15 oz. can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed well

In a medium bowl, whisk marinade ingredients together; add chicken thighs, turning several times to coat evenly.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes - 1 hour.  While chicken is marinating, prepare dressing:  place all ingredients into bowl of food processor and process until smooth. 

Once chicken is marinated, cook over medium direct heat until cooked throughout, approx. 8-10 minutes, turning once or twice, or until juices run clear.  Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into thin strips.  Place all ingredients into separate piles on large serving platter; dress with prepared dressing and toss to combine.  

Now You're Cookin,
Chef Alli 

Beef, Cranberry and and Pear Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

Recipe from The Healthy Beef Cookbook via my pal, Karen Hanson, RD, Manhattan Hy-Vee. 

Serves 4

Honey Mustard Dressing
1/2 cup prepared honey mustard dressing
2-3 Tbs. water
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. coarse-grind black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt

5 oz. mixed greens
1 medium red or green pear, cored and cut into thin wedges (I often substitute an apple when my pears aren't ripe enough)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

1 lb. beef tenderloin, flat iron, kc strip or top sirloin, cooked to your preference (I like medium rare, 140-145 degrees at center), cut into thin strips across the grain and on the bias

Whisk dressing ingredients together.  Place greens on serving plates and top with pear wedges, cranberries, and pecans. Divide steak strips evenly over each salad.  Top each salad with dressing and goat cheese crumbles.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  

Now You're Cookin', 
Chef Alli

Forbidden Rice Salad with Mango and Edamame

As seen on WIBW 13 News at 4 with Ralph Hipp, April 2013, Now You're Cookin' For Real with Chef Alli and Amber Groeling, Hy-Vee Topeka Dietitian.

makes eight 2/3 cup servings

1 3/4 cups water

1 cup black forbidden rice

1 Tbs. finely minced fresh ginger

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup shelled frozen edmame, thawed

1 mango, diced

Dressing

3 Tbs. seasoned rice vinegar

2 Tbs. canola oil

1 Tbs. honey

2 tsp. soy sauce

For the rice:  In a medium saucepan, bring the water, rice, ginger, and salt to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes.  Remove the pan rom the heat and set aside for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and place into a large serving bowl. Add edamame and mango to rice and stir gently to combine.  Mix dressing ingredients together and pour over rice mixture; toss to coat.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts:  180 calories, 4.5 g fat, 26 g carbs, 3.5 g fiber, 7 g protein

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli

Beef, Pasta and Artichoke Toss with Balsamic Vinaigrette

As shown on WIBW 13 News at 4 with Ralph Hipp, June 29, 2011

1 ½ lbs. sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
4 cups cooked tri-colored rotini pasta
14 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 large red bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
1 cup small pitted ripe olives, optional
2 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh basil

Balsamic Vinaigrette
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 ½ tsp. dried basil leaves

Grill steak over medium-high heat until desired doneness is reached, turning once.  Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine pasta, artichoke hearts, bell pepper, olives, and basil.  Cut steak lengthwise in half and then crosswise into thin slices; add to bowl with other ingredients.  Toss lightly.  In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients and whisk well.  Pour over pasta/beef mixture in bowl and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, if desired, before serving.

Serves 8 (1 ½ cups each)

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli