BULGUR-CARROT SALAD WITH ALMONDS AND FETA

Posted in Rice and Grains, Salads, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Yes, it is a salad, but next day I warmed it up in the microwave just briefly and wow, what a tasty side dish it became! So consider that option also, you can serve it slightly warm instead of waiting for the bulgur to get cold. Another recipe that the husband asked me to place in our regular rotation, so you know it is a keeper.

BULGUR-CARROT SALAD WITH ALMONDS AND FETA CHEESE
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1 cup medium-grind bulgur
1 + 1/4 cups boiling water
salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups shredded carrots
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
chopped cilantro to serve (optional)

Place the bulgur in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Top with a plate or plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. If any liquid is leftover, strain it out. Let the bulgur cool, reserve.

In a serving bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper. When the bulgur is ready add it to the bowl and toss together with the dressing. Add in the shredded carrots, cilantro, almonds and feta. Gently toss everything together until combined. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed, sprinkle with cilantro right before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: If you are a vegetarian or need to cook for someone who is, add this recipe to your files, it is truly delicious, very filling but at the same time feels light and refreshing with all the lemon juice and the creaminess of the feta. As I mentioned, warming it up next day was perfect. The cilantro lost its freshness and vibrant color but you can always add a little more once you bring it to the table. Since we are meat lovers, I served it with grilled boneless chicken thighs, but you can go a full vegetarian path if you prefer. One final advice, do not use pre-shredded carrots, they have a nasty texture and will not behave like freshly grated. I intensely dislike grating carrots, but must admit, it is necessary in this case.

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21Aug2026

FRESH CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALAD WITH CORN CHIPS

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

We have new neighbors who moved here from a town in Kansas 5 hours away, where they own a big farm. One of their main crops is corn, and they have been gifting us spectacular examples of their labor of love. We often indulge with nothing more than a little salt and pepper, but we’ve also been working hard trying new recipes. Here is one that is a total winner!

FRESH CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALAD WITH CORN CHIPS
(adapted from The New York Times)

for the dressing:
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sugar (if your corn is super sweet, omit it)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

for the salad:
4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 4 large cobs)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
A big handful of cilantro leaves, chopped
corn tortilla chips, lightly crushed, amount to taste
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and roughly diced
Hot sauce (optional), for serving

Prepare the dressing: To a large bowl, add the lime juice, cumin, sugar, crushed red pepper and olive oil. Season with about 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper and whisk to combine. Taste and check seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
To the dressing, add the corn, black beans and cilantro. Toss to combine, taste and season with salt and pepper.
When ready to eat, add the corn chips and avocados, and toss to combine. Dot with hot sauce, if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Such a colorful salad, and quite substantial, as it is quite high in carbs. You can serve it only next to a main dish like grilled salmon, which we chose in our first time enjoying it, or go for the kill and also add rice and more chips like my beloved did.

Some dishes make you smile just looking at the plate, so colorful and fun. And having the best corn makes it super special. Leftovers were still ok, although I recommend adding fresh corn chips. The avocado might suffer a bit but the overall acidity helps.

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16May2026

SALAD AND STEAK

Posted in Beef, Salads by sallybr

Vegetarians, you would be very satisfied without the steak because it is quite a hearty salad, so if you pair it with a slice of sourdough bread, you will be a happy camper. But, if you happen to be in my team, that team that loves a juicy steak cooked medium rare, go ahead and put them to work together…

HEARTY CHOPPED SALAD WITH STEAK
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 romaine heart, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise into ½-inch pieces
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
1 medium English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and diced
1/2 cup pitted mixed black and green olives
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon drained capers, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
drizzle of honey
dried dill to taste
1 firm-ripe avocado, halved, pitted and diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
T-bone steak or sirloin, cooked to your liking for serving

Salt the slices of cucumber and allow them, to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse, and pat dry.

Place the romaine pieces in a large mixing bowl, along with the chickpeas, cucumber, and olives.

In a small bowl, whisk together 6 tablespoons olive oil with the vinegar, capers, mustard, salt, pepper and dill to taste. Mix, and add a drizzle of honey.

Pour half the dressing over the salad, mix well. Add the avocado, and feta, toss gently, adding more dressing to taste. Top with steak slices, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was a perfect meal on a weeknight, with salad leftovers for next day. The avocado was a little beaten but still ok, all other components did not suffer at all from the night spent in the fridge. You can use goat cheese for even sharper bite, and maybe add cherry tomatoes, for a burst of color, although I must say I like the way it was all almost monochromatic, just the steak adding contrast. If you have a dinner party coming up, consider serving this salad, it will be a crowd-pleaser!

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5Nov2021

ROASTED BROCCOLI AND APPLE SALAD WITH TAHINI DRESSING

Posted in Salads by sallybr

Easily makes it into the OMG FILES. Everything goes together in perfect harmony, so my advice is not to skip any of the ingredients. Broccoli has that funky nature that people love or hate, but even if you are in the latter group, the apples act as the perfect partner. Like couples that make each other shine a little brighter. I don’t really have a broccoli issue, but maybe some of my readers do, so don’t let that stop you from trying this recipe.

ROASTED BROCCOLI AND APPLE SALAD WITH TAHINI DRESSING
(from the Bewitching Kitchen, adapted from several sources)

for the broccoli:
Broccoli florets, enough to cover a quarter-sheet pan
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste

for the dressing:
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoons Dijon mustard

for the salad:
greens of your choice (baby spinach, spring mix, baby arugula)
apples, cored and diced (I used Honeycrisp)

Heat the oven to 420°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick aluminum foil. Place the broccoli in a bowl, toss with the soy sauce and maple syrup, season with salt and pepper. Spread on the baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, moving them around half-way through roasting. Remove from the oven and let it cool still spread out, so they don’t steam and get mushy.

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside. Assemble the salad: add all the ingredients to a large bowl, drizzle the dressing and toss gently. Adjust seasoning with salt, if needed.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: We had this salad twice already, the second time I’ve added roasted slivered almonds and dried cranberries, and it was even better, so I recommend you include them if you like. The inclusion of broccoli makes it more substantial and if you are vegetarian or vegan, a hearty piece of bread will be all you need to call it dinner. Sourdough dipped in balsamic vinegar plus olive oil would be a match made in Vegan Heaven.

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19Feb2020

PICKLING RIBBONS

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

A couple of weeks ago we went out for dinner and I ordered a salad that was surprisingly good. I don’t normally expect to be impressed by a salad, but that was the case. What made it so good was a simple ingredient: ribbons of pickled carrots. I got home, took a virtual ride to Google University, and found out I could double the carrot pleasure by using it also in the dressing. Very pleased with this salad which was hearty enough to almost call it dinner. Almost. Because some boneless chicken breasts were also involved.

CARROT RIBBON SALAD
(inspired by several sources)

for pickled carrot ribbons:
(slightly modified from Chocolate and Zucchini)
2 large carrots
1 tsp grated ginger
120 ml (1/2 cup) apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 + 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 + 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Peel the carrots and, using the vegetable peeler, cut them into thin ribbons. Place the ribbons in a heatproof bowl.

Combine the ginger, vinegar, salt, sugar, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. When the mixture boils, stir to make sure the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Pour the ginger brine through a sieve and into the bowl of carrots. Make sure the carrots are completely immersed, cover and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a clean jar, close tightly with the lid and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

for carrot dressing:
1/2 cup chopped raw carrots (include leftover from making ribbons)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced ginger 2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh orange juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a blender, puree the carrots with the olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, and ginger. Thin with a little cold water if too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

for the salad:
(use as much of each ingredient as you like)
baby romaine leaves
slivered almonds, toasted
a couple of avocados, diced

Add the ingredients to a large bowl, add the carrot dressing and mix well, but gently. Drain the pickled carrot ribbons, and place on top.

Serve with your protein of choice, or a bowl of grains if you prefer to go the vegetarian route.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I don’t know about you, but at this time of the year, when I just about had it with the weather, a platter of colorful food lifts my mood. Pickled carrots will be here to stay. I’ve been keeping a small jar in the fridge for my own pleasure. It seems to go well with lots of main dishes, and the texture only gets better with time. Make sure to shave them thin, and probably best to avoid that central harder core. Just turn the carrot around and start from the other side.

I totally forgot to take a picture of the dressing, it ended up with a shockingly bright yellow color, really beautiful. If you like pickled foods, I hope you’ll give this salad a try. Just remember that it is not good manners to steal all the ribbons to your own plate.