LENTIL SALAD WITH CARROTS AND CUCUMBERS

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

Not sure what is happening but I am getting more and more into eating lentils. I used to think they tasted a bit too “earthy” but now I find lentils, particularly the green, small ones, very delicious. This started as a salad, to be enjoyed cold, obviously. But I had leftovers for two days and on the second I warmed the lentils briefly in the microwave and served with a fried egg, for a very satisfying lunch. The carrots do not suffer from the heating, and if you keep it to a real brief passage in the microwave, the cucumber pieces will be fine. Just don’t try to make it piping hot.

LENTIL SALAD WITH CARROTS AND CUCUMBERS
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1 cup dried green lentils
2 fresh bay leaves
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
ground black pepper to taste
3 medium carrots, julienned
1 small cucumber, sliced thin

Sort through lentils, removing any small pebbles or stones, then rinse them well. Add lentils and bay leaves to a large pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil on high then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Drain the lentils and rinse with cold water. Line a sheet pan with a towel and pour lentils out evenly onto the pan to dry and cool.

While the lentils cook, prepare the vinaigrette: in a large bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil, mustard, agave nectar, half the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Whisk well. Stir in the carrots and cucumber to coat, then add the cooled lentils and toss again. Taste and adjust the seasonings for salt and pepper. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, more lemon juice to taste and the lemon zest.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This salad really benefits from a lot of acidity, so do not skimp on the vinegar and lemon juice. Make sure not to over-cook the lentils so that they retain a nice texture. Although it was lovely as a salad, I have to say I enjoyed it even more when gently warmed and served with a fried egg on top. Delicious simple lunch!

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15Jan2026

ORANGE AND AVOCADO SALAD WITH PISTACHIOS

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Inspiration for this salad came from Bon Appetit, back in 2018. I changed a few details, but two things make this preparation special: fresh tarragon leaves and orange flower water .

ORANGE AND AVOCADO SALAD WITH PISTACHIOS
(slightly modified from Bon Appetit)

2 Navel oranges
2 Blood oranges
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoons orange-flower water
Large pinch of kosher salt
2 avocados, cut into large pieces
3 tablespoons roasted pistachios
fresh tarragon leaves to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)

Using a paring knife, remove peel and white pith from oranges. Slice into rounds, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl and add lemon juice, orange-flower water, and salt. Toss and let sit 5 minutes so citrus can release some of their juices.

Transfer citrus, leaving juice behind, to a large plate. Tuck avocado in between and around citrus.
Spoon citrus juice over salad, scatter pistachios and tarragon over, and drizzle with oil.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I advise you to exercise restraint with the orange-flower water, because you don’t want to go the perfume route… It will give it a background of flavor that is hard to define, until you ask your dining companion: “Do you taste the orange-flower water?” Once you know it is there, your tastebuds recognize it and it’s very special. I rarely use fresh tarragon, and was lucky to find some at our grocery store. It beautifully complements the salad. I confess to going back and picking some extra pieces of orange after dinner was over. Almost as if it was the dessert course. I doubt anyone would criticize me…

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2Aug2025

TWO INCREDIBLY SIMPLE RECIPES

Posted in Incredibly simple, Salads, Side dishes, Veggies by sallybr

The first one is truly simple because you actually make the potatoes a day or two before, but the recipe itself qualified to be in this folder when I first published it in 2023. Check it out here. I always make one or two extra potatoes so that I have leftovers. Because, how could you resist these?

Simply grab the leftover roasted potatoes from the fridge, and cut in slices that should not be too thin, not overly thick, as they will warm up exclusively on the skillet. Add olive oil to the pan, once it is really hot, add the slices and brown them on both sides. Add a little more salt to serve. They will be super creamy inside and get that superb crust all over. Addictive, I tell you.

The second one was featured recently in the New York Times with a lot of praise by the readers. It seemed a bit odd, very few ingredients, kind of monochromatic. But we were both quite impressed by the flavor and texture. I share with you my version, which is slightly modified from the original one. A bit of olive oil and dill were brought to play.

CUCUMBER-AVOCADO SALAD
(modified from The New York Times)

1 large English cucumber
Kosher salt
2 very ripe avocados
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
drizzle of olive oil
fresh or dried dill to taste
red pepper flakes for serving, to taste

Peel the cucumbers in alternating strips and trim ends. Halve lengthwise and slice thin. Transfer to a colander and sprinkle 1 to 2 tsp kosher salt all over the slices. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Halve the avocados and remove the pits. Using a spoon, remove the flesh from the skins, then cut the flesh into ½-inch cubes. Transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and season with salt. Stir to combine.

Shake the cucumbers in the colander to get rid of any excess moisture, rinse briefly then transfer to the bowl with the avocado. Drizze olive oil, and add dill. Mix well but gently, the avocado should start getting creamy and cover all the slices of cucumber. That is a good thing. Serve with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

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21Nov2024

A DUET OF VEGGIES

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I love Delicata squash, but it is not easy to find at the grocery stores in our town. My first recipe incorporates the squash as a salad ingredient, still warm from the oven, although it will be equally tasty served cold. The second calls for Brussels sprouts, much more widely available. A super simple way to cook it, I hope you’ll give it a try.

ROASTED DELICATA SQUASH SALAD
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for the salad:
2 small Delicata squash, halved lengthwise and seeded, cut into ½-inch pieces
olive oil, for drizzling
a handful of pepitas
3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled, cored and diced
a handful of dried cranberries
salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the dressing:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Toast the pepitas on a small pan with a smidgen of olive oil and a touch of salt. When fragrant, remove to a bowl and let them cool.

Heat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and roast until the squash is golden brown on all sides, about 25 minutes.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

Assemble the salad: Combine the spinach, toasted pepitas, cranberries and apples. Add half the dressing, toss to coat well. Add the warm roasted squash, drizzle the leftover dressing, gently toss everything together, so that the spinach gets slightly wilted by the warm squash. Adjust seasoning if needed with salt and pepper. Serve right away.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: You can definitely roast the squash and just serve as a side dish for a nice dinner. I do not peel Delicate, the skin is tender enough that I don’t mind eating it. This was a hearty salad, that we enjoyed with roast chicken thighs.

And now, for a real super simple recipe that will go into our regular rotation.

CHEESY BRUSSELS SPROUTS

CHEESY ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Cook whole sprouts in gently boiling salted water for 8 minutes.

Drain and place on paper towels to dry.

Cut each sprout in half.

Transfer to a bowl and coat them with olive oil, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place the sprouts as a single layer, cut side down.

Roast at 425F for 15 minutes.

Add grated Parmigiano cheese all over and roast for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.

Keep an eye on it, you don’t want the cheese to burn.

to print, click here

Comments: This was a real nice way to get tender sprouts with no bitterness and the right amount of char. It may seem a bit fussy to cut them in half after cooking, but I think it was worth the small effort. If they are cut in half before simmering they do not retain the shape well and get a bit too mushy in the end. Of course, this is a matter of personal preference. See what works best for you…

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16Jul2024

THE PIZZSALAD

Posted in Pizzas, Pizzas & Small Dishes, Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Apologies. I admit, that kind of hurt. This is salad on pizza crust. I saw this recipe on the FoodTV show The Kitchen, that I used to watch all the time but then lost interest. Lately I’ve been adamant about NOT tuning into the news 24/7 because… well, I just can’t take it anymore. Soooo, I got into browsing all the stuff taped on our TiVo, and that episode was waiting for me. Katie Lee loves salad, and she came up with a way to join her love for salad and pizza on a single serving. I was intrigued. She used store-bough thin crust pizza (those sold in a tube), but I went with my default pizza recipe from the good and old Fine Cooking (click here for all details).

PIZZA SALAD
(inspired by Katie Lee’s recipe)

pizza dough (I used 1/4 of my default recipe)
olive oil, grated Parmigiano, Herbes de provence for crust)

dressing:
1/4 cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:
arugula
mozarella pearls
tomatoes
black olives
avocados

For the dressing: In a blender, combine the vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, and sugar. Pulse to combine. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the pizza-cracker base: Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to evenly coat the baking sheet with the oil. Stretch the pizza dough to cover the baking sheet (I used a 9 x 13 size). Drizzle more olive oil on top and use a pastry brush to spread the oil evenly on the dough. Sprinkle with the cheese and Herbes de Provence. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool until just warm or room temperature on the baking sheet.

Assemble the salad over the pizza and drizzle the dressing all over. Toss is gently and wait about 15 minutes to serve it.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is messy to eat, I won’t lie to you. I advise you to allow the dressing soak on the pizza component a bit, it won’t make it soggy at all, if you bake it until it is crispy. But it will be a delicate balance – do not bake it too dark or it will be super hard and difficult to cut. If you go into the FoodTV website, some of the comments about Katie are very hurtful, and I find it all so sad. She is a very sweet person and I’ve tried and enjoyed many of her recipes. This salad reminded me of fatoush, which is a classic I am quite fond of. I don’t think I would serve it for company because it is a little tricky to eat, but if it is perfect for an informal meal. The dressing is absolutely delicious, and I recommend you give it a try on a regular salad, independent of the pizza part.