Summertime Marinated Salads

     Summertime is here, there is no denying that! With record-breaking temperatures, it's become a struggle to stay cool. So I figured I'd share a few of my favorite summertime lunch/snack ideas with you. Marinated salads! They're delicious, easy, and served cold to help you keep cool.

Calling All Cukes! 

This marinated salad has been a favorite of mine for my whole life. Mom would always keep some in the fridge as I was growing up. And as an adult I can't help but love it still. There are a number of variations you can make on this, try adding some bell peppers, cauliflower, or radishes. If you don't want to make your own dressing, try using your favorite store bought Italian or Vinaigrette. Or try switching up the herbs in the home made dressing, instead of parsley and basil try dill. Have fun!

Marinated Cucumber Salad

2 medium Cucumbers, sliced

1 pint Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved

1 Avocado, chopped

½ medium Red Onion, diced or sliced

For the Dressing:

¾ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

2 tbsp Lemon Juice (about 1 lemon)

2 Garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped

1 tsp fresh Basil, chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:
Combine all dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk well. Add in remaining ingredients and toss. Store in the refrigerator for 1 hour or more for best results. (I usually do this in a mason jar that I keep in the refrigerator)

Fava Forever!

     I love fava beans. They're just wonderful, even if they are a pain to process when they're fresh. For that reason, this recipe calls for canned fava beans. But it works just as well with Chickpeas or Kidney beans if you prefer them.

Marinated Fava Bean Salad

1 15-oz can Fava Beans, drained and rinsed

½ Green Bell Pepper, diced

½ Red Bell Pepper, diced

½ medium sized Cucumber, diced

¼ medium sized Red Onion, diced

2 Green onions, diced

½ tbsp Capers

¼ cup Parsley, chopped

5-6 Mint Leaves, chopped

5-6 Basil Leaves, chopped

For the Dressing:

1 clove Garlic, minced

¼ tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp Lemon Juice

½ tbsp Sugar

2 tbsp Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:
Combine dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. Add in other ingredients and toss. Allow to chill for at least 1 hour for best results.

Just Beet It

     Beets are an under-appreciated vegetable. They're also more than just red. My favorite beets are the golden beets. Largely because they don't bleed all over everything and stain my hands, but also because they have such a mildly sweet taste. Try this recipe with any kind of beet you want. Chiogga beets make for a great visual presentation. Classic red beets are great for a classic beet salad. You can even use a combination of beets to make things a little extra special! This salad is also great with a little Feta, Goat Cheese, or Bleu Cheese on top!

Marinated Beet Salad

5 medium Beets, trimmed and halved (save the greens for another dish!)

2 small Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

½ a medium Red Onion, halved and thinly sliced

¼ cup roasted Walnuts

2 tsp fresh Dill, chopped

1 tsp fresh Parsley, chopped

For the Dressing:

The juice of 2 Oranges

1 ½ tsp Red Wine Vinegar

1 ½ tsp Olive Oil, or Walnut Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:
Steam the beets for 30-40 minutes, or until tender. Grab them with a paper towel and peel off the skins while they are still warm (or wait until they cool and use a peeler). Thinly slice them. While they are steaming, combine the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. Add in remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Allow to chill for 1 hour or more for best results.

It's Greek To Me

Greek salads are a staple in most American restaurants today. But my favorite version of this salad leaves out the lettuce and brings on the marinade!

Marinated Greek Salad

1 pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved

2 medium Cucumbers, chopped

1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1 small Red Onion, diced

½ cup Kalamata Olives, pitted and halved

2 Pepperoncini Peppers, sliced into rings

Marinated Feta or Tofu:

5-6 oz Feta or Tofu, cubed

½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper

½ cup Olive Oil

1 sprig each of fresh Rosemary, Thyme, and Oregano

1 clove Garlic, smashed

Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Dressing:

¼ cup Olive Oil (drained from the Marinated Feta/Tofu)

1 tsp dried Oregano

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:
Marinate the Feta/Tofu 24 hours or more (up to 14 days) in advance. Combine all the ingredients in a sealed container and hold in the refrigerator until ready to use. In a mixing bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and whisk well. Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl, including the marinated Feta/Tofu. Toss well to combine and chill for 1 hour or more before serving.

Expect the Unexpected

     You can truly use any vegetable in a marinated salad. This next recipe proves it! Who would ever think that asparagus would make for such a good salad ingredient? This salad is also super awesome when you add fresh mozzarella cheese to it. Almost like an asparagus twist on a traditional Caprese salad.

Marinated Asparagus and Tomato Salad

2 lbs Asparagus Spears, tough ends trimmed off then chopped into 2 inch segments

1 pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved

5-7 fresh Basil Leaves, chopped

*optional 8-16 oz fresh Mozzarella cheese

For the Dressing:

6 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

¼ cup Olive Oil

2 tsp Dijon Mustard

2 tsp Honey

1 clove Garlic, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:
Steam the asparagus until tender, then rinse off under cold water to cool. In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing and whisk well to combine. Add in remaining ingredients and toss well. Chill for 1 hour or more before serving.

Something Sweet

     You don't have to stick to cold vegetables in the summer, fruit works well too! If you want to get wild and crazy, you can add in some mint or basil leaves. Or for those adult BBQs, instead of the Orange Blossom Water, try using white rum or vodka!

Marinated Fruit Salad

2 cups Watermelon, cubed

2 cups Cantaloupe, cubed

2 cups Strawberries, halved

1 cup Grapes, halved

1 cup Blueberries

For the Dressing:

½ cup Honey

¼ cup Orange Blossom Water

¼ cup Lemon Juice

¼ cup Pineapple Juice

1/8 tsp Salt

Instructions:
Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. Add in remaining ingredients and toss well. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.




     In any of these recipes, feel free to change the ingredients around.  Play with different fruit, veggies, and herbs.  Switch up the vinegars and oils. Throw in some of those wild edibles you've been dying to try. Maybe even toss in some chicken or shrimp! Have fun, play around, and let me know what you think below!

Herbs de Provence

     So last week I posted some information on one of my favorite herbs, Lavender. In that post I mentioned that it's used in French cooking, particularly in a blend called Herbs de Provence. So I figured I'd share my recipe for this amazing blend, and a few recipes that use it. I hope you enjoy!



This is the most basic form of this herb blend. If you want to be a little more adventurous or fancy, you can try adding in 1 tsp of dried fennel seed, 1-2 tsp of dried orange zest, or 1-2 tsp of dried lemon zest. Feel free to play around with it and make it your own! This particular recipe makes about 1 cup of spice blend so make sure you have a container that can hold that amount.

Herbs de Provence

½ cup dried Thyme leaf

¼ cup dried Marjoram leaf

2 tablespoons dried Oregano leaf

2 tablespoons dried Rosemary leaf

2 tablespoons Savory

1 teaspoon dried Lavender flowers

Use a mortar and pestle, food processor, or coffee/spice grinder to lightly grind any of the whole herbs. You want them to be coarse and not finely ground. Combine all the herbs in a bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight container away from heat and light.



     So now that you have this amazing herb blend, what do you do with it? This blend works well with all meats, particularly poultry and fish. It also goes great on root vegetables such as potatoes, and it makes a great herbed butter or infused olive oil. Here are a few of my favorite recipes using Herbs de Provence.

Provencal Vinaigrette 

     This salad dressing is so amazing, and super easy to make and uses Herbs de Provence and Dijon mustard to make your taste buds feel like you're dining in Provencal France!

Provencal Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Distilled Water

1 teaspoon Raw Honey

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence

½ teaspoon Sea Salt

¼ teaspoon ground Black Pepper

¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar

½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in a food processor. Process away for about 1 minute. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil (my food processor allows me to do this while actively processing the dressing, this is the best way to incorporate the oil, but if your processor does not, just drizzle a little at a time and process for 30 seconds between drizzles). Your dressing should be nicely emulsified and ready to store in the refrigerator. Chill for 1 hour before serving to allow all the flavors to nicely combine.

French Lentil Soup

     Lentil soup is a staple in my household. It's super easy to make and really quick if you're in a pinch for time. This version uses French lentils and Herbs de Provence to make a soup that's out-of-this-world!

French Lentil Soup

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

½ of 1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped

1 medium Carrot (and greens if possible), chopped

1 Celery Stalk, chopped

3 Garlic cloves, smashed

1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

1 cup French Lentils, rinsed and drained

6 cups Vegetable Broth (or Bone Broth)

2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

½ of 1 medium Red Onion, chopped

4 cups Swiss Chard leaves (or Baby Spinach)

In a large pot, over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, lentils, broth, and all seasonings. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, about 30 minutes. Add in the red onions and cover, cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the lentils are softened. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary. About 5 minutes before serving, stir in the Swiss Chard. Serve piping hot!

This goes great over rice and/or quinoa.

Sensational Tofu & Roots

This recipe shows off how well Tofu can blend with just about everything. Now, for those of you who prefer meat, you can substitute chicken for tofu (just make sure it's fully cooked, it might take a bit longer than tofu) and get a delicious main dish, or simply take out the tofu and get a wonderful side dish of root veggies with gravy.

Tofu & Roots

½ pound of Fingerling Potatoes, quartered

2 large Carrots, peeled and sliced

1 large Parsnip, peeled and sliced

1 Celeraic (celery root), peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, smashed

½ pound of Cherry Tomatoes

1½ teaspoons Herbs de Provence

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

1 cup Vegetable Broth (or Bone Broth)

2 tablespoons Arrow Root Flour

1 block (about 14-16 oz) Extra Firm Tofu, drained and pressed

In a large pot, on high heat, begin to boil the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and celeraic. While the root veggies are cooking (about 15-20 minutes or until fork tender), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sautee until tender, but not translucent. Add in the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of Herbes de Provence, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Cook about 5 minutes. Add in the broth and simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat to Low, add in the flour and whisk well to incorporate. Once the mixture thickens, set aside. Once the root vegetables are tender, drain them and set them aside. In another skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Slice the tofu into ¼ inch thick triangles. When the oil is hot, add the tofu. When the bottom is nice and crisp, flip them and add the root vegetables. Season with the remaining seasonings and cook until everything is golden. Pour the broth gravy over the tofu and roots and serve.





     In any of these recipes, feel free to change the ingredients around.  Play with different veggies and herbs.  I hope you enjoy this Herbs de Provence recipe, and have fun using it in every dish! Have fun, play around, and let me know what you think below!