Greek Tortellini Salad

Keeping with this months salad theme here is a hearty, flavorful salad that is easy to whip together for a quick lunch. I always keep tortellini in the freezer, it comes in handy when you want to make a simple meal or snack.


Ingredients 

fresh whole wheat cheese filled Tortellini Pasta, family size
1/2 cup of pitted kalamata olives, sliced in half
1/2 a jar of roasted red peppers marinated in oil, sliced
1 cup of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup of crumbled feta cheese

Directions 

Cook your tortellini till it is al dente, about 3 to 4 minutes once your water comes to a rapid boil. It is very important to not over cook your pasta, because then your salad is soggy. Drain your pasta and place in a large bowl. Add to you pasta all of your chopped vegetables, olives and cheese. The oil from your chopped peppers and artichokes make a nice natural dressing. There is no need to add more oil. Add your feta, toss and serve. This salad is delicious warm or cold.

Enjoy!

Greek Salad

I LOVE salads and I LOVE noodles, so the perfect match for me is Noodles & Company. Noodles makes a great greek salad called the Med Salad. I dream about this dish, so I had to recreate it at home. The best part about this salad is the dressing, I love the kick it has. Thanks Noodles & Company for the inspiration.

Ingredients

1 cup of cavatappi pasta (my favorite pasta)

1 cucumber, chopped with skin

5 cups of romain and spring mix lettuce

1 tomato, seeded and diced

1 cup of kalamata olives

1/2 of red onion, finely sliced

1 cup of feta cheese

4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, pounded slightly

1 cup of pre-made balsamic vinaigrette

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1/2 of a fresh lemon, squeezed

1 to 2 tsp. Srirach (red chili sauce)

1/2 cup of crumbled feta

1 clove of garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

First place your chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag and pound them slightly, with a meat tenderizer. Add your cup of purchased balsamic vinaigrette to your chicken. Seal the ziplock and place in the referigerator to marinade for at least 2 hours. When chicken is done marinading, grill until your chicken is completely cooked, set aside to cool.

Second boil water to cook your cavatapi pasta. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, you want your pasta to be chewy. When the pasta is done cooking, drain and set aside to cool.

While your chicken and pasta are cooling, Make your salad dressing by, mixing your yogurt, lemon juice, and minced garlic. In a fine stream slowly pour in your olive oil while constantly whisking. Next whisk in your sriracha sauce. Fold your crumbled feta into the dressing. Season the dressing with salt and paper.

Next seed and chop your tomato and cucumber, dice your red onion. Wash your lettuce and chop.

Assemble your salad with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, olives, and noodles. Top with your grilled chicken, feta, and your homemade dressing!

Enjoy!

Tropical Chicken Salad

This salad is light, and tasty with so many fresh flavors. The fresh mango is a must in this salad, it's so sweet and tropical. Also, do not be scared by the red chili sauce it just gives a hint of heat, balancing out all of the yummy sweetness going on. I like making this salad on those really hot summer days, when cooking just seems like a burden. This salad also makes a fantastic lunch.

Ingredients

1 large package of baby field greens

1 avocado, diced

2 cups of ripe mango, diced

1 small jicama, diced

1/2 cup of unsweetened shaved coconut, toasted

1 pound of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded slightly

3 Tbs. of mango or apricot preserve

1 Tbs. Sriracha (red chili sauce)

1/2 cup of olive oil

salt and pepper

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions

Place your chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag, slightly pound your chicken with a heavy meat tenderizer, set aside. In a medium bowl add your mango or apricot preserve, sriracha, and olive oil. Mix throughly and pour over chicken in the zip lock bag. Let your chicken marinade for at least 2 hours or over night. (sometimes I reserve just a little bit of this sauce and baste my chicken with it while cooking) After your chicken has marinaded, grill your chicken until throughly cooked. When cooled dice into strips.

Dice your avocado, and jicama, set aside. On a cookie sheet spread out your coconut and bake at 350˙bake until golden brown. This only takes about 2 minutes. When finished assemble your salad. I serve this salad with balsamic vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

Egg Salad Sandwich

One of my guilty pleasures is egg salad, I believe the actually craving is for a really good mayonnaise followed up by an even better soft fresh bread. This cold sandwich is light and perfect for this hot summer weather.

Ingredients

2/3 cup of Real Mayonnaise

4 large eggs, hard boiled and chopped

2 Tbs. of yellow mustard

Salt to taste

Fresh Oat Nut bread

Directions

Hard boil your eggs (make sure you do not over cook your eggs, I boil mine for 10 mins) run them under cold water to let them cool. Peel your eggs and chop. Mix your chopped eggs with mayonnaise, mustard, and salt. Scoop your egg mixture into your fresh bread and slice in half.

Enjoy!

Mediterranean Cous Cous Salad

I am always trying to eat light and healthy. I feel better, move faster, and love the extra energy. Here is an easy, light cous cous salad that is bursting with flavor. Be careful you might eat the whole bowl, it's that yummy!

Ingredients

1 box of cous cous, prepared with the instructions on the box.

(Near East Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil)

1 15oz can of garbanzo beans, drained

5 green onions, sliced

12oz of crumbled feta

1 cup of greek olives, pitted

1 cup of Newmans balsamic salad dressing

Directions

Prepare cous cous and set aside to cool. Drain your garbanzo beans and place in a large mixing bowl. Add your sliced green onions, olives, and feta cheese. When your prepared cous cous is cool add it to the bowl along with the salad dressing. Mix throughly, chill and serve.

Enjoy!

Sunshine Salad

One of my favorite places to eat is a little pizza place by my house called Sazza. Sazza's ingredients are mostly organic and bursting with unique flavor combinations. My favorite salad on the menu is their Sunshine Salad with Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette. I crave this salad on a daily basis so I thought I would try and recreate it at home, and it was a success. Here is to happy and healthy eating!

Salad Ingredients

1 large bag of field greens

1 tomato, diced

1 green bell peppers, seeded and diced

1 cucumber, peeled, and diced

1 can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup of unsalted sunflower seeds

1 cup of sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

4 grilled chicken breasts, sliced (optional)

Directions

Prepare all of your vegetables. Grill your chicken and set aside to cool. Mix in a large bowl your greens, vegetables, seeds, cheese, and sliced grilled chicken. Top with your creamy lemon vinaigrette, serve.

Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette

1/2 large egg yolk

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

In a small bowl whisk the egg yolk and the lemon juice. Slowly add in the olive oil and cream whisking rapidly. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Green Goddess Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is light, healthy, full of flavor and crunch. The fusilli whole grain pasta gives it a chewy satisfying bite. I love this salad on a warm spring day on the back porch with a tall glass of iced green tea. Perfection!

Ingredients

1 lb. of whole grain fusilli, cooked al dente and drained

1 medium zucchini, sliced and cut in half

1 medium yellow squash, sliced and cut in half

1 cup of freshly shucked peas

2 cups of fresh spinach

1 tub of store bought basil pesto

3/4 to 1 cup of fresh goat cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Cook your pasta. When your pasta is almost finished add your freshly shucked raw peas to the boiling water. Let them cook for 1 minute. Drain your pasta and peas and place them in a large bowl. Add your sliced zucchini and yellow squash, spinach, pesto, and goats cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Mix lightly and serve warm or cold.

Enjoy!

Tuna Melt

Spring is coming and I am in the mood to eat lighter and healthier. Here is an easy yummy sandwich recipe that could be served for dinner or lunch. I love the sharpness of the cheese, mixed with rich tuna and crisp, crunchy bread, in this hearty melt, healthy and satisfying.

Ingredients

1 large can of white tuna, packed in water

2 Tbs of Real mayonnaise

1 Tbs of sweet relish

salt and pepper to taste

Whole grain bread, 2 slices

Fresh ripe tomato

Extra sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

In a large bowl mix your drained can of tuna with your mayonnaise, and sweet relish. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile toast your bread in a toaster, set aside. Thinly slice your tomato and cheese. I use two slices of tomato and cheese for each slice of bread. Spoon a large mound of tuna on each slice of bread. Top with cheese and tomato slices. Place your tuna melts on a cookie sheet and broil under a broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Grilled Rosemary Chicken Club

This is the time of year where I am getting Spring Fever! I know it's a little early, but Spring is one of my favorite seasons. I am itching to get my gardening under way, start grilling on the grill, and enjoy the warm sun and fresh clean air. This sandwich is satisfying, light, and bursting with flavor. It's one of my favorites for sure!

Ingredients

1 cup of Cindy's Kitchen Rosemary Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

1 pound of skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 bottle of marinated roasted red peppers

Creamy goats cheese, 6oz

Romaine lettuce leaves, 4 to 5

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Olive Oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 large loaf of soft french bread

Directions

Place your chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag, gently pound your chicken until it is nice and thin. Double bag your chicken, just to be on the safe side, incase holes were made while pounding. Add your one cup Cindy's Vinaigrette to your chicken. ( This vinaigrette can be found at Whole Foods) Let this marinade for at least 3 hours.

Grill your chicken on an outside grill. Season your meat with salt and pepper, let cool. Cut your loaf of french bread length wise so it looks like you are making one giant sandwich. On the bottom half of the sandwich spread all of your creamy goats cheese. ( you can never have enough of this creamy goodness )

Next layer your drained roasted red peppers over the cheese. Once your chicken has cooled lay the grilled chicken over the peppers. Top the chicken with whole crisp, freshly washed romaine lettuce leaves.

Take the top of your french bread loaf and turn it over exposing the soft chewy bread, generously douse the bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Letting this combination soak into the bread for a couple of minutes. Put the top of the loaf on the rest of the sandwich. Carefully cut the sandwich into 4 or 5 individual sandwiches. Serve.

Enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Gone Wild

There is nothing better than a grilled cheese sandwich. This comfort food can be twisted and turned into anything your heart desires. Here is a my take on the old fashioned grilled cheese sandwich.

Ingredients

2 slices of fresh Oat Nut bread

4 slices of green apple, thinly sliced

4 slices of creamy Havarti cheese

4 slices of Boars Head Honey Turkey

4 slices of butter

Directions

In a non stick skillet on medium high heat, butter one side of one slice of bread. Place your bread butter side down in your skillet. Add two slices of your Havarti cheese to that slice of bread followed by 4 of your apple slices. Add your turkey on top of your apple slices along with two more slices of Havarti. Butter your second piece of bread, placing it on top of your sandwich, butter side up. Let this side cook for 3 to 5 minutes. It is now time to flip your sandwich. The bottom piece of bread should be nice and golden brown and your cheese should also be melting. Flip carefully and let the other side of your sandwich grill to a golden brown. When your sandwich is nice and brown and all of your cheese is melted and bubbly you can remove it from the pan. Cut your sandwich in half and serve immediately. This recipe makes one sandwich.

Enjoy!

Greek Orzo Salad

I whipped up this Orzo salad recipe the other night thinking that my family would probably not like it, and that I could eat it for lunches. Well, I was wrong the whole bowl of salad was gone within the hour, I guess it was a hit. The recipe is easy, healthy and light. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of Orzo

1/2 cup of Paul Newmans Balsamic Vinaigrette salad dressing

( you can add more or less depending on how wet you like your salad)

1 cup of plain feta cheese

3/4 cup of greek olives, pitted

1 cup of cherry tomatoes

3 cups of fresh baby spinach

Directions

Cook your Orzo till al dente, drain and set aside to cool. Slice your cherry tomatoes in half and place in a large bowl. add your cooled Orzo, along with your feta, olives, spinach, and salad dressing. Mix well and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. You will not need salt for this salad, because the olives are pretty salty.

Enjoy!

Tuna Pasta Salad

Spring is calling my name so I have been craving light pasta salads. Serve this salad on a bed of lettuce with fresh blueberries or cantaloupe, the salty tuna with sweet fruit is a tasty combo. :)

Ingredients

1 pound of shell macaroni

1 cup of mayonnaise

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 large handfull of snow peas, diagonally cut in half

2 large carrots, chopped

2 6 oz. cans of tuna in water

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook your pasta and set aside to cool. In a large bowl mix, mayonnaise, onions, thyme, snow peas, carrots, salt and pepper, and tuna. When the pasta is cooled add pasta. Mix well and refrigerate until the salad is cool.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich

Do you ever have one of those days where you are starving but nothing sounds yummy? Well, I was having one of those days until I came across a friends facebook posts. She had posted what she made for dinner and I knew right then that's what I wanted... A peanut butter and banana sandwich! YUM!! I have never had one of these sandwiches before, I was about to indulge.

The whole time I was preparing this ooey gooey delight I could not stop thinking about the late Elvis Presley and his obsession for these. At last I was not disappointed the sandwich was every bit of heaven as it sounds. Thank you my very talented friend Charys!

•Makes one sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices of honey nut bread

2 Tbs. peanut butter

1/2 of a ripe banana

1 tsp. sugar

2 Tbs. butter

Directions

In a non stick skillet on med- high, butter one side of a piece of bread lay in skillet, butter side down. Slice your banana and lay them on the bread. Sprinkle the banana's with sugar. Spread peanut butter on your second piece of bread. Sandwich the pieces together and butter the top of the sandwich, When the bottom piece is brown, carefully flip the sandwich to grill on the other side. When the sandwich is all toasty brown and the peanut butter is oozing out, and the sugar is crunchy and caramelized with the banana's.... Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Turkey Bacon & Avocado Sandwich

My family and I do not eat bacon solely for the reason that... pigs are to cute to eat! But, we still love the idea of the classic BLT sandwich. Although, this sandwich is far from the classic three ingredients of bacon, lettuce, and tomato, it is close and a yummy twist.

Ingredients

2 slices of oat nut bread

6 slices of Turkey Bacon

Mayonnaise

1/2 of a ripe avocado, sliced

Spring mix lettuce leaves

Salt & pepper

Directions

Toast your two pieces of bread. Spread mayonnaise on one piece of your bread, salt and pepper. Microwave your favorite turkey bacon between paper towel on a plate until crisp. Lay your cooked bacon on your bread. Lay your sliced avocado on top of your bacon and top with lettuce and your other piece of bread. This recipe make one sandwich.

Enjoy!

Turkey Ciabatta Sandwich

Ciabatta bread is defiantly one of my weaknesses. It's crusty outside with airy chewy inside is pure bliss. A quick tip for making this sandwich extra yummy... Drizzle the inside of the bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and let the two soak into the bread for several minutes before assembling your sandwich.

Ingredients

1 loaf of ciabatta bread

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Sun dried tomato pesto

Provolone cheese

Roasted chicken or turkey breast, sandwich sliced

Spring mix lettuce leaves

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Cut your whole ciabatta loaf horizontally, then in half. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic on the insides of your bread, let them soak in for several minutes. Generously add pesto to one side of the bread. Add cheese and meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with greens to finish your sandwich.

Enjoy!