Big Mac Salad

 This was pretty darn good. I made it as a jarred salad. I am trying to eat more beef these days because I am low on iron and protein, but this could probably be made with fork-mashed chick peas instead or maybe tofu crumbles for vegetarians but it wouldn’t be as good. 

Adapted From :  https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/big-mac-salad-cheeseburger-salad-low-carb-gluten-free/

In each jar add: 

- 2T. Big Mac sauce (I used this recipe for 3 jars but might try another one with ketchup next time:

DRESSING:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise 
• 2 tbsp dill pickles, diced
• 2 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar 

- 2/3 cup ground beef cooked with salt, pepper and chili flakes

- 1/4 c. Shredded cheddar cheese (I use extra sharp or extra old) 

- 1 T. Minced white onion (maybe try more onion next time I couldn't really taste it)

- 1/3 cup minced or small dice dill pickle 

- 1/2 c. Diced tomato 

- fill with chopped lettuce (I used romaine) 

- add sesame seeds (I didn’t do this but should make it more Big Mac-y) 

Pasta salad for picky kids

Oh my god my kids are so picky. they say they don't like beans, eggs, or cheese -- and they are vegetarian!! I made this salad today and only one kid cried so that is a success I guess.

Pasta Salad for picky vegetarian kids

-- 1/2 block tofu

-- 1.5 cups pasta

-- 3 small cucumbers, diced

-- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

-- 1 tomato, diced

-- 1 small can sliced black olives, drained

-- 1 inch chunk feta cheese

-- 1/2 lemon

-- oil

1. Boil the pasta in salted water. While the pasta is boiling cut the tofu into squares and fry it lightly in oil. 

2. When the pasta is soft drain and rinse in cold water. Mix with fried tofu, vegetables, and crumble the cheese on top. Drizzle with oil and add the juice of the half lemon. Mix and add salt and pepper to taste. 

3. Give to kids and hope they don't cry

Ottolenghi and Tami's baby spinach salad with Dates and Almonds

This salad came highly recommended and it uses many things we already have, plus we had some leftover pita to use up. It is good! Worth even purchasing pita bread for!

Ottolenghi and Tami's baby spinach salad with Dates and Almonds

From Ottolenghi

Ingredients

1 tablespoon wine vinegar

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

3 1/2 ounces dates (100 grams), preferably Medjool, pitted and quartered lengthwise (add more if you're so inclined)

Salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 grams)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 small pitas (about 3 1/2 ounces, or 100 grams), roughly torn into 1 1/2 -inch pieces

1/2 cup whole unsalted almonds (75 grams), coarsely chopped (I used slivered almonds and added them to the pan with the pita for about 1 minute.)

2 teaspoons sumac

1/2 teaspoon chile flakes

5 to 6 ounces baby spinach leaves (150 grams) (I substituted arugula for this and it was good)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

 

Preparation

•      Put vinegar, onion and dates in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix well with your hands. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain any residual vinegar and discard. (It didn't have any residual liquid.)


•     Meanwhile, heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add pita and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring all the time, until pita is golden. Add almonds and continue cooking until pita is crunchy and browned and almonds are toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and mix in sumac, chile flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside to cool.
•     When ready to serve, toss spinach leaves with pita mix in a large mixing bowl. Add dates and red onion, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.

 

The Foundation's Sesamum Salad

The Foundation is a vegetarian restaurant in Vancouver that I always think of as a place for large inexpensive nachos, indifferent service, and this salad. When I heard the restaurant was closing, I thought I would try and re-create the recipe so we can enjoy it at home. I think I came pretty close, what do you think?

The Foundation's Sesamum Salad

Ingredients:

For Sauce:

-- 1/4 c. vegetable broth
-- 1/2 c. peanut butter
-- 1/2 c. coconut milk
-- 2 T. soy sauce
-- 1 heaping T. honey

Salad:

-- 1 can garbanzo beans, drained
-- 1 package medium-firm tofu
-- 1/2 cup quinoa
-- oil for pan
-- spring mix
-- 6 (?) cups broccoli florets (can use some cauliflower if you have a child who refuses to eat broccoli) 
-- 2 T. sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

1. Drain tofu, then cut into 12 pieces, I like to make them triangle-shaped like foundation does, and let dry for awhile while you do the other steps.

2. Get a large pot of water, set it to boil, and cut up broccoli into florets. Add broccoli to water and boil until cooked to your liking. When it is cooked, drain broccoli.

3. Get a medium pot and cook quinoa according to package directions. Mine says to add in 2x as much water as quinoa, boil for 15 minutes, then let sit.

4. Put some oil in a large fry pan, then fry tofu over medium-high heat on each side for about 5 minutes, until slightly brown.

5. Add sauce ingredients to a glass mixing cup or bowl, microwave 1 minute to warm up, then mix with a small whisk or fork until smooth.

6. Drain any excess oil from pan, then add the garbanzo beans and cooked broccoli to the tofu. Pour the peanut sauce over and heat over med-low heat until hot. Try not to boil the sauce, it may separate.

7. Fill your serving plates or bowls with spring mix, then add maybe 1/4 cup of quinoa, then scoops of the tofu/broccoli/peanut sauce mixture, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. If your kid refuses to eat spring mix, you can serve the tofu mixture on rice or quinoa instead.

Enjoy!

Chinese Chickpea Mason Jar Salad

This is a vegetarian version of the beloved Chinese Chicken Salad I used to eat in Los Angeles all the time. I've tried a few different versions but this is the best. I put it in a jar this time, it came out great, so I will write what I did so I don't forget.

Ingredients -- makes 3 4-cup jars of salad each

From: Pickles and Honey

for the roasted chickpeas:

• two 15 oz. cans cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained well (about 3 cups) (I made this with 1 can and it was fine)
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce (or to taste)

for the dressing:

• 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• fine grain sea salt to taste

for the salad:

• 6 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 cup snow peas, sliced lengthwise into thin strips
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• one 10.5 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
• ½ cup almonds, toasted and chopped

for topping:

• black sesame seeds
• crispy noodles (use rice noodles if gluten-free)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, toss together all of the chickpea ingredients until evenly coated. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet and spread them into an even layer. Don't worry about the extra liquid; it will thicken to form a sticky glaze. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once half-way through. (These are very good, if in a rush you could just use chickpeas drained straight from the can.) 
2. While the chickpeas bake, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl or glass jar. 
3. Rip 3 squares of plastic wrap. In the center of each square, put 1/3 of the almonds, a small handful of crispy noodles, and some black sesame seeds. Wrap up into 3 airtight packets.  (you need to do this because these ingredients will get soggy if you put them in the jars with the vegetables)
4. In 3 4-cup ziplock containers,  layer:
1. dressing
2. mandarin oranges 
3. chick peas (cooled!)
4. green onions
5. carrots
6. snow peas 
7. lettuce
8. put 1 of your plastic wrapped packets in the top of each salad. 
9. close tightly, and refrigerate until needed

To serve, dump salad into mixing bowl, unwrap packet and pour ingredients on top, mix together, and be the envy of all your workmates!! 

Cold Rice Noodle Salad

I bought a couple cookbooks the other day. One of them was Bowl by Lukas Volger -- vegetarian versions of many asian one-bowl dishes such as pho, ramen, etc. On first glance, the recipes seemed a bit more ingredient and labor intensive than I had hoped, and I was a bit disappointed until I found this one, which I immediately made for dinner. It's perfect, easy providing you own a mandoline, fresh, healthy and restaurant-quality. I also think it would make a great layered jar salad, I will try that sometime. I can't wait to try more of these recipes.

Cold Rice Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

-- 1 serrano chili, seeded if desired, coarsely chopped (I left this out)
-- 1 clove garlic, chopped
-- 1 T. chopped fresh ginger
-- 3 T. brown sugar
-- 1/2 cup boiling water
-- 3 T. soy sauce
-- zest and juice of 1 lime

-- 8 ounces dried medium-width rice noodles or rice vermicelli

-- 1 firm kirby cucumber (or 3 small persian cucumbers) peeled (I did not peel mine)
-- 1 medium carrot, peeled
-- 8 ounces smoked or baked tofu (I used regular tofu, which fell apart)
-- 4 cups shredded crisp lettuce, such as butter, boston, romaine or iceberg
-- 1 red, orange, or yellow belle pepper, cored and sliced into thin strips
-- 2 scallions, green and white parts, sliced on the bias
-- 1 cup chopped herbs such as cilantro, mint, or basil
-- 1/4 c. coarsely chopped peanuts, for garnish

Instructions:

-- Combine chili, garlic and ginger in a mortar and mound into a rough paste using a pestle. (Alternatively, mince and mash the mixture using a chef's knife) Combine in a small bowl with the brown sugar and the water. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then add the soy sauce and lime zest and juice. You should have about 3/4 cup sauce. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but ideally for a few hours.

-- Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water, then drain thoroughly and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

-- Cut cucumber in half and scoop out seeds with a spoon (I used small persian cucumbers and did not do this). Use a mandoline to slice the cucumber and carrot into long thin strands. Cut the tofu into matchsticks.

-- Divide the lettuce among four bowls, then top each serving with the cold noodles. Arrange the cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, tofu, and scallions over the noodles in each bowl, then garnish with herbs and peanuts. Pass the dipping sauce at the table for guests to pour over their salad, or serve in small bowls for dipping.

Avocado Garbanzo Salad

I'm willing to bet this dish one of the most delicious healthy things you can prepare in 5 minutes or less. It's sort of like a deconstructed guacamole salad. Tonight we ate it with bread on the side, although tortilla chips would be good too. Good as a meal or as a hearty side dish.

Avocado Garbanzo Salad

-- 1/2 ripe avocado, cubed
-- 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans (from a can is fine)
-- 1 small tomato, cubed, or 1 large handful of grape tomatoes, halved
-- 1 or 2 T. of red onion, chopped small
-- 1/4 lemon
-- salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Squeeze lemon on top. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Vegetarian wedge salad

I don't often buy iceberg lettuce, but when I do, I make this salad. This is a steakhouse classic and what I think of as the "steak" of salads because you have to use a knife and a fork to eat it. We love this salad in the summer -- it's cool and crisp, rich and satisfying, and you can make it in 10 minutes. I live in a house of vegetarians, so here is our vegetarian version of the salad, but if you happen to have some cooked bacon on hand and crumble it on top, that's a happy thing too. Also -- if you don't think you like blue cheese dressing, try making it yourself before giving up entirely.

WEDGE SALAD 

makes 2 BIG servings, or maybe 4 appetizer servings

Ingredients:

Dressing:

-- 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
-- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
-- 1/2 tsp. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (can use soy sauce if you don't have this)
-- 1 small squirt prepared mustard
-- salt
-- pepper
-- 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
-- 1/4 cup milk
-- 1 ounce blue cheese

Salad:

-- 1 head iceberg lettuce, tough outer leaves and core removed, wedged into 4
-- 2 tomatoes, diced
-- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
-- OPTIONAL: 1/2 lb mushrooms, diced and sauteed with plenty of salt
-- If you really like blue cheese -- add extra crumbles to your salad

Instructions:

1. To make dressing, mix all ingredients in a bowl, add salt and pepper to taste.

2. To assemble salad, put 1 or 2 wedges of lettuce on a plate, drizzle with lots of dressing, sprinkle with tomatoes, red onion, mushrooms (if desired), and extra blue cheese (if desired)

Enjoy!!

Roasted Tofu & Peanut Noodle Salad -- jarred

I really like the other peanut noodle salad we make, but I wanted to try something different this week so I adapted this recipe into our mason jar salads. It is a good salad, I like the veggie mix better than the other asian noodle peanut salad I make, but even after extra salt, a big pinch of added sugar, and spicy sauce, I found the sauce somewhat bland. Maybe I could try adding some cilantro or mint in there next time.

Makes: 6 large mason jars or 4-cup ziploc round containers full of salad.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 14- to 16-ounce package extra-firm water-packed tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 7 1/2 ounces soba noodles
• 1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 
• 8 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage 
• 2 med or 1 large carrot, julienned small
• 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced 
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 cups thinly sliced trimmed snow peas 

Preparation

1. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Put a large pot of water on to boil for soba noodles.
2. Combine lime juice, soy sauce and oil in a large bowl. Stir in tofu; marinate, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tofu to the prepared baking sheet; reserve the marinade. Roast the tofu, stirring once halfway through, until golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain.
5. Whisk peanut butter, 3 tablespoons water, garlic and ginger into the reserved marinade. 
6. Layer the Jars in the following order:
1. Sauce on the bottom
2. soba noodles
3. tofu
4. carrots
5. red and yellow bell pepper
6. snow peas
7. cabbage to fill up the jar.
7. When the time comes to eat, mix up the salad and enjoy!

Mason Jar Vegetarian Nicoise Salad

I am pleased to report that Salad Sundays are still alive and well in this house! This week I wanted to try one of our favorites -- veggie Nicoise salad -- in the large round Ziploc containers I have come to know and love at lunchtime.

This one is fairly time consuming, this recipe is a combo of what I did and what I want to try next time to speed things up.

 Nicoise Salad Recipe

adapted from Simply Recipes

• Yield:6 large Mason Jar salads, or large round ziploc container salads

 

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad

• 2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
• 10 small new red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter, about 1 1/2 pounds total), each potato scrubbed and quartered
• 12 ounces green beans, stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered 
•  2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and/or several anchovies (optional)
• 1 cup niçoise olives, pitted
• 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, cut into halves
• 1 ½ cups baby cucumbers, chopped
• 1 small red onion, sliced very thin (about 1/2 cup)
• ½ lb baby arugula, washed

Method

1. Boil large pot of water. Add in eggs, potatoes and green beans, bring back to boil, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain everything. (I am not sure if this timing will work, but I want to try it for next time -- eggs might need a little more, green beans a little less.)

2. Meanwhile, in a hand blender container, blend together the lemon juice, oil, mustard, and salt and pepper until emulsified. Add in the thyme, basil, oregano, and blend in spurts until herbs are minced. Mince shallots by hand and mix in with a spoon.

3. Layer the ingredients in the salad as follows: 

-- white beans

-- potatoes
-- dressing poured on top of these two items (approx. 4 T. dressing per container)

-- green beans

-- olives
-- capers

-- red onion
-- tomatoes

-- cucumbers

-- eggs

-- top up each jar with arugula

4. Close tightly, salad will keep in the refrigerator 5 days easily. When ready to eat, open and dump into a large bowl, mix everything up.

Soba Noodle Mason Jar Salads

Many people have these asian noodle salads with peanut dressing, this is the best though.

Yield: 6 large round ziplock containers
Prep Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

• 8 ounces soba noodles
  
• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cup shelled edamame (soy beans), cooked
• 3 large carrots, peeled and shredded
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup crunchy rice noodles
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 8 ounces spring mix lettuce blend

For the Peanut Dressing:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth
• 1 lime, juice and zest of
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tsp sambal chili paste, or more to taste (I usually use like 1 tbsp but I like things VERY spicy)
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
  

  Directions:

  1. In large pot of boiling water, cook edamame according to package directions. When done, scoop out with a slotted spoon into a bowl, and use the same water to cook soba noodles according to package instructions. Rinse noodles under cold water and drain.
  2. Meanwhile, make Peanut Dressing: Using a small blender or hand blender, blend together all dressing ingredients except cilantro. Add in cilantro and blend until it's chopped in there but not completely disintegrated.
  3. Divide Peanut Dressing equally among 6 quart size mason jars or large round ziploc containers (this recipe made 4 T. dressing per jar, which may be too much -- will see when I eat them). 
  4. Divide soba noodles over dressing. Layer remaining ingredients, ending with spring mix. Top with lids and refrigerate up to 5 days. To serve, pour onto plate or bowl, stir and enjoy.

Mason Jar Vegetarian Taco Salad

Yep, I'm still on my jarred salad kick. I tried making this one for the first time last night, and it's really really good:

Mason Jar Vegetarian Taco Salad

MAKES 6 big JARS (I use the 4-cup large round ziplock containers):

1 ½ cups black beans (1 reg can)

2 cups corn (1 big can)

2 cups diced tomatoes (I like to use halved grape tomatoes)
2 cups red bell pepper, julienned (2 whole)

1/2 of 1 lb. container of spring mix
2 cups corn tortillas (optional)

Walnut meat:

1 1/2 cups walnut halves
1 1/2 tsp (5 mL) cumin
3/4 tsp (4 mL) chili powder (optional)
1 1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce

Creamy Avocado Dressing:

2 T yogurt

2 ounce goat cheese (crumbled)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1 1/2 whole lime (juiced)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 whole avocado

3 T water 

Directions:

1. To make dressing: Combine greek yogurt, goat cheese, cilantro, lime juice, salt, avocado, and water in a food processor. Puree until mixture is smooth. Set aside.
2. To make walnut meat: add walnut halves to food processor and pulse to break up into large chunks. Add cumin, chili powder, olive oil, and soy sauce to food processor and pulse until walnuts pieces are small but still chunky and mixture resembles ground beef. Do not overprocess
3. Assemble each mason jar in the following order:

• First (bottom) layer: 2 heaping Tablespoons avocado dressing
• Second layer: corn
• Third layer: black beans
• Fourth layer: Tomatoes
• Fifth layer: red bell peppers
• Sixth layer: 1 scoop walnut "meat" (approx. 2 Tbs)
• Seventh (top) layer: fill to the top with spring mix.  
• WRAP up a small handful of corn tortilla chips in plastic wrap and store that on top of the container. When you mix up the salad, crush up the chips and add them in. 

Yam and Chickpea Mason Jar* salad

In my continuing bid to eat healther I have hopped onto the new "salad in a jar" trend which is actually pretty fun. One or two nights a week I will fill up 4 ziplock containers (more practical than mason jars) with salads and then eat them whenever I need a quick healthy meal. They usually last 3-4 days. This one is a great one I made today, I cobbled the recipe together from a bunch of different online sources so here is the recipe all in one place:

 Yam and Chickpea Mason Jar Salad

Ingredients:

Roasted yams:
-- 9 sweet potatoes, or yams (the orange kind) peeled and cubed -- maybe like 2 pounds worth? can also use squash for this recipe.
-- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
-- 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
-- dash ground nutmeg
-- salt and pepper
-- oil

For the Tahini Sauce:
Yield: 2/3 cup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
a few grinds black pepper
3 T tahini (a fermented sesame seed paste, can find it in the middle eastern section of stores)


For the salad:
-- Spring mix (or other lettuce)
-- 2 cans garbanzo beans
-- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
-- 1/4 large red onion, chopped small
-- 1 large carrot peeled and julienned
-- 1 red bell pepper, julienned


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On two large baking sheets, coat yams with spices, salt, pepper, and oil and spread in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes or until soft throughout, turning every 10-15 minutes or so.

2. Make the tahini sauce by mixing the ingredients together with an immersion blender or other blender.

3. In 4 medium round (4-cup or quart size) ziploc containers or mason jars, layer the ingredients as follows: Tahini sauce, garbanzo beans, carrots, red bell peppers, onions, yams, cilantro, and fill the rest of the container with the spring mix.

4. Can keep in the fridge for 5 days (or more). When the time comes to eat, mix well in a large bowl and enjoy!!

Mason Jar Chinese Tofu Salad

When I lived in California I used to love eating something called Chinese Chicken Salad, my favorite was the one at California Chicken Cafe (I sometimes called it "California Chicken Kitchen"). Here in Vancouver this delicious salad (which doesn't have anything to do with real Chinese food, I believe) is nowhere to be found.

Today I wanted to try making some mason jar salads so I decided to make a vegetarian version of the one I missed so much, and adapt it to mason jar salad trend as well so I could keep some for upcoming meals.

This is what I did:

Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing

-- makes enough for 2 Quart-size (4-cup) mason jars (or medium tall round ziplock containers, as I ended up using)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup chow mein noodles (the crunchy kind)
• 5 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/2 package smoked tofu (I use plain Soyganic), julienned
• 2 green onions, chopped
• ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted lightly
• 1/2 large carrot, peeled and julienned (about 1/2 cup?)
• 1/2 large red pepper, seeded and julienned (about 1/2 cup?)
• 1 cup mandarin orange segments

dressing

• 1½ tablespoons vegetable or grapeseed oil
• 6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (I used plain rice vinegar and found I had to add at least another Tablespoon of sugar)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (add more to taste if you prefer a strong sesame taste)
• 1½ teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk well until sugar dissolves. 
2. Pour half the dressing in each mason jar (or medium tall round ziplock container)
3. Add half of each of the following ingredients into each mason jar, in this order: mandarin oranges, green onions, tofu, red peppers, carrots, then pack the rest of the container with the romaine lettuce. The idea is to keep the lettuce dry.
4. Close each mason jar tightly.
5. Now you want to make a "crunchy packet" because if you put crunchy things in the jar they will get soggy -- so rip 2 large pieces of plastic wrap, put half the chow mein noodles and almonds into the center, and twist each one up tightly.
6. Keep the containers in the fridge,with the crunchy packet on top so you don't forget about it.
7. Done! When you're ready to eat, dump the salad and crunchy toppings in a large salad bowl and mix it up and enjoy. 

delicious roasted vegetable salad from New York Times

We tried making this salad tonight. So good! And baby boy could eat most of it too (minus the arugula)! This is a meal I want to make again and again.

Spinach Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Spiced Chickpeas

Yield 2.5 main-dish servings

Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 large sweet potatoes (1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes -- (or one small butternut squash, which is what I used)
• 2 medium carrots (1/2 pound), peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, more as needed
• Black pepper, as needed
• 2 thyme sprigs (or a big pinch of dried thyme)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (because we were cooking for our 12-month-old, I substituted paprika for this and the recipe was still quite nice)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 5 ounces spinach (6 cups) -- or arugula, or both
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallot

Method

1. 1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with a clean dishtowel or several layers of paper towels and spread drained chickpeas evenly on top. Pat dry with another dishtowel or paper towels.
2. 2. Toss sweet potato and carrots with 2 tablespoons oil and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet and top with thyme sprigs. Roast, tossing occasionally, until golden-brown and very tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
3. 3. While vegetables are roasting, toss chickpeas with 2 tablespoons oil, chili powder, cumin and a large pinch of salt. Spread on another rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the oven 10 minutes after you’ve put in the potatoes and carrots; roast until crisp and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
4. 4. Using the flat side of a knife or a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with a large pinch of salt until it forms a paste. Add it to a small bowl and whisk in yogurt and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in remaining 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) oil. Season with salt and pepper.
5. 5. In a large bowl, combine spinach, roasted vegetables, chickpeas and shallot. Toss with enough dressing to lightly coat vegetables and greens and serve at once.

Mahesh's favorite garbanzo salad

This is a salad I just made up one day with stuff we had on hand, Mahesh loved it and asked me to make it again and I had to rack my brain to remember what was in there. I am writing it down so I don't forget next time.

Mix in a bowl:

-- 1 can garbanzo beans, drained
-- 3 small cucumbers, cubed (about 2 cups)
-- 3 T. finely minced onion
-- 3 T. finely minced cilantro
-- 3 T. mashed avocado
-- 2 T. Annie's Organics Goddess dressing
-- 3 drops habanero hot sauce, more or less to taste
-- salt and pepper to taste

That's it!

Quinoa and greens salad

We just got back from a trip to Australia, and in case you were wondering, getting re-adjusted to a 5-hour time difference with a 6-month-old is not fun. On top of that I am coming down with some illness. I was really craving something healthy yet filling, and more importantly quick to prepare. This salad, full of protein-packed quinoa, was just the thing. It comes from one of my new favorite food blogs, Green Kitchen Stories.

Quinoa and Greens salad
adapted from this recipe

 2 cups cooked quinoa (approx. 3/4 cup dried)

Dressing: 
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 small lemon (peel and juice)
2 tbsp hot english mustard
salt and pepper
(maybe try a little honey in the dressing next time?)

Salad ingredients: 
3/4 bunch spinach, washed, destemmed, and chopped fine (or use kale, or other greens you like)
1 large apple
1 handful sprouts (I did not add these as I didn't have any on hand and it was fine)
100 g (1/4 lb.) feta cheese

Cook the quinoa. To do this, mix dried quinoa with 1 1/2 cups water and boil for about 10 minutes, covered, then turn off heat and let sit until all water is absorbed.

Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a high glass or a small bowl. Let the quinoa cool of for a while then add the dressing.

Rinse the spinach and chop it. Cut the apples in small cubes. Mix all the ingredients with the quinoa and top it with the feta cheese.

Tofu Larb

Tofu Larb

A delicious and flavorful Thai salad. In Thailand, this is typically made with ground pork (sometimes raw!!) but for us Sai made a tofu version.

Ingredients

-- 1 block fried tofu (can use regular firm tofu as well here but not as delicious)
-- 1.5 Tablespoons minced garlic (approx. 6 cloves)
-- 2 Tablespoons lemongrass, minced-- 1 Tablespoon chopped Vietnamese mint (can use coriander here, or normal mint)
-- 2 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
-- 2 Tablespoons of toasted rice, coarsley ground (to make this, roast uncooked dry rice on a pan on stove or in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until light brown, then blend in coffee grinder or mixee until coarse, resembles bulgur wheat)
-- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
-- 2-3 Tablespoons water
-- Chili flakes to taste
-- salt to taste

Instructions

1. Soak tofu in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain and break apart into small crumbles resembling ground beef.
2. Fry garlic and lemongrass in a pan with a little oil until it becomes a little brown and fragrant. DO NOT BURN THIS.
3. mix everything together in a bowl, taste, add more salt, chili, or lemon to taste. 

Can eat this with rice, or serve with lettuce and make lettuce wraps with it.

The Best Lentil Salad, Ever*

*not really the best ever, but good

Okay when I saw a lentil salad called "The Best Lentil Salad, Ever" as a lover of hyperbole I had to try it.

from here with a few modifications

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups (1 lb.) Du Puy lentils
1 medium red onion, diced small (or 1/2 large onion)
1 cup dried currants (you could also use raisins or other dried fruit)
1/3 cup capers

Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. strong mustard
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. ground cloves (I left this out but might try it next time)
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

Optional add-ins:

Arugula
Walnuts
Goat cheese
Fresh herbs: flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, basil
Sprouts
Crispy seasonal veggies

Directions:

1. Rinse lentils well, drain. Place in a pot and cover with a 3-4 inches of water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Check lentils for doneness after 15 minutes, but they should take about 20 minutes in total. You will know they are cooked if they still retain a slight tooth – al dente! Overcooking the lentils is the death of this dish. Be careful!
2. While the lentils are simmering, make the dressing by placing all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.
3. Finely dice red onion – the salad is best if all the ingredients are about the same size. If using raisins, chop them roughly to make them a bit smaller, and do the same with the capers if they are large.
4. When the lentils are cooked, remove from heat, drain and place under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled slightly but still a little warm, place lentils in a large serving bowl and toss with dressing. Add other onion, capers, and currants. If using other add-ins such as herbs, greens, or cheese, wait until just before serving. Otherwise, this salad can hang out in the fridge for a couple days.

Excellent Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

I made something like this a while back, and I liked it, but it wasn't as good as it could be. Since then, I've been on the look out for a better version. Finally, I found it, in the Whitewater Cooks with Friends cookbook. It's a lot of chopping but the results are worth it. Below is the recipe with my changes:

Excellent Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

Ingredients

Dressing
1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth
1 lime, juice and zest of
2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
4 tbsp rice vinegar
4 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
4 cloves garlic, halved
2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1 tsp sambal chili paste, or more to taste (I usually use like 1 tbsp but I like things VERY spicy)
1-2 tbsp oil
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Salad
1/2 16-ounce (454 g) package pad thai rice noodles (rice stick)
1 kettle full of boiling water
1 tsp sesame oil
2 carrots, juilenned
1/2 long english cucumber (or any cucumber) seeded and julienned
1 red pepper, julienned
2 cups bean sprouts
1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds
2 tbsp sesame seeds

Method

Dressing:
1) Blend all dressing ingredients except cilantro and oil with a hand blender or food processor
2) Add oil in and mix until incorporated
3) Stir in half the cilantro and set aside

Noodles:
4) Place rice noodles in a large bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 10 minutes or until tender
5) Drain into colander, rinse with cold water, place back in bowl and toss with sesame oil
6) Add juilenned carrots, cucumbers, red pepper, bean sprouts and green onions to noodles and set aside.

Nuts:
7) Heat up a heavy-bottomed pan on the stove. Add almonds and sesame seeds and toast until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes -- keep an eye on these because they can burn easily!

Salad:
8) Add approx. 3/4 of dressing to noddles and mix gently together with your hands, tongs, or two wooden spoons.
9) Garnish with remaining cilantro, toasted nuts, and, if you like, a drizzle of extra sauce or spicy chili paste.

If there's any sauce left over you can use it on steamed brocolli or on chicken or in various other delicious ways. Enjoy!