Broccoli Super Salad

We get a lot of broccoli here in Okinawa. Between shipments from the U.S. and the local farmers, we can get it year round. I found myself with a couple heads of broccoli and kids who are tired of eating it steamed. I tried this and...well...my husband, my 13 year old and I LOVED it. ha! My younger kids wouldn't try it but I don't blame them. I didn't like strange looking food as a kid, either. Serves 6.

Broccoli Super Salad

2 heads broccoli, washed and cut into small florets
1/4 c toasted sunflower seeds
1/4 c sliced almonds
1/4 c dried cranberries
optional- 1/2-1 c cooked quinoa, cooled
optional- 2 c fresh spinach leaves, washed and (mostly) dried

*dressing:
1/3 c olive oil
3-4 Tbsp honey, agave, or maple syrup
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 shallot, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp white miso paste
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
pinch of salt and pepper

1. To make dressing, add ingredients to food processor. Taste and adjust ingredients, if necessary.
2. Steam broccoli for 2 minutes, if desired. I actually like it better not steamed, but it does give it a vibrant color. Combine broccoli, sunflower seeds, almonds, cranberries, and quinoa, if using. Toss with dressing until coated according to taste right before serving.

* I couldn't find miso paste. If you can't or don't want to make your own dressing, I suggest Brianna's Home Style Poppy Seed Dressing. It's the best!

Cajun Chicken Salad

This is a DELICIOUS salad with a kick! My husband, who thinks salad is okay, loved it and ate way more than his share. I served it with cheesy garlic swirl rolls, but breadsticks or rolls would be great, too. Serves 4.

Cajun Chicken Salad

4 slices bacon
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cajun seasoning
2 heads romain lettuce, washed and dried
1/2 c Ceasar dressing
1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese

1. Place paper towel on small plate. Cook bacon until desired crispness. Set on paper towel and let cool; once cool, break into small pieces.
2. Cut breasts in half length-wise and slice into strips. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken. Sprinkle cajun seasoning and stir until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Chop lettuce into bite-size pieces and add to large bowl. Top and toss with enough salad dressing to coat.

Mom's Potato Salad

I've always loved my mom's potato salad best. None others have compared. The problem was that she didn't use exact measurements. SO I had to guess and after a couple of trials I've got it...at least mostly. :) You can use more of any ingredient you want and dice your pickles as large or small as you want. I love dill pickles--can't stand sweet pickles--but if you want to use sweet pickles and sweet pickle juice instead, go for it. Serves 8.

Mom's Potato Salad

2 1/2 lb potatoes, 6 or 7 medium potatoes
3-4 eggs
1 c mayonnaise
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1/4 c dill pickle juice
1/4 sweet onion
2-3 dill pickles
Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. Place whole, unpeeled potatoes in large pot and cover in water, 1" over potatoes. Bring to a boil; boil until knife inserts and exits center of largest potato easily. Strain water out and set aside to let potatoes cool.
2. Place eggs in medium sauce pan and cover with cold water, 1" over eggs. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cover, simmering 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside, leaving cover on. After 3-5 minutes, strain hot water and cover with cold water. Set aside to cool.
3. In large bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, and pickle juice. Set aside.
4. Dice onion and pickles and add to mayonnaise mixture. Peal eggs, rinse, and chop; add to mayonnaise mixture. Peal potatoes with knife. Boiled potato skin should come off easily. Chop pealed potatoes into bite-size cubes and add to mayonnaise mixture. Mix together with scooped spatula or large spoon.
5. Taste small bite, making sure you have a potato in bite. Add salt and pepper and continue to taste until reaches desired flavor. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

White Fish Salad

I used tilapia and it was soooo tasty! :D My husband and I made noises as we ate. I also used spinach because we didn't have Romain lettuce. Halibut, or any white fish, would work well with this. And my kids LOVE fish this way! The dressing makes it spectacular! It's best to marinate the fish for at least one hour before cooking, but it's not absolutely necessary. I marinate less and it's still great. Serve with crusty bread (I've served with quesadilla wedges even). Serves 4.

White Fish Salad

Fish
2 large fish (halibut or tilapia or any white fish) steaks
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt, or seasoned salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 tsp olive oil

Salad
4 - 6 c Romain lettuce and/or baby spinach, chopped
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
1/4 c shredded carrots
1/4 c shredded cucumber
any other veggies you might like

Dressing
1/4 c olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground cumin


1. Place fish in bowl or airtight container or zip-lock bag with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Let marinate up to two hours. Heat 3 tsp olive oil in small fry pan over medium-high heat. Add fish, DISCARDING THE MARINADE, and cook through, about 4 minutes each side. Let sit a minute, then cut into pieces or flake apart. Set aside.
2. Add lettuce or spinach to individual serving bowls. Set aside.
3. In small bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Stir until well mixed. Pour over each bowl of lettuce, add carrots and cucumber and any other veggies you might want and toss to coat. Sprinkle flaked fish pieces and garbanzo beans on top and serve immediately.

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing/Dip

Homemade dressing is always better than store bought. It's great on salads or as a dip. Give this a try and let me know what you think!

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing/Dip

1 c mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 c honey
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp minced white onion
Dash dried parsley flakes
1/2 c canola oil
salt and ground black pepper

1. In a blender, mix the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, white vinegar, and mustard until smooth. Blend in the honey, sugar, onion, and parsley.
2. Slowly add the oil while blender is running and mix until well-blended. Seas with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Use immediately or store in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate up to 1 week. Shake well before using.

New York Steak Salad with Gorgonzola

This salad is soooooooo good. Seriously. Droolingly good. ;) Yes, I like to make up words. But man! The Gorgonzola melted on top of the steak is DELICIOUS and melds perfectly with all the flavors. You can use store bought honey mustard, but the homemade version is much, much better! They're both Food Nanny recipes. Try it out, enjoy, and let me know what you think! Serves 4-5 as a main dish. (It served 2 in our house because it was SO GOOD and we're PIGS.) hehehe...

New York Steak Salad with Gorgonzola

10 c romaine lettuce, chopped (1 medium head)
2 c croutons
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 c thinly sliced red onion
1 c unpeeled sliced cucumbers
1 lb boneless New York steak
Olive oil
Seasoned salt, or salt and ground black pepper
1/2 c Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
Honey Mustard Dressing

1. Preheat oven to low broil (broil 450 degrees).
2. Mix the lettuce with the croutons, tomatoes, onion, and cucumbers in a large bowl.
3. Brush the steak lightly on both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasoned salt or salt and pepper. Broil 6-11 minutes on each side for medium doneness, depending on thickness. (Meat will continue to cook when it is removed from the heat). At the last minute, sprinkle the cheese on and continue to broil until the cheese is melted. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch strips.

4. Just before serving, add just enough dressing to moisten the salad ingredients, and toss to coat and combine. Arrange on individual plates. Arrange steak slices on top of salad. Drizzle with salad dressing, if desired.

Estrella Salad

I was skeptical about this salad. I am not a vegetable person, but these mixed well together. (The photo is pre-dressing and cheese). A lettuce-less salad. It is super healthy and delicious. Tastes a lot like taco salad, but with a bigger variety of ingredients. If you hate one of the ingredients, leave it out or replace it with something similar. Add anything else you want (olives, lettuce, etc.) Serves 4-6 as a main dish. Give it a try!


Estrella Salad

1 large tomato, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 can black beans, well drained
1 can corn, well drained
1 avocado, diced
1 1/2 c shredded cheese
1 1/2 c Fritos corn chips
1/4 c (or less) Catalina or Zesty Catalina salad dressing

Stir everything together in a medium bowl. Add avocado, cheese, corn chips and dressing only right before serving.

YUMMY Salad

This is seriously SO GOOD. My husband's not much of a salad eater but he loved it! It's a mix of a couple different recipes I've found. Use less cheese to lower fat content. This recipe feeds two people as a main dish (I like to serve it with warm bread--try breadsticks or rolls--and chocolate milk) or four as a side dish.

Super Yummy Salad

Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil + 2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Salad
1 head romaine lettuce + 1 handful of baby spinach - rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 carrot, peeled and sliced how you like
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 bacon strips, cooked and diced (I used turkey bacon and it was fabulous)
1/2 cup salad croutons

1. In a jar with tight-fitting lid, combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper; cover and shake well. Chill.
2. In a bowl, toss romaine, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, almonds, Parmesan cheese and bacon. Shake dressing; pour over salad and toss. Add croutons and serve immediately.

Note: You can add any other fresh veggies you like. I added carrots because I love their crunchy sweet addition to any salad.