Spinach and Cold Beet Salad-Recipe

We celebrated Father’s Day in Maine this year and enjoyed not only this lobster….

….but some huge clams, grilled Haddock-all of it caught the morning we bought it-this Sweet Potato Salad from Martha Stewart, melon salad, and….

….this beet salad with fresh picked spinach leaves, beets and herbed goat cheese, drizzled a bit of olive oil.

The recipe is simple. This time of year spinach is fresh from the gardens and farmer’s markets are full with homemade products. We picked up this herbed goat cheese at the same market we bought the seafood. A little farmers market in Farmington, Maine that also sold us homemade preserves, fresh kettle corn, British Shortbread, and homemade pies. Mercy…

The Recipe: 

2  medium sized beets, boiled and cubed

2  handfuls of fresh, washed spinach

4 oz. herbed goat cheese

3 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

To Do: 

For the beets: Boil the beets until fork tender, about an hour. Peel, let cool completely, then cube.

To build salad: Place spinach on a small platter. Top spinach with cubed beets, drizzle with olive oil. Top with goat cheese.

Serve immediately.

Black Bean Salad-Recipe

We are on Week Two of Plant Based Eating. You can check out Week One’s recipes and meal plan here. Black bean salads are yumma, but I needed to make one this week with no sugar, no corn, no anything but veggies.

I hunted the internet and found some I liked then tossed this one together this morning for lunch.

Ingredients:

1 avocado, just under ripe, bite sized. (The ripe one was a bit too soft for mixing in.)

1 large green pepper, diced very small

1 medium tomato, diced very small

2 cans rinsed black beans, (I used our own soaked beans.)

juice of one half lemon

2 tbsp Olive Oil

dash of sea salt

To Do: 

Add all vegetables and bean to a bowl, adding the avocado last.

Add oil, lemon juice and salt. Stir well. Serve Cold.

 

 

Spicy Southwestern Chicken Salad

This Southwestern Chicken Salad recipe is an easy use of leftovers OR an easy make-ahead salad. There are no set measurements, just some good wholesome ingredients and a kickin’ dressing to top it off. Even the dog approved.

But then she usually does.

Except last night when I made roasted fresh green beans with olive oil and salt and she spit one out on the floor and made an oily mess that I didn’t see and stepped on it in my barefeet and slid a few inches in an uncomfortable manner that I’m sure was not very gracious to watch.

It’s a good thing she’s cute.

We put this together for a lunch this week and served it with deviled eggs on the side. There’s something that feels weird inside me when I serve eggs and chicken in the same meal. Not weird enough to NOT serve them together, but still a little weird.

First off…go ahead and make the dressing-then set it aside. You’ll need: 1/2 cup Ranch Dressing and 2 tbsp. hot sauce-or more or less–whatever makes you happy. Any kind of hot sauce you like will work…the spicier the better. We have a refrigerator door full of hot sauces so I grabbed one that looked good and went with it-it was called Rectal Fire Storm.

I’m very sorry for having to write those words.

So, mix up the ranch and the hot sauce and let it get happy together.

In the meantime, here’s what you need for the salad-any amount of any of these ingredients is perfect:  cold corn, cold black beans, greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, etc), sliced avocado, diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, grilled chicken. Put them in a bowl topped with your spicy Ranch dressing and you’ve got a quick, filling meal.

Food Bowls. 61 Bowls You Can Eat.

I really should just call these types of posts “My Pinterest Addiction: Edition-Food Bowls.” or “Edition: Cute Shoes” or “Edition: Wherever my brain leads me on this particular day.”

I sacrificed my time and spent it on Pinterest so you don’t have to. I know it’s a hard thing to search through Pinterest. Not wanting anyone to suffer I took on the task myself.

I’m loving these edible food bowls.  How fun and earthy and homemade. I’m listing ideas for food bowls with some links to other blogs for recipes!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bowls from Wilton look so good!

Watermelon Baskets-doesn’t it seem like everybody’s mom made these summery watermelon fruit filled baskets for picnics? Complete with handles carved into the rind.

Tulips-yep, tulips. Who knew organic, untreated tulip petals are edible!?! I did not. But here they are filled with a tiny scoop of ice cream. 

Avocados are Jeremy’s go to for a quick breakfast or lunch. Avocados are a quick “leave ’em at the store” if you’re me. I wish I liked them. I really do. But I really don’t.  However, if you do like them, these Stuffed Avocados look perfect.

You can rarely go wrong with a Brownie Bowl filled with ice cream!

Can you just picture a lovely beach breakfast and someone serves you this Cantalope bowl filled with breakfasty goodness?  Or how about this Pineapple Smoothie Bowl that looks ridiculously amazing, as does this one filled with Pineapple Fried Rice.   I found these Papaya Bowls that look so fresh and filling.

If you’ve never grilled fresh peaches in the summer time you’ve missed out. They are better than you’d expect. Topped with fresh vanilla ice cream, they make a perfect dessert.

Apples are great with the insides scooped out and ice cream placed inside or filled with a crumb filling and baked.

Ice Bowls–Why have I never thought of these? They are def going on the list for summer gatherings this year.

These Coconut Bowls are gorgeous!

These Grilled Burger Bowls look perfect for July 4th get togethers.

I used to feel so edgy ordering taco salads in the edible bowl from Friendlies back in the day. Who knew Tortilla Bowls could be made so easily at home?

Lettuce-We often use lettuce to wrap our tuna or egg salads or hamburgers. They would also be great with tacos, chicken salad, lunch meat and cheese sandwiches.  You can also use Endive, Cabbage Leaves, Grape Leaves, Kale Leaves to wrap a “sandwich” in.

These edible Gingerbread Box and Mason Jars are on my list for Christmas this year. Consider it done. Like it happened yesterday.

Stuffed Peppers are a fave around The Parsonage. We use the same ingredients as our Stuffed Zucchini but replace the zucchini with fresh peppers.

And don’t forget those peanut butter filled celery with raisins on top for a quick snack.

Mushrooms make a cute little appetizer bowl. Check out our recipe for Mushroom Bites. 

Spaghetti Squash becomes so normal around here during the summer that my kids beg to “not have to eat it anymore mom! Please!”

These biscuit bowls filled with chili look amazing for a quick supper.

Candy Bowls-These cute little candy bowls turn out like watermelons. Perfect for summer birthdays!

Sprinkle Bowls look like every little kids dream for a birthday  ice cream party!

These Chocolate Cupcake Wrappers are awesome! I can’t wait to make these either.

These edible Microwave Parmesan Cheese Bowls look perfect for appetizers.

No Bake Cookie Bowls-simply make our recipe for No Bake Cookies. Set aside. In the mean time overturn a muffin tin, covering each muffin slot tightly with tin foil. When cookie batter is cool enough to touch, take a small handful and shape it over the muffin slots. Let cool and harden. When ready, fill with ice cream or pudding and serve.

Bread Bowls can be medium to large sized for soup or dips or small, using rolls, for individual portions of soup or dip. How about this bowl using sliced bread with breakfast baked inside? This one from Pillsbury using Frozen Bread Dough looks easy peasey.  This braided Bread Basket looks amazing. Instead of making my own bread I think I might just use already prepared dough.

I found these Churro Bowls on Buzzfeed.

Maybe hand pies are the oldest form of edible bowls? Who knows, but our Rustic Fruit Pies will get the job done. You can also make mini pies using muffin tins or mason jar lids.

Sugar Cookie Bowls-simply make your favorite sugar cookie dough recipe. Grease a muffin tin (small or regular size) and place a ball of dough in each muffin slot. Form the dough to the muffin slot and bake at 350 degrees until blind baked. Let cool completely and fill with your favorite fillings.

Pumpkins/squash-We have served (and been served) pumpkin soup in little edible pumpkins for a festive touch. Squash would be great too as a hot or cold serving bowl.

Check out our recipe for Stuffed Zucchini!

Rice Krispie Treat Cups look delish!

Oreo Bowls!!!! What else is there to say?

And of course the ultimate edible bowl: the ice cream cone. Check out our recipe for Ice Cream Cones  with fruit.

White Chocolate Popcorn Bowls! What??

Chocolate bowls might be the quintessential everything bowl.  And these bowls only require a balloon and some chocolate!

Bacon! A basket made of bacon?? Yep.

How about making your favorite Graham Cracker Crust and shaping it into tiny bowls inside a muffin tin? Fill it with pie filling, ice cream, cheese cake….

These Vegan Cinnamon Baked Pears would make a great dessert on a cool fall night.

These Edible Lace Ice Cream bowls…yum.

Betty Crocker gives an idea for Inside Out Omelet Crepes that look like a great breakfast idea!

Can tarts be considered edible bowls? We’ll give that a half star, but this Tomato Mozzarella Basil Tart looks awesome.

Okay. Wait. Nut Bowls with Maple Mousse and Bacon Spoons. What the crap???!!! This is amazing!!!

Filled cucumbers!

NoviceHousewife give ideas for making noodle bowls and veggie bowls.

These Hash Brown Cups look great for a breakfast or brunch.

Here’s a video for bowls made of Rice. 

Phew…that’s a huge list! I’m sure there are more ways…potatoes, sweet potatoes, any kind of veggie or fruit, but this is a fun start to thinking about using food as bowls. And hey, that means fewer dishes!

Happy Friday!

Apple Cider Vinaigrette-Recipe

This dressing is just the right amount of sweet and vinageryness….and easy to throw together in just a few minutes. You just might have everything you need to make this already in the kitchen. I checked out various recipes online to come up with this one.

In a bowl whisk together:  1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil. Add in: 3 tbsp Dijon Mustard, 3 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tsp. white sugar, a dash of salt and a dash of black pepper.  Mix well.

 

 

 

Copycat Chic-Fil-A Market Salad

Oh man….one bite of CFA’s Market Salad a few months ago changed me. It renewed my hope and set me on a new course. The sky was bluer. The clouds puffier. The grass greener. It was beautiful.

Okay..maybe not, but it was seriously good. Since we don’t live near a CFA I get rare opportunities to indulge, but it has quickly become my fave option at CFA. Also, their fries and lemonade. Yum.

I made homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette to top this salad with. I’m listing the ingredients for the salad I used, but remember….amounts are negotiable. Use what suits your taste and is easily accessible for you. I love it with these ingredients and amounts, but it’s flexible. The tartness of the vinaigrette, apple and crumbled blue cheese, paired with the sweeteness of the berries and the mild greens flavors really make the salad memorable.

The amounts listed served four of us for a dinner meal with a bit leftover.

Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

12 Cooked and sliced boneless chicken tenders

2 large handfuls Chopped Lettuce

2 large handfuls Chopped Spinach

1 handful Julienned Cabbage (I used half of a small cabbage)

1 medium Julienned Granny Smith Apple

1 cup Shredded Carrots

Blueberries

Sliced Strawberries

Crumbled Blue Cheese

Sunflower seeds (nuts would work as well)

Craisins

To Do:  Mix lettuce, spinach, carrots and cabbage in a large bowl. Add in sunflower seeds and apple slices.

To serve: Top salad with sliced chicken, blueberries, strawberries, Craisins, Blue Cheese and Apple Cider Vinaigrette.