Citrus Chicken Salad
Enjoy chicken breasts marinated in freshly squeezed lemon and orange juices, lightly grilled and then served over dark leafy lettuce greens studded with sweet red peppers, creamy avocado, juicy grapes and orange slices. This salad is a delicious way to boost your servings of fruits and vegetables. Add whole grain bread or brown and wild rice pilaf for a complete meal.
Serves 4
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic
• 1 tsp prepared Dijon mustard
• 2–3 tsp fresh lemon juice
• sea salt, to taste
• ground pepper, to taste
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (about 1 pound)
• 8 cups mixed salad greens
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 cup purple or red grapes, cut in half
• 2 naval oranges, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
Purée the orange juice with the olive oil, garlic, mustard, and lemon juice using either a blender of a food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste. Measure out 3/4 cup and set aside. Marinate the chicken breast in the remainder for at least 1/2 an hour, and up to 2 hours. When ready, prepare a grill to medium heat. Grill chicken 3–4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Meanwhile, prepare the salad by placing greens in a serving bowl. Add red pepper, avocado, and grapes. Toss with the remaining 3/4 cup marinade. When chicken is done, slice into strips and arrange artfully over the salad greens along with the orange slices. Top with pine nuts and serve
Avocado Spinach Salad with Citrus
Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan
The sweet tangy citrus flavor of naval orange is nicely balanced by creamy avocado in this bright baby spinach salad. Toasted pumpkin seeds add a savory crunch, while a grapefruit-based dressing keeps your taste buds energized.
Serves 4
• Salad
• 2 small ripe avocados, peeled and sliced
• 1 large naval orange, peeled, pith removed, and chopped
• 4 cups baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Dressing
• 6–8 TB grapefruit juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 TB fresh oregano leaves
• sea salt, to taste
• ground black pepper, to taste
Toss salad ingredients together in a serving bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss to coat and serve.
Crunchy Wheat Berry-Rice Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Red winter wheat berries join with brown rice as the base for this crunchy salad packed with nutritional value and great taste. Herb-roasted carrots, turnips. butternut squash and mushrooms add sweet and savory diversity, while a light mustard-based vinaigrette adds a touch of zest. Great as a stand alone dinner or served alongside roasted chicken, fish or tofu.
Grains
• 1 cup medium-grain brown rice
• 1/2 cup hard red winter wheat berries
• 2 cups water or broth
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
1. Rinse rice and wheat berries and soak, covered, in water 6 hours or overnight.
2. After soaking, place rice and wheat berries in a cast iron or enameled cast iron pot, cover and place over medium low flame for 20 minutes.
3. Turn the heat to high and, when steam begins to escape from the lid, turn heat to medium low.
4. Simmer for 50 minutes. While grains cook, begin roasting vegetables.
5. After 50 minutes, remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5-10 more minutes.
Roasted vegetables
• 21/4 tsp + 4 TB olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into 2-inch sections
• 2 small turnips, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 4 medium carrots, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 TB freshly chopped herbs of your choice (rosemary, thyme, chives, etc.)
• 10 cremini or white button mushrooms, stems trimmed
1. Heat oven to 450°F
2. Coat 2 large roasting pans with 1 teaspoon of olive oil for each pan.
3. Place all vegetables except mushrooms evenly in pans.
4. Drizzle each pan of vegetables with 2 tabelspoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon herbs and toss to coat.
5. Roast vegetables for 20 minutes; then, stir for even roasting, drizzling more olive oil if needed to prevent sticking.
6. Roast approximately 10 minutes more.
7. Add mushrooms, drizzled with 1/4 teaspoon olive oil, to one of the roasting pans. When vegetables are tender enough be pierced through with a knife, they are ready.
8. Remove from oven and keep warm.
9. Make vinaigrette.
Vinaigrette
• 6 TB olive oil
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 TB white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
1. Whisk vinaigrette ingredients thoroughly and set aside.
2. When grains and vegetables are cooked, whisk the vinaigrette again and mix half the vinaigrette with the warm grains.
3. Combine the vegetables with the grains and mix in the remaining vinaigrette. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 6.
Chicken Salad
Easy and flavorful. Great on a picnic or for an impromptu luncheon.
Serves 6
• 3 cups cooked chicken breast, cut into bit sized pieces
• 1 cup cucumber, diced
• 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 2 TB kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp fresh oregano
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
In a large bowl, combine yogurt, mayo, oregano, and garlic. Mix well until creamy. Add chicken, cukes, tomato, feta, parsley and olives. Toss well. Chill for 30–60 minutes before serving. Serve as is, on a bed of greens, or in sandwiches.
Spinach Salad
Serves 4
• 6 cups loosely packed organic spinach, washed and dried
• 1 cup mixed sprouts (clover, mung beans or snow pea)
• 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sliced radishes
• 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and gently grated
Gently toss all ingredients together and serve with dressing
Sassa’s Spinach Salad
Baby spinach leaves are adorned with sun-dried tomatoes, cranberries, pine nuts and avocado and then tossed with a fresh balsamic-lime dressing.
Serves 4–6
• 5 oz organic baby spinach leaves (about 5 cups)
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in extra virgin olive oil, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
• 4 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 2 TB balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• sea salt, to taste
• ground pepper, to taste
Toss spinach with tomatoes, cranberries, pine nuts, avocado and optional feta cheese, if using, in a large salad bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Toss spinach salad with dressing and serve.
Insalata Di Mare Campanese(Seafood Salad from the region of Campania)
Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
A refreshing and colorful salad reflecting the abundance of seafood, vegetables and olive oil in and around the Amalfi coast. This salad, which may be served as an appetizer or entrée, actually improves as it sits so make it early in the day to allow the flavors to marry. Serve with a mixed green salad, crusty bread and a nice glass of chilled white wine.
Serves 6 as an appetizer salad
• 5 TB extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped (about 2 TB)
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 lb bay scallops
• 1 lb calamari rings & tentacles, cleaned
• 1 tsp salt (coarse sea salt is preferable), divided
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, divided
• 3/4 lb frozen cooked large shrimp, peeled & deveined, tail on (approx. 25 shrimp), defrosted
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fennel, thinly sliced (white bulb only)
• zest from 1 lemon
• juice from 1 lemon (approx 4 TB)
• 1/4 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped (approx. 1/2 cup)
Combine half the olive oil with the garlic and crushed red pepper in a large sauté or frying pan and heat together over medium heat until the garlic begins to lightly brown (approximately 5 minutes). Be very careful not to burn the garlic as it will turn bitter.
Once the garlic has browned, increase the heat to high and add the scallops. Sauté until the scallops just turn white (about 3-4 minutes), then transfer the scallops to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
Next, add the calamari rings and tentacles to the hot pan and sauté until tender and opaque (approx 2-3 minutes). Transfer to the bowl with the scallops and season the scallops and calamari with half the salt and pepper.
While the scallops and calamari are still warm, mix in the remaining olive oil, salt and pepper along with the defrosted shrimp, peppers, onion, fennel, lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley. Toss together well.
Can be served immediately but the flavors develop as the salad sits. If not serving right away, refrigerate until serving time.
