Who wants to waste time in the kitchen on a beautiful summer evening? I know I don’t! I like to make salads for dinner. Not lettuce salads, but potato, rice, pasta and quinoa based dishes. I prep my ingredients on the weekend, so on weeknights I simply toss, chill and serve. Here are some of my own recipes and a few from good websites. Be sure to store all prepared ingredients in airtight containers in the fridge. Each recipe makes four substantial servings.
• 6 white or red potatoes boiled, drained, cooled and cubed
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup cubed ham
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
• ½ to ¾ cup Thousand Island dressing
• salt and black pepper to taste
Combine potatoes, eggs, onion, ham, celery and bell pepper. With a rubber spatula, gently fold desired amount of dressing into mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill and enjoy!
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This delicious recipe calls for tomatoes, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, farfalle (bow tie) pasta, chickpeas, cucumber, feta cheese, Kalamata olives and oregano. The folks at Eating Well use whole grain pasta, but the original semolina variety is good, too.
• 8 ounces of al dente rotini (spiral) pasta, boiled, drained and cooled
• 2 cups cooked, chopped and cooled broccoli, cauliflower and bell pepper
• 3 to 4 slices salami or prosciutto ham torn into bite-sized pieces
• 3 to 4 slices Provolone cheese torn into bite-sized pieces
• ½ to ¾ cup Italian salad dressing
• black pepper to taste
Mix pasta, vegetables, salami and cheese together. Add desired amount of dressing and black pepper. Chill and set the table!
This is a festive and fun dish that calls for brown rice, black beans, red onion, red/yellow pepper, pineapple, lime juice, salt and pepper. Sometimes I use aromatic Jasmine rice with a garnish of tangy cilantro, and a few dry roasted peanuts or almonds.
• 8 ounces quinoa rinsed, boiled, drained, and cooled
• 1 15.5-ounce can black, red or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 5-ounce can chicken, drained and flaked
• ½ cup cooked corn
• ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove fresh minced garlic
• ½ to ¾ cup mild salsa
• salt and pepper to taste
• sliced avocado for garnish
Fluff quinoa with fork. Combine beans, chicken, corn, bell pepper, lime juice, cilantro and garlic. Add to quinoa. Mix gently but thoroughly. Add desired amount of salsa, salt and pepper. Garnish with avocado slices. Chill and dig in!
Experiment with these salads and make them to suit your family. They’re great for nights when everyone comes home at a different time, or you just want to grab a healthy bite before heading out to an event. My community has weekly concerts in the park, so I often whip up a dish to go. Whatever the occasion, these summer salads can’t be beat!
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