Category: Salads

Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

If you love the flavor of a Caesar salad, then you’ll adore this pasta version, served chilled with roasted herb chickpeas and crunchy sliced almonds.

We are being blessed with another weekend of warm weather here in the Chicago suburbs. So I came up with this kale caesar pasta salad to enjoy because I know cooler temps are one their way and soon my kitchen will be filled with stick-to-your-ribs comfort food meals (healthy, of course) like chili, roasted vegetables and braised beef recipes. But until then, I am satisfying my pasta salad craving by bulking it up with hearty kale and roasted chickpeas. Roasting chickpeas makes them the perfect stand in for croutons, amping up the protein in recipes and adding a delicate crunch. Roasted chickpeas lose their crunch quickly, but still taste great and add texture to salads.

The dressing is a light, salty Caesar make with almond milk. 2% milk would also work. This is not a super creamy dressing but it can be made thicker by adding 1/2 cup mayonnaise or greek yogurt to the other ingredients instead of the almond milk. I opted to keep it light since this is a pasta salad and already quite the meal in itself. Grilled chicken or steak can also be added for the carnivores in your family.

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Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

10 minutes

40 minutes

50 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

Ingredients

  • 3 cups dry whole wheat fusilli pasta
  • 4 cups chopped kale
  • 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    • For Roasted Chickpeas
  • 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1/4 t dried dill
  • 1/8 t paprika
  • 1/8 t onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • For Caesar Dressing
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp anchovy paste
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients for dressing in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass jar. Preheat oven to 350F. Blot chickpeas dry with a paper towel and place in a small bowl along with other ingredients. Toss and pour onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes, rotating chickpeas halfway through roasting with a spatula. Remove from oven and set aside.
  2. While chickpeas cook, boil pasta according to package directions. During the last minute of cooking, add kale to pasta water.
  3. Strain and run cold water over pasta. Pour into a large bowl and add olives. Pour dressing over and toss to coat. Chill 1 hour. Top with parmesan cheese, almonds and chickpeas. Serve chilled.
https://freshandfit.org/kale-caesar-pasta-salad/

Jerk Chicken and Plantain Bowl

Summer is the perfect time to make this tropical inspired jerk chicken and plantain bowl! Chicken is coated in a spicy jerk seasoning before being cooked, sealing in caribbean flavor, minus the plane ticket. The best thing about the nourish and buddha bowl craze is that you can make them your own and swap your favorite ingredients for a bowl that is never the same twice. In this recipe, every bite has a different flavor, from juicy mango to sweet and crisp pan-fried plantains.

You can treat this recipe as a salad and serve it over greens, pile the ingredients over rice (cauliflower rice for grain-free) or fill tortillas with the toppings for a taco night meal. The cilantro sauce adds just the right amount of herb brightness with the tangy zip of lime. You can skip the sauce altogether and simply scatter chopped cilantro and a generous squeeze of lime over the dish right before serving. There are so many flavors going on that the sauce is just the icing on the cake so to speak, but not mandatory.

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Jerk Chicken and Plantain Bowl

10 minutes

14 minutes

24 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Jerk Chicken and Plantain Bowl

Ingredients

  • 2 (5 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
  • 1 large plantain, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup avocado, diced
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup mango, diced
  • 1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • optional toppings: sliced jalapeños, cilantro, lime wedges
    • For Cilantro Pesto Sauce
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup packed cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 a small jalapeño
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • For Jerk Seasoning
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika or chipotle powder
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp chili flakes
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 4 tbsp olive oil, divided

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients for cilantro sauce in a blender or food processor and blend until thoroughly combined. Pour into a small jar. Refrigerate until serving.
  2. Mix together jerk seasonings in a small bowl. Add diced chicken to a mixing bowl and sprinkle jerk seasoning over. Use hands to mix.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium/high heat for 1 minute. Add chicken. Cook 12-14 minutes, stirring occasionally for even cooking.
  4. While chicken cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a separate medium skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add plantain slices and cook 3 minutes. Use tongs to turn and cook an additional 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Arrange remaining ingredients in a serving bowl and add chicken and plantains. Serve with cilantro sauce.
https://freshandfit.org/jerk-chicken-plantain-bowl/

Moroccan Heirloom Carrot Salad

Although spring still hasn’t gotten the memo to begin here in the midwest, I can’t think of any reason to not start sharing the freshest salads to pair along with the warmer months. This moroccan inspired salad is vibrant and chock full of antioxidants. If you have been following my blog, you know I love a salad that is a stand alone meal on its own or delicious paired with your favorite protein. Colorful heirloom carrots are tossed in tangy fresh orange juice, olive oil and raw honey with the warmth of cinnamon and ground cumin to give it that moroccan vibe.

After the roasted carrots do their thing in the oven to marry all of the flavors and intensify the natural sweetness they possess, fresh mint and parsley are thrown into the mix along with juicy pomegranate arils. Finally this already complex salad is finished with a drizzle of tahini. Because tahini turns any dish into a showstopper with its nutty sesame flavor and creamy texture!

 

Try this salad and tell me what you think! Don’t forget to share on social media! 

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Moroccan Heirloom Carrot Salad

10 minutes

20 minutes

30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Moroccan Heirloom Carrot Salad

Ingredients

  • 4 cups sliced heirloom carrots
  • 1/2 cup curly parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup mint, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup pomegranate arils
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 1 tbsp raw honey
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp tahini

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F. In a mixing bowl combine sliced carrots, olive oil, orange juice, honey, sea salt and black pepper. Stir to coat. Pour onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread evenly. Roast 20 minutes.
  2. Remove carrots from oven and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Combine carrots, pomegranate arils, parsley, and mint in a serving bowl. Drizzle with tahini.
https://freshandfit.org/moroccan-heirloom-carrot-salad/

Hearty Spring Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

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I heard on the radio the other day that spring is officially only 60 days away! That got me thinking about seasonal recipes for the upcoming rise in temperature. I always have enjoyed creating grain salads with a plethora of chopped herbs and greens, seeds and fruit. This salad is no different and really is hearty enough to stand on its own as a vegan entree–especially with the rich lemon tahini dressing–but it would be fantastic paired alongside grilled fish, chicken or steak as well. What makes this salad so special is that the ingredients are all finely chopped to create an explosion of flavor in every bite. Pomegranate arils add a juicy burst that compliments the bright herb flavors. I used millet as the grain in this dish for its light and fluffy texture, but quinoa and couscous would be great as well.

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Because there are so many flavor components in the salad itself, I kept the dressing simple. If you have used tahini before, you know it doesn’t need a lot of fluff along with it to add devious creamy sesame flavor to any dish. I hope you find this salad as wonderful as I do and enjoy it well into the warmer months when you are craving a healthy and satisfying salad.

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Hearty Spring Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Hearty Spring Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Ingredients

  • 4 cups kale, finely chopped
  • 1 cup curly parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup dry millet
  • 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp mint, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
  • 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
  • Lemon Tahini Dressing
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup tahini paste
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook millet according to package directions. Allow millet to cool in refrigerator for 1 hour. Fluff with a fork.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.
  3. In a large serving bowl, combine chopped kale, parsley and mint. Add millet, red onion, pomegranate arils and pumpkin seeds. Pour tahini dressing over salad and stir well to coat. Refrigerate until serving.
https://freshandfit.org/hearty-spring-salad-lemon-tahini-dressing/