Best Salad EVER

So, the other day I picked up a ready-made salad at Trader Joe's for lunch--because Salt Lake is cool like that and has a Trader Joe's....Anyway, it was called something like "Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Quinoa" but after eating it (devouring it) I decided it should have a better name--something like, Best Salad EVER. What qualifies it as the best salad ever, you ask? Well, only the fact that it has everything I've ever loved all together in the same salad! Literally, everything. It's the craziest salad I've ever seen, and therefore, the best. Chewy, soft, crunchy, creamy, sweet, salty, tangy--you name it, you've got it. And talk about a nutrient powerhouse. I could go on and on, but I'll just say that I wrote down all the ingredients listed (dressing included) and determined to make it for myself. Which I promptly did--and it was divine. I haven't written down amounts, because I just threw in however much I wanted, sorry. If you want to be adventurous, give it a whirl. Or come over and say, "I want some of that crazy salad!" and I'll pull out my quinoa and wheat berries and roasted butternut squash and we'll have a party. (Yes, it is a high-maintenance salad, but some things are worth the love, and for me, this is one of those things.)

Best Salad Ever:
Butternut Squash, cut into small pieces, roasted @400 for 30 mins.
Red Quinoa
Wheat Berries
Arugula
Spinach
Golden Raisins
Craisins
Slivered Almonds, toasted
Feta Cheese
Roasted Red Peppers, chopped
Red onion, chopped

Honey/Sesame Dressing:
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tb honey
2 Tb Rice vinegar
2 Tb Tahini
1 Tb soy sauce
1 Tb lemon juice
garlic puree
sea salt

Everyday Recipes--salads and sides

I brought these brussel sprouts to the Barrett Thanksgiving last year and they were a hit--I've been craving them ever since.
Oregano Brussels Sprouts

24 small brussels sprouts (less if you can only find larger sprouts)
extra virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
Oregano Drizzle
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 large garlic clove

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, plus more to taste.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
a big handful of toasted almond slices

Wash the brussels sprouts well. Trim the stem ends and remove any raggy outer leaves. Cut in half from stem to top (quarter, if using larger sprouts) and gently rub each half with olive oil, keeping it intact. Or if you're feeling lazy, just toss them in a bowl with a glug of olive oil.
Make the oregano drizzle by pulsing the olive oil, oregano, parsley, garlic, and salt in a food processor until the herbs are just little flecks of green. Season with more salt if needed, and set aside.
Just a few minutes before you're ready to eat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your largest skillet over medium heat. Don't overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they're tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes.
Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Remove from heat and drizzle and toss with as much (or little) oregano pesto as you like. Season to taste, and serve sprinkled generously with the almonds as soon as possible. They really are best straight from the stove top.
Serves 4 as a side.

I also brought this cranberry salad and I loved it so much I made it again on Christmas--it's the first marshmallow salad that I feel sort of healthy eating :)
Pomegranate & Cranberry Salad
1 pkg. cranberries (washed and ground up)
3/4 (10 oz) pkg marshmallows
1 pt. whipping cream (whipped with powdered sugar and vanilla)
3/4 cup sugar
1 apple, cored and grated
1 pomegranate, peeled and seeded

Combine cranberries and sugar. Let stand 2 hours. Combine whip cream and marshmallows. Let stand 2 hours also. Combine both with apple and pomegranate. Refrigerate overnight.

Everyday Recipes--Soup

We all know that I'm a soup-freak, especially this winter since we've spent too many days with temps in the teens--not good. But a warm bowl and soup and breadsticks--that is good. I've found two new favorite soup recipes in the Blendtec recipe book, one is super quick and easy and the other well-worth the prep time:

Beans and Greens Soup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 C water, divided
2 tsp vegetable  broth powder (or better than bouillon)
4 C kate (approx 6-8 leaves, ribs removed, chopped)
2 (15 oz) cans white beans, drained, rinsed and divided.
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (I use less for the kids)
1/4 tsp cumin
Heat oil over medium-high heat in large saute pan. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender. Add 1 cup water, broth powder and kale to pan and cover. Cook until kale is wilted, approx 5 mins. While kale is softening, add remaining water, half beans, red pepper and cumin to jar. Select "Batters". Add bean blend and remaining whole beans to pan. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes and serve.
*I also love with soup with small turkey meatballs. 

Butternut Squash Soup
1 lg butternut squash, large diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 carrot, chopped
2 stalk celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 C water
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth

Heat oven to 400. Roast squash with a little olive oil, salt and pepper for approx 45 mins.
In large pot heat 1 Tbsp oil. Saute carrot, celery and onion for 2-3 minutes, then add thyme, salt and pepper. Cook until onion is tender. Add half of the water and sauteed veggies to jar with half of the roasted squash and can of chicken stock. Select "Soups." Pour into large pot. Repeat with other half ingredient. Stir and simmer for a few minutes before serving.

Both soups are delicious, especially with Easy-Peasy Breadsticks--now that's a mid-winter meal!
Easy-Peasy Breadsticks

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. dry active yeast
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• lemon pepper (or seasoning of choice)

Mix together warm water, sugar, salt and yeast.  Allow yeast to activate (about 10 minutes).  Add flour and stir in with a fork until dough holds together.  Turn out onto floured board.  Knead lightly into a ball.  Divide into 32 equal portions. On floured board, roll out into bread sticks.  Dip into melted butter and then into Parmesan cheese.  Place onto greased cookie sheet (16 per bakers half sheet.)  Sprinkle with lemon pepper.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  This gives the bread sticks about 10 minutes to begin to rise.  Cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
May be made in the morning and kept in the refrigerator unbaked.  Remove from the refrigerator about 30 – 45 minutes (depending on how warm your house is) before baking.
They can also be heated on a cookie sheet then next day at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes.

Everyday Recipes--Breakfast

I've been meaning to make note of some recipes from random places that we use often--even though I know most of them almost by heart, my memory isn't as reliable as it used to be :)
Breakfast:
Cottage Cheese Pancakes from Whole Foods--we make these once a week, topped with berries, yogurt, lemon curd or just powdered sugar:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Canola oil cooking spray

 Blend eggs, sugar, cottage cheese, milk and oil in blender until smooth. Whisk in flour, baking soda and salt until smooth. pour 1/4 cup on hot skillet per pancake.

Baked Oatmeal
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
1 pear or apple, chopped (I sometimes use both)
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 325. Coat 8" square pan with cooking spray. Whisk together milk, eggs, oil, sugar and cinnamon. Stir in oats, baking powder, salt, nuts, dried fruit and apple/pear.
Pour into pan. Bake 25 mins. Spoon into bowls and top with blueberries. (We serve with a little milk).

And these Multigrain Muffins are still a good standby with our daily green smoothie :) Thanks to Santa, all my Blendtec dreams have come true. Our morning smoothie usually includes a variation of the following:
almond milk or coconut water
banana
frozen berries (strawberries or blueberries)
apple or frozen pineapple
handful of spinach or kale
scoop protein powder
ice
optional: greek yogurt, chia seeds