Healthy Family Recipes

healthy family recipes

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Chimichurri Sauce

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Potatoes play only a supporting role in this flavor-packed grilled salad.

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Chimichurri

Grilled Vegetable (and Potato) Salad with Chimichurri

If you’re as obsessed with grilled vegetables  as I always am this time of year, this could very well be your new go-to summer salad. I originally made a version of this with potatoes only, and loving the POW of the chimichurri as I do, wanted to bring it with me to a gathering last week – only wanted to make it much less starchy. Simple solution? Throw in other summer vegetables to lighten it up (lowering the overall carbs and jacking up the nutrition while we’re at it).

You can, of course, play with the proportions, adding other veggies to the mix and so on, but the overall result is pretty much guaranteed to be a hit. Not to humblebrag, but I honestly hadn’t planned on posting this originally; just bringing a tasty dish to an evening with friends. I got enough requests for the recipe that I had no choice but to (happily) oblige. …

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BLT Salad with Avocado and Creamy Lemon Mayo Dressing

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Time to celebrate Peak Tomato with this simple salad version of the classic BLT.

BLT Salad with Creamy Lemon Mayo Dressing

BLT Salad with Creamy Lemon Mayo Dressing (Undressed here, of course. The Before Shot.)

The tomatoes are getting really good here. Is it happening in your area too? Ratatouilles and sauces and other tomato adventures are also assuredly coming, but right now, I just want them in their freshest possible form. And nothing like a good BLT for featuring exactly that.  It was a total rediscovery when I needed to transition from over a decade of vegetarianism. What a masterpiece of minimalism the BLT is: the three star ingredients (the acronym itself) balanced perfectly; the supporting players (bread, mayonnaise) there only to serve the greater purpose.

So if you’re avoiding grains/gluten/starch/carbs, what to do? In this instance, the equation was simple as the original. Leave out the bread, and you have? Salad. Why not run with that? I decided I wanted a touch of softness in the texture, for which the avocado served nicely (along with the goodness its nutritional pedigree contributes). On the bacon, my favorite source is Niman Ranch, for their quality as well as their ethics. And finally, the mayo – I didn’t want it to weigh the salad down, but I gotta say, I definitely do like a little in the mix. Stretching it out with lemon juice and a touch of pepper was all it needed to both lighten the mayo and brighten the whole salad.

Add this to your summer after you load up at the farmer’s market tomato stand this weekend. …

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Spiralized Waldorf Salad with Ginger Walnut Cream

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Spiralized Waldorf Salad with Ginger Walnut Cream #WaldorfSaladRefresh

Spiralized Waldorf Salad with Ginger Walnut Cream

Waldorf Salad is one dish that takes me straight back to my childhood at my grandma’s house. She served simple food with love – like sliced tomatoes sprinkled with black pepper and peach slices drizzled with a little cream. And Waldorf Salad.

This apple, walnut and celery salad was actually one of her fancy dishes, served on a lettuce leaf. She said she felt like Lady Astor dining at the Waldorf Hotel whenever we ate it.

It made her happy, and so I loved it, too.

I used Greek yogurt, but a good quality mayonnaise works well here, too. I blended the yogurt with some toasted walnuts to give the sauce a deep, rich walnut flavor throughout, with lemon juice and zest to brighten it up.

I thought of adding dried cranberries, but they didn’t add enough of a kick. So I added minced crystallized ginger – WOW does this wake up this salad with a zing!

And one more thing – I spiralized an apple and tossed it in the creamy walnut sauce to finish with a pretty presentation.

Waldorf Salad for the 21st Century!

#WaldorfSaladRefresh @CAWalnuts

Spiralized Waldorf Salad with Zesty Ginger Walnut Cream

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Spiralized Waldorf Salad with Ginger Walnut Cream Sauce
 
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A fresh take on the iconic Waldorf Salad with spiraled apples and a toasted walnut cream sauce.
Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups diced California walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt ( or good quality mayonnaise)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 large Fuji apples (16 ounces total), divided
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • ¼ cup diced celery leaves
  • ¾ cup halved red seedless grapes
  • ¼ cup minced crystallized ginger
  • 2 tablespoons diced flat leaf parsley, plus a few leaves for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Toss walnuts in oil and spread on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
  3. Place half of walnuts in a blender with yogurt, honey, lemon juice, zest, and salt. Blend until very smooth, about 60 seconds.
  4. Cut one apple into long thin spirals with a spiralizer. Apple pieces should be a little bigger in width than spaghetti noodles. (NOTE: A spiralizer is preferred for cutting the apple – it makes a beautiful presentation. If there is no spiralizer available, cut apple into julienne strips that are ¼ inch thick.) Toss the cut apple spiral pieces in half of the walnut cream blender mixture and set aside.
  5. Core the remaining apple and cut into ½ inch chunks. Toss together the remaining walnuts, apple chunks, celery, celery leaves, halved grapes, crystallized ginger and parsley. Stir in the remaining walnut cream blender mixture.
  6. Using a 4-inch wide ring mold, spoon this mixture onto center of four salad plates, pressing down with a spoon so that the salads are solid and hold the round shape when the ring molds are removed. Divide the coated spiral apple pieces into four parts and place one part on top of each salad, arranging so that the pieces are piled high so that the spirals make a dramatic presentation. Garnish with parsley leaves.

 

Greek Salad Cucumber Boats

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Greek salad cucumber boatsImagine yourself on a deck after sundown waiting for your dinner to finish grilling. You are surrounded by friends and family who are celebrating – not any special occasion, but just celebrating life. Now add these pretty, tasty little cucumber boats filled with an easy chopped Greek salad.

Now it’s the perfect summer dinner, right?

Whether you use the traditional fork and plate method or your stroll on the deck with one of these in your right hand and a cool summery drink in the other, these little salads boats will make any summer dinner much more festive. These come together in just minutes, and are a perfect Fun Food bite!

Happy summer, all!

Greek Salad Cucumber Boats
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 large English cucumbers ( 12 inches or more each)
  • 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
  • 1 block (4 ounces) feta cheese, cut into small cubes
  • ½ cup pitted Greek olives, halved
  • 2 tablespoons diced parsley leaves
  • For vinaigrette:
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon feta cheese
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Cut cucumbers into 4 inch pieces, and then cut each piece in half down the center. Scoop out center of each cucumber piece with a spoon, leaving room to fill.
  2. Blend the vinaigrette ingredients together.
  3. Toss the tomatoes, feta chunks, olives and parsley with the vinaigrette. Spoon into the prepared cucumber boats. Serve immediately.

Other creative spins on Greek salad:

Greek Salad in Spaghetti Squash Bowls, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Grilled Zucchini Greek Salad, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Brown Rice Greek Salad, The Lemon Bowl
Spiralized Cucumber Greek Salad, Skinny Taste
Cauliflower Couscous Greek Salad, Vintage Mixer

 

Pinto Bean and Charred Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

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Pinto Bean Corn Salad

If you don’t want to go to the trouble of making baked beans (and heating up your kitchen), this cold charred corn and pinto bean salad is a fresh take on a bean side dish. This keeps really well, and we have taken it on a few picnics already this summer. Highly recommend!

Just char some ears of corn the next time you have your grill heated – and char the corn, remove it from the cobs and then let it chill. You can add fresh veggies that you have on hand – I used some baby cucumbers and cherry tomatoes.

Here’s a fun tip: if you buy pinto beans in a flavorful sauce, just drain but do NOT rinse them. This will give extra flavor to your salad, and no need for salt – the beans will be flavorful and salty. I used Ranch Style Beans – perfect for this salad!

As for the cilantro vinaigrette, I was inspired by the Cilantro Vinaigrette from Dara of Cookin Canuck. This dressing is a keeper – creamy and herby tasting with just a hint of heat!

Happy Summer dining all!

Pinto Bean and Charred Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
  • I can (15 ounces) ranch style pinto beans, drained
  • 2 ears of corn, brush with a little oil
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 ounces queso fresco cheese, cut into small cubes
  • 2 cups cucumber slices
  • Small bunch of mint or cilantro leaves
  • For cilantro vinaigrette:
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • Dash of lime zest
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce
Instructions
  1. Toss all ingredients for salad together and chill for one hour.
  2. Blend vinaigrette ingredients together and toss with chilled salad.

Other pinto bean salads of note:

Pinto Bean Salad, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Pinto Bean and Peppers Salad, Aggie’s Kitchen
Pinto Bean Edamame Salad, Foodness Gracious

Chicken Salad in Bell Pepper Rings

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Chicken Salad in Bell Pepper Rings

Edible bell pepper rings filled with chilled chicken salad. What would bring a smile to Mom for brunch on her special day more than these edible flower rings? I can’t think of a single thing.

These little bell pepper rings are so pretty on a plate – delicious and good for you, too. I used my favorite chicken salad recipe, but you could use any cold chopped salad you like. The possibilities are endless, I say. Egg Salad. Tuna Salad. Pasta Salad. I am going to be using this technique again and again, with a different filling each time.

We are fans here at Apron Strings of edible “rings” for food. Our first try was eggs in bell pepper rings. We loved this idea so much we made many versions: Eggs in Avocados, Eggs in Onion Rings, and the list goes on and on with eggs. Why not with chicken salad?

Mom deserves  to eat festive food, after all.

Chicken Salad in Bell Pepper Rings
 
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Chicken Salad in pretty pepper rings - a festive addition to your next brunch!
Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 4 cups cooked cubed chicken
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 cup halved grapes
  • ½ cup diced pecans
  • 2 tablespoons fresh minced dill
  • ¼ cup plain or vanilla Greek yoghurt
  • 3 bell peppers, any color
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together and chill at least 2 hours.
  2. When ready to serve, stir in additional Greek yogurt if desired to make the salad creamy.
  3. Spoon into bell pepper rings that are cut about 2 inches thick.

CReative spins on chicken salad that are on my Must Try list:

Shredded Chicken Salad, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Crunchy Kale and Chicken Salad, Budget Bytes
Grilled Chicken and Pecan Salad, Copycat Recipes
Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad, Closet Cooking
Pineapple Chicken Salad, Annie’s Eats
Low Fat Chicken Salad with Curry and Apricots, Cookin’ Canuck

Hand Held Chicken Caesar Salads with Real Anchovy Caesar Dressing

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Hand held caesar salads

Hand held Caesar salads are made with baby romaine leaves and they are the perfect buffet item for a spring feast. You just pick them up and eat them just like you would Asian lettuce wraps – but less messy. And more garlic-y.

I started out to make a REAL Caesar dressing – just because I read the label on my purchased dressing and couldn’t pronounce half of the ingredients. I turned to America’s Test Kitchen, an organization that has taught me so much, with recipes and culinary history that I trust. My well- worn The New Best Recipes cookbook in my kitchen is my proof.

I followed their recipe very precisely – and it did not disappoint. The dressing is what makes this recipe sing – so creamy and tart you  will want to eat it with a spoon. Not that I’m saying I did that. Ok, I did that.

When I could only find a package of baby romaine leave sin my grocery store, this idea hit me: make a hand-held salad. This works great for a party – or for the kind of group I have on most Sundays: big, come and go groups.

Happy Brunch Easter Week, everyone!

— posted by Donna

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