I make a cold shrimp salad with avocado and mango in an Asian sweet chili sauce. It is a great go-to quick main dish salad for the summer – cool, refreshing and so flavorful.  Crispy tofu cubes in place of the shrimp is a wonderful switch up – added at the last minute, of course, to preserve their crispiness.

Anne and I have been huge tofu fans since writing 101 Things to do with Tofu a few years ago. It’s a fab frugal source of protein – and has a mild flavor that plays well with pretty much any other flavors. And, this sweet chili dressing is bright and flavorful with a touch of heat. If I wasn’t in mixed company when I ate this salad last night, I would have licked my plate. No, really.

Perfect for a summer Meatless Monday!

CRISPY TOFU CUBES WITH MANGO AND AVOCADO
In Asian Sweet Chili Sauce

Serves 4 as an entree; Prep and wait time 30 minutes

1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
16 ounces extra-firm tofu
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large ripe mango, diced
2 ripe Haas avocados, diced
four large lettuce leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces

Stir together the chili sauce, vinegar, ginger and soy sauce and set aside.

Wrap tofu block with a kitchen towel and set between two dinner plates. Place a large can on top to press down, pressing liquid from tofu. Let stand 20 minutes or so.

Cut pressed tofu into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss in cornstarch until evenly coated. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Cook tofu cubes in 2 batches so as not to crowd pan. Turn occasionally until cubes are lightly browned. Remove to paper towels and pat off excess oil.

Toss together sauce, tofu cubes, mango and avocado. Spread lettuce leaves on a salad plate. Mound the tofu mixture on top of lettuce leaves and serve immediately.

Other tofu salads worth checking out:
Thai Tofu Salad, Hebivoracious
Eggless Vegan Salad, A Veggie Venture
Curried Tofu Salad, Eat Me Delicious
Tofu Salad with Herbs, Cheap Healthy Good
Teriyaki Tofu Salad, Semi-Sweet
Sticky Ginger Tofu Salad, Healthy Happy Life
Tofu Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing, Shiny Cooking

– posted by Donna

Sure, we love those pretty flag cakes with the white frosting, red strawberries lined up like stripes and blueberry stars in the corner. But I wanted to make something different yet festive – a patriotic salad. What to make that has those All-American colors? How about protein powerhouse white(ish) quinoa, red strawberries and blueberries. I know, I know. Quinoa is usually eaten savory style but I think it is a perfect mild canvas for sweet flavors.

This dish is  a perfect Fourth of July recipe: a mayo-free refreshing fruity salad that can even go along on your next picnic. And the sweet tangy grapefruit vinaigrette is sublime! And, if you leave off the yogurt drizzle this is a great vegan dish.

So, cut yourself some watermelon triangles and place them in a star shape around the edges of your platter with the quinoa salad heaped in the middle. Drizzle on some Greek yogurt for a stripe-like flag effect. Then, just stand back and salute!

Happy Fourth, Everyone!

QUINOA FRUIT SALAD WITH GRAPEFRUIT VINAIGRETTE

1 cup quinoa
2 cups boiling salted water
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon grapefruit zest (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or other sweetener of choice to taste)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup diced pecans
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup craisins
1 cup diced strawberries
Greek yogurt for drizzling ( I like vanilla flavored)

Cook quinoa in salted water at a simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.

Meanwhile, make vinaigrette from grapefruit juice, zest, agave nectar, oil and salt and pepper. Stir vinaigrette into quinoa while quinoa is still hot. Let cool to room temperature and then toss in remaining ingredients. Chill at least one, up to 24 hours.

Just before serving, drizzle with yogurt.

Other inspiring quinoa salads:
Qunioa Salad, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Red Quinoa Salad, Kitchen Parade
Arugula Asparagus Quinoa Salad, Cooking with Amy
Quinoa Taco Salad, Gluten Free Goddess
Pineapple Curry Quinoa Salad, Poor Girl Eats Well
Quinoa Salad, Former Chef
Quinoa Salad, Tasty Eats at Home

– posted by Donna

California Roll Cold Rice Salad

California rolls were the first sushi I ever tried, and I love the flavors, but can’t quite get the hang of rolling those little rolls. I decided the taste would be the same whether rolled into cute little rolls or just tossed together like a cold rice salad. I gave it a try. Result: SUCCESS! This California Roll Salad is every bit as yummy as the authentic sushi rolls, and super easy to throw together.

You don’t need to buy expensive Japanese sushi rice – just plain long grain white rice will do. But be sure to start with cold cooked rice because if the rice is hot or even warm, this salad will turn into a gummy mess.

Real crab can be spendy, but I don’t like the imitation crab for this so I used the real deal in a very small amount. You can add more if you like crab.

CALIFORNIA ROLL COLD RICE SALAD

Serves 10 to 12 as a side dish – Prep time 10 minutes

6 cups chilled cooked long grain white rice
1 large cucumber
1/2 pound cooked chilled crab meat
1 large avocado
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons wasabi paste*
2 sheets nori (baked seaweed)**

Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds in the middle with a spoon. Dice the cucumber into very small pieces, about the size of peas. Dice crab meat. Dice avocado and toss with lemon juice.

Mix together the vinegar, oil and sugar. Toss rice with vinegar mixture (using hands is messy, but helps to distribute vinegar mixture evenly!).  Dice nori sheets into very small pieces (I like using a pizza cutter for this task).

Toss rice with diced nori, cucumber, crab and avocado. Serve sprinkled with a little diced nori for garnish.

*Available in the Asian section of your grocery store or at an Asian specialty store.

** Available in the Asian section of your grocery store or at an Asian specialty store. You can skip the nori if you like, but the salad won’t have the same Japanese feel to it.

Other food bloggers make sushi rolls:
Fried Shrimp Sushi Rolls, Lunch in a Box
California Rolls, No Recipes
Dragon Rolls Sushi, Use Real Butter
Panko Crusted Alaska Rolls, Confessions of a Foodie Bride
Vegetable Sushi, The Perfect Pantry
Sushi Rolls, Bits of Taste

– posted by Donna

It’s one week until Valentine’s Day and we here at FFF have lots of sweet ideas for serving up Love on a Plate. Surprise your Valentine with romantic – and healthy – delicious-ness!

This is a very ‘Martha’ salad – it looks so festive and like you have slaved for hours, but (confession time) this takes only a few minutes of prep time to throw together.

Beets are an ultra-healthy root vegetable. That deep crimson color means they are full of anti-cancer heart-healthy goodness, and – bonus! – it is the perfect deep redness for a Valentine themed salad!

To make these yummy beet hearts, just follow three steps: 1) Peel and slice the beets about 1/4 inch thickness and then cut into heart shapes; 2) Place on a baking sheet and lightly spray with canola oil and sprinkle with salt; and 3) Roast for about 30 minutes at 425 degrees, or until softened.

That’s it!

Then just cool and place on your favorite salad!

More roasted beet goodness from food bloggers:
Roasted Beets, Gastronomy
Roasted Beet Sandwiches, Serious Eats
Roasted Beet and Coconut Curry, Lisa’s Kitchen
Roasted Beets and Pears, Poor Girl Eats Well
Roasted Beet, Chevre and Hazelnut Salad, Use Real Butter

– posted by Donna

Are you with me on this? There is just something weird about eating warm bacon grease spooned onto a salad. I have always loved the taste and texture of barely wilted spinach in a salad, but most restaurants and recipes use hot bacon grease in the wilting liquid. It is a truly American dish, traditionally served with a warm bacon dressing, according to Supreme Food Geek Alton Brown. But, seriously, the time has come for an upgrade! Spinach is one of the healthiest things you can put into your mouth, so I say Hoo-rah for Spinach!

Don’t you just love Meatless Mondays?!

This scrumptious salad could be made into a main dish salad by adding sliced hard boiled eggs, and – never fear – it will STILL be on your table in 20 minutes or less.

I tried this vegetarian version and like it even more than the bacon version. You can use spinach or Swiss Chard – both work well here. The sesame oil gives a little smokiness and the sliced almonds make up the crunch of the bacon bits. I could eat this every single day!

‘WHO-NEEDS-BACON?’ WILTED SPINACH SALAD

1/2 of a red onion, outer peel removed
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups chopped spinach
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Thinly sliced hard-boiled eggs (optional)

Slice onion into paper-thin slices about 2 inches long. Let onions soak in ice water while preparing rest of dish.

Heat oils in a small saucepan to high heat. Mix together the mustard, vinegar, honey and salt and add to pan. Heat to a boil.

Remove stems from spinach and roughly chop into bite sized pieces. Place into a large serving bowl and the pour on hot mixture from skillet. Immediately toss spinach until all leaves are coated with hot liquid.

Serve about 1 cup of mixture on each plate and sprinkle with onions, almonds and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Other food bloggers’ vegetarian wilted spinach salads:
Wilted Spinach Salad, Kalyns Kitchen
Wilted Spinach Salad with Kamut, Whole Grain Gourmet
Wilted Spinach Salad, The Dinner Files
Wilted Spinach Salad with Sesame Marinated Mushrooms, Food for Laughter

–Posted by Donna