Picture Perfect Lunch: Salad Days Are Here Again

Last week, I had packed a lunch that just did not hit me right anymore. My standard go-to salad is arugala, red onion, cuke, avocado, blue cheese, bacon bits and diced chicken--so I guess it's a modified cobb (no hard boiled egg, and arugala instead of iceberg). I took two bites and was full of regret. Perhaps it was the fact I've hit my limit on straight balsamic as a dressing, perhaps everything else was OFF because, HEY it is March, nothing is local and in season here in this hemisphere. Perhaps. I ended up tossing that lunch out and thought I need to really revamp my salads. 

Today (and tomorrow's) salad is what  I'm referring to it as a Sashimi Salad Bowl; however, I'm waiting for a ruling on this whether this actually is a bibimbap, minus the rice.

While, no, I did not COOK this, I did manage to assemble the hell out of it:)

Contents:  
Salmon, tuna, and I believe fluke, mixed in with store bought seaweed salad, store bought daikon kimchi, diced jicama, cuke, and avocado. Festooned with daikon sprouts, sweetfish roe, and those crunchy bits usually garnish for okonomiyaki. Rice wine vinegar, salt and sushi ginger minced. 

I was actually nervous this morning packing the lunch, as the kimchi is quite potent, so I kept the bin in the fridge at work until I was ready to eat it--rather than having it in my insulated tote. I didn't want to run the risk of the kimchi over-taking everything with its farty top note.

Delicious. Glad I went to the effort to pack it. 

Wednesday I will have a different salad on display. Stay tuned.

Got Garnish?

This morning, Avitable posted a picture (and a recipe) of what he calls "breakfast hash." Which, to be honest, looks like it's composed almost entirely of garnishes. Almost. Look at this mess. It's a thing of beauty. Tasty, tasty beauty. :)

This reminded me of my "Crunch Salad" I sometimes make (usually in a Mr. Creosote sized bucket to last me a week of lunches). With one exception (either broccoli shreds or florets) my salad is composed entirely of garnishes. The broccoli (or even shred carrot might work too) is in there to keep my colon honest (and by honest, I mean scrubbed clean and happy). 

Now, I am sure you can make this salad without vegetation, and would no doubt be delicious. Hell. You could roll the components up inside a soft tortilla and nuke it, or fry it in a skillet for a quesadilla. Have at it. But this is for the salad form. YMMV.

Into a bucket or other vessel big enough to accommodate this mess, dump in the following ingredients:

• 1 Bag o'broccoli florets (break 'em down smaller if they're too shrub like) OR use a bag of "broccoli slaw" (I prefer the latter for more uniformity in my servings) (Note: You could also use shredded fresh brussels sprouts if you have them on hand)
• 1 medium red onion diced (good substitute: French's Fried Onions in a can--but save these to be added right before serving, otherwise they mush up)
• 1 fistful of raisins (black or yellow) or craisins or currants if you're fancy
• 1 fisftul of sunflower seeds
• 1 fisftful (or more) of Hormel bacon bits (the shit in the bag that needs to be refrigerated after opening)
• 1 fistful (or if you're squeamish about such things, approx 1/3 cup) crumbled blue cheese
• Blue cheese dressing (or Hellman's mayo)
• Salt and pepper to taste. I like to do about 15 grinds of black pepper in it.

Mix all that shit up and let it sit overnight. Serve up and garnish with the French's onions.

I sometimes will serve this up with some cubed cooked chicken or leftover steak. If you have hard boiled eggs, wedge up a few and serve with the salad to boost the protein. It's up to you.

Also: If you want to cut down on calories, you can cut your blue cheese dressing by 50% and mix in some plain yogurt, just tinker with your salt and pepper to adjust flavoring. 

Also: I sometimes will throw in some chia seeds to boost fiber, and it also helps make me feel fuller, longer. I might serve this up with some arugala sprouts or clover sprouts if I have it on hand, to add something green to the mess. YMMV.

Servings: Approximately 4-5 servings that weigh in approximately 6-7 oz per.

Nutritional information? Fuck that. You can "math it out." I only provide the yum.

Maven's MacGuyver'd "Thai" Chopped Chicken Salad

This is my high protein reinterpretation of Panera's Thai Chopped Chicken Salad.

Mind you, my diet is more top heavy in proteins, so there isn't all that much greenery here. This is basically the recipe for the tasty bits, the bits you put on or in or with salad greens.

This makes roughly one 8-9 oz serving (not including salad greens). Calories are roughly >300 and approximate protein value is roughly 27-30 gm.

Dressing:

1 Tablespoon Trader Joes peanut satay sauce
1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1-2 packets of splenda (or 1-2 tsp of your favored sweetener)
Additional salt for balance
Red pepper flake for kick

Salad Ingredients:

3 oz Trader Joes brand "Just Chicken" (cubed up, skinless, boneless, white meat chicken)
1 oz Trader Joes brand (are you sensing a theme here about where I shop?) Edamame
1 oz red onion or scallions, minced
1/2 oz Shredded carrots
1 oz minced up bell pepper (red or green, tho Panera's salad has red)
5-6 sprigs cilantro, rough chopped
1/2 oz chopped, roasted, salted peanuts

Note: When I make this again, I think I will cut the edamame amount in half, add a smidge of toasted sesame, and then add some La Choy or other brand crunchy noodles to this.

Summer Dinners

For supper: Bow-ties and Broccoli

You will need:

1 pound farfalle (bow-tie) pasta (You can use penne, too.)
2 heads broccoli, trimmed to florets (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter (REAL, unsalted butter)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
5 anchovy fillets, diced (Optional, if you don't like the fish -- which I don't.)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (REAL parmesan, not the "in a green can" shit.)

1 -- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally.

2 -- After 5 minutes, add the broccoli florets to the pasta and stir and cook for another 4 minutes.

3 -- Drain pasta and broccoli, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

4 -- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat.

5 -- Add the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes and cook for 5 minutes.

6 -- Add the broccoli, pasta, salt and pepper and toss.

7 -- Add some of the reserved pasta water, if necessary, to make a light sauce.

8 -- Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with Parmesan.

For dessert: Watermelon and Cantaloupe Salad with Mint Vinagrette

You will need:

1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
1/4 cup simple syrup (recipe follows)
1/8 teaspoon amaretto (GOOD amaretto-- DiSarrono, you cheapskate)
2 cups watermelon balls (from about half a watermelon) (Who knew watermelons had BALLS?)
2 cups cantaloupe balls (from about 1 cantaloupe) (Poor, progeny-less cantaloupes!)

1 -- In a blender, combine mint, lemon juice, simple syrup, and amaretto. Blend until smooth.

2 -- In a large bowl, combine the watermelon and the cantaloupe. Add the vinaigrette and toss. 3 -- Transfer to a serving bowl, chill for half and hour or so, and serve.

Simple Syrup:
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar

In a saucepan, combine water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Take pan off heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Portabella Mushroom Salad with Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

This recipe serves four -- although it's tasty enough that I've eaten two servings at once. Oink.

Roasted red peppers are now available in most specialty stores.

Start with whole Portabella caps for this salad, because you need thinner slices than those found in packages. Balsamic vinegar is generally available in specialty stores; buy the best you can afford. The very old ones are sweet with an acid edge perfect for this dish - although most good commercial brands will do. Do not substitute regular wine vinegar, you heathen.


Ingredients:

• 1 very large or 2 medium fresh tomatoes, sliced thin into about as many pieces as you have of mozzarella
• 2 balls fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 whole Portabella caps, 3-4 inches in diameter, thinly sliced
• 2 whole marinated roasted peppers. Sliced into 1-inch-wide pieces
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Preparation:

Alternate the slices of tomato and mozzarella on 4 plates.
Blend together the oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle half of it over the tomatoes and cheese. Then place the slices of mushrooms and peppers crossed over one another on top of the tomato and cheese.
Sprinkle with the rest of the dressing.
Finally, sprinkle the basil over top of the entire salad and serve.

Sweater Girl Salad

First off, I'd like to thank the academy Maven for the invite to contribute recipes as well as the nice introduction. Today's recipe comes from a cookbook published in 1947, called The Groom Boils and Stews: A Man's Cook Book for Men.

Place a few crisp leaves of lettuce on a salad plate. Take whole peach halves and fill the cavity with soft white cheese or cottage cheese. On each plate of lettuce leaves turn two of these upside down. Place half a maraschino cherry on top of each peach half. Put a small dab of mayonnaise on the side and call the boys.

It's simple (like the turd who came up with this recipe) and sexist! M-m-m-m!


Kirkkitsch! I don't normally do this... however... I am affixing this photo to this recipe, as I feel it would go SPLENDIDLY with that lovely titty salad... let me know what you think!

Eggs Versailles I had at (the now defunct) Commander's Palace in Las Vegas.