Wicked Wheatberry Salad

I threw together this hearty salad with a few odds and ends from the pantry and fridge.  The result was surprisingly good.

Cook 1 cup of hard winter wheatberries (I threw a cup of grains in the rice cooker with 2 1/2 cups of water).  Combine in a large bowl:

wheatberries
1/2 head shredded cabbage
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 stalks green onions
1 large roasted red pepper
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of olive or sunflower oil
1 teaspoon basil

Enjoy with a nice cup of soup and some bread.

Best Bean Salad

Muchas gracias to my friend and neighbor Dawn for this tasty recipe.  On my street, we tend to share our leftovers or magic foods with each other.  Well, it was a nice surprise to come home and have a container full of this delicious treat waiting for us on the porch!  Here's Dawn's post::

Combine in a bowl:

1 can black beans (drained)
1 can red beans (drained)
1 can garbanzo beans- also called chick peas (drained)
1 can black olives (drained)
1 can artichoke hearts
1 bag broccoli or cabbage salad (can be found with the pre-packaged salad at the grocery store)
3 chopped green onions (or sometimes I use 1 small red onion)
Couple tablespoons sliced green olives (to taste)
Couple tablespoons sliced pepperoncini (to taste)
Couple teaspoons minced garlic (to taste)

I just mix all of these ingredients in a large bowl then add a vinaigrette dressing. Sometimes I make my own with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sometimes I use a salad dressing that I buy at the grocery store. Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinegar is my favorite store bought dressing. You can also add cooked pasta or rice, if you like. It is kind of one of those things that you can add in what sounds good to you and take out what you might not like. I am so glad you liked it!  I hope your readers enjoy!

Mesmerizing Mochi Morning Mix and Warm Cabbage Slaw

You may recall my rave reviews for mochi, the pressed brown rice treat.  Well, I tried sesame garlic mochi for the first time for breakfast.  Since it is not a sweet mochi, I sweetened up the dish with some warm cabbage slaw.

Preheat oven to 450F.  Cut mochi into 2 inch slices and arrange on greased baking sheet.  Cook for 10 minutes- until puffed up and crisp on the outside.

To make cabbage slaw, grate 2 cups green or purple cabbage and one large apple.  Saute in a large pan with:

1 tablespoon
sunflower or safflower oil
handful of raisins
handful of walnuts

Scoop cabbage slaw into a bowl.  Put mochi pieces on top and drizzle with agave nectar or brown rice syrup.

Hooray for Hummus

Hummus has become the "It" food over the last few years.  Hummus is the Arabic word for chickpeas.  It is a staple in the Mediterranean diet and is good for you:  hummus is rich in iron, vitamin c, folate and vitamin B6.  Pre-made hummus is abundant in stores, but I like to make my own- it's cheaper and contains only the raw ingredients. 

Combine in a food processor:

2 cups of cooked or canned chickpeas (garbanzos)
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste- can be optional)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Puree into a medium paste.  You may add water to achieve desired consistency.  Garnish with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika or parsley.  Serve in wraps, on chips, crackers, tortillas, on bread or even on a salad.

Colorful Couscous

What to do with beets? There are lots of delicious things to do with beets, but I thought I would use them to add some color to couscous.

1 cup grated or chopped beets
1 cup cherry tomatoes (honey tomatoes used here)
1 cup couscous
1 cup steamed asparagus (edamame, green peas or broccoli)
3 oz crumbled goat cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped pecans (pine nuts or walnuts)

Cover couscous with 1 1/2 cup boiling water. Let sit until all water absorbed. Mix in the other ingredients. Enjoy as a salad or side dish.

Crispy Cucumber Salad

This is a delicious and zesty recipe adapted from The New York Times Cookbook . This salad can be served with almost any dish, but really goes well with Thai food.

Combine:

1 pound sliced cucumbers (approx 4 cukes)
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon dill weed
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
garlic salt to taste

optional: red pepper, onion, garlic

Tangy Rice and Aparagus Salad

This dish is great for leftover rice and to have in the fridge for a quick bite to eat. Adapted from The Savory Way.

Cook:

one cup of rice (I made this with short grain brown rice), quinoa or couscous.

Combine with:

2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 pound chopped steamed asparagus

Dress to taste with Tangy Dressing:

1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon powder ginger
2 minced garlic gloves
handful chopped cilantro

Holy-Guaca-Mole Salad!!

This is a really satisfying mexican salad. Once again, I'm the Chunky Chef, so I am too lazy to smash guacamole all together.

1 head small romaine lettuce (or any flavorful lettuce)
1 fresh avocado
2 tomatoes (romas are nice)
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 lime
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper

Cut up all the vegetables and toss with lettuce. Add salt and pepper. Squeeze lime over the salad and serve!!

Crunchy Cabbage Salad

This is one of my all-time favorite creations. You can add anything to this salad, especially crunchy foods.

Grate or chop and combine:

Purple cabbage
Apple
Jicama
Carrot
Green onions
Red peppers
Shelled edamame
Raw pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Nuts

Stir in Honey Poppy Seed Dressing. Enjoy!!!