Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad

SESAME PASTA CHICKEN SALAD

Servings: 10

Ingredients:

¼ cup sesame seeds

1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta

½ cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup light soy sauce

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons white sugar

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast

1 cup frozen baby peas

1 cup shredded carrots

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup chopped green onion

Directions:

1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook stirring frequently until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and pepper. Shake well.

4. Pour sesame dressing over pasta and toss to coat evenly. Gently mix in chicken, cilantro and green onions and vegetables.

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

This recipe comes from www.allrecipes.com.  It is a delicious winter salad.  I was in the mood for something delicious and easy for Valentine's Day dinner.  I had no idea that my son would tell me that the dressing was the best he had ever eaten.  That is a true compliment.  I will definitely be making this again.  It has a sweet-tangy dressing that is a perfect partner to the green salad with pears and candied pecans.  I added some shredded chicken to make it a meal.  I did not use walnut oil because of my son's nut allergy and I kept the candied pecan as "optional".  I used olive oil instead.

Here is another idea I found on the Chaos in the Kitchen blog.  This one has a slightly different dressing and caramelizing the pear.

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Servings:  6

Ingredients:


1 (10 ounce) bag mixed field greens
1/2 cup sliced red onion (optional)
1 Bosc pear, cored and sliced
1/2 cup chopped candied pecans
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Dressing:


1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup walnut oil

Directions:

1.  Place the salad greens in a large bowl.  Add the red onion, pear, pecans, and blue cheese and toss to mix evenly.

2.  To make the dressing, place the maple syrup, vinegar, mayonnaise, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly.  With the motor running, slowly pour in the walnut oil.  Blend until mixture becomes creamy, about 1 minute.  Pour over salad mixture, and toss to coat greens evenly.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Spinach Salad with Steak & Blueberries

I am a big fan of spinach salad.  I don't eat spinach often but this is my favorite way to eat spinach.  This looks to be a perfect summer recipe that I found on the www.eatingwell.com website.

Spinach Salad with Steak & Blueberries

From EatingWell:  July/August 2010

Combine steak, walnuts, blueberries and feta cheese in this simple salad and you have yourself a healthy and satisfying supper. Serve with grilled baguette and a glass of rosé.

Makes 4 servings, about 2 cups each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh blueberries, divided
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Tips)
3 tablespoons fruity vinegar, such as raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
3 tablespoons walnut oil or canola oil
1 pound sirloin steak or strip steak (1-1 1/4 inches thick), trimmed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation:

Preheat grill to medium.

Pulse 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup walnuts, vinegar, shallot, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor to form a chunky paste. With the motor running, add oil until incorporated. Transfer the dressing to a large bowl.

Sprinkle steak with pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Oil the grill rack (see Tips). Grill the steak about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, 6 minutes per side for medium. Let rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes.

Add spinach to the bowl with the dressing; toss to coat. Divide the spinach among 4 plates. Thinly slice the steak crosswise. Top the spinach with the steak, feta and the remaining blueberries and walnuts.

Nutrition:

Per serving : 392 Calories; 26 g Fat; 5 g Sat; 7 g Mono; 50 mg Cholesterol; 11 g Carbohydrates; 29 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 494 mg Sodium; 748 mg Potassium

Tips: To toast chopped nuts, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

To oil a grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

 Enjoy!

Chicken & Blueberry Pasta Salad

Here is another savory blueberry recipe that sounds perfect for a summer lunch or dinner.  It is from www.eatingwell.com.  I can't wait to try it.  I think that I will go pick more blueberries today so I can make all these great recipes. 

Chicken & Blueberry Pasta Salad

www.eatingwell.com

Servings: 6

Prep: 30 mins.

Total: 30 mins.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat

8 ounces whole wheat fusilli or radiatore

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.        Place chicken in a skillet or sauce pan and add enough water to cover; bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle.   Approximately 10 to 12 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool.  Shred into bite-size strips.

2.       Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook pasta until just tender, about 9 minutes or according to package directions.  Drain.  Place in a large bowl.

3.       Meanwhile, place oil and shallot in a small skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, 2 to 5 minutes.  Add broth, feta and lime juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the feta begins to melt, 1 to 2 minutes.

4.       Add the chicken to the bowl with the pasta. Add the dressing, blueberries, thyme, lime zest and salt.  Toss until combined.

Make Ahead Tip:  Add everything except the blueberries and dressing to the pasta salad.  Cover and refrigerate. 

Try using crumbled Blue Cheese instead of feta. 

 Enjoy!

Blueberry Week

This salad recipe sounds so summery and refreshing. Unfortunately, I will probably never get a chance to try it. My son doesn't like melon. Have you ever heard of anything like that? I am such a huge watermelon fan that I can't believe it when he tells me that watermelon smells bad. Oh, well maybe I'll try it one day when we have guests or the next time he is away at camp! If you try this recipe, please let me know what you think of it.


BLUEBERRY-MELON SALAD WITH THYME SYRUP
Serves 8
Active: 25 Min
Total: 45 Min

Thyme Syrup:
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
Peel and juice from 1 lemon
4 large sprigs fresh thyme, preferably lemon thyme

Salad:

3 cups each diced cantaloupe, honeydew melon and seedless watermelon
1 pint blueberries

Garnish: lemon thyme sprigs

1. Thyme Syrup: Bring all ingredients to a gentle boil in a small saucepan; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let steep 20 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and lemon peel. Cool syrup to room temperature or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

2. Salad: Just before serving, gently toss together fruit in a serving bowl; add 1/3 cup of the thyme syrup and toss. Spoon into dessert bowls or glasses and garnish with thyme sprigs. Serve with extra thyme syrup, if desired.

The Creative Cook