MEDITERRANEAN WARM SALAD

 From:  https://simplyvegetarian777.com/mediterranean-warm-salad/

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• Onion Red - 1 small, thinly sliced
• Zucchini - 1 small, washed and cut into thin half moons
• Bell peppers, colored - 5, cut into thin discs
• Cherry Tomatoes - ¼ cup, halved
• Black olives - 10, sliced
• Feta cheese - ¼ cup, crumbled
• Salad Greens - 2 handful. I used a mix of baby chard, baby kale and baby spinach.
• Cranberry dry - 2 tsp, optional
• Oils & Spices
• Olive Oil - ½ tbsp
• Balsamic Vinegar - ½ tbsp
• Oregano, dry - ½ tsp
• Lemon Juice - ½ tsp. 
• Salt and black pepper powder to taste
• Instructions
• 
  
• Wash the baby greens and dry completely. Divide them in 2 salad plates/bowls.
• Take a heavy pan and heat ½ tbsp. olive oil in it. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium and add onions to it. Cover and cook for 2 minutes till it becomes soft. Now cook for 1 more minute uncovered and brown lightly.
• Add zucchini slices and bell peppers. Toss them and cook for another 3 minutes till the zucchini is slightly cooked. Add oregano, salt and black pepper. Toss well.
• Add cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and sun dried tomatoes. Toss well on high heat for few seconds and turn off the heat. Add lemon juice and toss again.
• Divide the warm vegetables in 2 equal parts on greens in the bowl.
• Sprinkle with dried cranberries, feta cheese and sliced olives.
• You may either crush the pita chips on top or serve on the side.
• This is a great stuffing for Pita Pockets as well.
• Enjoy a Mediterranean warm salad.

Quinoa Salad With Roasted Squash, Dried Cranberries, and Pecans

 From: Delish

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

1 c. quinoa

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 medium Delicata squash, seeded and thinly sliced into half moons

1 bunch Tuscan kale, thinly sliced and stems removed

1/3 c. pecans, toasted

1/3 c. dried cranberries

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 c. crumbled feta

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425° and cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper. Spread out on a sheet tray to cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, arrange squash on a baking sheet and roast until tender and golden, 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, toss together quinoa, squash, kale, pecans, and cranberries. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Drizzle over salad and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper, crumble feta on top, and serve.

Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Penne Salad with Goat Cheese

From:  http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-asparagus-tomato-penne

4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked penne or mostaccioli (tube-shaped pasta)

12 asparagus spears

12 cherry tomatoes

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1 tablespoon minced shallots

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence (rosemary, oregano, basil, fennel)

1 1/2 teaspoons honey

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

2 cups baby spinach

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain and set aside.
3. Place asparagus and tomatoes on a jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss gently to coat; arrange asparagus and tomato mixture in a single layer. Bake at 400° for 6 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove asparagus from pan. Place pan back in oven, and bake tomatoes an additional 4 minutes. Remove tomatoes from pan; let asparagus and tomatoes stand 10 minutes. Cut asparagus into 1-inch lengths; halve tomatoes.
4. Combine shallots and the next 4 ingredients (through honey) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

5. Place pasta, asparagus, tomato, olives, and arugula in a large bowl; toss. Drizzle juice mixture over pasta mixture; toss. Sprinkle with cheese. 

Spiced Apple Cider and Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl

From:  http://heatherchristo.com/2015/10/11/spiced-apple-cider-and-sweet-potato-quinoa

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  25 mins

Total time:  40 mins

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 3 cups apple cider
• 2 cup quinoa
• 2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt
• 2 cups kale - baby or cut up with stems removed
• 1 cup fresh apple, diced or thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup toasted walnuts
• ¼ cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley
• Apple Cider Dijon Vinaigrette:
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small pot, add the apple cider and the quinoa and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and add the lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Toss the sweet potatoes with 3 tablespoons of oil and kosher salt and roast on a bare sheetpan for 17 minutes until golden brown and tender.
4. To make the dressing, combine the garlic, Dijon, apple cider, apple cider vinegar and olive oil and puree until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt.
5. When the quinoa is finished, fluff with a fork and let cool slightly. Toss the quinoa with the red onion, dried cranberries and parsley along with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Season to taste with kosher salt.
6. On a bed of baby kale pile the quinoa and then arrange the roasted sweet potatoes, apples and walnuts on top and drizzle with the dressing.

Superfood salad

From: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/superfood-salad/#5vg60sFi8HEAFKgd.97


Ingredients


• 2-3 sweet potatoes
• 1 pinch of dried chilli flakes
• 1 pinch of ground coriander
• 1 small pinch of ground cinnamon
• olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 head broccoli
• 1/4 cup mixed nuts , such as walnuts, almonds and Brazil nuts
• 1 pomegranate
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 limes , juice of
• 1 splash of balsamic vinegar
• sprouts
• 1 fresh red chilli
• 1 ripe avocado
• To serve:
• sprouts
• 20 g feta cheese


Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Scrub and chop the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch or bite size chunks. Place into a roasting tray with the chilli flakes, ground cinnamon, a drizzle of olive oil and a little salt and pepper, then toss well. Spread out into an even layer and place in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions in a medium pan of boiling salted water. Click off and slice the broccoli into small florets, then halve and finely slice the stalk. Place into a heatproof colander and rest it over the quinoa pan. Cover and steam for 3 minutes, or until just tender. Once cooked, drain and rinse the quinoa under cold running water, then leave to cool along with the broccoli. Remove the sweet potato from the oven and leave it to cool, too.

Meanwhile, toast the nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a pestle and mortar and crush lightly. Halve the pomegranate and squeeze the juice from one half into a large bowl. Add 3 times as much extra virgin olive oil (I didn't think it needed this much oil), the lime juice and balsamic vinegar. Whisk well and season to taste.

Add the cooled broccoli and sprouts to the dressing. Finely slice the chilli and add to the bowl along with the quinoa and sweet potato. Toss well, spread out on a serving platter, then scoop out and dot over the avocado flesh. Bash the reserved pomegranate half with a wooden spoon so the seeds come tumbling out and scatter these over the platter along with the nuts, place sprouts on top, then serve with a crumbling of feta cheese.

Read more at http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/superfood-salad/#2ptx1VAyxuQ0RbFt.99

Warm Spinach Feta and Orzo Salad

servers:  4
From: http://www.grouprecipes.com/18487/warm-spinach-feta-and-orzo-salad.html
Ingredients

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• 1/4 cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups baby spinach leaves (no stems)
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion

• In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups water with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the feta, olive oil, vinegar, a large pinch of salt, and pepper to taste in a medium bowl.
• Drain the orzo through a strainer (not a colander—some of the orzo may escape through the holes!) and add to the bowl.
• Gently stir to coat the orzo with the dressing.
• Add the spinach, onion and toss once more.