I generally think it is total bollocks when people describe tasting the various “notes” in wine and spirits. I never seem to pick up that “hint of burnt pineapple”, lol. Until I came across the most magnificent local gin, Hat Trick Extraordinarily Fine Botanical Gin made by High Wire Distillery here in Charleston, SC. It was a revelation to actually, really taste the bouquet of flavors. We went through the bottle much too quickly to save some for a recipe, but it did get me thinking about experimenting with bringing the cucumber flavor to the forefront and dialing back the gin in something edible. I settled on this salad. You have to like the taste of gin to enjoy this, as we are not cooking it off. This is basically a drink you can eat. And that sounds just about right for my birthday today!

Cucumber Salad with Gin Dressing

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

 

All the best parts of a gin cocktail in a salad! Refreshing cucumbers and tomatoes in a light gin dressing.

Author: Tekesha @ EatMoreFoodProject

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 large hothouse cucumber (or 2 regular cucumbers), sliced
• 3 small campari tomatoes, cut into wedges
• ¼ cup gin
• Juice from 1 orange
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp dried basil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Layer cucumber slices on a small platter.
2. Top with tomato wedges.
3. Sprinkle with a generous amount of pepper.
4. In a lidded carafe or bottle, combine gin, orange juice, olive oil, basil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Shake vigorously until the mixture turns thick.
6. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers and tomatoes.
7. Chill for one hour.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 286 Fat: 25 Saturated fat: 4 Carbohydrates: 8 Sugar: 5 Sodium: 4 Fiber: 2 Protein: 1

3.2.2929

Gather up:

• 1 large hothouse cucumber (or 2 regular cucumbers), sliced
• 3 small campari tomatoes, cut into wedges
• ¼ cup gin (I used some Tanqueray I had around the house)
• Juice from 1 orange
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp dried basil
• Salt and pepper

Layer cucumber slices on a small platter.

Top with tomato wedges.

Sprinkle with a generous amount of pepper.

In a lidded carafe or bottle, combine gin, orange juice, olive oil, basil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Shake vigorously until the mixture turns thick.

Pour the mixture over the cucumbers and tomatoes.

Chill for one hour.

I like to serve this with some sliced roast chicken as a light lunch on a warm day.

Subway sandwich shop will let you take any of their sandwiches and turn them into a chopped salad. The first time I did this, the woman behind the counter was unfazed by my request until I asked her to top it with mayonnaise. She looked absolutely horrified! “You’re going to put mayo on a salad??” Well, yes, it’s basically all the components of a sandwich so why shouldn’t I? “That’s so gross. It’s still, like, a SALAD.” Heh. Whatever lady, load up the mayo and let me get on about my business. It was divine and just like eating my favorite sandwich. Whatever you like on your cheeseburger, you should toss it into this salad. Seriously. The fry sauce dressing is a kicked-up mix of that classic combo of mayo and ketchup.

Cheeseburger Salad with Fry Sauce Dressing

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Salad packed with seasoned ground beef, marinated shallots, pickles, cheese and tomatoes and topped with fancy fry sauce.

Author: Tekesha @ EatMoreFoodProject

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 shallot, sliced thinly
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup reduced-sugar ketchup
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp garlic puree
• 1 lb lean grass-fed ground beef
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp Montreal Chicken Seasoning
• 9 oz salad greens (I use a mix of spinach leaves and spring mix)
• 1 cup pickle chips
• 6.4 oz cheese cubes (I’m using Colby Jack)
• 1 tomato, sliced into wedges

Instructions

1. Add the shallot, oil, oregano, salt and pepper to a small bowl and use your fingers to crush everything against each other. Let sit for at least 5 minutes.
2. In another small bowl, mix together the ketchup, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and garlic puree.
3. Combine the beef, butter and Montreal Chicken Seasoning in a skillet and cook on medium-high heat until browned, approximately 10 minutes, breaking the meat into large chunks as it cooks. I typically let the beef cool down for 10 minutes after cooking so that it doesn’t immediately wilt my salad greens and melt my cheese cubes when added to the salad.
4. Assemble salad greens, pickle chips, cheese cubes, tomato wedges, cooked beef, shallot mix and fry sauce dressing.
5. Enjoy.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 641 Fat: 45 Saturated fat: 18 Trans fat: 0 Carbohydrates: 25 Sugar: 9 Sodium: 2543 Fiber: 2 Protein: 36 Cholesterol: 133

3.2.2885

You’ll need:

• 1 shallot, sliced thinly
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup reduced-sugar ketchup
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp garlic puree
• 1 lb lean grass-fed ground beef
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp Montreal Chicken Seasoning
• 9 oz salad greens (I use a mix of spinach leaves and spring mix)
• 1 cup pickle chips
• 6.4 oz cheese cubes (I’m using Colby Jack)
• 1 tomato, sliced into wedges

First thing we need to do is marinate the shallots. Letting them soak in this olive oil mixture takes some of the raw heat off them and everything combines to create a really flavorful oil that combines well with the fry sauce. Add the shallot, oil, oregano, salt and pepper to a small bowl and use your fingers to crush everything against each other. Let sit for at least 5 minutes.

If you prefer a stronger onion flavor, you can skip this step and just add some minced red onion to your salad.

The next step is making the fry sauce by mixing together the ketchup, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and garlic puree.

I am not usually a stickler for using grass-fed beef, but here it is a must. We aren’t cooking the beef for long and grass-fed just holds up better and delivers nice big chunks of meat with a medium center.

Combine the beef, butter and Montreal Chicken Seasoning in a skillet and cook on medium-high heat until browned, approximately 10 minutes, breaking the meat into large chunks as it cooks. I typically let the beef cool down for 10 minutes after cooking so that it doesn’t immediately wilt my salad greens and melt my cheese cubes when added to the salad.

Assemble salad greens, pickle chips, cheese cubes, tomato wedges, beef, shallot mix and fry sauce dressing.

Enjoy!

Do we still have time for another salad recipe before our thoughts turn to all things warm and comforting?? Good! Because this salad is ridiculously good.

This was my first time making homemade gyro meat. It wasn’t complicated, but it does take a little bit of time to do it right. The recipe for the meat comes straight from the amazing J. Kenji López-Alt at Serious Eats and you can find it here: Greek-American Lamb Gyros, with a quick photo recap below. Stop at the completion of Step 2 of Kenji’s recipe when the gyro meat is cooked and comes out of the oven.

Now onto our salad:

• 4 slices of gyro meat from the loaf made above
• 1 romaine heart, torn into large pieces
• 1 cucumber, cored and sliced into half moons
• A small handful of peppadew peppers
• 1 tomato, sliced into generous wedges
• 1/4 block of feta cheese, broken into large pieces
• 1 tbsp tzatziki sauce

Place 4 slices of gyro meat in a nonstick skillet.

Fry the meat on high heat for 30 seconds on each side, until it is golden brown.

Prepare the cucumber, peppers, tomato and feta.

If you have never seen peppadew peppers, this is how you can usually buy them. They are really sweet and juicy and go well in salads. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I like to stuff them with goat cheese and add them to antipasto plates.

Line a large bowl or serving platter with torn romaine lettuce.

Top with the cucumber, peppers, tomato  slices, feta and gyro meat slices.

Drizzle with tzatziki sauce, a spiced yogurt mixed with dill and cucumber.

You can make it yourself, but it can be a bit of a hassle getting all of the water out of the cucumbers, so a lot of times I just buy it at the store. This is the brand I like to use, Cedar’s All Natural Tzatziki. It’s usually wherever your grocery store keeps the hummus.

It makes an excellent dip and an even better salad dressing!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Greek Gyro Salad

 

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Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

2 mins

Total time

4 mins

 

Juicy and tender all-lamb gyro meat on top of a salad packed with tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, and peppadew peppers, drizzled with tzatziki sauce.

Author: Tekesha @ EatMoreFoodProject

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 4 slices of gyro meat from Serious Eats Recipe
• 1 romaine heart, torn into large pieces
• 1 cucumber, cored and sliced into half moons
• A small handful of peppadew peppers
• 1 tomato, sliced into generous wedges
• ¼ block of feta cheese, broken into large pieces
• 1 tbsp tzatziki sauce

Instructions

1. Place 4 slices of gyro meat in a nonstick skillet.
2. Fry the meat on high heat for 30 seconds on each side, until it is golden brown.
3. Prepare the cucumber, peppers, tomato and feta.
4. Line a large bowl or serving platter with torn romaine lettuce.
5. Top with the prepared vegetables and the gyro meat slices.
6. Drizzle with tzatziki sauce, a spiced yogurt mixed with dill and cucumber.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 219 Fat: 14 Carbohydrates: 13 Sugar: 8 Sodium: 580 Protein: 12

3.2.1311

Are you a kitchen dancer? Certain songs are just made for dancing around your kitchen, singing at the top of your lungs – mainly those with lyrics that are total nonsense. Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do? Mama say mama sah mama koo sah? Su su sudio? Galileo Galileo will you do the fandango? Whatever Snow is saying in that song Informer?? This, super easy, Baja Fish Taco Salad is perfect for turning on your favorite nonsense lyric song, singing wildly into your carrot microphone, and still putting something really impressive on the dinner table. Other than baking the fish, it’s basically an assembly job. Also, whyyyy have I not been broiling my fish this whole time?!?! It is so simple and amazing!

Gather together:

• 1 lb cod fish
• 1 tomato, cut into chunks
• 1/2 jalapeno, minced
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 head of napa cabbage, sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 4 tbsp sour cream
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• Pickled Red Onions
• Salt and pepper

Set your oven to Broil.

Salt and pepper your cod and place it on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Broil the fish for approximately 10 minutes, until the fish flakes easily.

When you pull it out of the oven, you should see that the fish has already started to separate into nice juicy chunks.

While the fish is broiling, assemble your salad.

Prepare your tomato, jalapeno, lime and cilantro.

Combine in a bowl so the flavors start to meld into a quick salsa.

Chop your napa cabbage.

Slice your avocado.

Combine sour cream and hot sauce.

I’m using Nando’s Peri-Peri Sauce, but you can use sriracha, Frank’s hot sauce, jalapeno tabasco or whatever else you have on hand.

To serve, fill a bowl half way with napa cabbage.

Top with a row of the tomato salsa…

a row of flaked fish…

a row of Pickled Red Onions…

and a row of avocado slices.

Drizzle with sour cream dressing and enjoy!

Baja Fish Salad

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Baja Fish Taco Salad with crunchy napa cabbage, broiled cod, quick tomato salsa, sliced avocado and spicy sour cream dressing.

Author: Tekesha @ EatMoreFoodProject

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb cod fish
• 1 tomato, cut into chunks
• ½ jalapeno, minced
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 head of napa cabbage, sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 4 tbsp sour cream
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• Pickled Red Onions
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Set your oven to Broil.
2. Salt and pepper your cod and place it on a foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Broil the fish for approximately 10 minutes, until the fish flakes easily. When you pull it out of the oven, you should see that the fish has already started to separate into nice juicy chunks.
4. While the fish is broiling, assemble your salad.
5. Combine your tomato, jalapeno, lime and cilantro in a bowl so the flavors start to meld into a quick salsa.
6. Chop your napa cabbage.
7. Slice your avocado.
8. Combine sour cream and hot sauce. I'm using Nando's Piri Piri Sauce, but you can use sriracha, Frank's hot sauce, jalapeno tabasco or whatever else you have on hand.
9. To serve, fill a bowl half way with napa cabbage.
10. Top with a row of the tomato salsa, a row of flaked fish, a row of pickled red onions, and a row of avocado slices.
11. Drizzle with sour cream dressing and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 183 Carbohydrates: 11 Sugar: 3 Sodium: 151 Protein: 13

3.2.2802

Let us pretend that I’m not completely running out of ideas for these intro photo badges. I mean, you HAVE to try this recipe. It’s postively . . . celestial. Okay, moving right along.

Prior to a couple of years ago, most of my exposure to Thai food was limited to curries and noodle dishes. One day we were dead tired after work and looking for something to order outside of the typical Chinese or pizza. We found a Thai place that delivered and ordered a few meaty sounding salads, including a version of this called yum nua.

Since that time, I’ve seen this made several different ways, with all kinds of ingredients. I’ve experimented with making it with heavier dressings and different cuts of steak, but this version is our favorite and super easy to make. It’s adapted from a recipe in Cook’s Illustrated Best 30 Minute Recipes to fit our tastes.

Gather up:

• 2 ribeye steaks
• 1/4 red onion, sliced thin
• 1 cubanelle pepper, de-seeded and sliced into thin rings
• 1/2 cup of grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, minced
• 4 tsp brown sugar
• 1/3 cup of fish sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 romaine hearts, torn into large chunks (for serving, optional)

Slice your onion, cubanelle pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro, and basil.

Heat a grill pan on medium high heat and spray with a light coating of nonstick spray.

Season your steaks with a little salt and pepper on each side.

Cook your steaks for 5 minutes on the first side, then flip them over and cook for 3-6 minutes on the second side, depending on your desired level of doneness. (The less time on the second side, the more rare the steaks will be.)

Remove steaks from pan and let rest on a plate for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix lime juice…

fish sauce…

and brown sugar.

Divide this lime juice mixture between two bowls.

Thinly slice your steak and add it to one of the bowls with the lime mixture.

Toss your sliced veggies and herbs into the other bowl with the lime mixture.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bowl with the veggies and herbs.

Use your hands to vigorously mix the ingredients together so the flavors start to meld.

Let both components marinate in their respective lime mixtures for at least 10 minutes.

Remove steak from lime mixture and discard the marinade.

Remove veggies from lime mixture and discard the marinade.

You can serve this as is, with steak on the bottom and seasoned veggies on top.

Or you can serve both on top of torn romaine lettuce. There’s no need to add any dressing because the meat and the vegetables will have sucked up and still be coated with the delicious marinade.

Either way, it’s delicious!

Thai Style Beef Salad

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Thai-inspired steak salad with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, and peppers steeped in a light and crisp marinade.

Author: Tekesha @ EatMoreFoodProject

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 ribeye steaks
• ¼ red onion, sliced thin
• 1 cubanelle pepper, de-seeded and sliced into thin rings
• ½ cup of grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, minced
• 4 tsp brown sugar
• ⅓ cup of fish sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 romaine hearts, torn into large chunks (for serving, optional)

Instructions

1. Slice your onion, cubanelle pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro, and basil.
2. Heat a grill pan on medium high heat and spray with a light coating of nonstick spray.
3. Season your steaks with a little salt and pepper on each side.
4. Cook your steaks for 5 minutes on the first side, then flip them over and cook for 3-6 minutes on the second side, depending on your desired level of doneness. (The less time on the second side, the more rare the steaks will be.)
5. Remove steaks from pan and let rest on a plate for 10 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, mix lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar.
7. Divide this lime juice mixture between two bowls.
8. Thinly slice your steak and add it to one of the bowls with the lime mixture.
9. Toss your sliced veggies and herbs into the other bowl with the lime mixture.
10. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to this bowl with the veggies and herbs.
11. Use your hands to vigorously mix the ingredients together so the flavors start to meld.
12. Let both components marinate in their respective lime mixtures for at least 10 minutes.
13. Remove steak from lime mixture and discard the marinade.
14. Remove veggies from lime mixture and discard the marinade.
15. You can serve this as is, with steak on the bottom and seasoned veggies on top.
16. Or you can serve both on top of torn romaine lettuce.

Notes

Nutrition information provided includes the lime marinade, even though it is not consumed in the final dish.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 213 Fat: 15 Carbohydrates: 9 Sugar: 6 Sodium: 2193 Protein: 13

3.2.1311

This recipe is slightly adapted from Dan of Food in my Beard’s Leftovers Pasta Salad, one of my favorite bloggers. (He actually has a book out called Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook that is really unique, just like his blog.) I came across his blog a long time ago while looking at recipes for making fresh pasta. I always thought I should wait to make fresh pasta until I had the perfect kitchen with tons of space and all the fancy gadgets. Then I saw Dan (actually Mandi) making pasta on a small coffee table, with pasta sheets drying all over the bed, and I realized that I needed to seize the day! No need to wait for a fancy kitchen! We made fresh pasta that very day. He is my adventurous food hero and I’m inspired by all the unusual flavor combinations he puts together.

The best way to describe this pasta salad is BRIGHT. There are a lot of taco pasta salads out there that use mayo or bottled dressings to bring it all together and this one doesn’t have any of that. You really get to taste the flavors of the fresh ingredients.

Here’s what you need:

• 1 lb taco meat (ground beef cooked in taco seasoning), cooled
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped finely
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped finely
• 1 tomato, de-seeded and chopped finely
• 1 cup romaine, chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chunky salsa (I use Chi-Chi’s Mild Thick and Chunky, which is made with all-natural ingredients)
• 2 stalks of scallion, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 lb fusilli pasta, cooked
• Juice of 1 lime

Either use leftover taco meat or brown 1 lb of ground beef, drain the oil, and add taco seasoning. Let this mixture cool completely. You REALLY need to wait for it to cool completely, otherwise the cheese and lettuce we are mixing it with will immediately melt and wilt. It’s also really important that you drain the beef before adding your seasonings. Cold oil looks and tastes terrible and you will ruin the salad.

In a large bowl, combine bell peppers…

tomato…

romaine lettuce…

cheddar cheese…

chunky salsa…

scallion…

cilantro…

and sour cream.

By this time, your taco meat should be cool if you made it fresh. Add it to the other ingredients in the bowl. If you want to keep this low carb, you can stop right here and mix everything together. It is wicked good!

If not, proceed by boiling water and cooking your fusilli noodles.

Drain and rinse them under cold water until they are cool. I know Italian grandmothers everywhere are probably turning in their graves over that last statement about rinsing pasta, but it helps to cool the pasta down quickly so you can mix it with the other ingredients and get your grub on.

Add the cooled pasta to the other ingredients in the bowl…

squeeze a lime on top of the pasta…

and give everything a nice mix.

On the second day, I warm it up slightly (about 30 seconds  in the microwave) to take the chill on the beef down a notch. It’s super good with jalapeno tabasco. Or chipotle tabasco. Or both, lol (pictured below)!

Taco Pasta Salad

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Refreshing pasta salad with bright, Mexican flavors.

Author: Tekesha @ EatMoreFoodProject

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb taco meat (ground beef cooked in taco seasonings), cooled
• ½ green bell pepper, chopped finely
• ½ orange bell pepper, chopped finely
• 1 tomato, de-seeded and chopped finely
• 1 cup romaine, chopped
• ½ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• ½ cup chunky salsa (I use Chi-Chi's Mild Thick and Chunky)
• 2 stalks of scallion, chopped finely
• ¼ cup cilantro, minced
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 lb fusilli pasta, cooked
• Juice of 1 lime

Instructions

1. Either use leftover taco meat or brown 1 lb of ground beef, drain the oil, and add taco seasoning. Let this mixture cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, combine bell peppers, tomato, romaine lettuce, cheddar cheese, chunky salsa, scallion, cilantro, and sour cream.
3. Add your taco meat to the bowl.
4. Fill a large pot with water and cook your fusilli noodles.
5. Drain and rinse your noodles under cold water until they are cool.
6. Add the cooled pasta to the other ingredients in the bowl.
7. Squeeze a lime on top of the pasta.
8. Mix everything together and serve.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 367 Fat: 19 Carbohydrates: 48 Sugar: 2 Sodium: 164 Protein: 21

3.2.1303