Mediterranean Couscous

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry couscous
• 1.5-2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions (scallions)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Handful of spinach, chopped
• Fresh basil leaves to taste, chopped
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 cucumber, diced
• 2 full grinds of pepper
• 3-4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Boil 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Remove water from heat and immediately put dry couscous in pan. Stir and cover the saucepan and let sit for 8-10 minutes, until water is fully absorbed (but couscous should not be too dry).
2. Add all of the ingredients, substituting, increasing or decreasing to taste.
3. Mix well. Either serve immediately warm, or put in the fridge to cool and eat as a cold salad.
4. Enjoy!

~Recipe from Stephanie M.

Grilled Ginger Sesame Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• Marinade and dressing:
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 Tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1/4 cup red wine winegar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (white and green parts)
• Salad
• 1 lb Napa cabbage, very thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, grated
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup freshly cut cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, dry toasted
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, canola oil, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, and salt to make the marinade. Put the two chicken breasts in a gallon sized zip-top bag and add 3-4 tablespoons of the marinade over the chicken. Reserve the rest of the marinade for the dressing. Squeeze the air out of the bag so that the marinade comes into contact with the meat. With a meat pounder (or heavy pan, or empty bottle), pound the breasts to a uniform thickness. This will allow them to cook evenly and also help tenderize the meat. Allow the flattened chicken breasts to marinade 30 minutes.
2. To the reserved marinade, add in the vinegar and green onions. Now we have the dressing.
3. To a hot grill pan (yes, an outdoor grill or 'regular' pan is fine), add the marinated chicken breasts. Cook them about 4 minutes per side or until there is no signs of pink and juice runs clear when pierced with a small, sharp knife. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow them to rest 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, you will cut them crosswise into 1/4" inch thick slices.
4. In a large bowl, add the cabbage, carrots, green onions, cilantro, half of the sesame seeds, and half the almonds. Add the chicken and mix together. Add just enough of the dressing to coat the salad lightly and toss together.
5. Distribute salads to 4-6 plates. Re-whisk the dressing and drizzle a little over each salad. Garnish with the remaining almonds and sesame seeds on each plate.

~Recipe from menumusing.blogspot.com

Red-Leaf Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Serves: 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 medium red onion, quartered
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• course salt & ground black pepper
• 1 package (10 ounce) frozen cut green beans, thawed
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1 cup plain low fat yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons white-wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 head (10 ounce) red-leaf lettuce, torn bite size

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. On large rimmed baking sheet, toss together sweet potatoes, onion, and oil, season with salt & pepper. Roast until sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Add green beans and walnuts to sheet; toss. Roast until green beans are tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, and garlic; season dressing with salt & pepper. 
5. Top lettuce with roasted vegetable mixture; drizzle with dressing.

~Recipe from Real Food Magazine, 2008

Chopped Thai Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• Salad:
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 small head green or white cabbage (2 cups shredded)
• 1 large carrot (1 1/2 cups shredded)
• 1 green papaya (1 1/2 cups shredded)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• Dressing
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 bird's eye chili peppers (sub 1/2 teaspoon minced hot peppers) (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the chicken breasts, cover, and cook  for 15-20 minutes. When the chicken is done, remove from heat, drain water, let cool, and shred with two forks.
2. Chop the cabbage into very thin pieces, like it would be for coleslaw. Peel and grate the carrots. Cut off the skin, remove the seeds, and grate the papaya. Roughly chop the cilantro and green onions. Toss the chicken and vegetables in a large bowl and keep chilled.
3. Mince garlic by using a press or a small grater and chili peppers. Place garlic and peppers in a small mixing bowl with the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, lime juice, oil, and fish sauce. Whisk until smooth. Add the peanut butter and water and whisk until smooth and creamy.
4. Toss the salad with the dressing. Add the crushed peanuts. Serve chilled. 

*Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to one day. For best results, keep the leftover salad and dressing separate until ready to serve.

~Recipe from pinchofyum.com

Raw Kale Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 Kale leaves (raw)
• 1/4 orange
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon champagne vinegar
• 1/8 cup feta cheese
• 1/8 cup almonds
• Handful dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Chop kale, removing hard stems.
2. To make dressing: squeeze orange and mix the juice with olive oil and champagne vinegar. 
3. Sprinkle feta cheese, almonds and cranberries over kale.
4. Top with dressing and enjoy!

~Recipe from Stephanie M.

Taco Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 head or 1 bunch lettuce, chopped
• 1 lb ground turkey or beef
• 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• few hand fulls of tortilla chips, crushed by hand
• Ranch dressing, to taste
• Taco sauce, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in saute pan. Add ground turkey and break up while cooking. When meat is almost cooked through add the diced onion and cook until translucent.
2. Add taco seasoning and 1/2 cup water. Stir to combine and let water evaporate out.
3. Each serving: Place lettuce on plate, top with tortilla chips, meat, cheese, tomato, taco sauce and ranch dressing, as well as any other toppings you would like.

Other toppings I have used: sour cream, black olives, black beans, and corn.

Recipe by Mikaila

Oriental Salad

Ingredients
2 packages beef Ramen noodles, crumbled
3/4 Cup sunflower seeds, toasted
3/4 Cup almonds, slivered
2 Tbs butter (or oil/cooking spray)
16 oz pkg shredded cabbage (or one small cabbage)
1/2 Cup onion, chopped small
1/2 cup radish, chopped
1/2 Cup red pepper, chopped
1 Cup Safflower Oil
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 Cup sugar
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Beef flavor packets from the Ramen noodles.

Directions:

1. Spread Ramen noodles, sunflower seeds, almonds and butter/oil on cookie sheet. Bake 350°F for 15 min or until golden brown. Let cool.
2. Place Ramen noodle mixture, cabbage, onion, radish and red pepper in a large bowl.
3. In a medium bowl whisk together safflower oil, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and beef packets.
4. Thirty minutes prior to serving add dressing and serve well chilled.

~Recipe via Briana