EDAMAME SALAD and BLACK BEAN AND QUINOA SALAD and LIMA BEAN AND SPINACH SALAD

Lovely, healthy side salads - perfect for the seasonal transition.

EDAMAME SALAD

1 12 ounce bag of frozen edamame
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons shredded basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the edamame according to package directions. Drain and cool.
Place the cooled edamame in a bowl, add cranberries, feta cheese, basil, olive oil and pepper. Gently stir to combine. Serve chilled.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from About You Magazine, July 2013
www.aymag.com/Recipes/‎

BLACK BEAN AND QUINOA SALAD

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon pickled jalapeños, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 limes, juiced
2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the quinoa in water for 15 to 20 minutes. Mix the quinoa, black beans, corn, red pepper, jalapeño, green onion and cilantro in a large bowl. Mix the olive oil, lime juice, chipotle, cumin, coriander, hot sauce and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Toss the salad in the dressing.
Enjoy!

LIMA BEAN AND SPINACH SALAD
SALAT IZ FASOLI I SHPINATA

1 cup frozen lima beans
10 ounces fresh spinach
3/4 cup walnut pieces
3 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
pinch of dried red pepper flakes
fresh lemon juice to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook lima beans in a pot of boiling water, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Drain the beans, place in a bowl. Cook the spinach in boiling, salted water until cooked through. Cool until manageable, then squeeze the spinach to remove any excess water.
Combine the spinach, walnuts, garlic, vinegar and olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth.
Gently stir the spinach mixture into the beans along with the parsley, coriander, and dried red pepper flakes. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from "Please to the Table, the Russia Cookbook", Anya von Bremzen and John Welchman

ROASTED BEETS WITH HAZELNUT VINAIGRETTE AND BURRATA and SPINACH SALAD WITH BEETS, QUINOA AND GOAT CHEESE and ROASTED BEETS AND CELERY ROOT WITH GOAT BUTTER

I LOVE beets! They are one of those ingredients that draws me in, and influences me to try a recipe.
I grew up only knowing pickled beetroot, which we would put on a burger or sandwich, so my discovery of fresh beets during the past few years has been a delicious and beautiful revelation.

ROASTED BEETS WITH HAZELNUT VINAIGRETTE AND BURRATA

VINAIGRETTE
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
6 tablespoons hazelnut oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
SALAD
2 pounds beets, tops trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 8-ounce rounds of burrata, sliced
5 to 6 basil leaves, cut into ribbons
1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts

VINAIGRETTE
Combine vinegar, lemon juice and shallot in a small bowl. Stir in mustard. Gradually whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
SALAD
Heat oven to 375F.
Toss beets with oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking dish, cover tightly with foil and roast beets until tender, about 40 minutes. Uncover, let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Peel beets, then quarter them.
Toss beets with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in a medium bowl. Arrange burrata on a serving plate. Season with salt and pepper.
Top burrata with beets, drizzle remaining vinaigrette from bowl over the top. Garnish with basil and hazelnuts.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from bon appetit
www.bonappetit.com/.../roasted-beets-with-hazelnut-vinaigrette-and-burr...‎

SPINACH SALAD WITH BEETS, QUINOA AND GOAT CHEESE

1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 ounces of spinach
3/4 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
2 cooked beets, peeled and cut into wedges
3 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup walnuts

In a bowl, whisk the lemon zest and juice, shallot and olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the remaining ingredients with the dressing.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine, January/February 2014
www.rachaelray.com/‎

ROASTED BEETS AND CELERY ROOT WITH GOAT BUTTER

1 1/4 pounds golden beets, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons goat butter
1 pound celery root, peeled and cut into batons
2 thyme sprigs
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup chicken stock

Heat oven to 350F.
In a baking dish, toss the beets with the oil. Cover with foil and roast for about 1 hour, until the beets are tender when pierced. Let cool slightly, then peel the beets and cut them into small wedges.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the goat butter. Add the celery root and thyme sprigs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the stock and simmer over moderate heat until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining stock, 1/4 cup at a time, and cook until the celery root is tender, 8 to 10 minutes total.
Stir in the beets and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon of goat butter and season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine Magazine, January 2011
www.foodandwine.com/‎

SALMON RED QUINOA AND ARUGULA SALAD

I find such joy and satisfaction in putting a simple meal on the table for my family and returning to familiar household routines after being away from them. I adore travel - the excitement of packing up and disappearing on an adventure - but I love to be home too.

SALMON RED QUINOA AND ARUGULA SALAD

1 cup white wine
4 salmon fillets
1 onion, sliced
3 sprigs of thyme
1/2 cup red quinoa
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 to 2 cups of arugula
juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime
1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
4 tablespoons harissa
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

In a large pot, boil wine and 4 cups of water. Add salmon, onion and thyme. Reduce heat to simmer, poach salmon until cooked through, about 7 minutes.
In another large pot, boil 4 cups of water. Add quinoa and cook until tender, about 11 minutes, drain.
In a bowl, mix quinoa, chickpeas, raisins and spices, cool.
Toss quinoa mixture with arugula. Dress salad with lemon juice and oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Divide salad and poached salmon among 4 plates. Top each salmon fillet with 1 tablespoon harissa. Garnish with cilantro and almonds.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Self Magazine, May 2013
www.self.com/search/recipe‎