Mexican Caviar (Cowboy Salad)

Credit for this dish goes to Maricruz Avalos Flores at M.A. Kitchen

This Mexican Caviar recipe is a vibrant mix of beans, corn, and fresh veggies, all tossed in a tangy vinaigrette. It is a crowd-pleaser and makes the perfect dip or side dish for gatherings, potlucks, and barbecues!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups corn kernels - canned or fresh

• 1.5 cups black beans - drained and rinsed

• 1 cup black-eyed peas - drained and rinsed

• 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes - quartered

• 1 medium ripe avocado - diced

• 1 cup green bell peppers - diced

• 1 cup red bell peppers - diced

• 2/3 cup red onion - diced

• 1/4 cup jalapeño peppers - chopped

• 1 small bunch cilantro - chopped (Optional)

Dressing:

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil

• 2 Tablespoons white vinegar

• 1 lime (juiced, about 2 Tablespoons)

• 1 ½ teaspoons honey (or sugar)

• 1 teaspoon chili powder or hot paprika

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• ¼ teaspoons garlic powder

• salt & pepper (to taste)

Preparation:

Place all diced vegetables, beans, and chopped cilantro in a large mixing bowl.

Add all ingredients for the dressing in a jar and close it with a tight lid.

Shake the jar until all ingredients are nicely emulsified.

Pour the dressing into the bowl with vegetables and toss everything until nicely coated.

Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Chill the salad in the fridge for 20-30 minutes then serve with chips.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Healthy Tuna Lunch for One

This lunch has become such a favorite of mine... so much so that I sometimes eat it several times a week! The possibilities are pretty much endless, and the dish is packed with protein, antioxidants and zero carbs in the version you see here. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1  5 oz can solid white Albacore tuna in water - drained
• 1/2 tomato - diced
• 1/4 yellow onion - other varieties work well, too
• 3" piece cucumber - quartered and sliced
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 scallion - cut up for garnish or mixed in 

Preparation:

I just use one of my soup bowls for prep and eating so there's one less thing to wash. :-)

Break up the tuna with a fork and add mayo, oil, salt & pepper and mix.

Fold in onion, tomato, cucumber and cut up scallion. Add more olive oil if so desired.  Done! :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Grilled Zucchini & Chickpea Salad with Burrata

 Full credit for this delightful salad goes to Lea Stark.

This beautifully balanced salad is savory and can be served year-round. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium zucchini - sliced
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 ball burrata cheese
• fresh mint leaves
• olive oil
• red chili flakes or crushed Aleppo pepper (optional)
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Grill zucchini slices until tender and slightly charred.

In a bowl, combine grilled zucchini and chickpeas. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.

Place the burrata on top. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve immediately. :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Green Bean Salad

 Credit for this vibrant salad goes to Ellie Krieger (foodnetwork.com)

Ellie Krieger steams fresh green beans and then enhances their flavor with walnuts, red onion, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard for a fantastic, easy side dish that won’t bust your blood glucose bank. Enjoy!

Photo credit: Matt Armandaritz - foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
• 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped red onion
• 2 tsp walnut oil or olive oil
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of water with a steamer basket to a boil, add green beans and steam for about 4 minutes. Steaming is better than boiling as it preserves flavor and freshness. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Toast the walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat until they become fragrant, about 2 minutes, and then transfer them to a small bowl to cool. Add the parsley and onion to the walnuts and stir to combine.

In another small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard. Toss the dressing with the green beans, top with the walnut mixture and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Asparagus Ribbon Salad

I found this little gem on the Net a few years ago, and it was such a foreign, yet intriguing idea to me that I simply had to try it. I'm really glad I did, because it is so good that it has pretty much become a staple in my arsenal of go-to dishes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

· 1 bunch fresh asparagus
· 1/4 cup lemon juice
· 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
· Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
· 2-3 oz shaved parmesan cheese
· 1/4 cup sliced almonds - toasted

Preparation:

Lay one asparagus stalk on cutting board, hold by the base and using a vegetable peeler make thin ribbons by "peeling" from base to tip. When half-way through, turn stalk over and do the other half. Discard the base end and center if too thick . 

Shave parmesan using an ordinary cheese grater.

Place the almonds in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Toss them frequently and do not leave unattended as you want the almonds toasted, not charred

Blend lemon juice and olive oil; pour over asparagus in bowl. Add salt & pepper, toss and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Arrange salad on plate. Add shaved parmesan and then top off with toasted almonds.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Kale Caesar with Fried Chickpeas

Credit for this wonderful salad goes to Food & Wine

This tangy Caesar salad from F&W’s Justin Chapple is topped with light, airy and super crunchy pan-fried chickpeas.

Ingredients:

• Canola oil, for frying
• One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1 1/4 pounds curly kale, stemmed and chopped (10 cups)

Preparation:

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil until shimmering. Add the chickpeas and fry over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chickpeas to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the lemon juice, mustard, garlic and the 1/4 cup of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the kale and toss to coat. Add the fried chickpeas and toss again. Top with shredded Parmesan and serve.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Salad

Credit for this salad goes to Brittany Mullins at Eating Bird Food

The actual origins of this salad are a bit blurry, but stories surrounding Jennifer Aniston have simply made it hers. Whether you're a fan of Ms. Aniston or not, I can assure you that this salad will delight your senses and make you smile. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup quinoa or bulgur wheat, uncooked
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup cucumber - chopped
• ½ cup parsley - chopped
• ½ cup mint-  chopped
• ⅓ cup red onion - chopped
• ½ cup roasted and salted pistachios - chopped
• 1 15 ounce can chickpeas - drained and rinsed
• 2 lemons - juiced (about 5-6 Tablespoons)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation: 

Rinse and drain quinoa. Add quinoa and water to a small pot and bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool for 5-10 minutes. 

In a medium bowl, stir together cooked quinoa, cucumber, parsley, mint, red onion, pistachios, chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and feta.

Optionally you can leave chickpeas, pistachios and/or feta on the side so each diner can create their own blend. Another option is to roast the chickpeas for an extra crunch.

Serve immediately or let the salad chill in the fridge a couple hours before serving.

Store salad in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

German Cucumber Salad

When I was growing up in Germany, this salad was a family favorite. It was traditionally made with sour cream, but I have been making it for years now using low-fat yogurt and have tweaked it to what I think is a good, healthier substitute. You be the judge... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 English cucumber peeled and sliced very thin
• 1/4 onion sliced to same thickness (work off 1/2 onion for safety)
• 3/4 cup low fat yogurt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Preparation:

Blend all ingredients except cucumber and onion in a suitable mixing bowl. Set your mandolin thin enough so that slices will just about bend under their own weight.

Slice the cucumber into the bowl being very careful toward the end as blood is definitely not part of the recipe. Use a glove or the guide that comes with the tool.

Working with half an onion so you have a "handle", slice 1/4 of the onion into the bowl.

Blend well and serve.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Zucchini, Feta & Pine Nut Salad

Here's another great salad from Diabetes Australia.

This refreshing zucchini, feta and pine nut salad is perfect for a summer barbeque or weekend family gathering. Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with rocket and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 5 medium zucchini
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 50g crumbled feta cheese
• Sprinkle of chives
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups rocket (arugula)
• 6 Kalamata olives quartered (optional)

Preparation:

Shave zucchini into thin strips using a vegetable peeler and lightly grill. Cook for about a minute on each side and set aside to cool.

In a non-stick fry pan, toast the pine nuts until lightly golden.

Toss shaved zucchini, chives, pine nuts, cheese, olives, salt and pepper together.

Drizzle olive oil, garnish with rocket and enjoy!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad

Credit for this delicious salad goes to Gina Homolka at Skinnytaste.com

This healthy Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad is a delicious and nutritious way to get more vegetables and plant-based foods into your diet.

Ingredients:

• 15- ounce can black beans - rinsed and drained
• 1 cup cooked quinoa - red or tri-color
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn -cooked
• 1 small red bell pepper - chopped
• 1 cup fresh mango - chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion - finely chopped 
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro - chopped 
• 1 small jalapeño pepper - seeded and finely diced
• juice from 1 medium lemon or lime
• 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves - minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

Preparation:

Mix together the beans, quinoa, corn, bell pepper, mango, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño in a mixing bowl.

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and turmeric in a small bowl.

Drizzle over the mixture and toss.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Lemon Pepper Halibut & White Bean Salad

This is another recipe that was inspired by a restaurant chef who refused to share way back in 2013... The appetizer of bacon wrapped grilled scallops served over a white bean salad topped with micro-greens was so incredibly good that we had to order a second portion for deconstruction... something I absolutely love to do. :-) So here's what I started with:

Fantastic appetizer... really... and back then I was all about the bacon! LOL What follows is a mystery to me a decade later, as I found a bunch of pics I took of recreating the dish at home ten years ago, but no recipe. Fortunately I was smart enough to take a group shot of the ingredients I used, so that gave me a place to start.

After studying the old pic it was time to get to work cutting up the ingredients using sizes best I could see in the decade old images and guessing at quantities.

This looked like a pretty good balance so I just put it all together, taking really bad notes along the way. LOL Hey... creativity is not always pretty! :-)

Now that I had my salad it was time to create a proper dressing. I could see from the old picture that lime juice was included, so I immediately went to my Luscious Lemon Vinaigrette recipe for guidance. Trial and error came up with this mix.

My mix really brought it all together to create a fresh, vibrant, flavorful salad than can actually stand alone. Fish lover that I am, though, I was itching to try the halibut bites I had recently received as part of a fish order. Seasoned with my favorite lemon pepper blend from FreshJax Organic Spices and a little olive oil, they were given a quick fry and then added on top of the white bean salad.

You didn't think this was just a story, did you? *smirks* The process is pretty obvious above, but here is the ingredient list. Enjoy!

Fish:

• 12 oz cubed halibut - any other white fish or scallops will work well, also.
• olive oil
• 1+ tbsp FreshJax lemon pepper blend

Salad:

• +/-3 cups baby spinach - should yield 1.5 cups chopped
• 2 15oz cans white beans - drained and rinsed
• 1 orange bell pepper - diced
• 1 shallot - minced
• 2 medium tomatoes - seeded and then diced
• 1/2 English cucumber - peeled, quartered, seeded and diced - should yield 1 cup

Dressing:

• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/8 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1/8 black pepper

Enjoy!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Asian Cucumber Salad

 Adapted from a recipe on Love Bakes Good Cakes to be more diabetic friendly.

Here's another tasty option for cucumbers. It makes for a great side salad to accompany Asian dishes, or if you want a stand-alone meal, consider adding cooked shrimp as a protein. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• Monk Fruit sweetener to taste (1 packet should do)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cucumbers, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped

Preparation:

In a large bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes until well combined.

Add cucumbers and red onion. Mix well. Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Mr. Mom’s Macaroni & Tuna Salad

This dish was developed during my years as Mr. Mom back in the 1990s in an effort to provide a multi-meal dish that’s not only nutritious, but also really easy to prepare. It is obviously a dish from my pre-diabetes days, but with pasta being in the low GI range, a sensible portion is fine for any diabetic.

Considering the raves this recipe had received at numerous Primary Caregiver Meetings, it’s sure to be a hit with any family excepting those who will only eat peanut butter & jelly, of course!

Serves 8-12

Ingredients:

• 1 lb rotini macaroni - cooked
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cans tuna in spring water - drained
• 1 large onion - minced           
• 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
• 15 oz can red kidney beans - drained
• 15 oz can chick peas - drained
• 6 oz black olives (large, pitted) cut in half
• 8 oz canned sliced mushrooms - 2 6.5 oz cans drained
• 2 fresh tomatoes - cut up
• 1 handful leaf parsley - chopped
• black pepper & salt to taste

Preparation:

Cook the macaroni in SALTED water. If the kids start screaming during this process, just ignore them, because the macaroni must be ALDENTE!! After draining the macaroni, spray it with cool water so it won’t cook itself any further. Break apart the tuna in a separate bowl so it'll be easier to mix with macaroni.

Add olive oil, mayonnaise & pepper and mix. If the kids scream now, go take care of them….the critical part is done. Add tuna, onion, dry and fresh parsley and mix.

Next add the mushrooms. The kidney beans, chick peas and olives should be stirred in very carefully, so they don’t break apart. Same thing goes for the tomato. 

If at this point the kids are still screaming, it probably means that they’re hungry, which is ok because your salad is ready.

GO FEED THEM!!!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Afghan Salata

A big thank you goes to my friend Sharon Giffin for finding this lovely salad on Diabetes UK. This salad is also known as Salata. This refreshing and colorful tomato, carrot and onion salad is light and crunchy. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 large tomatoes, finely chopped (260g)
• 50g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 20g fresh mint, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, juice and finely grated zest
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• good pinch pepper
• 1 large red onion, finely diced (180g)
• half cucumber, finely diced (160g)
• 2 large carrots, grated (250g)

Preparation:

Add the tomatoes to a bowl with the cilantro (or basil), mint, lemon juice, olive oil and pepper and mix well.

Add the red onion, cucumber and carrot. Mix well and serve.

Recipe tips:

Try with different herbs such as parsley, basil or dill.

Serve with grilled meat, fish, poultry or tofu.

Great as part of a buffet or for a packed lunch.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Thai Salad

 Credit for this salad goes to my friend Angela who found it in Grandma's Recipes.

This salad is fresh and vibrant and can be served as a side or as a stand-alone.

It is tasty year-round as well. :-) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups shredded green cabbage
• 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

For the Peanut Dressing:

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic - minced
• 1-2 tbsp water - as needed to thin

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine the shredded green cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots, and cilantro.

In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, grated ginger, and minced garlic until smooth. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing reaches your desired consistency.

Pour the peanut dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss well to combine.

Sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the slaw before serving.

The slaw is best enjoyed immediately or after chilling for a short time. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The slaw may become slightly softer over time.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!