14 May, 2012

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, but I knew the woman I wanted to become.

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG

I don’t know if anyone noticed, but I kind of took a week off from cooking. Blame it on being sick, traveling, or friends’ birthdays, but I did a lot of eating out last week. So this week is going to be all about the fresh produce, like the kind that comes crawling with caterpillars from our backyard.

Chris did not find the bugs in his salad to be as amusing, discarding them in a bush where they belong.

At least I didn’t have to worry about dodging the bugs when it came to my side dish, since the produce came straight from the grocery store (Wal-Mart wouldn’t dare have bugs in their food).

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups broccoli, chopped

2 cups cauliflower, chopped

1 cup onion, chopped (optional)

1 cup golden raisins

½ cup Greek yogurt

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup agave nectar

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine broccoli, cauliflower, and onion.

2. Top with raisins.

3. Mix in yogurt, mayonnaise, agave nectar, and vinegar. Chill for 30 minutes.

4. Enjoy!

My perfect dinner plate includes a huge portion of veggies, so this broccoli salad fit right in tonight.

This cool, sweet salad leaves my taste buds wanting more on a hot, summer night, and since it is made with healthy Greek yogurt, I don’t mind piling it up.

Almost every bite has a chewy raisin paired with the crispy vegetables. That’s my kind of salad!

Tonight there wasn’t a clean plate in the house. Yummy!

What’s your favorite dinner side?

2 May, 2012

Fiesta Chicken Taco Salad

Life always offers you second chance. It’s called tomorrow.

UNKNOWN

It’s Doug Week! A week dedicated to celebrating my adopted pug’s quirky tendencies. I mentioned yesterday how he is attached to my side, at all times. This means that while my other pug is enjoying the beautiful outdoors, Doug in inside. He literally hates being outside unless I am out there with him.

What kind of dog does not like being outside? I told my husband that I think he lived in the wild before we adopted him, but he thinks that is ludicrous. I don’t know. He does always manage to find empty mayonnaise bottles to feed off of.

Doug, get out of the recycling bin!!!

The only time he enjoys being outside is in our company, especially when we are gardening or throwing him the Frisbee, obviously.

Which is straight where I went to get started with dinner, cutting off some fresh lettuce.

Nothing taste better than fresh produce, which I used to make…

Fiesta Chicken Taco Salad

Ingredients:

1 large chicken breast

1 green pepper

1 red onion

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 taco salad shells

1 cup brown rice

1 cup cilantro, chopped

½ lime, juiced

1 cup Mexican Cheese Dip

2 cups Romaine lettuce, shredded

1 cup pineapple, cubed

Directions:

1. Brown onions and peppers in oil over medium heat.

2. Cook chicken. Stir in ½ cup cilantro and lime juice.

3. Stir remaining cilantro into rice and fill taco shells.

4. Top rice with lettuce, onion and pepper mix, and chicken.

5. Drizzle cheese on top.

6. Garnish with pineapple and enjoy!

There is something about the pineapple on top that makes this salad out of this world! Combined with the melted cheese and chicken, it is simple perfect.