Kale, Quinoa and Roasted Mini Pepper Salad

Inspired by @kalememaybe’s quinoa and roasted mini pepper salad with crispy chickpeas, roasted red onion, feta, dill, and honey lemon vinaigrette

Make the dressing in the serving bowl: 3 tablespoons of olive oil; 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon of honey; juice of 1 lemon; 1 teaspoon of garlic powder (or 2 cloves of garlic, grated, or finely chopped); 1/2 teaspoon of cured sumac; and 1/2 a teaspoon of dried oregano

Cook 1 cup of quinoa according to it’s instructions

Remove large stems and chop 1 lb of Tuscan kale

Toss both quinoa and kale with the dressing and set aside for a few hours (or overnight)

Arrange 1 red onion, 1 rinsed can of chick peas, and 1 lb of mini bell peppers on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and sumac and roast at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes; allow to cool

When ready to serve, add the roasted onions, chick peas, and peppers to the kale and quinoa, and also add 1/8 to 1/4 of a lb of crumbled feta and 1 lb of sugar snap peas, strings trimmed, and cut length-wise

An Early Fall Powerhouse Vegan Salad

Approximate quantities: 1 head of butter lettuce, roughly chopped; 3/4 of a cup of cooked brown rice; 2 Kirby cucumbers, cut lengthwise cut lengthwise into thin spears, then into 1-inch segments; kernels of 1 ear of grilled corn; about a cup of grilled wax beans, roughly chopped; 2 heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped; 3 medium carrots, sliced into thin disks; 2 medium sweet potatoes, peels, chopped into 1-2” cubes and tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Dried Icelandic Kelp, and roasted at 425 degrees for about 20-25 minutes; 1 grilled red bell pepper, roughly chopped; 1 16-ounce can of chickpeas, crisped in a skillet or on a sheet pan, and 1 medium sized watermelon radish, sliced into thin crescents drizzled with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper — although it also would be good with tahini dressing

Serves 2 as a main.

End of Summer Chopped Salad

Approximate quantities: 1 head of romaine lettuce, roughly chopped; 1 watermelon radish, thinly sliced; 2 large jersey tomatoes, roughly chopped; 3 medium carrots, sliced into thin disks; 1 medium lemon boy tomatoes, roughly chopped; 1 16-ounce can of chick peas, crisped one a sauté pan or in the oven; 6-8 pieces of halloumi cheese, crisped in a sauté pan with a sprinkle of chili and then drizzled with lemon juice, à la Nigella; 1 green pepper, thinly sliced; and 2 Kirby cucumbers, cut into thin disks drizzled with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper or tahini dressing

Serves 2 as a main.

Nancy’s Salad

I don’t know that I have ever actually faithfully followed this recipe. I make this salad a slightly different way every single time — in the fall and winter I use roasted red peppers instead of tomatoes, I’ve added artichokes, experimented with other Italian cheeses, omitted onions, made the vinaigrette, not made the vinaigrette, added cucumbers, carrots, and other things I’ve had on hand, and used dramatically less than 1/2 of pound of cheese and salami. Oh and I always crisp the chickpeas. None of this matters; it’s amazing every time. This salad as is or as a jumping off point is, obviously, a genius recipe.

Approximate quantities: 1 head of butter lettuce, roughly chopped; 1 large carrot, sliced into thin disks; 2 medium heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped; 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced; 1 small red onion or spring onion; thinly sliced; 2 Kirby cucumbers, sliced into thin disks; 8 pepperocini, roughly chopped; equal amounts aged provolone and sopressata, julienned; and 1 16-ounce can of chickpeas, crisped in a skillet or on a sheet pan drizzled in olive oil, red or white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and dried oregano

Serves two as a main.

Pasta Salad

So, yeah, pasta salad is frequently gross and rarely salad. What I like to do is toss a combination of vegetables and herbs together in salt and vinaigrette for a few hours before eating and then, just before serving, I cook the pasta, drain it, and toss it hot with the vegetables and add olive oil, lemon juice, more vinaigrette, maybe cheese to bring it together — I find this makes a really delicious, fresh, refreshing pasta salad.

The Kitchen Sink Pasta Salad

Approximate quantities: 3 Kirby cucumbers, cut lengthwise into thin spears, then into 1-inch segments; 3 medium carrots, sliced into thin disks; 1 pint of grape tomatoes, quartered; kernels of 2 ears of grilled corn; a 16 ounce can of chickpeas, quickly crisped in olive oil, salt, pepper, and cured sumac; 6 radishes, sliced into think disks; 8 ounces of penne, cooked al dente; 10 artichoke hearts, quartered; greens from 4-6 scallions, finely chopped; about 1/4 cup dill-and-lemon infused mustard vinaigrette

Grilled Peppers, Artichoke Hearts, and Tomatoes

Approximate quantities: 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped; 3 Kirby cucumbers, sliced into thin discs; two grilled yellow bell peppers, roughly chopped; 14-16 artichoke hearts, quartered; 2-4 tablespoons of fresh dill fronds; greens from 4-6 scallions, finely chopped; and dill-lemon-infused vinegar or lighter vinegar, like white wine or apple cider, and then juice of 1 lemon; and then one pound of pasta, olive olive, Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste

Chickpeas, Cucumbers, and Tomatoes

Approximate quantities: 2 Kirby cucumbers, sliced into thin discs; 1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved; greens from 4-6 scallions, finely chopped; and a 16 ounce can of chick peas; 1 teaspoon of cured sumac, lemon-and-garlic-infused-mustard vinaigrette or lighter vinegar, like white wine or apple cider, and then juice of 1 lemon; and then one pound of pasta, olive olive, Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste

Grilled Red Pepper, Snap Pea, and Avocado Salad

Approximate quantities: 1 head of red romaine lettuce, roughly chopped; 3 Kirby cucumbers, cut into thin discs; about a pound of sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut lengthwise; 2 grilled red peppers, roughly chopped; 1 avocado, cubed; and 1 can of chickpeas drizzled with basil-lemon-and-garlic-infused-mustard vinaigrette

Serves two as a main, four as a starter or side.

Another Greek-ish Salad

Approximate quantities: 1/4 of a head of purple cabbage, finely chopped; 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced; 1 pint of grape tomatoes; quartered; 3 medium carrots, sliced into thin discs; 8-10 artichoke hearts; 2 can of chickpeas; and feta cheese drizzled with lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper

Serves four as a side.

Falafel and Crispy Chickpea Chopped Salad

This is a super satisfying vegetarian, double chickpea, chopped salad that was inspired by a Mediterranean grain bowl that I ate for lunch the other week that got me thinking.

Ingredients:

6 falafels balls, roughly chopped
8 ounces of butter lettuce, romaine or any mix green will also be fine here
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 seedless cucumber or 6 small Persian or Kirby cucumbers, cut lengthwise into thin spears, then into 1-inch segments
1 watermelon radish or 4-6 small radishes, sliced into thin crescents
2 tablespoons sliced pepperocini or banana peppers, minced
3-4 ounces of feta, crumbled 
1 15 ounce can of chickpeas or 1/2 cup of crispy chickpeas snacks
4 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon

I did not make falafel from scratch — I bought a dozen from Sahadi’s, it’s up to you if you want to buy falafel, here in New York, they are easy to find them in the prepared foods area of super markets or to make them from scratch or to make them from a mix, which is what we did when I was a kid, if you are making falafel, obviously, that’s step one

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, scatter them across a sheet pan lined with parchment, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and roast for about 30 minutes, until they begin to crisp — you can also skip this step entirely and buy a bag of crispy chickpea snacks, they are everywhere lately

While the chickpeas are in the oven, roughly chop the falafel; quarter the cherry tomatoes; chop the cucumbers; slice the radishes; mince the pepperoni or banana peppers; and crumble the feta

Toss all of the vegetables and the falafel with the lettuce in a bowl and then make the dressing — in a small mixing bowl combine 4 tablespoons of tahini, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, and mix vigorously to combine

When the chickpeas are crispy on the outside, remove from oven and allow a few minutes to cool, and then add 1/2 cup to the salad, toss with dressing and season with salt and pepper

Serves two as a main, four as a starter or side.

Mid-Summer Classic Greek

Approximate quantities: 1 head of romaine lettuce, roughly chopped; 6-8 French breakfast radishes, quartered, length-wise; 1 English cucumber, roughly chopped; 4 artichokes, quartered, length-wise; 1 cubanelle pepper, cut into thin strips; 1 roasted yellow or red pepper, roughly chopped; 10-12 cherry tomatoes, quartered; Alison Roman's herbed chickpeas; 4 ounces feta cheese, cubed; mixed Greek olives; drizzled with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste

Serves four as a appetizer and two as a main.

An Israeli-ish Salad

It was slightly cloudy and cool last Saturday -- perfect weather to go absolutely crazy at the Union Square Greenmarket -- and so that's exactly what I did. And then I came home and made caprese for lunch and this Israeli-ish salad for dinner.

Approximate quantities: 1 medium sized tomato, cubed; 10 black cherry tomatoes, quartered; 1 small cucumber, cubed; 6 medium sized carrots, sliced into thin disks; 100 grams of feta cheese, cubed; 4 French breakfast radishes, sliced into thin disks; 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped; drizzled with juice of one lemon, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste

When you are ready to eat, make a version of Bon Appetite's insanely easy and insanely delicious herbed chickpeas: Peel and crush 4 cloves of garlic, drain and rinse one can of chickpeas, place chickpeas in a large skillet or Dutch oven and add garlic and a few tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are crisped and some have split open (these will be the most delicious ones), 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in a few additional tablespoons of parsley and then toss with salad.

Serves four as an appetizer or two as a main.