3 Salads You Must Make

Happy Humpday Friends.  Today I have not one recipe but three kick ass salad recipes.  They are all different but oh so good.  The quinoa and shaved Brussels Sprouts salad make great lunches and save well in the fridge.  The Iceberg Salad we paired with steaks and it was incredible.  They are all worth making!

Enjoy!

|| S H A V E D  B R U S S E L S   S P R O U T S   S A L A D  W I T H   C R I S P Y  

P R O S C I U T T O ||

I basically made this recipe up, I had a bag of Brussels Sprouts about to go old and just didn't feel like roasted them again.  This salad is on point.  The crispy prosciutto pairs perfectly with the Brussels.

Even Matt gobbled this up and said for green stuff this is pretty good.  You could also add shredded kale to this if you have any.

- 1 bag Brussels sprouts washed and shredded with a knife or mandolin

- 6-8 slices of prosciutto

- Parmesan cheese

- 1/4 cup olive oil

- juice of one lemon

- 1 garlic clove minced

- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

- salt and pepper

Shred the Brussels Sprouts- I use a knife because I cut my finger on the mandolin once and now it scares the crap out of me.  Just thinly slice with a knife and throw away the stem/core part.  Place in a bowl.  Mix dressing- olive oil and next 4 ingredients and pour over Brussels.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lay the prosciutto slices flat not over lapping on a baking sheet and bake about 10-15 mins until crispy.  Shred fresh Parmesan on top of salad and toss all together.  Then layer prosciutto on right before serving.

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|| C R I S P Y   I C E B E R G   S A L A D ||

 (from Ina Gartens' new cookbook "Make it Ahead"}

This is a spin on a traditional wedge salad.  It is so good.  The crispness of the radishes, celery, and green onions pair perfectly with the iceberg.  The homemade dressing is amazing. I will totally make the dressing again just have on hand.  Surprisingly Sterling loved the blue cheese dressing and dipped his carrots in it and kept requesting more. So don't buy store bought dressing definitely give this homemade one a try and it takes like 5 mins to make.  We gobbled it up. The recipe did not call for bacon but I added bacon because everything is better with bacon.

Dressing \\

4 ounces Roquefort Blue Cheese

2/3 cup good mayonaise

1/3 cup plain  Greek Yogurt

1 tablespoon Sherry Vinegar

salt and fresh pepper

Salad \\

4 tender inside celery stalks, trimmed and sliced

6 radishes trimmed and sliced into rounds

5 scallions sliced white and green parts

1 large head iceberg lettuce

4-6 ounces Roquefort Blue Cheese.

For the dressing, place 4 ounces of blue cheese in a bowl and microwave about 10-15 secs until it begins to melt.  Place the mayo, yogurt, warm blue cheese, and sherry vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a blender or food processor and process untll smooth.

For the salad, combine the celery, radishes, and scallions in a bowl.  Slice the head of iceberg across to make about 4-5 3/4 inch rounds.  Place on a dinner plate.  Spoon the dressing over the lettuce and sprinkle the veggie mix on top.  Top with blue cheese and I added bacon:)

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|| Z U C C H I N I   M I N T  A N D  P I S T A C H I O  Q U I N O A ||

(from Clean Slate Cookbook)

I made this for lunch a few weeks ago and really liked it.  You cook the zucchini so it gets a bit caramelized and has terrific flavor.  That paired with the mint and pistachios makes for a light healthy salad. 

1.5 cups of water

1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 zucchinis thinly sliced

1 garlic clove minced

3 scallions

1/4 cup roasted salted pistachios

juice and zest of one lemon

1/2 cup fresh mint chopped

Bring the water, quinoa and salt to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until liquid has absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl and fluff with a fork.

Heat oil in large skillet.  Add zucchini and cook until golden and tender about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and cook about 1 minute do not let it burn.  Season with salt and pepper

Stir in scallions, pistachios, lemon zest and juice, and mint.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.  I added a little extra drizzle of olive oil too.