French Lentil Salad

July 16, 2014 by Mackenzie

How can it be the middle of July already? I feel like I’m just settling into life in DC and all of a sudden I only have a few weeks left! I’m not ready to go – I’m having way too much fun!

I spent today running all over DC – attending the #MakeProgress National Summit (and hearing Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kristen Gillibrand and Chris Murphy speak!), running back to the Hill to attend a coffee with our Senator and some of our constituents, and then racing back to the conference to hear Vice President Joe Biden and Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speak.

It is days like these when I truly understand why people dedicate their lives to public service. There is much to change about the political system – yes, it can be frustratingly inefficient and unnecessairly political – but there are serious issues that must be addressed and it takes dedicated, inspired individuals to make that change happen. I’m intrigued to return to this world after graduation – I have no idea where/how but as Senator Warren said today, there is a fight that needs to be fought – she jumped in and I may too!

This week, in honor of Bastille Day on Monday (sorry the post is a few days late!), I made this French Lentil Salad! I needed a recipe with simple ingredients, that was easy to prepare and pack for lunch each day, and that filled me up and was packed with nutrition. This meal definitely fits that criteria. Lentils are an inexpensive source of protein, low in calories, and packed with fiber, iron and folate. Throw in the tomatoes and herb dressing for some flavor and you’ve got yourself a nutritious and delicious meal!

I found the recipe from a blog I’m follow called Eat, Drink and Be Skinny – yes, yes, and yes please! She has tons of healthy recipes, workout ideas (I’m doing this 30 day challenge), and lifestyle advice. Check out her site – I think you’ll enjoy it!

Comment below if you try this salad! I would love to hear what you think!

(P.S. – have you liked my new Never Skip Dessert by Mackenzie facebook page yet??!)

French Lentil Salad
Recipe slightly adapted from Sharon Palmer and EatDrinkandBeSkinny
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 pound dried lentils
4 cups water
1 (extra large) cube vegetable broth base
4 celery stalks, diced
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 medium shallots, finely diced
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (or some mix of dried herbs)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 cup croutons
Pinch of sea salt
1 bag of fresh arugula, to serve with

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, add the lentils, water and broth base. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but firm.

2. When the lentils are done, drain the liquid and transfer to a large bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes then cover and refridgerate for at least 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the celery, tomatoes, shallots, and parsley and set aside. In a small dish, whisk together the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, herbes de Provence, black pepper and garlic. When the lentils have chilled for 30 minutes or so, mix in the vegetable mixture. Next, pour the dressing over the salad and toss. Add the croutons and season with sea salt if desired. Chill until ready to serve – it’s best when it is nice and cold and even better the second day when the flavors have melded!

4. Serve over arugula, if desired.

Turkey and Sweet Onion Pitas with Orange-Cucumber Salad

March 16, 2014 by Mackenzie

There’s so many things I love about this dish – the sweet taste of the ground turkey, with the cinnamon, is so unique but it pairs excellently with the citrusy tang of the orange-cucumber salad. It’s healthy, with all the ingredients (except the pita) complying to the “real foods” challenge that I did last summer. One day this week I just mixed the salad into the meat and ate it without a pita – I also thought about making it into an omelete… Once it’s prepared it’s so versatile!

It’s also fast and easy to prepare and keeps well if you want to have an easily prepared meal on hand all week. I put the turkey/onion mixture in one tupperware and the salad in another and then just toasted a pita and warmed up the meat everytime I was ready to have it again. I also threw the salad on top of some spinach and served it with some sweet potatoes (next post!) for another meal. That was excellent as well – all in all, I know I will be making this often!

Comment below if you try it! I would love to hear what you think!

Turkey and Sweet Onion Pitas with Orange-Cucumber Salad
Recipe adapted from Cook Fresh Winter 2014 Magazine
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large oranges
1 small cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped mint
4 pita pockets, halved and lightly toasted (if you have big pita pockets than you’ll just need 2)
Plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add three quarters of the onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the onion to a small bowl and set aside.

2. Add the turkey, cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the skillet, and cook, breaking up the meat and stirring occasionally. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until cooked through. Drain well. Add the onions back in, tossing to combine.

3. Meanwhile, finely chop the remaining raw onion and transfer to a large bowl. Peel the oranges and cut the slices into bite-sized chunks, making sure to catch the juice. Add the oranges, orange juice, cucumber, vinegar, mint, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the large bowl; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Fill the pitas with the turkey/onion mixture and add some of the orange-cucumber salad. Finish it off with a dollop of Greek yogurt and serve with the remaining salad on the side.

Brown Butter Vanilla Brussels Sprouts

January 25, 2014 by Mackenzie

Brussels sprouts do not generally elicit much excitement in an eater. They have a horrible reputation that far precedes them. How many of you have actually eaten brussels sprouts? I hadn’t until just a year ago – I’d gone along with the common school of thought that brussels sprouts were an evil, mushy, horribly-tasting vegetable and to have a pleasant life, you must stay as far away from them as possible.

Well, last year my roommate discovered that I’d never had Brussels sprouts and she was adamant that I change that. Reluctantly, I let her make me some – and lo and behold, I tasted one and thought, where have these been all my life? There’s nothing evil, mushy, or horrible about them! In fact, they are a little bit crunchy, very flavorful and quite delicious! What do ya know? 🙂

So here’s an easy, quick, and delicious brussels sprouts recipe that is sure to make you love them too. The title makes it sound sweet – but I added enough salt, pepper and garlic powder to balance it out so it weighs more heavily on the savory side. I created this recipe based off of a dish from a restaurant in Bellevue, called Palomino. They turned out great – and I’ll definitely be making them often! Here’s another recipe I’ve got that uses brussels sprouts, this butternut squash sauce pasta with brussels sprouts,

Brown Butter Vanilla Brussels Sprouts
Recipe inspired by Palomino’s “Brussels Sprouts in Vanilla Butter”
Serves 2

3 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup onions, diced
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
1 lb Brussels sprouts (about 20), washed, ends trimmed and then halved
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, roughly
1/4 cup walnuts
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a medium skillet, melt two tablespoons butter over medium heat. Watching carefully, let it cook until it begins to brown. Let it brown for about 20 seconds and then add the onions and sauté for three minutes. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and cook for an additional minute.

2. Add brussels sprouts and cook for about five minutes, until sprouts are beginning to brown and are getting soft. Add last tablespoon butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, walnuts, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste (start with just a little salt and pepper and continue to taste it as you add more. I wanted it more savory than sweet so ended up adding a good bit of salt and pepper in the end) Allow it all to cook together for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve immediately.

Superfood Fall Salad

December 31, 2013 by Mackenzie

I know it’s not really fall anymore, but this salad just looked too good to wait until next fall to make! The foods in it are some of my favorites: sweet potatoes, butternut squash and dates. They also happen to be “superfoods,” full of nutrition and good for your body. This salad was part of our big meal on New Year’s Eve – we served it with salmon (and the apple tart in the background of this photo) and it was delicious!

Superfood Fall Salad
Recipe from Del Sole
Serves 10

Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
1 large sweet potato
1 cup uncooked wild rice
2 tablespoons flaxseeds
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more
1/2 cup dried cranberries
12 pitted dates, sliced
1/2 cup basil, chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, divided

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel the butternut squash and scoop out the seeds. Cut into one-inch pieces, or however big/small you want them for the salad. Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, some salt and pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg into the cubed squash. Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Start checking it after 25 minutes or so, so that it does not cook too much and get mushy. When finished roasting, set aside, keeping any juices to add to the salad later for additional flavor.

2. While squash is cooking, boil water in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook rice for 30 minutes or until cooked. Drain and mix in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, then set aside.

3. Peel and chop the sweet potato into small chunks, like the squash. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup of olive oil with 1/4 cup of maple syrup and mix well. Pour over the sweet potatoes and add some salt and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, stirring to coat. Roast at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through. Keep any juices.

4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, roasted squash, roasted sweet potato, flaxseeds, cranberries, dates and any juices from the roasted vegetables. Sprinkle basil over the top. You can serve it slightly warm or cold – we liked it both ways!

Southwestern Black Bean and Grilled Chicken Salad

September 2, 2013 by Mackenzie

Okay, this salad is so good that I ate it for dinner one night, and then lunch and dinner the next day. Ha! Fine, I’ll admit that I was going out of town the following day so needed to get rid of it and I had nothing else to eat. But… I still really enjoyed it every single time and look forward to making it again!

I love that this salad has a southwestern flare, but isn’t overloaded like a taco salad is. It’s perfect for late summer with the refreshing cherry tomatoes and vibrant colors from the avocado and tomatoes. I adjusted the original recipe to make it “clean-eating” complaint and I don’t think you’d ever notice the changes! It is a bit more time consuming than your average salad – but it’s easily filling enough for a main dish so it’s worth the extra effort!

Southwestern Black Bean, Tomato, and Grilled Chicken Salad
Serves 3
Recipe adapted just slightly from CookFresh Magazine 2011

Ingredients:
2 organic, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
2 teaspoons maple syrup
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 can black beans
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large scallion, thinly sliced
1 package of pre-washed romaine lettuce, chopped
2 medium firm-ripe avocados

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, coriander, cumin, 3/4 teaspoons salt and maple syrup. Then, cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, creating four thin, chicken cutlets. Rub both sides of the chicken with the spice mix. You can cook the chicken either by grilling it or in a skillet (I’ve done it both ways, since I don’t have a grill at school). If you’re grilling it, heat grill to medium-high heat and grill chicken for three minutes on top side and about two minutes on bottom side. If you are cooking it in a skillet, head some olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat and cook, flipping occasionally until done, about ten minutes.

2. While the chicken cooks, prepare the dressing. In a glass jar with a lid (if you don’t have one, a small bowl works fine too), combine the olive oil, lime juice, 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, the honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk or shake well to combine. (I’ve found this makes extra dressing so I do it in a glass jar so I can save the extras for another salad!)

3. In a separate bowl, combine the black beans, tomatoes, scallion and remaining 2 teaspoons of cilantro and a pinch of salt. Add about 2 tablespoons of the dressing and toss gently.

4. In a large bowl or on a serving platter, toss the lettuce with a little bit of the dressing to lightly coat. Slice the chicken breast very thinly and pit and slice the avocado. Arrange the chicken, avocado and black bean/tomato mixture over the lettuce. Drizzle more dressing over salad if desired.

Quinoa Salad with Apples, Walnuts, Dates, and Gouda

August 21, 2013 by Mackenzie

This is another easy to-go meal that I brought along on our drive to St. Louis. I love this salad because it has so many of my favorite things in it – apples, walnuts, celery, gouda, dates, grapes… Yum! This salad keeps well for a couple of days – so put it in some single-serving tupperware and you’ll have lunch for the week!

Quinoa Salad with Apples, Walnuts, Dates and Gouda
Serves 5
Recipe adapted from Cookfresh Magazine 2011

Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup water
Sea salt
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cups arugula
4 oz. aged Gouda, diced
1 1/2 medium celery rips, thinly sliced
1/2 large, crisp apple, Fuji or Pink Lady, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dates, pitted and diced
3/4 cup grapes, halved
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa: place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. When done, fluff with a fork and allow to cool.

2. While the quinoa cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and brown around the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and toss with the onions until the vinegar cooks away, about one minute. Remove from the heat and let cool.

3. In a large bowl, mix the quinoa, onion, arugula, cheese, celery, apple, walnuts, dates and grapes.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil with the apple cider vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and a few grinds of pepper. Gently mix the dressing into the salad. Enjoy!

Mackenzie

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