Farro Salad with Pomegranate, Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Welcome to Day 2 of Thanksgiving Recipe Week. 

Today we're talking about salads and since pomegranate is in season from September through February, this salad would make a nice addition not only to your Thanksgiving Day menu, but any seasonal get together. 

Farro is a type of wheat which was believed to be the original grain that fed the Mediterranean regions for thousands of years. It was used as the primary ingredient in polenta, which was commonly eaten by the poor in Roman times. Farro, once cooked, has a firm chewy texture and is popular in salads and soups. Sometimes, it is also found in ground form to be used in making pasta or bread. I found the flavor to be similar to quinoa without the grainy texture and I really enjoyed this deliciously, hearty salad. 

Farro Salad with Pomegranate, Goat Cheese and Walnuts
1 c. Farro, uncooked
1 Pomegranate, seeds only
1/4 c. Crumbled Goat Cheese
1/2 c. Chopped Walnuts
3 tbsp. Aged Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Prepare farro according to package directions and cool. 
2. In a bowl, add all of the ingredients and mix well. Makes 8-1/2 cup servings. 

I have posted how to get the seeds out of a pomegranate before but just in case you missed it, here is what you have to do:

1. Cut the top of the pomegranate in half about halfway down. 

2. Break the fruit apart with your fingers. I found it easier to place in a bowl with a little water. 

3. The seeds drop to the bottom while the fleshy part floats to the top, making it easier to separate. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 207, Carbs 23.5g, Fat 10.6g, Protein 6.3g, Fiber 3.1g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Click here for more SALAD ideas? 

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Tip

An unstuffed turkey will roast approximately 15 minutes per pound in a 325 degree oven. Do not stuff your turkey during the cooking process as it slows the cooking down the cooking time and is unsafe to eat as the internal temperature doesn't get hot enough to kill any bacteria that may form. Place your stuffing in a separate dish and bake it instead. 

Ciliegine Caprese Salad

I know I've made a Tomato and Mozzarella salad before, but this one was a little different because I used Ciliegine or "cherry sized" fresh mozzarella, as well as my fresh Jersey garden tomatoes. I only planted one Roma tomato bush this year and it didn't take well (I have to admit, I'm not much of a gardener); however, my in-laws planted,  and were able to grow, a bountiful harvest of red cherry tomatoes this season. With my MIL still in rehabilitation recovering from her recent hip replacement surgery, I was charged with going to the house to collect all of the tomatoes since they wouldn't be doing much cooking in the near future. I haven't had this salad in a while and thought it would accompany our dinner perfectly one evening. I wanted to add the golden cherry tomatoes as they are much sweeter than the red and gave this salad a wonderful flavor, not to mention the GORGEOUS color (what kid wouldn't want to eat this!). 

I also made a chiffonade out of the basil, which is another way to cut the fresh basil leaves into thin strips. Simply gather rinsed fresh basil leaves, stack them together, roll them into a tube-like shape, then slice the tube thinly into strips. It gives your salad a nice, clean, uniform look. 

Ciliegine Caprese Salad
1-8oz. Ciliegine Mozzarella
1-10oz. Sunburst Golden Tomatoes, cut in half
2 c. Fresh Garden Cherry Tomatoes
2 tbsp. Basil Chiffonade
2 tbsp. Aged Balsamic Vinegar
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Serves 6-8. 

Enjoy! 

Guest Post-Broccoli Salad from Everyday Mom's Meals

Good morning everyone! I'll be away for a few weeks on vacation and won't be able to create any new recipes, but DON'T WORRY! I've enlisted the help of some of my FABULOUS foodie friends to hold down the fort while I'm gone. Check back here each day for a new recipe.  I'm so grateful to all of them for helping me out and they've really outdone themselves! <3


Today, I'm THRILLED to have Krista from Everyday Mom's Meals here with us. Take it away Krista! 
  

Hello CEK fans!! I'm so happy to be here today helping out my dear foodie friend, Carrie. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Krista and I'm the everyday mom in Everyday Mom's Meals. I am a stay at home to my 7 1/2 year old son, and wife to my husband of 9 years. I started my blog in May 2010, and now 2 years later I couldn't imagine my life without it. I adore my foodie family and love sharing home style, family oriented recipes that bring those I love around the table. Please come visit me soon! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

This recipe is something I learned to make years ago at the feet of my grandma. She is the epitome of what a great home cook is to me. I have learned countless tips, techniques and recipes from her, and this will always be one of my favorites. It's perfect for a summer barbecue, pool party or pot luck. So fresh and crunchy, but still super easy to prepare, even at the last minute. We love this salad so much we actually eat it year round, but summer time will always be when I crave it the most. 

Thanks for having me and I hope you enjoy this salad as much as my family does...

Broccoli Salad
1 bunch broccoli, florets finely chopped
6 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 small white onion, chopped
1/2 c. mayo
2 TBS white vinegar
2 TBS sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, bacon, cheese and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, vinegar and sugar. Pour over broccoli mixture. Season w/ salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Chill until serving.

Roasted Grape Tomato & Green Bean Salad in a Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

I'm getting closer to "D" Day or in my world Kitchen Demo Day and I'm trying to use up all of the items in my kitchen so that I don't have to pack them up or give them away. I created this recipe because I didn't have enough green beans to make as a side dish with a meal, so making a salad to have for lunch or to go along with a meal seemed like the next best thing. My love for roasting everything and anything continues as these little grape tomatoes were bursting with flavor...literally! And the lemon vinaigrette combined with the fresh ingredients was superbly light and refreshing. Not to mention how pretty and colorful it was!  

Roasted Grape Tomato & Green Bean Salad in a Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
1/2 lb. Fresh Green Beans, trimmed and steamed al dente
1 c. Grape Tomatoes
1 c. Sunburst Golden Yellow Grape Tomatoes
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/2 Leek, chopped (white part only)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In a bowl, mix together both tomatoes, garlic and leeks. Add mixture to a baking sheet and sprinkle with the oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes start to burst. Remove from oven and let cool. While the tomatoes are roasting, steam your green beans and cool, then add them to a bowl. Add in your cooled tomato mixture and the vinaigrette and mix well. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Makes 4-1/2 cup servings. 


Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
1 tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste


Whisk all ingredients together until emulsified. 




Shared at Amee's Savory Dish~Fit and Fabulous Fridays 6/22/12
Shared on Weekend Potluck~The Country Cook 7/27/12

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Golden Sunburst Tomatoes in a Tahitian Lime Olive Oil and Ginger Rice Vinaigrette

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am a contestant for a recipe contest hosted by eRecipeCards and O Olive Oil. I was given O Tahitian Lime Olive Oil and O Ginger Rice Vinegar to create something fabulous and boy did I...if I don't say so myself! When I tasted the combination of the oil and vinegar together, I knew I had to make a salad using these products so that the fresh citrusy flavor of the lime would shine through. I also wanted to use my new found love for quinoa. If you remember a while back, I had made it as a hot side dish and it didn't go over very well with the family. Then, I made that Mediterranean Quinoa Salad and they loved it. 


I loved the all-around freshness of this salad with the sweet flavor of the golden tomatoes, the nuttiness of the quinoa, the zesty flavor of the cilantro and the citrus and fragrant flavors of the fresh crushed lime in the olive oil and the ginger rice vinegar. Not to mention it was healthy and filling! My family ate this as a side dish with grilled chicken for dinner, then ate it for lunch the next day on it's own. I hope you like it as much as we did! 

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Golden Sunburst Tomatoes in a Tahitian Lime Olive Oil and Ginger Rice Vinaigrette


1 1/2 c. Water
1 c. Quinoa
1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed
1/4 c. Scallions, chopped
2 dz. Golden Sunburst Grape Tomatoes, rinsed and cut in half
Prepared Vinaigrette


Add water to a pot and bring to a boil. Add in the quinoa, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed then remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.  Add to a bowl along with the black beans, tomatoes, scallions, and prepared vinaigrette. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serves 8 (1/2 cup). 


Vinaigrette
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/4 c. O Ginger Rice Vinegar
1/2 c. O Tahitian Lime Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper


In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together until emulsified. 

O Olive Oil, you have a new fan! I love this product (and I'm not just saying that because I received some complimentary to try!).  I love what they stand for as a company. They are concerned with what is happening in the marketplace and are proactive in finding ways to produce a better product. I love the freshness of their products, they're not acidic like others I've tried, and you really can taste the difference . The quality shines through and I can't wait to try the other varieties they produce. For a complete listing of all of the other fabulous selections at O Olive Oil, click HERE. 

And now it's time to VOTE! Go to eRecipeCards.com and click Add To Personal Recipe Box if you liked this recipe. The more votes I get, the better chance I have to win ('Like' votes count towards 1/3 of the decision making process)


Enjoy! 


*I was not compensated for this post other than to receive complimentary product. All opinions are my own. 

Roasted Fennel & Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad

Did you ever go out to eat and have something several times over the years, but never thought to make it at home? Well, after the food bloggers conference last Friday, Lauren from Lauren Kelly Nutrition and Bia, from Rich and Sweet, and I headed out for some dinner at Supper in NYC. We had originally planned to go to another restaurant but when we got there, there was a "B" sign in the window. Thanks to Bia, who lived and worked in the city for many years, for explaining the NYC Health Violation Codes to us and we went elsewhere. 

Some food service establishments that require Health Department permits will receive and post letter grades that correspond to their sanitary inspection scores. These establishments include most restaurants, coffee shops, bars, nightclubs, cafeterias, retail bakeries, and fixed-site food stands. This document uses the term “restaurants” to refer to all these establishments.Here is a more detailed explanation I found online on NYC Restaurant Grading and what the letters mean:

Grade A. 0 to 13 points for sanitary violations. 
Grade B. 14 to 27 points for sanitary violations. 
Grade C. 28 or more points for sanitary violations.
Grade Pending. A restaurant’s B or C grade is not final until the restaurant has had the opportunity to go before the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings Health Tribunal to contest the violations cited against it. Until then, the restaurant has the option to post either the preliminary grade or a card that says “Grade Pending.” Once the grade is final, the restaurant must immediately post the letter grade card and take down the Grade Pending card. that it was a health code sign and it probably wasn't very clean. 

So the next time you head on into the city for dinner, look in the window first. I learn something new everyday! :)

Anyway, back to the story...

We were still quite full from lunch so we opted for some wine and appetizers. One of the items we got was their version of Panzanella salad or Tuscan Bread Salad;  which originated in the Florentine region of Italy. It generally consists of soaked stale bread and chunks of tomatoes and is dressed with olive oil and vinegar and their version was delicious. On Sunday, I was looking for something to make with a london broil I was going to be grilling and since it was a warm day, I wanted to make a salad to go with it. I had a Dove Chocolate Discoveries home party the night before and had an extra loaf of bread leftover. I also had just purchased some beautifully ripe heirloom tomatoes (also known as "ugly" tomatoes) and some fennel that I thought would go nicely in here and boy was I right! My daughter and her friend actually woke up to the smell of the fennel and garlic roasting (I guess that's one way to wake up teenagers!) and came out of the room ready to taste my latest creation. It was a definite hit and we barely had enough for dinnertime as they kept taking "tastes" throughout the day. This salad was so good and I loved how colorful it was. 

Roasted Fennel & Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad
1/2 Fennel Bulb, chopped
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Loaf Italian Bread (1-2 days old ok)
2 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
2 Heirloom ("Ugly") Tomatoes, large dice
Prepared Dressing

In a bowl, mix together the fennel, garlic,  oil, salt and pepper. Add to a baking sheet and roast at 425 for 10 minutes. Cut the bread into cubes, place on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 5-10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, fennel mixture and bread to a large bowl. Next, add in the dressing and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serves 4-6. 

Dressing
2 tsp. Capers
3 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp. Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, grated

Blend all ingredients together in a mini chopper or blender until smooth. 

Enjoy! 

Black Bean and Corn Salad

As I'm writing this post I have to laugh because one of my dear foodie friends Bia, from Rich and Sweet, has just posted almost the exact same recipe on her Facebook page....Great minds indeed! I also wanted to post this today because today is National Picnic Day and what goes better at a picnic than a salad! (though it does seem a little early in the year for it here on the East coast). 

I'm still trying to use up those 12 cans of black beans I purchased a couple of months ago and was looking for a salad to go with a new BBQ rib recipe I was experimenting with (recipe to follow!) and thought a nice black bean and corn salad would go nicely. Because fresh Jersey corn isn't in season yet, I opted for the frozen kind but I can't wait to make this recipe again using the butter sugar corn (my favorite blend) when it's in season. This salad was deliciously light and was a big hit. Even my little one, who usually doesn't eat anything that has the word "bean" in it, loved it! 

I also found a great website called MyFitnessPal, thanks to my friend Patty, to help track nutritional information. You can even use it to look up certain restaurant items as well. Just type in Chili's Salad for example and it will give you a list with all of the nutritional information...awesome app! I'm using it myself to log my daily calories (and it's FREE..sorry Weight Watchers, not going to pay the monthly fee any longer!)

And for those of you eyeing up my new Sangria pitcher in the background, I purchased it at Chef Central and it's amazing! Not only is it pretty, it also has a "pinched" spout so that the fruit doesn't come toppling out when you try to pour it into the glass. 

Black Bean and Corn Salad
1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
2 c. Corn 
1 Roma Tomato, finely chopped
2 Scallions, chopped
1 Lime, juice only
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp. White Vinegar
3 tbsp. Canola Oil
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8 (1/2 cup servings).

Nutritional Information:
Calories 130; Carbs 17g; Fat 6g; Protein 4g 

Shared at Amee's Savory Dish Fit and Fabulous Fridays 8/3/12

Shared at This and That Foodie Friends Linky Party 8/3/12

Shared at Weekend Potluck 8/3/12

Enjoy! 

"Chick" Deviled Eggs or Egg Salad

I know, Easter has come and gone but I made these adorable little "chicks" with my deviled eggs and had to share them with you. For many, you've probably seen them before, but if not, aren't they the cutest little things ever?! They're so cute you could probably make them any time of year and would probably elicit the same Oooh's and Aaah's. Here is my recipe for Deviled Eggs. Simple. I don't like a lot of other ingredients in mine and I also make my egg salad the same way (though I add in some celery too). 

"Chick" Deviled Eggs 

8 Hard Boiled Eggs

2 tbsp. Hellman's Mayonnaise

1 tbsp. Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard

1 Black Olive

1 Baby Carrot

To prevent cracking, remove eggs from refrigeration about 30 minutes prior to boiling. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil then let simmer for approximately 6 minutes. Eggs will be done if you can spin them on their vertical axis. (If they fall to the side, they're not done). Remove from water and place in an ice bath (water and ice) several times until they have cooled (you can also make hours ahead and refrigerate). 

Peel the eggs and rinse off any remaining shells. Cut the top 1/4 off of the egg and gently scoop out the yolk using a small knife or spoon. Add the yolk to a bowl, mash with a fork and place egg white on a serving platter. (if using a flat platter, cut a small piece off of the bottom of the egg so that it sits flat). Add mayonnaise and mustard to the egg yolks and mix well. Carefully fill the bottom portion of the egg white with the yolk filling. Next, place the white "cap" on top of the egg yolks. Cut the black olive into 12 pieces and place 2 pieces for the eyes. Cut the carrot into 12 small pieces and put a piece on the yolk for the nose. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 8. 

Enjoy!