Smoked Salmon Salad

There was a time in my life where creme brulle was my "usual." For dinner, I regularly ate fillet mignon or artichoke slather. Lobster bisque was common & often times I would try to sample the most expensive red wines possible (which weren't always better than the cheap-o stuff, by the way). You might be wondering, how in the heck did I afford all these luxuries? These meals weren't cheap, & they definitely were not in my budget. But I wasn't into "dining & dashing" or washing dishes to make even. These meals were given to me as a bonus for working at one of the finest cafes I have ever worked at/dined at. Ever.

The Scenic Cafe in Duluth, MN.

Although this was, by far, one of the most challenging jobs I have ever had (I worked mostly in the summer, in a tiny building with no air conditioning, which caters more often than not to tourists & wealthy crunchy people with all kinds of preferences, allergies, & opinions), I learned so much about food while working there. I really believe this is where my passion for things like chocolate caramel tarts & pistachio crusted goat cheese were born. Heck, I didn't even know that arugula was a thing before working there. My foodie addiction can be blamed on this gem of a restaurant.

There were many, many more meals spent at the Scenic. It was & probably still is, one of the best places to celebrate anything.... birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, you name it. But the thing that's really exceptional about the Scenic is that it's also the perfect place to stop on your way back from a hike or just when you want a homemade bowl of soup & crusty bread. You don't get looked at strangely if you come in wearing chacos & smell of sunscreen, but you also can expect to see people dressed in their best.

It was the first (fancy) place we took Ruby after she was born. She was just six weeks old when we celebrated our 2nd anniversary & we didn't want to go anywhere else besides the Scenic. So I snuggled her in my Moby wrap & prayed that she would make it through our meal happily, which she most definitely did. She must have know that creme brulle was coming later.

This smoked salmon salad is inspired by the Scenic. Although it is sadly no longer on their summer menu, it remains dear to my heart. There were many a day when all I wanted after a sweaty, frustrating shift was a big plate of fresh lettuce & cherry tomatoes, covered by hunks of salty salmon & cheese. I didn't want something heavy or hearty (although the portions at the Scenic are more European than American), so a light salad was just the trick.

And it's the perfect meal for the days when you can't bear to turn on the oven. There's absolutely no cook time for this meal. The salmon & cheese are packed with all kinds of energizing proteins & you'll be quite satisfied with yourself for choosing such a healthy option for dinner. And believe me, you'll also think that you're getting away with something scandalous, because it tastes that amazing!

Make sure that you get wild caught smoked salmon. We purchased ours at our local food co-op & although it's pricey, a little goes a long way. This salad is best served with, you guessed it, more crusty bread & a splash of balsamic vinaigrette. 

Smoked Salmon Salad
Ingredients
Romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 pack of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 ounces plain goat cheese, crumbled
4 ounces smoked salmon
Balsamic vinaigrette
Baguettes

Directions
Chop the lettuce & place it on two large plates. Pile on the sliced cherry tomatoes, crumbled goat cheese, & smoked salmon. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette & serve with a toasty baguette.

Tomato, Avocado, & Mozzarella Salad

When it comes to summer cookin', there's no messing around with the oven at our house. We don't have central air or any kind of air conditioning on our main level, so turning on the oven literally makes our house sauna-like. I was painfully reminded of this the other night as I preheated my oven to 375 to pop in a pan of frozen alfredo lasagna that I had made a few weeks earlier & froze for future use. When I had made it originally I thought, "won't it be so nice to have a scrumptious meal that just has to be warmed?" I didn't really think through the fact that it would eventually get hot this summer & by cooking this lasagna, it would heat up our entire house while it baked for 45 minutes, thus making me a crabby, sweaty mess.

So that sort of kicked me in the pants & motivated me to dig deep into my "anti-oven" cooking collection.  I don't know how many times I've literally said out loud that I want to make a list of all our favorite non-oven meals so that we can eat in comfort & peace this summer, but now I'm finally getting to it. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting mostly "anti-oven" meals & then I'll make one big list that you (& I) can refer to often, especially once we get into the really thick weather of July & August.

So today, I share with you one of our favorite side dishes- Tomato, Avocado, & Mozzarella Salad. It's a total crowd pleaser, full of flavor, & best of all, extremely nourishing. This salad works best when you make it & then immediately scarf it down because of the avocados (the lemon juice does help them keep their color, but it's still best if eaten sooner rather than later). Left-overs are not encouraged.

What I'm really going to love about this recipe this summer is that I'll get to use some of my fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, & parsley all from my own garden! Everything is growing so intensely right now, so I'm hoping to have a nice bounty of plump veggies & herbs to cook with this summer. I'm still dreaming of a lemon & avocado trees...maybe next year?

This salad can be quite adaptable, too. You can eat it simply as a side, or you can get all crazy & wrap it up with a tortilla or make it into a panini-type sandwich. You could even toss the ingredients into an omelette or with some pasta, but that would involve a bit of stovetop use. My favorite way to eat it is with a toasty baguette, maybe with a little meat somethin' somethin' on the grill. Mmmm....

It's simple, refreshing, & satisfying, my friends. So stay cool & eat your hearts out.

Tomato, Avocado, & Mozzarella Salad

Ingredients

1 container cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 carton fresh mozzarella cheese pearls, drained
1 avocado, peeled & diced
1/3 cup basil, julienned
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil & parsley & then set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, oil, salt & pepper & drizzle over the tomato mixture. Cover & refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Just before serving the salad, mix in the chopped avocados, making sure everything is evenly coated.

Recipe adapted from Everything Fabulous

Roasted Beet Garden Salad

You've heard it said before that certain foods provoke certain memories. Every single time I even see a jello salad, I am transported back to childhood (jello+cottage cheese+whip cream does not equal salad people!) The same can be said for country time lemonaid in an orange cooler (a Lutheran church staple), hamburger helper (a seemingly hearty meal that usually ends up in a gut bomb), & cottage cheese (I can literally count the meals where we did not eat this with our meal on one hand). Food is powerful like that.

This salad was inspired by past memories that I want to re-live. These are moments when we (John+me) stayed up laaaate because we couldn't get enough of each other (compared to now going to bed moments after our toddler because we're dog tired). Moments where we could enjoy & afford a two-hour+ long luxurious dinner. Moments where we had much more exciting things to talk about than day-to-day life happenings. Yes, I am talking about the dating/engaged/newly married phase in life.

When John & I started dating, he made me feel awkward all the time (in a "good" awkward kind of way he would say). He did things like talked about his feelings for me, asked hard questions of me, & most awkwardly, he always, always, always paid the bill. I'm still not sure why this was so hard for me (looking back at it, I so should have taken advantage of this!) but it was. He had literally no struggle with taking me out to a fancy restaurant, ordering whatever he wanted (not looking at the price) & encouraging me to do the same. We always got wine. We always got dessert. Those were basically non-negotiable. He wasn't wealthy or anything, he just really valued good food & that is what he chose to spend his money on (you should have seen the place he lived...)

One of our favorite places to dine locally was/is Kates On State. That's where I drew inspiration for this salad. It's fresh, earthy, & edgy. It's hearty, wholesome, & healthy. And it's timeless, unique, & down-right romantic, if a salad could be so. This salad takes me back.

Even though it's so easy to say "things were better before" or however you want to put it, that's definitely NOT what I'm saying (I know it seems like I am, doesn't it?) What I am saying is that we have had some incredible moments, but also ones that were such a challenge to get through that we wondered how it was all going to work out. We've been through a lot together in our short nearly 4 years of marriage. We just met with a couple last night who just had their first baby to encourage them a little & we were surprised at the moments of struggle that we've had that we were able to share with them with ease because we've had a lot of struggle. We've been through a lot. Don't let my facebook pictures & instagram shots fool you. Life has been hard.

But of course, we've also had many rich times in our marriage. We've had special times of being able to eat at sexy places like Kates, & now our lives are different & that's ok. That's more than ok. I absolutely love the phase of life that we're in. I love having a crazy little person who is learning to become herself more & more every day. I love that we can sing with her to sleep. I love that she needs cuddling every now & again. I love that she actually requests to listen to the Beatles or Bob Dylan on vinyl. I love that she asks me literally every day, "mama, who's coming over? new friends?"

I love that John & I are confident in our marriage. I love that we know each other through & through, but still find things that we are learning about each other. I love watching us learn how to parent & sometimes laugh, but other times cry at the frustration of the whole thing.

Our lives are at a unique place in time & I love it. I want to savor it, but I also love reflecting on where we've been, & of course where we are going. This salad brings me back & now that we make it at home & share it with our daughter, it helps me especially appreciate the moments we are in- not every moment of course because that's impossible, but the moments that are the most meaningful. Plus, I've discovered that when you make your favorite meals at home you can customize them so you can get as much salami on your salads as you would like, which makes for a very happy husband.

Do you have any foods/meals that are especially meaningful or significant to you?

Roasted Beet Garden Salad
Ingredients
Roasted beets, sliced
Hard boiled egg, sliced
Mixed greens
Fresh mozzarella balls
Red onions, sliced
Salami
Soy nuts
Tomatoes, cut into wedges

Directions
Slice, boil, roast, cut, & place on a plate! Serve with some homemade balsamic vinaigrette!

Falafel Salad

When I was in college, I had the opportunity to go to Greece for a J-term study abroad. I've always loved traveling, but being able to take a course (Greek Mythology & Ancient Art), call it college credit, & travel? Now that's what I'm talking about! The trip was, without a doubt, one of my very favorite jaunts I've ever taken. I was able to meet some incredible people that I am still connected to, I was able to experience a breathtakingly beautiful culture, & of course, I was able to feast upon authentic Greek cuisine.

Nearly every evening, we dined like kings & queens. We had dessert at every single meal. We sipped Greek coffee & splurged on Coca Lights (um, Diet Coke). We ate gyros like they were peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Amazing doesn't begin to describe the trip, let alone the food that we consumed.

So when John & I got married, my first choice for a honeymoon was Greece. He had never been overseas before, & with all the raving that I had done over this country, he agreed that he needed to experience it. 

We were able to stay in Greece for about 2 weeks & this trip topped even my first. We went after we were married for about 5 months, so life had slowed down a bit. Plus, it was February & if you're from Wisconsin, you just know what I'm talking about... what a perfect time to travel! John & I had a blast, getting lost in places where 99% of the people only spoke Greek (I think it was coincedence), trying to work our way around massive cities (Athens), learning where to get the good Greek food, & trying to fit in with their  s l o w  way of doing nearly everything.

The first restaurant we ate at, we were borderline upset with our server. I remember he came to bring us our food, & then left. That was literally the last time we saw him. We had no water refills, he didn't ask us how the food was, nor if we wanted more. And dessert? It wasn't even offered. This was quite the different trip from when I went in college, but I learned that this was way more accurate. See, the first trip I took, they totally catered to us American students. They knew we would slam down glasses of water like we were in a contest. They knew if we didn't have portions the size of our faces, we would be grumpy. They just seemed to know us very accurately, which was kinda freaky.

So on our honeymoon, we really learned how to unwind in a really profound way. After we got used to this pace, man did we live it up! We would sit at a cafe near a seaside for hours & just stare at the water, people watch, & sip a Coca Light or coffee. It was incredible. I had never been so relaxed or satisfied in my life. This pace just felt right (previous to our honeymoon, I had sold my house in Duluth, John bought our house & got busy fixing it up before I moved down, I had been working 60+ hours a week, I moved to La Crosse, & oh yeah, we got married). Talk about a different pace of life.

So Greek food is really special to us. Sometimes when we're making something Greece-inspired, it just takes me back to the warmth & smell of the sea (we visited Athens, but mostly stayed in a town called Nafplio) & the overall contentment that we had with life. So here's a little special salad that I made on my birthday. I celebrated my 23rd birthday in Greece (on my first trip) & I guess I just needed to re-live that memory.

 John & I exploring the wonders of Athens

 A typical Greek hotel breakfast (note the Fage!)

 Nafplio, Greece

 Gyros & a Greek salad

Apples with honey & cinnamon

Oh, when can we go back to Greece? In the meantime, I guess we'll just have to feast upon some of our favorite Greek foods & visit Gracie's as much as we possibly can. What food from other countries inspires you to cook?

Falafel Salad

Ingredients for salad

falafel mix (I chose to buy a mix that I found in the natural section at Woodmans, but you can definitely make your own)
Romane lettuce, chopped
1 cucumber (with skin on), chopped
cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, sliced

Ingredients for dressing

(makes a little more than 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup oil (canola, olive, safflower, or grapeseed)
2 tbsp lemon juice or 1 small lemon
1/4 cup yogurt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt

Directions

Make the falafel according to the package or directions you find. In a mason jar or any jar with a lid, add all of the dressing ingredients. Shake until combined. To assemble the salad, add the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, & onion to a plate. Place a few falafels on top & drizzle with the dressing. The dressing will serve 4 people, so if you have more guests, double the recipe. Falafels are best eaten the same day, but if you happen to have leftovers, store them in the fridge for no more than 1 additional day.

Recipe adapted from flourishingfoodie.com

Chicken, Chickpea, & Pesto Salad

I'm always on the look-out for a simple & satisfying salad. Salad is usually like soup in our house... sure we eat it every now & again, but if it's not packed with protein, we usually wind up lurking around in the kitchen before you know it. Well, this one did the trick. With all the chickpeas & chicken, it was quite the filling meal. This salad was also very quick to prepare & I imagine that it would be the perfect "I don't want to cook at all" meal for those long, hot summer days.

I was able to use up some of the basil pesto that I prepared & froze this summer for this recipe. For some reason, my basil plant went into high productivity mode & I was trying to use up as much as I could. Turns out, when you pick basil leaves, it just makes them produce even more! But it has been quite the blessing because pesto is sometimes very expensive (especially if you want to use the non-powdered mixes). I was able to use this recipe & freeze it into ice cube trays & then once it was frozen, I put it in a glass jar in my freezer. Now, every time I need to use it, I just take out a few cubes the night before & viola! Pesto!

I especially like to use pesto on grilled cheese & tomato sandwiches, on pasta, & now on this salad. What are your favorite uses for pesto? What salads have you found that satisfy your family's appetite?

Chicken, Chickpea, & Pesto Salad

Ingredients

2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped

1 clove minced garlic

Olive oil
1/2 large cucumber, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
15 ounces chickpeas
1/3 cup Basic Basil Pesto
Lemon
Coarse salt & ground pepper

Directions

Cook the chicken breasts in a bit of olive oil & garlic. Once the chicken is mostly cooked, add the pesto until well-mixed. In a bowl, mix together chicken/pesto mixture, cucumber, celery, & chickpeas. Add a squeeze of lemon. Season with salt & pepper. John liked this best served warm, but I liked it both at room temperature & warm.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart