Tropical Kale Salad

Salad:
1/2 cup pineapple, diced
4 large strawberries, sliced
1/4 ripe avocado, diced
1/2 cup chopped chicken (I used a Rotisserie chicken)
2 teaspoon unsweetened coconut shavings
1/4 cup pecan pieces
3 basil leaves, sliced
2 cups fresh kale leaves, shredded

Dressing:
the juice of 2 oranges
the juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
3 basil leaves, chopped

1. Mix all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Layer all salad ingredients on a plate. Top with dressing.

Adapted from: http://thehealthyfoodie.com/2012/05/02/kale-salad-with-a-tropical-twist/

Kale, Chicken, and Peach Salad

Salad
one cooked chicken breast, chopped (or the equivalent of one breast - I used a Rotisserie chicken)
2-3 cups of kale, finely shredded (leaves only)
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 small ripe peach, diced
2 T sliced almonds

Vinaigrette
1 small ripe peach, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon honey

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
2. Place salad ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to combine.

BBQ chicken salad

4 small chicken breasts, sliced
1/2 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (or other GF BBQ sauce)
2 heads romaine lettuce, sliced into bite size pieces
1 small tub cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 can corn corn
1 can olives, sliced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
three green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Ranch dressing

1. Put a thin layer of BBQ sauce in an 8x8 glass pan. Add chopped onion. Add chicken. Cover with an additional layer of BBQ sauce.
2. Bake chicken for 25 minute or until cooked through. Remove from oven to cool.
3. Layer lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, corn, beans, and olives. Top with BBQ chicken and ranch dressing.

Grilled Pineapple Salad

one half of a pineapple
one small cucumber
1/2 cup basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat grill to high.
2. Cut 1/2 cored pineapple into 1/3 inch thick half or quarter moons. Grill until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes per side. Let cool.
3. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and then thinly on the bias.
4. Thinly slice basil. 
5. Toss pineapple, cucumber, basil, oil, and salt. Sprinkle with freshly grated pepper.

Citris Pomegranate Quinoa Salad

1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 medium red onion, minced
1/4 cup fresh minced cilantro or parsley
1 cup pomegranate arils
1 can garbanzo beans or great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water or chicken (or vegetable) broth
1-2 avocados, cut into small cubes (depending on how much you love avocado and how big the avocados are)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 medium orange)
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 medium juicy lemon)
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1/2 medium juicy lime)
2-3 teaspoons sugar, honey, agave, or Splenda (just add it to taste)
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
1/2 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
A few cracks of freshly ground black pepper
1 clove minced garlic

1. Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.
2. Combine diced cucumber, minced onion, chopped cilantro, pomegranate seeds, and drained and rinsed beans in a large salad bowl. Toss with quinoa. Drizzle the dressing over the mixture and toss to combine, then chill until ready to serve.
3. Before serving, add diced avocado and eat immediately.

Recipe originally from Our Best Bites:  http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/01/citrus-pomegranate-quinoa-salad/

Thai-Style Steak Salad

Steak marinade:
1/4 fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 boneless rib-eye steaks (each 8 ounces and 3/4 inch thick)
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

 Additional salad ingredients:
1/2 pound carrots (3-4 medium)
1 medium head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1-inch ribbons
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh bean sprouts (optional)
1/3 cup salted peanuts or cashews, chopped (optional)
2 apples, cored, halved, and sliced thin (optional)
1 cucumber, sliced thin (optional)
2 tomatoes, cut into thin wedges (optional)

1. Make marinade: Whisk ingredients together in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup. Season the steaks generously with S+P; place in a baking dish. Pour 1/4 of the marinade over the steaks (reserve the remaining marinade); turn the steaks to coat. Let the steaks marinate up to 30 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, cook the steaks on medium-high heat, turning once, 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board; tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest 5-10 minutes. Slice the steaks across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices; halve the slices crosswise. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with the reserved marinade.
3. With a vegetable peeler, cut the carrots into long ribbons. Add to the steak in the bowl along with the lettuce and mint; toss to combine. Divide the salad among bowls, sprinkle with bean sprouts and peanuts if desired. 

Recipe from Kellie Barlow, submitted to the USC Ward Recipes Blog, originally from Food Everyday's Great Food Fast recipe book

Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad

4 ears fresh corn, shucked (or 2 cans corn, or one package frozen corn)
2 red peppers (chopped if using a grill pan, quartered if using a grill)
3 tbsp. EVOO
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 green onions, rinsed and sliced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
4 oz. queso fresco, crumbled
1 avocado, thinly sliced

1. In a large bowl, whisk EVOO, lime juice, chili powder and salt. Add green onions, cilantro and black beans and toss well.
2. Preheat grill (or if it's winter or you don't have a grill, a grill pan) to medium. Add corn and red pepper. Cook until corn and peppers until charred in spots, about ten minutes.
3. If using a grill, carefully cut the corn kernels from the cobs and chop the red pepper. Add corn and red pepper to the bean mixture and toss well.
4. Top with queso and avocado.

Variations: add 2 cups cooked quinoa or 2 cups cooked/cubed chicken breast

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

3 cups cooked quinoa
1 can corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cubed BBQ chicken
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (or more)
6 scallions, chopped
cilantro for garnish

1. In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa, corn, black beans, and chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Transfer mixture into a bowl and top with shredded cheese, BBQ sauce, scallions and cilantro.

Serve warm or at room temperature or chilled.

Mexican-Style Sweet Shredded Pork

4 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 (10-ounce) cans enchilada sauce
1 cup brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup apple juice

1. Trim the visible fat from the roast and sprinkle with salt, pepper, chili powder, and onion powder. Use your hands to massage the spices over all sides of the meat.
2. Heat the oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat. Sear the pork roast for about 1 minute on all sides or until meat surface is golden brown.
3. While meat is searing, combine the enchilada sauce, 2/3 cup brown sugar, salsa, Worcestershire sauce, and apple juice in a slow cooker. Add the pork, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours with lid on the entire time.
4. Remove pork and shred, discarding any pieces of fat. Add the additional 1/3 cup brown sugar to slow cooker and turn heat to high. Add shredded meat. Simmer with lid off for 30 minutes.

Serve as salad (with tortilla chips, lettuce, tomato, rice, ranch, olives, cheese etc), enchiladas, burridos, quesadillas, etc.

Recipe from the Our Best Bites Cookbook.

Mango Quinoa Salad

2 cups cooked quinoa at room temperature, or chilled
1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium mango, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 handful chopped cilantro (about 1/2 cup)
4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

1. Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Add mango, red pepper, green onion, black beans, and cilantro.
2. In a small bowl combine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice. Whisk until smooth and pour on top of salad. Toss to combine and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Chill for at least one hour before serving. (It really does taste so much better if you let it sit for a bit.)

Recipe from Our Best Bites: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/05/mango-quinoa-salad/

Peach Basil Salad

3 peaches, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
1/3 cup fresh basil
the juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Toss the peaches, red onion, basil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together.
2. Drizzle with the olive oil.
Serves 4.

Serving suggestion: Good with grilled chicken

(Recipe found in Martha Stewart Living Magazine)

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 10-oz. bag fresh baby spinach
1/2-1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced (you can peel it first if you want)
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 c. sliced almonds, toasted
1 recipe Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
1/2 lb. grilled chicken breasts, sliced or diced (optional)

Toss ingredients together and serve immediately. You can also arrange the ingredients on individual plates for serving.

Recipe from Our Best Bites: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/03/strawberry-spinach-salad/

Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

2-3 large lemons (use as needed–you’ll need 1/3 c. juice and 1 tsp. zest)
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1/4 c. canola oil
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. grated onion
1 clove finely pressed garlic

Using a Microplane or other fine grater, grate 1 tsp. lemon rind off the lemons. Grate 1 tsp. onion. Place in a small container with a lid. Add the remaining ingredients and shake vigorously. If possible, refrigerate at least an hour before serving. Shake well before serving.

Recipe from Our Best Bites: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/03/lemon-poppy-seed-vinaigrette/

Basil Citris Vinagrette

4 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T orange juice
2 T vinegar
1 t orange zest
2 T minced fresh basil
1/2 t. sugar
1 pinch sea salt
fresh ground pepper (to taste)

Mix all ingredients together. Drizzle on one package spinach, 2 cans mandarin oranges, and 1 cup slivered almonds.