Category: Salads


Aug
2016

Lobster Caesar Salad Supreme

categories: Gluten Free, Salads, Seafood

An inventive take on Caesar salad that showcases sweet, succulent, Maine lobster. Gluten-free red lentil lobster shaped crackers act as a garnish and take the place of croutons.

Lobster Caesar Salad Supreme - An inventive take on Caesar salad that showcases sweet, succulent, Maine lobster and substitutes gluten-free, red lentil crackers for croutons. | Recipe ReDux | QueenofMyKitchen.com

Lobster Caesar Salad Supreme is my insanely delicious answer to this month’s Recipe ReDux vacation inspired theme. Maine is a favorite destination for many vacationers. The diversity of activities available, along with over 3,000 miles of rugged coastline, have made it a mecca for summer tourists and earned it the title “Vacationland”, which is the official state slogan.  But Maine is perhaps best known for its indigenous marine crustacean – lobster.  A huge, thriving industry revolves around Maine lobsters.  Their harvest, transport, and eventual consumption is an important part of the state’s heritage and is economically vital to its coastal communities. My family and I have been visiting coastal Maine during the summers for over 20 years.  For us, summer = Maine = lobster.  So it was only natural that in choosing to highlight Maine as my vacation destination that I would develop a recipe using lobster. After all, who doesn’t love lobster! (more…)


Aug
2016

Apple Cranberry Walnut Coleslaw

categories: Gluten Free, Salads, Side Dishes

Apple Cranberry Walnut Cole Slaw - classic coleslaw with a healthy twist. Made with avocado mayonnaise and contains no added sugar. | QueenofMyKitchen.com

I loving taking classic recipes and putting my own spin on them, and that usually includes trying to make them just a wee bit healthier.  I don’t think you have to go overboard in your quest to eat healthy food.  I’m a firm believer that very small changes really add up and, over time, make a big difference.  For me these small changes include replacing refined sugars with natural sweeteners, and steering clear of processed oils, like vegetable oil, in favor of healthy fats like olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil.  So whenever I scan a recipe I will automatically make my own modifications to reflect these healthier preferences and that’s exactly what I’ve done with Apple Cranberry Walnut Coleslaw. This coleslaw is made with homemade avocado mayonnaise (and Greek yogurt) and contains no added sugar.  It’s wholesome, crunchy, and makes a great summer-time salad for picnics and barbecues. The apples, cranberries, and walnuts make it a little bit different but don’t overpower the classic coleslaw taste. (more…)


Jul
2016

Sweet Potato Black Bean Avocado Salsa

categories: Appetizers, Gluten Free, Healthy, Salads, Vegan

Sweet Potato Black Bean Avocado Salsa – sweet and spicy, healthy and delicious. Great with tortilla chips or on top of grilled fish, chicken, or pork. Makes a nice, simple side dish too. This is not your average salsa! | QueenofMyKitchen.com

In my recent quest to create a simple summer salsa I relied on three of my favorite foods  – sweet potatoes, black beans, and avocados.  These foods never disappoint me, no matter what recipe I put them in, so I knew they’d make a fantastic salsa.   Sweet Potato Black Bean Avocado Salsa is a sweet and spicy salsa with vibrant colors and a wonderfully zingy taste.  It’s great as an appetizer when served with tortilla chips and crackers, but it’s just as good as a topping for grilled fish, chicken, or pork.  The cool, refreshing ingredients scream “summer” but you can easily make this salsa all year-long. (more…)


Jun
2016

Blue Cheese Broccoli Slaw

categories: Gluten Free, Salads, Side Dishes

Blue Cheese Broccoli Slaw with Figs, Walnuts, and Crispy Prosciutto - A fantastic make ahead dish that’s great with steak and chicken. | QueenofMyKitchen.com

Blue Cheese Broccoli Slaw with Figs, Walnuts, and Crispy Prosciutto was inspired by the popular Blue Cheese Cole Slaw recipe by Ina Garten, a/k/a The Barefoot Contessa. Initially I planned to do a version of this recipe using homemade avocado mayonnaise but when I did a search on Google and Pinterest, I saw that there were already tons of recipes out there for blue cheese cole slaw so I decided to create a broccoli slaw instead and compliment the wonderfully distinct flavor of blue cheese with dried mission figs, toasted walnuts, and crispy prosciutto. There’s no mayonnaise is this slaw; the dressing is made from olive oil, greek yogurt, blue cheese, and parmesan cheese. If you’re a fan of blue cheese you will love this dish! (more…)


Jun
2016

Strawberry Chicken Pecan Salad

categories: Chicken, Gluten Free, Healthy, Salads

Strawberry Chicken Pecan Salad with Feta Cheese and Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette - a salad with a magical combination of flavors and textures, and the ultimate salad for strawberry season! | QueenofMyKitchen.com

The strawberry season is in full swing here in Massachusetts and my family and I have been enjoying its bounty.  We are blessed to live within a mile of two “pick you own” strawberry fields and have several other farm stands nearby that are bursting with fresh strawberries this time of year. I always make a point of trying at least one new recipe each year using fresh strawberries, and normally this includes some type of dessert, but strawberries are delicious in salads too, as I discovered when I made Strawberry Chicken Pecan Salad.  What makes this salad so exceptional is that it pairs fresh strawberries with other ingredients that highlight its flavor perfectly.  Maple syrup intensifies the berry flavor, balsamic vinegar adds a pleasant tartness, and salty feta helps to balance some of the sweetness.  The result is a salad where the essence of fresh strawberries really shines through. (more…)


May
2016

Bistro Carrot Salad

categories: Gluten Free, Healthy, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegan

Bistro Carrot Salad is a mainstay at bistros all over France. Grated carrots and parsley in a lemon vinaigrette. Delicious and very French! Gluten-free and vegan. | QueenofMyKitchen.com

The French have an uncanny ability to make ordinary food taste sublime.  Nothing illustrates this point better than Bistro Carrot Salad – a dish of raw carrots that have been grated into short delicate strands, dotted with flecks of fresh chopped parsley, and then tossed in a basic lemon vinaigrette.  Grated carrot salads (carottes râpées) are a mainstay at bistros everywhere in France and are so prevalent that French home cooks probably don’t even reference a recipe when making them. (more…)


May
2016

Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad

categories: Chicken, Gluten Free, Healthy, Salads

Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad is classic chicken salad made with avocado mayonnaise and dotted with cranberries, walnuts, and a hint of orange zest. The cleanest, freshest tasting chicken salad ever! | QueenofMyKitchen.com

There are an endless number of ways to make chicken salad, however as with most classic recipes the simplest preparations are often the best. Aside from cooked chicken, all you need to make delicious chicken salad is high quality mayonnaise, lots of crunchy celery, a few scallions, and some seasonings.  Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad veers only slightly from this classic preparation.  It calls for avocado mayonnaise instead of mayonnaise made with vegetable oil or olive oil, and contains cranberries, walnuts, and orange zest – 3 foods that, on their own provide incredible flavor harmony, but when combined with the other ingredients is this dish make for a chicken salad symphony! (more…)


Mar
2016

Baby Kale and Grapefruit Salad with Campari Vinaigrette

categories: Gluten Free, Salads

Baby Kale and Grapefruit Salad with Campari Vinaigrette - a simple and sophisticated salad with a vinaigrette made from the classic Italian aperitif Campari. | QueenofMyKitchen.com

Americans are becoming more accustomed to bitter flavors, as evidenced by some of the food trends we’ve seen in recent years – extra dark chocolate, bitter greens like arugula and dandelion, and craft beers that are heavy on the hops.  If you’ve acquired a taste for foods that lean toward bitter, you’ll want to try Baby Kale and Grapefruit Salad with Campari Vinaigrette.  This is a delicious salad with mildly bitter back notes that are nicely balanced by the salty feta and the sugars in the vinegar and candied walnuts. There is only 1 tablespoon of Campari in the vinaigrette but the flavor it imparts is unmistakable.

(more…)


Mar
2016

Orange Pecan Farro Salad

categories: Healthy, Salads, Side Dishes

Orange Pecan Farro Salad

I recently tried farro for the first time at a local café and was immediately smitten. It was served as a salad, dressed with a simple vinaigrette, and tossed with roasted vegetables. As I savored each bite all sorts of recipe ideas flooded my brain. Orange Pecan Farro Salad is the first of many recipes in which I plan to use this unique and delicious grain.

(more…)


Mar
2016

Lobster, Avocado, and Chickpea Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette

categories: Gluten Free, Healthy, Salads, Seafood

Lobster, Avocado, and Chickpea Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette is packed with fresh, bright, nutritious flavors. It can be served as a light meal or an elegant first course. Gluten free too. | QueenofMyKitchen.com

I was perusing Pinterest recently and came across a bunch of recipe pins using smashed chickpeas and avocado – as in, chickpeas and avocado mashed together. There were sandwiches, salads, dips and wraps – they ALL looked scrumptious. I suspect that’s because I am in love with chickpeas and avocado and when I saw the two mixed together I thought it was pure genius. So I set about developing my own recipe using smashed chickpeas and avocado and came up with Lobster, Avocado, and Chickpea Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette. This salad tastes divine, is packed with nutritious ingredients, and its vibrant colors make for a beautiful presentation. What more could you ask for in a dish! (more…)

%d bloggers like this: