Category: salads

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Mediterranean Grain Bowl

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Humble grain bowls seem to be all the rage right now. They’re on menus at all sorts of hip restaurants and not so hip ones. But they’re also incredibly easy to make at home and seriously affordable, a college student’s dream. You can basically throw in whatever veggies you have, cooked or raw (or a combination) and any protein with any grain and any seasoning. If this isn’t your idea of an easy recipe, here is a combo I made last night with all my random groceries.

{serves 1}

  • 1/2 cup farro (uncooked)
  • 1 cup broth (optional)
  • 5 mini portobello mushrooms
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 mini bell peppers
  • 3 cherry heirloom tomatoes
  • 3 artichoke hearts
  • 1 spoonful capers
  • 1 pinch basil
  • 1 pinch thyme
  • 1 pinch oregano
  • some canned tuna
  • grainy mustard
  • salt n pepper
  1. cook farro according to recipe*. use broth for more flavor
  2. clean mushrooms with a wet paper towel and slice
  3. mince garlic and heat olive oil in a medium sized pan then cook that garlic in the pan
  4. add the mushrooms and saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally for a few minutes
  5. when farro is finished, stir in the herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste
  6. slice bell peppers (deseed if necessary) and quarter tomatoes and artichoke hearts
  7. put farro in a bowl and top with sauteed mushrooms, the other veggies, capers and tuna and a dollop of your favorite mustard

*10 minute farro from trader joe’s is my best friend on school nights

© 2016, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Cabbage-Beet Tahini Slaw

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This is my bastardized version of Mission Chinese Food’s beautiful cabbage salad. But hey, sometimes when you’re a college student on a budget you have to pick and choose which exotic pantry items you can afford and which are just going to have to wait. I used peanuts for a crunchy element, although I would love to try it with some sort of grain. I also cut out quite a few ingredients that I couldn’t find at the local market but still thought it came out pretty good.

note: This makes a BIG salad. I wanted to use the whole cabbage in one go so I upped the dressing, the good news is it makes for great leftovers. On the other hand you can always use half a cabbage and dial down the dressing measurements.

  • 1 head red cabbage
  • 1 large yellow beet
  • 1/2 cup peanuts
  • 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 4 tbsp tahini (you’ll definitely want a runnier tahini for this, the Whole Foods 365 one is my best friend)
  • 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 8 anchovy fillets (preferable ones packed in olive oil)
  • juice of one lemon
  • 2 sheets nori (like the big sushi ones)

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  1. slice cabbage and beets (I did matchstick cuts-see photo) and mince garlic
  2. in a bowl or jar add tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, tamari (or soy sauce) and rice vinegar and shake well
  3. slice the anchovy fillets as finely as possible then add them to the dressing and continue shaking until combined
  4. heat a non stick skillet over medium high heat then add the sesame seeds, make sure to keep an eye on them and continue tossing them
  5. once they start to smell nice and turn a little brown remove them from the pan
  6. in the same pan add the peanuts and do the same thing
  7. rip the nori into little pieces and add it to your big bowl of cabbage and beets, add the nuts and seeds as well then pour dressing over
  8. mix thoroughly with tongs or your hands

© 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Chard with Anchovy and Crushed Tomato Dressing

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We get a lot of chard in our CSA and I always tend to steam or saute it with some garlic and vinegar or citrus. And that’s always good but this time I wanted to try something different. Chard is full of vitamins and it’s actually better wilted so it is a great vehicle for warm sauces, unlike other daintier leafy greens. Anchovies and capers give this a salty-umami Mediterranean taste and the warm yellow tomatoes balance it with a little sweetness.

  • 1 bunch chard
  • 4 anchovies in olive oil
  • 15 yellow cherry tomatoes
  • 1 lg garlic clove
  • splash red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tbsp capers
  • red chili flakes
  • pepper
  1. slice chard off of ribs then julienne the leaves (long skinny slices), I like to roll together a few pieces then slice them to save time and make them more uniform, put chard in a mixing bowl
  2. drain olive oil from the anchovies and heat it (the oil) over medium heat in a sauce pan
  3. mince the garlic and add it to the pan, once garlic is opaque add anchovies and mash with the back of a fork, add red chili flakes
  4. add capers, tomatoes and red wine vinegar then cover the pan for a minute
  5. uncover the pan once the tomatoes appear to be deflating a bit then carefully squash them with the back of a fork (angle them away so that you don’t squirt yourself or your kitchen with hot tomato juices)
  6. pour the sauce over the chard and cover for a couple minutes until chard is just starting to wilt, then mix it all together, finish with pepper

© 2015 – 2016, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Savory Porridge with an Egg on top

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This photo doesn’t do this meal justice. It can really be breakfast, lunch or dinner. I am a big fan of slop. Indian slop, Mexican slop, Turkish slop, it seems like every culture has their own version of some mushy grain or bean

  • 1 handful spinach
  • 1 cup cooked steel-cut oats *
  • 1 spoon greek yogurt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp capers
  • 1/2 tomato
  • cracked black pepper
  • drizzle balsamic vinegar (optional)
  1. cook an egg to your liking (I like sunny side up or poached)
  2. slice spinach and tomato
  3. in a bowl stir together oats, yogurt and mustard (sometimes I sub sriracha)
  4. add spinach and tomatoes (or whatever other vegetable fixings you’d like)
  5. slip the egg on top and top with capers, pepper and balsamic

*For events like this, I like to keep some cooked steel cut oats on hand. I cook them in advance and keep them in the fridge- they keep for about a week. They’re super versatile; use them for sweet or savory mush meals like this or sprinkle them over salads to make them a little more substantial.

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© 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Cabbage Salad

  • 1 large head purple cabbage
  • 1/2 large red onion
  • 1 large grapefruit (juice)
  • 2 large lemons (juice)
  • 3 tsp salt
  • 3 limes (juice)
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  1. slice the cabbage and the onion, cutting around bitter white middle of the cabbage and add to a large mixing bowl
  2. juice grapefruit, lemons and limes into the cabbage/onion mixture
  3. add salt and fish sauce and mix well
  4. let sit for 6 hours to overnight or a couple days, it’ll just get better

© 2014 – 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Fennel, Orange and Feta Salad

  • 1 fennel bulb
  • 1 orage
  • 1/4 head butter lettuce
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese (preferably the block one)
  • 1/3 cup slivered almonds
  • 3 sm yellow beets
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup grainy mustard
  1. cut tops off of fennel and remove outside layers, slice fennel thinly and place in a large bowl
  2. zest the orange into the bowl then halve and juice one half into the bowl; peel and slice the other half and add it to the salad
  3. slice the butter lettuce into bite sized pieces and add to bowl; peel and slice beets and add to bowl
  4. crumble feta cheese (if it isn’t already crumbled) into the salad bowl and add the almonds, pomegranate seeds, mustard and vinegar

© 2014 – 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Green Papaya Salad


My friend/roommate/platonic partner went on a South East Asian adventure this summer and brought back this recipe along with 10 pairs of those comfy Asian pants.

  • 1/2 large green papaya
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 1/2 cup each; fish sauce, raw sugar, lime juice
  • 1/4 cup each; garlic, red chili
  • 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
  • 1 tbsp chopped basil
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  1. squeeze lime juice into a jar and add fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic and finely chopped and seeded red chili
  2. grate papaya and carrots and chop or grind peanuts
  3. pour lime sauce over the carrots and papaya
  4. slice basil and tomatoes and add to mix

© 2014 – 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Butter Lettuce, Pineapple, Feta Salad

This is a great, simple salad to accompany a Mexican or tropical meal

 

  • Butter Lettuce
  • 1/2 cup pineapple
  • 1/2 lime (juice)
  • salt/peppa
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese
  1. clean and slice butter lettuce into bite-size pieces and put in bowl
  2. dice pineapple, squeeze lime juice onto butter lettuce
  3. add feta cheese and salt and pepper to taste

© 2014 – 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Sautéed Rainbow Chard

  • 1 bunch rainbow chard
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  1. heat olive oil and garlic in a large pan until  garlic turns opaque
  2. slice rainbow chard
  3. add to the pan and pour chicken broth over
  4. at medium low heat, let cook down to a bit, until chard starts turning dark
  5. add slivered almonds and raisins, add a little water if it’s wilting too fast

© 2014, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Tahini Cauliflower w/ Caramelized Shallots

  • 1/2 head of cauliflower
  • 1/4 medium-sized eggplant (diced)
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp apricot jalapeno jam (optional)
  • 1/2 shallot
  • black pepper
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pat butter

  1. caramelize shallot in the 2 tbsp olive oil and butter, remove from pan
  2. add remaining tbsp olive oil to pan at medium heat
  3. cut florets off cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and add to pan, drizzle vinegar and jam over top (optional, could replace w/ honey)
  4. after 5 minutes add eggplant and continue to cook at medium-low heat, making sure the eggplant doesn’t turn to mush but it cooked through (opaque-looking) grind pepper over top
  5. take off heat and mix in a bowl w/ shallot, mustard and capers

© 2014, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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