Black beans, navel orange, mushrooms, cilantro, and lime citronette over a bed of mixed greens.
Posts Tagged ‘lime’
Day Twenty One: “Weirdest. Salad. Ever.”
Posted in 100 Days of Salad, Beef, Button Mushrooms, Carrot, Casein Free, Gluten Free, Lime Citronette, Meal in Salad Form, Mixed Baby Greens, Potato, Tomato, Yellow Onion, tagged beef, beef stew, carrot, citronette, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lime, meal, mixed greens, mushrooms, potato, salad, tomato, zest on November 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Tonight I totally made an “oh shit, I never ate a salad” meal. I dressed a bed of greens and mushrooms with leftover lime citronette, then ladled a hearty serving of beef stew over the top. My dinner, or, as one of my kids said, with her nose wrinkled in disgust, “the weirdest salad ever.”
My salad meal in a bowl was actually pretty good, though a balsamic vinaigrette would have been a much better match for the tomato-based beef stew.
Day Twenty: Light Lime Lunch
Posted in 100 Days of Salad, Button Mushrooms, Casein Free, Cucumber, Garbanzo Beans, Gluten Free, Lime Citronette, Mint, Romaine Lettuce, Vegan, tagged cucumber, extra virgin olive oil, garbanzo beans, garlic, greens, lime, lime juice, maple syrup, mint, mushroom, romaine, salad, salt, zest on November 12, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Romaine lettuce, cucumber, garbanzo beans, mushrooms, mint, and lime zest with a lime citronette. Delicious. The bright lime worked so well with the crunchy romaine and the mint–very light and fresh.
Day Thirteen: Oregano & Lime Pinto Bean Lunch
Posted in 100 Days of Salad, Avocado, Button Mushrooms, Casein Free, Gluten Free, Lime Citronette, Meal in Salad Form, Navel Orange, Oregano, Pinto Beans, Romaine Lettuce, Scallion, Vegan, tagged avocado, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lime, lunch, maple syrup, meal, mushrooms, oregano, romaine, salad, scallions, zest on November 3, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Arugula and Romaine with Lemon Lime Citronette, Mint and Scallions
Posted in Arugula, Casein Free, Garlic, Gluten Free, Lemon Citronette, Lime Citronette, Mint, Romaine Lettuce, Scallion, Side Salad, Vegan, tagged Arugula, clove, dinner, extra virgin, food, garlic, juice, lemon, lettuce, lime, maple syrup, meal, mint, olive oil, romaine, salad, salt, scallions, side, zest on March 7, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Juicy skillet steaks. Wild mushroom cream sauce. Fresh sourdough bread slathered with butter. All I needed was a very simple side salad, light and refreshing, to complete the meal. I decided to go with a lemon-lime citronette, with mint and scallions to deepen the flavors.
Simple ingredients, ready to prep.
Ingredients:
(Side salad, serves four.)
1 heart of romaine, chopped.
4 cups of arugula.
2 scallions, chopped.
1 fistful of fresh mint.
Zest of one lemon.
Zest of one lime.
Vinaigrette or Citronette:
(Use only what you need. Refrigerate extra for a couple of days.)
3 T extra virgin olive oil.
1 T fresh lemon and lime juice.
1 clove garlic, smashed and minced.
1/2 tsp maple syrup.
Pinch of salt, to taste.
Plated and ready to eat!
I chose crunchy romaine and peppery arugula to build my verdant bed of salad greens. I zested one lemon and one lime over the greens, then juiced the citrus and prepared my citronette. I used my favorite wide knife to smash the garlic, and then I minced it and added it to my jar of lemon and lime juice. I added maple syrup, extra virgin olive oil, and salt, shaking it up and dipping a leaf of romaine or arugula in to taste it as I went. Once the dressing had the right balance of flavors, I chopped my mint and scallions and added them to the salad bowl.
I plated the food, and served it up.
Here's one of our kid's plates, with sliced steak and the food clearly not touching.
The Verdict:
This is one of those salads that just works. It’s so easy, and so good. A really tasty citronette. A good fistful of fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, tarragon, thyme, and savory are all good substitutions). A sprinkle of scallions. A bed of lush salad greens. That’s really all you need. Perfect side salad. We ate it all.
Make it a Meal:
This is a very adaptable combination — add any leftover meat, or tofu, or garbanzo beans, and some extra fruit (citrus, berries, melon) and veggies (radishes, cucumber, mushrooms, peppers), and you’re good to go.
Pack it to Go:
It couldn’t be easier. Put your salad in a large glass or stainless steel container with a tight fitting rubber lid, and your citronette in a small jar. Tuck the dressing jar in to the larger container. When you’re ready to eat, shake up the citronette and drizzle as much as you need over your salad, then fork toss and enjoy.
Lime Citronette with Leftover Chicken, Mandarins, Mint and Cilantro.
Posted in Avocado, Bell Pepper, Button Mushrooms, Casein Free, Chicken, Cilantro, Corn, Gluten Free, Lime, Lime Citronette, Mandarin, Meal in Salad Form, Mint, Romaine Lettuce, Scallion, Yellow Onion, tagged bell pepper, casein free, chicken, cilantro, dinner, extra virgin olive oil, food, gluten free, lettuce, lime, lunch, mandarins, maple syrup, meal, mint, mushroom, mushrooms, orange, romaine, salad, salt, scallion, scallions, side, side dish, vegan, zest on February 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »
When life gives you leftovers, make salad!
Leftover protein and vegetables are amazing in salads. It’s a quick, easy way to make a delicious, nutritious meal. It’s cost-effective, because the leftover ingredients go further in a salad than they would on their own, and it’s fun, because you’re not actually eating the same damn thing twice in a week.
So, I was short on time and creativity, and I had some excellent leftover chicken tenderloins and some cooked corn. I rooted around for lettuce, mandarins, fresh herbs, and other veggies, and I made the best of it.
The ingredients, ready to be transformed!
Ingredients:
(Serves two as a meal.)
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped.
2 scallions, chopped.
3 mandarins, peeled, cut in half, and quartered.
4 button mushrooms, quartered.
1 avocado, quartered and sliced.
1 red bell pepper, sliced.
2 chicken tenderloins, leftover, cooked with onion, chopped.
1/2 cup of cooked corn.
1 fistful of mint, chopped.
1 fistful of cilantro, chopped.
Zest of one lime.
Lime Citronette:
(Use only what you need. Refrigerate extra for a day or two.)
1 T lime juice.
3 T extra virgin olive oil.
1/2 tsp maple syrup.
Pinch of salt, to taste.
I made a lovely bed of romaine lettuce and zested my lime over it. Then I whipped up my citronette in a small jar, and started chopping. I added the chicken, vegetables, and herbs first, saving the avocado and mandarin for last so that they would be bright and colorful. I don’t like brown avocado, and I prefer for citrus fruit to go into salads at the last minute so it doesn’t wilt the lettuce. Once all of my ingredients were properly sliced and diced, I drizzled the dressing over the top and tossed it before serving it up.
Rainbow deliciousness, ready to eat!
The Verdict:
Straightforward and delicious. The mint and cilantro brighten up the salad, and the juicy mandarins work well with the creamy avocado. The simplicity of the lime citronette works well with the leftover chicken and corn, and helps bring all of the flavors together. The crunchy red bell pepper and the crisp romaine lettuce keep the salad fresh and the textures diverse. This was a perfect example of how using leftovers meat and cooked veggies in salads is a great way to streamline cooking while keeping the food fun, tasty, and interesting.
Make it a Meal:
Done. For a vegan salad, swap out the chicken for garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, shelled edamame, or lightly seasoned tofu, and add a smashed and minced clove of garlic to the lime citronette for a little extra flavor.
Pack it to Go:
As usual, the avocado and citrus fruit go in the jar with the salad dressing (this keeps the avocado from browning and the mandarin juices from wilting the lettuce). Everything else goes in a large glass or stainless steel container with a lid. Combine when you’re ready to fork toss and enjoy!
Triple Citrus Side Salad
Posted in Casein Free, Frisee, Garlic, Gluten Free, Golden Beet, Lemon Citronette, Lime, Mache, Mint, Mixed Baby Greens, Navel Orange, Radicchio, Radish, Scallion, Side Salad, Vegan, tagged beet, casein free, dinner, extra virgin, food, frisee, garlic, gluten free, golden, greens, juice, lemon, lime, lunch, mache, maply syrup, meal, mint, navel, olive oil, orange, radicchio, radish, raw, salad, salt, scallion, side, vegan, vegetarian, zest on January 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »
I was in the midst of preparing a very rich meal. I had two plump chickens roasting in the oven, a pot of rice simmering in garlic chicken broth on the stove, and a bowl of sliced leeks ready to add to the saucepan of chanterelles I was stirring on the front burner. I wanted a salad to round out this meal, and I wanted it to be assertive and bright. Something explosive, with strong, clean citrus juiciness to complement the chicken and mushrooms.
I grabbed one of each kind of citrus fruit I had in the house, and a large fistful of mint. I added lots of radishes for crunch, and some scallions for flavor, and I got to work.
Time to slice and chop.
A bed of greens, ready for the triple citrus zest.
Ingredients:
(Serves three or four as a side salad.)
4 cups of mache and mixed greens, including frisee and radicchio.
6 radishes, sliced.
3 scallions, sliced.
1/2 cup of grated golden beet.
1 navel orange, peel sliced off, quartered and sliced.
1 lime, peel sliced off, quartered and sliced.
1 large fistful of mint, chopped.
Zest of one orange.
Zest of one lemon.
Zest of one lime.
Citronette:
(Use only what you need. Refrigerate extra for a couple of days.)
1 T lemon juice.
3 T extra virgin olive oil.
1/2 tsp maple syrup.
1 small clove of garlic, crushed and minced.
1 pinch of salt, to taste.
The orange peel is sliced off, and the lime is in step one of peel removal.
The lime peel is now completely sliced off.
I started with a gorgeous bed of mache, radicchio, and frisee. Then I zested the citrus over the greens. Once the zest was safely in the salad, I juiced a lemon and prepared my citronette, giving the garlic time to mellow.
I sliced up my radishes and scallions, and turned to the lime and the orange.
I love slicing the peel off of citrus fruits and exposing the bright, jeweled fruit. I did this for the lime and the navel orange, and added them to the salad just before it was time to serve it, since mache wilts easily.
Ready to serve!
The Verdict:
This salad was exactly what I wanted. My verdict? Amazing. It was quite sour, which I loved. My husband, on the other hand, was less impressed. He wound up leaving a little pile of pretty lime bits on his plate, and it was far too sour for the kids. Make this if you’re a fan of sour deliciousness. If not, move on.
Time to eat!
Make it a Meal:
Garbanzo beans, chicken, or any kind of seafood would work very well with this salad.
Pack it to Go:
Citronette in a jar with all the cut fruit. The rest of the salad ingredients in a large glass or stainless steel container with a tupperware-style lid. Shake up the dressing and pour as much as you need over the salad before eating it.
Chile Lime Nuts with Winter Melon and Avocado Citronette
Posted in Arugula, Avocado, Basil, Button Mushrooms, Cilantro, Dried Cranberries, Garlic, Ginger, Lemon Citronette, Meal in Salad Form, Melon, Mixed Baby Greens, Mixed Nuts, Mizuna, Radish, Scallion, Vegan, tagged Arugula, avocado, basil, casein free, chile, cilantro, extra virgin olive oil, food, garlic, lemon, lettuce, lime, lunch, maple syrup, mushroom, nut, radish, salad, salt, scallion, zest on January 19, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Sometimes I want my salad simple, clean, maybe even elegant. Sometimes I want a hearty, filling salad. And sometimes? Sometimes, I just want a rioting mosh pit of flavors and textures. I was definitely in the mood for some crazy flavors to explode against each other in my mouth when I made this salad.
I was inspired by a bag of lime & chile mixed nuts from Trader Joe’s, and I wanted to play with that amazing hami melon again, and I had a perfectly ripe avocado sitting on the counter… I just kept adding vegetables and ginger and herbs and garlic and more and more to the cutting board, until I was satisfied. And then I got to work.
Bold, colorful, and soon to be delicious.
Ingredients:
(Serves one for lunch.)
3-4 cups of arugula and asian greens.
3 mushrooms, quartered.
5 radishes, quartered.
2 scallions, sliced.
2 T dried cranberries.
2 T lime & chile mixed nuts (from Trader Joe’s).
1 fistful cilantro, chopped.
1 fistful basil, chopped.
1/2 cup hami melon, cut into bite sized pieces.
Zest of one lemon.
Avocado Citronette:
(Use only what you need. Extra can be refrigerated for a day.)
1 T lemon juice.
3 T extra virgin olive oil.
1/2 avocado, spooned into the jar.
2 tsp fresh grated ginger.
1 small clove of garlic, smashed and minced.
1/2 tsp maple syrup.
Pinch of salt, to taste.
I was making two salads, so I doubled all of the ingredients listed above. I started by creating my beds of greens, and I zested a lemon over each container of greens. Then I juiced the lemon and made two batches of the citronette. I chopped and sliced and chopped some more, divvying the fruit, veggies, and herbs up between the two salads. Finally, I packed both up and looked forward to the wild party my mouth would have at lunch time.
Yummy crazy flavor explosion.
This worked. Completely intense, and incredibly tasty. I loved the spicy nuts with the creamy avocado citronette. And I loved the crunchy radishes with the crisp melon. The mushrooms did what they always do — soaked up the dressing and exploded. It was good. Crazy good. My anticipation and excitement were so great, I completely forgot to take a picture of it before devouring it. You’ll just have to imagine it in all it’s glossily dressed splendor.
Make it a Meal:
Done.
Packed to go.
Done. As usual, pack your dressing in a small jar (large enough to hold the avocado) and make your salad in a large glass or stainless steel container with a good rubber lid. Add the citronette right before eating, fork-toss or put the lid back on your salad container and give it a few good shakes to help combine everything.
Cal-Mex with Apple and Pinto Beans
Posted in Apple, Casein Free, Cilantro, Citronettes, Cumin, Frisee, Garlic, Gluten Free, Lime Citronette, Mache, Meal in Salad Form, Mixed Baby Greens, Pinto Beans, Radicchio, Scallion, Smoked Paprika, Vegan, tagged apple, beans, casein free, cilantro, cumin, extra virgin olive oil, frisee, garlic, gluten free, juice, lemon, lettuce, lime, lunch, mache, maple syrup, mixed greens, pinto, radicchio, salad, salt, scallion, smoked paprika, vegan, zest on January 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Early morning, making lunch, I scanned the fridge and the cupboards and decided to make a southwestern salad. I didn’t have the radishes I love in those, or any oranges, or jicama, but I had cilantro and pinto beans. A scallion would help round it out, and the very last of our amazingly crisp apples from my mother-in-law’s tree would make up for the deficit of sweetness and crunch.
A gorgeous bed of mixed greens.
Ingredients:
(Lunch salad, serves one.)
4 cups of mache and mixed greens (including radicchio and frisee).
1/2 can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained.
1/3 apple, sliced into bite sized pieces.
1 scallion, chopped.
1 fistful of cilantro, chopped.
Zest of 1/2 lime.
Zest of 1/2 lemon.
Beautifully simple ingredients, ready to join the greens.
Citronette:
(Use only what you need, save the rest in the fridge and use within a few days.)
1 T lime juice.
3 T extra virgin olive oil.
1/2 clove of garlic, smashed and minced.
1/2 tsp maple syrup.
1/4 tsp cumin.
1/4 tsp smoked paprika.
Pinch of salt, to taste.
I doubled the ingredients listed above (for the citronette as well as for the salad) and made two lunches, one packed up for my husband to take to work, and one in a bowl for me to enjoy later in the day.
I started by rinsing the pinto beans and leaving them in a strainer to drain. Then I laid down a nice, hearty bed of mixed greens. I zested the citrus fruits over the greens. I mixed up two jars of citronette, tasted them, and set them aside. I chopped the cilantro and the scallions and tossed them in with the greens. After slicing the apple, I added it to the dressing jars so that it wouldn’t brown, screwed on the lids, and shook each jar up so that the citronette coated the apple pieces. Finally, I added the drained beans to the salads, nestled the dressing jar into my husbands large salad container, covered my salad and stuck it in the fridge, and cleaned up.
The finished salad, dressed and ready to eat.
This was a fine, simple, hearty salad. I really enjoyed the apple in lieu of radishes and jicama. Not gourmet, but very tasty.
Make it a meal:
Done. It would also have worked well with black beans or leftover chicken in place of pinto beans.
Packed to go.
Done. Remember to put the apple in with the citronette and not directly into the salad!
Winter Melon with Arugula and Mint
Posted in Arugula, Casein Free, Citronettes, Gluten Free, Lime Citronette, Melon, Mint, Mixed Baby Greens, Mizuna, Shallot, Side Salad, Vegan, tagged Arugula, asian greens, casein free, extra virgin olive oil, gluten free, hami, lettuce, lime, maple syrup, melon, mint, salad, salt, shallot, side dish, vegan, zest on January 5, 2011| Leave a Comment »
Officially, it was lunchtime. We had just gotten back from the Berkeley Bowl, and while I unloaded bag after bag of produce, I set aside a few things that really appealed to me. I’d already nibbled on the thuringer salami with the kids in the checkout line, and I’d helped them polish off some sushi in the car on the way home, so I wasn’t wanting to make a whole meal for myself. Just a really fun, tasty side salad to fill me up with vegetable goodness. The cantaloupe-looking melon with an unusual name was my star, and the kids were happy to help me sample it. Really fresh greens, mint, a shallot, and a gorgeous lime, and I was ready to start chopping.
Ingredients, ready to go.
Ingredients:
3 cups arugula and mixed asian greens.
1/8 hami melon, sliced into bite sized pieces (substitute with cantaloupe).
1 fistful of mint, chopped.
Zest of one lime.
Citronette:
(Use only what you need. Refrigerate extra for several days.)
1 T lime.
3 T extra virgin olive oil.
1/2 tsp maple syrup.
1/2 shallot, finely diced.
1 pinch of salt, to taste.
I filled a glass bowl with the arugula and the mixed asian greens, then zested a lime over the greens. Once the zest was removed, I juiced the lime and measured a bit into a jar. I added the diced shallot and salt to the lime juice, and let that sit while I cut up the hami melon and chopped the mint. Then I added extra virgin olive oil and a touch of maple syrup to my citronette, shook it up, drizzled it over the salad, fork tossed, and enjoyed.
Here it is, crisp melon and tasty mint, ready to eat!
This was really different. The bitter greens were perfect with the hami melon, which was incredibly light and crisp. It had a really unique texture — imagine an apple and a cantaloupe mating, and you’ll have an idea of what the hami has going for it. Perfect salad fruit. The lime and mint brought everything together, reminding me a bit of the fresh flavors of Vietnamese food. I think it would be fun to push this salad further, with some chili flakes, and to serve it with Pho.
Make it a Meal:
I liked how clean the flavors were, so I’d recommend keeping it a side salad, but if you really want to toss some protein in, I can see grilled chicken or steak working pretty well. Quinoa or shelled edamame might also work, if you need a veggie version.
Pack it to Go:
I think the hami is crisp enough to go in with the lettuce, though if it’ll be sitting in the fridge for a long time, the citronette jar might be a better place for it. As always, dressing gets its own little jar, salad ingredients go in a large glass or stainless steel container, and combine it all when you’re ready to eat. Toss it with your fork to help mix the dressing in, or do what my husband does and put the lid back on the salad container and give it a few good shakes.
Salad Play 