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Roasted Bruschetta Salmon

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My goodness was this a pretty dinner.

It is my birthday week, which always seems like such a funny expression to me. Yet by the time you see all of those who are important to you it generally takes a week, or longer. My girlfriend Catherine likes to squeeze a whole month out of her birthday. Rightfully so, she has many that love her and want to celebrate her.

But this week in late August was my turn and all I really wanted to do was stay in a cook her and I a pretty dinner. It’s quite rare I can pull off a meal like this in my home, (no one would eat it) so it did feel a bit special and selfish. Which I think is exactly OK to feel during your birthday week. Right? Maybe?

Friends. This roasted bruschetta salmon came together so easily. Rub some spices on the salmon and roast away, all the while prepping a super easy summery bruschetta to top. The lemon slices and balsamic glaze make it special, and eating it with one of your closest girlfriends in the entire world? Well that makes it over the top special.

Enjoy!

ROASTED BRUSCHETTA SALMON
Recipe from CookathomeMom

INGREDIENTS FOR SALMON:

2 lbs salmon
1/2 lemon, sliced
2 TBS olive oil
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Balsamic glaze, for topping

INGREDIENTS FOR BRUSCHETTA:

1.5 pints cherry tomatoes
small bunch of basil
1/4 red onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS balsamic vinegar

DIRECITONS:

Preheat your broiler. Mix all the salmon spices together. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and rub with olive oil and spices. Cook under the broiler for about 3 minutes (this sears the salmon). Remove from oven and switch oven temp to 300. Put salmon back in, with lemon slices, and cook for 10 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, make the bruschetta. Simmer the oil in a saute pan over medium low heat. Saute the garlic until fragrant. Mix with chopped up tomatoes, basil, red onion, salt, and balsamic vinegar.

Once salmon is done, top with bruschetta and drizzle on some balsamic glaze. More fresh basil works nicely here too.

Rainbow Quinoa Salad

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They say to eat the rainbow….and this is a beautiful way to do exactly that.

This rainbow quinoa salad has so many brightly colored veggies! It’s a great way to showcase all the fresh summer produce and herbs at the market. I also threw in some feta cheese and ok, ok, a little bacon….because why not?

Pulled chicken would be a lovely option as well to up the protein factor, although you are getting some protein from the heart heathy quinoa. This works so great as a meal prep recipe for the busy work week or weekends. I had it three times over a baseball tournament weekend and it didn’t get old, in fact, it got better and better as the flavors blended together.

So healthy, so satisfying, yet light enough for these hot summer days it’s the perfect meal to honor all the hard work you’ve been doing on your summer bod. Or wedding bod. Or post babe bod. Or whatever your goal may be. Even if it’s just doubling the bacon in this recipe, which is exactly what I did.

Enjoy! 

RAINBOW QUINOA SALAD
Recipe from ALFS

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cups peas
1/2 cup diced yellow pepper
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup purple cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup feta
6 slices bacon, cooked and drained
1/2 cup basil, freshly chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, freshly chopped
1/2 cup sliced up almonds

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING:

Juice of 2 large lemons
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
3 large TBS honey

DIRECTIONS:

Combine ingredients for salad and whisk together ingredients for dressing. Toss gentle and enjoy!

Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad

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So my goodness. I don’t know where you live but it has been HOT in the Midwest. Which has been awesome and exactly what summer should be. We’ve had long stretches of 90+ degree days with the real feel temp hitting over 100 degrees. Exactly how I like my summers. Give em to me hot baby.

Meal planning has been tricky though. I have full intentions of continuing to use the slow cooker (especially during a very busy time of baseball season) and getting the oven going for dinner but sometimes it is just. too. darn. hot. Plus, I don’t know about you, but my appetite definitely dips when it’s this warn. Give me all the watermelon, please. And yet I know I need something more substantial than a summer fruit to carry me through my days.

Enter this crunchy Thai chicken salad.

It’s healthy. Hearty. And cool in all the right places. Refreshing and light, but filling enough to keep you satisfying. It comes together with two very significant short cuts: a rotisserie chicken and shredded napa cabbage both which are easily found at the grocery store. Meal prepping at it’s finest, this recipe will last you a few good meals during your work week or for a quick lunch or dinner on the go of a busy sport weekend.

Avocado would also be a lovely additional to the top of this salad should you want another healthier way to fill you up. Don’t skimp on the extra cilantro and chopped peanuts. It’s everything.

Stay cool!

CRUNCHY THAI CHICKEN SALAD
Recipe from ALFS

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING:

4 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce Red Boat brand
1 tablespoon fresh ginger peeled and grated
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon honey to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

4 cups shredded Napa cabbage
1 red pepper diced
3 carrots grated
2 scallions chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped, plus more for topping
1/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped up, plus more for topping
Cut up avocado, optional

DIRECITONS:

Whisk together your dressing ingredients and set aside.

Combine your salad ingredients, gently toss with dressing. Top with extra cilantro and peanuts. Enjoy!

4th of July Salad

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Can you believe it’s almost the 4th of July? What the fresh heck is going on. The kids have already officially plowed through one month of summer and I am desperately running around trying to figure out how to press pause and slow things down a bit.

The rain yesterday afternoon was nice. It sort of shut everything down for a few hours and was much needed, especially after five straight days of 90+ heat that included seven baseball games. Whew. The boys got to chill in the AC, mom got to prep for the week ahead and get some content going in the kitchen, and all felt in good balance once again.

I was in a more festive mood yesterday with the 4th right around the corner. We typically host our family for a little BBQ and I like to put one little ‘4th’ twist on something I am serving. Those who watched my Instagram story know I had this idea to make little stars out of cucumbers. Easiest way to have handled this would have been a mini cookie cutter, which I did not have because I am not a crafty kitchen gal. So I decided to basically hand carve cucumbers which didn’t exactly turn out perfectly, but in my whole new phase of striving for good instead of perfect I felt completely at peace with this. A little homemade ‘from scratch’ looking for sure, but who needs actual perfect cucumber stars in their life? No one I want to be around.

The rest was just easy. Red white and blue was a no brainer with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and feta. Threw in some chopped up toasted cashews for crunch and gave it all a great toss with a simple homemade balsalmic vinaigrette. 

Easy, festive, a little imperfect, but oh so delicious. Happy 4th Everyone!

4th OF JULY SALAD
Recipe from ALFS

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

One large package of spring mix
One large cucumber
Handful of strawberries, chopped up
Handful of raspberries
Handful of blueberries
Handful of feta
Some chopped up toasted nuts, whatever kind you prefer. I used cashews here.

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING:

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar.
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
1 garlic clove, minced.
1/2 cup olive oil.
Salt and freshly ground pepper.

DIRECTIONS:

Place your spring mix on a large platter. Slice your cucumber into about half inch rounds and cut out stars as shown in photo (or use a mini cookie cutter here, way easier).

Sprinkle on your berries, feta, nuts, and top with cucumber stars.

Whisk together dressing ingredient and when ready to serve, gently toss with salad ingredients.

Enjoy!

Italian Sub Chopped Salad

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Happy Friday friends!

As promised on my Instagram last week, I am delivering the Italian Sub Chopped salad recipe. I tested this one out for Father’s Day because it seemed oh so manly and it was a hit all around. Ladies included.

Everyone loves a sub sandwich. And when you can hold the carbs? Genius. This one highlights all the usuals that you’d find on the popular sandwich: salami, provolone, shredded romaine, tomatoes, pepperocinis, sliced red onion plus a little surprise with the garbanzo beans. Everything is chopped up into perfect fork size pieces and tossed together with an oreganoy olive oil dressing. (I actually ran out of oregano so threw in some Italian seasonings as well which worked lovely). 

Get this one going for your next family and friends gathering. It’s a perfectly crisp and refreshing salad for summer!

ITALIAN SUB CHOPPED SALAD
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING:

4 cloves garlic,minced
1 to 2 tablespoons dried oregano (i used some Italian seasonings too)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1 small red onion, peeled and sliced into super thin rings
1/2 pound provolone, sliced up into ribbons
1/2 pound salami, sliced up into ribbons
cup or so sliced pepperoncini
3/4 pound cherry tomatoes, sliced
Sea salt
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded (I bought this pre done)
1 head radicchio, halved, cored and shredded (bought this pre done)
2 tablespoons dried oregano for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Make dressing by whisking dressing ingredients together.

To make the salad, fold the chickpeas, red onion, provolone, salami, pepperoncini (including seeds and juice) into the dressing, one at a time to marinade a bit. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt. Set aside until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, add the tomatoes, lettuce and radicchio to the salad bowl, along with a couple of generous pinches of oregano, and toss to combine with the remaining ingredients hanging out in the dressing. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding any reserved dressing if needed. Serve immediately.

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