Warm Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Salad

Here's another Paleo-friendly salad that will prove to be a family favorite. With bacon, apples, walnuts and a tangy mustard dressing, these Brussels sprouts will grab their taste buds from the first bite.

Warm Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Salad

1 cup walnut halves, roughly chopped
6 strips thick cut bacon
1/4 sweet & spicy mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 TBS Bragg's raw apple cider vinegar
3 TBS fresh squeeze lemon juice
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
4 green onions (scallions), chopped
1-2 TBS bacon drippings

Place bacon on rack on cookie sheet and place in cold oven. Heat oven to 400 degrees, cooking bacon 8-10 minutes on each side or until crisp. Cut into small pieces. Reserve drippings.

Whisk together mustard, EVOO, vinegar, lemon juice and pepper.

Preheat large skillet or wok over medium heat and add the bacon drippings. Add Brussels sprouts and apples, and saute until wilted and slightly browned. Mix in the walnuts, bacon and scallions and toss with mustard mixture. Serve warm.

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Spicy Tuna Salad

This recipe is inspired by one out of the book Paleo Comfort Foods, by Julie Sullivan Mayfield, Charles Mayfield and Robb Wolf. The original recipe was simpler and uses smoked salmon (which, sadly, I detest). 

I normally use celery and Granny Smith apples in my tuna salad, so adding them to this mix seemed the natural order of things.

Enjoy!

JACQUI'S SPICY TUNA SALAD:

1 6oz can Albacore tuna, drained and flaked
1/4 cup olive oil mayonnaise
1 TBS Sriracha
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 TBS toasted sesame seeds
2 TBS chives
1 rib celery, diced
1 Granny Smith apple, diced 

Mix all ingredients and allow to marinate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

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Mexicali Salad

This is one of my favorite go-to recipes for summer events like church picnics, or just because. It's perfect for taking advantage of all that great corn that's out there now. While not strictly Paleo--with its corn and black bean--it's clean eating appropriate and very, very delicious.

JACQUI'S MEXICALI SALAD

3 ears of fresh corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 large tomato, chopped
4 TBS cilantro, chopped
1 TBS Mexican oregano
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Boil corn for 7 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Remove from ears with sharp knife. Mix in remaining ingredients, tossing to combine. Chill at least two hours before serving.

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Texas Caviar

This is one of those recipes that is ubiquitous down home in Texas and Louisiana. It's all about the black-eyed peas ( and I don't mean the musical group, even though they seriously rock). In the winter we eat Hoppin' John. In the summer, it's this--Texas Caviar.

To turn it into more of a main dish meal, I add those lovely little bocconcini--fresh mozzarella balls. If you can't find those, simply cut string cheese sticks into bite-sized pieces. The new Tomato-Basil flavor is especially good with this.

Texas Caviar

1 16oz package frozen black-eyed peas (you can substitute fresh, or canned that you rinse thoroughly)
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 medium red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions ( green onions), sliced
10-12 pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced
3 TBS flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
1 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
4 TBS garlic red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Prepare peas according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water until completely cool. Add remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving, but preferably overnight.

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Spicy Broccoli Salad

SPICY BROCCOLI SALAD

1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets

1 green onion, chopped

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup sliced almonds

2 tablespoons horseradish mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sucanat

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Mix together mayonnaise, sucanat and apple cider vinegar, set aside. Combine first four ingredients, pour mayo mixture over and stir until broccoli is well coated.

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Raw Kale Salad

RAW KALE SALAD

1 bunch kale

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup golden raisins

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons walnut oil

Pink Himalayan salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Clean and de-stem kale, rolling lengthwise. Chiffonade the kale into tiny slivers. Place kale in large bowl, adding lemon juice, walnut oil, salt and pepper. Massage the wet ingredients into the kale thoroughly until the kale becomes tender and limp. Add remaining ingredients and serve. Makes 4 servings.

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Chilled Pesto Chick'n Salad

Chilled Pesto Chick'n Salad

1/2 oz or 1 tbsp Cheese, feta**
1 Tbsp Pesto sauce
1 cup carrots, shredded
6 oz Gardein Chick'n, cubed
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup cooked pasta, brown rice penne

Toss everything together in a large bowl, then chill for an hour. Enjoy!


** Omit to make this dish Vegan.

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Zesty Southwest Salad

Zesty Southwestern Salad

2 Cups mixed baby greens
1/2 Cup Broccoli Slaw
2 Tomatoes, plum
1/4 Cup Scallions (Green Onions), chopped
3/4 Cup Frozen Corn, steamed
1/2 Cup Beans, red kidney
1/4 Cup California (Haas) Avocado
1 TBSP Feta Cheese crumbles**


Dressing:
2 Tsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Vinegar, Red Wine
Add a teaspoon of the salt-free seasoning or herb of your choice. I use garlic and Safeway Select All-In-One Seasoning blend

Toss all ingredients together in a large salad bowl and enjoy!

NOTE: Any bean can be substituted for the dark red kidney beans. Black beans, Garbanzo(chickpeas) and Anasazi would be particularly delicious!


** Omit to make this dish Vegan.

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Cucumber, Tomato & Italian Peppers Salad

Cucumber, Tomato & Italian Peppers Salad

1 English cucumber, sliced & quartered

2 tomatoes, diced

3 fresh sweet Italian peppers (use yellow, orange and red for a festive look), seeded and sliced

3 TBS Extra virgin olive oil

4 TBS Garlic red wine vinegar

1 tsp. Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

Combine veggies in a large bowl. Whisk together oil, vinegar and seasoning. Pour onto veggies, tossing to thoroughly coat. Chill for at least 1 hour. Overnight if possible.

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Thai Curry Chick'n Salad

Thai Curry Chick'n* Salad

1 package Gardein chick'n, cubed

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup Tamari sauce, or Teriyaki sauce

2 TBP rice wine vinegar

1/2 TBP yellow curry paste

1/2 TSP grated fresh ginger

2 TBP vegetable oil

1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts

Salad:

8 cups salad greans

1 cup raw sugar snap peas, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

Roasted pepper rice wine vinegar

In a gallon-sized baggie, combine green onions, garlic, Tamari, vinegar, curry, and ginger. Add chick'n, making sure to cover it with sauce. Marinate overnight.

Heat vegetable oil in wok or skillet over high heat. Add marinated chick'n and sauce, stir frying only long enough to cook chicken completely. Add peanuts, continuing to stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Layer salad ingredients, drizzling with roasted pepper flavor rice wine vinegar. Top with chick'n. 

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Seven-Bean Salad

SEVEN-BEAN SALAD

2 cups 7-bean soup mixture

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp Tony Cacherie's Creole Seasoning

1 small yellow onion, chopped

5 pickled okra, sliced

10 large green olives, sliced

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 small cucumber, peeled and diced

1 tomato, diced

1/4 cup feta, crumbled**

2 TBP extra virgin olive oil

3 TBP garlic red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

Add enough water to first THREE ingredients to cover, bringing to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and let stand for 1-2 hours or overnight. 

Drain beans, then add enough water to cover. Over medium heat bring bean mixture to a boil, cover and cook 1 hour, or until beans are chewy, but not mushy. Drain and rinse in cold water. Toss together with remianing ingredients and let marinate overnight. Stir thoroughly before serving.

** Omit to make this a vegan-friendly dish.

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