Showing posts tagged peas
Colorful Salad with Homemade Herbed Croutons You know how when you go to buffets or dining halls or salad bars the salads are always SO good? There are so many choices and textures and flavors. There are croutons and veggies and fruits and seeds and peas and dressing and it’s all so crunchy and wonderful. When I moved off my college campus and away from those salad bars, I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands and create a salad just as exciting and versatile.  I have figured out that they key components to creating a successful salad are: croutons, good dressing, lots of colors, and small juicy items like peas or corn. I prefer making my own croutons to buying them (cheaper, healthier, more fun). I save the ends of bread (yeah, I don’t eat the ends, so what) and freeze them. When salad time rolls around I pop them in the microwave, chop them up and sautee them til they are crispy and greasy and delicious. In terms of dressing, I love tahini dressing or sesame-soy-ginger, but an easy and still yummy way to go is olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice, salt and pepper, or all of the above.  I made this salad with my wonderful best friend, A. She is just getting into cooking and it’s so much fun to teach her what I know and watch her get excited as she invents new and delicious meals.  You can really put in almost any vegetable and your salad will taste great, but here’s what we did: Ingredients: Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped Frozen peas, cooked and let to cool Canned corn, drained Broccoli (raw, or slightly steamed) Bell pepper  Carrots Celery Several pieces bread Olive oil Salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary and thyme Dressing Directions: Defrost bread if necessary, cut into crouton size pieces Heat olive oil in a pan, add bread and mix around so all the pieces get oily Add herbs and oil as needed (it takes a bit of oil to get them crispy) Sautee until croutons are crispy and flavorful (this tends to take at least 10 minutes) Meanwhile, wash and chop veggies into bite size pieces Mix veggies and croutons together in a large bowl, add dressing and toss Serve and enjoy -N View high resolution

Colorful Salad with Homemade Herbed Croutons

You know how when you go to buffets or dining halls or salad bars the salads are always SO good? There are so many choices and textures and flavors. There are croutons and veggies and fruits and seeds and peas and dressing and it’s all so crunchy and wonderful. When I moved off my college campus and away from those salad bars, I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands and create a salad just as exciting and versatile. 

I have figured out that they key components to creating a successful salad are: croutons, good dressing, lots of colors, and small juicy items like peas or corn. I prefer making my own croutons to buying them (cheaper, healthier, more fun). I save the ends of bread (yeah, I don’t eat the ends, so what) and freeze them. When salad time rolls around I pop them in the microwave, chop them up and sautee them til they are crispy and greasy and delicious.

In terms of dressing, I love tahini dressing or sesame-soy-ginger, but an easy and still yummy way to go is olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice, salt and pepper, or all of the above. 

I made this salad with my wonderful best friend, A. She is just getting into cooking and it’s so much fun to teach her what I know and watch her get excited as she invents new and delicious meals. 

You can really put in almost any vegetable and your salad will taste great, but here’s what we did:

Ingredients:

  • Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
  • Frozen peas, cooked and let to cool
  • Canned corn, drained
  • Broccoli (raw, or slightly steamed)
  • Bell pepper 
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Several pieces bread
  • Olive oil
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary and thyme
  • Dressing

Directions:

  1. Defrost bread if necessary, cut into crouton size pieces
  2. Heat olive oil in a pan, add bread and mix around so all the pieces get oily
  3. Add herbs and oil as needed (it takes a bit of oil to get them crispy)
  4. Sautee until croutons are crispy and flavorful (this tends to take at least 10 minutes)
  5. Meanwhile, wash and chop veggies into bite size pieces
  6. Mix veggies and croutons together in a large bowl, add dressing and toss
  7. Serve and enjoy

-N

Simple Veggie Noodle Soup When you are sick, you need soup. That’s just how it goes. When you are sick, you also don’t have the energy to make a fancy meal. That’s how this soup came about. Tomato sauce can be a great soup base; it’s mainly tomatoes which are flavorful and add texture, plus its already flavored with garlic, onions and a few other spices. I used Better Than Bouillon Veggie Broth for extra flavor, which you can find at natural food stores or whole foods. I put in noodles (comfort food) and just a few veggies to keep it simple. I put in a clove of garlic, and actually ate one clove while I was cooking. Garlic is a natural antiviral, as well as antibacterial and antifungal, so it’s great to eat when you are sick. I also made sure to add lots of hot sauce to clear my sinuses.  Ingredients: 1 or 2 TBS Better Than Bouillon Veggie Broth Tomato Sauce of Choice (I used Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce) Half a White Onion 1 or 2 Cloves Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste Noodles of Choice (I used rotini, or corkscrew noodles) Frozen Peas Carrots Hot Sauce Directions: Boil a pot of water, add noodles when water is at rolling boil Add Veggie Broth While noodles begin to cook, chop your garlic, onion and carrot into bite size pieces, and add to soup When water returns to boil add frozen peas Mix in several large spoonfuls of tomato sauce, taste and add more as needed Add salt, pepper, hot sauce, and any other herbs and spices you desire Enjoy, and get plenty of rest :) -N View high resolution

Simple Veggie Noodle Soup

When you are sick, you need soup. That’s just how it goes. When you are sick, you also don’t have the energy to make a fancy meal. That’s how this soup came about.

Tomato sauce can be a great soup base; it’s mainly tomatoes which are flavorful and add texture, plus its already flavored with garlic, onions and a few other spices. I used Better Than Bouillon Veggie Broth for extra flavor, which you can find at natural food stores or whole foods. I put in noodles (comfort food) and just a few veggies to keep it simple. I put in a clove of garlic, and actually ate one clove while I was cooking. Garlic is a natural antiviral, as well as antibacterial and antifungal, so it’s great to eat when you are sick. I also made sure to add lots of hot sauce to clear my sinuses. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 or 2 TBS Better Than Bouillon Veggie Broth
  • Tomato Sauce of Choice (I used Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce)
  • Half a White Onion
  • 1 or 2 Cloves Garlic
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Noodles of Choice (I used rotini, or corkscrew noodles)
  • Frozen Peas
  • Carrots
  • Hot Sauce

Directions:

  1. Boil a pot of water, add noodles when water is at rolling boil
  2. Add Veggie Broth
  3. While noodles begin to cook, chop your garlic, onion and carrot into bite size pieces, and add to soup
  4. When water returns to boil add frozen peas
  5. Mix in several large spoonfuls of tomato sauce, taste and add more as needed
  6. Add salt, pepper, hot sauce, and any other herbs and spices you desire
  7. Enjoy, and get plenty of rest :)

-N