Lunch Archives | Little Spice Jar

Crispy Feta Cheese Filo Pastry Spirals

Marzia — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 11:30:00 +0000

Crispy Feta Cheese Filo Pastry Spirals are insanely delicious! Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake until golden brown and crispy. Drizzle them with hot honey for a deliciously cheesy treat!

The crispy feta cheese filo pastry spirals your guests will go bonkers for!

Imagine this: butter-basted sheets of filo loaded with a combination of crumbled feta cheese and shredded mozzarella made into a perfect swirl. Then we’ll drizzle more melted butter and bake it in a dish until they’re perfectly flakey and golden.

Ugh! These take me right back to Greece! We had these filo pastry wrapped feta parcels as an appetizer in Mykonos a few years back. They were made with sheep’s milk feta and sprinkled with herbs like fresh thyme. And honestly, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Greek dishes like Spinach Puff Pastry inspired by Spanakopita, Baklava, and of course, Saganaki, but when you want something cheesy and delicious, phyllo-wraped feta is honestly the crispiest thing to enjoy.

Can I also say that these remind me of Turkish Börek? I can’t tell you how much cheese stuffed in phyllo dough we had in Turkey. The taste is incredible!

If you’re sensing a theme here, that I travel to eat food, you would be correct in assuming that!

Ingredients for Feta Cheese Filo Pastry:

Feta Cheese: You can crumble a block of feta for this recipe or purchase crumbled feta. If you buy feta packed in brine, I suggest draining it and letting it dry a bit on a paper towel so that the brine doesn’t cause the delicate sheet of phyllo to tear when you fold it.
Shredded Mozzarella: Combining the two cheeses adds a different flavor profile. I tried the recipe with feta cheese alone and found it wasn’t as delicious as when I added mozzarella into the mix. Feel free to cut back on some feta and mozzarella and introduce a third (or, dare I say, fourth) type of cheese into the mix.
Phyllo Pastry: you’ll want to work quickly with filo sheets. I like to use a damp towel to cover the sheets of phyllo dough while rolling. This keeps them from drying out and makes folding a bit easier.
Butter: You can use both unsalted and salted butter for this recipe. The only caveat is that if your cheese has a lot of salt, I suggest using unsalted butter to curb some of the saltiness. If you’re serving this with honey, salted butter yields better results by balancing the sweetness better.
Sesame Seeds: These are for sprinkling on top before baking. Feel free to omit the sesame seeds or use black sesame seeds here if that’s what you like!
Honey: It is completely optional. The phyllo-wrapped feta we had in Greece was always served drizzled with honey. But I somewhat enjoyed the Turkish Börek swirls a bit more, and those never had honey! Also, you can use homemade or store-bought hot honey or regular honey for this recipe.

How to make the most delicious Greek feta cheese in phyllo:

Start the prep. Start by preheating the oven and melt the first batch of butter in the microwave. We’ll use this for brushing. In a bowl, combine the crumbled feta and shredded mozzarella and mix as best as you can. Spray your baking dish with cooking spray; alternately, you can line it with parchment paper to keep the rolls from sticking.
Fill up the rolls. Lay a sheet of phyllo pastry in front of you on a clean work surface. You’ll want to cover the remaining stack of phyllo sheets with a damp towel to keep them from drying out. Then brush the single sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Buttering the layers helps them bake up extra crispy. Then fold the sheet over in half. Sprinkle with roughly 2-3 tablespoons worth of the cheese mixture. Start rolling the phyllo over the filling until you reach the other end.
Wrap it up. Then twist one side of the phyllo dough together to create a coil. You’ll want to keep twisting until you have a ‘cinnamon roll-like’ wrap. Place this in the prepared baking pan and continue wrapping the remaining phyllo the same way.
Bake until golden. Melt the remaining butter in a small bowl. Drizzle or brush the rolls with this. Then sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Cook them in a preheated oven until they’re golden and crispy.
Drizzle and serve. Drizzle the rolls with hot honey if you’d like. Doing this while they’re hot out of the oven does cause the rolls to soften slightly, so you may want to drizzle once they are slightly cooled.

FAQs about this recipe

Can I use a variety of cheese in these rolls?

My recipe is inspired by Trader Joe’s Greek Spirals. They use a variety of cheeses to make those, so I’m confident you can swap some of the cheese for different kinds. Here are some to try: Goat cheese, gouda, blue cheese, white cheddar, akawi, provolone, and gruyere.

Greek baked feta parcels typically are speckled with herbs; how would I do that?

You can use a tablespoon of fresh thyme, oregano, some chopped parsley, a tablespoon of chopped dill, or a combination of all four to make these a bit more flavorful on the inside. Feel free to add a little black pepper too! It works beautifully with the honey drizzle!

Can I bake more than one box of phyllo dough at a time?

Yes, I suggest using a large baking sheet (the way you would for a large batch of cinnamon rolls) Place the rolls so that the seam side is tucked, either into the baking tray or to the roll next to it so that it doesn’t unravel during baking. The baking time increases if you make a larger batch, but just look for them to turn golden brown and crispy!

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Yield: makes 12-14 rolls

Crispy Feta Cheese Filo Pastry Spirals

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Crispy Feta Cheese Filo Pastry Spirals are insanely delicious! Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake until golden brown and crispy. Drizzle them with hot honey for a deliciously cheesy treat!

Ingredients

12 ounces crumbled feta
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
1 (16-ounce) box phyllo pastry dough, thawed
13 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for topping
hot honey or regular honey, optional

Instructions

PREP: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Melt 10 tablespoons of butter in the microwave until liquid. In a bowl, combine the crumbled feta and shredded mozzarella cheese.
BASTE: Lay a sheet of phyllo pastry in front of you on a clean work surface. Cover the remaining stack of phyllo sheets with a damp towel to keep them from drying out. Brush a single sheet with butter. Fold one side of the sheet to create a half sheet.
FILL: Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons worth of cheese mixture one inch from the border of the phyllo sheet. Start by rolling the phyllo over the filling and continue to roll until you reach the other end.
WRAP: Twist one side of the phyllo dough to create a coil. Gently but firmly twist the phyllo to create a 'cinnamon roll swirl' and wrap the phyllo (see post photos.) Place the wrapped roll in an 8x12 or 9x13 baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and cheese mixture.
BAKE: Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the same bowl. Evenly drizzle or brush the butter all over the rolls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake for 48-56 minutes or until golden and crispy.
DRIZZLE: Drizzle the feta spirals with hot honey once they cool slightly, if desired. Serve while they’re still slightly warm!

Roasted Garlic Potato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Marzia — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 10:30:00 +0000

A creamy and luxurious Roasted Garlic Potato Soup. When you roast garlic it becomes sweet, not harsh at all! We’re adding it to a smooth and silky potato soup and the flavor is just out of this world!

I am so in love with this soup.

This velvety smooth roasted garlic potato soup has got me falling head over heels with every bite I take. Warm and creamy bites of potato soup with hints of roasted garlic, sauteed leeks, and onions, topped with gruyere grilled cheese croutons. It’s so smooth that it feels like you’re sippin’ on silk! It’s the ultimate comfort food!

It’s no secret that soups are some of my all-time favorite food to make. I have an overabundance of soup recipes here on LSJ. But honestly… can you ever have enough soup recipes?

And if you look at my soups and stews you’ll find one thing in common – almost all of them have one thing in common. They don’t always contain potatoes. *gasp*

I have a strong suspicion that I consumed a lifetime’s worth of potatoes before I turned 5. Because all of a sudden, potatoes became my least favorite food. In my thirties, I’ve learned to love them again so don’t worry cheesy potato recipes like my cheddar mashed potatoes with definitely be coming around more often!

Moving along… One of the key components in this recipe is the roasted garlic. It’s the absolute best part about this roasted garlic potato soup, other than the parmesan, and all the aromatics we use. I love how just a simple 40 minutes in the oven really brings out all the sweeter notes in garlic. It’s not pungent or offensive, but rather mild, sweet, and a more well-rounded flavor. Each sip of this silky-smooth potato soup is like a little dance across your tongue.

It honestly tastes divine! But don’t worry, if you too have an aversion to potatoes, I make a mean roasted cauliflower soup with truffle oil that you can try instead!

Ingredients for roasted garlic potato soup:

Garlic: Start by slicing the top of a whole head of garlic and exposing the cloves of garlic. We’ll season, wrap this in foil, and roast it for this roasted garlic soup recipe.
Potatoes: I prefer to use russet potatoes for my leek and potato soup recipe. You can use other types of potatoes, such as Yukon gold potatoes, but the starchiness of russet potatoes really helps make this recipe extra smooth. We’ll boil the potatoes until fork tender before adding them to the soup.
Butter and Olive Oil: We’ll saute the aromatics in the butter and use the olive oil to drizzle on the garlic before we roast it in the oven.
Onions and Leeks: These are the aromatics that add tons of flavor to the soup. We’ll saute them in butter to really bring out all that natural flavor as they slightly brown.
Flour: Helps thicken the soup. In the past, I’ve used a bit more flour than you find in the recipe now. I find a slightly thinner soup is more my preference!
Chicken Broth: I typically use homemade chicken broth or chicken stock but vegetable broth would also work for this recipe.
Milk and Heavy Cream: milk and heavy cream add creaminess and a smoother taste and texture to the bowls of warm soup. We’ll add these ingredients at the end and then let them simmer and warm through before we use the immersion blender to blend the soup.
Thyme and Chives: the thyme adds flavor to the soup and the chives are a nice garnish to this roasted garlic potato soup recipe!
Parmesan cheese: adds nuttiness that plays up beautifully with roasted garlic and all the other ingredients in this comforting soup.
Gruyere and bread: These ingredients are entirely optional and really only necessary if you want to make the gruyere grilled cheese croutons to serve on top of your soup recipe. You could even use sharp cheddar cheese or other types if you like something else in your grilled cheese sandwiches.
Seasonings: You’ll need both kosher salt and black pepper for the seasonings.

How to make roasted garlic potato soup:

Roast the garlic. Preheat the oven. Slice off the top of the garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Wrap garlic head in foil, place on a baking tray, and roast until garlic is tender. Let the garlic head cool to room temperature before attempting to squeeze it out.
Bring to a boil. While the garlic is roasting, bring a large saucepan of water to boiling. Add the whole potatoes and boil them until they’re tender. Allow them to cool, peel, and then dice them to add to the soup later. You can also make the potatoes a day in advance, and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge before peeling them. It’s a great way to speed up total time on the day you make this!
Saute the aromatics. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and leeks and saute until the onions and leeks soften and turn translucent.
Make the soup. Lower to medium heat, add the flour, and cook until the flour is lightly golden. Add the broth, milk, cream, thyme, salt and pepper. Let the soup reach a boil then simmer until it starts to thicken. Add the potatoes, and squeeze in the roasted garlic, add the parmesan cheese.
Blend the soup. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. You can also do this in a traditional blender by transferring and blending in batches. If the soup is thick for your liking, add more chicken broth according to preference, you might need up to 1 cup. Stir the soup, give it one last taste, and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
Serving. Transfer the soup into bowls from the dutch oven. Top with parmesan cheese, chives, crackers, or with Gruyère grilled cheese croutons (recipe in notes.)

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Original recipe posted Feb 2015, updated Oct 2023.

Yield: 5-6 servings

Roasted Garlic Potato Soup

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 head of garlic, whole
1 teaspoon olive oil
1¾ pounds russet potatoes, peeled
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup white onions, chopped
1 leek, cleaned/thinly sliced (whites and light greens)
3 tablespoons flour
4-5 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable)
1 cup whole milk (or 2%)
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon fresh thyme (¼ if dry)
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt + pepper to taste
Chopped chives or grilled cheese croutons for topping (see notes)

Instructions

ROAST: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Slice off the top of the garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Wrap garlic head in foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast for 40-45 minutes or until garlic is tender. Let cool before squeezing.
BOIL: While the garlic is roasting, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the peeled potatoes and boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and cube.
SAUTE: Melt the butter in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and leeks and saute for 6-8 minutes or until the onions and leeks soften and turn translucent.
MAKE SOUP: lower the heat to medium, add the flour, and cook for 60-90 seconds or until the flour is lightly golden. Add the 4 cups broth, milk, cream, thyme, a 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper. Let the soup reach a boil then allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes until it starts to thicken. Add the potatoes, squeeze in the roasted garlic, and parmesan cheese.
BLEND: Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. You can also do this in a traditional blender by transferring and blending in batches. If the soup is thick for your liking, add more chicken broth according to preference; you might need up to 1 cup. Taste and adjust with seasonings as desired.
SERVE: serve in bowls topped with parmesan cheese, chives, crackers, or with Gruyère grilled cheese croutons (recipe in notes.)

Notes

Grilled Cheese Croutons: Grab 4 slices of white country bread and spread with a couple tablespoons of unsalted butter on both sides. Add grated Gruyère cheese (about ¼ cup to each) to two of the slices. Top with the cheese-less slices and cook the grilled cheese sandwiches in a warm skillet or panini press until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for several seconds and cut into 1-inch croutons. Top soup and enjoy!
Roasted Garlic Vs. Leeks: If you want this to have a very prominent roasted garlic flavor, I suggest maybe even doubling up on the roasted garlic and using less of the leeks or omitting them entirely. 1 head of garlic with the leeks does give this a balanced flavor where the garlic or leeks work harmoniously. If you want it to be extra garlicky, use more garlic!

Homemade High Protein Bagels

Marzia — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Learn how to make high protein bagels at home with just 5 ingredients! These bagels have a whopping 10 grams of protein per bagel and are made with greek yogurt and baking powder instead of yeast! So quick and easy to meal prep for breakfast throughout the week!

PROTEIN BAGELS.

Like, who am I?

I could eat a bagel every day of my life if it wasn’t for those pesky little things called carbs. So we went ahead and balanced the scales a little bit by upping the protein in these quick and easy bagels and if you were to serve them with say, scrambled egg whites and cream cheese, I bet you could get around 30 grams of protein in your breakfast without even breaking a sweat!

But how could I even possibly like a baking powder leavened bagel instead of one with sourdough or yeast? This year, I’ve embarked upon a sourdough journey. And sometimes [read: most times] that comes with a lot of struggles before you get to a point where you enjoy adding flour, salt and water to a bowl and watching it rise on its own.

Luckily, these high protein bagels require no previous cooking or baking skills. And before you freak out – don’t worry, there’s no whey protein powder or anything out of the ordinary in these bagels! If you can add all purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and some greek yogurt to a bowl, you can make protein bagels at home in a flash!

Brush your bagels with a beaten egg white, this adds more protein and gives the bagels a little bit of glue so that you can sprinkle them with your toppings of choice – sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, dehydrated garlic, poppy seeds, dried onion, or anything else you please!

And yes, air fryer friends, you don’t even have to turn the oven on if you don’t want to!

Ingredients for protein bagels:

All purpose flour: I have good news for you! Both all purpose and bread flour will work for this recipe. The higher the protein in the flour, the crisper these bagels will be. Most high protein bagel recipes call for self-rising or self-raising flour. This is something I rarely have in the pantry. So I went ahead and made the recipe with regular flour. If you have self-rising flour at home and want to use it, see the notes under the recipe card on what ingredients you’ll need got swap out!
Baking powder: this is the leavening agent in our recipe. We’ll add the baking powder and kosher salt to our dough and let it hang out for 5-10 minutes. This allows the baking powder to really be absorbed by the other ingredients and leaves us with one protein-packed bagel!
Kosher salt: pretty self explanatory here! Use sea salt or kosher salt. Keep in mind that if you are using everything bagel seasoning that contains a lot of sodium, you might want to cut the salt back to 3/4 teaspoon If you usually prefer things less salty!
Greek yogurt: I like using full fat greek yogurt for this recipe. My favorite is Fage 5%, but 2% or even 0% will work. I do suggest using a higher fat percentage if possible though, I find it gives the bagels a better taste. And yes, vegan Greek yogurt should work well in place of traditional greek yogurt!
Egg white: This is to egg wash the bagels with before we sprinkle them with our seasonings.
Seasoning of choice: I’m pretty picky when it comes to bagels! My seasoning of choice is always sesame seeds. You won’t see me straying anywhere from that, but you coiled use poppy seeds, dried onion flakes, garlic flakes, or everything bagel seasoning! I usually make sourdough bagels with Asiago cheese shredded right on top, and I can’t imagine that would be anything but delicious!!

How to my 5-ingredient protein bagel recipe at home:

Start by preheating the oven. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside for now.
Combine the dry ingredients. In a bowl, mix together your flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. If you wanted to flavor the bagel dough, with say, cinnamon, this would be a good time to do so! Whisk the dry ingredients so they are thoroughly combined.
Add in the greek yogurt. Add the yogurt and using your hands or a silicone spatula, bring the dough together. It’s going to be very crumbly in the beginning but as you work the dough, it will come together – I promise! The prep time on these in under 15 minutes!
Divide and roll it out. Once the dough starts holding its shape, dump it out onto a clean work surface. If your dough is particular sticky, you might want to flour the surface a little bit To keep it from sticking. Divide it out into 6 equal pieces. Roll the dough into a thick rope, about 7-8 inches in length. Then connect the ends and gently roll the joining on the counter to fuse them together to create a “donut”. Place the bagel on the parchment-lined baking sheet And then repeat these steps with the remaining dough.
Brush the bagels and sprinkle them. You can do this directly on the baking sheet or transfer to a rimmed bowl or plate. Brush with a beaten egg white adn the sprinkle with your favorite seasonings.
Bake the bagels. Place the pan in the oven and let the bagels bake until they’re golden brown and fluffy. I like to remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature before I store them. The total time on these is around 40 minutes and the reward is half a dozen bagels!

FAQs about this recipe

How do you store the bagels?

Keep the bagels at room temperature for 1-2 days and consume or keep them in the fridge if you anticipate them to be around longer. For long term storage, pop them into a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to do you reheat frozen bagels?

If your toaster has a bagel setting, I’d use that! Slice the bagels down the center and then toast for 2-3 minutes.

Are high protein bagels healthy?

This really depends on your definition of ‘healthy.’ If you’re looking for a bagel recipe that’s higher in protein and contains only a handful of ingredients, this definitely meets the definition!

What are the macros on these bagels?

These bagels have around 200 calories, with 0-2grams of fat depending on the type of greek yogurt you use. They also have 35 grams of carbs and 10 over grams of protein.

What can I put on my bagels?

You can use peanut butter and banana, smashed avocado with a fried egg on top, butter and jam, or even scrambled egg whites with a scallion cream cheese! I also love my breakfast sandwiches for a more protein packed meal – just swap the English muffins for these bagels!

How do you make protein bagels in the air fryer?

Prepare the bagels as written. Preheat the air fryer at 300ºF for 5-7 minutes. Then 2-3 bagels into the air fryer basket without over crowding. Air Fry for 15-20 minutes or until the bagels are golden on top and puffed up.

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Yield: Serves 6

Homemade High Protein Bagels

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

2¼ cups all purpose flour (or bread flour)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1½ cup greek yogurt
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning

Instructions

PREP: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
MIX: In a bowl, whisk the dry ingredients until mixed. Then add the greek yogurt and mix together until a dough forms. You might want to use your hands to make this easier!
DIVIDE: Turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Divide it out into 6 equal pieces. If the dough is sticky dust with flour, I didn’t need to.
ROLL: out the dough into a thick rope, about 7-8 inches in length. Join the ends and gently press. Place your hand through the hole gently roll the joining part on the counter so that the ends fuse. Place the bagels on the prepared baking sheet and let sit for 5-10 minutes if possible. This allows the bagels to puff up more.
BRUSH AND SPRINKLE: On a clean plate, place one bagel, brush with the beaten egg white. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or bagel seasoning. Place the bagel on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining bagels.
BAKE: Place the pan in the oven and bake the bagels for 20-25 minutes or golden brown on top. Remove the bagels to a wire rack and let them rest for 10 minutes or until cooled so you can slice them. Toast if desired and spread with cream cheese. Store leftover bagels in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Notes

use self-rising/self-raising flour: you can also use self-rising flour if this is something you typically keep on hand. Replace the flour, baking powder, and most of the kosher salt with 2¼ cups self-rising flour. You’ll still need ¼ teaspoon of salt in addition to the flour!
seasonings: You can use an array of seasoning for these bagels. Dehydrated garlic or onion would work too. If you use an everything bagel seasoning with salt, you might want to cut the salt back to ¾ teaspoon to keep the bagels from being too salty.

Air fryer directions: Preheat the air fryer to 300ºF for at least 5 minutes. Then add the bagels and air fry them for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked through.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 206Total Fat: 2gCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 2gProtein: 10g

The nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is just an estimate. To get the most accurate information, please input the ingredients you've used into a nutrition calculator.

Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich

Marzia — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwiches are a quick and easy protein-packed lunch option for boxed lunches! Tuna salad is loaded with celery, onions, and chopped dill pickles. It’s creamy, healthy and perfect to serve on a sandwich, with crackers or on lettuce wraps!

Avos and Tuna.. together in a sandwich?

Count me in! This easy tuna salad recipe is one of those things that you keep in your back pocket. It’s great to use in a tuna melt, perfect to serve with rice cakes or multigrain crackers, on homemade protein bagels, dip with corn chips, scoop onto low carb tortilla wraps, it’s absolutely perfect between two slices of no-knead bread, and the list goes on and on!

Random thought, but anyone else bothered by it when people call it a tuna fish salad? Nope, just me? It just sounds so redundant!

I digress.

If you’ve got a few pantry staple ingredients, you can make this tuna salad sandwich in around 5 minutes. I always have canned tuna in my pantry for rainy days. Whether I’m looking to turn it into a tunacado on homemade focaccia bread with a scoop of basil pesto and serving it up panini style or adding it to homemade tuna pasta salad, tuna is one of those classics that you keep around. Whether you’re headed to the beach in the summertime and need something for lunch to pop into the icebox, or you’re looking for a flavorful desk lunch, a homemade tuna salad sandwich will never serve you wrong!

To make my tuna salad, I start with chopped celery, red onions, and dill pickles or sweet pickle relish. Add it fresh herbs (dill is what I’m thinking), and a dollop of mayo along with a few seasonings. It’s so quick and easy and all you really have to decide is whether or not you want to serve this with potato chips on the side!

Ingredients for homemade tuna salad sandwiches:

Canned Tuna: Both oil-packed tuna and water-packed tuna will work for this recipe. I like using albacore tuna. Feel free to use what you like and have at home. Make sure to drain the tuna well. I found that using low quality mayonnaise and not draining the tuna in a sieve left me with a bit of a messy tuna salad – it was just sad! Tuna salad shouldn’t be liquid-y!
Mayonnaise: I suggest using a good, high-quality mayonnaise. Low quality mayonnaise tends to become watery in this recipe. This is my favorite mayonnaise of all time.
Celery: I like to finely mince the celery so that you get a little crunch in every bite!
Red Onions: Adds bite and really works well with the dill pickles and other savory ingredients.
Dill Pickles + Pickle Juice: the pickle juice is my secret ingredient! I was a fresh lemon juice girlie for a while there until one day when I used my leftover pepperoncini juice and my tuna salad sandwich game changed forever. I’ll be honest; if I have pepperoncini’s in the fridge, I’ll still use that instead of pickle juice. The hot and peppery liquid works so well in an egg salad or tuna salad sandwich. But pickle juice works just fine too!
Seasonings: You’ll need garlic powder, kosher salt, and some black pepper. Feel free to add in red pepper flakes for a little heat or swap the black pepper for lemon pepper seasonings if you’d like! This is totally your call. You can also add in fresh herbs like chives, parsley, or dill.
Bread or Low-carb option: You can use homemade white or cheddar jalapeño bread, serve this with high fiber tortillas, or on multigrain crackers, lettuce wraps, or anything else that you like to serve your tuna salad on. Heck, you can even hollow out a red bell pepper or a few sweet peppers and serve the best tuna salad in that!
Other add-ins: Sometimes I’ll also add a squeeze of jalapeno mustard or dijon mustard to the mix. Other times I’ll use chopped pickled jalapeños. Some times I’ll add slices of avocado to my sandwich. You can use baby spinach, lettuce, a spring mix, kale or whatever else you like!

How to make a classic tuna salad, but better.

Start with the tuna. Make sure to drain the liquid from the tuna really well. If you prefer a mousse-like tuna salad, I highly suggest pulsing the tuna with the mayonnaise in the food processor. But be careful here. The texture can go from whipped to liquid really fast so don’t over do it! I usually skip this step.
Mix it all in. In a medium bowl, combine together the tuna, mayonnaise, celery, red onion, pickles, pickle juice, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper. Stir it all together and give it a taste. The flavor should be to your liking, so if you want a little more salt, garlic powder, more pickles, or some heat – go for it!
Serve it up. Toast the bread if you’re serving this like a sandwich. Then top with lettuce leaves, slices of avocado, and scoop the tuna salad on top. Top with another slice of bread and serve this up!
Storage. Leftover tuna salad can be kept in an air tight container for up to 3 days. It honestly tastes better as it sits so it’s even better on day 2!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Yield: Serves 3-4

Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwiches are a quick and easy protein-packed lunch option for boxed lunches! Tuna salad is loaded with celery, onions, and chopped dill pickles. It's creamy, healthy and perfect to serve on a sandwich, with crackers or on lettuce wraps!

Ingredients

3 (5-ounce) cans tuna, drained
½ cup mayonnaise (plus 1-2 tbsp if needed)
3 tablespoons celery, finely chopped
2 tablespoons red onion, minced
2 tablespoons dil pickles, minced (or use sweet relish)
2 teaspoons pickle juice (or lemon juice/pepperoncini juice)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon EACH: kosher salt AND black pepper
Slices of bread, focaccia, or tortilla
Sliced avocados, lettuce or baby spinach, as needed

Instructions

TUNA: Drain the liquid from the tuna. To make an extra smooth tuna salad, you can pulse the tuna and mayonnaise in a food processor. This makes a mousse-like salad. I typically skip this.
MIX: In medium bowl, combine the tuna, mayonnaise, celery, red onion, minced pickles, pickle juice, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust with more salt as desired, this will vary depending on the amount of salt in your tuna. If time permits, let the tuna salad hang out for 10 minutes; this allows the flavors to develop a bit more – totally optional though!
TOAST: Toast the bread or heat the tortilla if making a wrap. Add baby spinach, lettuce and avocado slices as desired. Scoop tuna on top one side and top with the second slice of bread. Serve!

Notes

Additional Add-ins: Feel free to play around with this! Sometimes I'll add a squeeze of jalapeño mustard/dijon or even a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. You can use lemon pepper seasoning/ pizza seasonings etc. Traders pickle seasoning is what I'm planning on trying next!

Recommended Products

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1/4th of recipe
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 334Total Fat: 21gCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 31g

** the nutritional facts do not include bread, lettuce, or avocado. ** The nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is just an estimate. To get the most accurate information, please input the ingredients you've used into a nutrition calculator.

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (+ Stuffed Avocados)

Marzia — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail stuffed into avocados with tons of veggies in a spicy sauce. Serve Mexican Shrimp Cocktail with tortilla chips or stuff into avocados – sure to become a summer dinner favorite! Just 7 grams of net carbs in this dinner recipe!

STUFFED AVOCADOS.

Say what?! Mexican shrimp cocktail stuffed avocados are everything. Hands-down the best warm weather no-cook dinner.

Those buttery, delicious avocados are cut in half and filled with a simple combination of shrimp, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and a tomato-based spicy, tangy sauce. Okay, so you could also call this Mexican-style shrimp ceviche, only I’m terrified when shrimp cooks in lime or lemon juice, so like a chicken, I always use cooked shrimp to begin with.

To be completely honest with you, this was supposed to be a recipe for shrimp cocktail stuffed avocados. You know, the kind of American shrimp cocktail that consists of just shrimp and cocktail sauce. The idea quickly expanded into Mexican shrimp cocktail stuffed avocados where vegetables play a decent enough role. Not only do these avocado boats look prettier with all that veggie color, but they also make for a beautiful appetizer at a party. And I’ll also add that they contain just 7 grams of net carbs and a whopping 14 grams of fiber.

Talk about nice and filling!

What’s the difference between ceviche and shrimp cocktail?

Mexican shrimp cocktail typically starts with cooked shrimp and is a combination of a sweet, spicy, and tangy tomato-based sauce with lots of chopped vegetables. Ceviche usually starts with raw shrimp or fish and isn’t as hearty as a shrimp cocktail.

Ingredients for coctel de camarones:

Shrimp: You can cook your own shrimp at home or purchase them precooked, it’s entirely up to you. If I’m cooking them at home, I like to peel and devein the shrimp. Then I’ll heat a pot of water to boiling, add in some lemon juice, and a generous sprinkle of kosher salt, and poach them for no longer than 45-60 seconds depending on the side. Remove the shrimp to an ice water bath and let them chill out. Chop them into bite-sized pieces.
Tomatoes: I typically use Roma tomatoes here, but it’s totally up to you! Dice them into the same size as the shrimp. Substitutions for Roma tomatoes would be cherry or grape tomatoes. Tomato juice mixes with the cocktail sauce, hot sauce, and horseradish and makes the most flavorful mix!
Cucumbers: Crunchy cucumbers add freshness to the mix.
Red Onions: Add a bit of a bite that works beautifully with sweet shrimp.
Jalapenos: You can also use serrano peppers for this recipe. Make sure to remove the seeds and ribs if you’re worried about the heat level!
Cilantro: Adds freshness to the dish. If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, you can leave it out if you’d like.
Cocktail Sauce: Cocktail sauce adds a bit of that horseradish-y kick. Feel free to use a splash of clamato juice instead of the cocktail sauce if that’s more your thing. Ketchup will make a decent substitute and has similar ingredients. Especially if you up the cayenne and the hot sauce by just a tad bit. I do find the horseradish also helps provide that flavor profile we all love about shrimp cocktail, so definitely add that too!
Hot Sauce: You can use Valentina, Tapatio, Cholula, or any other hot sauce you typically have at home. Use a couple of dashes or more if you prefer a spicier shrimp cocktail!
Lime juice: Ceviche and Mexican shrimp cocktail needs that hit of acid to balance out the heat and the sweetness of the shrimp.
Cayenne pepper or horseradish: These ingredients add a kick! The cayenne pepper can be limited if you’re worried about the spice level.
Salt and Pepper: These are pretty self-explanatory!
Avocados: You can dice up the avocados and then add them to the shrimp cocktail if you’re serving this with tortilla chips or saltine crackers. For parties, I’d serve them in avocado halves as an appetizer or a light summer dinner!

Making my Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Recipe:

Cook the shrimp. Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add in a squeeze of lemon (you can toss in the peel too afterwards) and a generous sprinkle of salt. Slowly lower the shrimp into the water and let them cook through for 45-60 seconds or until they’re opaque and curled into a ‘c’ shape. Drain and add them to an ice water bath and let them cool completely. Then, chop the shrimp into bite-sized pieces.
Mix the Mexican shrimp cocktail. In a large bowl, combine the chopped shrimp, add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and cilantro. Then in a small bowl combine cocktail sauce, jalapeno, hot sauce, lime juice, cayenne, horseradish, salt, and black pepper. Stir until all the ingredients come together. Pour the cocktail mixture over the other ingredients and stir to combine. Then cover and refrigerate the shrimp cocktail for a minimum of 30 minutes so that the flavors all come together.
Serve it up in avocados. If you’re serving these in avocados, cut them in half and remove the seed. You can scoop out a bit of the avocado so that you can fill it up more if you prefer. I typically just dice and add the scooped avocado to the cocktail mixture. And finally, serve with tortilla chips on the side!

FAQs about this recipe:

Can I grill the avocados?

You can brush the avocados with a little bit of olive oil, generously sprinkle with some salt, and then throw them on the grill to give them some summer lovin’. Grill marks make everything taste that much better. With this Texas heat, I take my avocados cold straight from the fridge and pile them high with Mexican shrimp cocktail!

What does cocktail sauce contain?

Cocktail sauce has ketchup, lemon juice, horseradish, hot sauce, and usually Worcestershire sauce as well.

What to expect?

Creamy avocados piled high with homemade shrimp cocktail. That first bite has a little bit of everything. The heat from the ceviche mellows out nice and smooth on your tongue when paired with the avocado. And hey, I get if avocado boats aren’t your thing. You can easily dice up the avocados, combine them with the rest of the shrimp cocktail ingredients and serve it in a clear glass bowl.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Mexican Shrimp Salad
Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Smashed Avocados
Garlicky Hawaiian Shrimp Scampi
Crispy Baja Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Mayo
Mediterranean Shrimp Orzo Salad
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Recipe originally shared July 2017, updated August 2023.

Yield: 10-12 stuffed avocado halves

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (+ Stuffed Avocados)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound cooked shrimp, chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes (I remove the seeds)
½ cup diced cucumbers
½ cup diced red onions
1 jalapeno, deseeded and diced (see notes)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons shrimp cocktail sauce
2 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Tapatio or Cholula)
2-3 tablespoons lime juice
1-2 teaspoons prepared horseradish, optional
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon EACH: kosher salt AND sugar
¼ teaspoon black pepper
5-6 avocados

Instructions

COMBINE: In a large bowl, combine the chopped shrimp, and add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, jalapeno, and cilantro.
MIX: In a small bowl combine cocktail sauce, hot sauce, lime juice, cayenne, 1 tsp horseradish, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Stir until all the ingredients come together. Taste and adjust with more horseradish, sugar, or hot sauce as desired. Pour the cocktail sauce mixture over the chopped ingredients. If you aren’t serving the cocktail in avocados, you can dice 1 avocado and add it to the shrimp cocktail if you’d like. Stir to combine.
COOL: Cover and refrigerate the shrimp cocktail for a minimum of 15 minutes and ideally, 30 minutes if time allows. This allows all the flavors to come together.
SERVE: Serve the shrimp cocktail in a bowl with lots of tortilla chips on the side. Or you can serve in avocados. Cut them in half and remove the seed. You can scoop out a bit of the avocado flesh so that you can fill it up more if you prefer. Fill the avocados and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

To make this spicier you can up the number of jalapenos to two or three.
Like your cocktail saucier? You can up the amount of cocktail sauce you use! I typically like to use ⅓ cup cocktail sauce when I'm serving these with tortilla chips. I use less when I'm serving these in avocados!

Marinated Beef Souvlaki Wraps

Marzia — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Marinated Beef Souvlaki Wraps start with sliced beef marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, and lots of garlic! Cook up the steak souvlaki and serve it in warm pitas topped with french fries, tzatziki sauce, onions, and tomatoes!

It’s all sunshine and Mediterranean skies when you’ve got warm, pita-wrapped, beef souvlaki on deck!

I know when you look at the short ingredient list for these steak souvlaki wraps, you won’t believe that they’re as yummy as I’m describing them to be. But I have a theory, the shorter the list of ingredients for souvlaki, the more delicious they are! Check out my chicken souvlaki skewers, you’ll see what I mean.

For this recipe, we’ll start with your favorite cut of steak – feel free to use the economical cuts; they work just fine here! The key is to make sure the beef has an ample amount of time to marinate. I usually toss these in a skillet instead of the grill and then loaded them into pitas with french fries, sliced onions, tzatziki sauce, and sliced tomatoes. Also, when in doubt, dunk them in more homemade tzatziki sauce! The flavors of fresh dill, garlic, lemon juice, etc. work so well with the flavors of the beef souvlaki!

Honestly, the street food in Greece was one of my favorite things!

Ingredients for beef souvlaki wraps:

Beef cuts: Feel free to use top sirloin, NY strip, or even a flank or skirt steak. The key is to remember that regardless of the cut of steak, it needs to be sliced against the grain here before we add it to the marinade. If you want to make beef skewers for kebabs, you can use top sirloin and just dice it into 1-inch cubes before you thread them onto wooden skewers. This marinade would work that way too! Make sure to grill the beef souvlaki skewers on an outdoor grill for the best flavor – perfect for BBQs!
Lemons: You’ll want to use the juice of fresh lemons for this recipe
Red Wine Vinegar: is another source of acid for this recipe.
Paprika: Hot paprika the souvlaki a deep red color and works well with the other ingredients in the recipe.
Olive Oil: is the base of the marinade.
Garlic: you’ll need a handful of garlic cloves. Mince them or grate them into the dressing so that the flavors all mingle together quickly. If you’re making this within 1-3 hours of marinating, I highly recommend grating the garlic rather than mincing. It’ll flavor everything much quicker.
Dried Oregano: You can also use fresh oregano for this recipe, I suggest doubling the quantity if that’s the case.
Salt and Black Pepper: these are standards!
Things to serve: prepared tzatziki sauce – this is ingredients like cucumbers, dill, Greek yogurt, some kind of acid like red wine vinegar, or lemon juice – you get the gist! You’ll also need warm Greek pitas, french fries, sliced tomatoes, and sliced red onions.

How to make Greek beef souvlaki wraps:

Start with the marinade. In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, paprika, olive oil, garlic, and oregano. Sprinkle in the salt and black pepper. Add the steak pieces and let them marinade for at least 1 hour and ideally, overnight if you can.
Sear off the steak (or you can make kebabs and grill them.) Remove the steak 30 minutes before you plan on cooking it. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add half of the marinated steak to the skillet and let it sear before giving the meat a flip. When it’s cooked through, remove the meat to a dish and repeat with the remaining meat.
Warm up the sides. You’ll want to start heating the pitas in a skillet. I also like to make a light salad with onions, tomatoes, parsley, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. You can even toss in a little bit of lemon juice if you’d like, or make a Greek salad instead of this. I recommend my Marinated Feta Greek Salad!
Assemble the wraps. Top your warm pita bread with the prepared steak, add in your vegetables, fries, and top with a tzatziki sauce. Serve with more french fries on the side, sweet potato fries, or even zucchini fries if you want to keep things light! If you have leftover meat, make sure to keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

How to make tzatziki sauce from scratch:

Okay, what are souvlaki wraps without tzatziki sauce? Grab some cucumbers, I like to use Persian cucumbers here. I prefer the flavor of those over English cucumbers. Peel half of the cucumber so that your tzatziki isn’t completely green. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice (or use red wine vinegar) and a big pinch of salt to the cucumbers and let them sit in a bowl. The salt and lemon juice will draw out the excess moisture. Add a clove of pressed garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil to a bowl and press it down with the back of a spoon. The olive oil will help mellow out the garlic and get rid of that harsh bite. Then, whisk in the Greek yogurt and dried dill. Squeeze all the liquid out of the cucumbers in a tea towel or paper napkins and add the cucumbers to the sauce. Stir to combine, taste and adjust with another big pinch of salt and more lemon juice as desired.

I also have an alternate feta and mint sauce you can use if you aren’t a fan of cucumbers! Check out my Harissa Chicken Bowls for that recipe.

What about gyros?

Now, if you’re looking for gyros, don’t worry, I have a couple of different versions of those two! You can check out my lamb and beef gyros here and my chicken gyros loaded with french fries, here!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Yield: Serves 6

Marinated Beef Souvlaki Wraps

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

1½ pounds NY strip, flank, skirt, sirloin, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon hot paprika
6 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt + ½ teaspoon pepper

For serving:

Prepared Tzatziki (see notes)
Warm Greek pitas
Prepared french fries
Sliced tomatoes/red onions

Instructions

MARINADE: In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, paprika, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Allow the steak to marinade for a minimum of 1 hour and ideally, overnight.
SEAR: Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the marinaded steak and sear it off; about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove the meat to a plate and continue searing the remaining steak the same way.
PREP: Warm the pitas in a skillet. Then toss the onions, tomatoes, and some fresh parsley if desired with a pinch of salt and pepper.
ASSEMBLE: Top warm pitas with the steak, french fries, tomato, and onion salad, and add a dollop of tzatziki on top, wrap up, and serve warm!

Notes

Tzatziki Sauce: Add ½ cup grated cucumbers to bowl, season 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Let the cucumbers sit for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine 1 clove of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil using the back of a spoon mash the garlic into the olive oil. Then add the yogurt and 1 teaspoon of dried dill and stir. Drain cucumbers in a tea towel and wring out excess moisture. Add to yogurt and stir. Taste and season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt if desired as well as up to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Keep sauce refrigerated until ready to serve.

Sweet Peach Goat Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Marzia — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Summer in a bowl! This sweet Peach Goat Cheese Salad is the perfect light summer lunch or dinner recipe. Loaded with sweet peaches, crisp cucumbers, crumbled goat cheese, and toasted almonds with your favorite salad greens. Toss it with balsamic dressing for a refreshing summer meal!

Flavor overload!

That’s how I like my summer salad recipes. And this peach salad is one for the books!

Inspired by Sweet Green, I found myself ordering this peach goat cheese salad over and over again. Until I stopped and said, I can make this at home! It tastes like summer in a bowl with sweet ripe peaches, crispy cucumbers, herbs like mint and fresh basil, and tons of crunchy almonds. To make it a bit heavier on protein, I love serving it up with grilled chicken or even salmon.

If you’re thinking how can I get even more flavor into this salad – the answer is grilled peaches! Toss them on the grill until they get those delicious grill marks, then chop them or add slices to the salad. The balsamic vinaigrette pairs beautifully with the peaches and mint.

It’s such a refined summer salad and it’s downright delicious when peaches are in season!

Ingredients for Peach Goat Cheese Salad:

Peaches: Sweet peaches are what truly make this salad. Feel free to add apricots in with the peaches if you want to give the salad a bit more dimension. You could even serve it up on a serving platter to really show off the stone fruit. Peaches are low in calories and high in fiber which makes them a great choice for salads!
Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are my favorite summertime snack! The clean flavor pairs beautifully with the floral notes of stone fruit. Feel free to use hothouse cucumbers or any other variety you typically like. Cucumbers are naturally low in carbohydrates so they are light and refreshing in this summer salad!
Fresh herbs: I love how mint and basil taste with fresh peaches! I sometimes make a small bowl of sliced peaches with fresh mint and a small drizzle of white balsamic for dessert. The vinegar helps release the juices from the peach and it all just works so well together!
Roasted almonds: Roasted almonds work well with the other ingredients. Feel free to use sunflower seeds or other nuts if that’s what you have on hand.
Goat Cheese: I love using goat cheese because the flavor pairs beautifully with the peaches. Feel free to swap this for feta cheese if you like, though it does add a bit more tang to the salad.
Other additions: sliced tomatoes or charred corn are both summer staples for us and for a variation on this salad, I love adding them in for another layer of flavor. Sliced red onions would also add a new layer of flavor to this salad.
Mixed greens: feel free to use kale, a spring mix, baby spinach, or arugula salad leaves. The base of the salad is entirely up to you!
The Dressing: For the dressing, you’ll need extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, kosher salt, and black pepper. Simply add the ingredients to a jar and give them a good shake until the dressing emulsifies. You can also swap the honey or maple syrup if you prefer.

Variations on this salad recipe

There are tons of things you can add to this salad to make it a bit more to your liking!

You can use rotini pasta or something similar to bulk this up if you’re serving a crowd!
Add chopped dates to bump up the sweetness and fiber.
You could use blackberries or other fruit along with the peaches.
Feta would work well in place of the goat cheese if you want it to have a bit more of a briny sodium-y taste to it!
Swap the regular honey for hot honey for a sweet and spicy kick!

How to Make a Summer Peach Salad Recipe

Start with the dressing. I like to use white balsamic vinegar for this recipe but you could use regular balsamic as well. Add it to a clean jar with a tightfitting lid along with olive oil, dijon, honey, kosher salt, and black pepper. The prep time on this recipe is super minimal!
Massage if the base is kale. Add the kale or your desired salad greens to a bowl. If you’re using kale like I do, you might want to massage the kale with the dressing to help make it more digestible. This is optional but I like to massage the kale to really give it a bit more flavor.
Serve it up. Combine the salad base (if it’s something other than kale) in your bowl. Then, top with sliced peaches, cucumbers, fresh herbs, roasted almonds, and any other add-ins you like. Add the dressing on top and toss to combine. Finish the salad with goat cheese and serve it up! Feel free to drizzle with more dressing as desired.

FAQs about this recipe

What protein can I serve with this?

You can add a shredded rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken brush with homemade bbq sauce when it’s on the grill, seared salmon (minus the salsa), or grilled shrimp. Anything you like should work here!

What can I use instead of peaches?

You can use nectarines or a medley of stone fruit if you prefer.

Can I use grilled peaches instead?

Grilled peaches would be delicious.

What kind of balsamic are you using for this salad?

I’m using white balsamic vinegar for this recipe as I think it pairs well with the other ingredients. Feel free to use regular balsamic if that’s what you have on hand!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Yield: Serves 4

Sweet Peach Goat Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Balsamic Dressing:

¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar (see notes)
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1-2 tablespoon honey (to taste)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Peach Goat Cheese Salad:

2 large peaches, sliced
1 cup sliced cucumbers
½ cup fresh herbs (I like basil and mint)
6-8 cups mixed greens (I use kale or spring mix)
⅓ cup chopped roasted almonds (salt-free)
½ cup crumbled goat cheese

Instructions

DRESSING: Using 1 tablespoon of honey, combine the ingredients for the dressing in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Taste and adjust with more seasonings or the second tablespoon of honey as desired.
PREP: Prep the ingredients by slicing the peaches and cucumbers, and cleaning and chopping the herbs.
KALE: If using kale, I suggest cleaning and chopping the kale. Toss half of the dressing with the kale in a bowl. Massage the kale and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before topping.
SALAD: Arrange the kale or spring mix (arugula or baby spinach works too) on a platter. Top with the sliced peaches, cucumber slices, fresh herbs, roasted almonds, and goat cheese crumbles. Dress with more dressing as desired and serve.

Notes

Balsamic: I like to use white balsamic vinegar for this recipe, but either will work!
Dressing: You most likely won't end up using all the dressing. For us, this makes enough to dress two batches of this salad. We keep the leftovers in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks!

Pickle-Brined Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Marzia — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Pickle-Brined Crispy Chicken Sandwiches are a Southern classic! These fried chicken sandwiches start with extra crispy chicken between soft brioche buns loaded with sweet and tangy homemade Chick-fil-A sauce, and extra pickles! Simple and so delicious!

If there’s anything on this planet that is ‘worth the calories’, it’s a homemade spicy chicken sandwich.

We start by brining chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs in a buttermilk pickle juice combo overnight. This allows the flavor to really get all the way into each bite. And then we’ll dredge them in seasoned flour and fry them up until they’re extra crispy.

I know, the internet is filled with chicken sandwich recipes. And if you’re not in the mood to make one, fast food chains like Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and KFC are typically right around the corner. But trust me when I say this, homemade is so much better. The hot and spicy honey mustard sauce gives this such an amazing flavor. Paired with a steamed potato bun, crisp lettuce, dill pickles, the taste is phenomenal! This isn’t your average grab-and-go Chick-fil-A crispy chicken sandwich either! It’s one that’s treated with lots of love and care and enjoyed on hot summer evenings on the patio with friends or family.

As I said, it’s actually worth every. single. calorie.

What’s a crispy chicken sandwich?

A tender piece of boneless, skinless chicken that’s dredged in a flour mixture that often contains a variety of seasonings and spices. The flour coating adheres to the chicken, which is often brined in buttermilk or other liquids, creating a crumbly crust. When you fry the chicken, the coating becomes crispy and crunchy! Then, you pop this into a soft bun and top it with your favorite toppings.

Ingredients to make a super crispy chicken sandwich:

Chicken: you have a few different options here, you could use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or even boneless skinless chicken thighs. This recipe uses 1 pound of chicken (or two hefty chicken breasts) that were cut down the middle and pounded using a meat mallet into an even thickness. This allows the chicken breasts to fry up evenly in the oil so that each bit is perfect.
buttermilk: because of its low pH, buttermilk helps tenderize the chicken without toughening it. I usually have buttermilk cubes in the freezer – I freeze leftovers in cubes so I have some when I need them. Or I use ⅓ cup of buttermilk powder with ¾ cup of water for this recipe, instead of the amount written on the package. I find it tastes much better this way!
pickle juice: used as a brining liquid that helps tenderize and flavor the chicken. I typically use the juice of dill pickles, but you can use whatever you like here. We’ll add the chicken to a shallow dish and them let it soak in the pickle and buttermilk brine so that it gets nice and tender!
sugar: sugar is used both in the brining mixture as well as the crunchy coating to create a well-balanced flavor
all-purpose flour: is the base for our dredging mixture. I use a 50:50 mix of AP flour and cornstarch to add a better crunch to the chicken. What you won’t find in my recipe is panko or breadcrumbs! I find that these ingredients absorb a lot of oil during frying and make the sandwich a bit greasy!
cornstarch: used 50:50 along with the flour to make the chicken breasts extra crispy.
seasonings: we use a combination of chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to create an ultra-flavorful flour coating and brining liquid. If you aren’t a fan of spice, swap the cayenne for paprika.
oil for frying: You want to use high-heat oil for frying, such as peanut oil. Using oil that has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor is essential. If you didn’t want to use peanut oil, you could also use avocado, canola or vegetable oil.

How to make a crispy chicken sandwich:

Brine the chicken: Combine the ingredients for the pickle brine in a glass measuring cup. Add the chicken to a glass dish and pour the brining mixture over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 18 hours in advance.
Dredge the chicken: Combine the flour, cornstarch, and seasonings in another pie dish and whisk until evenly combined. Remove the chicken from the brining liquid, but don’t discard it! Add a tablespoon of the brining liquid to the flour and whisk to combine. The crumbly texture will add extra crunch to the chicken! Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture and place on a clean surface.
Let it hang out: Allow the chicken to sit for at least 10 minutes so that the flour mixture absorbs all the liquid. This will create a more crispy chicken sandwich!
Fry the chicken: Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet and allow for it to heat up to 350ºF. You can check the temperature by clipping a thermometer to the side of the skillet so you can monitor it or frequently testing with a digital thermometer. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken in the skillet in batches and allow for it to fry for roughly 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a wire rack and allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes, you can fry the second batch while you wait, so you aren’t wasting time. Then, add the chicken back to the skillet and fry a second time until the chicken is crispy and cooked through to 165ºF.
Assemble the sandwich: Add a layer of mayo or homemade sauce (recipe below) to toasted buns, with sliced cheese, thinly sliced onions, romaine lettuce, and pickles! Or you could go the slaw route (which is how the Southerners do it!)

Toppings to use for your chicken sandwich:

homemade coleslaw (a Southern classic!)
pickles (you could even use fried pickles instead (!!!)
homemade sweet and tangy sauce (recipe below)
thinly sliced sweet onions
romaine lettuce
sliced cheese
beefsteak tomato slices

Homemade Chick-Fil-A sauce:

It’s a simple sauce that tastes just like Chick Fil A sauce! I slather it on my sandwich and even use it to dunk my fries in!

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons bbq sauce
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
⅓ cup mayonnaise
½-1 tablespoon sriracha (omit for less heat)

Tips for making the best crispy chicken sandwich:

Add a tablespoon of the buttermilk pickle brine to the flour mixture. That creates flakey, crispy, crunchy bits that adhere to the surface of that chicken that add an extra crunch!
Once the chicken breasts are coated in the flour mixture, allow them to sit on a wire rack or a baking sheet for 10 minutes. When the flour mixture dries onto the chicken, it fries up more crispy and crunchy!
Lay the chicken away from you when you’re adding it to the hot oil so that if it splatters, it splatters away from you.
Get good bread! You can use whatever kind of buns you have on hand or what you usually prefer! But here are a few suggestions: potato buns, brioche buns, kaiser rolls, sesame hamburger buns, or Texas toast.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Original Recipe Shared June 2020, updated August 2023.

Yield: serves 4

Pickle-Brined Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

Brining:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 4 pieces (or 4 thighs)
¾ cup buttermilk
⅓ cup pickle juice
1 teaspoon EACH: kosher salt, sugar, AND garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Breading:

½ cup EACH: all-purpose flour AND cornstarch
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder AND kosher salt
¼ teaspoon EACH: black pepper, cayenne pepper AND onion powder

Serving:

oil, for frying
Buns, pickles, lettuce, cheese, sauce (in notes) and/or coleslaw

Instructions

BRINE: Combine the ingredients for the brine in a shallow bowl. Add the chicken and make sure it’s all covered in the marinade. Cover with wrap or a lid and refrigerator for 1-18 hours.
SET IT UP: Remove chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before frying. Combine the breading ingredients in a shallow dish and whisk. Add 1 tablespoon of the brining liquid, this helps create a crumbly crust.
BREADING: Remove chicken from brine, dripping off the excess before dredging it in the flour mixture. Press down to ensure the coating adheres. Gently lift the chicken pieces and shake to dust off excess. Place on a baking sheet and allow the coatings to dry, this creates a crispier chicken! Repeat with the remaining chicken.
FRY: Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat with 3-4 inches of oil to 350ºF. Gently lower the chicken into the oil in batches and fry. For 5-7 minutes, flipping around the halfway mark to cook the chicken all the way through. Remove to a baking sheet with a wire rack and immediately sprinkle with some kosher salt.
ASSEMBLE: Toast buns if desired top with prepared chicken, coleslaw, pickles, lettuce and or sauce (in notes.)

Notes

Marinade: keep in mind that most of the flavor comes from the marinade. The longer the chicken sits in it, the more flavorful it will be. Plan ahead on this one if you can!
To make the sauce: whisk together 2 tbsps honey, 2 tbsps bbq sauce, ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, and ½-1 tbsp sriracha sauce in a small bowl and until smooth.
feel free to omit the cayenne pepper from the breading and brining mixture if you prefer to keep this on the mild side!

August 2023 – Recipe updated with minor edits and easier to follow directions.

Crunchy Asparagus Orzo Salad with Lemon Shallot Dressing

Marzia — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Crunchy asparagus orzo salad topped with lemon garlic toasted breadcrumbs! We’ll cook the pasta and asparagus together then toss with lots of fresh herbs, and a lemon shallot dressing. Top it all off with crumbled feta cheese and lots of toasty breadcrumbs for the most amazing flavor!

Crispy, crunchy and so delicious! Asparagus orzo salad has it all!

Pasta salads like this are my jam. It’s the perfect quick summer lunch to keep on hand for the week because it pairs beautifully with chicken, shrimp, or salmon. It’s quick enough to shovel in your mouth at lunchtime while you juggle all the things. But it’s also fancy enough to serve as a side dish with grilled chicken and grilled sweet bell peppers drizzled with balsamic for dining al fresco.

What really seals the deal for me on this salad is that it takes about 30 minutes to put together and what you’re left with is a refreshing cold asparagus salad with rice-like pasta and a lemon vinaigrette that you could chug with a spoon!

Ingredients for asparagus lemon orzo pasta salad:

Orzo pasta: dried orzo pasta makes the base of this salad. You can also use any other small-shaped pasta that you’d like if you don’t happen to have orzo on hand. Ditalini and pearl couscous are just a couple of options. You could also use quinoa to make it a quinoa salad, however, you’ll need to guesstimate how much you need as I haven’t tested this yet.
Asparagus spears: this salad is perfect to make when asparagus is in season! You want to use fresh tender spears and you’ll need roughly a pound before trimming the ends.
Panko breadcrumbs: Toasted panko gives the salad a crunchy element.
Garlic: We’ll use the garlic to season the breadcrumbs. I highly suggest a fine grater for this recipe.
Lemon Zest + juice: The zest will go into the breadcrumbs when they’re hot off of the skillet. This gives the breadcrumbs the most delicious lemony fragrance. The lemon zest releases lemon oil when it hits the panko and it is glorious! The lemon juice will go into the dressing for the salad.
All the herbs: You’ll need scallions, dill, mint, fresh basil, and parsley. Use any or all of those herbs. I’ve started an herb garden recently, so for me, it’s a no-brainer to use as many as I can!
Feta cheese: feta gives the salad a briny punch. We’ve got acid from the lemon dressing, salt and brininess from the feta, and sweetness from the honey. Each bite is an explosion of flavor.
Olive oil: Good olive oil works best here as this recipe will be consumed cold.
Shallots: You can use a minced red onion as well if you don’t have a shallot on hand, but I find the shallot does make the dressing a bit milder.
Dijon mustard: Imulsifies the dressing and adds a bit of umami.
Honey: helps balance the dressing. It also sweetens it a bit so the acid from the lemon juice isn’t as harsh.
Seasonings: Of course, you’ll need kosher salt and black pepper for seasonings!

How to make crunchy asparagus orzo salad:

Cook the pasta. Bring a 3-quart pot or larger to boil. Season the boiling water with salt and then add the pasta to the water. As the pasta cooks, keep an eye on it. Add the trimmed asparagus spears during the last 60 seconds to blanch them. Drain the pasta and asparagus in a colander and let them cool. You can transfer them to a boil and drizzle with a little olive oil if you’d like.
Dressing the salad. While the orzo cooks, I like to start preparing the dressing. You’ll want to combine the olive oil, lemon juice, minced shallots, a big pinch of kosher salt, black pepper, dijon, and honey in a mason jar and give it a good shake to combine. Taste the dressing and adjust anything you find missing.
Toast the breadcrumbs. You’ll want to heat a tbsp of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When warm, add the panko and saute stirring it around until all of the panko is evenly toasted. Grate in the garlic cloves and cook for another 30-ish seconds. You’ll want to season the breadcrumbs if you’d like with a pinch of salt. Then remove them from the heat and immediately add the lemon zest to the panko so that the peels release their oils from the heat.
Toss it all together. Add the cooked orzo, asparagus, scallions, and other herbs in a bowl. Toss to combine, then press with half of the dressing and mix. Taste and adjust with more dressing or seasonings to your preference. Add the crumbled feta and toss lightly. Top with the breadcrumbs right before serving.

FAQs about this recipe:

Is orzo a rice or pasta?

Orzo is a pasta shaped like a grain of rice.

How do you keep pasta salad from absorbing dressing?

Dressing the salad at the right time is key. Dressing the salad a day in advance will cause the pasta to absorb the dressing. Dress the salad about 30 minutes before dressing for the ideal taste and texture.

Can I add other veggies to this salad?

You can! I want to try castelvetrano olives next, but you could even do cucumbers or snap peas to bulk up the salad with more veggies!

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Yield: serves 6 as a side, 4 as a main

Crunchy Asparagus Orzo Salad with lemon Shallot Dressing

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Crunchy asparagus orzo salad topped with lemon garlic toasted breadcrumbs! We'll cook the pasta and asparagus together then toss with lots of fresh herbs, and a lemon shallot dressing. Top it all off with crumbled feta cheese and lots of toasty breadcrumbs for the most amazing flavor!

Ingredients

Salad:

1 cup dry orzo pasta
1 pound asparagus, washed/trimmed/ sliced diagonally
½ cup panko bread crumbs
3 cloves garlic, pressed
Zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup chopped scallions, greens only
½ cup combined dill, mint, basil, and parsley, chopped
½ cup crumbled feta

Dressing:

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3-4 tbsp lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced shallots
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon
2 teaspoons honey

Instructions

PASTA: Bring a 3-quart saucepan filled with water to boil. When boiling, salt the water generously and cook the orzo to package directions, adding in the trimmed asparagus during the last 60 seconds and blanching. Drain the orzo and asparagus when done in a colander. Drizzle with oil if desired and allow the pasta to cool.
DRESSING: While the water is boiling, add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, along with 3 tablespoons lemon juice, minced shallots, a big pinch of kosher salt, black pepper, dijon mustard, and honey. Give the dressing a good shake. Taste and adjust with more seasonings as desired.
TOAST: Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. When warm, add the panko and stir to combine. Cook the panko until golden and toasted about 2 minutes. Add the garlic during the last 30 seconds. Allow the garlic to get fragrant then remove from heat and add the breadcrumbs to a bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and a big pinch of salt while the panko is still warm.
TOSS: Add the cooked orzo and asparagus, scallions, and other herbs in a bowl. Toss to combine. Then dress with half of the dressing and mix. Taste and adjust with more dressing or seasonings as desired. Add the feta and breadcrumbs right at the end. Enjoy!

Notes

IB: NYTCooking.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad (Antipasto Pasta Salad)

Marzia — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 10:30:00 +0000

A simple Mediterranean pasta salad loaded with fresh arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, pine nuts, kalamata olives, basil pesto and so much more! A Mediterranean Pasta Salad like you’ve never had before!

My friends, I present to you, L❤️VE in a bowl.

And I’m not just being sappy. That’s actually the name of this salad – or well, the name of the salad that this is inspired by. It’s called Pasta Amore. And baby, it’s true love.

This Italian-inspired pasta salad it unlike any Mediterranean pasta salad you’ve ever had before. Because unlike all those other salads, this one actually has all the flavors of Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean wrapped together in every bite. We’re talking about sun-dried tomatoes, mingling with fresh basil pesto, tangy artichokes, buttery pine nuts, and briny olives. We’ll finish it off with lots of parmesan cheese. One bite and you’ll know why they call this what they call this.

Unlike your typical Mediterranean salad, you know what I’m talking about – the red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, red onions, and cucumbers all tossed with fusilli or farfalle, this is a refreshing take off the worn-out path of Greek salads masked as Mediterranean Pasta Salads. Yes, I said it. Can you feel the passion?

We’re adding richness with our veggie choices! Skip the grape tomatoes and do sun-dried tomatoes, forget the feta cheese entirely, and use marinated artichoke hearts instead of cucumbers, how can you be mad at that?

And the best part? It’s NOT another mayonnaise-based salad. So it’s healthier too! And on top of that, it feeds a crowd! There’s just so much goodness going into this recipe that it’ll easily feed 12-14 people as a small side. If you’re planning on taking this to a book club or a summer barbecue, make extra because they are going to rave about it and then ask you for the recipe.

I serve this cold pasta salad as a side dish with grilled chicken, but you could just add cooked diced chicken into the Mediterranean pasta salad as well to make it even more hearty and filling!

Mediterranean Pasta Salad (28 sec.):

Ingredients for Mediterranean Pasta Salad:

Pasta: You can use any shape of pasta that you like for this recipe. I’m using penne pasta and I boil them in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Then drain and rinse the pasta under cold water.
Marinated Artichoke Hearts: These add a delicious tart flavor. They also bulk up the salad. If you can’t find these in a store near you, you can also purchase them online.
Sun-dried tomatoes: We’ll make full use of this ingredient! Make sure to save some of the oil that the sun-dried tomatoes come packed in, they add a delicious flavor to the basil pesto dressing.
Kalamata Olives + Capers: These briny ingredients help cut the richness of the pine nuts and make this such a refreshing summer salad.
Scallions and parsley: These ingredients add freshness. Feel free to use other fresh herbs if you prefer.
Arugula: I love the pepperiness arugula adds to summer salads. Feel free to use kale in its place if you prefer.
Parmesan Cheese: Grated parmesan cheese adds the most delicious flavor to this salad.
Pine nuts: Add nuttiness and richness to the salad, freely free to replace with cashews for a more economical option.
Fresh Basil Pesto: I love using my homemade basil pesto for this recipe. It gives the dressing the most unique flavor! Just shake it all up in a jar.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Goes into the basil pesto with lemon juice to thin it out.
Lemon Juice: This is the acid for the basil pesto dressing.
Salt and pepper: kosher salt and pepper will go into the dressing for the salad.

How to Make the Best Pasta Salad:

Start with the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. I like to let the pasta cool to room temperature before tossing it with the other ingredients.
Make the salad. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, scallions, and parsley. Then give everything a good toss.
Make the dressing. In a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the pesto, olive oil, tomato oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Shake the container to combine. Taste the dressing to make sure it’s to your liking. You can refrigerate the dressing until you’re ready to serve. You can even make it a day in advance if you prefer. Serve the salad cold though.
Toss and serve. When you’re ready to serve, add the arugula, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts to the salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the top. Using salad tossers toss the salad until it’s combined. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper as the salad needs.

FAQs about pasta salads:

Should I dress my pasta salad the night before?

Use can toss everything but the arugula, parmesan cheese, and pinenuts in the pasta keep the salad dressing separate until you’re ready to serve. That way, when you’re ready to serve, you just give it a toss! Alternatively, you can combine everything but the arugula and add that in right before serving. This keeps things fresh and easy!

How long is leftover pasta salad good for?

I would consume this salad in 1-2 days at most.

Can I make this with gluten-free pasta?

Yes, swap the pasta with gluten-free pasta and make sure the basil pesto you use was packed in a gluten-friendly facility. I would suggest homemade if possible!

How can I make my Mediterranean pasta salad more protein-packed?

Add a can of drained garbanzo beans, cubed salami or pepperoni, or cubed grilled chicken.

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Yield: 8 large servings or 12 small

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

A simple Mediterranean pasta salad loaded with fresh arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, pine nuts, kalamata olives, basil pesto and so much more! It's a copy-cat recipe for Cafe Express's Pasta Amore and let me just say it's actually BETTER!

Ingredients

salad:

12 ounces pasta (any small shape will do, I like penne)
1-12 ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained (reserve 2 tablespoons of oil)
½ cup kalamata olives, chopped
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
¼ cup EACH sliced scallions AND chopped parsley
1 cup packed fresh arugula, roughly chopped
⅓ cup parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons pine nuts

dressing:

3 tablespoons pesto (homemade or store bought)
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons of reserved sun-dried tomato oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

SALAD: Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Rinse and drain the pasta and allow it to cool to room temperature. You can speed this up by spreading the pasta out on a baking sheet and refrigerating it for 30 minutes.
TOSS: In a large bowl combine the cooled pasta, chopped artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, scallions, and parsley. Toss to combine.
MAKE-AHEAD: At this point, you can cover and store the pasta salad in the refrigerator until ready to serve if you want to serve it cold.
DRESSING: In a small bowl, mix together the pesto, olive oil, sun-dried tomato oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. The dressing can be covered and refrigerated until you're ready to serve the salad.
ASSEMBLY: Right before serving, add the arugula, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts into the salad and toss to combine. Dress with the prepared dressing and taste for seasonings. Adjust with additional salt or other ingredients to preference.

Notes

ADD PROTEIN: Feel free to toss in cooked chicken to make this salad even heartier.
TRANSPORTING: If you're transporting this salad, to simplify things, you can place the arugula, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts on top of the prepared salad and toss when you get there with the dressing.

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