Quinoa Kitchen Sink Salad

This salad is a great way to use up leftover veggies that might be going bad. It's incredibly healthy — quinoa, a small grain about the same size as couscous, is a complete protein and packed with fiber, and it contains essential amino acids. It is very fast to make, involving only chopping and 15 minutes inactive cooking time for the quinoa. And, obviously, being a kitchen sink salad, this recipe invites you to use whatever you may have on hand and like! 

Serves 4-8

1 c. quinoa
2 c. water

3 T olive oil

2 t. vinegar (white or red wine, or balsamic)

1 T orange juice (optional)

2 t. lemon or lime juice (optional)

salt and pepper

Whatever vegetables you have/like. I used:
½ bunch asparagus, ends trimmed

1 c. snow peas

½ red onion

½ bunch scallions

1 carrot

½ c. craisins

Any herbs you have/like. I used:

½ c. fennel tops

½ c. basil

½ c. mint

1. Combine quinoa and water in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, cover, turn heat down to low, and let cook for 15 minutes until water is absorbed.

2. Chop veggies. Since this is a salad, you want everything in small, bite-sized pieces. I thinly sliced the asparagus, carrots, and scallions. I chopped snow peas into ½-inch pieces and red onion a bit smaller.

3. Roughly chop herbs. 

4. Combine everything (veggies, craisins, herbs, quinoa, and olive oil, vinegar and citrus juice(s)) in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine. Tastes even better the next day!

Asparagus Mushroom Salad

This light, delectable salad tastes so fresh and just like springtime! It's perfect at this time of year when asparagus is at its peak and involves no cooking at all--just chopping! It keeps well, too, and makes great leftovers! 
Serves 4

1 bunch asparagus
~7 mushrooms
1 lemon
3 T olive oil
1 t. dijon mustard, optional
salt and pepper

1. Rinse the asparagus, leaving it in the bunch. Remove one spear, break it with one hand at each end. Where it breaks is where you should trim the rest of them. Line it back up with the other spears and trim the ends where the previous end broke off. Discard these ends.

2. Use a damp paper towel to clean the mushrooms. Cut the stems mostly off.

3.Cut the asparagus on a very big angle as thinly as you can, as shown below. Put in serving bowl.

4.Thinly slice the mushrooms and add to sliced asparagus. 

5. Juice the lemon into a small bowl, remove any seeds and add olive oil, salt, pepper and mustard (if using). Mix well. Pour dressing over asparagus and mushrooms and toss and enjoy!

Notes: This is, as always, very versatile, and you can add/substitute pretty much any raw vegetable. Any type of greens, radish, leek, fennel, or artichoke would all be interesting. Mix it up and experiment and enjoy!

Dandelion Salad

Don't be turned off by the name! This salad is crazy healthy and truly tastes quite wonderful. Inspired by a salad my host mother in France made (salade de pissenlit in French), this is a fabulous change from typical salads and has great, unique flavors. It features a very neat, interesting way of taming dandelion's often bitter flavor. Dandelion greens are available at many farmers markets and at larger, "greener" and "healthier" groceries. 
Serves 4

1 T olive oil
1 onion
2 eggs
1 big bunch or bag dandelion greens
1/4 c. cream or olive oil
1 T vinegar (balsamic, red wine, white wine, etc.)
salt and pepper

1. Heat 1 T olive oil over medium heat. Slice onion into rings or half moons and add to oil. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to avoid burning, for about 30 minutes. (The longer the better though!)

2. Meanwhile, hard boil the eggs: put eggs in a small sauce pan, cover with cold water, and put over medium-high heat. When water boils, remove pot from heat and let sit, covered for 10 minutes. Then immediately submerse eggs in cold water to stop the cooking. Peel off shell.

3. Wash the dandelion very well. (It tends to be quite dirty since it's not usually produced industrially or in large-scale.) Trim off the ends and put in a salad bowl.

4. Cut hard boiled egg into small cubes. Add egg and caramelized onions to dandelion.

Dandelion and onions patiently awaiting the egg and their dressing

5. Heat cream or olive oil over med-high heat until very hot and nearly boiling or smoking. Pour over the dandelion. This flash-cooks the dandelion and softens its bitter flavor. Add vinegar and salt and pepper and toss well. Bon App Y'all!