SALADS
• Garden Salad with Sardine Filets
• Moroccan Tomato and Roasted Chile Salad
• Warm Fennel, Cherry Tomato, and Spinach Salad
Arugula and Artichokes
Arugula, also known as rocket, is a dark leafy green that has a peppery bite. It’s very flavorful and has plenty of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as vital phytonutrients. Make this salad with the sweetest cherry tomatoes you can find.
|
• 4 tablespoons olive oil • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • 1 clove garlic, minced • 6 cups baby arugula leaves • 6 oil-packed artichoke hearts, sliced |
• 6 low-salt olives, pitted and chopped • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half • 4 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced |
Make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, and garlic until you have a smooth emulsion. Set aside.
Toss the arugula, artichokes, olives, and tomatoes together.
Drizzle the salad with the dressing, garnish with the fresh basil, and serve.
Serves 6.
Asparagus Salad
Asparagus is a spring vegetable that is as delicious raw as it is cooked. Asparagus is not only low in calories, but it is also a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. When choosing extra-virgin olive oil for this salad, use the highest quality available.
|
• 1 pound asparagus • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 4 tablespoons olive oil |
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar • 1 tablespoon lemon zest |
Either roast the asparagus or, with a vegetable peeler, shave it into thin strips.
Season to taste.
Toss with the olive oil and vinegar, garnish with a sprinkle of lemon zest, and serve.
Serves 4.
Double-Apple Spinach Salad
This salad is crunchy, tart, and sweet, with greens, fruits, nuts, and low-fat cheese. Its ingredients also provide a wide range of benefits—apples, walnuts, and spinach offer plenty of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Serve for lunch with a whole-grain baguette, or at dinner as a first course.
|
• 8 cups baby spinach • 1 medium Granny Smith apple, diced • 1 medium red apple, diced • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts |
• 2 ounces low-fat, sharp white cheddar cheese, cubed • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar |
Toss the spinach, apples, walnuts, and cubed cheese together. Lightly drizzle olive oil and vinegar over top and serve.
Serves 4.
Endive with Shrimp
This elegant, simple salad makes a delicious lunch entrée. The walnuts provide high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Serve it with crusty bread and a dry white wine.
|
• 1/4 cup olive oil • 1 small shallot, minced • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • Juice and zest of 1 lemon • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 2 cups salted water |
• 14 shrimp, peeled and deveined • 1 head endive • 1/2 cup tart green apple, diced • 2 tablespoons toasted walnuts |
For the vinaigrette, whisk together the first five ingredients in a small bowl until creamy and emulsified.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours for best flavor.
In a small pan, boil salted water. Add the shrimp and cook 1–2 minutes, or until the shrimp turns pink. Drain and cool under cold water.
To assemble the salad, wash and break the endive. Place on serving plates and top with the shrimp, green apple, and toasted walnuts.
Drizzle with the vinaigrette before serving.
Serves 4.
Four-Bean Salad
Beans are a staple in many parts of the Mediterranean. High in fiber, beans are also versatile and can be eaten hot or cold, in salads or soups. Use dried beans for the best flavor, but keep canned beans on hand as a convenient option.
|
• 1/2 cup white beans, cooked • 1/2 cup black-eyed peas, cooked • 1/2 cup fava beans, cooked • 1/2 cup lima beans, cooked • 1 red bell pepper, diced |
• 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • Juice of 1 lemon • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
You can cook the beans a day or two in advance to speed up the preparation of this dish.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Season to taste.
Allow to sit for 30 minutes, so the flavors can come together before serving.
Serves 4.
Garden Salad with Sardine Filets
This tasty salad combines traditional Mediterranean ingredients. Sardines are a superfood, containing vitamins B3, B12, and D, as well as tryptophan, selenium, omega-3 fats, protein, phosphorus, and calcium. You can serve this salad as a side dish, or a as a main dish with whole-wheat bread or breadsticks.
|
• 1/2 cup olive oil • Juice of 1 medium lemon • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 4 medium tomatoes, diced • 1 large cucumber, peeled and diced |
• 1 pound arugula, trimmed and chopped • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced • 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 4 whole sardine filets packed in olive oil, drained and chopped |
For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard, and season with sea salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine all the vegetables with the parsley, and toss. Add the sardine filets on top of the salad.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving.
Serves 6.
Moroccan Tomato and Roasted Chile Salad
The Mediterranean diet is based on plenty of vegetables, and this is great way to get them in one satisfying dish. Serve with grilled chicken or kebabs to make this a main dish.
|
• 2 large green bell peppers • 1 hot red chili Fresno or jalapeño pepper • 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced • 1 large cucumber, peeled and diced |
• 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • Juice of 1 lemon • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
Preheat broiler on high. Broil all of the peppers and chilies until the skin blackens and blisters.
Place the peppers and chilies in a paper bag. Seal and set aside to cool. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.
Take peppers and chilies out from the bag and remove the skins. Seed and chop the peppers and add them to the salad.
Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Toss to combine and let sit for 15–20 minutes before serving.
Serves 6.
Peachy Tomato Salad
A variety of salads help provide the fruits and vegetables that make up the foundation of the Mediterranean diet. Make this super-easy side dish in the summer when both tomatoes and peaches are at their best. The sweet and savory flavors combined in this fruit salad pair best with grilled fare.
|
• 2 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced into wedges • 2 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced |
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 1 tablespoon lemon juice |
Toss the peaches, tomatoes, and red onion in a large bowl. Season to taste.
Add the olive oil and lemon juice, and gently toss. Serve at room temperature.
Serves 2.
Raw Zucchini Salad
This light and robust salad makes an excellent starter. Zucchini and tomatoes are both summer vegetables that provide good nutrition as well as hydration. The key to creating this dish is to slice the zucchini paper-thin or shred into long, thin slices with a cheese grater.
|
• 1 medium zucchini, shredded or sliced paper thin • 6 cherry tomatoes, halved • 3 tablespoons olive oil • Juice of 1 lemon |
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 3–4 basil leaves, thinly sliced • 2 tablespoons freshly grated, low-fat Parmesan cheese |
Layer the zucchini slices on 2 plates in even layers. Top with the tomatoes.
Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste.
Top with the basil and sprinkle with cheese before serving.
Serves 2.
Riviera Tuna Salad
Humble canned tuna becomes something special in this healthful, main-dish salad, while garbanzo beans add fiber and protein.
|
• 1/4 cup olive oil • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • 2 tablespoons capers, drained |
• 4–6 cups baby greens • 1 (6-ounce) can solid white albacore tuna, drained • 1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained • 1/4 cup low-salt olives, pitted and quartered • 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped |
To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, oregano, sea salt, and pepper until emulsified.
Stir in the capers. Refrigerate for up to 6 hours before serving.
Place the baby greens in a salad bowl or on individual plates, and top with the tuna, beans, olives, and tomatoes.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over all, and serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Tomato and Pepper Salad
Tomatoes are a staple in Spain, as they are in Italy and the south of France. Yellow peppers have more nutrients than green peppers and a milder, sweeter flavor. Enjoy this salad with any grilled lean meat or poultry.
|
• 3 large yellow peppers • 1/4 cup olive oil • 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves • 2 cloves garlic, minced |
• 4 large tomatoes, seeded and diced • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
Preheat broiler to high heat and broil the peppers until blackened on all sides.
Remove from heat and place in a paper bag. Seal and allow peppers to cool.
Once cooled, peel the skins off the peppers, then seed and chop them.
Add half of the peppers to a food processor along with the olive oil, basil, and garlic, and pulse several times to make the dressing.
Combine the rest of the peppers with the tomatoes and toss with the dressing.
Season the salad with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Allow salad to come to room temperature before serving.
Serves 6.
Warm Fennel, Cherry Tomato, and Spinach Salad
Slightly wilted spinach contrasts nicely with the crunchy fennel in this salad that can serve as a side dish or even a light lunch.
|
• 4 tablespoons chicken broth • 4 cups baby spinach leaves • 10 cherry tomatoes, halved • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste |
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced • 1/4 cup olive oil • Juice of 2 lemons |
In a large sauté pan, heat the chicken broth over medium heat. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook until spinach is wilted. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Remove from heat and toss fennel slices in with the spinach and tomatoes. Let the fennel warm in the pan, then transfer to a large bowl.
Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice, and serve immediately.
Serves 2.
Wilted Kale Salad
Kale can be eaten raw, cooked, or gently sautéed—as it is in this recipe—with a little garlic, olive oil, and cherry tomatoes. A nutrient powerhouse, kale is extremely high in vitamins A, C, and K. Use a lid to help wilt the kale and keep it in the pan.
|
• 2 heads kale • 1+ tablespoon olive oil • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced |
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste • Juice of 1 lemon |
Rinse and dry kale.
Tear the kale into bite-sized pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet, and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute and then add the kale.
Cook just until wilted, then add the tomatoes.
Cook until tomatoes are softened, then remove from heat.
Place tomatoes and kale in a bowl, and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Drizzle with remaining olive oil and lemon juice, serve, and enjoy.
Serves 4.