Wild Rice Salad with Strawberries & Citrusy Tahini Vinaigrette

We are in Minnesota for a much needed family vacation. I have to admit that it hasn't all been smooth sailing and that's mostly thanks to my body deciding that vacation = fall apart. I got a pretty epic summer cold and then my neck and left shoulder seized up, leaving me immobile for the past 3 days, thanks to a seven year old car accident injury. Did I mention that we drove from Denver to Minneapolis? Yep. It's been quite the trip so far. On the plus side, Riley is having a blast with his Minnesota grandparents, we all seem to be breathing a little easier now that we're getting settled in, the weather is perfection, annnnnnd there's this Wild Rice Salad. So it can't be all bad, right?

I love wild rice. It's so beautiful and satisfying in a variety of dishes. Casseroles? Um, yes. Soup? Duh. Salads? Absolutely. Plus, it is one of Minnesota's claims to fame (for good reason). Here, I've taken cooked, chilled wild rice and tossed it with some baby spinach leaves, beautiful red strawberries, and a creamy, citrusy tahini vinaigrette. It's an ideal summer lunch that packs tons of flavor, countless health benefits, and it is 100% added sugar free. WIN.

Citrus does some serious double duty in the dressing recipe: it acts as a sweetener and also adds a little acidity (along with some super healthy apple cider vinegar) to create a well-balanced vinaigrette. I only used orange juice but you could easily add fresh lemon or lime juice for a little extra zing. If you've never used tahini in salad dressing (it's most commonly used in hummus...surprise!) you should really get going on that. It's wonderfully creamy with a subtle nuttiness that adds oomph to salads, making them substantial but still light.

If you like this recipe, stay tuned because I’ll be posting no sugar added/refined grain free recipes from now until August 11th. During that time, I hope to open your mind to exploring new ways to be kind to your body. After all, it’s the only one you’ve got!

If you’re ready to learn more about Go Sugar Free, you can click here. If you decide to register, you’ll be making a massive change in your life that can’t do anything but help you become a better, healthier version of yourself.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Jacqueline’s philosophy but aren’t ready to commit to the GSF course, I urge you to get her eBook, 5 Easy Ways to Look Radiant Tomorrow Morning, and Don’t Waste Produce (DWP) Checklist (this is a HUGE help when it comes to no-waste meal planning and encouraging the consumption of more fresh, whole foods).

*This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Wild Rice Salad with Citrusy Tahini Dressing

Serves 2

Total time: 15 minutes, plus additional cooking time for the rice

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

For the Salad:

• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 2 cups cooked wild rice, cooled (follow package directions)
• 1 cup hulled and quartered strawberries

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. If the dressing seems thick, add another tablespoons or so of orange juice or water.
2. In a large bowl, add the baby spinach leaves and top with the wild rice. Toss 2 or 3 times to combine.
3. Top with the strawberries, drizzle with the dressing, and serve.

Heirloom Tomato & Halloumi Salad

When Brad and I were living in Tokyo, I used to dream of summer when we would be able to come home and enjoy the best summer produce. I know it sounds strange. We were living in the food capitol of the universe, surrounded by amazing food stuffs every single day, and I was anxious to come home to farmer's markets. I guess that just speaks to how special this time of year is when it comes to eating fresh, whole foods. This heirloom tomato and halloumi salad is a perfect example of the kind of food I craved. Sweet, juicy, colorful tomatoes, salty cheese, and loads of fresh herbs simply cannot be beat. Well, the buttery salmon sashimi we bought at the local market always made me weak in the knees. So there's that.

One year, we flew to San Francisco and stayed for a few days. It was our first time in this beautiful city and one of our first trips was to the Ferry Building Famer's Market. I immediately bought a giant heirloom tomato, some locally baked ciabatta, and locally made goat cheese. I tore off a piece of bread, slather it with goat cheese and used a plastic knife to cut a thick slice of tomato. Each and every bite was absolute heaven. Tomato juice dripped down my chin and I devoured that little sandwich like my life depended on it. Glorious.

That sandwich was the inspiration for this tomato salad with halloumi cheese and fresh herbs. This was my first time trying halloumi and I am officially obsessed. Just another reason why I've loved being part of the Go Sugar Free community. I keep learning about new and interesting foods that make my meals fulfilling without added sugar and, in this case, refined grains. The bright green herbs are all from my garden. I walked into the backyard to see what was ready to be cut and ended up with lemon thyme, basil and dill. You can do any combination of herbs you like. Oregano would be amazing.

I finished the dish off with a drizzle of good olive oil, a light sprinkling of sea salt, and a bit of fresh ground black pepper. No sugar-laden salad dressings involved!

If you like this recipe, stay tuned because I'll be posting no sugar added/refined grain free recipes from now until August 11th. During that time, I hope to open your mind to exploring new ways to be kind to your body. After all, it's the only one you've got!

If you’re ready to learn more about Go Sugar Free, you can click here. If you decide to register, you'll be making a massive change in your life that can't do anything but help you become a better, healthier version of yourself.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Jacqueline’s philosophy but aren’t ready to commit to the GSF course, I urge you to get her eBook, 5 Easy Ways to Look Radiant Tomorrow Morning, and Don’t Waste Produce (DWP) Checklist (this is a HUGE help when it comes to no-waste meal planning and encouraging the consumption of more fresh, whole foods).

*This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Heirloom Tomato & Halloumi Salad

Serves 2

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 medium heirloom tomatoes, thickly sliced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 6 slices halloumi cheese
• 1/3 cup fresh herbs like dill, basil, oregano and thyme
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt
• black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add the halloumi slices and pan fry until golden brown. Flip and cook until the second side is golden brown as well.
3. Arrange the tomato slices and warm cheese slices on a plate.
4. Sprinkle with the fresh herbs, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Potato Salad + Preserved Lemon & Dill Vinaigrette

Before I get into this beautiful, sunny potato salad, I'd like to confess something to you all: I married a picky eater.

Let's backup just a bit. The first time Brad had ever eaten a salad was on our first date when he took me out for dinner. He didn't want me to think he was weird so he choked down every last bite of the most lackluster salad ever. When he told me how difficult that was for him, I was simultaneously stricken at the sweetness and cracking up because I, a salad-lover, was choking down every wilty iceburg bite as well. Since that date almost ten years ago, my husband has truly branched out. He actually asks for salad these days.  He's a fancy cheese loving foodie, whether he wants to admit it or not.

You're welcome honey.

While his tastes have refined immensely, there is still one dish I cannot get him to come around to: potato salad. He won't touch the stuff. He doesn't like the heavy mayonnaise, the occasional bite of pickle, or the hint of mustard. Traditional potato salads are basically his worst nightmare when it comes to flavor and texture.

So, like a good wifey, I've worked diligently to come up with a recipe that he might not despise.

Truthfully, he hasn't been around to taste this one yet (and I may have eaten most of it myself) but I'm feeling good about my chances at a win. I used mini Yukon Gold potatoes for their creamy, buttery, but firm texture and dressed them with a bright vinaigrette featuring preserved lemons and dill. This potato salad is pretty bare bones. No celery, onions, hard boiled eggs, or pickles in sight. The good news is that this recipe is a blank canvas of sorts. You can add your favorite potato salad add-ins and it will be lovely. The next time I make this I'm definitely going to add some thinly sliced celery for crunch, but other than that I love the simplicity of it all.

Potato Salad with Preserved Lemon & Dill Vinaigrette

Serves 4-6

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons preserved lemon rinds, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons dill, roughly chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the potatoes:

• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 lbs mini yukon gold potatoes, washed and quartered
• 1 tablespoon salt

Instructions

1. Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar, cover with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.
2. To cook the potatoes, place them in a pot and fill with cold water so it covers the potatoes by 1 inch.
3. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, add the salt, and cook until the potatoes are just fork tender.
4. Drain the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the potatoes and toss gently to combine.
5. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours.

Healthy Carrot Salad

Ah summer. It appears you have arrived. This Healthy Carrot Salad is proof.

Some of you are probably jumping for joy at the warm temps and hot sun. I am too, for the most part. But yesterday I was reminded of what summer means here in Denver. It means HOT. Lots of HOT. Like, I can't even look at my oven because the temperature in the house will go up at least 10 degrees.

Not my favorite.

Thus begins my search for no-cook recipes that will help me get through those unbearably warm days. It's a challenge I'm happily accepting because I have the opportunity to look at food in a different way. For much of the year I'm all about stewing, braising, roasting and the like. So looking at food in a way that showcases its natural flavor and beauty is quite refreshing.

I've made it sound like my mind goes directly to healthy recipes. Not true. Not at all. Summer salads are a huge weakness for me. I love the dressings, the fresh produce, and their cool, creamy textures. I don't love how quickly all the extras make the calorie count sky rocket. Mayonnaise and sugar galore. Not good. 

To give myself a healthy go-to summer salad, I took the classic carrot salad (typically heavily laden with mayo and sugar) and made it lighter. It is studded with golden raisins and salty capers and dressed in a combination of plain yogurt, apple cider vinegar, and a tiny touch of mayo. I added a little honey to my salad, but you could easily omit this since carrots are already so sweet on their own.

What are your favorite no-cook recipes for summer? I need more ideas, ASAP!

Healthy Carrot Salad

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 lb carrots, peeled and grated
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon mayo (homemade if you can, otherwise choose an organic, no sugar added brand)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons clover honey (optional)
• salt to taste
• fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt, mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey and salt together until smooth.
2. Add the carrots, raisins and capers to the bowl.
3. Toss well to combine and coat with the dressing.
4. Garnish with fresh herbs like lemon thyme, basil, dill, or parsley.

The Best Stovetop Mac & Cheese

This is the best stovetop mac & cheese. It is made with real, creamy cheddar, salty parmesan and melty Emmantaler. This hearty bowl of pure comfort was exactly what I needed after the May snowstorm we experienced yesterday. And yes, I loved watching every snowflake fall. Seeing the wet, white snow pile up on the vibrantly green grass and leaves was beautiful but also quite confusing for someone who is not native to Colorado. The air is still very cold but I'm taking that as the perfect excuse for making macaroni and cheese before the weather is so hot that I can't stand it. That will happen all too quickly.

The sauce for this bowl of wonderfulness is made with a basic roux (light on the flour to avoid a grainy texture), evaporated milk (less likely to curdle), and 3 kinds of cheese. Here's the deal with the cheeses: I used sharp cheddar for its color and creamy flavor, Parmesan for its salty bite, and Emmentaler for its excellent melting quality. The combination was absolute perfection and, please don't judge me for this, was very similar to that stuff that comes in a foil-wrapped brick, melts like a dream, and has no actual cheese in it.

I call that a win.

The Best Stovetop Macaroni & Cheese

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
• 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 oz emmentaler cheese, shredded
• 1 oz parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2-3 drops hot sauce
• 10 oz dried elbow macaroni
• 2 cups broccoli florets

Instructions

1. Begin by bringing a large pot of water to boil.
2. Add the pasta and cook until just shy of al dente and add the broccoli to the pot with the pasta.
3. Cook until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
4. While the pasta water comes to a boil, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour turns a light golden color.
5. Very slowly whisk in the evaporated milk.
6. Add the mustard and hot sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook about 4 minutes until the sauce thickens.
7. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cheeses.
8. Drain the pasta and broccoli and return them to the pot. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and fold it all together until you have a gorgeous, creamy pot of macaroni and cheese staring you in the face.
9. Scoop into serving bowls and devour.

Notes

This macaroni and cheese keeps well in the refrigerator. Simply reheat for about 2 minutes in the microwave and enjoy!

Tennessee Pimento Cheese Crostini

Don't worry. I'll get to this pimento cheese crostini recipe momentarily. First, a little about this visit to Tennessee...

Tennessee has always been a summer state in my mind. I rarely spent time there outside of summer vacation when I was growing up with the exception of a couple Christmases that I barely remember. This last trip, in the middle of spring, was something very different. We flew into Nashville in the midst of some epically bad weather. Storms and tornadoes peppered the entire region and I wasn’t entirely sure I’d made the right decision flying into the thick of it. Someone was watching over us because we made it safely and, despite a few toddler-related road blocks, the drive from Nashville to Cookeville went smoothly.

We stayed with family in Cookeville for the first couple of days, which was bittersweet this time around because it was my first visit since my grandma passed away. I don’t think visits here will ever feel the same now that she’s gone. Still, I feel her here. Riley was playing on the kitchen floor of my grandparents old house the other day. Rain was clamoring outside and my mom was preparing some leftover cornbread for us to snack on. He sat there in the middle of the floor and I was sure my grandma was watching every move he made with a dainty, sweet smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. I could picture her joy so clearly in my mind as I paged through her 1970’s copy of the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook, complete with her old Sunday school list and a hand-written recipe for window cleaner.

We left Cookeville on Wednesday and drove through the still rainy Smoky Mountains in search of the cabin we reserved. To be honest, we were all rather exhausted and ready to be done traveling for a while. Travel is getting more difficult as Riley gets older. After some curvy roads with sharp, hairpin turns, we finally arrived. My first instict was to turn around and demand a new cabin because it seemed precariously perched on unsteady beams.

When a toddler is present, this is how your mind works.

Still, we decided to go ahead and give it a try. Once we got past the initial feelings of uncertainty, we embraced the taxidermy-filled walls and settled in. The wrap around porch drew us all in despite it's slightly tattered swings and the occasional large bumblebee buzzing in to keep on us our toes.

The hot tub overlooking the Smokies (see image above) didn't hurt.

We drove through Maryville, Tennessee on our way to the cabin and stopped at a little store called The Market. We ate sandwiches and sipped ice cold water then browsed the shelves for a few minutes in search of something delicious to purchase and bring up the mountain with us. I spotted some pimento cheese, which I despised as a child after watching my grandfather spread a pasty substance barely resembling cheese on a slice of Wonderbread. At the Market, pimento cheese looked delicious. Thick shreds of cheddar cheese mixed with roasted red peppers, spices, and a barely-there touch of mayonnaise didn't seem as scary.

I bought a little tub along with some fresh French baguettes and a Granny Smith apple. I simply sliced the bread, drizzled it with oil and sprinkled it with a bit of salt and pepper, then toasted them to golden, crusty perfection. Spread with a healthy amount of pimento cheese and a few thin slices of Granny Smith apple, the crostini was better than I anticipated.

Then I drizzled it with local Locust honey and it became even more amazing. But the honey is optional.

Tennessee Pimento Cheese Crostini

Ingredients

• 1 small French baguette, cut into eight 1/4 inch slices
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and black pepper
• 1 cup pimento cheese
• 1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the bread slices on a large, rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Bake 6-8 minutes or until lightly golden.
5. Spread each toast with some of the pimento cheese and top with two or three of the apple slices.