Asparagus and Zesty Lemon Grain Salad

I created this salad as a challenge to myself to go beyond simple grilled asparagus. Every time I buy the green stems I feel like I cook then in the same manner...which although is delicious has gotten a little boring for me. I didn't want to waste their integrity and puree them into a soup or lose them in a pasta. Asparagus represents the Spring season...refreshing, breezy and bright...and that's exactly what you'll get from this salad!

We've had this as dinner, I've taken it to potlucks and it's been my go-to lunch whenever I've had it in the fridge. I LOVE IT. I love the way I feel when I look at it with the bright green from the asparagus and the red from the tomato, I love all the textures going on in here from the crisp of the asparagus to the crunch of the walnut and the chewiness of the barley. Don't even get me started on the explosion of flavors...you're going to have to find out for yourself on that note, but I will tell you that stiring the lemon zest into the hot cooked barley will release the natural oils in the zest and let the barley absorb all the flavor...yum!

Serves 3-5

Ingredients
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-2 cups water
-1 cup rinsed barley
-1/2 tablespoon salt
-1 teaspoon oil
-1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

-1 bunch fresh asparagus
-2 cups chopped tomatoes
-1 cup chopped walnuts
-1 cup chopped parsley
-3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 2 squeezed lemons)
-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
-salt to taste

optional:
-1 cup valbreso feta cheese
-1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
-1 large chopped avocado

To make
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-Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a pot and drop in rinsed and drained barley, salt and oil. Reduce your heat to medium low then cover the pot and cook about 20-25 minutes or until the water is absorbed and your barley is soft and fluffy. Remove from the heat, uncover and add lemon zest and stir. Leave your barley to cool completely before adding other ingredients.
-While your barley is cooking, heat another pot filled with water and bring to a boil. Lightly salt your water and rinse asparagus. Gently snap off the bottom of your asparagus and drop into the boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes then immediately remove and drop asparagus into a bowl filled with ICE and water. This is called an ice bath and is done to stop the cooking process and shock the asparagus into retaining its vibrant green color. Leave the asparagus until it has cooled and then remove from the water and pat dry with paper towels. Roughly chop at a diagonal angle into 1 inch pieces.
- When your barley has cooled, place it into a bowl and  layer chopped tomatoes, asparagus, walnuts and parsley. You can now add optional toppings. Squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle black pepper on top. Drizzle the olive oil around the edges of the bowl.
*If you are making this ahead of time cover and place in your refrigerator until ready to use.
-Mix when ready to serve and taste to adjust lemon and salt content. Place into a platter and serve.
-Enjoy!

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Looking for more salad inspiration? Try some of my favorites here! I especially enjoy

Mexican Bean and Corn Salad

Pomegranate + Green Bean Lentil Salad

Middle Eastern Tabbouleh 

Arugula and Roasted Beet Salad

Asian Vegan Noodle Salad

Cheese and Parsley Pasta

Middle Eastern Mac n' Cheese!

Every culture has it, and here is ours :) Syrian cooking does not involve much pasta, and this is one of few recipes I know. Adults and children love this pasta because the ingredients are simple and unfussy, and the flavors are cheesy and yummy. This is commonly a brunch item and the leftovers taste just as good. I'll often keep the cheese and parsley mixture ready in the freezer and then just toss it with boiled pasta and pop it in the oven for a quick meal that is sure to satisfy the whole gang.  The cheese mixture is similar to my cheese pastries, but this is pasta-style for more of a main meal. Either recipe is amazing...queso blanco is a really good mild flavored white cheese that tastes good cold or melted....excuse me while I go heat a bowl of this stretchy, gooey pasta heaven!

Serves 6

Ingredients
--------------
-1 pound elbow pasta, boiled al dente
-2 cups shredded queso blanco cheese
-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (you can leave this out if you don't want it to be too cheese-y but in this dish I think the more cheese the better the taste)
-1 cup parsley, finely chopped
-1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
-1/3 + 1/2 cup seasoned or plain bread crumbs
-1/4 Parmesan cheese (optional)

Assembly
----------
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with 1/3 cup bread crumbs
-Mix all ingredients together (except for bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese) and spread into casserole dish.
-Sprinkle bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese on top and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and bread crumbs have browned. Sometimes I turn the oven to broil and brown the top quickly to speed up the process.
-Enjoy, or as the Syrian's say, "Sahtayn iw hanna!" :)

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P.S. How cute is my pumpkin tree?!

Chipotle Black Bean Quesadillas with Cumin and Chive Dipping Sauce

This quesadilla was sort of a happy accident...I didn't even plan on posting the recipe (hence the lack of great photos) but so many of you have requested it after my instagram photo that I figured you'd be happy to find out how easy it was! I recently mentioned I've been trying to focus on more vegetarian dishes, and this dish was born as a replacement to chicken quesadillas. It's embarrassingly simple. I kinda don't want to tell you about it. But hey...we all need those "halfway there" meals, right?

I made these to take to a girl's night and they vanished pretty quick.  I heard that the ones I left at home for my family also disappeared. So I'm thinking these babies are either pretty tasty or they have a magic component that makes them vanish into thin air...

Serving: 1 quesadilla

Ingredients
---------------
-1 10 inch flour tortilla
-1 Morning Star chipotle black bean veggie burger (I purchased at Costco)...alternatively if you don't have access to these veggie burgers you can mix a 15 ounce drained can of black beans and same sized can of drained corn with 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, but it won't have the exact same texture or flavor that everyone is raving about.
-3 tablespoons shredded Mexican blend cheese
-cooking spray
-1 teaspoon taco seasoning

To make
-----------
-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-Spray tortilla with cooking spray and sprinkle taco seasoning over the oiled side. Fold over flour tortilla in half to make a half moon, with the seasoned side facing out. Open the tortilla up and sprinkle half the shredded cheese.
-Remove the veggie burger from package and break it up to fit over the cheese. Don't worry about precooking the veggie burger.
-Sprinkle the remaining portion of cheese and close the tortilla into half moon shape.
-Place onto a baking sheet and bake in the middle rack of the oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until the tortilla crisps and cheese melts
-Remove from the oven and cut in half.
-Serve with dipping sauce.
-Enjoy!

Cumin and Chive Dipping Sauce
----------------------------------------

This sauce is very versatile and one I make to accompany many dishes. I switch up the flavors a little bit every time but I've found that my basic version is everyone's favorite, so that's what I'll share with you :)

Ingredients
--------------
-1 cup plain yogurt (I usually use fat free)
-2 tablespoons milk (start with 1 tablespoon and add more to desired consistency)
-2 tablespoons dried chives (or diced fresh green onions)
-1 teaspoon cumin seeds
-1 teaspoon paprika
-1 teaspoon ground coriander
-salt and pepper to taste
-optional: 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro

To make
------------
-Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until everything is incorporated and smooth.
-Serve and enjoy!

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Three Bean and Corn Salad

Looking for a quick salad that can either serve as a side dish or a vegetarian entrée? You found it! Making this took me all 1, 2, 3...10 minutes (in fact, you should know that writing this post took me about 5 times as long as making it!). Anyway, I live for these recipes :)  When you pick up the stuff to make this, go ahead and glance at the nutrition labels. The fiber content is outstanding, and the protein is a plus too! Lately I've been trying to vary our food intake with more plant based and less meat centered meals. Growing up in a Middle Eastern household, most of our traditional cooking involves meat, a small portion has chicken, and vegetarian dishes are mainly sides. This salad is inspired by my friend's mother in law, because as soon as I tried her version I went back for seconds and thirds!

Some leftovers tossed with fresh arugula made a quick and nutritious lunch

Yields 8 servings at 3/4 cup each serving

Ingredients
--------------
-15 ounce can red kidney beans
-15 ounce can white kidney beans (also called cannellini beans)
-15 ounce can black beans
-2 cups roasted fresh corn kernels or 1.5-2 cans corn kernels
-1/2 cup diced red onion
-1 cup loosely packed cilantro, finely chopped
-juice from 1 large lemon (about 2-3 tablespoons)
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning (optional)
-salt to taste
-1 large avocado, chopped into cubes (about 1 cup)
*optional:
-diced jalapeno for an extra kick
-toss this salad with arugula, kale or any other green you'd like!

*Note: If you are not using lemon pepper, you may need 1 more tablespoon lemon juice and a dash of black pepper.

To make
------------
-Open, drain and rinse in a colander the cans of beans. Once the water has drained, add them into a medium sized salad bowl. Add fresh roasted corn (or rinsed and drained canned corn), red onions and cilantro.
-Add lemon juice, lemon pepper, olive oil and salt. Mix to combine and once everything is well mixed, gently mix in the chopped avocado.
-Serve and enjoy!

Nutritional Information
-----------------------------
Serving size: 3/4 cup or about 6 ounces
Servings: 8
Calories: 196
Fat: 7 grams
Saturated Fat: 1 gram
Trans Fat: 0 grams
Total Carbohydrates: 28 grams
Dietary Fiber: 8 grams
Sugar: 4 grams
Protein: 8 grams

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Mediterranean Turkey Wrap

Today I bring you an easy but unique turkey wrap. This can easily be made into a vegetarian sandwich if you prefer. I make a lot of things that are either too complicated to post (grape leaves, kibbeh, etc.) or too easy (using shortcuts like a boxed mix or ready sauce) and this falls into the 'too easy' category.  A lot of you have reached out to me for these easy recipes, so here is a good one :) My 4 year old surprised me and had a whole wrap!

You can grab everything from one store for this (Hi, Trader Joe's!) and it takes minutes to assemble. I use the yogurt and cilantro dip for various things, and I especially love it in this wrap because its a healthier and more flavorful alternative to mayonnaise. Be careful not to layer the dip as the first ingredient because it will make your bread go soggy faster.

Makes one wrap

Ingredients
-------------
-1 lavash wrap
-1/4 cup arugula or spinach leaves
-1 slice of Havarti cheese
-3 slices deli style turkey breast (omit this for a veggie sandwich)
-2 tablespoons cilantro and chive yogurt dip
-3 strips roasted red pepper
-3 slices avocado
-black pepper to taste

Assembly
------------
-Place lavash bread with the long edge spread horizontally. Lay out cheese in a row about 1/4 of an inch from the edge of the lavash bread.
-Layer ingredients over each other in the order listed: arugula, cheese, turkey,  ONE TABLESPOON of cilantro and chive yogurt dip, roasted red pepper, avocado and black pepper.
-Spread remaining one tablespoon of the cilantro and chive yogurt dip lengthwise along the end portion of the lavash bread. This will help seal the sandwich together.
-Carefully wrap the sandwich over three times. Cut horizontally and serve.
-Enjoy :)

This are some of the ingredients that specifically come from Trader Joes

Follow me on instagram @ savvy_chef and tag me in your creations, I'd love to see what yumminess you cook up :)

Balsamic Fig and Arugula Pizza

 

When I enjoy something, I can't just 'like' it, I have to 'LOVE' it.  And when I love it, I think about it constantly, talk about it annoyingly and just let it consume me completely. The 'it' I keep referring to in this case is my current obsession: fresh figs! I heart them with all my heart. So much so that I refuse to look up the calorie count for figs because I want to eat them without mentally calculating anything.

Since I'm obsessed (rightfully so) I try to figure out how to incorporate them into every food category possible. Fig jam has been a long time favorite of mine, and if you haven't tried Trader Joe's fig butter, I suggest you run over there now and grab a jar.  Fig balsamic vinegar came next, found in specialty shops and farmer's markets. Dried figs are a must in my home, and soon I'll share my fig truffles recipe with you guys.

But today...today, I bring you my latest and greatest.  I thought about this recipe and researched "the internets" long and hard for the best combination. There's nothing like this out there, I'm very pleased to admit ;)  The sweetness of the honey blends perfectly with the softness of the figs, and the balsamic glaze is a tart and sweet combination to the figs. The smoked mozzarella adds another dynamic of flavor that is mellowed out with the creamy ricotta. The crunch of the nuts, the tang of the red onion...this pizza is a culinary delight to your taste buds!

Makes 1 pizza

Ingredients
--------------
-1/2 cup cornmeal (optional)
-1 pound fresh pizza dough
-1/4 cup honey
-8 ounces smoked mozzarella log, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
-8 ounces ricotta cheese
-2 cups fresh figs, cut in half or quartered
-1/4 cup fig balsamic vinegar (or best quality, thick vinegar glaze you can obtain)
-2 cups arugula
-1/4 cup finely diced red onion
-1 tablespoon walnut oil (or olive oil)
-1/3 cup chopped walnuts
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper

To make
------------
-Preheat oven to whatever temperature you bake your dough. I usually bake mine at 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with non stick spray and sprinkle cornmeal over the pan. Shake the cornmeal around and tap out the excess into a sink. Stretch out your pizza dough and bake halfway on LOWER rack in the oven, about 6-8 minutes for my dough.
-Remove half baked pizza dough from the oven and arrange sliced mozzarella diagonally on the crust, about 1 inch apart across the dough. Then spread ricotta in the gaps between the mozzarella pieces. Arrange figs, flesh side down, on top of the cheese. Sprinkle the pizza with black pepper. Return to the oven and bake about 10 more minutes on the MIDDLE rack.
-While pizza is baking, mix together arugula, red onion, walnuts, salt and oil in a medium sized bowl.
-When the mozzarella is melted and the figs look a little caramelized, remove from the oven and drizzle the balsamic glaze on top. Lightly spoon the arugula mixture all over the pizza, slice and serve. I sliced the pizza into 24 slices using a baking sheet.
-Enjoy!

 

Follow Savvy_chef on instagram and tag me in your posts, I'd love to see what you make :)

Arugula and Roasted Beet Salad

This is my new favorite salad. All thanks goes to Giada for this one! A testament to the goodness of this recipe is that I only altered one thing, which is rare for me ;-) Its funny that I'm so obsessed with this dish because I'm not a huge fan of beets. Something about their soft texture and sweetness never appealed to me, but after reading the ingredients for this salad and roasting the beets, I love them!

The presentation of this salad is beautiful because it is so colorful with the green arugula, purple beets, white feta and green avocado! Everyone who's tried this recipe has really loved it, so I REALLY recommend this one :)

Ingredients

---------------

-7 ounce package of arugula (I've also made this with mixed baby greens)

-1/3 cup cranberries

-1/3 cup diced walnuts

-1 large beet, peeled, boiled, and sliced (I'm sure you can use canned, but I haven't tried it)

-1/2 cup feta cheese, I used a Mediterranean seasoned type(Giada uses goat cheese, but I can't stand goat, so I use feta)

-1 sliced avocado (Giada uses only 1/2 of one)

Dressing

-----------

-1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

-1/3 cup olive oil

-1 tablespoon honey

-Salt and pepper to taste

-3 tablespoons shallots (about 1 medium sized shallot). If this is hard for you to locate, red onions are a good substitute

To make

-----------

-Mix 1-2 tablespoons of dressing with beets. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I've used my toaster oven for this to avoid preheating the oven, and it worked great.

-In a serving bowl, mix the arugula with cranberries and walnuts. Toss with dressing.

-Layer the beets on top of the arugula, then layer the cheese and avocados.

-Serve and savor every bite as you enjoy this scrumptious salad!

Turkey and Olive Tapenade Panini

I made this up recently using ingredients I already had around the kitchen. We loved it so much I made it for three days in a row! I had no plans of posting it because technically it is just a turkey sandwich, but the olive tapenade took it to such a new level that I felt I had to share this easy recipe :)

There is no need for mayonaise or any other 'sauce' in this sandwich because the tapenade keeps it moist and adds INCREDIBLE flavor. Look for a tapenade with green olives and sun-dried tomatoes, it'll taste the best!

This makes 1 sandwich, alter as needed!

Ingredients

---------------

-2 slices of your favorite sandwich bread

-3 slices lean deli turkey breast

-1 tablespoon olive tapenade

-1 slice cheese (I used a dill white cheddar)

-freshly cracked black pepper

Assembly

-------------

-Spread olive tapenade on 1 slice of bread

-Layer with turkey slices, black pepper and cheese. Top with second piece of bread

-Toast in a panini or sandwich maker (I use my George Foreman grill)

- Slice in half and serve!