Orange Cashew Salad with Orange Agave Dressing

Summer is here!  Well, in most of the Northern Hemisphere at least... Citrus fruits and berries are fresh and in season, so why not use them?!

There is something so light, refreshing, and perfect about adding these fruits to a salad, a main dish, or as the center of a delicious dessert.

As my mommy and I were eating this salad, we were talking about how perfect it would be for a girl's lunch-in with a sweet quick bread and some cheese and crackers!  Or maybe just a nice slice of warm sourdough or french bread with butter.

Orange Agave Dressing

zest of one large orange
juice of half a large orange
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt (more if necessary)
1 tbs agave

Zest the orange into a bowl and combine with orange juice and whisk together.  Add remaining ingredients and whisk together for 20-30 seconds.  Pour over salad and serve.

Orange Cashew Salad

mixed greens
cashews
remaining half of the orange cut into thin slices (extra if desired)
orange agave dressing

In a salad bowl, toss all the ingredients together, plate, and serve.  Try adding some thinly sliced red onions or some crumbled goat, feta, or blue cheese!

Lime Chicken Cilantro Salad

Now, if you're not a cilantro lover, don't stop reading now!  The cilantro is in the homemade dressing, so you could also substitute another if you'd like.  :)

Now this salad is 100% inspired by my mother's and my mutual obsession with Nordstrom.  Yes, you might be confused, understandably.  I know, I know - you're thinking that Nordstrom is a clothing store, and well, you're right!  That hasn't changed.  But in case you didn't know, many Nordstroms have a cafe/restaurant attached.  When my mom and I are out on a shopping expedition and it's around lunch time, we always "accidentally" end-up eating there.  ;)  Every time (with maybe the exception of once...) I get this salad.  It's just THAT good!  Sadly, when they revamped their menu after the remodeling of the store in our area, they also changed the salad...  Now I guess I just have to make it for myself!

Serve this up with some nice bread and you've got a complete meal!

Lime Chicken

2 chicken breasts
3-4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 - 2 limes
zest of 1 or 2 limes
3 - 4 olive oil (more if needed)
salt & pepper

Preheat a skillet with the olive oil on medium or medium-high heat.

Cut the chicken into about 1/2" slices.  Season with salt and pepper and toss into the skillet.  Stir and add in garlic.  After about a minute, add in the zest and lime juice and stir again.  Cook until tender and cooked through (lightly browning).

Lime Cilantro Dressing

2 bunches cilantro (reserving a little for the salad if you'd like)
zest of 2 limes
juice of 3 limes
4 -5 cloves garlic
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
3 - 4 tbs water

Toss all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth!

Lime Chicken Cilantro Salad (here are some good ideas of things to add!)

mixed greens or lettuce
tomatoes
corn (great if freshly roasted on a grill or roasted on high in a skillet)
avocado
cilantro
sunflower seeds
grated pepper jack cheese
fresh lime wedge

Plate everything together with the chicken and dressing and serve!

Spakakopita with Greek Salad

I guess these last few posts have been rather "ethnic" in flavor, but really, I prefer that!  I love having meals from very different nationalities.  Indian... Thai... Greek!  Who knows what's up my sleeves next!

I must be honest.  This morning told me a lot... well, I sent my husband off to school with an apple.  Yes, JUST an apple.  I felt TERRIBLE!!  I try and make him a lunch everyday, but let him have something "special" at least once a week or two.  With life, I just hadn't made it to the store and there was nothing to feed him, which really meant that I had nothing to eat myself either.  Oh... dear... TIME to go to the store.  So what was there in the fridge that could be used for something?  Leave it to me!  Frozen spinach, feta, and Parmesan.  That means ONE thing to me!  :)

Spanakopita is a tasty little pastry that is so satisfying.  Funnily enough, this is another recipe that I made for the first time with Chloe!  :)  We called up her house and got the family recipe!  I can't guarantee it's100% the same.  Since it wasn't a terribly difficult recipe to remember in terms of ingredients, I guess I have morphed it into my own  - with a slight variation in proportions that is.  In my opinion, it's pretty darn close!

Spanakopita
1 large onion (diced - I like red!)
1 bunch green onions (thinly sliced)
1/4 cup + olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic (minced)
salt & pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
16 oz frozen spinach (drained - you don't want soggy spinach!)
8 oz feta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 eggs
phyllo dough (1 box)
1/4 cup butter (melted)

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat a skillet over medium heat with olive oil.  Once warmed, toss in the onions, seasoning with salt & pepper.  Allow to saute for a few minutes, adding the garlic.  You may need to add a little more olive oil at this time.  Continue to cook down the onions until they become lightly browned.  Add in green onions at this time and cook down for another minute or two.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare spinach by thawing (in the microwave if necessary) and squeezing out all the excess water.  Combine spinach, onions, and nutmeg together in a bowl.  (I know the nutmeg may sound really weird, but it is traditional and does add a nice flavor!  Fresh nutmeg adds a great flavor if you have it at your disposal).  Stir well, so ingredients are combined.  Add in feta and Parmesan, stirring again to combine.  Check now to taste if more salt or pepper is needed and add as necessary.  Once all the ingredients are mixed well, add in the eggs and stir once more.  You want to be careful that everything is well combined, as a large chunk of unseasoned spinach is not that tasty...

Now for the trickiest part!  There is an "easier" way to this, and doesn't change the flavor at all.

Easy version:  In a 9x13 pan, alternate phyllo dough with filling.  Place 5-6 sheets of phyllo dough on the bottom of the pan, brushing with melted butter.  Next spread a layer of the filling over the phyllo dough, and continue to alternate the two, making sure to butter each layer of phyllo dough, ending with a layer of phyllo dough on the top.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until filling is cooked through and not "runny" anymore (this is one way you probably don't want to eat raw egg!).

Traditional version:  Take about 4 sheets of phyllo dough and lay them on a flat surface, so it is taller rather than wider.  Toward the top of the sheet, make a triangle of filling (see picture) about an inch below the top of the phyllo dough.  Fold top "flap" over the filling and then the two sides in toward the center.  Butter a thin layer to help the phyllo dough stay intact.  Next, begin alternating the strip over itself to create a triangle.  Once all the dough has been used, butter both sides and place "seam side down" on a baking sheet.  Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow spanakopita to sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving, as the filling is very hot!

Quick Greek Salad
1 cucumber (cut into 1/4 rounds, quartering each round)
2 tomatoes (diced)
1/2 cup kalamata olives
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (bite-size pieces)
1/4 cup feta cheese
salt & pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 - 3 tbs balsamic vinegar

Chop all the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.  Combine all of the vegetables together in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic and stir well!