Nourishing Soups and Fresh Salads

Curried Chicken and Rice Salad

Yield: 6 servings

Salad:

3 cups cooked rice, chilled (1 cup rice cooked in 2 cups water)
4 chicken breasts, poached, chilled and diced
1 green bell pepper, slivered
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and chopped or
1, 2-ounce jar chopped pimentos
3 – 4 green onions, finely sliced
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¼ cup golden raisins

Curried Dressing:
½ cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 large lemon, about ¼ cup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
¾ cup olive oil

1. In a large bowl, toss together cooked rice, chicken, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, green onions, parsley and raisins. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, ginger, sugar, curry powder, salt and pepper. While whisking, slowly add olive oil. Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss well. Serve room temperature or refrigerate until cold.

Curried Chicken and Rice Salad
Fresh salad with toasted bread slices

Warm Cherry Tomato Salad

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Wonderful served warm or cold.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 pints cherry tomatoes, rinsed and stems removed
6 green onions, sliced on an angle, or ½ cup finely chopped onion
2s red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and garlic and cook 2 minutes.
  2. Add tomatoes and green onions; cook until tomato skins begin to burst. Add vinegar, salt, and pepper; stir a few times and remove from heat.
  3. Add parsley and toss to mix well.

Five Cup Fruit Salad

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

So easy. Keep this ingredient list in your head so you can grab the items quickly in the grocery store.

1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup mini marshmallows
1, 8-ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained
1, 8-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup sour cream

  1. In a large bowl, combine coconut, marshmallows, pineapple tidbits, and mandarin oranges. Gently stir in sour cream.
  2. Refrigerate several hours.

Plan ahead: Toss together everything except sour cream, up to 12 hours ahead. Drain any accumulated juices from fruit and fold in sour cream up to 3 hours before serving.

Fruit salad with marshmallows and shredded coconut.
Gourmet salad on a beige plate

Mixed Field Greens with Candied Pecans and Goat Cheese

Yield: 6 servings

8 to 10 cups baby field greens or torn leaf lettuce
6 to 8 pieces bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (or feta)
1 recipe Balsamic Maple Vinaigrette
1 recipe sugared pecans (below)

  1. In a large bowl, toss together field greens, bacon and goat cheese.
  2. Drizzle with salad dressing and toss to coat evenly. Add sugared pecans and toss again.

Balsamic Maple Vinaigrette

Yield: About 2 1/4 cups

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 large shallot, minced
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

  1. In a large jar with a tight-fitting lid, place vinegar, maple syrup, shallot, both oils, salt, and pepper. Shake to mix well.
  2. Refrigerate until needed or up to 1 month; shake before using.

Sugared Pecans:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups pecan halves

  1. Place brown sugar and water in heavy skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Add pecans and cook, stirring constantly, until all water evaporates, about 5 minutes. Be very careful not to burn pecans.
  2. Spread pecans on baking sheet until cooled and dry. Store in airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Plan ahead: Prepare vinaigrette and Sugared Pecans up to one week ahead. Refrigerate vinaigrette. Store pecans in airtight container at room temperature.

Close-up of soy sauce in a dish
Pasta salad with vegetables and bread slice.

Tuna and Shells Summer Salad

Yield: 6 servings

2, 7-ounce cans tuna, drained
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup diced fresh celery
1/4 cup diced fresh green onion
1/4 cup bottled diced red bell pepper, undrained
1/4 cup diced or shredded fresh carrots
8 ounces small pasta shells, cooked according to package directions

Salad Dressing:

1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  1. Combine all salad ingredients.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Pour over salad ingredients and gently toss to mix well. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.