Simple Tomato Caprese Salad

 

Here is a SIMPLE and delicious recipe for those tasty garden cherry tomatoes!

Image from Here

Salad:
Salad Greens
Sliced cucumber
Sliced avocado
Fresh Mozzarella cheese balls
Sliced red onion
Cherry Tomatoes

Freshly Ground Pepper

Toasted almonds or pistachios (optional)

Dressing:
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze

Greek Salad Protein Bowl

Beautiful and Delicious.  

I crave Greek food now. Something about the combination---YUM!

Ingredients:

Spinach

Cabbage

Cucumbers

cherry tomatoes

pumpkin seeds

feta

avocado (sprinkle with salt/pepper)

Chickpeas (either canned or the crunchy ones)

chicken

Microgreens

Hummus

Almonds

Tzatiki yogurt sauce (optional-the one from Trader Joes is delicious if you want to buy it)

Salad Dressing:

I like to either use Olive Garden Italian Dressing or 

this homemade Divine Lemon Basil Caesar Dressing or

this homemade Lemon-Herb Tahini sauce

 

Gourmet Garden Greek Salad

This is a "lettuce-less" salad.  This is so colorful and fresh.  Summer is here!

Image Credit Here

INGREDIENTS:

Combine in a bowl a combination of the following:

Tomatoes

diced red onion (a little goes a long way)
Fresh Chives
Fresh Basil/Parsley
Cucumber
Celery
Red Pepper
Avocado
Feta Cheese

Garbonzo Beans

Kalamata or black olives

Fresh pepper

-Toss salad with Olive Garden Dressing and garnish with a little Balsamic Glaze

Falafel Taco or Salad Bowl

I've become a big fan of Greek Food.  My most recent trip to Europe, I probably ate Greek Food every other day.  It is quick and fresh!

You can make this either salad or taco style!

Image from Here

Image from Here

Using Trader Joes cooked falafel (in frozen section), Mediterranean hummus, tzatkiki sauce, sweet potato fries, and bottled sliced kalamata olives makes this recipe extra simple!

 

Toppings/Fillings Options:
Falafel (Trader Joes has a super easy and simple prepared falafel balls that you just bake in the oven)
Red onion

Hummus

cucumber

kalamata olives
Mild banana pepper rings
bell peppers
tomatoes

shredded carrots

sliced avocado
feta cheese
Lettuce greens/spinach
Tzatziki sauce (Trader Joes has prepared version if you want a simple shortcut)

Microgreens (can also get these at Trader Joes)
Sweet Potato Fries

Build your taco with a tortilla of choice (prefer Trader Joes options since they don't have weird after taste---but they DO GO MOLDY quickly, so keep them frozen until you plan to use them.  They will keep in fridge 2-3 days) and a variety of toppings.  Enjoy!

Mediteranean Flatbread Pizza

This is good warm OR at room temperature OR some of my kinds even prefer it cold! 

This is really easy to make if you use a premed crust, flatbread, naan, 

or pita bread as your base.  

Picture and recipe idea from HERE.

CRUST: (I like to use premade pita bread or Trader Joes Middle East Flatbread)

SAUCE: Spinach Pesto, Cilantro Pesto (see recipe below), or Basil Pesto

TOPPING Ideas:

black or calamata olives

feta cheese

mozzarella cheese

artichokes

arugula (add after baking)

spinach

cherry tomatoes

red onion

sun dried tomatoes

grilled chicken

-Top pita bread with sauce, then layer desired toppings.  

For the cilantro pesto blend the following:
1½ cups fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. pecans
2 tbsp. pine nuts
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

Mediterranean Charcuterie Board

 

Here's another idea for a Charcuterie Board.  

Fill it will all sorts of amazing toppings to make a gyro or falafel taco or salad.

Falafel

Spinach

Greens

Cucumber Yogurt sauce

pickled onions

banana peppers

kalamata olives

pickles

cucumbers

tomatoes

bell peppers

sprouts

gyro meat

BLT Salad

I know we're heading into fall...but I love salads!  My garden cherry tomatoes are amazingly sweet this year.  Here is a tasty version of one of my favorite sandwiches!  You can either use the Pesto Dressing (recipe below), blue cheese dressing, italian dressing, or ranch dressing.

Salad:
Mixed Greens
Spinach
Iceberg
Cherry Tomatoes
Avocado
Crumbled Bacon
Gorgonzola (or other preferred cheese)
Shredded Carrots
**Fresh Basil, chopped--secret ingredient!!!

Pesto Dressing:
2 oz red wine vinegar
6 oz light olive oil
1/2 c. prepared pesto (Costco's brand works great)

Garden Greek Salad with Balsamic Glaze

We have an abundance of tomatoes and cucumbers this year!  This is a great salad to utilize that abundance.  I love adding celery to give it the extra crunch, the creaminess of the avocado, and fresh basil and chives from our garden give this salad extra delicious taste!

In a large bowl combine (in any ratio you prefer):
cherry tomatoes (yellow pear tomatoes are beautiful too in this dish--mine aren't ripe yet!)
diced tomatoes
diced cucumber
chopped celery
diced avocado
feta cheese (or you can do fresh mozzarella cut in small cubes)
fresh basil
fresh chives (or finely chopped red onion)
salt/pepper to taste
--Toss ingredients with some Olive Garden Dressing.  Garnish with sliced tomatoes and balsamic glaze.

BLT Bliss Bowls

I love that the internet allows for recipe sharing!  This gal at lovely little kitchen has some great recipes and amazing pictures!  I couldn't improve upon her recipe, so here is her exact recipe and picture.

 

Author: Lovely Little Kitchen

Prep time:  20 mins

Cook time:  13 mins

Total time:  33 mins

Serves: 2 bowls

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 teaspoon oil (I used avocado oil)
• salt and pepper
• 4 strips center cut bacon
• 2 packed cups mixed baby greens
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• Topping: Balsamic glaze* plus additional avocado oil, salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place tomato halves one side of a baking sheet, and toss with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Lay strips of bacon on the other side and place in the oven. Turn the oven on and set to 400 degrees. Cook the tomatoes and bacon for about 13-14 minutes, or until the tomatoes are blistered and the bacon is crisp. The oven will just about reach 400 degrees in that time.
3. To assemble the bowls, place mixed baby greens on the bottom, and top with cooked quinoa and sliced avocado. Top with crumbled bacon, blistered tomatoes, and feta. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Drizzle with a bit more oil and balsamic glaze.

Notes:

You can find balsamic glaze at Trader Joe's in the oil and vinegar section. It's wonderful on salads, but also on grilled veggies or chicken. You can also heat balsamic vinegar on the stovetop slowly to reduce it into a glaze. It becomes sweet and tangy!

Breakfast Bruschetta

No fancy recipe here, just a picture is enough :)  Top some buttered artisan toast with your favorite scrambled eggs (I like to put in some fresh parsley or chives), and top with fresh cherry tomatoes, ground pepper, and some pecorino romano cheese.  BAM!  You have one delicious, simple and yet FANCY meal!

Greek Pasta Salad

Recipe and picture from Just a Taste.  I was asked to make this for a friend's wedding.  It has turned out to be on of my favorite pasta salads.  It makes GREAT leftovers.  I'd actually suggest letting the dressing sit on pasta salad for a bit (recipe says three hours).  It does taste better as flavors have time to set.

Ingredients

Produce

• 15 Cherry tomatoes
• 1 Cup diced cucumbers
• 3/4 Cupdiced green peppers (colored peppers also work)
• 2/3 Cupsliced red onions
• 2 Teaspoonsdried oregano
• 1 1/2 Teaspoonsminced garlic

Condiments

• 3/4 Cup sliced olives
• 2 Teaspoonsfreshly squeezed lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Make the pasta salad:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it until al dente. Strain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl to cool slightly. While the pasta cools, make the dressing.

Make the dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients, except for the olive oil. While whisking, stream in the olive oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper, to taste. 

Add the red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, green peppers and feta cheese to the bowl with the pasta.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, tossing to combine, then cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours and up to overnight. When ready to serve, toss the pasta salad again and enjoy cold or at room temperature.

Pasta & Grains

• 2 1/2 Cups uncooked pasta

Oils & Vinegars

• 1/2 Cupextra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 Cupred wine vinegar

Dairy

• 1 Cupcrumbled feta cheese

Other

• 1 Teaspoon sugar