Roasted Eggplant Salad with Walnuts ( A Turkish Recipe)

from turkishcookbook.com
( serves 4)

Ingredients
2 large eggplants
Juice from 1/2 lemon juice ( or acc to taste)
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt
Pepper
Topping:
1/3 cup walnuts, crumbled

Directions
Before putting them in the oven, make holes on the eggplants with a fork so that they will soften and roast better. Then place them on an oven tray and roast for about 25 minutes on broil. Alternatively, you can barbecue them until softened. Then peel them, remove any seeds and place in a strainer to drain.
Place the roasted eggplants in an ovenproof dish. Cut into small pieces with a knife. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and toss. Sprinkle the walnuts all over.
Place the dish on the second rack from the top in the oven. Grill for about 4 minutes until walnuts become lightly roasted.

Dr Weil's Barley Salad (Tabbouleh )

(serves 4)

This summer salad combines barley, a satisfying, nutty grain, with fresh vegetables. Flavored with mint, parsley, garlic and lemon, it might remind you of tabbouleh, a Middle Eastern dish traditionally made with bulghur wheat. Barley has one of the lowest glycemic loads of any grain, and parsley has carminative (intestinal gas-relieving) and diuretic properties, making it an excellent tonic ingredient. Look for the flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, which has a more pronounced flavor than the curly leaf variety. This dish makes a healthy alternative to the usual picnic or potluck potato salad. Try it as a light meal all on its own, or as a wonderful accompaniment to other dishes.

Ingredients
3 cups vegetable stock or water
1 cup pearl barley or hulled barley
Salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin
1 bunch radishes, sliced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (or 1/4 cup dried mint)
1 cup kidney beans ( optional)

Dressing:
3 T extra-virgin olive oil or less ( I used 1 T )
3 T fresh lemon juice
3-4 cloves garlic, mashed
Salt to taste

Directions
Bring to a boil the vegetable stock (or water). Add barley and salt. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes. Drain well and place in a medium bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients together and pour over barley.
Allow barley to cool, then add the parsley, scallions, radishes, cucumber, red pepper and mint. Mix well and chill for several hours before serving.

Lentil Walnut Feta Salad

(serves 4)

Ingredients
3/4 cup dry lentils
1/2 cup walnut pieces
3-4 green onions
4 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2- 3 T red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1/2 t dijon mustard
salt and pepper acc to taste
crumbled goat cheese (30 - 50 g per serving)
1 T olive oil
1/2 cucumber deseeded and cut into pieces
3- 4 mushrooms
1 tomato cut into pieces without seeds
Any other kind of vegetables like peppers, radishes etc

Directions
Wash the lentils, then place in pot with bay leaves and enough water to cover by two inches. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain and discard bay leaves. Let cool for a few minutes.Meanwhile, heat cooking oil, add shallots or onions, garlic, and 1/2 t salt, and sauté for 10-15 minutes, until lightly colored. Add 2 T red wine vinegar and cook another 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a 325° oven for 5 minutes or a frying pan over medium heat, until golden. Whisk together remaining T vinegar, bit salt, mustard, pepper, and olive oil. Combine lentils, shallots, walnuts, and dressing and other vegetables in the medium bowl, then gently stir in cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Edamame Salad

(serves 4- 6)
Ingredients
1 lb edamame (frozen blanched shelled soybeans)or about 4 cups
3 Tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp canola oil
1 tsp sesame oil
¼ tsp red-pepper flakes
4 scallions, minced diagonally
1 med cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and chopped
1 med red bell pepper, chopped
Lettuce leaves (optional)

Directions
In a large pot over high heat, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
Add the edamame, and simmer for 4 minutes in covered pot, or until tender. Drain well. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, and red-pepper flakes. Add the drained soybeans, scallions, cucumber, and bell pepper. Toss to coat. Serve on a bed of lettuce (if using).

Summer Pasta Salad

(Serves 1)

Ingredients,
1/4 green pepper
1/4 orange bell pepper
1/4 yellow pepper
1/4 red bell pepper
2 mushrooms (any kind that can be eaten raw)
1/2 cucumber deseeded
1/2 tomato desseded
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup of beans (garbanzo, navy or kidney beans)
1/2 cup of cooked pasta (like rigatoni or penne) and/or 50 grams feta cheese
Or any kind of vegetable that one can eat raw (maybe carrots)
Black pepper and salt acc to taste

Directions
Cut all the vegetables into equal sized ones. Mix all ingredients and let it sit in fridge for few minutes. Eat cold or warm in microwave.

Ginger Blueberry Mango Salad

This sounds really easy but is surprisingly really good.

Its soo yummy without any dressing. Otherwise mix some dressing (lemon juice and some minced or dry ginger). Add equal or whatever amounts of blueberries and mango pieces. If using dressinf refrigerate for 30 minutes or more before serving.

Some Spinach Salad Combinations

Common combinations which taste great together:

Spinach + Mandarin Oranges (or any seedless oranges) + Pine nuts



Spinach + Strawberries (or blood oranges) + Pecans or some blueberries




Spinach + Hard Boiled Eggs + some creamy dressing


Spinach + bosc pear + walnut + crumbled bleu cheese + tart vinaigrette
Spinach + red pear + walnuts + dressing of lemon juice and walnut oil (not shown in picture)

Spinach + roasted beets + red onions+ tangy tart vinaigrette

Spinach + cherry tomato + Avocado