Tag Archives: salad

Balsamic Grilled Vegetable Salad & Grilling Produce Tips

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Take advantage of the summer's best produce with this Balsamic Grilled Vegetable Salad -- and check out the grilling tips.This coming weekend, I’m teaching 200 carnivores how to grill vegetable side dishes to go along with their beef. It’s hard to upstage a delicious, juicy flat iron steak — but I think a couple of my recipes can come close — especially this Balsamic  Grilled Vegetable Salad!

Five Tips for Grilling Vegetables this Summer

Grilled vegetables is super easy, and in the heat of the summer — there is no need to also turn on an oven or stove if the grill is already going. At BeefLovingTexans.com, I’m sharing Five Tips for Grilling Vegetables – go check that out! Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this delicious, easy grilled vegetable salad that is the perfect way to take advantage of your favorite fresh seasonal vegetables — feel free to swap in the veggies you love.  It’s also a great dish for my Paleo diet and low-carb peeps.

And, if you have any leftovers, these vegetables are so good in a sandwich! Or in an egg scramble, or on a pizza, or tossed with pasta.

Balsamic Grilled Veggie Sandwich

Balsamic Grilled Veggie Salad & Grilling Produce Tips #Summer #MeatlessMonday

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What is your favorite vegetable (or fruit) to toss on the grill? Please share in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer

 

 

 

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Balsamic Grilled Vegetable Salad
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Total Time
48 mins
 
Grilling vegetables is a great way to add a hint of smoky goodness and flavor to the summer season's best vegetables. The leftovers for this grilled salad can be used on pizzas, pastas and sammies.
Course: Salad, Sandwich, Vegetable
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsely
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped basil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound zucchini, sliced into 1/3″ planks lengthwise
  • 1 pint button mushrooms, sliced in half
  • 1 large red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and quartered
  • 1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch discs
  • 6 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
Instructions
  1. In small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, oil, parsley, basil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Place veggies in large zip-top bag and add balsamic mixture; close bag and turn a few times to coat contents. Let marinate at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes.
  2. Skewer together mushrooms. Coat grates with oil and heat grill to medium-high — approximately 400 F degrees.
  3. Drain balsamic marinade off vegetables and reserve (never reserve marinade on raw meat, but on vegetables it is fine)
  4. Grill veggies for 6 to 8 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Vegetables will be done when they are becoming tender (a little “crunch” is desired and have golden brown grate marks. Let vegetables cool on cutting board for several minutes and then cut down into bite sized pieces.
  5. In small sauce pan, bring balsamic mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, let simmer for a couple minutes to reduce a volume a bit.
  6. Add spinach to serving platter and top with grilled vegetables and balsamic dressing (made from the marinade). Toss with tongs and serve warm — or make the vegetables in advance, chill and serve as a cold salad

Raspberry Walnut Wheat Berry Salad with Grilled Chicken

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Raspberry Walnut Wheatberry Salad with Grilled Chicken is a quick and easy summer meal but is also beautiful enough for outdoor entertaining.Berry delicious! Are you craving a dinner that is bursting with seasonal yumminess, simple to pull together and healthy with an exclamation point? My recipe for Raspberry Walnut Wheat Berry Salad with Grilled Chicken is all these things — plus it’s gorgeous enough for outdoor entertaining.

Raspberry Walnut Wheatberry Salad with Grilled Chicken so delicious, nutritious and easy on a summer day!I first made this recipe for the Living Litehouse blog at LitehouseFoods.com; it builds on the flavors of their vibrant Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette. This elegant entrée salad features all the food groups with spinach, grilled chicken breast, raspberries, walnuts and wheat berries all playing nicely together.  What, you’ve never eaten wheat berries?! This versatile whole grain has a sweet, nutty taste and pleasant, chewy texture – a nice swap for brown rice when you’re looking to bust out of a rut. Wheat berries are also a great source of vitamins, fiber and other essential nutrients – and offer healthy source of carbs to fuel your day.

 

Raspberry Walnut Wheat Berry Salad with Grilled ChickenYou can also layer up all the ingredients into a jar salad to take to work or to refuel right after a gym session. Starting by pouring dressing in the bottom of the jar, then layer up everything in order of “sturdiness and wiltability” – meaning the wheat berries go next and then the delicate spinach up top.  When you’re ready to eat lunch, just shake-shake-shake the jar and pour out on a plate (or eat straight from the container, it’s one less dish to clean)!

Raspberry Salad DressingIf you can’t find the Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette from Litehouse Foods, then try this homemade Raspberry Dressing recipe that first appeared in Southern Living.

Raspberry Walnut Wheatberry Salad with Grilled Chicken so delicious, nutritious and easy on a summer day!
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Raspberry Walnut Wheat Berry Salad with Grilled Chicken
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Make life easy and grill chicken ahead of time or substitute rotisserie chicken from the deli that has been cut up into chunks!
Course: Fruit, Main Dish, Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cooked wheat berries cold or at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup ½ cup Litehouse Foods Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette (divided) or make own dressing
  • 8 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
  • 12 ounces grilled chicken breast
  • 1/3 cyo chopped green onions (bulbs and tops)
  • 1 pint fresh raspberries
  • 1/4 cup walnut halves or pieces
  • 2 ounces feta cheese crumbles
Instructions
  1. In small bowl, mix together the cooked wheat berries with ¼ cup of Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette. Set aside.
  2. Add spinach to large bowl. Toss with dressed wheat berries, grilled chicken strips, green onions, raspberries, walnuts and feta.
  3. Serve with remaining ¼ cup dressing.

Southwestern Avocado Tuna Salad & Sandwich #TunaStrong

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Southwestern Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich kicks up lunch with flavor, protein and heart healthy fats. Here I am talking about protein again, but eating enough quality protein is serious business if you want to optimize your body for performance. As competitive runner, CrossFit enthusiast and yoga dabbler myself, I’m always looking for ways to make my motor run and recover more efficiently – and eating enough quality protein spread evenly throughout the day helps sustain my energy so that I can perform to meet (and sometimes exceed) my expectations. And, a protein-rich snack consumed within 30 minutes of an intense workout or run helps my muscles repair so that I’ll be raring to go for my next effort. Check out my recent post that talks about how much protein to eat and when.

jen jump kids tuna

Whoohoo — Avocado Tuna Sammies for lunch, and only 5 minutes to make!

Adding canned tuna to any meal is an easy (and inexpensive) way to get that necessary serving of protein along with other essential nutrients you need for optimal health and wellness. Bumble Bee® Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water contains 13 grams of protein and 0 grams of fat per serving, along with essential Omega-3 fatty acids. Bumble Bee®  is a tried-and-true canned tuna product I also feed my always-hungry teenage boys, and I appreciate how the company is sharing the message that seafood, tuna  and other fish are family-friendly ingredients in a well-rounded, wholesome diet  –   Tuna Mind…Tuna Body…, Tuna Soul…Tuna Strong™.

On the go Bumble Bee Tuna snack pack for travel.If you’re really on the go (just heading to the gym or office or road-tripping across the country on vacation), Bumble Bee®   is perfect for travel. You can just pop open a can, pouch or snack pack, squeeze on some lemon and enjoy. Pair with some fruit that you’ve stashed in your briefcase, gym or carry-on bag and no longer will you worry about how to get a clean-eating meal from a vending machine, drive-thru or airport food court.

 

Add Bumble Bee Tuna and Avocado atop whole grain bread for a healthy, filling lunch.However, if you have just 5 minutes of prep time, you are going to go love my delicious recipe for Southwestern Avocado Tuna Salad.  It features flaky while albacore mixed with mashed avocado, a healthier swap for mayonnaise – this keeps the recipe rich and creamy but with mostly heart-healthier, good-for-you unsaturated fats. I serve on paleo or low-carb bread, or the way my mom used to do tuna salads – in a scooped out tomato bowl. The Southwestern Avocado Tuna Salad is also a winner wrapped up in lettuces leaves, a whole grain tortilla-style wrap or even popped atop a pile of scrambled eggs.

This Southwestern Avocado Tuna Salad in a tomato cup makes a protein-rich, yummy meal that works for low-carb and paleo diets.

Southwestern Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe

  • 1 large ripe avocado
  • 1 large lime, juiced 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 cup thawed “southwest blend” frozen corn
  • 2 (2.5 ounce) pouches Bumble Bee Albacore Tuna  

In medium bowl, mash together peeled, seeded avocado with lime juice and garlic salt. Stir in thawed southwestern-style corn and tuna (that has been flaked with fork) until combined. Serve over salad, in tomatoes or on bread. Serves 2 -3.

#TunaStrong Southwest Avocado Tuna Salad @bumblebeefoods #Fitfluential  #Ad

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So, what are you waiting for, get Tuna Strong! Follow Bumble Bee®   on Pinterest for a seemingly endless collection ways to use canned tuna in recipes and other helpful nutrition tips. Or, check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

What is your go-to way to eat canned tuna?

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Bumble Bee.

Orange Miso Steak Lettuce Wraps + 6 More Protein Salads

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Adding grilled strip steak to my Orange Miso Lettuce Wraps ups the protein to 25 grams -- perfect for the #proteinchallenge!

I love LOVE salads, many of you know that – I post my salad photos ( #saladselfie #saladrevolution #saladintheATX)  nearly every day on Instagram @thefitfork.  Often the mounds of lettuce I get at casual restaurants or take-away are pretty skimpy on the protein – this makes me hungry within the hour, no matter how BIG the salad was – that’s one of the reasons I prefer making my salad at home. Protein is so important for people living a fit and active lifestyle – adequate quality protein promotes heart health, helps muscles recover and grow and gives a long-lasting feeling of fullness that prevents unhealthy snacking later in the day. I got a chance to talk about this and the 30 Day Protein Challenge on Good Day San Antonio on 4th of July Morning!

Sharing ways to get more protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner on KENS5 Great Day San Antonio.

Sharing ways to get more protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner on KENS5 Great Day San Antonio.

There are lots of ways to boost the protein in salads, everyone should be aiming to get 25 – 30 grams of protein per meal adding beans (edamame, garbanzo, and black beans are some of my favorites) and adding a modest amount of nuts with heart-healthy oils like (almonds, walnuts and pistachios are so good) are two ways to reach optimal protein intake – I also love these Snack Crisps from Eat Enlightened. They are baked crunchy from broad (fava) beans and come in a bunch of yummy flavors like Sriracha, Garlic and Barbeque! For only 100 calories, I get an extra 7 grams of protein and lots of satisfying crush – whoohoo, they work as paleo croutons!

Lean beef ups the protein in this healthy, asian-inpsired salad.

Of course, the most direct way to pump up the protein in a salad is by adding lean red meat; chicken, turkey or other poultry; or fish, shrimp  or type of seafood. Today, I’m sharing my recipe for Orange Miso Beef Lettuce Wraps along with a collection of other beef salad ideas I curated in a collection for Mode Stories.

Check out Beef Up a Light Lunch – Seven Steak Inspired Salads

by The Fit Fork at Mode

Eat Nakd Bars - thefitfork.comAlso, I wanted to share with you a yummy snack I’ve been enjoying lately –  Eat Nākd from Natural Balance Foods . Eat Nākd bars are basically fruits and nuts “smooshed” together in a nutritious, healthy bar for convenience  Eat Nākd Protein Crunch bars are just as delicious and are have a bit of plant-based protein added for sustained energy. Individually wrapped for convenience and available in a ton of tempting flavors (hello chocolate mint), these bars are the perfect way to get some quick energy before a workout or when you need a little pick-me-up to nosh on at the office. They are also vegetarian and Paleo diet friendly; gluten, wheat and dairy free; and have no added sugars or hidden extras. These bars are made in Britain and you can order online with quick delivery – this product totally worth checking out!

protein challenge badge

Click photo to sign up!

Join the 30 Day Protein Challenge — you’ll learn how to get enough protein in your diet. Or, you’ll discover why you should rearrange the protein you’re already eating — did you know most Americans eat 2/3s of their daily requirement at dinner? It needs to be evenly portioned out through the day! The #ProteinChallenge also gives you access to delicious recipes and support with nutrition tips and a hunger scale to help you optimize your health!

Beef Up Summer Salads #ProteinChallenge #ModeStories http://bit.ly/1ffj5dK 

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What is your favorite or most unusual way to add protein to a salad? Please share in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer

 

This post is sponsored in part my Mode Media. 

Adding grilled strip steak to my Orange Miso Lettuce Wraps ups the protein to 25 grams -- perfect for the #proteinchallenge!
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Miso Orange Steak Lettuce Wraps
This healthy, Asian inspired salad can be grabbed and wrapped up to-go -- or eat like a traditional salad! Beef and edamame beans pump up the protein so you'll be satisfied through to the next meal!
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
  • 2 10 ounce beef Strip Steaks Boneless, cut 1 inch thick
  • 16 leaves Boston or butter lettuce leaves (about 4 to 5-inch diameter)
  • 2 cups ssorted rainbow slaw mix – chopped broccoli stalk, matchstick carrots, shredded cabbage
  • 1/4 cup frozen shelled edamame beans, thawed
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced radish
  • 1/4 cup slivered toasted almonds
  • 4 ounces Mandarin orange segments
  • 1/4 cup Green Garden Orange Miso Dressing (or Asian vinaigrette of choice)
For Wet Rub
  • 2 tbsp Sriracha sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 teasponn ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Combine Rub ingredients; smear evenly onto beef steaks.
  2. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 11 to 14 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill 11 to 15 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally.
  3. Carve steaks into slices. Place lettuce leaves on serving platter. Evenly layer vegetables onto lettuce leaves. Top evenly with steak. Drizzle with vinaigrette; sprinkle with nuts.
  4. Tip: To pan-broil steaks, preheat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Place steaks in skillet; cook steaks 12 to 15 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally.

Food for Fathers | Lemon Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Persimmons

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Lemon Grlled Flank Steak Salad with Persimmons will brighten up your summer supper and taste buds!

First of all, Happy Father’s Day to the dads! I’m cooking dinner over here for my own special dad and will be hooking him up with this healthy salad. Grilling up a hunk of meat and serving it atop a bed of leafy greens is definitely my specialty – you could say I’m an expert and an addict! As far as obsessions go, at least it’s a healthy one and I’m super excited to share it with my father and the other dads in my life.

Message fpr Dad's Birthday "You are a Prime Cut aged to perfection."

Message fpr Dad’s Birthday “You are a Prime Cut aged to perfection.”

If I had my way, I’d be grilling a juicy, tender USDA Prime tenderloin for my salad every night – ahh, but I have children going to college. I know my dad understands  — if he doesn’t I hope he remember how I hooked him up with some of the best ribeyes for his birthday.

However, using a marinade is a simple solution that transforms a tough (and thusly less expensive) cut of beef into delicious, succulent slices of heaven for your salad – or any type meal.   The acidic liquids used in marinade help to break down tough muscle fibers found in beef cuts like chuck, round, flank, skirt and others. These toothsome cuts can be marinated for a minimum of 4 hours to 24 hours to improve tenderness and add flavor – don’t marinate any longer though because the texture will turn mushy. Inherently tender cuts of beef (like tenderloin, ribeyes and such) can be marinated too, but just to add flavor  –the optimal time is about 30 mintutes of soak time, don’t go any longer than 2 hours because of the mush factor. Oh, and when marinating for any purpose, always keep meat soaking in the fridge (not on the counter) and discard any marinade that has come into contact with raw meat.

This basic beef marinade uses 1/4 acidic juice, 1/3 oil and 1/3 fermented sauce to create a base recipe that can be customized with herbs, spices and other flavorful ingredients.

I’ve been putting together a post for BeefLovingTexans.com on Marinating Beef 101 – it’s yet to be published, I’ll let you know when it is! In the meantime, check out the Basic Beef Marinade Recipe I put together for them (and also the one I use in the recipe below).  What I love about this super simple marinade recipe is that it is fantastic “as-is,” but can be spiced up with your choosing of any herb, seasoning, alternate juice or fermented sauce. The possibilities are endless, just stick to the “one-third, one-third, one-third” format.

Lemon Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Persimmons

Lemon Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Persimmons
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Food for Fathers | Lemon Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Persimmons
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
6 hrs 30 mins
 
This nutritious beef salad made with grilled flank steak is topped with charred lemons and persimmons and makes a lovely entree for summer outdoor entertaining.
Course: Main Dish, Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1.5 lbs flank steak, trimmed
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
  • 4 lemons halved
  • 1 large red onion sliced crosswise into 1/2 thick dics
  • 1 bunch green onion with green tops
  • 2 large persimmons halved
  • 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
  • 8 - 10 ounces baby spring mix lettuce
  • 1/2 cup viniagrette of choice I used Litehouse Foods Lemon Tuscan Herb
Instructions
  1. 1 1.5 lb flank steak ¼ cup fresh lemon juice ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup olive oil 1 tablespoon crushed garlic 4 lemons, halved 1 large red onion, sliced crosswise into 4 thick disks 1 bunch green onions with tops 2 persimmons (or can substitute peaches or another fruit of choice) 4 ounces crumbled Feta cheese
  2. Add trimmed flank steak, lemon juice, soy sauce, olive oil and garlic to zip top bag. Seal closed and turn several times to coat meat. Place in refrigerator to marinate for 6 hours to over night. Remove and discard all marinade, pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Bring grill to approximately 400 F degrees and grill flank steak for approximately 10 - 12 minutes, turning halfway through. Steak will be done at medium rare when instant-read meat thermometer pulls at 135 F degrees in thickest part of steak. Set on cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  4. Ten minutes into grilling, add lemons,red onion and persimmons cut side down on grates. Grill alongside beef and remove when softening and have grate marks. Toss on green onions during last 2 minutes of grilling, they will cook fast.
  5. Remove veggies from grill, let cool a bit and then slice up into desired size. Add to platter of spring mix lettuce.
  6. Slice flank steak thinly across the grain. Add to top of salad, sprinkle with feta cheese and serve with dressing of choice.