The Frugal Chef » Salad Recipes & Videos

Chinese Chicken Salad

Mary Ann — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:11:54 +0000

This salad requires a few steps so make sure you have some time to prepare it. For starters you will be marinating the chicken breasts for at least 30 minutes. You then need to roast the chicken. The final flavor is astonishing and well worth the steps! You will also need time to bake the egg roll strips and to toast the almonds. This salad is great for lunchtime or a light dinner.

Here is what you are going to need:

FOR THE CHICKEN:
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot Asian chili sauce
3 large scallion, white, light green and dark green chopped (reserve for later)

Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts. Butterfly the breasts and trim off all excess fat. Place the breasts in a bowl. In a separate small bowl whisk together the soy, vinegar, oil and chili sauce. Pour over the chicken and cover. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard it) and place the breasts on a roasting pan.

Roast the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from oven and place on a cutting board to cool down.

Shred the chicken and place in a bowl. Add the chopped scallions and mix with 1/4th of the dressing (recipe follows). Set aside.

FOR THE DRESSING:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoon soy sauce
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon hot Asian chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil

In a medium bowl whisk together all the ingredients except for the oils. Gradually whisk in the oils. Set aside.

FOR THE SALAD:
8 square egg roll wrappers, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup trimmed and diagonally sliced snow peas
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1/2 head small Napa cabbage, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips
1/2 romaine heart, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips
1 large carrot, grated
Salt

Once the chicken has cooked, reduce the oven to 375 degrees. Place the cut egg roll wrappers on a foil lined, vegetable oil sprayed baking sheet. Spray the strips and season with salt.

Place in oven and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Keep an eye on them! Careful not to burn them. Remove them from the oven and let them cool down. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the sliced almonds on a baking sheet. Put them in the oven and toast them for 6 to 7 minutes. Be very careful not to burn these either! Once they are golden remove them from the oven and set side.

Heat a small skillet and add the sesame seeds and toast them while stirring constantly for about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Place a bowl of ice water in the sink. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add the snow peas and cook for 10 seconds. Remove the snow peas and immediately place in the ice water to stop the cooking process. Remove from the water and place on paper towels to dry.

Place the chopped cabbage and lettuce in a large bowl. Add the carrots and snow peas.

Add the sesame seeds and the almonds. Whisk in the dressing, a little at a time, and toss to coat well. Add the chicken and mix well. Serve and top with the baked strips. Enjoy!

Print the Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe Here

Watermelon Salad

Mary Ann — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:11:03 +0000

Watermelon salad? Really? Really, really! It might seem odd to think of watermelon as something you might combine with onions and cheese but it is a winner! I promise! What’s more, watermelon is so incredibly cheap these days! So here we go:

In a large bowl mix together 4 cups largely diced watermelon, 1/2 small red onion finely sliced, 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese, 1/4 cup chopped mint and basil leaves. Carefully mix it all. Add the juice of a large lime and season generously with salt. That’s it! Bon appetit!

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Mary Ann — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 18:11:17 +0000

Quinoa is a common staple in the Andean region. It is considered a super food and is getting more and more common in the USA. I buy mine from Trader Joe’s – who happen to import it from Bolivia, where I grew up. We ate quinoa all the time as kids and I encourage you to try it out! Here is a nice and healthy recipe that I hope you will like!

Print the Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe Here

Spinach & Peach Salad with Candied Walnuts

Mary Ann — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:11:16 +0000

This salad is perfect for these hot days as it is very refreshing and satisfying as well. It is also very easy to make. You should have a great meal ready in 20 minutes.

You are going to need the following:
12 oz. baby spinach leaves
2 white peaches, peeled (1 1/2 cut into thin strips – reserve the other 1/2 for the dressing)
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

FOR THE DRESSING:
1 lime, juices
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
The remaining 1/2 white peach mashed

Place the walnuts and the granulated sugar in a large skillet.

Cook, on medium heat, shaking the pan until the sugar is melted and the walnuts are coated evenly. Be careful not to burn the nuts as they will burn very quickly. Keep a close eye on your pan. You should be done in 5 to 7 minutes. Cool completely.

Whisk together the lime juice with the oil and vinegar. Whisk in the sugar and the mashed peaches until you have a smooth dressing.

Place the spinach, onions and peaches in a bowl. Add the walnuts. Drizzle with the dressing and toss well. Serve sprinkled with crumbled blue cheese.

Print the Spinach & Peach with Candied Walnuts Recipe Here

Macaroni Salad

Mary Ann — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 18:11:34 +0000

I used to make this macaroni salad at the deli I owned by the hundreds of pounds! It was an all time favorite and continues to be at our home! Easy, affordable and plain delicious!

Print the Macaroni Salad Recipe Here

Cucumber & Red Onion Salad

Mary Ann — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:13:36 +0000

You will need:
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and finely sliced
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil, mixing constantly until sugar is dissolved. Add salt and mix well. Remove from heat and cool down completely.

Place the cucumbers and onions in a bowl. Cover with the cold vinegar. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes. Serve.

Print the Cucumber & Red Onion Salad Recipe Here

Chopped Crab Salad

Mary Ann — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:05:42 +0000

This is a great way to use up all those odd pieces of veggies you might have left over in your fridge. Simply chop all the veggies and mix them together. I used canned crab but you could substitute that with tuna, shredded chicken or shrimp. It will render the same delicious result. Finally I made a buttermilk dressing and mixed it all up. Here is what I used – you can go ahead and use any other vegetable you might have such as cabbage, bell peppers, jicama, radishes, etc.

A small piece of Iceberg lettuce
A small piece of Romaine lettuce
1 tomato
6 snap peas
3 to 4 cooked fingerling potatoes
1/2 red onion
1 carrot
1 can crab

Simply finely chop all of the ingredients – shred the carrots – and place them in a bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. You will probably have left over dressing. Place it in a container with a cover and refrigerate it. It will last for a few days. Don’t forget to use it for other salads! It goes beautifully with greens and apples! Serve.

FOR THE DRESSING:
2 tablespoon minced red onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper

Place the minced onion and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk in the sour cream, buttermilk and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Print the Chopped Crab Salad Recipe Here

Spinach Blueberry Salad

Mary Ann — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 05:55:49 +0000

Here’s a super healthy salad that is loaded in nutrients and flavor. This is what you will need:

1.5 cups baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup of finely sliced red onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh cheese – Farmers, Cotija, Feta, Panela
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white
1 tsp sugar
Salt & Pepper

Place the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.

Whisk the olive oil and vinegar. Add the sugar and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over the salad and toss to coat well. Enjoy!

Print the Spinach Blueberry Salad Recipe Here

Greek Feta Salad

Mary Ann — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 06:13:39 +0000

Greek salad is very popular in our household! It is also really easy to make and delectable. Here is a video with instructions on how to make this salad and its dressing. Enjoy!

Print the Greek Salad Recipe Here

Mache & Mushroom Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Mary Ann — Sun, 16 May 2010 18:11:58 +0000

Mache is French for Lamb’s lettuce and is also known as Italian corn salad and field lettuce. Like many zesty-flavored foraged greens, Mache has a high nutritional value. It typically provides several vital minerals and nutrients, including vitamins C, E, and B9, along with beta carotene and essential fatty acids. It is generally more beneficial than conventional lettuce.

Here’s what you are going to need for this salad:
12 oz. Mache
2 hard boiled eggs – chopped
1 medium red onion, sliced
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced

Place all ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle with mustard vinaigrette and toss well to coat. Serve.

For the vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 TBS mustard
Salt & Pepper

Whisk the oil , vinegar and mustard in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Print the Mache Salad Recipe Here