Salads | Simple By Cindy

Farro Salad with Fresh Herbs and Ricotta

May. 10
2021

This is the perfect time of year to plant your garden. Ideally, you’ve already begun, but it’s not too late. We’re also little behind due to travel.

My favorite thing to do this time of year is to plan a trip to the nursery. I take a walk through my garden, pen and paper in hand, and write down all the ground I need to fill. Every year we plant perennials, but some of them invariably do not grow back. It is frustrating, as I plant perennials in hope that they will, in fact, be perennial. But that’s okay; there are few things I enjoy more than planning and planting our garden. I am thankful that the hubby enjoys it too because he does the really heavy digging in the rocky soil.

My very favorite is planting the herbs. Everyone who enjoys cooking should consider a herb garden. All you need is soil, a pot, and some herbs. Plant it, watch it grow, and use the fresh herbs in your best recipes to make them even better.

This can be overwhelming, but both of us love to watch it flourish. Every morning I take a walk and send him pictures of the progress. I have my tea on the terrace every morning and marvel at the beauty of it all.

After a day of gardening, I like to make something that is enjoyable and satisfying. This recipe is one of them. The farro is unquestionably the star. Farro is a grain similar to barley in that it fills you up but is not heavy in your stomach. Toasting the farro first makes it more fragrant and crispy. The tomato and cucumber give it a salad like feeling, while the onion offers a nice little kick. The dressing is full of flavor, with the oregano and garlic adding a bit of savory. The best part, of course, is the ricotta. It takes on the flavors of the dressing so nicely, making every bite delightful.

This recipe will serve 4 to 6 people who will enjoy this cool summer salad after a hot day in the garden.

Ingredients for Farro Salad with Herbs and Ricotta:

For the Farro:

1 cup Farro
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil  
2 tablespoons kosher salt

For the dressing:

1/3 cup red wine vinegar 
Juice and zest of half a lemon 
4 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves pulled and chopped
 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
 1/2 cup very good olive oil

For the salad:

1/2 cup English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into thin slices 
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red onion, chopped 
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 
10 fresh basil leaves, julienned or chopped

Make the Farro:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the farro and olive oil and spread it out on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Place in oven to toast until it’s golden brown and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and add the kosher salt.

Add the farro and return to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes.

Drain farro and transfer to a large bowl.

Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Make the dressing:

Combine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic, in a medium bowl.

Whisk to combine.

Slowly, while whisking, add the olive oil.

Make the Salad:

Add the tomatoes, red onion, parsley and basil in the bowl with the farro.

Drizzle 2/3 of the dressing over the salad and mix to combine.

Check salad to see if it is coated.

If you need to, add more dressing in small amounts.

You do not want to overdress and have a soggy salad.

Add dollops of the ricotta cheese and serve.

It’s that simple!

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon Vinaigrette

Apr. 15
2021

When we bought our beach house, I knew that we would be hosting many guests. I have a big family, and we have some close friends too, so I began to decorate the house in a way that would make all our guests feel welcome in our home.

Year after year, my family went on a beach vacation to the same beach and hotel. The hotel was right on the beach, so it was convenient to wake up every morning, grab our towels, and get to the beach as soon as we can. We fell in love with all the little beach towns around the area as well. There are beautiful farms that have stands where we can buy fresh produce, unbelievable home-baked pastries, and the freshest fish you could imagine. Of course, at the time, I was not able to cook in the small kitchen we had in our condo. I could only dream of having the equipment I needed to make my family a home-cooked meal with all the fresh ingredients available to us.

When we purchased our home, I wanted to make it a place where everyone felt at ease. Aa a host, I wanted to make sure guests got a good night sleep, so one of the first things I did was to buy beds with a good mattress that would last for years. The mattresses were the first things I bought, and judging from the people who slept on them, it was money well spent. I made sure that each bed was properly fitted with nice sheets and pillows to make the beds look inviting. I have cheerful pillows that say things like “relax, life is better at the beach” and “live life simple” on each bed to remind our guests what beach life is all about. Each room has a clock, and good blinds so folks can sleep in if they wish. There are also nightstands, full length mirrors, and lots of storage space for personal belongings.

I also changed all the shower heads (what a difference this can make!), put out good towels, and found pretty shower curtains to make the bathrooms look clean and put together. I stock fresh soap, shampoo, and conditioner, and I have diffusers to ensure the bathrooms smell as clean as they are. Each also has a hair blower, shower cap, and bathrobe for my guests to use.

The minute my guest arrive, preparation stops and I go into hostess mode. I want to make my guests feel comfortable no matter what happens. Things may go wrong, like a bath disaster or a food disaster, but you must take things lightly. Be like a duck– paddle like heck underwater, but let others see you glide effortlessly across the water. Most importantly, we just remember to laugh and not take slip ups too seriously. If you set the mood to have a good time in spite of any mishaps, so will your guests, and that is what is most important.

On to the dish of the day. I thought it would be good to lighten things up as we come into spring, and beach weather is soon upon us. This very light salad is the perfect dish to open a meal. The Brussels sprouts, when they are cleaned up of any outer leaves, are very sweet and do not need to be cooked to be delicious. The bacon, of course, packs this dish with delectable flavor and salty deliciousness– how could you not love that? The onions are delicately cooked, adding texture and additional sweetness and tang. The apples are also a wonderful addition, giving this dish a nice crunch and sweet flavor. The dressing compliments this dish, with the honey and Dijon mustard adding a nice bouquet of sweet and tangy goodness. Truly something for everybody in this salad.

This dish is courtesy of A Taste of Home and will serve 12 people who will enjoy this healthy dish after a day at the beach.

Brussels sprouts with Bacon Vinaigrette:

3 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts
10 bacon strips, chopped
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 medium apples, thinly sliced

Trim Brussels sprouts.

Using the slicing blade on a food processor or a knife, thinly slice sprouts.

Transfer to a large bowl. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally.

Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.

Discard drippings, reserving 1/4 cup in pan.

Add onion to drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender, 3-5 minutes.

Stir in vinegar, honey and mustard.

Cook and stir 1 minute.

Drizzle with onion mixture; toss to coat.

Add bacon and apples to Brussels sprouts.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

It’s that Simple!

Italian Rocket and Chicken Salad

Apr. 8
2021

As I grow older I can see how our experiences in childhood affect the kind of adults we become. I recently attended the funeral of my best friend’s mother. As he spoke about his mom, it became clear to me that we had similar childhoods. Our moms were both tough cookies, and it made us more focused and driven as adults. I know that he had a difficult time with his mother, but it was clear that he loved her nonetheless, and would miss her terribly.

When I was growing up, my mother had expectations of who I would become. As a child, I never met those exceptions, and the more I withdrew, the more she tried to pull me out. There is no set recipe or rules that ensure what kind of adults we become, but I think this experience formed a lot of who I am today.

My parents were very hard workers, and they instilled that work ethic in their children. When I was younger, I was more interested in athletics than in math and science. This infuriated my mother. Her parents had fled the holocaust, and as a very poor family in the United States, they had to work hard to make ends meet. The most important thing to them was that their children be educated. Being an athlete wasn’t high on their list of priorities.

Although I resisted, I eventually ended up with a master’s degree, which surprised my mother and made her very proud. Criticism, feeling neglected, micromanaging, and not feeling appreciated affects us all in different ways. We all walk out of childhoods with some emotional bumps and bruises. All of these things–bad, good, and everything in between– come together to make us the people we are. Our childhoods are part of us, we cannot go back and change it, but we can choose to look at it through a different lens. Once we’ve accomplished that, we can try to heal ourselves to do better for the next generation.

In that process, we might also begin to look more kindly at our parents, faults and all. My mother became the most influential person in my life, even despite her mistakes. I took all her criticisms and turned them into a positive mindset, which helped me learn to work very hard and be the best person I can be as a friend, wife, daughter, and mother.

On to the recipe. While this salad is simple enough to make, it is packed with flavor. Rocket refers to the arugula in the salad. The chicken, cranberries and artichoke hearts make this salad a hearty, satisfying meal. The sun-dried tomatoes and arugula add a nice texture and tang. The pasta is delicious and filling, truly making this dish a satiating meal. The dressing is the star of this dish. The oregano and the parsley are the savory, while the crushed red pepper and the cayenne pepper give it a nice kick. The lemon adds just the right amount of lip puckering deliciousness.

This recipe is courtesy of Meant to Share, by Danielle Kartes and will serve 4 to 6 people who will want a second bowl of this delicious and healthy chicken salad.

Ingredients for Italian Rocket and Chicken Salad:

For the Dressing:

1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad:

6 cups young rocket (baby arugula)
3 cups prepared shredded chicken (rotisserie rests work great)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 pound farfalle pasta

Place all dressing ingredients into a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse until dressing is thoroughly combined.

You can finely chop and whisk by hand as well.

Set aside.

Place all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.

Add half the dressing and toss, and reserve the rest to spoon over individual portions.

It’s that simple!

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Oct. 22
2020

The weather is perfect these days. Autumn is in full swing and because the cool weather is here, I get to go running outdoors.

I have always been an exercise buff. When I entered college, I went to my first aerobic dance class. My sister dragged me to one, and even though I initially resisted, I fell in love with it. I know I am dating myself, but the class was a Jackie Sorenson class. For those Gen X and millennial folks, Jackie was the first person to invent the aerobics class.

Wikipedia says this: “Jackie Sorenson (born Jacquline Fay Mills; December 10, 1942) is the American originator of aerobic dancing… Inspired by Dr. Kenneth H Cooper’s 1968 book on aerobic exercise, she created for women an aerobic dance routine to music in 1969 in Puerto Rico, teaching U.S. Air Force wives. She expanded this concept into a teaching method and studio franchise, Aerobic Dancing Inc., that rose to 1,500 locations and 4,000 instructors teaching 170,000 students in 1981 at its peak.”

She hesitated calling it an aerobics class, because she did not think the term would catch on, given its scientific origins. Aerobic exercise is performed by repeating sequences of light-to-moderate intensity activities for extended periods of time. Aerobic exercise may be better referred to as “solely aerobic,” as it is designed to be low-intensity so that all carbohydrates are aerobically turned into energy. Jackie felt that “Americans don’t know what fitness is really all about. They’re worrying about the little muscles in their inner thighs, when they should be worrying about the most important muscle – their hearts.”

With that in mind, you can see how this class changed my life– and health– for the better. Soon after I began taking the class, my instructor offered to train me to learn how to become an instructor. This wasn’t an easy task. At that time, we had a weight requirement, had to run a six-minute mile, and teach in front of the other instructors to make sure our form and routines were performed correctly. While I passed all the levels, this period of examination always made me nervous. How was I going to run a 6-minute mile? I had never run before! I started to train for my instructor requirements on a regular basis so I wouldn’t have to be so nervous during tryouts. It didn’t really help, I was always nervous when the time came to run the time trial.

I ended up teaching aerobics for 12 years and I loved every minute of it. As an instructor for Jackie Sorenson, I got to meet new people every time a new session began. We were required to have our backs to the students in each class so they did not get nervous about doing the exercise perfectly. If a student asked for extra help, I was happy to stay and help them out. Learning to call out the cues for the steps at the exact time during each song also was a challenge, but I was a quick learner, and the cues became easier and easier to learn.

Though I started exercising and eating right just for the class, I continue to do so today because I care about my health. I have since been a very disciplined person, who lives by these rules. Oh, there are the days when I wanted to run but found every excuse not to, and I have also had my share of decadent desserts and meals. If you stay pretty disciplined, you can cheat every once in a while. Hey, you only get to live once, right? We all have to have our share of “happy moments.”

No matter what your daily diet, this is the side or salad for you. It takes some advance planning, but it is worth it. The red and green pepper gives these flavorful beans a nice added crunch. The scallions become sweet and tangy when combined with the vinaigrette. The champagne and apple cider vinegar join together to top this off with a savory goodness. The bacon gives this dish added delectable essence. The bacon is not included in the final dish, but I ate it anyway and so should you!

This recipe is courtesy of 425 magazine and will serve 8 to 10 people who will love this healthy, delicious, and flavorful dish.

Ingredients for Black Eyed Pea Salad:

2 cups dried black-eyed peas (about 12 oz.)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
¼ cup malt or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. bacon (about 4 slices)
6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

Place black-eyed peas in a bowl and add cold water to cover by 4-inches.

Chill 12 hours, then drain.

Whisk red and green peppers, scallions, garlic, oil, Champagne vinegar, malt vinegar, parsley, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl.

Cover and chill vinaigrette at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.

After beans have finished soaking, cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat, turning occasionally, until brown and fat is rendered (bacon shouldn’t be crisp), 5–7 minutes.

Add beans, then carefully add broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, 25–30 minutes; remove bacon.

Transfer beans to a large bowl, add vinaigrette, and toss to combine.

Chill, tossing occasionally, until cool, about 1 hour.

Salad can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

It’s that simple!

Summer Fruit Quinoa Salad

Sep. 14
2020

I can’t believe how fast this summer has gone. I had a whole list of things I wanted to do, and somehow, it just passed by…. along with half of what I wanted to get done. There were closets to clean, rugs that needed to be shaken out, and so many other things that I never got the chance to do. I know we still have a little bit of summer left, so I am hoping I can accomplish something in the next month or so.

Even still, there is a lot to look forward to–beautiful, warm days and cool, enjoyable evenings. September also brings changing leaves, the excitement of going apple picking, and never knowing what the weather will be. Each day of the month feels like a different temperature, and that unpredictability allows us to wear our favorite fall clothes.

As the fall approaches, I find myself thinking forward to the holidays. I imagine that so many things will be different. The Jewish holidays will be held virtually, as it will not be safe to hold any formal synagogue meetings. Labor Day will be celebrated with small gatherings of family. Who knows what Halloween will bring? Will there be any trick-or-treaters? I do not think so, but I remain optimistic that things will be back to normal soon.

Anyway, I figured we might as well savor summer fruits while they’re still in season. The delicious quinoa is combined with the summer fruit of your choice. Of course, the fruit is the star of this recipe, and it is enhanced by the addition of yummy nuts, (I used almonds, as I could not find hazelnuts), which gives it an additional depth of flavor, and a nice, crunchy texture. The parsley is the savory touch that this dish needs, and the lemon dressing is a bright finish. This is a side dish that will go with any main, though it is just as enjoyable by itself as a snack or lunch.

This recipe is courtesy of Good Food and will serve 4 people who will love every last bite of delicious summer fruit.

Ingredients for Summer Fruit Quinoa Salad:

1/2 cup quinoa
3 peaches or nectarines, or 6 apricots, diced
3 1/2 tablespoons toasted hazelnut, roughly chopped (I used almonds, I couldn’t find hazelnuts)
Handful mint, roughly chopped
Handful parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Zest and juice 1 lemon

Put the quinoa in a medium saucepan and cover with 1 1/4 cups water.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins or until the quinoa is tender.

Drain off any excess liquid and set aside to cool.

Add the fruit, almonds, herbs and seasoning to the cooled quinoa.

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice.

Pour over the salad and mix thoroughly.

It’s that simple!