Tabouli

This salad is very easy and tasty. its was perfect with the falafels. Adding some greens and some tomatoes it was a great meal.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 bunches finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• ⅓  cup chopped fresh mint
• ½ cup coarse bulgur, prepared
• ½ firm tomato, chopped 
• 1 scallion chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra Virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pinch teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Prepare the bulgur according to instructions on the package. Do not over soak the bulgur, you want bulgur to finish softening in the tabouli with the oil and lemon juice.

Chopped parsley and mint finely, and set aside.

In a large bowl mix bulgur, chopped tomato, chopped scallions with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the parsley, mint, olive oil and mix it all. Season the tabouli with salt, cayenne, more oil and lemon juice.

Enjoy!

Salad with Orange and Poppyseed Dressing

Salad with Orange and Poppyseed Dressing

I have had enough of christmas food for this year. Three days with pork roast and roasted duck, is more than enough, but then again, I don't want to throw perfectly good food away. The last few days I have been craving a lighter dinner, and tonight we had this colorful salad with an orange-poppyseed dressing. This kind of foods makes me and my stomach happy. The sweet but tangy dressing pairs perfectly with the fresh fruit, the cheese, avocado and chicken. The poppyseeds and almonds gives the salad a great texture. 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Salad:

• 4-5 big handful mixed baby greens or baby spinach 
• 1 large or 2 small chicken breasts, grilled
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 handful sliced almonds, toasted
• fresh berries
• 2 small slices or 3 tablespoons crumbled cheese (blue cheese, feta or goat cheese)

Dressing:

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 orange, the zest of 1 and the juice from 1½ orange
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoons poppy seeds

Directions:

Dressing:

Put all the ingredients in a shaker, and shake the dressing until emulsified, refrigerate until serving.

Salad:

Place the greens in a salad bowl and arrange the rest of the ingredients on top. Dress the salad with the dressing just before serving. 

Enjoy!

Lemon Pistachio Israeli Couscous

Lemon Pistachio Israeli Couscous

After getting to know the flavor of preserved lemons in Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Green Olives, I wanted to try more recipes with preserved lemons. I bought David Lebovitz's "My Paris Kitchen" and I had to try this yummy recipe. I mad a couple of changes, making it to my linking.

Israeli couscous is a toasted pasta shaped like rice or small balls, If you cant find them in your grocery store, you can substitute it with orzo.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 g) Israeli couscous, cooked according to package instructions
• ½ preserved lemon
• ½ cup (1 dl) Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• ½ cup (1 dl) dried fruit, chopped (I used apricot, cherry and prunes)
• 2 tablespoons pistachios, unsalted, coarsely chopped
• pepper to taste

Directions

Scoop out the pulp from the preserved lemons into a strainer over a bowl. Press the pulp to get all the juices out, this will be the dressing to the couscous. Discard the pulp. Dice up the rind, and add it to the bowl with the juice.

Chop fruit, parsley and pistachios, and add it to the bowl.

When the couscous has absorbed all the liquid and is cooked al dente, add the butter and stir until melted.

Mix all the ingredients and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad

Dansk Udgave

This is a classic both here in US and in Denmark. I think most people know this salad. But even though it's very old school, it shouldn't deter you from putting it on the table. The sweet, salty, crunchy salad will be a hit at the dinner table.

Ingredients:

• 2 broccoli crowns, in small florets

• 1 medium red onion, in small dices

• 100 g sunflower seeds

• 100 g raisins

• 250 g bacon

Dressing:

• 95 g Miracle Whip

• 45 g sour cream

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 2-3 teaspoons red wine vinegar

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl, set aside.

Place bacon in a deep skillet and cook over medium high heat until crisp and brown. Cool and cut into small pieces.

Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces, and chop up the onion finely. Combine ¾ of the bacon, raisins, broccoli and sunflower seeds, and toss it with the dressing. 

Serve the salad chilled, and with sprinkles of bacon-bits and sunflower seeds on top.

Enjoy!

The Danish version: 

Broccolisalat

Ingredienser:

• 2 broccolitoppe, i små mundrette buketter

• 1 medium rød løg, i små tern

• 100 g solsikkefrø

• 100 g rosiner

• 250 g bacon

Dressing:

• 95 g Miracle Whip

• 45 g creme fraiche

• 3 spsk honning

• 2-3 tsk rødvinseddike

• salt and peber efter smag

Fremgangsmåde:

Rist baconen sprød, køl den af og skær den i mindre stykker.

Bland dressingen, og sæt den til side.

Bland ¾ af baconen med broccoli, løg, solsikkefrø og rosiner, og vend det i dressingen.

Server salaten kølig med et drys bacon og solsikkekerner på toppen.

Velbekomme!

Spinach Strawberry Salad

Spinach / Strawberry Salad

This salad is so easy and simple, but the taste is to die for. I love this salad with any kind of grilled meat.

Ingredients:

• ½ pound baby spinach

• 1 cup strawberries, thinly sliced

• ⅓ cup sliced almonds, chopped

• ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Dressing:

• ¼ cup blood orange extra virgin olive oil

• ¼ cup dark espresso balsamic vinegar

• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix spinach, strawberries and chopped almonds in a large bowl. Whisk the dressing together, and add it to the salad just before serving. Sprinkle with cheese (optional).

Enjoy!