Warm Corn + Green Bean and Quinoa Salad

The idea that a recipe is not only sustaining our bodies, but also nourishes it and is so good for you makes us happy here at Urban Kitchen.  So when we find one with ingredients we know we love, have on hand and help us use local in season produce- well we just had to make it.  This recipe was altered a bit of course as usual to suit what we have in our pantry and to bulk it up as a warm salad dinner to fill up on.  Quinoa has been a long time favorite of ours + we always keep it stocked for quick and easy meals ( cooks in 15 minutes!)- you can use red or black varieties to punch up the color contrast of this dish.  We had the most GLORIOUS corn ever from Bob's corn in Coloma Wisconsin from our trip- the call it " honey dipped corn" it is naturally super sweet and amazing.  Green beans are plentiful right now, and even though it's a pain to trim a pound of green beans- they really make this salad crunch, you can do it while the quinoa cooks!  So please make this and feel amazing while you eat it, after you eat it and when you eat it as lunch the next day!  

Warm Corn + Green Bean and Quinoa Salad

adapted from Sprouted Kitchen

Dressing
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. Light vinegar, like white balsamic or Champagne
2 tsp. Honey
1 Clove Garlic
1/4 cup Basil Leaves
Pinch of Salt + Pepper

1 Cup Quinoa 

4 ears of corn, hulled, boiled and chopped from cob
1 lb. Green Beans, ends trimmed
3 Scallions/Green Onions
1/2 Cup Macadamias, toasted and skins removed, roughly chopped
1. In a blender or food processor, whirl all of the dressing ingredients together. Taste for salt and pepper and set aside in the fridge.
2. Bring 2 Cups water to a boil and add the quinoa, turn the heat down to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
3. Meanwhile boil your corn and in another pot steam the green beans until just barely softened. Drain well. Add the drained green beans and chopped corn to the quinoa. Thinly slice the scallions and add them, and half of the chopped macadamias to the bowl and toss with the dressing. Finish the salad with a few grinds of fresh black pepper and the rest of the macadamias. Serve warm or chill in the fridge. The leftovers hold up great.

Left overs salad and homemade ranch dressing with croutons

To be quite honest, it's been very hot and our electric bill is insane.  So, we've been eating salads- much to Jason's chagrin.  So to make it filling and hearty we tossed in what we had in the fridge with some springy boston lettuce chopped.  Our list of stuff included roasted chicken, avocado, green onion, cherry tomatoes, homemade croutons (recipe here), and a light version of homemade ranch dressing- recipe follows!

Ranch Dressing

adapted from Ellie Krieger

Serves 6

Ingredients
1/3 cup nonfat Greek style yogurt
1/3 cup lowfat buttermilk
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon onion, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the strained or Greek-style yogurt and the rest of the ingredients. Add salt, to taste.  Whisk until smooth and delicious

Basil Pesto Potato Salad

Pesto Potato Salad with Green Beans

Bring a dish to pass!  The idea of taking along the perfect tasty dish to a party to share with other people can be daunting.  I didn't want to bring just any old potato salad.  We have TONS of bright green basil growing thick and fast at home... enter: the search for an interesting Pesto Potato Salad... this one I came by on my favorite food blog- Smitten Kitchen.  It adds green beans ( also in season!) along with green onion and champagne vinegar- unique and a great idea, plus it keeps the salad this uniform bright green palette!  I altered the recipe to suit what I found at the store ( 3 lb bag of potatoes not 4) and added my own little spin on homemade pesto.  All I can say is this: we didn't bring home any leftovers...

What is your favorite thing about potato salad? What is your favorite summer produce? 

Pesto Potato Salad with Green Beans

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Serves 10



3 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, quartered twice
12 ounces green beans, cut into one-inch segments
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
3 cups loose packed basil
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons (or more to taste) mild vinegar, such as champagne, white wine or a white balsamic
1/4 cup chopped green onions (scallions)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add beans; cook four minutes longer. Drain well and let cool, then transfer potatoes and beans to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, discard the stems from the basil and wash and dry the leaves. Puree them in a food processor with garlic, drizzling in enough olive oil that it gets saucy. Add in toasted almonds and grated cheese, pulse till smooth.  Season the pesto with salt and pepper.
Toss the beans and potatoes with pesto. Stir in vinegar, green onions and season with salt, pepper and/or additional vinegar to taste.
I made this the night before serving, stored in the refrigerator.  It was delightful!

Panzanella with Turkey Sausage

This is a great recipe to use up a loaf of day old baguette... we had some stored in the freezer and decided to give this recipe a try.  Panzanella is a bread and tomato salad, which is super easy to throw together on a weeknight.  ( It is also similar to our previously posted Roasted Carrot and Arugula Salad ( so GOOD))  We paired the salad with some Italian style turkey sausage, to finish off the meal.  Make sure you have some ripe and red tomatoes, which luckily the store had this week.  Spring produce is in abundance- hooray!

Ingredients
6 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges (about 1-1/2 pounds)
1 medium cucumber, cut into half moons
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
2 cups arugula
2 cups baby spinach
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small whole-grain baguette or other crusty bread (preferably day-old;
about 8 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch chunks and toasted in warm oven
1 16-ounce package Italian-style Turkey Sausage

In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add the bread chunks, arugula and spinach and toss well so all the bread is well moistened.

Preheat a pan over medium-high heat, add a little olive oil.

Add the sausage and cook, turning once or twice, until cooked through (160 degrees) 16 minutes. Serve the sausage, whole, alongside the panzanella salad.

Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad with Orange and Lemon Dressing

This salad is incredible, we found this in our new cookbook " Jamie at Home". It does take some time to cook the carrots, but it is Oh So worth it. Each ingredient adds something special to this dish, the carrots are amazingly flavorful, the roast citrus dressing is perfection, the peppery crisp salad leaves and crunchy ciabatta bread "croutons" with a creamy dollop of plain yogurt... you have to try it to believe it's awesomeness. We made this a dinner meal so it was 2 very large, and satisfying, servings; but you can make it into however many you want. It will not keep as leftovers, so make sure to plan accordingly ( i.e. divide in half for less):

Ingredients:

1 pound medium mixed colored carrots, with their leafy tops


Sea salt

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon thyme

Extra-virgin olive oil

Red or white wine vinegar

1 orange, halved

1 lemon, halved

2 large ripe avocados

4 (1/2-inch thick) slices ciabatta bread

2 handfuls mixed salad leaves and arugula, washed and spun dry

1 bunches watercress

2/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt

4 tablespoons sunflower seeds, toasted



Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Parboil the carrots in boiling, salted water for 10 minutes, until they are very nearly cooked, then drain and put them into a roasting pan, covered with foil and spray with pam. While the carrots are cooking smash up the cumin, chilles, salt, pepper, garlic and thyme until you have a kind of paste. Add enough extra-virgin olive oil to generously cover the paste, and a good swig of vinegar. This will be like a marinade, a rub and a dressing all in one! Stir together, then rub on the carrots in the pan while they are hot, coating them well. Add the orange and lemon halves, cut side down. These will roast along with the carrots, and their juice can be used as the basis of the dressing. Place in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden.

While the carrots are roasting, halve and peel the avocados, discarding the pits, then cut them into wedges lengthwise and place in a big bowl. Remove the carrots from the oven and add them to the avocados; then toast or broil your ciabatta slices.  While they toast up, carefully, using some tongs, squeeze the roasted orange and lemon juice into a bowl through a mesh strainer ( to catch the seeds) and add the same amount of extra-virgin olive oil and a little swig of red wine vinegar. Season, and pour this dressing over the carrots and avocados. Mix together, have a taste and correct the seasoning.
Tear the toasted bread into little pieces ( like croutons) and add to the dressed carrot and avocado. Mix together, toss in the salad leaves and cress and transfer to a big platter or divide between individual plates. Spoon over a nice dollop of yogurt, sprinkle over your toasted seeds.

Beet and Basil salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Happy Valentine's Day!

In case you didn't know, beets are SO so good, fabulously cheap, and they are FULL of fiber and nutrients to keep you full and healthy.  They also are a vibrant hue of red that is perfect for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner salad!  Goat cheese is so smooth and creamy.... in this dish it creates a perfect balance between the crunchy walnuts and sweet fresh basil and sumptuous beets.  Topped with a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh cracked pepper, and you will see what we mean!

Serves 2-4 depending on serving size desired

Ingredients:

2 medium beets

2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup basil, sliced in strips

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1/2- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

fresh cracked pepper and salt to taste

You'll need a pot with a steamer basket insert and lid, fill the pot with 2 inches of water ( we use a metal colander that happens to fit perfectly within our stock pot)  Place the beets in the basket and cover with the lid, bring to a boil, then simmer with lid on for 35-40 minutes until beets are poke tender.  Allow them to cool a bit, then using a paper towel rub the skin off the beets, it should easily peel off.  Trim the top and bottom stem parts away.  Slice the beets in to 1/4" thick round and place in an ice bath to cool completely. 

Pat the beet rounds dry, then plate desired amount.  Top the beets with some goat cheese crumbles, then some basil, sprinkle with walnuts, and drizzle olive oil on top.  Fresh cracked pepper and salt if desired! 

Avocado and Mango Salad

Avocado-Mango Salad Ingredients 
4 large Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves

1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 medium mango, pitted, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced into rounds

4 lime wedges

1/4 tsp salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Directions 
Place a lettuce leaf on each serving plate. Arrange 4-5 slices each of avocado and mango, alternating them in a row, into each lettuce cup. Top each with a  few onion rounds, and then squeeze lime wedge over each salad. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Spinach and Garbanzo Bean Salad

Light and refreshing salad, great for lunches with high protein, very filling garbonzo beans.

Ingredients:
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
4 cups baby spinach leaves
Yogurt with Orange Essence, recipe below, optional
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves, optional

Directions


In a medium bowl combine the chickpeas, parsley and onion. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss to combine. Serve the chickpea salad over a bed of spinach leaves. Top with the yogurt sauce and a sprinkle of mint, if using.



Yogurt with Orange Essence:

1/3 cup lowfat plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon honey

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, orange zest, orange juice and honey.

Fresh Tomato, Cucumber and Apple Salad

:

1 medium sized Cucumber

8 Compari tomatoes

1 Gala Apple

1 Lemon, juiced

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

Cube the Cucumber and the Apple, and quarter the tomatoes, Combine in a mixing bowl followed by the juice of 1 whole lemon, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste. Toss ingredients together gently and serve chilled.

One of the best parts of summer is the freshness and availability of local fruits and vegetables. We love eating fresh salads with lots of flavor and this extremely simple, yet very tasty recipe is no exception.

Ingredients

Grilled NY strip steaks, corn on the cob and citrus-cucumber and cilantro salad

Tonight's meal was exceptional and and highly over due. After all of the burgers, brats and hot dogs at BBQ's this summer, we felt it was necessary to enjoy some steaks.

To start we lightly oiled our strip steaks with vegetable oil and then seasoned it generously with kosher salt, freshly cracked pepper and granulated garlic. Cooking steaks works best after the meat has set out for an hour or so. Doing this ensures that the mean will cook more evenly. Cook the steaks on the grill over indirect heat for 5-7 min per side (depending on how hot your grill is) for medium steak. After cooking, let the steaks rest for 10 minutes before serving to lock in the juices!

Next, we trimmed the wispy ends of the corn cobs and soaked each ear in water for 1/2 hour. If you dry grill the corn, it burns, soaking the ears helps to prevent this from happening. Don't worry if the corn shucks blacken a bit, the corn is safe inside. Grill the corn for 10-12 minutes per side over direct heat. Pinch the ear for doneness- it should be soft but not mushy. To serve, pull the husks back (careful it's HOT) and use them as your eating handle. Rub down with butter and sprinkle with Kosher salt.

The citrus-cucumber and cilantro salad was a nice hodge podge of some left over fresh veggies/ herbs from the farmer's market and our pizza night. First, slice 2 medium cucumbers into 1/8" slices and then cut in half to make half moons. Toss in a bowl with 1 teaspoon Kosher salt to pull out some of the water from the cucumbers (this will make your salad less watery and more delish)for at least 15 minutes. Next, rinse them with cold water really well, and drain/dry to get all excess moisture off, put them all back in the bowl. Then you can add to the bowl 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, 1 teaspoon EVOO, 1 teaspoon White Wine Vinegar, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, a pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, and you've got a salad!