Category: International

Crunchy Thai Noodle Salad

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Crunchy Thai Noodle Salad
Recipe Type: Salad, Pasta
Cuisine: Thai
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 16
I made this easy Thai noodle salad for a baby shower I was hosting, after making wayyyyy too much spaghetti earlier in the week!
Ingredients
  • Leftover spaghetti
  • 1 pound sugar snap peas
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 ginger
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, divided
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, thinly sliced
  • 1 package Asian slaw (mixture of cabbage, grated carrots, peanuts, sugar snap peas)
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • S&P
Instructions
  1. Cook sugar snap peas (either by steaming, or in the microwave!)
  2. For the dressing, whisk together vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, garlic powder, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and peanut butter in a medium bowl.
  3. Combine spaghetti, sugar snap peas, peppers, Asian slaw mixture, and green onions in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the mixture and combine.
  4. Serve sprinkled with peanuts or extra sesame seeds!

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Southwestern Quinoa Salad

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Southwestern Quinoa Salad
Recipe Type: Salad, Vegetarian, Healthy
Cuisine: Southwestern
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Here’s a fuel-’em-up lunch salad that’s perfect on its own or wrapped up in a tortilla or spread on a few tortilla chips! Pack in the protein and veggies, and it only takes a few minutes to make!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
  • 1 can diced green chiles, drained
  • 1 16 oz jar mild chunky salsa, drained of excess liquid
  • 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups frozen corn
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped or torn into smaller pieces
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Remove from heat and allow to cool while preparing the rest of the salad.
  2. Combine rest of ingredients in a large bowl and stir.
  3. Stir in quinoa. Add additional lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Can be made in advance and stuck in the fridge!
  5. Serve with a dollop of plain greek yogurt, sour cream, or cheddar cheese! Can be used as a filling in wraps or as a dip for some crunchy tortilla chips.

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I love serving this salad over a bed of greens, with a poached egg and some sliced avocado on top! Garnished with a dollop of plain greek yogurt 🙂

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Lemon Curry Tofu with Orange Honey Yogurt Sauce

Here’s a fun update to my Chickpea Lentil Power Salad! I decided that instead of my normal fried egg to go on top as my “meatless protein,” I’d experiment with a curry marinade and drizzle it with some orange yogurt sauce! A delicious variation to this power salad!

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Curry Tofu with Orange Honey Yogurt Sauce
Recipe Type: Dinner, Salad
Cuisine: Vegetarian, Indian, Healthy
Author: Claire McCormick
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Here’s a healthy baked tofu recipe that’ll satisfy the curry-lover in you! I served it on top of my chickpea lentil power salad from a few weeks ago, with a honey lemon yogurt sauce. Delish!
Ingredients
  • 1 14 oz packet firm tofu
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice (or juice of 1/2 squeezed lemon)
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
  • Squirt of orange juice (about 1 tbsp)
Instructions
  1. Open tofu packet and drain water out.
  2. Slice tofu into 1/2″ slices lengthwise, then place between a few paper towels and set a heavy book or brick on top of the tofu to drain. Drain for 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  4. Add all marinade contents (up to honey) to a quart-sized ziplock bag and shake vigorously to combine.
  5. Cut tofu into squares of about 1/2″. Add to bag with marinade ingredients. Shake vigorously until completely coated. Marinate in fridge for at least 20 minutes.
  6. Empty the tofu onto a large, well-oiled cookie sheet.
  7. Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes, turning once halfway through.
  8. Broil an addition 4-5 minutes for a nice crisp on the outside!
  9. **Optional: Toss some broccoli and cauliflower into the remaining marinade in the bag, then add to the pan with the tofu. Remove from oven before broiling.
  10. For the dressing, whisk together honey, yogurt, and orange juice. Drizzle over tofu.

 

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Mediterranean Barley Power Salad with Cucumber Lemon Marinade

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Mediterranean Barley Power Salad with Cucumber Lemon Marinade
Recipe Type: Salad, Healthy
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Vegetarian
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Perfect for Meatless Monday! And vegan, too!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked pearl barley, cooled
  • 1 can garbanzo beans, drained
  • 1/2 cucumber, chopped roughly
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped roughly
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped roughly
  • 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped roughly
  • 3 stalks green onion, chopped
  • 1 bunch cilantro, minced
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • juice of one lemon
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried dill (or 1 bunch fresh! I didn’t have fresh on hand, unfortunately)
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley (or 1 bunch fresh)
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • spinach, for serving
  • fried egg, for topping
  • Plain Greek yogurt, for topping
  • frozen pomegranate seeds, for topping
  • parmesan or feta cheese, for topping
Instructions
  1. Prepare bulgur according to package directions (I used my rice cooker!) and cool.
  2. Chop up the red onion and green onion and add to a bowl of ice water (this helps take out the “bite” from the onion!).
  3. Chop the veggies, herbs, and all spices and add to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
  4. Add the garbanzo beans.
  5. Mix in cooled bulgur.
  6. Add lemon juice and olive oil and stir until well coated.
  7. Drain onions and add to mixture.
  8. Sprinkle in salt and pepper.
  9. Chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  10. Serve over spinach and top with a fried egg, plain Greek yogurt, parmesan or feta cheese, and a handful of pomegranate seeds!

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Chickpea Lentil Power Salad w/ Curried Cauliflower and Lemon-Cumin Vinaigrette

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As promised, this one is from our small group’s Indian Food Night (you can see a separate post all about that here!) Originally I was going to make my sweet potato masoor dal, but then I looked at the weather and realized that we’re not in winter anymore here in Durham. The trees are budding, the sun is out, and the breeze is warm. Spring has finally sprung! Because a lot of our small group friends were making hot dishes and stew-like things, I thought a lighter salad would be a welcome addition.

Packed with protein and a delicious blend of Indian spices, this salad is sure to satisfy even the biggest appetites. I love the combination of the light, zesty lemon-cumin vinaigrette with the curried cauliflower (adapted from my sister’s recipe), and the lentils, chickpeas, and sweet potatoes add bulk and heartiness to the dish. Finally, the tomatoes, red onion, spinach and parsley finish it off with a touch of freshness.

This is no salad for the faint of heart! 😉

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Chickpea Lentil Salad w/ Curried Cauliflower and Lemon-Cumin Vinaigrette
Recipe Type: Salad, Side
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15
Here’s an easy “power salad” recipe, chock-full of Indian-spiced chickpeas, lentils, and curried cauliflower! The zesty lemon-cumin vinaigrette ties all of the flavors together to make you feel like you’ve just stepped off the plane to Dubai!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 1 medium sweet potato, diced into 1/4″ cubes
  • 1 cup dry green lentils
  • 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tsp garlic
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 4 cups baby spinach, torn into pieces (spinach will wilt down a good amount in the dressing!)
  • For the curried cauliflower:
  • 1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets (about 3-4 cups total)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tbsp orange juice
  • 2 tbsp chopped cashews
  • For the lemon cumin vinaigrette:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • juice of one lemon
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Chop up the tomatoes and red onion.
  2. Chop up the sweet potatoes into small, 1/4″ cubes. Place in a steamer basket.
  3. Meanwhile, cook 1 cup lentils according to package directions (about 20 minutes for al dente lentils). Set the steamer basket of sweet potato chunks on top of the cooking lentils.
  4. When lentils are finished cooking, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Return a bit of water to the pan and bring to a boil to continue steaming the potatoes, if they are not cooked through yet.
  5. Combine tomatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, lentils, chickpeas, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients for the lemon cumin vinaigrette: oil, juice of one lemon, lemon zest, cumin, cayenne pepper, and more S+P. Drizzle over the salad and toss gently.
  7. To prepare the curried cauliflower, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  8. Rinse and pat dry cauliflower in a colander.
  9. In another mixing bowl, combine 2 tbsp oil, garlic powder, curry powder, and orange juice. Whisk thoroughly. Toss in cauliflower florets and stir until each floret it equally covered with the dressing.
  10. Spread on a lined baking sheet (love my Silpat! careful of the curry staining though…oops) and roast for 20-25 minutes or until slightly browned. For the last few minutes, sprinkle on the cashews to toast.
  11. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before tossing into the salad.
  12. Toss in the spinach for some extra color and volume to this wholesome, protein-packed Indian power salad!
  13. Serve with naan and a poached egg on top if desired!

 

DSC01080Chop the tomatoes and onion. And sweet potatoes (not shown).

DSC01078Add potatoes to a steamer basket (I always use an old mini strainer!) and set on top of cooking lentils.

DSC01085When finished cooking, add lentils and potatoes to the rest of the veggies and chickpeas. Stir in chopped parsley and spices.

DSC01084Whisk together ingredients for the lemon-cumin vinaigrette. I also originally had planned for a honey-orange yogurt sauce to serve on top of the salad, but I added a bit too much orange zest and it ended up tasting more bitter than I would have liked. So I tossed it and decided to try again another time! (Feel free to experiment with your own though and definitely let me know what works for you!)

DSC01082Cauliflower florets, rinsed and dried.

DSC01092Whisk together ingredients for the curry dressing for the cauliflower.

DSC01093Add the cauliflower florets and toss until evenly coated.

DSC01100Roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, adding in the cashew bits for the last few minutes of baking.

DSC01128Toss into the salad with the spinach!

DSC01135Serve with naan as a side salad to your tikka masala, or as an entree with poached egg on top. Happy tasting!

ClaireLeave a comment

The Breaking of the Naan: Indian Food Night!

Our small group from Summit has been talking about having an “Indian Food Night” for months. It seems like every single time that we get together, someone mentions some really good Indian restaurant in the Triangle. Seriously, ya’ll, they seem to just spring up overnight around here! Ben and I have yet to try all the restaurants here in Durham that we want to, let alone the ones in Chapel Hill and Raleigh! When my mom comes to visit, she always swears that you could eat out every single night around here at a different restaurant, and be good to go for a year!

Despite all the excellent international cuisine options in the area (among some of my favorites are the Mediterranean Deli in Chapel Hill, Gregoria’s Steakhouse in Durham, and Shiki Sushi in Durham), we decided to take the plunge and create our own Indian food, potluck style!

It was a warm Spring night here, and we all trekked over to Jonathan and Tawny’s to feed our growling bellies with the most incredible chicken tikka masala, Indian-spiced rice, spiced eggplant and veggie stew, mulligatawny stew, and chickpea-lentil salad with curried cauliflower. And let’s not forget the naan, of course! Just as sushi lives and dies by the rice, Indian food lives and dies by the naan!

Oh. my. goodness. Everything was so delicious. I can’t even begin to describe the smells that were tantalizing me even as I climbed the stairs to enter Jonathan and Tawny’s second-story apartment. We devoured a sampling (okay, probably a bit more than just a sampling… we may have gone back for seconds. and thirds…) of every dish on the table, exclaiming over and over again at how wonderful everything was. Despite many of the dishes using the same spices, each one had a unique flavor of its own. The most flavorful, though, was the rice and eggplant stew that Robin brought, which we all agreed was because Blake had brought back the spices freshly from India on his recent school trip to Dubai! Boy, was that a treat!

And so, my friends, I present to you the first of hopefully many International food nights: “The Breaking of the Naan”! Enjoy!

**I hope to get recipes for all, if not some, of these dishes, so hold on tight until then! (The chickpea-lentil salad recipe, which was my contribution, will be posted shortly!)

photo 2 (61)The girls 🙂

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photo 5 (18)

 

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photo 2 (60)Robin’s Indian-spiced rice. I made the mistake of specifically ladling out an entire cardamom seed (did I mention these were fresh spices, straight from India?), thinking it was a raisin. As much as I love spices, this was probably not the best choice. I think my breath still smells like cardamom this morning! Oops. 🙂

photo 1 (68)My personal favorite dish of the night: Jonathan and Tawny’s Chicken Tikka Masala. I will DEFINITELY be getting the recipe for this one. It was even tastier over Robin’s rice!

photo 3 (50)Another dish from Robin- roasted and spiced eggplant and veggie stew. She probably has a much better name for this. Again, with fresh spices straight from India!

photo 4 (33)Maggie and Donovan brought a delicious Mulligatawny Stew (yes, there were many jokes made about Tawny in the process of eating this). It had a really unique sweetness that made it extra tasty to enjoy as a “dessert” course!

photo 5 (16)Last but (hopefully) not least, my chickpea-lentil salad with curried cauliflower and cumin-lemon vinaigrette. I’m glad I decided to make this instead of the dal I originally had planned; we had a plethora of stew-like dishes (all of which were amazing, I must add). Recipe coming soon!

photo 4 (34)My loaded plate- everything above pictured here except for the mulligatawny, which I went back for later because I was out of room!

photo 1 (69)I was so blessed to have this precious time of community with some of my favorite people. Ben, Michael, and Erika, we missed you! Let’s break some naan together soon! (Or maybe some challah? Or injera? Or focaccia?) 😉

ClaireLeave a comment