Category: Salads

Fresh Corn & Tomato Basil Tortellini Salad

I REFUSE to admit that summer is almost over. Just because today is the 1st of September, there are still a ton of signs of summer around. Starting with the heat. I took Samoa for a walk tonight and despite the fact that it was past 7, I still came back drenched in sweat. The humidity here, y’all!

Heat aside, there are still a bounty of fresh veggies at the farmers’ market and grocery store, and I took advantage by making this super easy tortellini salad with some fresh corn, tomatoes, and basil from our herb garden. I tossed it with a bit of spinach, parmesan cheese, and homemade vinaigrette and called it a day. It was the perfect light supper for me, served with my leftover fish from Bleu Olive. Ben got steak. 🙂

Fresh Corn & Tomato Basil Tortellini Salad
Fresh Corn & Tomato Basil Tortellini Salad
Fresh Corn & Tomato Basil Tortellini Salad
Recipe Type: Salad, Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
This easy, throw-together salad comes together in minutes. The longest step is waiting for the tortellini to cook! Toss it with a simple vinaigrette and call it a day.
Ingredients
  • 1 package tortellini (I used DeLallo Ricotta and Spinach)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • corn from 2 fresh ears (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
  • 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • sliced or spiralized zucchini (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
  • For the vinaigrette:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • parmesan cheese, to taste
Instructions
  1. Cook tortellini according to package directions, about 13 minutes or until al dente. Drain in a colander.
  2. In a large bowl, combine remaining vegetable ingredients (except vinaigrette). Add the pasta and toss.
  3. Whisk together ingredients for the vinaigrette. I used a mason jar to shake, shake, shake it up. Spoon over the salad and lightly toss. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and more spinach, if desired.

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Enjoy the last of summer’s best!

ClaireLeave a comment

Quick Tuesday Night Summer Veggie Stir Fry

Ok, so I promised to have this up by yesterday, but it never happened. My bad. I know all of you were waiting in absolute nail-biting anticipation of this quick and easy, throw-together stir fry recipe, so I apologize for your lack of sleep and constant refreshing of the webpage.

I am LOVING the abundance of fresh veggies this time of year. I didn’t make it to the Durham Farmers’ Market last Saturday, so I’ve had to do a bit of shopping at the (dare I say it out loud) grocery store to restock on some tomatoes and corn… luckily, our local Harris Teeter supports local farms and I was able to get most of my produce local (I think?). I also still had some leftover green beans, zucchini, and squash that I just chopped up and threw in the pan with the other veggies.

Plus my leftovers from Shiki Sushi from the other night. Ok, so this recipe had a lot of help. But isn’t that the beauty of throw-together, clean-out-the-fridge Tuesday suppers?

I always go stir-fry crazy (not to be confused with “stir-crazy”) and end up adding wayyyyy too many veggies to the pan. I also have this problem with pizza toppings. I think I have the mindset that the more you can throw in, the better. That’s how I get into trouble with crock-pot recipes that end up making enough servings to feed a small army, and pizza that sort of just, well- droops when you slice it because it’s so laden down with veggies.

But it all gets chopped up into a salad anyway, right? 🙂

Without further ado…

Quick Summer Veggie Stir-Fry
Quick Tuesday Night Summer Veggie Stir Fry
Recipe Type: Main, Side
Cuisine: Stir-Fry, Asian Fusion
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Shop your fridge with the latest of summer’s bounty vegetables! Perfect for using up leftovers and any other vegetables you have in the house. Experiment with the add-ins and spices!
Ingredients
  • 1 red pepper
  • 3 large carrots
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp each ground ginger, red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 small zucchini
  • 1 small squash
  • fresh or frozen green beans, with ends trimmed
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • frozen broccoli or stir fry mixture (I used a whole foods 365 blend that had frozen broccoli, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and green beans)
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • dash of hot sauce
  • drizzle of honey
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil and a few sprigs fresh rosemary
  • chopped kale (roughly 2 cups)
Instructions
  1. In a large wok or saute pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add red pepper, carrots, onion, and garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle in the ginger, oregano, curry powder, and garlic powder. Remove from pan and set aside.
  2. Chop zucchini and squash. Add to same pan with the frozen veggies. Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until tender but not cooked fully.
  3. Whisk together mustard, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce, and honey. Drizzle over stir fry vegetables, add the chopped fresh herbs, reduce heat to low and cover. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Return onion and pepper mixture to pan and top with kale. Cover and cook until kale is wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes.
  5. Serve over brown rice with protein of your choice. (leftover tofu for me, chicken for Ben!). Add more sauce if desired.
Cook up the carrots, onions, pepper and garlic.
Cook up the carrots, onions, pepper and garlic.
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Add spices.
Prep your chopped veggies. Pictured here is some leftover squash and zucchini from a friend's mother's farm! Yay Summer.
Prep your chopped veggies. Pictured here is some leftover squash and zucchini from a friend’s mother’s farm! Yay Summer.
I used some of this frozen stir-fry blend from Whole Foods to bulk up the dish a bit (I thought I wouldn't have enough...)
I used some of this frozen stir-fry blend from Whole Foods to bulk up the dish a bit (I thought I wouldn’t have enough…)
Return carrots to pan, cover and simmer until tender.
Return carrots to pan, cover and simmer until tender.
Add some kale and steam.
Add some kale and steam.
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Give it a stir to incorporate all the sauce.
Serve over rice with tofu or other protein of your choice!
Serve over rice with tofu or other protein of your choice!

***Disclaimer: Ben thought the sauce had a bit too much of a “kick” to it (that’s his way of saying he didn’t like it at all… he doesn’t really care for mustardy or vinegary things), so instead of watching him suffer finish just to please me, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

The solution? Peanut butter.

I whisked together about a tablespoon of PB, a bit of water, a drizzle of honey and some leftover apricot marmalade. Nuked it for 20 seconds or so and drizzled it over his remaining veggies. And you know what? He loved it! It was almost like a peanut butter soup… a little sweet and with more of that umami taste. I even spooned a bit of it over my own! Yum.

What’s your favorite go-to, shop-the-fridge dinner recipe?

ClaireLeave a comment

Quick Caprese Tuna Melts w/ Fontina Cheese

Need a quick lunch or snack idea to use up all of those farmers’ market tomatoes? Seriously, my kitchen is bursting with them! I need to make a big batch of marinara or something one of these days…

For anyone who likes caprese salad, this is a slight variation using leftover canned tuna and fontina cheese. Add a few sprigs of fresh basil and lunch is served!

Happy hump day!

Caprese Tuna Melts with Fontina Cheese
Caprese Tuna Melts with Fontina Cheese
Quick Caprese Tuna Melts w/ Fontina Cheese
Recipe Type: Salad, Lunch
Cuisine: Fresh, Healthy
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Looking for a way to use up some of those fresh and juicy tomatoes? Look no further!
Ingredients
  • 1 beefsteak or large tomato, sliced thinly
  • 1/4 cup canned tuna (prepared with some parsley, mustard, and garlic powder)
  • 5 basil sprigs
  • 4 thin slices fontina cheese
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat broiler to high.
  2. Prepare tomatoes by placing on a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with cooking spray or oil.
  3. Top each tomato slice with a sprig of basil, 1 tbsp tuna, and a slice of cheese.
  4. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes until cheese begins to bubble.

What’s your favorite tomato recipe?

ClaireLeave a comment

Heirloom Tomato & Summer Squash Salad

HEIRLOOM TOMATO & SUMMER SQUASH SALAD
HEIRLOOM TOMATO & SUMMER SQUASH SALAD

I got the inspiration for this light and lemony summer salad from a recent dinner at The Boot, a new Italian-American restaurant that just opened in Durham. The Boot prioritizes using fresh, local ingredients and features Italian classics like Spaghetti & Meatballs while infusing a little NC flair into other dishes like their “Linguine & NC Clams.” We went with some friends and ordered three appetizers: Fried Mozzarella, Mussels (shown below), and Herb & Garlic Fries. The variety of our appetizers alone speaks to the versatility and variety of this restaurant! Our waitress was also extremely helpful (she even told Ben not to order the lemonade because she didn’t think it was very good!) and accommodating: an extra loaf of bread for the table, patience when we took longer to decide what to order, and checking back frequently to refill waters and make sure we were all satisfied.

One of our Appetizers: Mussels at The Boot Durham
One of our Appetizers: Mussels at The Boot Durham

For my entree, I ordered their “Local Tomatoes,” a deliciously light and fresh vegetable salad with kalamata olives, basil and Italian parsley. I loved the dressing on it, too, which was a simple lemon-balsamic vinaigrette- perfectly soaked up by that extra ciabatta! I ordered a side of braised kale and white beans to supplement the salad. It ended up being just enough for an early dinner, and I even took home a few leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next day.

Local Tomatoes Salad at The Boot Durham
Local Tomatoes Salad at The Boot Durham

Anyway, this salad basically makes itself. When you have fresh, local ingredients that are this ripe and juicy, you really cannot go wrong. I used the same ingredients as the salad at The Boot, except without the basil and I added the white beans into the salad to begin with. I also added some squash and couscous to add some bulk and soak up the extra dressing. This could be enjoyed as a side or a main dish with some chicken on top (or poached egg, for vegetarians). I also recommend serving with feta and pita wedges!

Heirloom Tomato & Summer Squash Salad
Recipe Type: Salad
Cuisine: Vegetarian, Healthy
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Summer is the absolute BEST time for tomatoes! Plump and juicy, with just the right amount of sweetness, I love this summer squash and tomato salad with Italian/Mediterranean-inspired flavors! Bright and fresh, this light summer salad is will last all week and can be served as a side or a main dish.
Ingredients
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 zucchini
  • 2 cucumbers, diced or sliced into ribbons
  • 3 large heirloom tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup golden cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 jar kalamata olives, halved and pitted
  • 1/3 cup red onion, sliced
  • 1 head Italian parsley, rinsed and chopped roughly
  • juice of 1 fresh lemon
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp Greek seasoning (optional)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup couscous
  • 1 can white beans, rinsed
  • Pita bread wedges and feta (optional)
  • Balsamic vinegar for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
  1. Spiralize yellow squash and zucchini. Dice cucumbers or slice into long ribbons using a vegetable peeler.
  2. Slice tomatoes into large chunks.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together veggies, olives, onion, and parsley.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Greek seasoning, S+P, and sugar. Pour over the salad and toss.
  5. Cook couscous according to package directions: add 1 cup hot water to 1 cup dry couscous). Stir in the sugar and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
  6. Toss the warm couscous and white beans with the rest of the salad.
  7. Serve with pita bread, feta and drizzle of balsamic (if using).
HEIRLOOM TOMATO & SUMMER SQUASH SALAD
HEIRLOOM TOMATO & SUMMER SQUASH SALAD

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ClaireLeave a comment

Carrot Raisin Slaw w/ Roasted Beets & Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette

Can I just say… the colors of summer are absolutely spectacular. The combination of blue sky and green trees, ocean and sand, and July sunsets are breathtaking. And I will never get tired of the bright, saturated colors of summer produce. I’ve been obsessed with beets lately, and I just can’t get over that deep red that threatens to stain every single piece of clothing you own (but it’s SO worth it)!

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Carrot Raisin Slaw w/ Roasted Beets & Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette

I was feeling like making a big batch of roasted beet and veggie salad today, and while I had hoped to use wheat berries to copycat the Whole Foods version of their crunchy wheat berry salad, Kroger didn’t carry wheat berries! I settled for a mixture of barley and lentils- equally chewy, nutritious, and (almost) as exciting.

Roasting some chickpeas and broccoli with the beets also helps balance out the raw side of this salad from the grated carrots and broccoli stalks. And hey- I finally learned how to use the shredding function on my food processor! For some reason I always have to gear myself up to get out my processor (maybe cause it’s so hard to clean?), but it was worth the extra effort for the result. Instead of using those bagged grated carrots, grating the veggies yourself gives you a slaw that is much more tender. I also feel like it sucks up the juice of the vinaigrette much better!

Carrot Raisin Slaw w/ Roasted Beets & Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette
Recipe Type: Salad
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12-16
Ingredients
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can beets, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp greek seasoning (optional)
  • 4 large carrots
  • 2 heads of broccoli, separated into stalks and florets
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley (about 1/2 cup)
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 5 mini tomatoes (or 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes)
  • 4 green onions, sliced thinly
  • 1 cup barley, cooked to package directions
  • 1/2 cup dry lentils
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp honey
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese (optional)
Instructions
  1. Cook barley according to package directions. In last 20 minutes of cooking, add lentils until all grains are al dente. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Preheat oven to 375 deg.
  2. Spread rinsed chickpeas on a large baking pan and pat dry with paper towels.
  3. Add beets and red onions to pan with olive oil and garlic. Sprinkle garlic powder, greek seasoning, and salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bake at 375 deg for 40 minutes until chickpeas are crispy. Add broccoli florets and return to oven for 10 more minutes until tender. Remove from oven and cool.
  4. In a food processor using the slicing setting, grate carrots and broccoli stalks (not florets). Scrape into a large bowl. In the same processor using the multipurpose blade, add parsley, lemon juice, and tomatoes. Pulse until roughly chopped- about 2-3 pulses.
  5. Sitr parsley mixture into the shredded carrots and broccoli. Add raisins and green onions.
  6. In a small jar, combine both vinegars, mustard, honey and salt and pepper. Shake vigorously and pour over the salad.
  7. While still warm, add the barley/lentils and roasted vegetables to the salad. Top with goat cheese and toss to combine.

One key with this salad is to add the barley and roasted veggies while they’re still semi-warm; that way the barley really soaks up the lemon vinaigrette and the goat cheese gets this nice melty texture before you stick it in the fridge to marinate for a few hours.

Hope y’all had a very happy Fourth!

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Prepare chickpeas and beets for roasting.
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Rinse all veggies prior to shredding in food processor.
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Process using the shredder attachment.
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Process remaining veggies and parsley with multipurpose blade.
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Shake up vinaigrette ingredients. I happened to have the end of a mustard container, so I added the vinegar to that and just shook it until my arm got tired!
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Prepare barley and lentils and cool to stop cooking process.
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Roasted beets, broccoli, and chickpeas. LOVE these colors!
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Toss all together and serve with goat cheese.

ClaireLeave a comment

Signature Southern: Roasted Okra w/ Lemony Pepper & Mushroom Bake

I was encouraged a few weeks ago to take advantage of the incredible variety of my local farmer’s market and make an effort to cook with ONE vegetable or fruit each week that I had never cooked with before. Well, for anyone who hasn’t been to the Durham Farmers’ Market, let me just tell you- there are some pretty gnarly looking veggies there. I mean… what in the world are plumcots? How do you cook with ramps? Anyone know the number of licks it takes to get to the center of “lollipop kale”? 

Since I didn’t get to make it to the Farmers’ Market this week, I decided to start slowly. Why not try cooking with something I’d eaten before and knew I’d liked, but never actually prepared from start to finish?

Enter okra.

This “signature southern ingredient,” according to Southern Living, is not only cheap, but it is extremely versatile. Okra can be fried, baked, grilled, pickled, or even eaten raw (though I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that). With origins in West Africa, it thrives in the summer heat and has become a Southern staple right up there with Bojangles and sweet tea.

Okra is also a nutritional powerhouse. Low in calories (if you don’t fry it), with only 30 cal per 1 cup or about 8 pods, it’s also high in fiber to keep you full (12% of your DV). Okra boasts a whopping 2 g of protein per cup, too!. It is also known to aid in digestive peristalsis to “keep you regular,” and is high in vitamins A (for antioxidant properties, vision, and skin health), C (builds immunity), and K (aids in blood-clotting ability and builds strong bones). Could this get any better?

Fun fact: did you know that okra is also sometimes referred to as “lady’s fingers”? I don’t know any ladies who have fingers that are that fat or ridged, let alone green… but apparently it’s a thing. 

Roasted Okra and Sweet Potato Wedges
Roasted Okra and Sweet Potato Wedges

I’d had okra before, even dabbled in using the frozen version for some stews (remember my succotash recipe from last spring?) but had never prepped it or cooked with it from scratch. While I’m sure I still have a lot to learn on the okra front, I think I did pretty well here. I tried to keep things simple, sticking to a simple roast in the oven (I was originally going to grill them but an unexpected babysitting request came up- next time!).

I paired the okra “fries” with a simple roasted pepper & mushroom salad with white beans and a lemon-caper vinaigrette. I wasn’t sure how the okra (seasoned with chili powder and some red pepper flakes) would pair with the lighter, more mediterranean flavors, but they actually worked together quite nicely! I served the salad with the okra fries over some quinoa and spinach, with a few cubes of leftover balsamic tofu, feta cheese and greek yogurt.

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Roasted Okra w/ Lemony Pepper & Mushroom Bake

Next time I think I would cook the okra at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time. Broiled might also have been something to try. It was still good, but it turned out a bit more on the chewy side when I would have preferred it to be a bit crispier. This way was a time-saver though, as I was able to bake the okra at the same time I was baking the salad.

If you wanted to make the salad more of an entree on its own, you could definitely add a grain or potato to the bottom of the casserole dish before baking (just make sure to add a few cups of liquid like chicken broth for the grains to soak up!)- quinoa, barley, brown rice, or lentils would all be good. I also want to try sweet potatoes!

Signature Southern: Roasted Okra w/ Lemony Pepper & Mushroom Bake
Recipe Type: Salad, Side
Cuisine: Southern
Author: Claire McCormick of “Claire Tastes”
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8-10
A shout-out to one of the most versatile vegetables south of the Maxon Dixon Line!
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 yellow and 1 red bell pepper, chopped roughly
  • 1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped kalamata olives
  • 2 tbsp capers and their brine
  • 2 cups broccoli and cauliflower florets
  • 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 bunch parsley, minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • For Okra Chips:
  • cooking spray
  • fresh okra, halved lengthwise
  • pinch each of red pepper flakes, chili powder, and salt, to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add onion, garlic, thyme, and oregano and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the peppers and mushrooms and continue to cook until tender (but not mushy). Remove from heat.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix together remaining oil, olives, capers, broccoli/cauliflower, white beans, garlic powder, lemon, and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir well.
  3. Preheat oven to 350. In a 9×12 casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray, layer the broccoli mixture and pour the pepper mixture on top, stirring to combine.
  4. Bake at 350, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
  5. Serve with feta cheese over any grain of your choice!
  6. For the Okra Chips:
  7. Layer halved okra on a sheet pan lined with foil and sprayed well with cooking spray. Sprinkle with spices of your choice (suggested ones above) and bake on the lower rack from the time when the oven is preheating to the time the veggie bake is done, or until crispy.

DSC03091Start by sautéing your onions, peppers and mushrooms.

DSC03092Mix up the lemon vinaigrette with the broccoli, parsley, and white beans. Add in the capers and kalamata olives, if using.

DSC03103Combine all in a casserole dish and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until tender.

DSC03105Prep okra by slicing in half and placing face up on a sprayed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings.

DSC03120Allow to cool after baking.

Remove okra from oven and cool slightly.

DSC03128Serve over grain of your choice with feta cheese and greek yogurt.

ClaireLeave a comment