Tag Archives: Salads

Copyright (c) 2011 Amy Fothergill

I was sitting at the table, reviewing one of my recipes which had not been tested yet for my cookbook. Ranch dressing is one of those items you would assume would be gluten-free until you look at the label. Then you also might see all of the other ingredients that aren’t so appealing.

My kids are big fans of ranch dressing so I thought, why not try it right now?  I normally don’t make everything from scratch but I was curious to see if it was worth it to make my own.

Assuming you have the ingredients in your kitchen (which I usually do), this can be whipped up in less than 5 minutes. It’s always better if it sets but if you can’t wait, don’t worry, it’s still great.

When I made it, I called the kids over for a taste test. They grabbed some carrots from the fridge and dug in. My son then announced Read More »

Potato Green Bean Salad. 2009 © Teri Lee Gruss

This recipe for Potato Salad with Fresh Green Beans and Tarragon Dressing is not made with mayonnaise. That means it is a safer salad choice for picnics and cookouts. Bacon and a fabulous fresh tarragon dressing make this recipe a real crowd favorite. Read More »

Photo: Amy Fothergill

Running out of gluten-free and dairy-free lunch ideas for your kids lunchboxes for school or summer camp? This can be a particular challenge when most traditional options revolve around bread and cheese. Of course you can always use gluten-free bread to make the traditional turkey or peanut butter and jelly, but why not think outside the standard lunch box fare and prepare a fresh salad? Children are often big fans of Caesar salad for the creamy dressing, pleasantly non-bitter romaine lettuce and the crunchy croutons. I love to use Easy Lunchboxes since it’s easy to keep everything separated; the croutons would be a bit mushy if I put them on in the morning!

I usually make this dressing with Parmesan cheese but have had a few people request a dairy-free version. I adapted this recipe, which is a fan favorite, by eliminating the cheese and adding Read More »

It’s blueberry season!!!  Blueberries always make me think of my Aunt Pat, and I just returned from California where she and I enjoyed several fistfuls of blueberries together.  I was jumping for joy when I found out that the key ingredient for this month’s SOS Kitchen Challenge was blueberries!  If you haven’t heard of this event, it’s a monthly challenge hosted by Ricki of Diet, Dessert and Dogs and Kim of Affairs of Living.

But back to this SOS Kitchen Challenge. Blueberries!! Read More »

Chef Michael Chiarello's grilled radicchio version

What you will need:
• An outdoor grill or cast-iron skillet.
• 2 heads of radicchio
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic 
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (Macadamia Nut Oil is also tasty with this recipe)
• ¼ C white balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Goat cheese
• Basil, ripped apart into small pieces.

Cut radicchio in quarters; keep some of the stem. By keeping the stem, the radicchio is more Read More »

This is a very simple salad to prepare.  Make it in advance and allow the flavors to come together in the refrigerator before serving.  Perfect to take for a summer picnic or dinner party or to serve after a long day at work.  And the colors are beautiful!

Salad Ingredients:
2 12oz. cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 large tomato, chopped
1 shallot, chopped Read More »

This versatile salad makes a handsome first course and easily partners with soup, salad or sandwich. Magnesium/ selenium/ zinc laden Brazil nuts and pears naturally tone the bowel. Romaine lettuce is a digestion restorative, providing folic acid, vitamin K, potassium and calcium while carrots add beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. Read More »