Mango Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

This salad has it all; sweet, salty, cheesy, and all delicious. Mango, blue cheese and broccoli are some of my favorite foods, but never in a million years would I think of combining them. Ever. But somehow, it totally works. The flavor combinations definitely make for a very unique meal.

I definitely plan on making this salad again, but next time I think I might add a couple of other things to make it even better. Adding some toasted cashews or almonds would add a great crunch to the salad. I could also imagine substituting the chicken for shrimp (maybe even coconut shrimp for more of a tropical twist).

Mango Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
Inspired by Better Homes & Gardens.

For the Vinaigrette:

• 1/3 cup white-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

• 6 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 mango, pitted, peeled, and cut up
• 12 ounces chicken breast
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups broccoli florets

For the Vinaigrette:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Season to taste and set aside.

For the Salad:

1. On a serving platter place romaine lettuce. Top with blueberries and mango; set aside.
2. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. In a large skillet cook chicken in 1 tablespoon of the butter with minced garlic over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until no longer pink, turning once. Transfer to a cutting board; slice. Allow to cool slight and arrange atop salad.
3. In the same skillet cook broccoli in the remaining tablespoon garlic butter over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes until tender. Place atop salad.
4. Drizzle salad with blue cheese vinaigrette. If desired, sprinkle with blue cheese.

Cauliflower-Broccoli Cheddar Soup

In another round of my second favorite kitchen game*, clean out the fridge roulette, I was lucky enough to come up with a winner! I am sure I am not the only one to do it, but sometimes you buy some vegetables and then kind of forget about them for a week or two. I always feel awful if I don’t rediscover them until after the use it or lose it stage, but luckily I found a kind of wilted bunch of broccoli, a cauliflower that was about to cross to the dark side and some lonely looking carrots.

I like to let my onions get nice and brown (preferably caramelized) in most of my soups, so I diced up the onion and shallot and threw them on first thing. I let them get soft and caramelized while I chopped and washed the rest of the vegetables. I don’t mind my veggie soups having a bit of a bite in them, but if you prefer a softer or more blended soup, you might want to add the carrots with the onions so they get super soft. I added them after the onions were well softened and thought they came out perfectly. Truth be told, I used less stock than usual (3 cups instead of my usual 4) because that what I had left on hand and didn’t feel the need to open or make more. This resulted in a much thicker, almost chowder-like soup, which was delicious and filling.

I topped my soup with a sprinkle of cheddar, freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle of dill. After tasting the dill with the soup, I wish I had added some to the main recipe. Next time!

* – my favorite kitchen game is Don’t Cut a Finger While Cutting Onions, but I’m really not all that good at that.

Cauliflower-Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 6+ garlic cloves, minced (I used a whole head)
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1 large head broccoli
• 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and shallot and cook until soft and just beginning to brown. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the cauliflower, broccoli, spices and 3 cups stock. Bring broth to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover and reduce to a simmer and cook 10-20 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and easily cut, stirring occasionally. The broth will not totally cover the vegetables but don’t worry- stirring will be enough to ensure the cauliflower cooks through.
3. Using a regular blender or immersion blender, blend the cauliflower mixture until desired consistency is reached. (If you are using a regular blender, you will probably have to do this in batches so pour the blended soup into another large pot as you go. If using an immersion blender, you can blend the soup right in the same pot. Once blended, stir in the cheese and serve.

Roasted Broccoli & Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad

I went up to San Francisco over New Year’s to visit a few of my best friends. It was grand. One of the days, Nancy and I wandered down to the Ferry Building, which is one of my favorite places in SF. We grabbed a delicious lunch at Il Cane Rosso. We both had an amazing butternut squash soup. I also had an amazing caesar salad. Everything about the salad was perfect and to top it off there was roasted broccoli! I love caesar salad and I love roasted broccoli, so it was basically a match made in heaven. I was a little disappointed I hadn’t thought of the combination myself! This is my attempt to recreate that delicious dish. As I was grabbing the broccoli out of the fridge, I happened to spot some b. sprouts in there as well. It seemed rude not to use them, so I added them in as well. The flavors of the roasted vegetables go surprisingly well with the tangy dressing. I think the combination really brings out the best of both flavors.

Roasted Broccoli & Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad

For the Roasted Vegetables

• 2 medium heads broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• olive oil
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, garlic powder, to taste

For the Salad

• 1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 5 green onions, sliced
• Roasted vegetables
• Your favorite Caesar dressing (I recommend this one.)
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Parmesan Cheese, grated

For the Roasted Vegetables:

1. Heat oven to 400. In a medium bowl or large plastic bag, toss broccoli and brussels sprouts with the olive oil and Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, garlic powder, to taste.
2. Put vegetables on rimmed baking dish and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir vegetables and return to over for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
3. Remove from baking sheet and place on a towel lined plate to drain the excess oil (you don’t want it in the salad).

For the Salad:

1. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce, green onions, and dressing. Divide between four bowls. Top with roasted vegetables. Sprinkle each bowl with parmesan cheese and serve.

Roasted Cauliflower, Broccoli & Leek Soup

I got the idea for this soup from Frugal Feeding. Cauliflower, broccoli and leeks are all among my favorite vegetables. I used to be fairly neutral towards cauliflower until I started roasting it. I am fairly certain roasting makes just about anything better. If the soup is looking a little more white than green, that might be due to the fact that some a lot of the broccoli disappeared somewhere after roasting and before entering the soup pot.  Roasted broccoli is probably in my top 3 favorite vegetables. It would have been rude not to sample some, and like I said, roasting makes everything better.

I was tempted to try to make this with a melted cheese crouton on top, but since gluten-free bread is so incredibly temperamental, a piece of toast with some Boursin seemed like a much safer bet. Apart from the cheese on the bread, the soup is entirely vegan.  I ended up having a lot of soup left over, so I ended up freezing the rest. I’ll report back on how it serves up after defrosting when I get around to eating it.

 

Roasted Cauliflower, Broccoli & Leek Soup

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5+ garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 head (about 2 pounds) cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 large (about 1 pound) bunch broccoli, cut into florets
• 3 large leeks, cleaned and light green/white part cut in half vertically
• 1 1/2 liters (6 cups) low-sodium vegetable broth
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400F/200C. In a large heavy pot heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion when oil is hot. Cook onion until soft and starting to brown. Reduce heat and add in garlic. Allow onion and garlic to continue to brown and caramelize over low heat, stirring occasionally (about every 10 minutes) while you prepare the rest of the soup.
2. In a large bowl or plastic bag toss cauliflower, broccoli and leeks with remaining olive oil. Place on large rimmed baking sheets (I had to use two) and place in oven for 25 minutes. Turn the vegetables after 15 minutes.
3. When vegetables are done roasting, transfer to the large pot with the onion. Increase heat to medium-high and add in 1 liter/4 cups of vegetable broth with salt and pepper to taste. Allow soup to come to a low boil and remove from heat. With either a blender or a hand blender, blend the soup until you reach the desired consistency. If the soup is too thick, add in more broth 1 cup at a time.

Broccoli & Grape Salad

Let’s move on from Thanksgiving left overs…

I was slightly hesitant to mix roasted broccoli and roasted grapes, but since I have had pretty good luck with roasting them separately, I figured combining the two couldn’t be too bad. The roasted grapes gave the salad a caramelized sweetness, but it was subtle. I normally would not like anything sweet in a salad like this, but the tangy, creamy dressing kept it in check. They dressing really brought out the best in the other flavors in the salad.

 

Broccoli & Grape Salad
Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens.

• 6 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups red grapes
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise or greek yogurt or combination of the two
• 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
• 8 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup chopped, smoked almonds

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spread broccoli and grapes in a single layer on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss to coat. Roast, 20 to 25 minutes or until broccoli is starting to brown and grapes are soft, stirring once halfway through roasting time. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with red onion. Cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and mustard. Place broccoli mixture in a serving bowl. Toss with the dressing and top with bacon and smoked almonds.

Broccoli with Caper-Mustard Sauce

I have made this recipe at least once a week for the last month. I’m kind of obsessed with it. Roasted broccoli has quickly become my favorite side dish (sorry brussels sprouts). I love coming up with new combinations for serving roasted broccoli. This is definitely one of my favorites.

Capers are totally under utilized if you ask me. I add them into just about every dish possible. They add so much flavor. In this dish they really complemented the earthy taste of the roasted broccoli. If you were in a hurry, you could also use this sauce over steamed broccoli, but I really think roasting the broccoli brings much more flavor.

Broccoli with Caper-Mustard Sauce

• 1 pound broccoli
• olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 Tablespoons capers

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.
3. When broccoli is almost done, in a small saucepan, whisk butter, mustard, and lemon juice over medium heat. Once butter has fully melted and mixture has emulsified, add capers. Pour sauce over the broccoli and serve.

Roasted Broccoli & Olives

I have been pretty obsessed with roasted broccoli for the last few months. I have been looking for as many different ways to prepare it as possible. This has become on of my favorites. I usually just use kalamatas with this dish, but I had a handful of green olives left, so I threw them in to use them up as well. They made a great addition. The red pepper flakes are totally optional, but I think they give a nice little edge to the dish. I also really like to throw pasta sauce over this to make a heartier side dish (Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce is my favorite). It’s also quite good with pasta sauce and polenta to make a full meal.

Roasted Broccoli & Olives

• 1 large head broccoli
• 1 cup kalamata olives
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 Tablespoon finely grated cheese (I used asiago)
• red pepper flakes, to taste

1. Heat oven to 425F.
2. Cut broccoli into bite sized pieces. Place in a plastic bag and add olives, garlic powder and olive oil. Toss to coat and pour onto rimmed baking sheet.
3. Place baking sheet in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until broccoli is lightly browned and tender.
4. Put broccoli and olives in serving dish. Squeeze lemon juice and grate cheese over broccoli. Sprinkle red pepper flakes over the dish to taste.

Chipotle Broccoli Slaw

I’m really into slaws at the moment. There is something so summery about them. This one was just about perfect to me. It was flavorful with a bit of spice. I didn’t have any cabbage on hand, but I did have some broccoli. The slaw dressing would also make a great salad dressing for any salad. I made this for dinner one night and I found that the broccoli was still nice and crispy the next day for lunch. It was all finished off by dinner a day later, so it will keep at least a day in the fridge (if it actually lasts that long). If I had cilantro on hand when I was making this, I definitely would have thrown some in as well.

Chipotle Broccoli Slaw

• 3/4 cup greek yogurt/mayo/sour cream (or combination of the 3)
• 2 limes, juice
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, diced (remove or leave seeds depending on how spicy you want it)
• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from chipotle can
• 1 (large) clove garlic, minced
• 1 bag of pre-julienned broccoli slaw or 1 small bunch broccoli and 2 large carrots julienned
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 small bunch green onions, chopped (about 6-7)
• Kosher salt, to taste

1. Prepare the dressing: In a large bowl, stir together yogurt/mayo/sour cream, lime juice, vinegar, honey, chipotle, adobo sauce, garlic and salt to taste.
2. Toss in the broccoli, carrots, red onion, and green onions. Toss to coat.
3. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 3o minutes.

Parmesan Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

I am obsessed with this salad. o b s e s s e d . Everything about it is practically perfect.  I’ve made this salad 3 times now and I just love it more and more each time. The vegetables are crispy and a bit cheesy, but still stay nice and fresh. The dressing is very lemony. I don’t mind the acidity at all, but I think it could be overwhelming to some. This problem could be solved by easing off the lemon a bit and adding a bit of honey to the mix. This salad is perfect as a light meal or it would be really great with a light salmon or chicken dish.

Parmesan Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad  (from Food Network)

• 2 1/2 cups bite-sized broccoli florets
• 2 1/2 cups bite-sized cauliflower florets
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• garlic powder
• 1/2 to 1 cup olive oil
• 4 cups lightly packed fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the broccoli and cauliflower in a large bowl. Toss with the beaten eggs to coat evenly. Place the Parmesan and garlic powder in a large tray or baking dish and dredge the vegetables in the cheese, pressing to coat evenly.
2. Pour olive oil in a large heavy skillet until the olive oil is 1/4-inch deep, about 1/2 cup depending on the size of your skillet. Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add the Parmesan-coated vegetables. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches, if necessary. Let the vegetables cook until a crust forms, about 3 minutes per side. Turn the vegetables only when they easily release from the bottom of the pan. Drain on paper towels.
3. Place the spinach in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the spinach with the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan coated vegetables. Toss and serve.

Broccoli & Blue Cheese Soup

I’m on a bit of soup kick lately. It’s been cold here. Like actually cold, not just cold by Southern California standards. According to my car, it’s even been in the 30s a couple mornings on my way to the gym. That’s cold. Soup is always the perfect solution to cold.

I made this soup in less than 30 minutes for lunch one day and it was great. You could definitely whip this up for a quick lunch or weeknight meal. I ended up using 2 small heads of broccoli since I needed to use them up. Even though there was only a liter of stock in the soup, I found it to be a lot more watery than I thought it would be. I probably should have added another potato to help thicken it up a bit more. I used crumbled gorgonzola and found I had to add a little more to get the flavor across. I really like blue cheese, so I don’t mind if the taste is strong, but if you are iffy on blue I would add and taste as you go. If you aren’t a fan of blue cheese, fear not! You could easily substitute the cheese of your choice (I think sharp cheddar or parmesan  would work really well).

Broccoli & Blue Cheese Soup (from BBC Good Food)
Serves 4 | Ready in less than 30 minutes

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• olive oil
• 1 potato, peeled and cubed
•  1 liter/4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 head broccoli (about 300 grams/11 ounces), roughly chopped
• 100 grams/4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

1. Cook the onion in 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the potato and stock and simmer until the potato is tender (about 10 minutes).
2. Add the broccoli and cook for 3-4 minutes until just tender but still bright green. Add half the cheese and whizz to a smooth soup in a blender. Season then serve with the rest of the cheese crumbled over.