Thai Peanut Noodle and Veggie Bowl

Have you been enjoying spring? After lots of snowy months is always exciting to feel the warmth of the sun again. With some warmer days last week I started craving salads again. This Thai noodle bowl with lots of vegetables and a delicious peanut sauce was a great way to satisfying that craving.

My love of peanut butter and Thai flavors is not new to this blog, and I've made similar recipes before (vegetables + some other ingredient + peanut sauce). What makes this different is the addition of cold noodles and lots of edamame, which really help to make this a full dinner that is quite satisfying. Bonus? This meal is very quick to make. Start boiling water for your noodles and prep everything else while the water comes to a boil and the noodles cook. Then it's time to eat!

I found this recipe on a blog I just recently discovered, Oh My Veggies. It is run by a few different people but features all vegetarian recipes. It also has meal plans like I used to do! I've been enjoying looking at everything on that site so expect to see more recipes from that source in the future. This particular Thai noodle bowl recipe was originally from the Oh She Glows Cookbook. Oh She Glows is another blog that's been one of my favorites for a few years.

I will definitely be making this again during the warmer months. It would make a great lunch as well! Enjoy!

Thai Peanut Noodle and Veggie Bowl

serves: 4

Recipe: Thai Peanut Noodle and Veggie Bowl

Kaitlyn's Notes:

• I couldn't find soba noodles, so I used whole wheat linguine instead.
• I doubled the amount of pasta (I used 8 ounces) to make larger dinner servings.
• I made 1.5 times the sauce, since I doubled the pasta. I recommend doing that if you also double the pasta and tend to like a lot of dressing on salads, otherwise it's probably not necessary.
• Baked tofu or chicken would make a great addition or substitute for some of the edamame.

Salad Topped Pizza

I recently got a chance to try salad topped pizza as inspired by the King Arthur Flour blog.  It turned out well and tasted great, but Mark and I agree that this would be best as an appetizer or perhaps as part of a bigger pizza party where there were lots of different types of pizzas.  As a main course, we'd prefer one of our other favorite pizzas.

I still wanted to share it here though because I think it is a fun idea!  It's essentially like having a salad and bread all in one.  And with way less cheese on this than a traditional pizza, it's much healthier.

If you do make this, the best way to reheat is in a skillet or on a griddle.  This heats and re-crisps the crust without cooking the toppings.

Salad Topped Pizza

I'm not going to post a recipe here because this is really more of an idea than a recipe.  You can top the pizza with whatever salad ingredients you like!  My general method was:

1. Make pizza dough and form crust
2. Bake pizza crust for 10 minutes at 450F
3. Top pizza with 1 cup of ranch style dressing, return to oven for 2 minutes
4. Top pizza with salad ingredients, return to oven for 1 minute
5. Sprinkle with asiago cheese
6. Slice and serve!

Here is the original full recipe:  Greens and Grains Pizza

If you need a faster pizza crust option, you could always buy pre-made dough or a pre-made crust, or try this recipe: Pizza Crust

I made a ranch type dressing out of greek yogurt and spices [dill, salt, pepper, basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, beau monde seasoning] that was vaguely inspired by this recipe and the homemade ranch spice mix recipe link: Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing

Spelt Berry Salad with Balsamic Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

While in Sacramento recently, my family picked up a delicious spelt berry salad from a natural foods store.  I had never had spelt berries before, and everyone loved the salad.  I took a picture of the ingredient list so that I could attempt to make it at home.  This copy-cat recipe turned out great!

If you've never had spelt berries before, they are a whole grain like rice, but bigger and slightly chewy.  I got a bag made by Bob's Red Mill, but you could also probably find them in the bulk bins at a natural foods store.  Spelt berreis have a great texture for salad.  After cooked, these spelt berries are tossed with peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, cranberries, and a homemade balsamic maple dijon vinaigrette.

This salad would make a great lunch or side dish.  It'd also be great to bring to a potluck!

Spelt Berry Salad with Balsamic Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

serves: 8 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups dry spelt berries, soaked and cooked according to package instructions until slightly chewy
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup orange juice or water
• 3 bell peppers, chopped into small pieces (a variety of colors is nice)
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 large cucumber, seeded and chopped into small pieces
• 1 1/4 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1) Combine dried cranberries and orange juice/water in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 3 minutes on high.  Let sit for 5 minutes while prepping other ingredients.

2) In a large bowl, combine cooked spelt berries, cranberries, bell peppers, red onion, cucumber, grape tomatoes and sunflower seeds.

3) In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, maple syrup, oregano, salt and pepper.  Pour over spelt berries and vegetables and stir everything to combine.

4) Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

This is a yummy pasta salad that I've made two times recently.  It's hearty enough for a main dish, and is a great way to eat lots of vegetables.  The dressing for this pasta salad is made with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and lots of garlic and herbs.  It adds lots of delicious flavor to this simple dish.

I used a zucchini from our garden in this salad! I highly recommend using any produce from your garden for this salad.  And if you have fresh herbs in your garden, you should definitely use those for the dressing.  Last year my mother-in-law had some delicious lemon thyme in her garden that would go great with this (Lanie, if you have that again this year, definitely use it to make this!).

This is a great make-ahead salad, as the flavors develop even more over time.  I've found it's good cold, at room temperature, or even slightly warm.  I hope you get a chance to enjoy it before all the summer vegetables are gone!

Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

serves: 4-6 as a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

For the dressing:

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (I've used parsley, basil, thyme, oregano)

For the salad: *feel free to substitute different vegetables that you have!*

• 10 ounces whole wheat penne pasta (or pasta of choice-- I threw in some orzo I had as well)
• 3-4 medium squash (yellow and/or green),  halved and sliced (to yield about 5 cups cut up squash)
• 1 small bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and sliced into 1 inch segments
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1-2 cups cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 
• optional: goat cheese or Parmesan cheese for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1) Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well (or whisk together in a bowl).  Refrigerate until ready to use (the longer it sits, the more the flavors will combine and the better it will be).

2)  Bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.   *Save the cooking water!*

3)  While pasta is cooking, prep all the vegetables.  

4) Drain the pasta into a colander set inside a large pot (to save the cooking water).  Run cold water over the pasta to cool it down.  Bring the pot filled with cooking water to the stove and turn the heat on high.  Add the squash, asparagus, and frozen peas and cook for 2-4 minutes. You want the vegetables cooked, but still a bit crunchy- try not to overcook them!  Drain the vegetables and run cold water over them to stop the cooking and cool them down.

5) Combine pasta, cooked vegetables, tomatoes, and chickpeas in a large bowl.  Pour dressing over top and gently mix to combine.

6)  Serve topped with crumbled goat cheese or Parmesean cheese if desired (it's excellent either way).  Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

(recipe barely adapted from edible perspective)

Warm Tortellini Salad

This is a great quick meal that is full of vegetables.  We don't tend to eat much pasta, but sometimes I have a real craving for it!  This warm tortellini salad is a great way to get your pasta fix while still eating lots of vegetables.  

While the water for the tortellini is boiling you can prep and start cooking all of the veggies.  By the time the tortellini is cooked dinner is served!  I served the warm tortellini and cooked vegetables over some mixed greens tossed with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  I liked it that way (the balsamic vinegar added a nice additional flavor), but it would also be great without the extra greens.  This would be amazing with some fresh tomatoes from the garden!

Warm Tortellini Salad

serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 ounces fresh tortellini (any variety)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, halved and sliced
• 1 pound grape tomatoes, quartered
• 2 cups thawed frozen peas
• 6 ounces baby spinach leaves
• handful grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• salt + pepper
• OPTIONAL:  Mixed greens tossed with equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Once boiling,  add tortellini and cook according to package instructions.

2)  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and have released moisture (about 5 minutes).  Add the tomatoes and peas and continue to cook until warmed and soft.  Add the spinach and use tongs to slowly toss to allow all the spinach to wilt.

3)  Add the tortellini and toss to combine.  Serve over mixed greens (if desired), topped with Parmesan and chopped walnuts.  Season with salt and pepper.

(recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping)

Pearled Barley Salad with Cherries and Arugula

Pearled barley is so fun!  The original recipe called for pearled couscous, but I wanted to give this barley a try.  This is perfect for a summertime lunch or light dinner.  The pearled barley is cooked in a mixture of orange juice and water, giving it a hint of citrus.  After it cools, the barley is mixed with arugula, walnuts, shallots, celery, dried cherries, and thin slices of sharp cheddar cheese.

After I put this together I couldn't stop eating it!  All the different flavors work really well together and make this salad completely addicting.   It does take a bit of time to cook the pearled barley, but after that this salad is quick to put together.  This would be great to bring to a picnic or potluck because it's delicious slightly warm and you don't have to worry about any of the ingredients going bad.  Give this salad a try sometime this summer-  you won't be disappointed! 

Pearled Barley Salad with Cherries and Arugula

serves: 4 as a main dish, more as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

Pearled Barley:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 1 1/3 cups pearled barley

Salad:

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup dried cherries (dried cranberries would also be great)
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 4-5 ounces arugula, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (toast if desired)
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• salt + pepper
• 3 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into thin slices

DIRECTIONS:

1) Start by cooking the pearled barley.  Bring the water and orange juice to a boil in a medium sized pot.  Add the pearled barley.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-50 minutes until all liquid has been absorbed.  Once done, spread on a baking sheet to cool (it will cool much more quickly this way).

2)  Meanwhile, combine orange juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and cherries in a medium sized microwave safe dish (make sure there is extra room in the dish for the liquid to bubble up).  Microwave on high for 3 minutes.  Remove from the microwave and let stand for 5 minutes.  

3)  In a large bowl, combine the cherries and liquid with the celery, arugula, walnuts, and shallots.  Once the cooked barley is at room temperature, stir it in as well.  Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Add the slices of cheese and toss the salad to combine.  Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.

(recipe adapted from the kitchn)

Chopped Thai Chicken Salad

Given how much Mark and I love peanut sauce, this salad was a real hit!  Lots of fresh vegetables are chopped up and tossed with some shredded chicken.  Topped with a peanut dressing, this salad was filling and delicious.  It is so packed with vegetables that eating it really made me feel good. It filled me up, but didn't leave me feeling heavy and tired-- know what I mean?  

This salad is great for the warmer months when you might be craving a cold meal.  If you get bored with traditional salads, this is a great way to mix things up!  This would also make a great lunch, as it does not need to be warmed up before serving.  If you like Thai/peanut flavors, I'm sure you will like this.  Hope you get a chance to enjoy this meal!

Chopped Thai Chicken Salad

serves: 4-6 (as a full meal)
*Note:  If you don't eat meat or want the chicken, this would be great with cubed tofu or just with the vegetables.*

INGREDIENTS:

Salad:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast (if one large breast, cut into 2-3 pieces)
• 1 small head green cabbage (to yield about 4 packed cups cabbage when thinly sliced)
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
• handful of chopped peanuts, for sprinkling on top

Dressing:

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce/tamari
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 6 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons water + more as needed 

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil.  Add the chicken and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook for about 15-25 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165F.  When the chicken is done, remove from heat and drain.  Shred with two forks or use your stand mixer (it works really well!).

2)  While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rest of the salad.  Thinly slice the cabbage and put it in a large bowl.  Add bean sprouts to the cabbage.  Shred the carrots and zucchini (a food processor does this quickly) and add them to the bowl.  Add chopped cilantro and sliced green onions as well.  When the chicken is done and shredded, add it to the bowl with the vegetables and toss to combine.

3)  In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.  If your peanut butter is chunky or if desired, blend dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Add additional water as necessary until the dressing is the desired consistency.

4)  Serve salad topped with dressing and sprinkled with peanuts.  If you have leftovers, store leftover salad separately from leftover dressing for a few days.

(recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum)

Spiced Lentil Salad for a Crowd

This recipe comes to you from My New Roots, the same blog where I found the Life Changing Loaf of Bread.  I found it looking for a make-ahead recipe that would be good for lunches throughout the week.  I was a bit skeptical, because for some reason I have it in my head that I don't like lentils (even though there are multiple recipes I like with lentils), but the fact that it was called the best lentil salad ever and had numerous positive reviews made me give it a try.  The result was a hearty and delicious lentil salad that I'm looking forward to having for many future lunches!

Green lentils, raisins, red onion, and chopped green olives are mixed with a spiced dressing.  Carrots, celery, walnuts and goat cheese are added for some extra flavor and crunch.  The list of spices in the dressing is LONG, but it makes for an interesting and tasty flavor.  As I was adding the vegetables at the end, I couldn't stop tasting this salad because it has such a different combination of flavors!  There's cinnamon/nutmeg/cloves, but also cumin/turmeric/cayenne.  I don't really know how to describe the taste, but I really liked it.  You could definitely vary the add-ins (walnuts, goat cheese, celery, and carrots).  I really liked the creaminess of the goat cheese and the crunch of the celery and carrots, but other vegetables would likely work well also.

This lentil salad is anything but boring.  It makes a LOT (feel free to halve the recipe!) and only gets better after a day or two, so it's great to make ahead for a potluck.  I think this would also be great on top of mixed greens for a hearty salad.

Spiced Lentil Salad for a Crowd

serves: 12+ as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound small green lentils
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard (or other strong mustard)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ceylon cinnamon (or 1/2 teaspoon regular cinnamon)
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• 1 cup raisins, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup green olives, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped 
• 4 ounces goat cheese, roughly chopped (plus more for the top if desired) 
• 3 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 3 medium stalks of celery, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1) Rinse and drain lentils.  Place in a pot and cover with at least 4 inches of water.  Bring water to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until cooked but not mushy.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.  Set aside.

2)  Meanwhile, to make dressing, whisk together apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and nine spices (through cinnamon) in a medium bowl.

3) Once lentils are done, place in a large bowl.  Pour dressing over top and mix to combine.  Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine.

4)  Store in the refrigerator.  This salad should last for about 5 days.

(recipe adapted from My New Roots)

Roasted Mushroom and Quinoa Spinach Salad

We really like the meaty texture of roasted mushrooms, and this salad is a great way to enjoy them.   Here, mushrooms are roasted in a pear-balsamic dressing, and then served over spinach with quinoa, almonds, and green onions with additional dressing.  You could easily add other vegetables that you have on hand as well.

The dressing is made from a pear, balsamic vinegar, spicy mustard, and garlic.  It is quick to make in a blender and very tasty.  It would be a great dressing to have with any salad.

If you like roasted mushrooms, definitely give this salad a try.  We served the mushrooms and quinoa while they were still warm over the spinach, but you could definitely serve this salad cold if you prefer.  The originally recipe called for less spinach that was chopped so it was more of a quinoa salad.  I think that would be delicious as well.

Roasted Mushroom and Quinoa Spinach Salad

serves: 4 as a main dish

INGREDIENTS:

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
• 1 pear, cored and cut into chunks (I didn't peel it)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup water

For the salad:

• 30 ounces cremini mushrooms (or mushrooms of choice), stemmed and chopped into chunks
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup slivered/chopped/whole almonds (spiced if you have them)
• 12 ounces baby spinach
• salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Preheat the oven to 425F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a baking mat.

2)  Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  In a large bowl, combine chopped mushrooms and 1/4 cup of dressing.  Stir to coat mushrooms with dressing.  Spread mushrooms onto the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until tender.

3)  Meanwhile, combine 2 cups water and quinoa in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for 15 minutes (don't stir while cooking).  After 15 minutes, remove from heat and check that all water has been absorbed (if it hasn't, cook a few more minutes).  Turn onto a plate or baking sheet and let cool for a few minutes.

4)  Stir green onions into quinoa and season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

5)  Divide spinach evenly among 4 plates.  Top with roasted mushrooms, quinoa mixture, and almonds.  Drizzle with dressing and/or serve additional dressing on the side.

(recipe adapted from Whole Foods)

Coconut Oat Crispy Chicken Salad with Pomegranate Drizzle

Sometimes a great big salad with crispy chicken is just what I'm craving!  And what makes this salad even better is that the crispy chicken is actually good for you.  It is coated in a coconut/oat topping and then baked instead of fried.  Drizzled over the salad is pomegranate juice that has been reduced into a thick syrup.  The sweet and tangy drizzle contrasts really well with the other flavors in the salad.  

These chicken nuggets would also be good NOT on a salad, with a dipping sauce of choice.  I know I will make them again like that.  This is now my go-to baked chicken recipe.  I loved that that you could taste a hint of coconut on the chicken.  I'm  planning to try a similar topping on tofu in the future to see if I can make this vegetarian.  

If you get a craving for a crispy chicken salad, or some awesome chicken nuggets, give this a try!   

Coconut Oat Crispy Chicken Salad with Pomegranate Drizzle 

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken:

• 1 pound chicken breast, sliced into 2 inch nugget pieces
• 1/2 cup oats [for gluten free, make sure they are certified gluten free oats]
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg whites, whisked
• cooking spray

Salad (feel free to adapt to your preferences!):

• 1 pound baby spinach
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 pound mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, julienned
• 4 small tomatoes, cut into wedges
• low fat Parmesan/Ranch dressing (I like a refrigerated one from Trader Joe's that is sold in the produce section)

Pomegranate Drizzle:

• 16 ounces pomegranate juice

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with foil or a baking mat and fit it with a wiring rack.

2)  Place oats, coconut, and all spices in the bowl of a food processor.  Process into a fine consistency.  Pour into a shallow bowl.

3)  Put egg whites in a second bowl.  Dip each piece of chicken into egg whites, let excess drip off, then roll in coconut/oat mixture until thoroughly covered.  Once coated, place chicken pieces onto wire rack.  Spray chicken with cooking spray.

4)  Bake chicken in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through.  To make extra crispy at the end (if desired), turn the broiler on low for the last 3 minutes (watch carefully so it won't burn!).  Remove from oven and set aside.

5)  Meanwhile, put pomegranate juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until thick and coats a spoon.  Check frequently after about 15 minutes.   (Don't cook too long or it will start to get black/ too thick/ burned!)

6)  While chicken and pomegrante drizzle is cooking, prepare salad ingredients.  Divide spinach among bowls and top with other vegetables.  Toss with desired amount of ranch dressing (you don't need a lot!).    Once chicken is done, first slice if desired and then divide among salads.  Drizzle some of the reduced pomegranate juice over each salad.    Enjoy!

For leftovers, don't prep salad until night that you will eat it, and store chicken and pomegranate drizzle each separately from other ingredients.

(recipe adapted from Family Fresh Cooking)

Roasted Two Potato Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

I never would have thought to put roasted potatoes on a salad until I saw this recipe about a year ago.  If you are skeptical, trust me.  It's really good!  This is a basic spinach salad topped with hard boiled eggs, roasted red potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, and chickpeas.  The honey mustard vinaigrette dressing is super easy to make and delicious.  I think the dressing tastes especially good with the potatoes and helps to give the whole salad a lot of flavor.

When we're in the midst of a blizzard, a regular salad doesn't sound all that appealing to me, but add warm potatoes to the top and I'm all for it!  Each time I make this Mark says how much he likes it (and I agree!).  Though it does take time to hard boil the eggs and roast the potatoes, this meal is easy to make and very satisfying.

I didn't change the recipe at all from how they made it over at A Couple Cooks besides adding sliced peppers and chickpeas, so head over there for the recipe.  I strongly recommend making the honey mustard vinaigrette (also linked in their salad recipe) to go with it, though you could use any salad dressing you like.   You could also add other vegetables or salad worthy ingredients that you happen to have.  Enjoy!