Let me just say spring does not get any better than this! I was so excited to be able to chaperone Jack’s class on a field trip to the strawberry patch last week. Freshly picked strawberries, one of my favorite things! I usually take the boys every year, but this year was proving difficult given their different school schedules. I didn’t manage to get out and do it during spring break which meant getting all three boys to pick together would be near impossible.
Category Archives: Salads
Mixed Greens with Caramelized Onion Vinaigrette
The time has arrived. We had our first salad with fresh greens from our very own garden! My beloved spring is finally here and that means delicious salads until it gets too hot that everything wilts or we eat it all first. This makes suffering through this past winter, Polar Vortex and all, completely worth it! Continue reading
Lemon Orzo Salad with Chick Peas and Feta
I love orzo. It is a super little pasta shaped like little grains of rice. It is rather versatile, but somehow I usually fix it the same way, simply with olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and freshly grated parmesan. It was time to remedy that situation!
Black Bean and Pineapple Quinoa
I am a fan of quinoa, the rest of my family not so much. I tried coming up with ways to fix it so that the kiddos wouldn’t complain much. The way to their hearts, or stomachs as the case may be, is definitely fruit. I already planned on using some black beans I made earlier with peppers from the garden and decided pineapple was the way to go. Continue reading
Pasta with Chicken, Tomatoes and Feta
This is one of our favorites in the summer. Somehow it just seems very refreshing and not too heavy. It has everything in one dish which I of course love!
I usually make this with orzo pasta. That would be my preference, it really is great. Alas, I have not found a high fiber orzo pasta. So this time I made it with mini rotini since it has fiber in it. I just have to prioritize how I want to eat my “empty” carbs. This time common sense and health won out!
The boys all just love feta cheese. They even ate the tomatoes when I made it! They can be hit or miss when it comes to eating tomatoes.
This combines all my favorites from a Greek tomato salad. The fresh basil, feta and lemon juice are so fresh and full of flavor. It tastes great leftover as a cold pasta salad, add cucumbers and it’s even better (leftovers may require a little added olive oil). I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Pasta with Chicken, Tomato and Feta
1/2 pound dry pasta
2 Tbs. olive oil
Juice and zest of one lemon
10 oz. cooked chicken, diced
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/4 c. red onion, chopped
1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped
5 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Cook the pasta to al dente, time will depend on which size/shape pasta you choose to use. Drain the pasta. Put the pasta, oil, lemon juice and zest in a bowl, allow to cool for about five minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well mixed. Serve warm or cold. If serving cold cucumbers are a nice addition.
Yields 6 servings