Open Harvest Recipes

Bean Team Three Bean Salad

1 can black soy beans (drained)
1 can garbonzo beans (drained)
1 box frozen sweet (soy) beans
1/2 c. red wine vinegar (or low-fat italian dressing)
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/4 c. diced green onions

Blend ingredients well. Cover salad and refrigerate overnight. Serves four.

Emerald Sesame Kale

2 bunches fresh kale
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon soy sauce

Wash kale, remove spine and stem. Cut into 1" strips. Steam kale until bright green and tender. To toast sesame seeds, place them in a heavy skillet and heat over medium heat until they begin to pop. Add toasted sesame oil, garlic, and kale. Sauté about one minute. Mix all with the soy sauce. Serve warm or cold.

Fennel Orange Basil Salad

1 head looseleaf lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 seedless oranges, peeled and cut into thin slices
(or one can of mandarine oranges)
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
slivers of fennel bulb (to taste)
2 cups croutons
ribbons of fresh basil leaves (to taste)

Heap lettuce on platter or in shallow salad bowl. Arrange orange slices, red onion, and fennel slivers on top of lettuce. Scatter croutons and fresh basil on top. Drizzle with oil and vinegar dressing right before serving. Salad with dressing serves 4.

Gingery Grilled Salmon Salad

1 1/4 pounds salmon fillet (about 1 inch thick)
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons freshly grated lime zest
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pickled Ginger Salad Dressing (recipe follows)
Lime wedges for garnish

1. Cut the salmon into 4 pieces, skin on, pin bones removed.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, ginger, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, honey, oil, salt and pepper. Place salmon in a shallow glass dish and pour marinade over it, turning the salmon to coat on all sides. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes, turning once or twice.

3. Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill. (Do not use a grill pan - salmon will stick.)

4. Using a long-handled barbeque brush, coat the grill rack with oil. Place salmon, skin-side up, on the grill. Cook for 5 minutes. Using 2 metal spatulas, carefully turn the salmon pieces over and cook just until opaque in the center, 4 to 6 minutes longer. With 2 spatulas, remove salmon from the grill. Slip off the skin.

5. Toss watercress or mesculine salad with Pickled Ginger Salad Dressing and divide among 4 plates. Top with a piece of grilled salmon. Garnish with lime wedges. Serve immediately. (Option: If you don't have time to make dressing, try Drew's Lite Ginger Soy dressing)

Makes 4 servings.

Pickled Ginger Salad Dressing

1 clove garlic, crushed
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon liquid from a jar of pickled ginger
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice or rice-wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon honey

Combine all ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.

Greek Pasta Salad

For a light meal, serve this refreshing salad with hummus, pita bread and lemonade.

2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
3 oz. feta cheese, cubed
1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced
1/ 4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
1 large shallot or 2 green onions, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/ 4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup fusilli pasta or elbow macaroni
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine first 8 ingredients in bowl. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm to bite. Drain. Rinse with cold water until cool, and drain well. Add to tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, or store up to 4 hours in refrigerator.

Garnish with bell peppers, tomato wedges, Kalamata olives or lemon wedges. Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main dish.

Orange Pistachio Spinach Salad

By Doug Roese, Natural Foods Chef

6 ounces organic baby spinach
4 ounces organic red onion, thin slivers
2 lbs. seedless tangerines, peeled and separated pinch salt
4 tablespoons chopped pistachio nuts

Dressing:

1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
3 ounces extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons firmly packed, minced spearmint

Combine veggies and fruit in bowl and mix gently with a pinch of salt. For dressing, dissolve salt in vinegar, then mix in orange juice. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Finally, whisk in the sesame oil and spearmint. Dress salad, tossing gently. Arrange on plates and sprinkle with pistachios. Yield: 4 servings.

Russian Beet Salad

5 medium beets (about 1 1/2 pounds), whole, unpeeled
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon honey
2 Tablespoons red onion, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced finely
1 1/2 teaspoons dill weed, dried
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 Tablespoons non-fat yogurt

Wash beets. Put in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook over medium heat until tender enough to easily insert a fork. While beets are still warm, run under cold water and remove peel. Slice beets and marinade in a mixture of vinegar, garlic and honey. Marinade for one hour. In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Mix in marinated beets. Chill.

Sante Fe Black Bean Salad

2 cups cooked black beans, (one 15 oz can, drained and rinsed)
1 cup corn kernels, cooked (canned or frozen)
1/ 2 cup green pepper, diced small
1/ 2 cup red bell pepper, diced small
1/ 2 cup red onion, diced small
1/4 cup lime juice, fresh
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/ 4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine the oil, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper into a medium size metal or glass bowl. Whisk the ingredients together to make the dressing. Add the prepped vegetables and fold with a spatula until they are coated with dressing. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes for best flavor, mixing occasionally. Taste and adjust as needed. A little squeeze of lime just before serving kicks up the flavor. Serves 4-6.

Spinach and Kale Salad

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 bunch of Kale, chopped
1 bunch of spinach, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil in a pan and cook red bell pepper, garlic, and kale about 5 minutes, covered. Add spinach, salt and black pepper, and cook about 5 minutes more. Serve hot. Yield: 6 servings

Spring Greens with Pine Nuts, Feta, and Raspberries

A wonderful blend of fresh complementary ingredients.

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/3 pound mixed Spring salad greens
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Whisk vinegar, oil, and honey in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Combine greens, feta, and raspberries in large bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.