Salads

  • Valentine’s Dinner: Charred Pepper Salad W/Eggplant Chips & Basil Cream, Butternut Soup, Cauliflower Steaks

    With Valentine’s Day coming up this weekend, I wanted to provide you with a delicious homemade gourmet meal that is suitable for most diets out there (gluten free, grain free, can be dairy free) and pleasing to different tastebuds. Large thick slices of purple cauliflower make beautiful steaks, a warm smoky salad with light basil [...]

  • Winter Wedge Salad: Crispy Shredded Brussels & Apple Pecan Panzanella With Maple Vinaigrette

    I find it hard to get my salad motivation on in the winter. I know I need to be eating more of them but something cold just doesn’t sound desirable. I avoid warm toppings on this traditionally cold dish but this combination wins me over. This salad provides all of the opposing elements of food that [...]

  • Reseting Post-Thanksgiving: Mason Jar Salads & Come Meet Me!

    I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! What made ours even warmer was the gorgeous weather in Charlotte. It felt like spring time! This was a very special Thanksgiving because my parents and sister and her family all relocated to Charlotte earlier this year. We had a great potluck spread and my sister hosted. [...]

  • Warm Moroccan Style Quinoa With Raw Zucchini Ribbon Salad

    We are loving the fall weather but sometimes it is hard to decide what to eat when temps have been wavering between 40s and 80s! I wanted something soft, spiced, and warming but also cold and crisp. That is how this dinner was born. While my quinoa cooked, I chopped up some vegetables and essentially made a curry. [...]

  • Fast & Furious Ranch Dressing ‘n Dip

      There was a time when I had a 2 year old that had a picky palate only pacified by store bought ranch dressing. Oh how many foods he ate with the help of this popular American condiment. I tried to find the healthiest version that I could, either organic, lower in sodium, or with [...]

  • Fruit & Nut Quinoa Salad

    Including fruits, veggies, nuts, and the complete protein powerhouse seed known as quinoa, this salad can be served as the main attraction, lunch box feature, or enhancing side. I made this recipe as part of my Sunday weekly meal prep. I don’t always accomplish meal prep but school starting back up tomorrow put me in the [...]

  • Cool & Creamy Chickpea Salad

    Happy 1st Monday of August! I posted about Where I Get Moving this past Saturday when the month started and encouraged setting your personal intentions during this last full month of summer time. I think I have mentioned before that we usually “reset” around here with a dairy and gluten free meal at the start of [...]

  • Caprese Salad: Counting My Basil, Not My Tomatoes

    Having a garden has always been an exciting thought to me but the act of gardening has always appeared a puzzling chore to me. I mean, why is it so complex? If you bury a seed in the ground, why shouldn’t it sprout and then progress onward to a fruit or vegetable? How can something older than time, [...]

  • Celebrating USA: Spinach Basil Dip & Couscous Salad

    Happy Independence Day America! I am incredibly proud to be an American and so thankful for the freedom that was fought and sacrifed for by The BRAVE. That is a huge reason that my parents were able to make a life for us in the land of opportunity over 40 years ago. I was born in NYC [...]

  • 3 Freeing Grilling Recipes for the 4th of July

    As much as I would love to live in my kitchen full time, I value time with people more than cooking! Back in 2011, I made the resolution that I would really try to spend time with my guests rather than tying myself up to food prep while everyone else mingled. So below you will [...]

Charlotte Veggie