Salad & Dressing Recipes

If you have a package of New Mexico Mesa Spicy Fiesta soup, use the chickpeas from that package. (Save the spice packet and simmer it with a cup of rice and 3 cups of chicken broth for an easy side dish with chicken or pork chops.) A 1-cup serving of the chickpeas will provide about 15 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber for a nutrition packed meal in any season.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 12 ounces dried chickpeas
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon poupon mustard, optional
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Additions:

Choose 3 or 4. The more additions the more texture this great Mediterranean salad will have. It can be a side dish or main course!

• About 6 ounces artichoke hearts, sliced
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 cup purple onion, diced
• 1/2 cup black olives, sliced in half
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3-4 ounces fresh baby arugula
• 2 ounces pine nuts or sliced almonds, toasted
• 2 cups cut up chicken breast

Cooking Directions:

1. Rinse, drain and pick over peas. Place in a medium bowl with water filled to the top. Let the peas soak overnight.

2. Drain peas and bring to a simmer in fresh water for 1-1/2 hours. Test peas by pressing a pea against the side of the cook pot with the back of a spoon. The peas should be firm but tender; they should be able to be squashed, but not mushy. Place peas in colander to drain.

3. Prepare all fresh additions.

4. Mix olive oil, lemon juice and mustard in bottom of large salad bowl.

5. Add in fresh ingredients, toss and serve or may refrigerate until ready to use. We like a light dressing, but feel free to add a couple more tablespoons of lemon juice and olive oil, if you’ve added a lot of fresh ingredients.

Salad Ingredients:

• Romaine lettuce, 1 head for 4, 2 heads for 8
• Mandarin oranges, small can for 4, large can for 8
• 1/2 cup candied almonds, walnuts or pecans
• Optional: crumbled blue cheese

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, or tarragon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon poupon mustard
• 1 cup canola oil

Recipe Directions:

For dressing, combine all ingredients in a jar with tight fitting lid and shake.

For salad, mix ingredients in a large bowl, and toss with as much dressing as needed.  Save the rest for another time.

July’s heat calls for an easy summer salad.  This recipe is a variation on the classic Waldorf salad.  Orange dressing substitutes for the original mayonnaise, avocados make it summery, sunflower seeds add crunch and fit with the Mediterranean eating plan.  Chicken is optional, if having salad as the main course.  The following recipe will make ample portions for two main dish servings or 4 side salad servings.

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 large, crisp apple, cored and diced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 4 to 6 ounces mixed greens
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 cup walnuts, slightly chopped
• 4 ounces Blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seed
• About 1/2+ cup Orange Salad Dressing
• Optional: 1 to 2 cups chopped grilled chicken breast

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon each: dry mustard, salt
• 1 cup oil, either vegtable or canola

Dressing Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a 1 pint glass jar, make sure lid is securely attached and shake.
2. Use as needed to lightly coat salad greens.
3. May keep in refrigerator for weeks.

Salad Directions:

1. In a large bowl mix together, diced apple, celery and lettuce.
2. Cut avocado in half, scoop out green meat of avocado and cut up.  Add to apple mixture.  Toss lightly with dressing.
3. Toast walnuts for 3 minutes in skillet over medium heat until slightly browned and crisped.
4. Cool and add with blue cheese and sunflower seeds.
5. Toss and serve.

A great summer side salad or main dish with high fiber chick peas. Using the dried chick peas (also called garbanzo beans) in the New Mexico Mesa Spicy Fiesta Soup mix will give premium bean results with none of the salt in canned beans.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 package New Mexico Mesa Spicy Fiesta Soup
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 1 small purple onion diced
• 1 box frozen artichokes, cooked in microwave
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Optional: 8 ounces diced salami

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Recipe Directions:

1. Soak beans 4 to 8 hours at room temperature in plenty of water. Drain beans, place into cook pot with 2 quarts of fresh water and simmer for 2 full hours. Drain again and place into large salad bowl.
2. While beans simmer, bring 1 1/2 cups chicken broth to a simmer and add the contents of the Spicy Fiesta seasoning packet. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off heat and stir to fluff the saffron rice mixture.
3. Add in and stir tomatoes, onion, artichokes, olives, Feta cheese, salt and pepper and salami (optional).
4. In separate small bowl mix lemon juice, red wine vinegar and olive oil.
5. Toss all ingredients together and serve or refrigerate until ready to dine. Serve at room temp.

Serves about 6.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium purple onion
• 2 medium fennel bulbs
• 1 yellow pepper
• 2 naval oranges
• Fresh parsley or tarragon

Orange Fennel Salad Recipe Ingredients:

1. Peel and slice onion in half top to bottom and then cut crosswise into narrow half circle pieces.
2. In large skillet saute onion in oil 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Cut fennel bulbs  in half top to bottom and then cut crosswise into narrow half circle pieces.  Add to skillet.
4. Cut yellow pepper the same way into narrow half rings.  Add to skillet and sauté five minutes.
5. Add juice of half an orange and continue cooking for a total of about 12 minutes.
6. Remove from heat, place on platter and cool.
7. Top with oranges sliced into pieces.
8. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Optional:  top with crumbled feta cheese or toasted walnuts, or serve warm and use as a bed for lightly sautéed white fish such as sole or snapper, for a whole meal.

Serves 3-6.

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
• 1 large ripe pink grapefruit
• 3 to 6 ounces arugula
• 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• Optional: toasted glazed sliced almonds

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Grapefruit Avocado Salad Recipe Directions:

1. Place all ingredients for dressing into small bowl and whisk until creamy.
2. Cut grapefruit in half and scoop out all the half segments.
3. Place into salad serving bowl, adding in avocado, arugula and crumbled blue cheese.
4. Toss with dressing and serve.
5. To garnish with almonds place 1/3 cup almonds into small skillet, add 2 tablespoons of sugar over medium heat and stir until sugar melts and coats the almonds and almonds turn golden brown.  Be careful not to burn.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces brie cheese, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 cup sherry or white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 6 ounces mixed greens

Lemon Brie Salad Recipe Directions:

1. Cut rind off brie, cut up and let come to room temperature.
2. Heat olive oil on low in small saucepan for 5 minutes.
3. Add in shallots and garlic, cook until translucent, 5 minutes.
4. Stir in vinegar, lemon juice and mustard.
5. Place greens in salad serving bowl with cheese on top.
6. Toss with warm dressing and serve.
7. May top with walnuts or croutons, if desired.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3-4 cups roasted turkey, cubed
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 package Frontier Soups Taco Dip Mix
• 1 10-oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
• 8 oz. shredded cheddar or cheddar/jack cheese
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 bunches green onions, sliced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 Tbsp good olive oil
• 3 cups shredded lettuce
• Taco shells

Recipe Directions:

1. Heat oil in saucepan.
2. Add turkey and taco dip mix, toss lightly.
3. Add water and tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
4. Cook 10 minutes on medium heat until excess liquid simmers away.
5. Remove from heat and cool.
6. Gently stir in cheese, avocado, green onions, and oil, and squeeze lime juice over all.
7. Serve on bed of shredded lettuce on taco shells for a tasty turkey dinner.

We like white beans so much we’ll even occasionally buy them in a can!

Ingredients:

• 3 ears fresh corn
• 1 can white beans, heated briefly
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 box frozen petite peas, microwaved for 2 minutes on high
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Frontier Soups Party Starter Lemony Dill Mix

Recipe Directions:

1. Drop corn into boiling water for two minutes, remove from pot, drain and cool enough to be able to cut kernels off the cobs into a medium salad bowl.
2. Heat beans til just simmering, add beans to bowl.
3. Add red pepper and peas.
4. Stir in the oil and lemon juice, and half the packet of lemony dill dip mix.
5. Toss gently and serve at room temperature.

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon later
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, plus 1 tablespoon later
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 5 cups fresh corn kernels, (about eight ears)
• 1 package Frontier Soups’ Pesto Tomato Dip Mix (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian Parsley and 2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil)
• 1 green bell pepper, minced
• 1 small red onion, minced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Recipe Directions:

1. In a heavy saucepan heat the oil over moderate heat and sauté garlic 30 seconds.
2. Add lemon juice and wine and cook three minutes.
3. Add the corn and contents of the Pesto seasoning packet or fresh herbs.
4. Simmer three minutes.
5. Remove from heat and place into medium salad bowl and allow to cool.
6. Add all remaining fresh ingredients.
7. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until picnic time.
8. Just before serving, refresh and toss salad with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice.