Newsletter

Subscribe to receive Poland Travel Guide Infographic

Polish Housewife

Polish recipes served up with tidbits of folklore, customs, and history

Salads

Salatka z Pora i Jablka – Polish Leek and Apple Salad

by 3 Comments

Sweet vs. Savory

Americans tend to keep their sweet and savory separate. Fruit in a recipe? That must be a dessert. Savory vegetables? That must be for supper of maybe lunch, certainly not breakfast. For breakfast, we want something sweet. Even when we have a heartier breakfast that might include meats, think of what they are traditionally. Sugar-cured ham, sugar-cured bacon. Toast? Let’s put some jam on that. Admittedly, my knowledge of a Polish breakfast comes from Polish hotel breakfast buffets and a month of eating Polish hospital food. The hotel breakfast buffet, which is, I suspect, much more of a meal that a Polish family would typically eat in the morning (more than anyone typically eats in a morning), often includes salads. I often wondered if they were leftover from a salad bar the evening before or made especially for breakfast. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Salatka z Pora i Jablka – Polish Leek and Apple Salad on a breakfast buffet.

Salatka z Pora i Jablka - Polish Leek and Apple Salad

Sweet and Savory Together

This simple salad of leek and apple does something I see so often in Polish cooking, mixing sweet and savory together. Polish recipes for bigos (a hunters stew) or liver often include prunes and or apple. A cabbage salad will include grated apple. Here we have leek and apple in a simple dressing. The flavors and textures go together beautifully, surprisingly so for my American palate.

Ed loved this salad and suggested that I make when his golfing buddy and his wife come to dinner in a couple of weeks. Even though this is posting during Lent, I think the simple ingredients will still be part of everyone’s meal plan. Unless you’ve given up delicous during this time of fasting and reflection.

If you wanted to jazz this up a bit, you could add a spoon of mayo, sour cream, or plain yogurt, or any combination of the three, but I like it as is. I discovered this salad on the website of Polska Foods, the now defunct maker of organic pierogi.

Smacznego!

Lois

Print

Salatka z Pora i Jablka – Polish Leek and Apple Salad

★ 1 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Polish Housewife
Print

Description

A light salad with the subtle warmth of leek and sweet crisp apple

Ingredients

2 leeks

2 tart apples

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Trim the root end of the leeks, quarter lengthwise from the white end into the light green area, wash out any dirt between the layers, slice the white and light green parts as thin as possible
  • Peel, quarter, and core the apples, again slice as thin as possible
  • Combine the lemon juice, honey, and oil in a bowl, add the sliced leek and apple, toss
  • Season with salt and pepper
  • Chill for a few hours to let the flavors meld

Sauerkraut Relish Recipe

by 5 Comments

While I’m convalescing after surgery, I’ve asked my friend, Sue, to share her recipe for Sauerkraut Relish and write a guest post. We were lucky enough to attend the cookout Sue mentions and to be sent home with some of the leftovers! The beautiful color was the first thing to strike me about this relish, and the flavor and texture were also awesome! Thanks, Sue, for sharing and helping me out! Now, I’ll hand it over to Sue:

sauerkraut relish

My foodie brother introduced me to sauerkraut relish (or marinated sauerkraut), when he was in his brat phase. (That’s “brat” as in “bratwurst” … the other kind of brat phase was when he was much younger.) When I was invited recently to a cookout with the theme of “cookout classics,” I decided to bring sauerkraut relish to accompany the hotdogs. Rather than get my brother’s recipe, I pulled out my cookbooks that are collections of recipes from mid-last-century from the midwest. The sauerkraut relish had reminded me of my father’s cousin’s family recipe for shoe peg corn salad, as well as my Aunt Marion’s bean salad, so I also went through my recipe box. There seems to be a genre of mid-century midwestern marinated vegetable salads that all have similar themes and ingredients. The main hallmark seems to be a dressing composed of vinegar and sugar (ranging from equal parts to a preponderance of sugar), and the vegetables added to the main ingredient include onion, celery, and bell pepper (with some also calling for pimiento, jalapeño pepper, and/or grated carrot).

So, I sort of combined recipes and picked what sounded good. Since I had roasted a red pepper for an appetizer for the cookout, I opted not to use the pimiento, and I used a combination of yellow and orange bell peppers. I added a jalapeño pepper but wasn’t sure of the guests’ heat tolerance so removed the seeds and membranes. And I didn’t measure, so quantities are approximate.

My brother served the sauerkraut relish as a hot dog condiment, but the guests at the cookout treated it as a side dish. Which is, of course, perfectly OK.

sauerkraut relish

Print

Sauerkraut Relish

★★★★ 4 from 1 reviews
Print

Description

As a side or a topping, this sauerkraut relish adds terrific flavor, texture, and color!

Ingredients

  • One 32-oz jar sauerkraut
  • Several ribs of celery
  • One-half red onion
  • One bell pepper
  • One large jalapeño
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup vinegar
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Drain the sauerkraut well
  2. I also squeezed it over the colander till fairly dry
  3. Dice the celery, onion, and bell pepper
  4. Remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño and dice
  5. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar and vinegar and stir till dissolved
  6. Let cool
  7. Add to the vegetable mixture with the oil and salt and pepper to taste

Notes

Enjoy as a condiment or side dish

 

Mizeria (Polish Cucumber Salad)

by 16 Comments

Even though Polish supermarkets carry produce from all over the globe, it seems to me that Poles tend to eat what’s in season locally, at least to a greater extent than we do here in the US. At a lunch meeting with Polish friends in the fall, one of the ladies remarked, “this will be my last salad until next spring.” The restaurant will likely still be offering a salad on the menu, she just didn’t plan to order it. That line of thinking makes spring and summer the perfect time of year for Mizeria (Polish Cucumber Salad). 

Mizeria is the Polish word for misery. The taste is wonderful, but it was said to make Queen Bona Sforza, an Italian princess who married Polish King Sigismund I in the 16th century homesick for Italy. The queen is credited with bringing a great variety of vegetables to Poland. The popularity of her Italian imports soon spread beyond the confines of garden at Wawel Castle in Kraków.  I’ve been told that the Polish word for vegetables means “things from Italy” because of the new plants she brought to Poland.

This salad of cucumbers in sour cream is a cool and refreshing side dish. Even in their somewhat wilted state (from the salt and vinegar), they still provide some crunch.

 

I ended up making two batches of Mizeria before this post. The first vinegar I grabbed from my pantry was a fig balsamic vinegar. The color of the balsamic vinegar was so dark that it turned the sour cream brown, not exactly what I was hoping to photograph. So I whipped up a second batch with an apple cider vinegar. Fortunately, we really like this salad, so having two bowls of it is not a problem.

I have to say that for flavor, I preferred the fig balsamic vinegar. It went so nicely with the other tastes and the hint of fig added an interesting note. It sounds a little too Mediterranean for a Polish dish, but it does seem to be in keeping with the trend set by Queen Bona Sforza. Whatever vinegar you chose, I think you’ll enjoy Mizeria (Polish Cucumber Salad).

Smacznego!

Lois

(Amazon sends me a few cents if you make a purchase via the links below)

Print
Mizeria (Polish Cucumber Salad)

Mizeria (Polish Cucumber Salad)

★★★★★ 4.7 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Category: Salad
  • Cuisine: Polish
Print

Description

A refreshing salad of cucumbers in sour cream

Ingredients

  • 2 cucumbers
  • Salt
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon finely cut chives or green onions
  • 1 tables finely cut fresh dill
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. For ordinary cucumbers, peel, slice lengthwise and remove the seeds
  2. Slice as thin as possible, no more than 1/8 inch
  3. If you’re using the thin skinned hot house cucumbers, just slice
  4. Spread out the slices and sprinkle with salt
  5. After 20 minutes pat and press with a paper towel
  6. Combine the sour cream, vinegar, chives, dill, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt , and pepper
  7. Chill

Polish Cabbage Salad Sałatka z Kapusty

by 3 Comments

With my reference point being the Sonoran desert, I’ll say that so much of Poland is farmland. Any drive outside of the city will have you passing cultivated earth. Beautiful yellow fields of flowering rape weed, beets, carrots, and the largest cabbage I have ever seen, seriously, cabbage the size of basketballs. Cabbage is the number one vegetable crop in Poland. It’s so popular; it plays a role in most traditional Polish dishes, and even in some that aren’t so traditional. Think of gołąbki (stuffed cabbage leaves), bigos (a hearty hunter’s stew), cabbage based pierogi fillings, kapusta kwaszona (sauerkraut), cabbage on a hot dog, cabbage on a kabab, even a simple Polish cabbage salad like this one. It’s the sort of thing you’ll find in any buffet line, or served along side your main dish. It reminds me of coleslaw, but it’s lighter, more salubrious.

Polish Cabbage Salad

In this case, the shredded cabbage is lightly cooked (chemically) in lemon juice and salt, just enough to wilt it a bit. The addition of shredded apple and a smidge of powdered sugar, along with the lemon juice, add to the sweet and sour combination that I associate with coleslaw. I made this according to the recipe, but if I’d had a carrot, I would have shredded that too to add a bit of color. The recipe comes from Treasured Polish Recipes for Americans, published by Polanie Club In Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was first published in 1948. The used copy I have is from the 15th printing in 1973. I saw something online about a 25th printing, so it’s been a very popular cookbook for decades!

This Polish Cabbage Salad is just what I remember from our time in Poznan. I’ve tried to recreate it on my own, but it was never quite right, the texture, the subtle favors that complement the cabbage. I’m thrilled to be adding this recipe to my collection.

As for the actual preparation, I used the slicing blade on my food processor, but it left the cabbage in bigger pieces that I wanted, so I popped it back in the processor with the steel blade and blitzed it for just a second or two to get finer pieces. I had planned to use a Granny Smith apple, but forgot to buy one. 🙁 The Gala apple I had on hand, worked very well. I didn’t have any dill seed in the spice rack, but I did have an envelope full of dill flowers that had gone to seed in a cupboard waiting to be planted. So I picked out the fine little stems and managed to get the required 1/2 teaspoon.

Give this a try, I think you’ll find a lot of menus that would benefit from a serving of this light and crisp Polish Cabbage Salad.

Smacznego!

Lois

(The Amazon links below are affiliate links, meaning Amazon sends me a few cents if you make a purchase)

Print
Polish Cabbage Salad

Polish Cabbage Salad Sałatka z Kapusty

  • Category: Salad
  • Cuisine: Polish
Print

Description

A light and crisp salad of shredded cabbage and apple, dressed in lemon juice and oil

Ingredients

  • 1 small head cabbage, finely shredded
  • juice of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 apple, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon dill seed
  • Dash of garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar (granulated will work too)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 small carrot, grated (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mix the cabbage with the lemon juice and salt.
  2. Let stand for 4 hours or refrigerate overnight
  3. Add the apple, dill seed, garlic powder, sugar, oil, and carrot (optional)
  4. Toss lightly

Polish cabbage salad


>/div?

Broccoli ~ Raisin ~ Nut Salad

by 6 Comments

My friend, Chris,  brought this salad to work one day.  It must have been a potluck occasion.  She was kind enough to share the recipe.   I served it tonight and had multiple requests for the recipe – always a good sign. In fact, I’ve never served this to guests or at a potluck party without at least one person asking for the recipe. It’s that reliable!

You’ll often see this salad in the deli case at your supermarket. It takes just a few minutes to put together, so you might as well save some money making your own.

The broccoli isn’t cooked, per se, but the vinegar in the dressing does soften it a bit, so it’s just right –  crunchier than cooked but a little softer than raw. This also makes it important that you do allow the salad to sit for at least four hours.

I can also make this vegan by using a vegan mayonnaise, such as Veganaise. It’s an easy adaptation, making it perfect for everyone.

My favorite version of this uses dried cranberries (I find myself using cranberries rather than raisins in almost everything) and peanuts. The light, tart dressing reminds me of so many side salads I tried in Poland, although those usually involved thinly shredded white cabbage, although, I wouldn’t call them coleslaw. It’s a recipe I’m still trying to master.

A wonderful salad for warm weather, it’s cool, it’s crunchy, it’s creamy, it’s sweet-and-sour — love it! 🙂

 

 

Print

Broccoli ~ Raisin ~ Nut Salad

  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Category: Salad
  • Cuisine: American
Print

Description

A lightly crunchy salad with a sweet and sour dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 head broccoli, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 3/4 c. raisins or dried cranberries
  • 3/4 c. dry-roasted peanuts or pecans (I used peanuts)
  • 1/4 c. finely chopped onion

Dressing

  • 1 c. mayo
  • 1/4 sugar
  • 2 T. vinegar (I used rice vinegar)

Instructions

  1. Coarsely chop nuts
  2. Combine first four ingredients
  3. Whisk together remaining ingredients for the dressing
  4. Pour over the salad
  5. Stir until everything is lightly coated in dressing
  6. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight

 

Bacon Wrapped Figs

by 4 Comments

figs, bacon, goat cheese on a bed of greens with a roasted hazelnut vinaigrette 

For most of my life, I have not been a fan of figs. I remember a eccentric church member, we’ll call her REW, stopping by my office years ago with a basket full of figs that she’d hoped to give away. When I declined, REW cut off a hunk of fig, shoved it at me saying, “taste it!” She forced me at knife point, so to speak. Despite her forceful nature, I again had to decline, explaining the the texture was too gritty for me. REW proceeded down the office hallway with her figs looking for a more appreciative recepient.

 

Figs goat cheese bacon greens hazelnut bacon wrapped figs

The theme of our time in Poland could be described as “try new things” or “try everything you can.” When my friends from the Poznan International Ladies Club were raving about the figs with goat cheese wrapped in prosciutto they’d sampled recently, I had to give this a try at home. If your history with figs has been like mine, let me suggest that you try them roasted. It’s a totally new experience, not at all gritty!

We began to talk about planting a fig tree when we returned to Arizona. Figs are one of the few fruit trees to thrive in our hot climate. When I mention his to my mother, she said not to buy one because they had a fig tree they would happily give us. We now have a fig tree that comes with a story.

Fig tree Figs

Our tree has grown from a cutting taken from one of the first fig trees brought to the area by the Spainish. The young tree was intended for the Mission Garden, part of the Rio Nuevo project. Rio Nuevo was a downtown revitalization project that fizzled out during the recent economic slump. During this delay, the little fig in a six inch pot was given to our family friend, the late Bunny Fontana. Bunny was a brilliant, charming man, but he would have been the first to admit that he was not a gardener. He said as much when he gave the six inch pot with the now five foot tall fig tree to my mother.

My parents moved the tree to a 5 gallon container and had hoped to harvest enough figs to make something similar to this dish, thinking it would be fun to serve Bunny figs from his tree. The tree grew a lot, but it never produce more than one ripe fig at a time.

Figs

Our fig tree has been in the ground for almost two years. The one fig at a time trend continued until this summer. Now, we’re finally getting a harvest with which you can do something. This summer, we’ve had fig pastries, figs in bacon, and if my luck holds out, we might even have fig jam, a wonderful addition to a charcuterie platter.

We’ve been eating bacon wrapped figs with goat cheese all summer, but only recently added the hazelnut dressing and greens. It’s a winning combination!

Print

Bacon Wrapped Figs

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 8
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
Print

Description

Quick and easy to make these figs are a yummy appetizer or the perfect topping for an elegant salad,

Ingredients

  • 4 figs
  • Honey (optional)
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese
  • Sprig of fresh thyme
  • 4 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Remove stems from figs and slice in half lengthwise
  3. Fill the cavity in the fig center with honey, if using
  4. Top each fig half with a tablespoon of goat cheese
  5. Sprinkle with thyme leaves, if using
  6. Wrap each fig with half of a bacon strip and secure with a toothpick
  7. Bake for 25 minutes or until bacon is crisp
  8. Serve as is, or place atop a bed of spring greens and drizzle with roasted hazelnut vinaigrette (recipe below)

 

Print

Roasted Hazelnut Vinaigrette

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 5 mins
  • Yield: About 1 cup
  • Category: Salad dressing
Print

Description

The perfect topping for a green salad or try it on grilled chicken!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Water, if needed

Instructions

  1. Add hazelnuts and garlic to a food processor or blender, process until almost smooth
  2. Add oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar and blend until well combined
  3. If too thick, thin with a few drops of water

 

Copper Pennies – pickled carrots

by 4 Comments

Carrots, I must confess. I haven’t always loved them, especially cooked! Yes, I was the finicky child that would always pick all of the carrots out of my bowl of stew. Fortunately, tastes evolve over time and today, I not only toss carrots into soups and stews, and make Grandma’s carrot and raisin salad, I’ve discovered a great side dish, Copper Pennies, that’s basically cooked carrots!

Carrot recipe

They’re dressed up with a sweet and sour, pickle-y sauce. Are you ready to embrace the colorful root veg and give these pickled carrots a try? Serve them warm or chilled for a most refreshing summer dish.

Copper Pennies were a staple at church pot luck meals I attended 15-20 years ago. I suspect the recipe has been making the rounds for decades before that.

I love pot luck meals. It was a common practice in Ed’s Air Force squadrons to have parties where everyone brought something. Of course, everyone brought their best dishes. It made for such good grazing! Like church pot lucks, they’ve both been a great source of recipes over the years.

Copper Pennies fall into the quick and easy and therefore, perfect category, especially if you use a food processor to slice the carrots.  They keep in the fridge for weeks, so make a bunch, It’s great to have a vegetable side dish ready to go.

Sweet and sour carrots pickled

 

You can’t beat the bright color and flavor they add to your table, and my calorie counting app (My Fitness Pal by Under Armour) reminds me they’re a great source of vitamins A and C.

I made a batch recently for a potluck and had multiple requests for the recipe, always a good sign! How about you? Where do stand with carrots? Love them like Rosie the beautiful but pushy rabbit or leave them like young Lois?

Carrot recipe rabbit

She takes her carrots plain

 

Print
Carrot recipe

Copper Pennies – pickled carrots

  • Yield: 15 servings
  • Category: Vegetable side
Print

Description

This colorful, sweet and sour dish is quick to make and keeps well.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed tomato soup
  • 2 pounds carrots, peeled, cooked, and sliced
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Combine the sugar, vinegar, oil, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a saucepan and bring to a boil
  2. Remove from heat and add soup
  3. Mix the carrots, onion, and bell pepper together in a large glass dish
  4. Pour the sauce over the vegetables, stir to combine
  5. Refrigerate overnight

Chicken Chili & Lime Salad

by 3 Comments

Colleagues have been asking what happened to my weekly baking project with Rose’s Alpha Bakers. They’d noticed a lack of baking on my part. It was nice to have an elaborate baked treat in the office fridge for those times when you “hit the wall” mid-afternoon. As much as I hated to leave my dear baking friends, I had found that I just didn’t have the time for the day long baking marathons. I’ve also found that too many of the pounds I lost while living in Poland are returning. So I’m trying to focus on veggies more than cakes. Better for me, but not nearly as much fun!

chicken chili lime salad

This dish is spicy enought to add some fun!

I have friends who love chicken breast, especially the convenience of a boneless skinless cut. I usually prefer dark meat, but I find if I use a tenderizing mallet to beat the livin’ day lights out of it, I too, can enjoy boneless skinless chicken breast. I like to make the entire breast the same thickness to cook it quickly, so if you’re making the thickest part the same thickness as the thinnest part, everything ends up about a half inch thick. That’s how I used the chicken in this recipe for a Chicken Chili & Lime Salad or for my low carb Almond Parmesan Crusted Chicken.

I enjoy Asian flavor combinations, but I’m new to them. For inspiration, I’ve turned to Cooks.com. I’ve turned their lettuce wraps into a salad; to me, it’s just easier to eat as a salad.

Print
chicken chili lime salad

Chicken Chili & Lime Salad

  • Prep Time: 40 mins
  • Cook Time: 4 mins
  • Total Time: 44 mins
  • Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Print

Description

A healthy chicken salad with spicy, Asian flavor!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 – 3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 11/2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 4 – 6 cups of torn greens
  • 3 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
  • 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro leaves (I usually cut with scissors rather than chop)
  • 6 – 10 grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onion tops

Instructions

  1. Preheat grill to 425°F
  2. Using a tenderizing mallet, flatten the chicken breast (shinny side up) to about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick
  3. Combine honey, lime juice, chili garlic sauce (we bought two kinds, ended up gong with the less hot), sesame oil and soy sauce
  4. Remove 2 tablespoons and brush over chicken, you’ll use the rest later
  5. Cook chicken on hot grill for 2 minutes per side or until cooked through, let rest a few minutes
  6. Cut into bite-size pieces and stir into remaining sauce; refrigerate for 10 minutes or up to 24 hours.
  7. To serve, top greens with chicken (including any sauce), almonds, cilantro, tomatoes, and green onions.

 

31 Salad Recipes

by 10 Comments

31 salad recipes collage

Ed and I  love salads, especially in the summer. It’s so easy to get into a rut, throwing together the same ingredients week after week. To help all of us in this regard, I’ve put together a month’s worth of salad recipes. Thanks to some of my favorite food bloggers for sharing their recipes. With 31 salad recipes, you’ll find several to add to your summer salad rotation. You could, in fact, have a different salad everyday of the month!

The recipes are divided into two broad categories, those that predominately feature vegetables or fruit and those that are highlighting a protein, starch, or grain. Enough chit-chat, have fun exploring these 31 salad recipes. Bon appetit or as we say in Poland, smacznego!

 

31 Salad Recipes

Vegetable/Fruit Salads

  1. Apple-Walnut Rainbow Chard Salad from An Edible Mosaic
  2. Avocado Boats from The European Mama
  3. Brocolli Raisin Salad from Polish Housewife
  4. Carrot Salad from Polish Housewife
  5. Cauliflower Bacon Salad from Polish Housewife
  6. Gogi Berry & Blue Cheese from Gluten Free and Me
  7. Green Mango Salad from Anula’s Kitchen
  8. Green Salad with Apples, Cherries & Manchego from Polish Housewife
  9. Polish Cauliflower Salad from Polish Housewife
  10. Raw Vegetable Salad from Rhubarb and Honey
  11. Salad with Avocado, Baked Feta & Pomegranate from Eva in the Kitchen
  12. Shaved Carrot & Ginger Salad from Rhubarb and Honey
  13. Summer Salad from The European Mama
  14. Tomato Cucumber Salad from Polish Housewife

 

Protein/Starch/Grain Salads

  1. Arugula Salad with Halloumi from My Traveling Joys
  2. Chicken Salad Bowl with Avacado, Strawberry & Walnut from An Edible Mosaic
  3. Chilled Hominy Salad from Rhubarb and Honey
  4. Cold Fava Bean with Herbs from Polish Housewife
  5. Easy Chicken Salad from This American Bite
  6. Falafel-Spiced Roasted Chickpea Salad from An Edible Mosaic
  7. Green Lentil Salad from My Traveling Joys
  8. Herb Lentil Salad from This American Bite
  9. Hot Potato Salad from This American Bite
  10. Lentil Salad with Herbed Goat Cheese from An Edible Mosaic
  11. Polish Vegetable Salad from Polish Housewife
  12. Shrimp Salad from Wonky Wonderful
  13. Southwest Vegetarian Quinoa Salad from Polish Housewife
  14. Tabbouleh from My Traveling Joys
  15. Tomato Quinoa Salad from Wonky Wonderful
  16. Turkey Fajita Salad from Polish Housewife
  17. Wheat Berry Pesto Salad from Polish Housewife

Thanks to all my friends for generously sharing their recipes. I love reading their blogs and I know you will too!

Zucchini Pesto Salad

by 4 Comments

zucchini pesto salad

For this recipe, I’m using raw zucchini as if it were pasta!

I have a recipe from Six O’Clock Scramble on my Summer Celebrations Pinterest board. With this in the back of my mind, we woke up late one morning, the result of a night out. After tea and coffee and checking our iPads to see what we’d missed while we’d been sleeping (the new equivalent of reading the morning newspaper), I remembered that we were out of our usual breakfast foods! 🙁

The one thing we did have was a couple of zucchini. It was late enough to call our meal brunch, so this is what we made. A veggie based, pasta-like salad, enough to keep us going until we made a trip to the supermarket. While not as fancy as Aviva’s on Six O’Clock Scramble; it was still very enjoyable! I think grated zucchini could be a great low-carb carrier for many of the sauces we usually put on pasta. I’m thinking about a red sauce next time.

I don’t have a tool for making julienne strips, so I simply peeled and grated the zucchini using the coarse side of my box grater. The grated squash went into a large strainer, sprinkled lightly with salt. After 5 minutes, I pressed the water out and tossed with some pumpkin seed pesto that I picked up at Market Hall Number 9 in Berlin. A grating of fresh Parmesan cheese and we were ready to eat. If I can find vegan pesto and substitute nutritional yeast for the Parmesan, I could make this for our vegan daughter.