As always, I had a wonderful time on Better Kansas City on KCTV 5!  For this show, I made delicious vegan and vegetarian salads that would be perfect for your Easter celebration or any celebration for that matter!  If there is anything I have learned while prepping for parties, it’s to make as many dishes ahead of time as possible.  I can’t tell you how much easier it makes things on the day of the event.  These salads are perfect for just that!  Each one is made from delicious ancient grains that are rich, filling, and good for you.  And if the fact that they are delicious and healthy is not enough for you,  what if I told you that the longer they stayed in the refrigerator, the better they taste?!  So now you see why I LOVE these salads and hope you will too!

Lisa and I after our segment. Love her!!!

Santa Fe Quinoa Salad (lowest bowl), Mint and Green Beans Barley Salad (middle bowl), and Feta and Mint Orzo salads (top bowl) (all are on the left) and Santa Fe Quinoa Salsa with chips and bread (right)

RECIPES

Santa Fe Quinoa Salad 
You can't get more perfect than Quinoa, With its mild flavor, light crunch
and impressive protein content, quinoa is the perfect gluten-free and
non-GMO substitute for pasta, rice or couscous. The below salad is fabulous
for any party and can be prepared ahead and stored for up to three days or
more! 

Serves 6-8 

Six cups of cooked Quinoa
1 can of black beans
1 cup of cilantro 
1 cup of frozen corn or one can of canned corn
1 cup of red pepper (chopped)
1/4 cup of chopped red onion
1 cup of chopped tomatoes
1 avocado

Dressing
1/2 cup Olive oil
2 Garlic Cloves Minced
1 teaspoon of cumin
2 tblsp of lime juice
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
In a bowl combine your black beans, red pepper, corn, onion, cilantro, and
cooked quinoa.

Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, pepper and honey
together and toss over bean and corn mixture.

Refrigerator for at least 15-20 minutes

When ready to serve, add your tomato, cilantro, and avocado. Gently toss and
combine well.

If you plan on refrigerating this salad for a couple of day, leave out the
tomatoes and avocados until right before serving.

You can serve this just as a salad or add just a bit of quinoa and instead
serve the "salad" with crackers or chips, more like a dip. 

Orzo and Feta Salad with Lemon and Mint

Orzo is a delicious pasta which takes this spring and summer salad to a
whole new level.  Orzo is simple to prepare, is small in size, and has a
wonderful ability to soak in flavors from other ingredients.  It's a perfect
addition to soups, pilafs, and SALADS!!

Serves 2-4

4 cups of cooked orzo
1 cup finely diced yellow bell pepper
2 finely diced large cucumbers (remove seeds)
4-6 oz of Feta cheese
4 tbsp minced fresh mint leaves


Dressing
1/3 cup of minced shallots
1/4 cup of Olive oil
3 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the ingredients for the dressing... olive oil, shallots, lemon
juice, garlic, lemon zest and salt and pepper.  Mix until well blended.

For the salad combine cooked orzo, yellow bell pepper, cucumbers, mint, and
feta cheese.

Pour salad dressing over salad and toss well.  You can serve immediately or
for an even more intense flavor, let sit for 1-2 hours at room temperature.


If you plan on making this salad a few days before eating, leave the mint
off until right before serving.

Spring and Summer Barley Salad with Mint and Green Beans

Whole grain barley is a healthy high-fiber, high-protein whole grain
boasting numerous health benefits. When cooked, barley has a chewy texture
and nutty flavor, similar to brown rice. Although soup is the most popular
way to eat barley, it was wonderful for salads as well.  

4 cups of cooked barley
1 cup of green beans (steamed and cut into one inch pieces)
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots (minced)
3 (about 1 cup) ounces white mushrooms (stems discarded and sliced thin).
2 fresh lemons (juiced)
2 tbsp minced fresh mint
2 tbsp minced fresh flat leaf parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oi in a small pan and cook the shallots unitl softened.
Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have given off their
liquid and it has evaporated. Add lemon juice and parsley. Salt and pepper
to taste and let cool.

When mixture is cool, pour over the barley and set aside.  Whisk together
the remaining olive oil with the juice from one lemon. Pour the mixture over
barley and toss everything until well blended.

Ingredients

• 1 can/jar Marinated Artichoke Hearts
• 4 small tomatoes (yellow, red, or both)
• 2 oz Prosciutto
• 1 large handful of basil leaves
• 1-2 cups Mixed greens
• Dressing
• 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 1/2 tsp mild mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Ingredients

• 1 medium smoked chicken (available at any grocery store)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 lemon
• 1 head lettuce
• 1 bag arugula
• To Make Dressing
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp walnut oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fresh mixed herbs (a mixture of fresh herbs such as parsley, lemon thyme, mint, etc.)
• Salt and Pepper

Preparation

Simplicity is key… mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, and shredded carrots make this salad a quick and easy combination that everyone will love!

• 1 cucumber (sliced)
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 12 grape tomatoes (yellow or red)
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots

Preparation

If you are looking for a salad that has a combination of interesting and delicious ingredients, this salad is FOR YOU!!  This Melon, Turkey Sausage & Artichoke Salad, is a perfect blend of hearty, fruity, and salty!  The addition of the Terragon is a wonderful little surprise at the end.  If you love all these ingredients, don’t hesitate for a minute to combine them!

Ingredients

• 1 can/jar Marinated artichokes
• 2 tbso Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cantaloupe
• 1 pkg turkey sausage
• fresh tarragon
• Dressing
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp prepared mustard

Preparation

Ingredients

• 1 cucumbers
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1/2 cup green olives
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
• 4-5 oz feta cheese
• 1 stalk celery
• Dressing
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp White wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• pinch of red pepper
• pinch of dried oregano

Preparation

Ingredients

• 1 Cucumber (sliced)
• 1 cup grape tomatoes (sliced in half)
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• Dressing
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation

Ingredients

• 1 lb green beans
• 1/2 cup radish slices
• 1 cup grape tomatoes (yellow and red)
• 3 oz feta cheese
• Dressing
• extra virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation

If you like Caprese salads, you will love this!

Ingredients

• 2 cups mixed greens
• 1/2 cup sliced red grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup sliced yellow grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup avocados
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese Pearls
• Dressing
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt and Pepper

Preparation

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion
• 4 large oranges
• 4 medium tomatoes
• 1 pound buffalo mozzarella cheese
• 1 bunch Cilantro
• 6 tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation