I've been watching a lot of Master Chef recently (Gordon Ramsey you tell 'em what's up!) and spending way too much time on foodgawker. Recipes are constantly floating in my head. Cooking and creating new and tasty dishes for myself and those that come into my kitchen is perhaps my top hobby. (Can you call it a hobby?)
I usually have some basic protein on the plate (grilled chicken or grilled salmon), but it looks so lonely all by itself. Right?! A fresh vegetable salad makes a wonderful partner for any main dish. I like to make my salads as colorful as possible and always bursting with tons of flavor!
My most recent favorite vegetable sides are a Garbanzo Bean and Basil Tomato salad and a Marinated Veggie Medley salad adapted from lemons & lavender.
Garbanzo Bean and Basil Tomato Salad
Ingredients
1 can of garbanzo beans, drained
2-3 fresh tomatoes, diced
A handful of basil, chopped
1/4 red onion, diced
for the dressing
1 tsp garlic powder (or 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Marinated Veggie Medley Salad
Ingredients
1 large zucchini, sliced thinly
1 big carrot, sliced thinly
1 bell pepper (red, yellow, orange or green)
A handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
A few long chives, chopped
2-3 cloves are garlic, minced (or more if you're not kissing anyone anytime soon) ;)
1/3 of a red onion, chopped
for the dressing
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp mustard
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp pepper and salt
1. Chop up all of the veggies and dump them in a bowl that has a lid.
2. Put the dressing ingredients in a small jar, close the jar, shake it all up real good!
3. Pour the dressing over the veggies and close the lid.
4. Shake the bowl to coat the veggies. Shake it out shake it out!
5. Let it marinate in the fridge for a couple hours before serving. Or heck, just eat it right away!
