CategoriesSalads

Corn and Blueberry Salad

Corn and Blueberry Salad Recipe

This corn and blueberry salad is perfect for summer potlucks and picnics. We made this with our Baklouti Green Chili Olive Oil which gives it a nice bit of heat throughout, and our Sicilian Lemon Balsamic adds a nice contrasting sweetness. Recipe can be easily doubled.

What you’ll need:

Five ears fresh corn

1 cup Blueberries

4 Mini Seedless Cucumbers

1 Small Shallot

Basil

1 Tablespoon Baklouti Green Chili Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons Sicilian Lemon Balsamic

Salt to taste

Here’s how:

Boil the corn in water for about 10 minutes. When the corn has finished cooking, drain the water and allow the corn to cool off. The corn should still have a slight crunch after it’s cooked. Dice the cucumbers and the shallot, and chop the basil. In a bowl, remove the corn from the cob. Add the cucumbers, shallot, blueberries, and basil. Then add the Baklouti green chili olive oil and Sicilian lemon balsamic. Mix it. Add salt to taste. Enjoy!

CategoriesAppetizers Salads

Valentine’s Caprese Salad

Here is a cute Valentine’s Day take on Caprese Salad. You will need a small heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out the fresh mozzarella.

What you’ll need:

1/2 lb. to 1 lb. of fresh mozzarella

Tomatoes on the Vine

Pesto sauce

Tradtional Balsamic Vinegar

Fresh basil, sliced

Here’s how:

Slice the tomatoes and lay them in a single layer on a plate. Slice the mozzarella. Then press a heart shaped cookie cutter on to each mozzarella slice. Take the heart slices and lay them on top of each tomato slice. Scoop about a teaspoon of pesto sauce on top of each mozzarella heart. Drizzle the Traditional Balsamic over the entire salad. Then add the fresh basil.

CategoriesSalads

Festive Brussels Sprouts Salad

A large, delicious salad dressed with our garlic olive oil and cranberry pear balsamic that is perfect for a potluck or a dinner party. We highly recommend using a food processor with the thin slicer blade attachment to slice the brussels sprouts. Measurements don’t have to be exact, you may add more or less of each ingredient.

What you’ll need:

32 oz. brussels sprouts

1 pomegranate

1 small red onion

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan

1/4 cup of freshly grated asiago cheese (optional)

Garlic Olive Oil

Cranberry Pear Balsamic 

Sea salt

Here’s how:

Thinly slice the brussels sprouts and the red onion, and remove the seeds from the pomegranate. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients together. Drizzle the garlic olive oil and the cranberry pear balsamic over the salad to taste. Add salt to taste. Mix together and it’s ready to be served.

CategoriesSalads Sauces

Spicy Honey Ginger Dressing

Spicy Honey Ginger Dressing

This dressing has just the right amount of heat and sweetness. It works well as a salad dressing or even as a marinade. We poured this over an asian inspired red cabbage salad with thinly sliced carrots, lime basil, avocado, and sautéed tofu. It’s also delicious over a Ahi tuna poke bowl.

Spicy Honey Ginger Dressing

Ahi tuna poke bowl:

What you’ll need:

3 Tablespoons Honey Ginger Balsamic

1 Tablespoon Baklouti Chili Olive Oil

2 Teaspoons Japanese Toasted Sesame Oil

2 teaspoons white miso paste

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)

Asian-inspired Salad:

Red cabbage, shredded

Carrots, thinly sliced

Tofu,  marinated and sautéed

Avocado

Lime Based, thinly slice

Here’s how:

Add all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Pour over salad or poke bowl. That’s all there is to it. Enjoy!

CategoriesSalads

Arugula, Fennel, Pomegranate Salad

A refreshing fruity winter salad with grapefruit white balsamic and lemon agrumato extra virgin olive oil.

What you’ll need:

12 oz. arugula

2 bulbs of fennel, sliced thin

Seeds from one pomegranate

2 green onions, chopped small

4 tablepoons lemon olive oil

3 tablespoons grapefruit balsamic vinegar

Sea salt to taste

Here’s how:

In a large bowl, add the arugula, fennel, pomegranate seeds, and green onions. Pour over the grapefruit balsamic and lemon olive oil. Sprinkle on salt. Mix until everything is evenly distributed. If needed, add more salt. It’s now ready to serve!

CategoriesSalads

Caesar Lime Dressing

Ceasar Lime Salad Dressing Recipe

Here is a fresh take on the classic caesar dressing usually made with anchovies, our fantastic Ceasar Lime Salad Dressing recipe. Capers are the perfect anchovy substitute for the saltiness that anchovies provide. The Persian lime olive oil is the essential ingredient for that nice lime flavor. The fresh limes are necessary for that sour touch, but you will find that the Persian lime olive oil gives it a superior lime taste. Combine the Ceasar lime dressing with chopped romaine lettuce and kale (for a healthier salad), toasted garlic olive oil croutons, and top with fresh grated Parmesan, and we have ourselves a new kind of caesar salad!

Ceasar Lime Salad Dressing Recipe

Ceasar Lime Salad Dressing Recipe

Ceasar Lime Salad Dressing Recipe

What you’ll need:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Persian Lime Olive Oil

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons capers

1 teaspoon caper juice

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Parmesan for shaving

Garlic Olive Oil for the homemade croutons

Here’s how:

Whisk together mayonnaise, olive oil, and mustard in a small bowl. Then grind the capers in a small food processor or chop and smash with the back of a spoon. Add ground capers, garlic, caper juice, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk well. Finally, stir in grated parmesan cheese.

Combine the dressing with chopped romaine lettuce until it’s mixed evenly. Feel free to add chopped kale as a healthier option. Toast baguette slices on both sides in a pan with Garlic Olive Oil and crumble on top of salad. Then add shaved parmesan. Feel free to add your favorite protein.  Either with, it’s now ready to eat!

CategoriesSalads

Fresh Summer Corn Salad

What I love about summer is the abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, and corn is at the top of my list as a favorite. The small golden kernels add a nice sweet juicy crunch to any summer meal. When the weather is too hot to cook, a salad is usually a good way to go. In our house, we make all kinds of corn salad variations. This fresh summer corn salad made with zucchini, tomato, and avocado is made even more flavorful with the persian lime extra virgin olive oil, giving it a citrus touch, and the serrano honey vinegar adds a subtle heat.

What you’ll need:

6 ears of corn, shucked

1 medium zucchini, diced

4 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, diced

1/2 small red onion, diced

1/2 cup cilantro, minced

2 tablespoons Persian Lime Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Serrano Honey Vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Here’s how:

In a large bowl, mix together persian lime olive oil, serrano honey vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add corn, zucchini, tomatoes, avocado, onion, and cilantro to the vinaigrette. Combine all the ingredients until evely combined. Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!

CategoriesSalads Vinaigrettes

Wondrous Winter Bowl

I like to make quick and easy weeknight meals, but it also has to be nutritious and fulfilling especially when I don’t have countless hours to spend in the kitchen. Also, adding ingredients that just need to be roughly chopped or heated in the microwave makes it go that much quicker. Exact measurements are not needed and the options are endless. It’s really about adding what you like. The added vinaigrette is just a classic traditional balsamic and single varietal extra virgin olive oil with a hint of lemon juice.

What you’ll need:

Brown rice, cooked

Black beans, cooked

Sweet potatoes, cooked

Kale

Mushrooms

Red bell pepper

Avocado

Red onion

Feta

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons So Olive Traditional Balsamic

2 tablespoons So Olive Coratina Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Sea salt

Here’s how:

Chop kale, mushrooms, red bell pepper, avocado, and red onion. Add all ingredients in a bowl. In small bowl, mix vinaigrette ingredients together. Drizzle a portion of the vinaigrette on top. Mix with hands until everything is well combined. It’s ready to eat!

CategoriesSalads Vinaigrettes

Summer Squash Noodle Salad with Pineapple Basil Vinaigrette

Besides the cherry tomato forest growing in my backyard from last year’s seeds, this year I did not plant a garden on purposeBut around this time of year, I would usually get a bumper crop of zucchini and yellow squash. So if you have an abundance of summer squash, more than you know what to do with, making a noodle salad will be a great way to use them. This salad is very simple and quick. It makes a great side dish or light meal. I used a spiral slicer to make the noodles. If you don’t have a spiral slicer, you may also use a julienne peeler. The noodles will just be more straight instead of spiral.

What’ll you need:

2 medium zucchini

2 medium yellow squash

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

1/4 cup Pineapple White Balsamic

1/4 cup Arbequina or Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 small clove garlic

7-9 basil leaves

sea salt to taste

Here’s how:

Make the vinaigrette first. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, basil, and a pinch of salt into a blender. We used a small food prep blender. Grab a large bowl. Then spiralize or peel zucchini, summer squash into bowl. Add sliced cherry tomatoes. Pour vinaigrette over the squash noodles. Then mix it well. Add salt to taste. It’s ready to eat.