I must be on a copy cat recipe kit recently because this is my second one in just a matter of weeks. I think it has to do with some confidence that I am gaining in the kitchen recently. I love finding new recipes that I love at restaurants and trying to recreate them. This particular recipe hails from Disney's Animal Kingdom. The Harambe Market in the Africa section of this park has started serving a black eyed pea and corn salad that is just to die for. It hits all the right notes. Here is my take and my version that you can now enjoy from the comfort of your home. 

Ingredients: 

2 cans black eyed peas, rinsed

1 ear corn, cooked 

1/4 cup roma tomato, diced

1/4 cup celery stalk, diced

1/4 cup red onion, diced

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons safflower oil

1/2 tsp sugar 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

fresh lemon zest

Directions: mix all ingredients together, chill then serve. 

This can be stored for several days and makes a wonderful make ahead side dish. This salad is refreshing and good for you. It's got a great depth of flavor and a wonderful crunch. 

Enjoy!

We recently went to Disney's Epcot in Orlando Florida. Right now they are doing their Flower and Garden Festival and their beautiful themed topiaries are not to be missed! While visiting Epcot's Morocco, we at at Restaurant Marrakesh. They have this TO DIE FOR lentil salad. In a park as huge as Epcot, with so many wonderful culinary choices, to say something was my favorite thing I ate all day really means something. This salad is super fresh, flavorful, and healthy! And it's also easy to make. So as you know from past experience with this blog, those things make it a real winner. 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cup green lentils

1/4 red onion, finely diced

1 bell pepper, finely diced

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons mayonaise

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions: 

Place lentils in a pot of 4 cups of cold water. Turn on heat to high and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and rinse with cold water to stop the lentils from cooking. Mix the lentils with all of the other ingredients. Make sure you have diced everything very finely, because you will want your onion and pepper pieces to be the same size or smaller than 1 lentil. Refrigerate until cold. Adjust seasoning as needed. 

This salad is one for the books. You will love how low in fat, full of flavor, and delicious this recipe is. You might just be able to pretend you are somewhere exotic like Morocco, or at least Orlando. :) 

I don't know about you, but I've never been a fan of traditional potato salad. The thick fattening mayo laden dressings, left to just sit out in the hot sun at picnics; no thank you. That is why I absolutely LOVE this version of potato salad. Its amazingly flavorful and addicting, but its low in fat and mayo free. Its loaded with delicious herbs too. Yes please. 

Ingredients: 

3 pounds small red potatoes

2 small garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons white wine

2 tablespoons chicken stock

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp culinary lavender

1/2 cup olive oil

1 shallot, finely diced

2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Boil your potatoes in salted water for about 10 minutes until just tender. Remove from the heat and drain the potatoes and let them sit in the hot pot for another 10 minutes. When cooled, cut the potatoes into quarters or halves depending on their size, you want them to be just about bite size. Mix together the remaining ingredients and cover your potatoes with the dressing. Place the potatoes in the fridge for a couple of hours to let the flavors deepen, better yet even overnight if you have time. 

I always try to remember to double this recipe when I make it, because its a given I will want to have some prior to serving my family, and I will always want left overs of this too. Hope you enjoy it just as much as we do!

Bon Appetite! 

I will admit, I'm having a love affair with quinoa. I just want it all the time. I want it in every salad I eat. It just adds such an easy healthful protein punch to my meals. And its so kid friendly and budget friendly as well. What's not to love? This particular salad packs a delightful crunch. It is super simple to assemble and no one will bad sad about it. 

Ingredients: 
2 cups watercress
4 radishes, diced
8 ounces green beens
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
1 large head raw broccoli, chopped
2 cups quinoa, cooked
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Roast your pistachios at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes. Cook quinoa as directed. Blanch your green beans and put them in the fridge to cool. Emulsify your olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper into a dressing. Mix your watercress, radishes, beans, nuts, and broccoli together. Cover with dressing and serve immediately. 

Enjoy!