Not only are these fruity salads packed with nutrients, but they are refined sugar free - delicious clean eats. We've included helpful hacks on how to keep fruit fresher longer, a "Fruit Flavor Pairing Chart" and numerous fresh fruit salads recipes for all your summer gatherings.

What's to Love

If you've been craving a bright and colorful fruit salad with a homemade zippy dressing, we have just what you've been looking for. Don't worry! Theses healthy salads do NOT contain mayonnaise, ambrosia marshmallows, or whipped topping, (or any of those weird creamy questionable things) so they are less likely to spoil at a picnic.

Many of these salads can be made in advance allowing you extra time to fire up the grill and entertain your guests. Elegant fruit cocktails are always a crowd pleaser at a potluck and add a splash of color to your dining table. Let's explore what fruit salad options might be best for your menu plan.

Grow Together - Stay Together

Did you know that things that grow together are delicious in a recipe together? It's nature's delicious and easy way of helping us with menu planning. That's convenient, right?

If you walked through a farmer's market right now, you'd find items that have been grown locally. These items may differ from state to state or country to country, but the concept remains the same.

What grows together - stays together!

Here is a very simple example… In mid-August, you might be able to find freshest tomatoes and basil in the Midwest.  Caprese Salad on a Stick is extra delicious because the ingredients are in peak season and pair wonderfully together.

The Basics!

• There are no set rules for what can or can't go in a fruit salad. However, paying attention to what grows together - stays together is an easy way to decide what to include.
• Choose the base for your healthy summer salad (leafy greens, grains, main fruits, or other vegetables).
• Add in your favorite seasonal fruits
• Select fresh herbs and spices
• Drizzle with your favorite light and bright sweet fruit salad dressing
• Try adding in fun textures like nuts, seeds, crispy tortillas, etc.
• Add in grilled protein of choice like grilled chicken, Marinated Grilled Flank Steaks, Grilled Halloumi Cheese, etc.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

How to make a Fruit Salad Taste Better?

1. For a healthy fruit salad recipe, try these seasonal fruit, vegetable, spice, and herb combinations for a pop of flavor.

If you wish to use this handy Fruit Salad Pairing Chart on your website, just copy and paste the HTML code below. Please give credit to Healthy World Cuisine and link to our website. Thanks!

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• Drizzle on a zippy dressing or vinaigrette with orange, lemon, or other citrus fruits. The sweet and sour balance is key.
• Add some texture like toasted nuts, seeds, crunch tortilla strips and crispy lettuces.

Why does Fruit Turn Brown?

Excuse us while we get a little food science nerdy for a moment…

Do you remember this from science class?  All fruits have enzymes that are release when they are cut and exposed to air.  These enzymes start to break down the fruit.  This process is known as oxidation or enzymatic browning.

Polyphenol Oxidase (enzyme) +O2 (oxygen) = Melanin (brown color /pigment)

I bet you wondering if it is safe to eat that apple you just cut up because it is starting to brown? Right?  Of course, you can but it is not very aesthetically pleasing. Is it?

How do you keep fruit from browning in a salad?

Try these easy hacks!

1. Chopped apples and pears will last longer if you place them in "salted water" overnight. This is a cheap method we learned whilst living in Japan making bento boxes. Just drain and rinse the apples or pears before putting them in a salad or a packed lunch box.
2. Toss your fruit in a citrus juice like lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, or pomelo. The acid in citrus juice inactivates the enzyme, polyphenol oxidase, when it is exposed to air.
3. Along those same lines, tossing cut fruit with acidic fruits like oranges, grapefruits or pineapples can also help prevent browning.
4. Soak your fruit like apples and pear in a bath of 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 cup of water for just a minute or two before adding it to your summer salads.

What to Serve With?

Are you looking for some healthy dinner meal plan ideas? These healthy summer salads with fruits can be served as a main or as a side dish. Try these ideas!

Pork is always more delicious with something a little sweet on the side. Don't you think? Thai Pork Basil Skewers are delicious with our zesty Prik Nam Pla Dipping sauce and a side of our Thai Shrimp Mango Salad.

Chicken gets a whole new flavorful profile with our Peking Style Beer Butt Chicken and Layered high Sesame Asian Salad.

Fish that tastes like steak always gets a thumbs up with our family. Grilled Swordfish with Crab Salsa is delicious with a fresh garden salad with a Lemon White Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Beef - Grilled Flank Steak with Thai Style Chimichurri complements the naturally sweet, tangy, sour and spicy Grilled Watermelon Salad.

Vegan options include a Super Easy Grilled Asian Eggplant with a hearty Easy Summer Millet Salad because tomatoes are a fruit too.

Try these Recipes

Grilled Watermelon Salad (Thai Style)

Have you ever grilled a watermelon? If not, you have no idea on what you are missing out on. This Grilled Watermelon Salad needs Just a quick moment on the grill to make the natural sweetness come to life.  When paired with fresh cucumbers and a sweet, spicy, savory Thai dressing it is one delicious healthy bite.

Get this recipe

Quinoa Fruit Salad

Our quinoa fruit salad is fun summer fruit and grain salad. It's packed with protein and has a delicious honey lime dressing. Whether you are looking for a side for breakfast, brunch or dinner, this salad is sure to please.

Get this recipe

Summer Salad with Strawberry Rose Dressing

Summer Rose Salad is light, bright, and filled with all our favorite summer fruits. Toss it with a little strawberry rose dressing for an aromatic and dreamy bite of heaven.

Get this recipe

Tutti Fruitti Kale Salad & Citrus Honey Dressing

How adorable are these Tutti Fruitti Kale Salad served with a Citrus Honey Dressing in pineapple halves? This pineapple fruit salad makes the perfect tablescape and you are going to love the zippy citrus dressing.

Get this recipe

Spicy Shrimp Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Thai Shrimp Mango Salad is also referred to in Thai language as Yam Mamuang Goong Sod. Made with green mangoes, shrimp, herbs, and an aromatic dressing.  You can serve it upas a light main dish in a bowl or as fun lettuce wraps or as a side to any of our Thai Cuisine Recipes.

Dried Cranberry Glazed Pecan Holiday Salad

OMG! Glazed Pecans… Have you ever tried them? Top your Dried Cranberry Glazed Pecan Holiday Salad with a few and watch this green salad with fruits disappear like magic.

Get this recipe

Grilled Shrimp Nectarine Summer Salad

Our Grilled Shrimp Nectarine Summer Salad is a complete meal. Serve with a few slices of our Whole Wheat Herb Focaccia Bread and watch it disappear.

Get this recipe

Thai Pomelo Crab Salad Avocados

Thai Pomelo Crab Salad Avocados are the cutest idea to serve at a shower or brunch. You can make this citrus salad in advance and is just as delicious substituted with grapefruits and oranges. Scoop on top of avocado halves right before serving.

Get this recipe

Tomato = Vegetable or Fruit?

You are correct! Tomatoes are both a fruit and vegetable. I know, confusing, right?

From the botanical classification, tomatoes are fruits because it has seeds that grows from the ovary of a flowering plant.

On the other hand, from the culinary classification tomatoes are vegetables because of their flavor profile and the edible part of the plant is usually eaten as part of a meal.

Give these chopped fruit salads with tomatoes a try at your next barbeque.

Gluten-Free Balsamic Panzanella Salad

Bursting with sweet vine ripened tomatoes, this Gluten Free Balsamic Panzanella Salad with garden spinach a great addition to a summer meal.

Get this recipe

Caprese Salad on a Stick

Basil and Tomatoes grow together and pair well together in Caprese Salad on a Stick. Salad is always more fun served on a skewer.

Get this recipe

Heirloom Tomato Cucumber Salad

Garden veggies are the freshest served as a simple Heirloom Tomato Cucumber Salad. Quick, easy and all the vegetables are in season at the same time.

Get this recipe

Easy Summer Millet Salad

Say yes to gluten free ancient grains! This Easy Summer Millet Salad is sweet from the heirloom tomatoes and savory from the MiddleEastern lemon parsley za'atar dressing. Give it a try today.

Get this recipe

Dressings and Vinaigrettes

What's a salad without a fruity salad dressing? Right? It's Just a boring fruit cocktail or cut up fruit. Make your summer salads with fruits come alive with these bright and zippy dressings.

Framboise Osmanthus Rose Vinaigrette

Green salads with fruit are enhanced with our Framboise Osmanthus Rose Vinaigrette. In season raspberries are steeped with a honey flower tea vinegar. The result is a delicious floral but sweet way to enjoy your healthy salads.

Get this recipe

Lemon White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Our lemon white balsamic vinaigrette is a multi-purpose salad dressing.  Delicious on both savory and sweet fruit salads or as a marinade.

Get this recipe

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Delicious Salads

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

The post Healthy Summer Salads with Fruit appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

This spicy watermelon salad recipe is a great idea for summer picnics, graduation parties, grilling out or even as a side dish potluck idea. Watch our video to learn our easy hack for cutting a HUGE watermelon into sticks for grilling or for a garden party.

You are going to be amazed how sweet watermelon gets when it is grilled. Combined with sour lime, savory fish sauce and spicy chilis for the perfect Thai Cuisine bite. (Gluten free and vegan recipe options too!)

Grilled Watermelon Salad

Yes, you heard that right, we grilled watermelon and cucumbers on the outdoor grill (BBQ). Hey wait! Aren't those things ALWAYS supposed to be served cold? You know like the Spicy Garlic Cucumber Refrigerator Pickles? Well, they can be but wait until you pop them on the grill. That is when the magic happens.

You are going to love this Thai salad because the grilling brings out the natural sweetness of the melon with an explosion of flavors and textures going on in your mouth. In addition, the watermelon and cucumbers pick up a little smokey hint on the grill. If you try it just once, we bet you will be hooked.

Not only does grilling leave those cool grill marks but it also leaves the watermelon and cucumbers like little crisp sponges. They are ripe and ready to absorb all the delicious flavors of the Thai vinaigrette dressing. A perfect combination of natural sweetness, sour, savory and of course SPICY - the quintessential Thailand flavor palate.

Balancing Flavors and Textures

Do you know what happens to watermelon's texture when it is grilled? When you bite into a grilled watermelon steak, it has the texture of a seared tuna steak. As you probably already know watermelon is about 91% water and contains 6% sugars.

When you grill a watermelon, some of water evaporates and firms the flesh of the watermelon. In addition, as there is less water to fruit ratio the sweetness intensifies but also so does the smokey flavor from the grilling process. Really unique! You need to give it a go.

The little extra crunch from the radishes and red onions makes for a fun salad. The dressing is super simple just a little fish sauce, fresh lime juice, cilantro, basil and of course some Thai chilis.

How to Cut a Watermelon Easily?

Wouldn't it be convenient if all our watermelons were like the square or cube watermelons in Japan? There would be no worries on getting that huge oval or round wobbly watermelon into watermelon sticks, steaks or cubes. Have no fear, we have a solution for you!

Our grilled watermelon salad holds its shape so much better when the rind is kept on. It makes it easier to flip the watermelon on the grill and is a fun way to serve up this salad. Watermelon sticks are also fun to serve up at any summer party or gathering. So easy to eat and less messy compared to a wedge.

Step 1: Wash and dry your outer watermelon well. (Dry it well as you do not want a slippery watermelon)

Step 2: Grab a good and sharp butcher's knife or in our case our Chinese cleaver. (Dull knives can cause accidents- sharp knives do not)

Step 3: Choose a heavy-duty table with a large cutting board. Make sure your cutting board is held firm to the table. If not, a quick hack is to place a slightly damp dish cloth underneath the cutting board to keep it stable.

Step 4: Cut the watermelon in half. Set aside one half. (It is best to put the pointy end of the knife in the skin to get it started and then slowly rotate the knife and your melon around to cut all the way through) Now, you should have 2 halves of watermelon.

Step 5: Lay the watermelon's cut side down on the cutting board.

Step 6: Cut 2-inch slices across the watermelon. Turn 180 degrees and slice 2-inch slices in the opposite direction. (Bravo and well done! You have made watermelon sticks)

Check out our quick and easy video below. We have included a step-by-step easy watermelon cutting hack.

Salad Ingredients

The blend and balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy is essential to our Thai Inspired Grilled Watermelon Salad recipe.

Watermelon - Seedless is the best as this will save you time picking out all the seeds. There are many different varieties of watermelons and sizes. Our watermelon weighed in at a whopping 10 pounds! Technically speaking, you could really use any type of melon for this recipe such as a honeydew, muskmelon (cantaloupe), rock melon and the list goes on.

Cucumber - We prefer the baby cucumbers or seedless cucumbers if you can get your hands on them. However, as the these were twice the cost, we chose the regular cucumbers and removed the seeds. Use what you have is always our motto! If you have extra cucumbers you may want to try our Seared Steak Salad with Strawberry Cucumber Salad or our Heirloom Tomato Cucumber Salad.

Fish Sauce - this funky sauce is what gives this watermelon fruit salad the savory component. If you want to keep this recipe vegan just add salt to taste. On the other hand, to keep this recipe gluten-free, there are many gluten-free fish brands on the market like Red Boat that work well.

Lime - Fresh lime juice is always best, but you can also substitute with lime concentrate if needed. (The kind in the little squeeze bottle) In addition, grating a little lime zest to garnish at the end is unbelievably delicious.

Chilis - We used Thai bird chilis for this recipe. However, you can substitute with your preferred fresh or even dried red chili flakes to give it your level of desired level. (Jalapeño, serrano, etc.) Please note that each type of chili has their own Scoville scale. Thai bird chilis are not for the faint of heart. They might be little, but they certainly pack a punch!

Fresh Herbs - Italian basil, Thai basil, mint, and watermelon salad with cilantro is so refreshing.

Crunchy Vegetables - this is the perfect time to access your crisper and use what you have. We choose radishes, onions, and peppers but anything goes here. Just a fun little extra crunch for texture.

Thai Dinner Recipe Ideas

Ok, now that we have the salad sorted, what about the rest of the menu? So glad you asked. We have a plethora of Thai Cuisine recipes on Healthy World Cuisine. What do think about this Thai dinner menu plan?

Appetizer: Thai Firecracker Shrimp Party Appetizer with Prik Nam Pla sauce.

Salad: Grilled Watermelon Salad (Thai Style), Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps or Thai Shrimp Mango Salad.

Mains : Grilled Flank Steak with Thai Style Chimichurri, Thai Grilled Chicken Tenderloins or our Tropical Thai Swordfish.

Sides: 48 Best Thai Recipes or Gluten Free Thai Shrimp Pancakes

Dessert: Easy Mango Sticky Rice or Thai Banana Spring Rolls

Thai Cuisine Flavors

Thai cuisine is all about balance in sweet, salty, sour, and spicy just like in our Prik Nam Pla sauce.

Sweet - Watermelon

Salty/Savory - fish sauce

Spicy - chili peppers

Sour - lime

If you don't have fish sauce or want to keep this recipe vegan, add salt and white pepper to taste. In addition, there are many gluten-free brands of fish sauce on the market. Our Essential Thai Herbs and Spices is a great resource for all Thai ingredients and potential substitutions.

Is Eating Cold Foods Bad for Digestion?

Do you remember our Spiced Yam and Vegetable Stir Fry recipe?  We talked about how eating cold and icy foods and drinks is hard on your body. We know when it is hot outside, you really crave that cold, icy drink, and cooling foods but that is not the best for gut health.

If you eat foods closer to your body temperature, your digestive powerhouse does not have to work so hard to extract the nutrients. You can read more about this in our Feed Your Spleen: Nourish Your Body article. Grilling your watermelon and cucumber brings these cooling foods up to temperature making them easier to digest.

Did you know that there are Five Energies of Food?  Food is categorized as cold, cool, neutral, or warm or hot in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). A balance of both cool (yin) and warm (yang) foods are desired to keep the body in balance. Our Thai fruit and vegetable salad has a lovely mix of both cooling and warming foods to create balance.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Delicious Salad Recipes

Stir Fried Romaine Lettuce

Layered High Sesame Asian Salad

Sautéed Greens Breakfast Salad

Best Warm Vegan Swiss Chard Lentil Salad

Authentic Thai Fish Salad

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Print

Grilled Watermelon Salad (Thai Style + VIDEO)

Thai Style Grilled Watermelon Salad is a refreshing fun easy summer recipe with grilled Watermelon and cucumbers and a simple Thai dressing.

Course Sides

Cuisine Thai

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes minutes

Total Time 21 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 157kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• Grill or Grill pan

Ingredients

Thai Salad Dressing

• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (if you do not have just add a little bit of salt to balance the dish)
  
• 1-2 chili peppers
  chopped (as desired to you heat liking). We used Thai bird chilis

Salad Fixings

• 2.5 pounds watermelon
  or about 6 slices or 4 cups (horizontally slice watermelon and leave on the rind)
• 2 cucumber
  small (deseeded, cut into lengthwise quarters -leave the skin on)
• 1 tablespoon oil olive oil to coat the cucumbers and grease the grill or grill pan
• salt if desired, add to cucumbers while on the grill.
• 2 shallots or small red onion sliced (or can use green onion chopped if you like)
• 5-6 radishes sliced thinly
  
• 4 mini sweet peppers sliced (optional)
• ⅛ cup basil (chopped or whole)- if you can find Thai Basil fantastic otherwise just exchange with regular sweet Italian basil and its just as delicious.
• ⅛ cup cilantro chopped or mint leaves if you prefer
• lime zest garnish - optional (if desired)
• salt and white pepper to taste if desired

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare Watermelon

• Step 1: Wash and dry your outer watermelon well. (Dry it well as you do not want a slippery watermelon)

  Step 2: Grab a good and sharp butcher’s knife or in our case our Chinese cleaver.

  Step 3: Choose a heavy-duty table with a large cutting board. Make sure your cutting board is held firm to the table. If not, a quick hack is to place a slightly damp dish cloth underneath the cutting board to keep it stable.

  Step 4: Cut the watermelon in half. Set aside one half. (It is best to put the pointy end of the knife in the skin to get it started and then slowly rotate the knife and your melon around to cut all the way through) Now, you should have 2 halves of watermelon.

  Step 5: Lay the watermelon’s cut side down on the cutting board.

  Step 6: Cut 2-inch slices across the watermelon. Turn 180 degrees and slice 2-inch slices in the opposite direction. (Bravo and well done! You have made watermelon sticks)

  Check out our quick and easy video below. We have included a step-by-step easy watermelon cutting hack.

Prepare Cucumbers

• Leave the skin on the cucumbers. Wash well. Cut ends off. Slice cucumbers lengthwise so they are about the same length of you watermelon sticks. Remove seeds with a spoon. Slice lengthwise again.
• Toss the cucumbers in a little olive oil.

Make the Thai Dressing

• Mix lime juice, fish sauce and chili peppers together and set aside.

Grill and Combine

• Clean and oil your grill or grill pan with a little oil. Preheat grill to a medium high heat.
• Grill Watermelon and cucumber slices on the grill for just about 2-3 minutes on each side just to get a slight grill marks. Remove from grill. (We like to add a little salt to taste to the cucumbers while they are on the grill. )
• Place the grilled watermelon and cucumbers sticks on a serving platter. Top with radishes, shallots and sweet mini peppers . Drizzle on the Thai vinaigrette dressing, basil and cilantro (or mint). Garnish with a little lime zest if desired.
• Serve your Thai Grilled Watermelon Salad at room temperature or chilled to your liking. enjoy!

Video

Notes

Thai style grilled watermelon salad is best made and served the same day. However, you can slice the watermelon, cucumbers, cut up your other vegetables and make your Thai dressing up to 24 hours in advance. Then if hosting a gathering, all you need to do is grill and assemble.  

Substitution Ideas for dietary needs

Watermelon – Seedless is the best as this will save you time picking out all the seeds. There are many different varieties of watermelons and sizes. Our watermelon weighed in at a whopping 10 pounds! Technically speaking, you could really use any type of melon for this recipe such as a honeydew, muskmelon (cantaloupe), rock melon and the list goes on.

Cucumber – We prefer the baby cucumbers or seedless cucumbers if you can get your hands on them. However, as the these were twice the cost, we chose the regular cucumbers and removed the seeds. Use what you have is always our motto!

Fish Sauce – this funky sauce is what gives this watermelon fruit salad the savory component. If you want to keep this recipe vegan just add salt to taste. On the other hand, to keep this recipe gluten-free, there are many gluten-free fish brands on the market like Red Boat that work well.

Lime – Fresh lime juice is always best, but you can also substitute with lime concentrate if needed. (The kind in the little squeeze bottle) In addition, grating a little lime zest to garnish at the end is unbelievably delicious.

Chilis – We used Thai bird chilis for this recipe. However, you can substitute with your preferred fresh or even dried red chili flakes to give it your level of desired heat . (Jalapeño, serrano, etc.) Please note that each type of chili has their own Scoville scale. Thai bird chilis are not for the faint of heart. They might be little, but they certainly pack a punch!

Fresh Herbs – Italian basil, Thai basil, mint, and watermelon salad with cilantro is so refreshing.

Crunchy Vegetables – this is the perfect time to access your crisper and use what you have. We choose radishes, onions, and peppers but anything goes here. Just a fun little extra crunch for texture.

Balancing the Flavors:

Please adjust the ingredients to adjust to your preferred flavor profile. If you want it more savory- add more fish sauce or salt. On the other hand, if your watermelon is not very sweet for some reason, you can add a little bit of honey or sugar alternative of choice to the Thai dressing. Want it more spicy? Add more chili. If you want a little more sour- add a little more lime juice. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 364mg | Potassium: 663mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 2709IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Grilled Watermelon Salad (Thai Style + Video) appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Thai Cuisine

What's your favorite cuisine? We know it's difficult narrowing it down to just one. However, if we were stranded on a dessert island, Thailand cuisine would be on the top of our list. Super fresh and delicious flavors that are fun for sharing, like our Turmeric Pork Skewers and Thai Basil Dipping Sauce, Thai Shrimp Mango Salad, Thai Firecracker Shrimp Party Appetizer and our Gluten-Free Thai Shrimp Pancakes. We hope these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps will go to the top of your favorites list too.

Imagine this… First, your tongue picks up the savory, sour, spicy and sweet prik nam pla sauce. Then, you get the crunch from the fresh veggies, herbs and roasted peanuts. Once you get a mouthful of Thai infused ground stir fried chicken you are hit with fresh lemongrass, shallots, garlic, Thai Bird Chilis, lime and gluten-free fish sauce. Your mouth will be singing. Come along and we'll show you how to make this quick and easy Thai family favorite.

Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps vs PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

Have you ever tried a crisp lettuce wrap? We are not referring to the high-sugar ones from the strip mall pseudo-Asian fusion American restaurant chain between the pharmacy and the bank.  Those are factory made to be very heavy with chemicals that taste like thick sweet hoisin and soy sauce. For the calories you just used into trying to eat light, you could have eaten a whole bowl of our Speedy Speedy Spinach Pasta. They both have about 300 calories and about 20 carbs for serving.

Instead, why not try our super light low carb fresh Thai chicken lettuce wraps? Our fresh ingredients won't weigh you down. You can even make Whole30 lettuce wraps with a couple of suggestions we list in the ingredients below.

The interesting textures and the traditional flavors from the ingredients used in Thailand are going to make this your favorite appetizer or light meal. We bet you can't eat just one lettuce wrap! These are much lighter and have fewer carbs than the PF Chang's version.

How to Serve?

Generally speaking, lettuce wraps (sometimes also called lettuce cups) are served family style. Just lay out the lettuce leaves, chopped vegetables, fresh herbs, cooked Thai minced chicken, crushed roasted peanuts and dipping sauce in individual plates or bowls and let everyone help themselves to create their own healthy lettuce wrap masterpiece.

This way your family and/or guests can make it exactly the way they like it. Lettuce wraps are meant to be eaten with your hands, just like a taco. If you like lettuce wraps be sure to try our How to Make The Best Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps, Chicken Caesar Lettuce Wraps and our Parsley Lemon Pesto Shrimp Wraps.

What is Lahb Gkai or Laab Gai or Larb Gai?

Larb (ລາບ) is a popular meat salad recipe in Laos and also in the bordering Isan region of Thailand (ลาบ). It can be made with minced (ground) chicken, beef, pork, mushrooms, etc. Larb Gai is flavored with fish sauce, lime juice and padaek.

Roasted rice powder is a very traditional ingredient that is used in larb. However, we chose to leave out the toasted rice powder and padaek in our lettuce wraps to cut down on the carbohydrates. Northeastern-Style Spicy Minced Chicken Salad is generally served with cut up vegetables, fresh herbs and a side of sticky rice.   

Great Recipe for Entertaining

Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps are a fun and interactive recipe for a gathering. Most everything can be done in advance. Literally, all we did was cut up some veggies and herbs and placed them on a platter and made a quick and easy prik nam pla dipping sauce.

When your guests arrive, stir fry your marinated Thai infused minced chicken while you enjoy a Tropical Fruit Rambutan Cocktail or a Blue Elephant Chili Cocktail.  You can be ready to eat in less than 10 minutes. Easy Peasy!

Ingredients

Ground Chicken (some of you may refer to this as minced chicken)

You could also use ground turkey, pork, beef or even chopped mushrooms. We chose ground chicken as this is more traditional. However, you could also use marinate chicken breast and grill, if you are hosting and outdoors gathering. Then, just slice thinly so they fit easily in a lettuce wrap.

Fresh Lemongrass, shallots, garlic, ginger, Thai Bird Chilis.

Do you have access to an Asian market near you? Then, fresh is the way to go. We only use the white portion of the fresh lemongrass and keep the green section for Thai Hot and Sour Prawn Soup. Galangal is preferred to ginger as this is more authentic.  However, we used fresh ginger to demonstrate another good option that is readily available in most grocery stores.

We know that sometimes it is difficult to find some of Essential Thai Herbs and Spices. However, we have an easy solution. Have you ever tried Gourmet Garden Thai Seasoning stir in paste? You can find in the refrigerator section of the grocery store and it has all of the Thai aromatics already chopped and in a convenient squeeze container. (However, if you are watching your carbs, following a whole30 diet or are diabetic, please note that this has added dextrose to the mix)

Fish Sauce

This sauce adds that delicious umami flavor to this light and flavorful Thai appetizer and our Thai style ground beef bowls. One of our favorite brands that is both gluten-free and Whole 30 approved is Red Boat Fish Sauce. If you want a vegan substitute, be sure to try these homemade vegan fish sauce recipes from Cooking Light.

Sugar or Sugar Alternative of choice

As you already know, Thai cuisine is built on the framework of having balance between the sour, savory spicy and the sweet. You can use brown sugar, if you wish. However, if you are on low carb diet, you can exchange with your favorite sugar alternative of choice. Are you on a whole30 plan this month? No worries! Just add a little date paste to the marinade.

Lime zest and Lime Juice

Limes are essential sour notes. However, if you can get your hands on fresh kaffir lime leaves, these are preferred over the lime zest. Limes can be found at most grocery markets and are very accessible.

Lettuce

We used romaine lettuce this week as that is what we had on hand. However, healthy chicken lettuce wraps also work well with Boston bibb lettuce. Heck if all you have is iceberg lettuce, go for it. We are all about using whatever you have on hand.

Fresh Crisp Vegetables

Cucumbers, bean sprouts, carrots, peppers are all delicious. Open up your crisper and see what you have and use that.

Fresh Herbs

Cilantro and mint are very traditional. If you like chopped green onions, these are nice too.

Roasted Chopped Peanuts

Nuts add a delicious fun crunch to lettuce cups. If there are allergies with peanuts, exchange with roasted crushed almonds.

Prik Nam Pla- The Incredible Thai Table Condiment

This is one delicious sauce that our family loves to slather on everything from eggs to our Authentic Thai Fish Salad. It is sour, sweet, spicy and savory. However, it is especially delicious on Thai ground chicken lettuce wraps. Are you are following a Whole30 diet this month? If so, exchange the sugar with a teaspoon of date paste or so to reach the flavor profile you are looking for.

How to Make Thai Lettuce Wraps?

1. Place a lettuce leaf on your plate.
2. Put a couple of tablespoons full of cooked Thai ground chicken on the lettuce leaf.
3. Top with julienne cut carrots
4. Add sliced peppers
5. Put a few julienned cucumber slices on top and roasted crushed peanuts
6. Drizzle on a little prik nam pla sauce and enjoy! Pick it up like a taco with your hands to eat.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Delicious Thai Recipes

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Tropical Thai Swordfish

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Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Easy Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps are served Thai Style with ground chicken, crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, roasted peanuts and the zing from our famous Prik Nam Pla dipping sauce.

Course Appetizers/ Snacks, Mains

Cuisine Thai

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Marinating Time 1 day day

Total Time 1 day day 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 307kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• wok or frying pan

Ingredients

Thai Chicken Marinade

• 1.5 pounds ground chicken minced
• 3 tablespoon lemongrass
  chopped finely (white parts only) or 3 tablespoons of Lemongrass paste
• 2-3 shallots peeled and chopped or small onion
• 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoon ginger root fresh or about 1 inch knob grated (exchange with galangal if you have it)
• 1-2 Thai bird chili or to desired heat level
• 3 tablespoon fish sauce
  we used Red Boat fish sauce to keep it gluten-free and Whole30 approved.
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
  or finely chopped fresh kaffir lime leaves
• salt and white pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoon sugar or sugar alternative to follow Whole30 diet exchange with date paste.
• 1 tablespoon oil light flavored

Lettuce Wraps veggies

• 1 head romaine lettuce iceberg or Boston bibb lettuce works well
• 2 carrots peeled and cut into thin match sticks about 2 inches long
  
• 1 cucumber
  peeled and cut into thin match sticks about 2 inches long
• 1 red bell peppers deseeded and cut into thin match sticks about 2 inches long
• 1 cup cilantro fresh (stems removed)
• ½ cup mint
  optional (stems removed)
• ¾ cup peanuts roasted and crushed (almonds are a great substitute if allergy)

Thai Dipping Sauce

• 6 tablespoon prik nam pla

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Marinate ground chicken: In a bowl, add ground chicken, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, ginger, Thai chili peppers, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar or sugar alternative, white pepper and lime zest. Stir and set aside for 15 minutes while you prepare and chop the vegetables. You may also marinate overnight, if you desire in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
• Cut your lettuce from the core. We used Romaine lettuce and cut about ¾ down from the leafy end side and left approximately ⅓ of the white section near the core off. Carefully remove each leaf and rinse under cold water and dry with paper towels. Set aside to dry.
• Wash, chop and prepare your vegetables and herbs. Use what you have on hand. We used carrots, cucumbers, peppers and julienned sliced them. Bean sprouts are nice too. We washed our cilantro and mint and removed the stem. (This can be done the day before as well)  Lay your lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, bean sprouts, cilantro and mint on a serving tray, if you plan on serving your lettuce wraps family style.
• Make Prik Nam Pla dipping sauce. https://www.hwcmagazine.com/recipe/prik-nam-pla/
• Add oil to wok or pan and stir fry marinated chicken for about 5 minutes or until the the chicken is no longer pink. Add in sugar, sugar alternatives or date paste to sweeten and salt and white pepper to taste. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes longer or until the liquid is mostly absorbed.
• Assemble your Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Allow your guest to grab a plate and then start with the lettuce cup in your plate, put some cooked Thai style ground chicken in the lettuce cup, followed by all the delicious crunchy vegetables and fresh cilantro and mint, crushed peanuts and top with a couple of teaspoons full of the delicious zesty prik nam pla sauce. Fold over your lettuce wrap like a taco. Eat and Enjoy and repeat the process until your happy.

Video

Notes

Nutrition Facts include 1 tablespoon of Prik nam pla sauce. 

Ingredient Substitutions

Ground Chicken (some of you may refer to this as minced chicken) – You could also use ground turkey, pork, beef or even chopped mushrooms. We chose ground chicken as this is more traditional. However, you could also use marinate chicken breast and grill, if you are hosting and outdoors gathering. Then, just slice thinly so they fit easily in a lettuce wrap.

 Fresh Lemongrass, shallots, garlic, ginger, Thai Bird Chilis. If you have access to an Asian market near you then fresh is the way to go. We only use the white portion of the fresh lemongrass and keep the green section for Thai Hot and Sour Prawn Soup. Galangal is preferred to ginger as this is more authentic.  However, we used fresh ginger to demonstrate another good option that is readily available in most grocery stores.

We know that sometimes it is difficult to find some of Essential Thai Herbs and Spices. However, we have an easy solution. Have you ever tried Gourmet Garden Thai Seasoning stir in paste? You can find in the refrigerator section of the grocery store and it has all of the Thai aromatics already chopped and in a convenient squeeze container. (However, if you are watching your carbs, following a whole30 diet or are diabetic, please note that this has added dextrose to the mix)

Fish Sauce adds that delicious umami flavor to this light and flavorful Thai appetizer. One of our favorite brands that is both gluten-free and Whole 30 approved is Red Boat Fish Sauce. If you want a vegan substitute, be sure to try these homemade vegan fish sauce recipes from Cooking Light.

Sugar or Sugar Alternative of choice. As you already know, Thai cuisine is built on the framework of having balance between the sour, savory spicy and the sweet. You can use brown sugar, if you wish. However, if you are on low carb diet, you can exchange with your favorite sugar alternative of choice. Are you on a whole30 plan this month? No worries! Just add a little date paste to the marinade.

Lime Zest and Lime Juice are essential sour notes. However, if you can get your hands on fresh kaffir lime leaves, these are preferred over the lime zest. Limes can be found at most grocery markets and are very accessible.

Lettuce – of many sorts work well. We used romaine lettuce this week as that is what we had on hand. However, healthy chicken lettuce wraps also work well with Boston bibb lettuce. Heck if all you have is iceberg lettuce, go for it. We are all about using whatever you have on hand.

Fresh Crisp Vegetables – cucumbers, bean sprouts, carrots, peppers are all delicious. Open up your crisper and see what you have and use that.

Fresh herbs like cilantro and mint are very traditional. You could also try chopped green onions too.

Roasted chopped peanuts add a delicious fun crunch to lettuce cups. If there are allergies with peanuts exchange with roasted crushed almonds.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 798mg | Potassium: 1205mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 11787IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps - Thai Style appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

12 Fabulous Reasons to Love Our Quinoa Harvest Salad

We bet you can't stop at just one bite. Imagine this powerful bite landing on your taste buds:

Roasted butternut squash quinoa salad has the crunch of the roasted pepitas, sweetness of the gala apples and dried cranberries, nuttiness of the quinoa, fresh spinach, warming spices and a pop of fresh lemon from the dressing. We bet this one bite will have you craving for more.

Feed Your Body What it is Craving

Have you ever found the perfect recipe for what your inner body craves? I am not talking about chocolate or a glass of wine, although that would be quite nice. I am referring to nourishing your inner body and soul with what it "really" needs. This delicious warm quinoa salad with roasted vegetables has lots of spices to warm your heart, strengthen your inner soul and to keep your qi flowing smoothly.

Nourish your Body with Spleen Qi Warming Foods

During the change of seasons and if your body is out of balance, it is more prone to health issues. According to NIH, they suggest strengthening your Spleen Qi by eliminating hard-to-digest foods like raw or cold foods while simultaneously eating more foods that tonify the Spleen like warming vegetables, proteins, spices and grains.

Butternut squash, quinoa, cinnamon and turmeric are all warming foods according to Eastern Medicine. In our article, Introducing the Five Energies of Foods, you can learn about cold, hot, warm, cool and neutral properties of food. 

Why your Spleen Qi Dislikes Cold Foods

According to Eastern Medicine, if you eat lots of raw or cold foods, your spleen cannot work as effectively to get that nourishment out of the food and into a product that can nourish your body. If your body is already compromised, it has to spend extra energy warming up the food that you just ate to get nourishment from it. Now, you are in a vicious cycle.

Break this cycle by eating easy to digest warm foods like soups, stews and warm grains, warm curried autumn salads, vegetables and read our Feed Your Spleen; Nourish Your Body article. Our easy Quinoa Harvest Salad is the perfect spleen qi loving salad.

Fall Quinoa Salad Ingredients

• Quinoa - We used red quinoa.  However, you can also use white, black or mixed.  If desired, you can also exchange quinoa with brown rice.
• Butternut squash - naturally sweet and delicious when roasted. Feel free to substitute with kabocha, acorn or even pumpkin.
• Apples - Gala apples were used for this recipe. The goal is to just lightly roast. You want them still slightly crisp but sweeter from the roasting process. Other firmer apples like granny smith, fuji or honey crisp also work well in our quinoa harvest salad.
• Fresh chopped spinach - we add this to the hot quinoa, butternut squash and apples and it slightly wilts for the perfect warm salad. Feel free to use other greens like kale, swiss chard or other greens of choice.
• Dried cranberries - These are so good in the recipe and bring a sweet and sour addition to this warmed harvest festive salad.
• Easy roasted pepitas (AKA pumpkin seeds) - roasting the pumpkin seeds in the oven and salting lightly add that delicious crunch to this salad. Feel free to add any toasted nuts or seeds as desired. Pecans, almonds and sunflower seeds are all delicious.
• Warming spices - cinnamon, cumin and turmeric bring a whole new dimension of flavor to this fall harvest quinoa salad.
• Lemon juice - in the dressingbrightens this recipe right up. We also suggest you place just a little on the apples after slicing and right before baking so they do not oxidize.
• EVOO - extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

How to Cook Quinoa

Did you know that quinoa is actually a seed, even though it is sometimes referred to as an ancient grain? It is naturally gluten-free. There are many different types of quinoa such as white, red and black. We choose to use red quinoa for our quinoa harvest salad as that is what was on sale. (smiling)

One very important thing to note is that quinoa has a natural coating of saponin. This a chemical that helps repel microbes while the seed of quinoa is in its growing stage and it must be washed off BEFORE cooking or it can cause gastrointestinal distress.

Step 1 - wash the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer really well until it runs clear. We use agitation and rub the seeds between our fingers under the water for at least 5 minutes. Quinoa seeds are really small. We use a rice strainer for this, and it works quite well. (There is nothing more frustrating than using a regular strainer and then having to manually pluck out the grains of quinoa out with a knife.) Been there- Done That!

Step 2 - read your package directions as these are golden rule. We used Simple Truth Organic Red Quinoa and cooked according to the package directions. The water to grain ratio is 2 cups water to 1 cup dried quinoa.

Step 3 - Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.  This quinoa recipe yielded 3 cups of cooked quinoa. When the quinoa is cooked perfectly, it will be tender, and you can see these tiny spirals separating and curling around the quinoa seeds.

How to Chop a Butternut Squash Safely?

This butternut squash and apple salad only uses one half of a butternut squash. If you are looking for other delicious recipes to use the other half, be sure to try our Roasted Butternut and Carrot Ginger Soup, Butternut Squash Vegetarian Lasagna and Spicy Rosemary Butternut Squash.

Guess what? It is best to keep all 10 fingers!  If the thought of chopping up a butternut squash causes anxiety, you can buy pre-cut butternut squash at the market or use frozen chopped butternut squash for this recipe instead.

How to Make Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

What to Serve with Quinoa Salad?

This is a fantastic Thanksgiving side dish. Be sure to try with our Roasted Turmeric Spiced Turkey Breast.

We always like something naturally sweet with our pork. How about you? Be sure to try our quinoa salad along with our Rosemary Herbed Pork Chops with Shallot Wine Sauce.

We enjoy our Quinoa Harvest Salad for easy make ahead lunches and as a healthy alternative breakfast option too.

More Delicious Warm Salad Recipes

Best Vegan Warm Swiss Chard Lentil Salad

Sautéed Greens and Breakfast Salad

Thai Grilled Watermelon Salad

Authentic Thai Fish Salad

Stir Fried Romaine Lettuce

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Quinoa Harvest Salad

Quinoa Harvest Salad with roasted butternut squash and apples tossed in red quinoa, spinach, dried cranberries, easy roasted pepitas with a spiced warming autumn dressing.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 188kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked quinoa cooked per instructions (can use red, white, black or mixed)
• 4 tablespoon olive oil (divided - 2 tablespoons for roasting butternut squash and apples and 2 tablespoons for making the dressing)
• 1.5 cups butternut squash chopped into cubes (½ butternut squash)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric dried ground (divided - ½ teaspoon for roasting butternut squash and apples and ½ teaspoon for making the dressing)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon dried ground (divided - ½ teaspoon for roasting butternut squash and apples and ½ teaspoon for making the dressing)
• 1 teaspoon cumin dried ground (divided - ½ teaspoon for roasting butternut squash and apples and ½ teaspoon for making the dressing)
• 2 large apples chopped (gala, fuji, granny smith or any firm apple works well)
• 1.5 cups spinach chopped
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• ⅓ cup easy roasted pepitas
• 3 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
• Peel and chop butternut squash and apples. Keep butternut and apples separate as you will add these items separately at different times in the baking process. Drizzle a little of the lemon juice on the apples to prevent oxidations.
• Toss butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ½teaspoon of turmeric, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Place prepared butternut squash on a lined baking sheet in a single layer. Place in oven. Set timer for 15 minutes.
• Prepare 1 cup of quinoa per package instructions. Make sure you wash your quinoa super well and until the water runs clear BEFORE cooking.Very important step! Set aside and keep warm. Will yield approximately 3 cups of cooked quinoa. If you have already cooked quinoa, reheat in the microwave before adding to the salad.
• Next, add the chopped apples in with the butternut squash. Toss and layer flat and continue baking for about 5 - 8 minutes more or until the butternut squash is fork tender. Remove from oven.
• In the meantime, make your spiced autumn salad dressing. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of turmeric, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
• Prepare the easy roasted pepitas. You can do this in the oven or take 2 minutes and toast them in a pan on the stove top. Salt to taste. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, add the cooked warm quinoa, roasted warm butternut squash and apples, chopped spinach, dried cranberries and prepared spiced autumn salad dressing and toss. If serving immediately, toss in the roasted pepitas. If making in advance, hold the easy roasted pepitas until serving so they stay nice and crunchy.
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Storage

• Quinoa Harvest Salad can be made in advance and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 months.

How to Chop and Cube a Butternut Squash Safely

• Using your sharpest knife, cut your butternut squash in half, lengthwise. We used a clever. Did you know that a dull knife is twice is likely to cause injury than a sharp knife? Only use your hands-on top of the knife. Keep your hands off the actual squash. Sometimes, it is helpful to put the edge of the knife into the squash. Then, bang the squash down on to the cutting board to cut all the way through.
• Use a spoon and scoop and discard the seeds.
• We use a peeler to peel the butternut squash.
• Place the flat cut side of the butternut squash on the board. Cut the squash into slices and then into long slices. Finally, cut into cubes. Please check out our video in the recipe card for a demonstration.
• If the thought of chopping up a fresh butternut squash is too much for you, you can purchase butternut squash already pre-chopped in the fresh section of your grocery or use frozen butternut cubes for this recipe.

How to Cook Quinoa

One very important thing to note is that quinoa has a natural coating of saponin. This a chemical that helps repel microbes while the seed of quinoa is in its growing stage and it must be washed off BEFORE cooking or it can cause gastrointestinal distress.

Step 1 – wash the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer really well until it runs clear. We use agitation and rub the seeds between our fingers under the water for at least 5 minutes. Quinoa seeds are really small. We use a rice strainer for this, and it works quite well. (There is nothing more frustrating than using a regular strainer and then having to manually pluck out the grains of quinoa out with a knife.) Been there- Done That!

Step 2 – read your package directions as these are golden rule. We used Simple Truth Organic Red Quinoa and cooked according to the package directions. The water to grain ratio is 2 cups water to 1 cup dried quinoa.

Step 3 – Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.  This quinoa recipe yielded 3 cups of cooked quinoa. When the quinoa is cooked perfectly, it will be tender, and you can see these tiny spirals separating and curling around the quinoa seeds.

Recipe Exchanges and Substitutions

If you do not like quinoa, this recipe is also delicious with brown rice.

We used easy roasted pepitas (AKA pumpkin seeds) for this fall harvest quinoa salad. However, feel free to use pecans, almonds or sunflower seeds.

Butternut squash is delicious but can exchange with acorn squash, kabocha squash or even pumpkin.

If you do not have dried cranberries, this recipe is also delicious with raisins.

Spinach can be replaced with kale or other greens of choice.

We used gala apples for this recipe but can use any firm apple such as fuji, granny smith or apple of choice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2678IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Quinoa Harvest Salad appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Autumn Kale Salad is an easy 15-minute healthy harvest detox salad with dates, toasted almonds, edamame beans, kale and radishes with a zippy Citrus ginger jalapeño maple dressing.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Delicious Harvest Autumn Salads

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Autumn Kale Salad

Autumn Kale Salad is an easy 15-minute healthy harvest detox salad with dates, toasted almonds, edamame beans, kale and radishes with a zippy Citrus ginger jalapeño  maple dressing.

Course Salads

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 151kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

Autumn Kale Salad

• 7 oz Kale 1 bundle (vein removed and leaves chopped finely)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup dates dried, pitted and roughly chopped
• 5 radishes sliced thin and julienned
• ½ cup edamame beans shelled boil for 5 minutes, rinse and cool
• ¼ cup almonds toasted and chopped

Citrus Ginger Jalapeno Maple Dressing

• 3 tablespoon lime juice 1.5 limes (juiced)
• 1.5 tablespoon maple syrup or to taste
• 1 inch ginger fresh knob grated (or ½ teaspoon dried ground)
• 1 jalapeno chopped finely
• pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Wash and remove stem fro kale. Chop kale leaves.
  
• Add olive oil and salt to the kale and massage between your fingers for about 3 minutes or until the leaves start to turn from a light green to a deep dark forest green.
  
• Add dates, radish and edamame beans to salad. (Don't add the almonds until ready to serve)
  
• Make the Citrus Ginger Jalapeno Maple Dressing: Add the lime juice, ginger, maple syrup and jalapeno to a bowl. Whisk well and then add salt and pepper to taste. Add the dressing and almonds to the Autumn Kale Salad. Toss well.
  
• Enjoy! (Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours with dressing one. Don't add the almonds until you are ready to serve so they stay crunchy)
  

Video

Notes

With this delicious Autumn Kale Salad, the process of massaging your kale (with olive oil and salt) prepares it in a way that make it much easier to digest.

Please remove the tough stem from the kale leaves. You can do that by holding the stem and pulling off the leaves or you can do this with a knife or culinary scissors or well. Once you massage the kale leaves with a little olive oil and salt, they change from the pale light green blue color to a vibrant forest green color. We like to massage our kale for 2-3 minutes or just until the leaves change to a deep green and are tender. Do not over massage or your salad will be mushy.

Kale’s taste profile and texture changes after it is massaged. Before massaged this healthy green is really tough and difficult to chew and bitter. However, after kale is massaged is makes it tender and changes from bitter to more naturally earthy sweet notes.

You can add any vegetable you would like in this kale date salad with ginger lime dressing.

We just looked in the refrigerator to do a little clean out. Radishes, edamame beans, dates, limes and jalapeños were in the crisper and ready to be used.

Some delicious roasted Spicy Rosemary Butternut Squash, kabocha squash or acorn squash would also go well here. How about some thin carrot slices? You see where we are going here. Open your refrigerator. See what you have. Put it in your salad. If vegetables are in season and grow together, they can be put in a recipe together.  You can’t go wrong.

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5.6g | Fat: 7.7g | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 432mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5.3g

The post Autumn Kale Salad appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

What's to Love?

These little Caprese skewers are the mini super fun version of the traditional Italian Caprese salad. The fresh mozzarella balls are creamy and light. While the vine-ripened cherry tomatoes give this salad on a stick, a pop of sweetness.

The aromatic anise flavored basil, sweet and tart aged balsamic, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and dash of salt and freshly ground pepper make this one delicious bite. If you love fun food on a stick, be sure to try our Turmeric Pork Skewers and Thai Basil Dipping Sauce.

Quick and Easy

The fresh ingredients are threaded on to a bamboo skewer or large toothpick just like our Antipasto Wreath Charcuterie Skewers and served as a portable snack. It's a great way to get both kids and adults to eat a nutritious salad that they generally would not eat if served on a big plate. Caprese Salad on a Stick for a low fuss portable appetizer, snack or on the go salad made with quality Italian ingredients.

If you can grab a stick and hold on to a beverage at the same time, you have got the recipe for perfect entertaining and/or getting kids to eat something healthy. 

5 Ingredients + 5 Minutes = Italian Caprese Salad

This quick and easy Italian tomato and cheese Salad is just what you need to keep you feeling full but on top of your game. It is low carb and gluten-free snack and made with only 5 ingredients. What is not to love?

Why is this salad called Caprese?

This salad, otherwise known as Insalata Caprese in Italian, originated in a small island off the coast of Capri Islands in the coast of Naples in southern Italy. If you can't travel, at least you can travel to this beautiful place from the comfort of your own kitchen and enjoy some of Capri's famous recipes.

5 Delicious Ingredients

• Fresh Mozzarella balls
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Basil
• Aged Balsamic Vinegar
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• salt and pepper to taste (no included in the count as we are sure you probably have this at home)

Fresh Mozzarella Balls  

Did you know that Traditional Fresh Mozzarella cheese is made from milk of water buffalos? However, now a days, most fresh mozzarella balls are made from cow's milk and are sold in a brine to help keep their moisture or shape. This cheese is very soft, has a milky texture and is high in water content and lower in fat.

Many times, fresh mozzarella will be sold in the shape of balls called Bocconcini. Unlike, low moisture mozzarella, fresh mozzarella balls need to be consumed within 2-3 days as they turn sour with age.

You can find fresh mozzarella balls in the small little balls or larger balls. The small balls or bocconcini are super convenient to use on the Caprese Salad on a Stick as there is no cutting involved. However, you can also use the larger fresh mozzarella balls and cut into cubes like we did. This summer be sure to try our Grilled Harvest Wraps with fresh mozzarella for a delicious bite with grilled summer vegetables in the garden.

Cherry tomatoes

When the gardens are bursting with produce, it is the best time to make this Caprese appetizer. There is nothing like the taste a fresh garden picked cherry tomato from the garden still warm, kissed with the afternoon sunlight.

We chose both an heirloom yellow cherry tomato and red cherry tomatoes for our salad appetizer. If you have fresh tomatoes growing in the garden, be sure to try our How to Make Bruschetta Bread for a delicious fresh summer appetizer.

Basil

Fresh Italian basil is best. That delicious fresh anise bite is a nice contrast to the tomatoes and cheese. We have a little basil plant growing out on the balcony. On the ground level we have deer that thing everything planted around the home is an invitation to the open salad bar…

We know that most of you with gardens have more basil than you can shake a stick at. If so, be sure to make our Trofie al Pesto. It's a recipe that everyone in the family loves.

Aged Balsamic Vinegar

We are talking about the good stuff! Barrel aged balsamic that is naturally sweet and woodsy from the natural aging process. Have you ever tried Fondo Montebello balsamic vinegars from Modena? Pure, delicious and luxurious. We used FM 03 Organic Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI from Fondo Montebello or lighten it up with our white balsamic vinaigrette recipe.

The balsamico naturally thickens slightly during the aging process and it makes for one delicious Caprese Salad bites on a stick! If you like aged balsamic vinegars, be sure to try our Balsamic Roasted Fennel and Carrots, Balsamic Glazed Salmon and Roasted Root Vegetables, and our Chargrilled Halloumi Prosciutto Wrapped Nectarines and Balsamic Glaze.

You can find aged balsamic at whole food stores, specialty stores and Italian grocery stores or you can order it online. In a pinch, you can make your own balsamic reduction.

How to make a balsamic vinegar reduction?

Just heat balsamic vinegar over a low simmer until it reduces by half or becomes thick. It usually takes about 15 minutes. We find that the balsamic glaze or reduction is sweet enough on its own. However, if you have a sweet tooth you can add a touch of honey or maple syrup.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Italian cooking is based on the methodology of using a handful of good quality ingredients to make a dish extra delicious. When you have only five ingredients in a recipe, grab the best ingredients you can find. We love using a good extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar for our Italian Caprese Salads.

Have you tried Mie Radici's, Nocellara Organic EVOO? This extra virgin olive oil is smooth and fruity but with a peppery finish which makes it a delicious accompaniment to these delicious tomato and cheese salad kabobs and our Mediterranean Red Snapper Packets.

Plate vs Skewers

Traditional caprese salad is a simple Italian salad usually served on a large platter. Although, this is very delicious, we find that the tomatoes and fresh Italian mozzarella get kind of soggy in a short period of time. However, if you serve caprese salad on a stick the ingredients do not get soggy as the tomatoes are not cut.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Salad Recipes

Easy Summer Millet Salad

Heirloom Tomato Cucumber Salad

Gluten-Free Balsamic Panzanella Salad

Mediterranean Bean Salad

Best Vegan Warm Swiss Chard Lentil Salad

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Caprese Salad on a Stick

Caprese Salad on a Stick is a 5 ingredient make ahead low carb portable appetizer with garden fresh cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and aged balsamic vinegar. 

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 128kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• skewers

Ingredients

• 24 whole cherry tomatoes red and yellow if you desire
• 6 - 8 oz fresh mozzarella ball large cut into cubes or 12 mini fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
• 12-24 whole basil leaves fresh Italian
• 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
• 2 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze or reduced balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Thread the whole red cherry tomatoes, followed by a small fresh mozzarella balls or cubes, then with another whole yellow cherry tomato and then finally a basil leaf on the skewers. Depending on the size of your skewers, you may need to add more tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil or less.
• Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar to taste. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

You can assemble the skewers in the morning and drizzle on the aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil just before serving. However, they are best fresh. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days covered.

We have also found that you can assemble the skewers in the morning and store in a sealed container.  Hold off drizzling the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and seasonings just until the guest arrive and they stay fresh longer. Once, you drizzle the olive oil and balsamic dressing, they stay fresh for about 2 hours.

Use quality EVOO and balsamic vinegar for this recipe. If you can’t find aged balsamic vinegar you can make reduced balsamic glaze at home. You can find aged balsamic at whole food stores, specialty stores and Italian grocery stores or you can order it online. In a pinch, you can make your own balsamic reduction. We used Fondo Montebello aged Balsamic vinegar from Modena. 

How to make a balsamic vinegar reduction/glaze?

Just heat 1 cup balsamic vinegar over a low simmer until it reduces by half or becomes thick. It usually takes about 15 minutes.  We find that the balsamic glaze or reduction is sweet enough on its own. However, if you have a sweet tooth you can add a touch of honey or maple syrup. Save any extra balsamic in the refrigerator for later use.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1499IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 1mg

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What to serve with a Green Mango Salad?

We are so glad you asked as we have a plethora of options to choose from. Be sure to check out our Thai Cuisine category for a full list of recipes.

Thai Appetizers

Thai Firecracker Shrimp Party Appetizer

Gluten Free Thai Shrimp Pancakes

Easy Mango Salsa

Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Thai Soups and Curries

Hot and Sour Prawn Soup

Tasty Thai Curry Bowls

Halibut Coconut Curry in a Hurry

Roasted Kabocha Squash with Curried Sauce

Satay Kabocha Curry

Thai Mains

Thai Red Curry Salmon

Pad Thai YOUR Way

48 Best Thai Recipes

Tropical Thai Swordfish

Spicy Holy Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)

Thai Sweet Chili Pork Tenderloin

Grilled Flank Steak with Thai Style Chimichurri

Thai Desserts

Easy Mango Sticky Rice

Thai Banana Spring Rolls

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Spicy shrimp salad can be served as an appetizer or served as a light lunch or dinner.

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Thai Shrimp Mango Salad

Thai Shrimp Mango Salad (Yam Mamuang Goong Sod)is a light refreshing Asian salad made with julienned "green mango", freshherbs, jumbo shrimp and tossed with our spicy Thai Prik Nam Pla Sauce.

Course Appetizer, lunch, Sides

Cuisine Thai

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 137kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Equipment

• knife or mandolin

Ingredients

• 12-16 large shrimp raw
• water for poaching shrimp
• 1 whole lime fresh and cut in half
• ½ teaspoon salt for poaching shrimp
• 2 medium green mangoes peeled, julienne or grated
• 6 tablespoon Prik Nam Pla As the green mango is sour, add extra brown sugar or sugar alternative of choice. We added 1 tablespoon of brown sugar to taste in this recipe to balance the sweet, sour, spicy and savory Thai flavors.
• ⅓ cup fresh herbs cilantro, Thai basil, mint, green onions, etc.
• ¼ cup toasted peanuts crushed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Poach shrimp (skip step if buying pre-cooked shrimp)

• Add water to a medium sized pot and add water, limes and salt. Put on lid and bring to a boil. In the meantime, take kitchen shears and cut the shell lengthwise up the back of the shrimp from the head to the tail. Remove vein and rinse.

  Once the water is boiling, add the shrimps, put the lid onimmediately take it off the heat. Set the timer for 3 minutes. Allow shrimp topoach in hot boiled prepared lime water for 3 minutes. Shrimp should no longerbe translucent. Scoop shrimp out of pot with a slotted spoon and place in icedwater. Allow to cool. Peel shrimp. Leave tails on if desired.
  

Prepare Green Mango

• Wear gloves if you are sensitive. Peel green mangoes and either use a mandolin to slice thinly, shred with a grater or slice in thin julienne strips like we did. If you are doing this in advance, spritz on a little lime juice to keep it fresh.
  

Assemble Salad

• Prepare your Prik nam Pla sauce - See the recipe details in our post. https://www.hwcmagazine.com/recipe/prik-nam-pla/
  
• Assemble the Thai Shrimp Mango Salad. Add poached shrimp, grated or sliced green mango, prik nam pla sauce, fresh chopped herbs of choice. We added cilantro and Thai basil. However, mint, chopped green onions and regular basil are also delicious. Toss salad and top with toasted chopped peanuts. Feel free to serve your spicy shrimp green mango salad in a lettuce wrap or lettuce cup for a refreshing appetizer or a light lunch. Enjoy!
  

Video

Notes

Add more brown sugar or sugar alternative of choice to prik nam pla. As the green mango is sour, please add extra brown sugar or sugar alternative of choice to your desired taste preference. We added 1 tablespoon of brown sugar to taste in this recipe to balance the sweet, sour, spicy and savory Thai flavors.

Did you accidentally add way too much chili pepper in the salad? Been there! Done That! You can fix that issue by adding a little more brown sugar, palm sugar or sugar alternative to tame down the heat in the recipe. Feel free to change out Thai chili peppers with jalapeno or other milder peppers or even dried crushed red pepper in the prik nam pla sauce. 

If you want to save time, you can buy shrimp already poached and peeled. 

Remember to wear gloves when working with the fresh green mango skin and also with bird chilis is you are sensitive. 

Making Recipe in Advance: You can poach the shrimp up to 48 hours in advance and store covered in the refrigerator. Next, slice, julienne or grate your green mango up to 24 hours in advance and drizzle with a little lime juice and store covered in the refrigerator. If desired, you can make your prik nam pla sauce 24 hours in advance or the morning of your gathering. Just before your guest arrive, toss the shrimp, prepared green mango and prik nam pla sauce together. Add the crushed roasted peanuts upon serving. 

Feel free to use any fresh herbs you desire. We used cilantro, Thai basil and green onions as that is what we had on hand. However, this recipe is also delicious with fresh mint, regular basil or even parsley if you do not like cilantro. 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1541IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Thai Shrimp Mango Salad appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Why you are going to love our Quinoa Fruit Salad

Don't you love it when a salad is zippy! The mixture of the mangoes, blueberries, apricots, grapes, pineapple and cherries are sweet and vibrant. Usually, when we eat a fruit salad, we are hungry like five minutes later. Who is with us on that? However, protein packed quinoa keeps you feeling fuller longer. Quinoa is a little nutty and gives this salad a fun texture. Whilst, the citrus honey lime vinaigrette is a little tangy, sweet and aromatic. This super food fruit salad makes for one delicious refreshing fruity bite and it is just what you need to stay cool and happy this summer.

Super Easy Side Dish to Pass

Our fruity quinoa salad is a delicious light side dish recipe for a spring or summer BBQ gathering, light breakfast, brunch or lunch. You are going to love this fruity salad as it is so refreshing, and it takes under 30 minutes to make. This quinoa fruit bowl recipe is also happily gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free and a breeze to throw together. After all, who wants to turn the oven on when the heat index soars. If you looking for another tropical fruit salad, be sure to try our Tutti Fruitti Kale Salad and Citrus Honey Dressing.

Breakfast and Brunch Idea

We hosted a casual gathering with some close friends and whipped up this quinoa breakfast salad together in the morning along with a Stove Top Parmesan Leek Frittata. It was a huge hit!  LOVE the fact this salad as you can made it a few hours in advance of your guests' arrival. That gives you more time to entertain and less time in the kitchen.

Seasonal Fruits

You can use absolutely any seasonal fruits you desire and local to your region in this quinoa salad with fruit.  Strawberries, blueberries, mangoes, pineapple and apricots are in season now so that is what I attempted to put in my fruit salad. We say attempted as we had planned to use those delicious strawberries in our fruit salad. However, someone not mentioning any names, ate them all. Boys! Need we say anything more? We find ourselves writing "do not eat" on everything. If we turn our heads for one moment, food is gone. We threw in a few cherries instead. Mix it up and have fun.

We also make a delicious tropical quinoa Hong Kong fruit salad recipe with lychee, mangoes and Huang pi, like in our Huang Pi Martini.

If fresh fruits are difficult to obtain, you can also use strained "canned fruits" of choice.

Fruits to Avoid

The only caution we have for you is not to use as fruits that oxidize quickly like apples and pears. In addition, if you use fruits that bleed red like red dragon fruit, it will make your quinoa pink. You can see how bright the dragon fruit is in our Ginger Citrus Dragon Fruit Smoothie and in our Yummilicious Yang Mei recipes.

Not that there is anything wrong with that as it will still taste fabulous, but it will be slightly pink.

What is Quinoa?

Have you had a chance to try quinoa yet? Don't worry if you had not had a chance yet, this recipe will give you something new to try.

Quinoa has been called the "mother of all grains" even though it is actually a seed instead of a grain. We think quinoa looks a little bit like couscous but maybe smaller. Quinoa is high in protein, fiber and vitamins and has also been called a superfood by scientists.  However, we just like quinoa as I love its nutty flavor and fun little crunch when it is cooked. How about you?

The delicious little micro grains compliment a salad whether it be slightly sweet in a quinoa fruit salad recipe or in a savory salad like our Nutty Ginger Tamari Quinoa Salad and Quinoa Harvest Salad.

Quinoa is high in protein and has about 39 grams of carbohydrates per cup. However, because it has more protein and fiber than rice you need less of it to fill you up. Quinoa is gluten-free and is an ancient grain. An ancient grain is a grain that has been minimally changed by selected breeding over time, unlike corn and wheat and such.

How to Cook Quinoa

We made my quinoa according to the package directions the night before. However, you can also make it the day of and just put in the freezer to get it cooler, faster.

Quinoa needs to cook about 10-20 minutes depending on how large your batch is. The ratio of quinoa to water is 2 parts water for every one-part quinoa. You may also find quinoa in red or brown or white as I am using here today. You can use any 3 but I like the white quinoa in the fruit salad as it is a little milder.

Citrus Honey Dressing

The dressing could not be easier as it has only 3 little fresh ingredients; limes (or lemons), orange and a little honey. That's it! How simple is that?!! There is no oil or salt just, pure and fresh ingredients and fruits that are colorful like the rainbow. Quinoa Fruit Salad is healthy and delicious and breeze to put together.

Ingredients

The great news is that measurements do not need to be exact. In addition, you can exchange with any fruits you desire. Displayed below are the ingredients we used for our quinoa fruit salad.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

More Delicious Salad Recipes

17 Amazing Spring Potluck Recipes

Matcha Soba Salad with Norimaki Mochi

Lemon White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Gluten-Free Balsamic Panzanella Salad

Grilled Shrimp Nectarine Summer Salad

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This recipe was first published in April 2015 and has been updated for more detailed content, video and new photos.

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Quinoa Fruit Salad

Quinoa Fruit Salad is a bright gluten-free healthy summer salad with seasonal fruits such as mangos, apricots and blueberries tossed with quinoa, mint and a zippy citrus honey lime dressing.

Course Breakfast, Sides

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 127kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

Quinoa Fruit Salad

• 2 cups quinoa
  cooked white
• 1 cup grapes
  sliced in half - optional
• 1 whole apricot medium pit removed and chopped
• 2 whole mangoes peeled and diced - optional
• ½ cup strawberries or cherries sliced -optional
• ½ cup blueberries
  optional

Citrus Honey Dressing

• 4 tablespoon orange juice
  
• 4 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon lime zest or lemon zest
• 1.5 tablespoon honey or to taste (can exchange with sugar alternative or maple syrup as needed )
  
• 2 tablespoon mint fresh roughly chopped (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the quinoa- If you already have cooked quinoa skip the next 2 steps.

• To make 2 cups of cooked quinoa, measure out ⅔ cup of dry quinoa. Wash very well until water runs clear in a fine mesh colander.This removes the bitter taste from quinoa seed. This natural coating of a substance is called saponin. Saponin has a bitter flavor which discourages birds from eating it so wash well.

  To cook the quinoa, you will use a 2:1 ratio of liquid to quinoa, or 1 and ⅓ cups of water for ⅔ cup of dry quinoa.
• Cook quinoa per label directions, which is generally bringup to a boil and then simmer for about 10-15 minutes with a lid or until allthe water is absorbed and the quinoa is light and fluffy. Set aside with lid onfor 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork. If you are cooking a large amount ofquinoa it can take up to 2 minutes to cook. Quinoa is done cooking when thetiny spiral (the germ) separates and curls around the seed. 

  You can cook your quinoa the day before and store inrefrigerator or make the day of and cool in the freezer to assist with coolingprocess.
  
• In a small bowl mix together your lime (or lemon juice), orange juice, zest of lemon (or lime) and honey until honey is incorporated

  Chop up your grapes, mangoes, pineapple, apricots, cherries and add your washed blueberries to your cooked and cooled quinoa.
  
• Add your citrus honey dressing to the quinoa and fresh fruit mixture, add chopped mint and mix well. Serve and enjoy.
  

Video

Notes

Feel free to use any fruits you desire. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, mangoes, pineapples, kiwi, apricots, peaches, grapes, lychee, citrus are just a few examples of fruits to use. The ratio or our quinoa to fruit was 2 cups cooked quinoa to 4.5 cups fruit of choice. However, measurements do not need to be exact. If fresh fruits are difficult to obtain, you can also use drained “canned fruits” of choice.

The only caution we have for you is not to use as fruits that oxidize quickly like apples, bananas and pears. In addition, if you use fruits that bleed red like red dragon fruit, it will make your quinoa pink. Pink quinoa still tastes delicious, but it is not as pretty.

In addition, you can use either lime or lemon for the tart citrus for the honey citrus vinaigrette. We used some of both as that is what we had on hand. We are all about using what you have in your refrigerator or in the fruit basket at home.

To make this recipe vegan, swap out the honey in the recipe with maple syrup or sugar alternative of choice. Ripe fruit is sweeter, and you can use less sweetener.

You can cook the quinoa up to 3 days in advance. You can prep your fruit up to 24 hours in advance and store in a separate container. However, we would not assemble your fruit salad until the day you are ready to serve. You can store your prepared fruit salad up to 3 days in a container in the refrigerator.

As a reminder, make sure you wash your quinoa very well in a fine mesh colander before cooking. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 216mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Quinoa Fruit Salad appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

Fun Fact: Did you know that it is customary in Japanese culture to serve the pasta water the soba noodles were boiled in (Sobayu) to drink for good health? Sobayu is enjoyed after eating the Soba noodles.

Living in Japan, we had the exciting opportunity to try new delicacies and learn how to make delicious authentic Japanese Cuisine dishes.

Recipe Perks

You are just going to love the slurpability of cold buckwheat (soba) noodles combined with the crunch of the vegetables. Every bite, you get something a little different with the creaminess of the hard-boiled eggs, silky soba noodles and crunch of the spring radishes, greens and snap peas.

However, the yuzu ginger dressing on this soba noodle salad is going to make you smile. Seriously delicious! We could just do shots of this dressing. (Don't worry if you do not have yuzu as lemon zest in this dressing is delicious too)

As it is not a mayonnaise based dressing, like the one used in our Asian Crab Salad, it's the perfect for a dish to pass to all of your spring- summer BBQ functions. Be sure to check out our other Salad Recipe Categories for more summer salad dishes to pass.

Yuzu Ginger Soy Dressing

Yuzu Ginger Soy Dressing is an addictive salad dressing made with soy sauce (or tamari sauce), yuzu paste (or lemon zest), grated ginger, honey, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Absolutely lip smacking delicious.

You may want to double your recipe for the dressing as it also makes a fabulous marinade for chicken, shrimp and fish. We are all about cook once and eat twice kind of meals. How about you?

What the heck is a YUZU?

Have you ever tried yuzu? Yuzu is a member of the citrus family and is a fruit. It can be generally found in Japan, Korea, China and other Asian Countries. It's an odd looking fruit as it has bumps, is yellow and has loads more seeds compared to a lemon.

The closest relative to a yuzu is a lemon. However, it is also more sour, pungent and floral which makes it a fantastic as a dressing, marinade, in cocktails just to name a few.

We used Yuzu paste by S & B and it is 100% yuzu with salt to preserve. This type of paste can be difficult to find so want to let you know that this recipe is just as delicious with plain normal lemon zest replacement in a 1:1 ratio.

Consequently, Yuzu paste is different than Yuzu Kosho which is a combination of yuzu citrus and chili peppers. We found our S & B yuzu paste at a Japanese grocery store. You can also find it online.

What can you substitute YUZU with?

You can use grated lemon zest in a 1:1 ratio exchange with 100% yuzu paste. In addition, you can swap out the soy sauce and yuzu paste in the recipe with just 6 tablespoons of ponzu sauce. Ponzu sauce is made by simmering mirin, rice vinegar, bonito flakes, and seaweed. Once this liquid is then cooled the juice of a yuzu or lemon is added to give it that fabulous punch of flavor. Of course, ponzu sauce is not gluten-free.

Soba Noodles

It can be very difficult to find traditional soba noodles made out of 100% buckwheat noodles, even in Japan. Sometimes, Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour and wheat flour. If you have celiac disease, you need to really check it out to make sure they are 100% buckwheat.

Even though buckwheat has the word wheat in the title, it is not actually a grain at all. Buckwheat noodles are completely addictive aldente, silky and have lots of vitamins, minerals and protein compared to some your noodle counterparts. If you like soba, be sure to try our Matcha Soba Salad with Norimaki Mochi.

Veggies

We love visiting the Farmer's Market and picking out the fresh vegetables for our Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing. Radishes and snap peas and mixed fresh greens looked gorgeous we added this to add some crunch to the mix. However, edamame, thinly julienned carrots, or any veggies you have in your crisper would be a lovely addition.

You might really like the balance of adding in as many mixed greens as you do soba noodles. A 50-50 addition works for us.

In addition, we added a few sliced hard-boiled eggs to give the dish a completed feel. You could also add grilled tofu, grilled shrimp, salmon or whatever your little heart desires.

Step by Step: How to Make

1) Boil your Japanese soba in plenty of salted water.
2) You must rinse your soba noodles with cold water. Very important step.
3) Make your Yuzu ginger dressing and prepare your additions
4) Toss
5) Enjoy

Popular Japanese Recipes

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Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing

Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing is a cooling Japanese salad with fresh spring snap peas, radishes and greens with a yuzu ginger soy dressing.

Course Mains, Sides

Cuisine Japanese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 264kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

Yuzu ginger dressing

• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
  (or tamari)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  
• 2.5 tablespoons honey
  (or maple syrup for vegan option)
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  
• 2 teaspoons yuzu paste
  (or 2 teaspoons lemon zest)
• 1 teaspoon ginger freshly grated or ½ teaspoon dry dround ginger

Soba Noodle Salad

• 7.5 ounces soba noodles
  or about 3 bundles of soba noodles
• 1 tablespoon Salt
  to boil soba noodles (1 tablespoon of salt for 16 cups/ 4 quarts water)
• 1 cup snap peas
  
• ¾ cup radishes
  sliced
• ¼ cup green onions
  sliced
• 2 cups leafy greens
  (spinach. Kale chard, etc.)
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
  toasted
• 2 eggs
  optional
• ½ cup Edamame cooked and shelled - optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Boil soba noodles in salted water according to directions. Our directions are for about 6 minutes for aldente noodles. Do not overcook noodles. Immediately drain the soba noodles and rinse with cool water. Set aside.
• Boil eggs in water for 6 minutes. Remove from pot. Rinse to cool and peel. Slice. Set aside.
• Make Yuzu ginger dressing: In a small bowl mix together soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, rice wine vinegar, yuzu paste (or lemon zest) and freshly grated ginger and mix. Set aside.
• Toss your salad together: In a very large salad bowl add your cooked, rinse and cooled soba noodles, snap peas, radishes, green onions, leafy greens, toasted sesame seeds and yuzu ginger salad dressing. Toss well.
• Garnish with hard boiled eggs and edamame, if desired, and enjoy!

Notes

Make sure to salt your water well to boil your soba noodles.

Feel free to add any vegetables you desire to your Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing. Ribbons of carrots and edamame all work very well in this recipe too.

You can make this recipe vegan by exchanging the honey to maple syrup.

You can substitute rice wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar, if needed.

Feel free to swap the Yuzu paste with 2 teaspoons of lemon zest. Or you can exchange both the 6 tablespoons of soy sauce and 2 teaspoons of yuzu paste with 6 tablespoons of ponzu sauce.

Please note that ponzu sauce is not gluten-free. If you are celiac, you will need to make sure your soba are 100% buckwheat and made gluten-free as many brands are part wheat and part buckwheat. You can feel free to exchange soy sauce with tamari sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl soba salad | Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 2482mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing appeared first on Healthy World Cuisine

You are going to love the natural sweetness of the carrot combined with the crispy earthy and slightly sweet taste of the burdock, It makes it an addictive starter or picnic addition. Serve this Japanese salad with a few onigiri or onigiri, tomagoyaki or onigirazu for a delight teatime or bento box idea.

What the heck is a burdock root?

Have you ever tried burdock root? It's crunchy, lightly sweet and slightly bitter. Burdock root is called "gobo" (ごぼう) in Japanese (Nihongo). This long-dried root is covered in a light brown covering similar to the coating on a ginger root. You can easily peel this with a back of your spoon or peeler.

Burdock is used as a root vegetable used in many recipes. It can be eaten raw, braised, boiled, fermented and in many unique recipes. It can also be brewed as a tea and also used in as an herbal medicine.

How to prepare burdock root?

• Remove the skin as it can be tough.
• Julienne sliced burdock root makes it easy to eat with your chopsticks.
• Prevent Oxidation: Burdock root oxidizes quickly when exposed to air. You are going to want to soak your burdock root in water to prevent this oxidation. Soaking, for about 10 minutes, also helps to remove a little of the bitterness.
• Blanching: For our Sesame Burdock Root Salad, we blanched the carrots first for 2 minutes and then the burdock root lastly. Burdock root is a little tougher and stronger in flavor. It takes a bit longer to cook (about 3-5 minutes). If your burdock root is older and not as fresh, the cooking time can be even longer.

Uses in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Burdock root is a cooling food according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Our post called, "Introducing the Five Energies of food", will help refresh your memory on this topic as it correlates to certain foods.

Depending on your body disposition and any imbalances you may have, cooling foods will be either good for you or not good for you. We balance the cooling effect of this Sesame Burdock Root Salad with a little spice and heat from Shichimi togarashi.

Shichimi togarashi is a 7-flavor chili pepper mixture that is used in Japanese cooking. If you do not have this spice but want to add a little heat, you can try a little white ground pepper.

Effects to Note

The burdock root is slightly bitter and has a cleansing action on the body. It clears heat, drying dampness and promoting elimination via urination or bowel movements. We say everything in moderation.

If you are on diuretics, have diarrhea or are pregnant, use with caution. You do not want to become further dehydrated. Also, if you have a predisposition to being too cold, do not over-consume as you do not want to cause an imbalance between your yin and yang.

Dish to Pass

Sesame Burdock Root Salad The simple mayo sesame dressing has a little Japanese mirin, soya sauce, Kewpie Mayo, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds a little touch Shichimi togarashi for a little spice.

If you are looking for a great dish to pass for all of your BBQ functions without mayo, be sure to try our  Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing.

Fabulous starter, appetizer and side dish

Sesame Burdock root salad is a great dish to serve on the side or as a starter to a delicious Japanese meal. The delicious crunch and zip pf the salad really wakes up those taste buds.

If you are craving salads, be sure to try our Lemon white Balsamic Vinaigrette ,  Easy Summer Millet Salad, and Summer Salad with Strawberry Rose Dressing.

More Japanese Summer and Spring Recipe Ideas

Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.

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Sesame Burdock Root Salad

Sesame Burdock Root Salad is made with braised Japanese gobo root and carrot with light and creamy sesame mayo dressing.

Course Appetizers/ Snacks, Sides

Cuisine Japanese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 102kcal

Author HWC Magazine

Ingredients

• 2 cup Burdock root or 2 stalks peeled and julienned
  
• 1 Carrot
  peeled and julienned
• Water for boiling
  
• 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
  Kewpie
• 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
  (tamari)
• 1 tablespoon Mirin (Japanese cooking wine or can use cooking sherry)
  
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or sugar alternative of choice
• 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
  
• 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
  toasted
• ¼ teaspoon Shichimi togarashi (optional) or to desired heat level

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Peel, slice on a diagonal thinly and julienne slice burdock. Soak burdock in water for 10 minutes to prevent oxidation. Peel, slice and julienne carrot. Set aside.
• In a medium sauce pan bring water to boil. Add julienned carrot slices and parboil for about 2 minutes. Remove, rinse with cold water and set aside.
• In the same boiling water add the julienned burdock root and parboil for about 3-5 minutes or until crisp to the tooth but tender enough to chew. If your burdock root is old, the time needed to get the burdock root to tender can be much longer… maybe up to 10 minutes. The only way to truly tell if your burdock root is ready is to eat a slice. It should be crisp but tooth tender. Remove cooked burdock root from pan. Rinse with cold water. Set aside.
• Dry your cooked and cooled burdock root and carrot julienned slices very well. Don't miss that step as you do not want a watery dressing.
• In a medium bowl add you dried burdock root, carrot, mayonnaise, soy sauce (or tamari if you need to keep it gluten free), mirin, sugar or sugar alternative, sesame oil, toasted white sesame seeds and Shichimi togarashi if desired. Mix well.
• Enjoy!

Notes

We used Japanese Kewpie brand mayonnaise but feel to use mayonnaise of choice.

If you need to keep this recipe gluten-free exchange soy sauce with tamari sauce.

Mirin is a sweet Japanese cooking rice wine. If you cannot find mirin or Aji-mirin, you can exchange with cooking sherry or sake.

Shichimi togarashi is a 7 chili spiced Japanese spice. It is spicy and adds a little heat to the recipe. It is optional. If you want to add a little heat to the dish, you can also add a little bit of white pepper.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1723IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

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