Potato Salad with Horseradish Dressing

One of my favorite family traditions is Sunday lox and bagel brunch. Whenever my grandpa would visit from Florida, we would have a big brunch on the last Sunday he was in town. It had all the makings of a traditional Jewish breakfast: bagels from a local bakery, flavors of cream cheese, every kind of fish you could imagine, and a million different salads. As a kid, the different fish didn't look appetizing, so I stuck with everything else, and of course when I got older, I stopped eating meat. We got most of the fish and salads from a supermarket by my house. I loved the pasta salads and coleslaw, but my favorite was red potato salad.

Now that my grandpa doesn't travel anymore, and I moved away from home, my dad and I have our special brunch when I visit home. Sadly, that supermarket has closed, and now I have no way of getting some of my favorite salads. My dad bought a few from other places, but they just weren't the same.

While on a mission to find some recipes online, I found one for red potato salad. It looked so good, and I decided to try it out.



What you need:



5 Lbs potatoes
grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 can of green beans
fresh dill
salt and pepper
horseradish sauce

Horseradish sauce:


4 table spoons mayo
1 tablespoon horseradish
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Mix everything together in a small bowl and set aside to dress the potatoes later.

What to do:
Cut the potatoes into 2-bite size. Place in a pot with enough water to cover to potatoes. Bring to a boil.
Keep checking on the potatoes, until you can easily split the largest one with a fork.
Drain water and let potatoes cool in the refrigerator.
While potatoes are cooling, prepare the horseradish dressing, slice the tomatoes, and chop the dill.
Once potatoes are cold, combine potatoes, dressing, dill, tomatoes, green beans, and salt and pepper.
Serve chilled.











I can't believe how good this turned out! The dressing was tangy, spicy, creamy, and the horseradish went perfectly with the potatoes. The dill went so well with all the different flavors. The freshness reminded me of a fancy BBQ party in spring. The potatoes were nice and soft, while the tomatoes added a bit of a crunch, and the string beans were a great addition. I didn't go out looking for a recipe to replace my beloved potato salad, but every time I ate this I was instantly reminded of it. I can't wait to go back home and make this for my dad and I for brunch!

Do you love potato salad too? Will you try this one?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

P.S. The horseradish dressing is so delicious and versatile, you can use it for many other recipes too!

Greek Beet Salad

I have had a strange relationship with beets over the years.  I used to hate them, or at least I thought I did.  They probably just weirded me out so I didn't want to try them (which is why I have never tried bamboo).  They looked squishy and are a weird color, and I was just so grossed out, even though I actually didn't even know what they tasted like.  All I knew is that they were the favorite food of Quailman.


source.

I remember the first time I tried beets was in Disney World.  My dad and I had lunch at The Land pavilion, and I got a salad that had beets in it.  I nibbled and picked around them, but I wasn't all that impressed.  After that, I decided that I was determined to try them for real.

Back in October, while visiting home, my dad and I went to our favorite Greek restaurant for dinner.  They had a beet and skordalia salad, and with some reassurance of its deliciousness from my dad, I took the plunge and ordered it. It was amazing! I had instantly become a beet lover.



Ever since that dinner, I could not stop thinking about beets. Lucky for me, last week Ben pointed out that our super market was having a really great sale on canned beets. Without thinking I grabbed two cans right away. (Maybe I should have thought more, because I got one can of whole beets, and one can of sliced. Oh well.)

Since my beet defining moment was Greek, I decided to make my own version of a Greek Beet Salad.

What you need:



2 Cans of beets
1 Bag of salad
Feta cheese
1 Can of chickpeas
Greek dressing

What to do:
Mix the beets, salad, chickpeas in a large salad bowl.


OMG look at the color on the feta cheese!

Add in the feta cheese, either sliced, cubed, or crumbled.
Mix in the Greek dressing.











First off, I want to say how incredible the color is.  Everything became a gorgeous, bright fuchsia color. It instantly made this fun to eat!  I just loved biting into these beets. They have a sweet and earthy taste with an indescribable texture.  The dressing was tart from the vinegar, and super flavorful from all the different spices. The feta was strong and salty, as always, and gave the salad that unmistakable Greek flavor. The chickpeas added a nice flavor, and also gave this meal a kick of protein.  This salad was so good and I was really happy that I got to enjoy more beets. I can't wait to see what else I can create with nature's candy.

What foods have you been too scared to try? Do you love beets as much as I do?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Ramen Broccoli Slaw

Welcome to fall...not really. I don't know about you, but its been in the 80's here in Virginia! October is my most favorite of seasons, but sadly its not quite feeling like fall around here.  Last weekend I was in Ocean City, MD to see my dad compete in the regional Barbershop Chorus competition.  While he was rehearsing I actually went to the beach! The beach, in October. Warm weather calls for warm weather food.



In the spring, I went to Ben's cousin's bridal shower. I absolutely love that side of his family. While most of Ben's family either forgets that I don't eat meat, or they just don't care enough to accommodate me, his aunt is the absolute sweetest.  Every family gathering at her place involves her walking me through all the vegetarian options that she made for me!  During the shower, we went through the same ritual. She pointed at a bowl full of greens and noodles, called it Ramen Broccoli Coleslaw, and told me it was vegetarian. I had never heard of such a thing. but after trying it I was hooked!  I decided it was time to try making it myself!

What you need:


Top Ramen Oriental flavor (the only vegetarian Ramen)
Olive oil
Broccoli Coleslaw
Sugar
Vinegar

Unfortunately, I lost the recipe, and I can't remember how much I used of each ingredient. I just remember that you smash the Ramen into small pieces, mix it up with the Ramen flavor packet and the other ingredients. If I find the recipe I will let you guys know!







The second time around, this was just as good as I remembered! I loved the combination of salty from the Ramen spices, the sweetness from the sugar, and the tang from the vinegar. The veggies were really fresh and really added to the mix of textures. The different crunches from the veggies and the noodles made this dish pretty complex. I love finding ways to dress up Ramen noodles, and this was definitely a winner in my book!

What are your favorite ways to dress up Ramen? Have you ever tried this Ramen Broccoli Slaw?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Creamy Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Hey everyone, I hope you all had a nice week and are enjoying your weekend. I just finished my first week of work. I can't say its fun, but its going really well and I'm enjoying it so far.  Being back at work also means packing lunches. I have been scoping my Pinterest pins for perfect lunches for work. I came across Amuse Your Bouche's creamy chickpea salad sandwiches.

What you need:



2 Cans of chickpeas (I only had one in the photo, sowwy!)
1 Cucumber
6 tsp Mayonnaise
Pepper
Garlic powder
Basil
Fresh spinach leaves
Slices of bread

What do to:
Drain the liquid out of the cans of chickpeas and dump them in a big bowl. Chop up the cucumber in small pieces and add them to the chickpeas. Mix in the mayo, pepper, garlic, and basil until everything is evenly coated.



That's it! Just scoop a big spoonful on some bread and add a few spinach leaves.







I was a little skeptical of  trying this at first because I really am not a fan of mayo, but adding in the spices made it a creamy and delicious dressing! I thought that little bit of mayo wouldn't be enough, but it was actually the perfect amount. Every chickpea and cucumber was perfectly coated, and the mayo flavor wasn't super strong.  The only downside is this sandwich was incredibly messy. After about 2 bites, almost all of the chickpeas had fallen out the other side. I ended up taking a handful of the spinach leaves and a few scoops of the salad and mixing them together in a bowl and eating with a fork and some bread on the side.  I am so happy I tried this. I can't wait to make it again!

Do you want to try making this chickpea salad sandwich?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Adapted from Amuse Your Bouche.

Greek Pasta Salad

Hey everyone, I hope you are all having a great week. After talking over a month off of work to move and get settled in Virginia, I'm finally back.  While it was nice taking so much time off, I was definitely getting bored. Plus, now that I'm living away from home, and buying my own food (oh ya, and paying that pesky rent) I need to make that green (and I don't mean lettuce)!

The weather is getting so hot, and all I have been craving is cold food. Eating a hot bowl of pasta just isn't appealing in this summer heat, but a nice  cool pasta salad, and you have a winner! Plus, pasta salad is a great addition to those many BBQ's I'm sure you are either throwing or attending.  I decided to give my pasta salad a Greek flare.

Adapted from Mele Cotte.

What you need:


1 box of whole wheat pasta
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Feta cheese
Pitted Kalmata olives
Greek dressing

As you can see in the photo, my Greek dressing is in that tupperware under the tomatoes.  I bought a bottle of Greek dressing from the store, and once I got it home, I saw that it had anchovies in it. *Sigh* That's what I get for not checking the ingredients. The dressing I bought is waiting to get returned to the store, and I was left without dressing. Luckily the pasta salad recipe also had a Greek dressing recipe. I threw together what I had in the house and whipped up some dressing.

Adapted from Mele Cotte.

What you need:



1 tsp spicy brown mustard
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried basil

All you have to do is mix it all together and you have dressing! I couldn't get over how much I loved this dressing. Its a great universal vinaigrette. I have tried to make vinaigrettes before, but they never turned out right. I think it was the mustard that really gave it the perfect flavor. I will definitely be using the dressing for everything!

What do to:

Start by cooking the pasta according to the instructions on the box.
Once the pasta is all done, put it in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours to chill.
While the pasta is chilling, chop up the veggies and feta cheese.



Then just mix the veggies, cheese, and dressing into the pasta and you're all done!









This pasta salad was great and easy to make. The olives and feta gave it that authentic Greek flavor, while the cucumber and tomatoes made this a fresh summer salad.  The homemade Greek dressing on the pasta was perfection.

I made a huge bowl of this and I'm still enjoying it. I hope I get invited to a BBQ just so I can make this again!

Are you going to try this Greek pasta salad?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

College Memories: TJ Rockwell's

Hello everyone! As you can tell I'm posting on a Tuesday, which I usually don't do, but I have something quick to show you guys.

I just returned last last from a weekend in Pennsylvania to watch my boyfriend, and his sister, graduate from graduate school and college.  The weekend was beautiful, and we got to spend some time out in the beautiful weather when we weren't attending meals and ceremonies. On the drive back we actually passed through the little town that I went to college in exactly 2 years ago, and we got lunch at the place where we had my very own graduation dinner. Well...why am I telling you all of this? Well if you remember the post on Melted Mozzarella Minestrone I did, I mentioned my inspiration of a vegetarian tomato soup prepared like French onion, with croutons and cheese melted right on top, that I got at a restaurant near where I attended college. Well we went to eat at that very same place, and I had to order that melty tomato soup!





Look at how amazing that is!  There's nothing like some hot, melted cheese on a perfect bowl of tomato soup. It's easy to see how I needed to find a way to enjoy this on my own home.

I opted for the lunch special and paired this soup with a fresh salad topped with walnuts, craisins, cheese, and a raspberry vinaigrette. No matter what I was eating, every bite was so delicious and filled with college memories!

I thought I might share some photos from the graduation, there are after the jump if you want to see how else I spent my weekend away!

Awareness Wednesday: Caesar Dressing

Hello everyone and welcome to another Awareness Wednesday post.  With spring here and summer around the corner, everyone is putting away their soup pots in exchange for salad bowls. There is nothing more refreshing than a big bowl of  fresh salad on a spring day.  While I hate the cliche of "vegetarians only eat salads" once in a while its nice to enjoy a salad. People might think and veggies like us just live off salad, but some of you may not know there are salads that we can't even eat!



Source.

Caesar salad is another one of those foods that I ate when I first became a vegetarian because I didn't know any better.  Then one night I was watching that cartoon called Brace Face.  In the episode, the main character decides to become a vegetarian.  There is a scene where she is in the cafeteria asking the lunch lady if there is meat in each of the food options. Then she asked something that had never crossed my mind until then: "Is there anchovy paste in the Caesar dressing?"

WHAT?! Fish in my dressing? I was shocked and confused, and popped right up to do some research.  Low and behold that cartoon was right! Caesar dressing is made with anchovy paste.  Of course I stopped eating it right then and there.


Source.

Then a year or two later, I was at a friend's birthday dinner. She decided to have a big family style Italian dinner at a local restaurant for her friends and family.  There were 3 vegetarians there, including myself, so she was nice enough to include a vegetarian pasta dish for us.  First the salad came out, and it was a Caesar salad.  I politely declined and nibbled on some bread.  But I noticed one of her vegetarian friends eating away.  I informed her that the Caesar dressing wasn't vegetarian, and then she ran to her mom (who was also a vegetarian) freaking out. I over heard her comforting her daughter telling her that Caesar dressing was, in fact, vegetarian.

This is why I have this blog, to inform vegetarians what is actually in the food they eat.  It saddened me that night to see a vegetarian eat animals, and not even know.

While ordering a Caesar salad at a restaurant might be no longer in the picture for us, you can always make it yourself at home! I have found this recipe, among others online, for vegetarian Caesar dressing. While I have not made it myself, I am very excited to try it!

Are you exchanging traditional Caesar dressing for your own home made vegetarian version?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Couscous Salad

Hello everyone! Today I have a salad that is just perfect for spring!  It combines light and fresh flavors, with couscous, to make you forget you are even eating a salad. Not only is this easy to make, but it is vegan too!

The Veggie Burger Chronicles: The Brazen Fox

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of the veggie burger chronicles! Today's post is aabout a local bar and restaurant, The Brazen Fox.  The Brazen Fox is located in White Plains, NY, and serves many kinds of bar munchies, meals, salads, and sandwiches. I discovered the Brazen Fox when I was out on new years eve.  My friends and I were looking for a bar to hang out in until the ball drop, so we stopped in here.  While I was more interested in what beers they had that night, I couldn't stop myself from just checking out the menu.  While I didn't order any food that night, I wanted to try so many things on the menu, so I  went back a few months later to make sure I finally got to try the food.

I was given the menu, and the specials menu (and of course the drink menu).  I usually just toss aside the specials, but that day there was a southwestern black bean veggie burger on the specials and I knew I found the winner!



The burger itself was really delicious! The outside was crunchy and the inside was soft and creamy.  I usually don't like black beans, but you could taste all the spices more than the actual flavor of the beans so I was really pleased. It also came with melted cheddar and avocado which pretty much made it a win in my book! Of course they had to include the classics: lettuce, tomato, and pickles. You can choose from a number of sides including fries, and sweet potato fries, but I opted for the healthier salad.  This salad came with a really tasty balsamic vinaigrette.

What I also love about the Brazen Fox is that you can make ANY normal burger on the menu, and change it to a veggie burger.  I love that since most places have one veggie burger but like 10 meaty ones, so eventually I get tired of getting the same thing.  But now I can try all the different kids of burgers they offer and still keep it meat free!

Have you been to the Brazen Fox? If you are in the area will you plan a visit? What are your favorite veggie burger toppings?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Salad Works

Hello everyone!  Today I have a restaurant to tell you about.  Ever since I have been dating my boyfriend, Ben, I have been bugging him to take me to this place called Salad Works but his house.  We go to the Petco right by it pretty frequently, and I always beg him to take me to lunch there. Well finally we got to go! I don't have one in my area, but I knew they are a chain, so many of you might have been there before.  I was hoping for one of those giant salad bar places with a hundred different things.  Salad Works was more like a Panera, Ben and I agreed.  They have soups and sandwiches and a made to order salad bar with an overwhelming amount of options.  They also have a set of pre-made salads, but they were all meaty, so I decided to order my own mix.



I ordered a half and half plate, with a small salad and half a sandwich. You can get a half and half of any combo of salads, sandwiches or soups, or get a whole order of just one item.  Panera has a similar set up, just with more focus on the sandwiches and less on the salads. They have about 10 sandwiches, only one is vegetarian, the caprese panini, so ordered that one.  They also have different soups each day, some are veggie, and some aren't.



I started my salad with spinach leaves, but you have a few options to start with.  Then I added tomatoes, feta cheese, walnuts, mandarin oranges, and chick peas, but you can order any 5 toppings of the ginormous list.  Then you choose from the, again, ginormous list of dressing.  I picked the green goddess, which is kind of like a garlic ranch...but green.




Over all I really enjoyed Salad Works.  I love how many options there are for making your salad, you could get a different one every time.  I wish there were more vegetarian options for sandwiches however.  Everything tasted really great and service was good too, you even get chips and a pickle with your order.  I can't wait to go back!

Have you been to Salad Works? Are you going to try it out?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Vegan Corn Salad for Thanksgiving

Hello everyone.  I am continuing my series of Thanksgiving meal posts with some corn salad.  With my new quest in trying veganism, I have been paying more attention to what foods are and aren't vegan.  When most people think of corn, they picture it on the cob and slathered in butter.  I wanted to try something more unique for Thanksgiving.  Last year I made a corn salad, so I brought it back again this year.

Here's what I used



1 Bag of frozen corn
1/4 Cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 Onion, diced
Oregano or Basil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:
Defrost the frozen corn and put in large bowl
Dice onion and mix add to the bowl



Add oil and vinegar and mix
Mix in the basil or oregano and salt and pepper
Let chill and serve cold





I love how simple but flavorful this dish is!  It is definitely something easy to make for when I am eating vegan, and for those that are vegan all the time.  Even meat eaters will love this dish!

Will you be trying out this simple corn salad recipe?

Bye from the Veggie Side!