Lunch – Page 2

Detox Kale Salad

December 7, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

One of the best ways to counteract holiday overindulging is to load up on fiber and leafy greens immediately after. This crisp kale salad is chock full of fiber, and the citrus adds a zesty punch–think a healthier, lighter version of a Caesear salad. This delicious salad only takes a few minutes to prepare and will have you feeling refreshed in no time!

Detox Kale Salad

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

Ingredients

1 bunch lacinato or tuscan kale (look for dark, flat leaves)
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely minced
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbs olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon

Instructions

Rinse and wash kale leaves and tear into small, bite sized pieces, removing the stems. Pat dry and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, mix together juice of one lemon, garlic, lemon zest, and olive oil. Pour over kale and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Add fresh parmesan and serve.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

November 21, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

I’ve never been a big soup person, but when it starts getting cold outside every fall there’s nothing better than cozying up with a big bowl of this delicious tortilla soup adopted from Barefoot Contessa’s Mexican Chicken Soup recipe.

It’s a hearty, filling, protein-packed meal made fresher with the addition of greek yogurt, avocado, and lots of fresh herbs that you can put together in an hour or less. I can’t wait to cook up a big pot for a gathering with friends and make a cute toppings bar to go along with it!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2½ quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
½ chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 cup greek yogurt
Recipe from Barefoot Contessa: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mexican-chicken-soup-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in ½, then cut them crosswise into ½-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.
* Barefoot Contessa at Home, All Rights Reserved. Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mexican-chicken-soup-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Peach Panzanella Salad

August 18, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

I am so excited to share my very favorite recipe of the summer so far!

Inspired by the bruschetta we made earlier this month, I made this panzanella salad last week using the leftover produce we had in the house and it was a huge hit! I love the contrast of these colorful tomatoes with sweet peaches and the crunch of these delicious homemade ciabatta croutons on top (not pictured above). This is definitely a winner!

Peach Panzanella Salad

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

3 mins

Total time

23 mins

Ingredients

½ red onion, thinly diced
1 cucumber, diced
1 lb cherry tomatoes (preferably in an assortment of colors), diced
1 lb fresh peaches, diced
¼ cup basil, finely chopped
¼ cup mint, finely chopped
1 ball buratta cheese
½ loaf ciabatta bread (preferably stale)
7 tbs olive oil
3 tbs oregano
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat broiler. Tear bread into small, bite-sized pieces and place on a lined baking sheet. Toss with 3 tbs olive oil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Toast lightly in oven for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, and set aside.
In a large bowl, lightly toss peach, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, basil, and mint in a large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 4 tbs olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. to taste. Serve, garnishing with toasted ciabatta croutons and bite-sized pieces of buratta.

Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate, Feta & Mint

July 29, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

I hope that everyone is enjoying summer as much as we have these past few months! There’s nothing better than long days at the beach–not to mention the amazing summer produce out there right now!

I don’t know about you, but when it’s so gorgeous outside the last thing I want to be doing is staying inside in the kitchen cooking hot meals (as much as I love cooking!). This recipe is just the ticket, and it’s the perfect unexpected, colorful, and a quick side for the last of your picnics and barbecues this season. Enjoy!

Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate, Feta & Mint

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Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 large English cucumber, diced thinly
5 tbs mint, finely chopped
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Juice of one lemon
3 tbs olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
Edible flowers (as desired)

Instructions

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add quinoa. Turn off heat and let sit for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When fully cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
Add all ingredients in a large bowl and lightly toss.

Peach, Avocado, and Heirloom Tomato Salad

July 20, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

Let’s be honest, salads can get boring sometimes. But, this one is a far throw from your typical salad (teaser: it doesn’t even have lettuce) and I love that it combines my three favorite summer ingredients all in one beautiful, colorful dish! Who would think that peaches, avocados, and tomatoes go well together? I’m so glad they do.

Peach, Avocado, and Heirloom Tomato Salad

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Author: Amy C

Recipe type: Salad

Ingredients

2 peaches
1 avocado
2 heirloom tomatoes (try a variation of colors)
⅛ cup red onion, finely chopped
⅛ cup cilantro
1 tbs lime juice
2 tbs olive oil

Instructions

Combine sliced peaches, tomato, and finely chopped red onion in a bowl. Add in diced avocado and lightly toss in lemon and olive oil. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Red Onion

Summer Corn Salad

July 7, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

When there’s such beautiful produce in the summertime I love experimenting with recipes from our local farmer’s market. This week my favorite farmer was selling the most beautiful tomatoes and I knew I wanted to find a simple summer side to compliment them.

This corn salad is the perfect summer side–it’s light and has lots of crunch and fresh flavor. I also love that it is so wonderfully colorful and cheery!

Summer Corn Salad

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Ingredients

3 ears of sweet corn, shucked
2 cups of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (best if you can use a variety of colors)
½ cucumber, finely diced
¼ cup mint, finely chopped
¼ cup basil, finely chopped
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Shuck and clean corn and cook for 3 minutes in boiling water or until starchiness is gone. Drain, and once cool use a sharp knife to cut kernels off of the cob.
In a medium mixing bowl, lightly toss all ingredients together. Serve at room temperature as a side and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Crockpot BBQ Pulled Chicken

June 27, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

There’s nothing more quintessentially American than a good BBQ dish. In preparation for the Fourth of July next Monday, I’m sharing one of the quickest, simplest BBQ recipes out there. It doesn’t require a grill or any crazy marinade times, and you can literally cook it overnight so that it’s ready for you when you wake up. As my one of my favorite chefs, Ina Garten, always says, how easy is that?

The steps are so easy. First, add two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast to your slow cooker, pouring over about 12 oz. of your favorite BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray’s), 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 white vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Make sure all ingredients are evenly distributed and cover on high heat for 4 hours.

After a while, you’ll see that the natural juices in the chicken will create a more watered down sauce. Let sit for another 2 hours until this thickens and is completely absorbed.

After 4-6 hours, remove chicken from crockpot and shred into pieces. You may need to mix in some additional sauce for extra flavor as desired…

Finally, serve on a brioche bun with the side of your choice and enjoy! This recipe keeps especially well in the fridge and I think it actually gets better overnight.

Finally, in case you need some inspiration, try serving with these baked sweet potato fries:

Or this strawberry, mint, and goat cheese salad:

Grapefruit Avocado Salad

June 22, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

Now that summer is finally here (!) and the days are heating up, I thought it was the perfect time to try out some light, refreshing citrus salad recipes.

While it might seem like a strange combination, avocado and grapefruit are one of my favorite pairings. The creaminess of the avocado contrasts with the brightness of the grapefruit flavors, which add just the right amount of tang to make this salad different and interesting.

I hope you enjoy, and happy summer!

Grapefruit Avocado Salad

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Ingredients

1 head butter lettuce
2 grapefruits,peels and segmented
1 avocado, sliced
¼ cup fennel, thinly sliced
2 tbs mint, finely chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs lemon juice
1 shallot, finely diced
Salt and peper to taste

Instructions

Segment grapefruit in to pieces by carefully peeling off skin (be sure to remove the white segment) and segment into slices. Slice avocado and set aside.
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
Lightly toss all ingredients together in a large bowl and serve immediately.

Detox Salad

March 15, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

Winter always seems to mean eating heavier foods–stews, pastas, you name it–and every now and then I find myself looking for something fresh to balance things out. This salad is super light and always makes me feel rejuvenated and energized during those cold winter months. I love how the citrusy vinaigrette dresses up the greens and how the avocado and pine nuts add such great texture. This is definitely one that you’ll want to keep through spring–I make a big batch at the start of every week and can’t get enough of it. Enjoy!

P.S. For added flavor and a more spring-friendly recipe, consider toasting the pine nuts and adding citrus, such as fresh grapefruit, or adding extra basil to the vinaigrette.

Detox Salad

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

20 mins

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus
4 cups arugula
⅓ cup pine nuts
¼ cup basil, chopped
1 avocado, cubed
1 tbs olive oil
Juice of one orange
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp raw honey
3 tbs. good olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Rinse asparagus into 1-inch pieces and sautee in olive oil for 5 minutes or until bright green. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, lightly toss arugula, asparagus, avocado, pine nuts, and basil.
In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad in small increments (I often end up with more dressing than I need), toss, and serve.

Israeli Salad

March 9, 2016 by The Sunny Side Up Recipes Leave a Comment

As far as salads go, this is about as quick and easy as it gets! I love the bold, fresh, flavors. But even more, I love that this takes less than 5 minutes to make and I instantly have a healthy, delicious lunch on the go. Sometimes, it’s the simple classics that are the best recipes.