Green Grain Bowls

One of my favorite segments on late night TV is when Jimmy Fallon writes his Thank You notes. He has a way of saying everything I believe but never knew I was thinking.

In my never-ending quest to be "hip" and "cool," I came upon the idea of grain bowls. Grain Bowls can be whatever you want them to be. The best way to sum up this mysteriously tasty but good for you concoction, is through a Jimmy Fallon-style thank you:

Thank you, Grain Bowls, for being a salad without the lettuce. 

After all, that's what they are. Every element of a really good // tasty // filling salad is right here, in one bowl, and it is not weighed down by just a bunch of soggy leafy greens. Oh no, quite the opposite.

In my grain bowl research (very official blogging business, don't worry about it), I learned there are some essential elements to a perfectly composed grain bowl. I also learned that the grain bowl is yours and yours alone, so you should make it and change it in a way that will make your taste buds sing. 

First, you need a grain. Or a grain mix. I, personally, detest quinoa (see above: reasons I am actually not "hip" despite my quest), so my ideal grain bowl tends to begin with brown and wild rice, barley, or farro. A protein is also recommended, as this will keep you full for hours. Rotisserie chicken, albacore tuna, or chickpeas tend to have priority at my grain bowl party. Robust veggies fill out our bowl, and leave just a little room for a handful of fresh leafy greens (though, remember, no salads here). We are almost there. A sauce or dressing cannot be forgotten, as it will bring everything together in a flavorful marriage good for your body and your soul. Toppings, too, because we need texture, interest, and salt. I'm thinking nuts, cheese (<3), seeds, avocado and a snipped herb or two.

So there you have it. That's how it's done. And that's how I created these Green Grain Bowls last week. I LOVE this recipe and re-made it a few days later in bulk for a week of delicious work lunches. What isn't to love about a brown and wild rice blend + roasted broccoli and brussel sprouts + rotisserie chicken + fresh spinach + a pistachio parsley pesto + diced avocado and pistachios and feta cheese? *insert prayer hands emoji here*

Now we can finally get excited about what's hanging out in our lunchbox! 

Greek-Style Chicken Cutlets

Crunchy chicken. Salty feta. Juicy tomatoes. Crisp cucumbers. Fresh herbs. Sweet balsamic reduction. Mouth watering.

This dish is truly a party on a plate. Colorful and fresh, this meal is going to be on rotation again and again this year! It is indulgent enough to get us through the long winter, but cool enough to eat again and again this spring and summer! You're absolutely going to want to give this a try.

My recipe for Greek-Style Chicken Cutlets is a quick but flavorful meal that everyone in your family will love. I start by breading my chicken cutlets with panko breadcrumbs - these Japanese-style breadcrumbs keep the chicken extra crisp with a light and airy crunch after a simple pan-fry in olive oil.

For the topping, a greek salad, sans any lettuce, is essential to keep this dinner fresh and juicy. Diced cucumbers, tomatoes, garlic, parsley and a shallot get the party started. Feta can't be forgotten, because - CHEESE. Lastly, all the vegetables get tossed together with a glug of olive oil, a squeeze of lime juice and a spritz of white wine vinegar. Too good!

The icing on the cake, the cherry on top if you will, is the rich, thick drizzle of balsamic reduction. P.S. I used a store-bought reduction this week, but way way back in the early years of GSG, I made a somewhat similar recipe and made my OWN reduction. Instructions here.

Lunchbox Upgrade: Mediterranean Barley Salad

For those of us working the 9 to 5 grind, lunchtime can be a very trying time. I'm not being dramatic, I swear. See, around 12 o'clock a very real internal struggle happens. The struggle is between eating that very sad looking sandwich or boring salad sitting in your lunchbox or being weak and spending a lot of unnecessary money at one of the various lunch spots in the area.

For a while I thought leftover dinners would do the trick--they'd be warm and satisfying and something different every day. Sometimes, though, leftovers just fall flat. And that healthy salad we threw together the night before? Sometimes it just does not keep us satisfied until dinnertime (am I right?!)

This Mediterranean Barley Salad is the perfect lunchbox upgrade for anyone who needs something new and exciting to look forward to. Barley is chewy and nutty, a fulfilling whole grain that goes beautifully with roasted red peppers, sauteed zucchini, and tangy feta cheese. I dress this salad with a lovely, simple balsamic vinaigrette.

Mediterranean flavors are some of my favorite to work with. Beyond the amazing flavor in this salad, the best part about it is that it is equally delicious slightly warmed or chilled. It makes a satisfying lunch or a very interesting side dish for dinner with grilled chicken.

Mix up your lunchtime routine and give this salad a try! This recipe will make about 4 servings. Cook it up Sunday night then portion it into 4 separate containers and store in the fridge for an easy lunch solution the whole week!

Watermelon, Feta and Spinach Salad

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day! I was on Long Island visiting the family this weekend. Unfortunately, the rainy and windy weather left little to be desired, but the weekend was still full of fun activities!

I went to see the Great Gatsby on Sunday with my best friend, her sister, the boy, and my mother. A few minutes in, I turned to Cory to tell him that I thought the movie sucked. But then all of a sudden things really turned around, and by the end of it I have to say I thought it was great!

The modern twists on the old classic were fun and relatable. It made the extravagance of Gatsby's life front and center. Speaking of Gatsby, Leo is just fantastic. He's so convincingly in love with Daisy! Tobey Maguire was also a great Nick Carraway--his puppy dog eyes make Nick seem all the more naive and innocent. And Carey Mulligan was a great Daisy. Just carefree, and foolish, and living in some fantasy world.

This elegant Watermelon, Feta, and Spinach salad kind of reminds me of Daisy. It's pretty to look at, carefree to pull together, with just the right amount of sweetness. The lemon basil dressing is so bright and fresh. The tangy feta pairs well with soft, tender spinach and juicy, sweet watermelon.

I have found that my favorite kinds of salads are those that actually have very little lettuce involved. In fact, I sometimes prefer no bed of greens at all. A salad becomes something exciting when all those other things are added in. The crunchy, flavorful fruits and veggies that are more than just water. Fun cheeses and crunchy nuts. A sweet, homemade vinaigrette. Lettuce is just something my turtle eats at this point...

This salad would make a perfectly pleasing lunch, a wonderful picnic appetizer, or a satisfying meal when paired with lean grilled chicken breasts. It's essentially summertime on a plate. Ingredients below will serve 4 for lunch or starters, and 2 for a meal. Enjoy!

Kale, Green Apple, and Feta Salad

Let's talk about a salad today. I want to talk about salad because I feel like I have been throwing lots of carbs and cheese and overall gut-busting (BUT DELICIOUS) food your way. Really, I just need some company to help me enjoy the pizzas, and breads, and cookies in my life. Thanks for being there when I need you the most.

Lunch this week has actually been quite delicious, which is surprising because lunch has been this Kale, Green Apple, and Feta Salad. And usually anything that is based in "kale" is already pretty low on my list of delicious. Sorry, kale...

The flavors in this salad are fresh and light. The tangy feta and sweet green apples love each other big time. Kale and toasted walnuts add body to this salad, keeping you full straight until dinner. Fresh cucumber and thinly sliced red onions bring the whole thing together.

I particularly love this salad as a lunch option because as all the flavors marry so beautifully in the refrigerator overnight. And since we are using kale, it stands up to the dressing without getting soggy. The dressing, on that note, is a simple cider vinaigrette. The apple cider vinegar keeps the apples from getting brown and sad-looking..extra win!

The composition of this salad is quite simple. I start by mixing together a touch of brown sugar, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. A big batch of kale is tossed in the dressing and set aside to soften slightly.

In the meantime, walnuts get toasted in the oven until they are fragrant and enticing.

Vegetables are sliced thin.

Everything along with feta cheese gets tossed together with the kale. And that's all there is to it.

Elegant and simple and tasty. Plus, this salad is packed with all sorts of good-for-you elements. If you are tired of boring sandwiches at lunch or need a filling dinner in a hurry, this salad is for you! Recipe below will serve 2 big dinner portions or 4 small lunch portions.