Fake Ginger

salad

Tropical Marshmallow Fruit Salad

Tropical Marshmallow Fruit Salad – mandarin oranges, pineapple, kiwi, coconut, and marshmallow in a sweet and creamy dressing. The perfect side dish or dessert for all your summer barbecues and potlucks! 

Tropical Marshmallow Fruit Salad - mandarin oranges, pineapple, kiwi, coconut, and marshmallow in a sweet and creamy dressing.

Hi guys, happy Wednesday!

How’s the week?

This is my favorite time of year weather wise (I say that literally every season but winter) because it’s warm enough to hike in shorts but you don’t sweat to death.

Plus, there aren’t mosquitos yet which makes soccer so much nicer.

And oh my gosh, we had a game last night that resulted in our coach being ejected for yelling at the referee. Apparently, you are not allowed to ask the ref if he plans on calling anything. 

It was a wild night in under 10 soccer.

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Greek Farro Salad

Greek Farro Salad – Farro, cucumber, tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion and feta cheese tossed in a light lemony dressing. Perfect healthy lunch recipe!

Greek Farro Salad - Farro, cucumber, tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion and feta cheese tossed in a light lemony dressing. Perfect healthy lunch recipe!

Hi guys.

Happy Monday!

Kids are officially back from their summer trip.

My house is loud again.

Wanna know how I spent my last day of freedom?

I went to Trader Joe’s. Duh.

I currently have the cold that won’t go away and I told BF I was going to Urgent Care but I ended up in Austin because a poke bowl sounded better than Urgent Care. And since I was down there, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to stop into Trader Joe’s to see if they’d restocked cauliflower gnocchi (they had) and get some flowers for my kitchen.

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Paleo Pesto Kale Salad (The Edgy Veg Cookbook Review)

Paleo Pesto Kale Salad – delicious kale salad with lots of veggies and a paleo (and vegan!) pesto. Prep ahead for lunches and top with an egg or roasted chicken for a complete meal!

Paleo Pesto Kale Salad - delicious kale salad with lots of veggies and a paleo (and vegan!) pesto. Prep ahead for lunches and top with an egg or roasted chicken for a complete meal!

Okay.

Yes, this is going to be a cookbook review for a vegan cookbook, The Edgy Veg.

And I know I’m not vegan but I love a vegan cookbook because a lot of the recipes (if you skip the processed ingredients) end up being paleo. Like this kale salad. Totally paleo, full of good stuff, and delicious as is if you are a vegan or, if you’re like me, perfect with a poached egg or a roasted chicken thigh on top.

So last Christmas break, my kids went to our hometown with their dad for, like, 3 weeks. And I didn’t know what to do with myself. So I ended up binge watching just about every video on The Edgy Veg’s youtube channel. Talked a friend into driving me to Whole Foods in Austin (I had no windows on my Jeep and it was very very very cold) and bought a ton of vegan ingredients and then we made, like, 7 recipes from their channel.

The Edgy Veg cookbook

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Cashew Chicken Chopped Salad

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WinWithTonysPizza #CollectiveBias

Cashew Chicken Chopped Salad – chicken, veggies, mandarin oranges, and cashews tossed in a sweet and sour dressing! My kids LOVE this salad!

Cashew Chicken Chopped Salad - chicken, veggies, mandarin oranges, and cashews tossed in a sweet and sour dressing! My kids LOVE this salad!

Okay.

I know yesterday I said that I had a monkey bread coming today but I forgot that I wanted to talk about pizza first! So monkey bread Thursday!

And let’s be real, pizza is every bit as exciting as monkey bread.

ANYWAY.

Was your high school football team good?

Because mine wasn’t.

In 4 years, we won 1 game.

ONE.

I mean, the bleachers were always packed and we were so excited for the game every single week, but man, we were terrible.

Curious: if you still live in your hometown, do your kids go to your high school? Do you go to football games with them?

If I still lived in Mobile, I’d totally want my kids to go to Baker and I’d definitely be the obnoxious parent at all the games, even if they are still terrible.

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Farro Caprese Salad

Farro Caprese Salad - everything you love about caprese salads plus farro, bacon, and avocado! Quick, easy, and healthy!

Happy Monday, y’all!

How was the weekend? I stuck to my plan of dog park and not leaving the house again except to get a Lunchable yesterday because for whatever reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about stacking crackers, turkey, and processed cheese on top of each other.

Judge me if you must.

I did make marshmallows, though. Also had a full-on meltdown in front of my neighbors when I realized my kid had used all the cocoa powder and all I wanted was chocolate marshmallows. I’m a fun friend to have.

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Caprese Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Caprese Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing – the classic combination of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil with a deliicous warm bacon dressing drizzled over top. 

Caprese Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing - the classic combination of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil with a deliicous warm bacon dressing drizzled over top.

Yesterday I mentioned that our summer had been nutso but didn’t really tell you why.

So now we’re going to talk about Hurricane Sofia.

Yeah, the dog.

Less than two weeks after we adopted her, she broke her leg. Having a dog with a broken leg is, like, one of the most horrible things ever.

And no matter how many times the vet says, “It happens! Puppies are just like little kids – they break their limbs!”, I still cry “I’M AFRAID HER SPIRIT IS BROKEN!” every time we go in there.

Which, if you follow me anywhere, you know is a lot.

She’s on her 5th cast.

This is only the 3rd week of having a cast.

She ate the first one. She also ate the cone I put on her to keep her from eating it.

The second one just fell off. Literally just fell off.

While she was at the vet to replace the one that fell off, she chewed up the 3rd cast before they could get a cone her on. So they put another on.

And then she needed a bigger size last week.

5 casts.

The ironic part is that I totally sold my husband on the idea of another puppy by saying “We only have to pay the adoption fee! She’s already fixed and everything! She will be so cheap!”

Wrong.

So that’s taken up a good portion of the summer. I’ve seen the vet here more in 2 months than I saw our vet in Colorado in 4 years.

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Ramen Noodle Salad

Ramen Noodle Salad – cole slaw mix, almonds, sunflower seeds, and ramen noodles in a sweet and tangy dressing. Perfect summer side dish for parties and barbecues!

Ramen Noodle Salad - cole slaw mix, almonds, sunflower seeds, and ramen noodles in a sweet and tangy dressing. Perfect summer side dish for parties and barbecues!

If you love recipes like this, you’re going to love my Cole Slaw Pasta Salad, too! 

Uggghhhh, Monday. 

This is my last Monday of the school year though! This was the longest school year ever and I cannot wait for a summer full of ice cream, pools, and margaritas. 

How was your weekend? 

We haven’t had much going on recently because of all the rain. Omg, the rain! Make it stop. We need no more rain. Thankfully we haven’t had to deal with all the flooding that most of Texas is dealing with but man, it’s been a rough couple weeks. 

So anyway, yesterday the sun finally came out and the kids got to spend the day outside with their friends. And the husband finally got to grill without getting soaked by rain. 

I’ve been craving this Ramen Noodle Salad recently and knew it’d be perfect with some barbecue chicken. It’s basically cole slaw but with lots of crunchy stuff mixed in.

Ramen Noodle Salad - cole slaw mix, almonds, sunflower seeds, and ramen noodles in a sweet and tangy dressing. Perfect summer side dish for parties and barbecues!

How To Make Ramen Noodle Salad

  • Combine cole slaw mix, green onions, sunflower seeds, and almonds in a large bowl
  • Add crushed ramen noodles and toss to combine
  • In a small bowl, whisk ramen seasoning packets, oil, apple cider vinegar, and sugar
  • Pour dressing over salad and toss to make sure everything is coated
  • Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving

Can You Make Ramen Noodle Salad Ahead?

Yes, Ramen Noodle Salad needs to be made at least an hour ahead so the flavors can all combine and the veggies and ramen can soften. 

Keep in mind, the longer it sits, the softer the ramen noodles and cabbage will be. So if you make it the night before, the ramen will be completely soft. So if you’re looking for that crunch, don’t make it too far in advance. 

How Long Is Ramen Noodle Salad Good For?

Ramen Noodle Salad is good for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Ramen Noodle Salad - cole slaw mix, almonds, sunflower seeds, and ramen noodles in a sweet and tangy dressing. Perfect summer side dish for parties and barbecues!

More Barbecue Side Dish Recipes

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Yield: 12 servings

Ramen Noodle Salad

Ramen Noodle Salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 14 ounce bag coleslaw mix
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 2 packages Oriental ramen noodles, with seasoning packets
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine cole slaw mix, green onions, sunflower seeds, and almonds. Crush ramen noodles and add to the bowl. Toss to combine everything.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the ramen seasoning packets, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, and sugar. Pour over the cole slaw and toss to make sure everything is coated.
  3. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 381Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 1019mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 3gSugar: 8gProtein: 5g

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© Amanda Livesay

Ramen Noodle Salad - cole slaw mix, almonds, sunflower seeds, and ramen noodles in a sweet and tangy dressing. Perfect summer side dish for parties and barbecues!

Marshmallow Fruit Salad

Marshmallow Fruit Salad – the BEST fruit salad recipe! Pineapple, mandarin oranges, strawberries, and marshmallows in a creamy dressing. Only 5 ingredients!

I know it looks like I showed up with a bowl of marshmallows today, but I swear there’s fruit in there too.

My oldest started talking about fruit salad as soon as our weather warmed up.

My kids eat fruit all day long but for some reason, he wants it cut up and tossed together. In an effort to become the favorite parent while my husband is deployed, I threw in some marshmallows.

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Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Feta, and Pine Nuts

Quinoa is something that I’m just now learning to love. For years I’ve told you guys that I hated it and refused to even go near it. Mostly because I kind of think it looks like some kind of creature hatching out of an egg when it’s cooked.

*gag*

I’m really into it lately though. I find that the more stuff I put on it, the more I like it. So you know I loved this recipe. It’s got asparagus, red onion, kalamata olives, and feta mixed in – and three of those four are on my top 10 list of favorite foods. Plus it’s topped with a tart, lemony dressing, fresh basil, and pine nuts!

I’m kind of obsessed with this salad right now and I am officially out of leftovers so it’s a sad situation. It’s so good. I had it for lunch and dinner the past two days and could seriously keep going.

Two years ago: Easter Bread
Three years ago: Baked Chocolate Doughnuts with Buttermilk Glaze
Four years ago: Broccoli Salad

Print
Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Feta, and Pine Nuts
adapted from Style at Home
Ingredients
For the salad:
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 large bunch baby asparagus stalks cut off and cut into 1/2" pieces
  • 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives chopped
  • 1 red onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup crumbled feta cheese + more for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts for garnish
For the dressing:
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly with cool water for at least 2 minutes; drain.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the drained quinoa and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to toast the grains and evaporate any remaining water.
  3. Stir in the water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover and cook for 15 minutes.Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside.
  4. Steam the asparagus for 2 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Transfer the asparagus to a colander and rinse under ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
  5. When cool, combine the quinoa, asparagus, olives, onion and feta cheese in a large bowl.
  6. Whisk together the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and basil in a small bowl. Add sea salt and pepper.
  7. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Top with the additional crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts and serve immediately.

Italian Chopped Salad

Pasta salads have quickly become my go to side dish this summer. They’re usually pretty no-fuss, you can make them hours before you need them, and they’re always a crowd-pleaser.

This one isn’t your typical pasta salad since it’s more salad than pasta but hey, I’m still counting it. I made this for the 4th of July (because of the cute little star pasta!) and it was a hit with everyone. My kids won’t typically eat olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, or chickpeas but they were all over this. And I may have hidden the tiny bit we had leftover so my husband couldn’t get to it before I did.

If you have someone who claims to hate salads in your life, try this recipe on them! There’s so much good stuff going on that they won’t even realize they’re eating a salad!

One year ago: Baked S’mores
Two years ago: Baked Beans
Three years ago: Quinoa Granola

Print
Italian Chopped Salad
from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Ingredients
For the dressing:
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 - 3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • coarse salt and fresh black pepper to taste
For the salad:
  • 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
  • 3/4 cup chopped artichoke hearts
  • 3/4 cup diced plum tomatoes seeds removed
  • 3/4 cup diced cucumber seeds removed
  • 3/4 cup chopped pepperoni or salami
  • 3/4 cup diced mozzarella cheese
  • 3/4 cup sliced or chopped black olives
  • 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup cooked small pasta cooled
  • 8 cups finely chopped romaine
  • coarse salt and fresh black pepper
Instructions
  1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar, place top on it. Shake vigorously until all the ingredients are combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the salad:
  1. In a large mixing bowl toss everything together except the romaine, salt, and pepper.
  2. When ready to serve toss with the romaine then mix in dressing a little at a time until everything is evenly coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mozzarella, Tomato, Avocado Salad

As I told you last week, my husband is gone for awhile and as I’ve also told you guys, I’m not one of those wives who mind him being gone a couple weeks at a time. I’m okay being alone. There are, however, a few things that I do need him around for. Like, putting gas in my car. I’m 100% sure my gas light will be on until the day he comes back and then I will fill it up on the way to the airport. Until then I will put 3 dollars in every time I leave the house because omg, there’s nothing more boring than standing at a gas pump. I also now have to buy my own ice. Ugh, I hate buying ice. They keep the little ice freezers locked on post and it makes me feel so guilty to make soldiers wait while the poor cashier has to walk outside to get me ice. I mean, do people really steal ice? Is there a huge need to lock it? Normally I pretend I don’t notice we’re out (and we always are because I’m anemic and annoying and go through 10 pounds every 2 days) and then I’ll send him a text when he’s out and about asking him to stop. He also buys wine when he stops for ice – so duh, it’s just better if he’s in charge of ice. And finally, I miss not having to fill the Keurig every time I want coffee or tea. He gets up before me for PT and instead of analyzing how many thousandths of an inch the strawberries in the window grew overnight while the Keurig starts up, he actually fills it. All the way, not just enough for one cup.

But I don’t really miss having to cook. We’re been having lots of eggs, waffles, sandwiches, anything that doesn’t require a whole lot of cooking. Good thing I stocked up on some good recipes before he left, huh?

He’s never really been a big avocado fan (except for this avocado feta salsa that I make all the time) but a few months ago we went out for lunch and he ordered avocado on his burger. I took that to mean I could start making things that include avocados. He totally loved this salad! It’s so simple and so fresh – how could you not love it?

One year ago: Chocolate Cream-Filled Cake
Five years ago: Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins

Print
Mozzarella, Tomato, Avocado Salad
from Val So Cal
Ingredients
  • 1 container cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • 1 8 ounce carton fresh mozzarella cheese pearls, drained
  • 1/3 cup basil julienned
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 avocado peeled and diced
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, drained mozzarella,basil, and parsley.
  2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour over tomato mixture and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate.
  3. About 30 minutes before serving, add avocado and toss everything together.
  4. Use a slotted spoon to serve.

Southwestern Cornbread Salad

Southwestern Cornbread Salad – layers of lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion, cheese, and cornbread in a zesty dressing! Perfect for barbecues!

Southwestern Cornbread Salad - layers of lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion, cheese, and cornbread in a zesty dressing! Perfect for barbecues!

This is one of my alltime favorite summer barbecue side dishes. It has so many layers of different colors, flavors, and textures and honestly, I just love anything that involves cornbread. 

It’s perfect for Memorial Day, 4th of July, or just any backyard barbecue! I get asked for the recipe every single time I take it somewhere.

And I love that the only real cooking you have to do for it is baking the cornbread. Once that’s done, all you have to do is chop veggies and assemble the salad!

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Grape Salad

This Grape Salad recipe is great for potlucks and barbecues! The crisp grapes with the creamy dressing is the perfect sweet treat for a hot day!

Grape Salad - red and green grapes tossed in a sweet creamy sauce and topped with brown sugar and pecans! This is so delicious and perfect for summer parties!

 

Don’t let the name of this fool you.

It may be called a salad but there is absolutely nothing healthy about it! But man, is it good!

I made this strawberry pretzel salad last week and my 3 year old kept asking me why it was red. After telling him over and over again that it was because it had strawberries in it, he told me that he wanted a purple one.

With grapes.

And grape jello.

And while I couldn’t stomach anymore jello (I hate the stuff!) I knew the whole family would love this classic Grape Salad recipe.

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Marinated Cauliflower Salad

I’m sure I’ve told you guys many times that I prefer veggies to fruit. I eat a lot of veggies but the problem is that I don’t eat a huge variety of them. I buy huge bags of spinach, carrots, and frozen broccoli each week because I know those will never go to waste but I very rarely buy anything else. I just never know what to do with most veggies so I’ll buy squash, for example, and then it will sit in my fridge for 2 weeks before I finally toss it.

Well I’m trying to change my ways. I bought some cauliflower and made this Marinated Cauliflower Salad thinking that it would be nice to have a cold salad ready to go in the fridge. That way I could throw it on top of some spinach or make it a side dish for dinner without having to fuss with it. And it was perfect for that! I even tossed a couple spoonfuls of it into an omelet one day when I was too lazy to defrost broccoli – it was delicious!

This would be perfect to take to a cookout as a healthier alternative to potato or pasta salad!

One year ago: Baked French Toast with Pralines

5 from 1 vote
Print
Marinated Cauliflower Salad
from Vegetarian Times
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 cups bite-sized cauliflower florets
  • 1 small red bell pepper diced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan grated
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, and olive oil. Add cauliflower and toss to make sure all the cauliflower is coated. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, stirring once or twice.
  2. Toss in bell pepper, parsley, and Parmesan; stir together. Taste and add salt & pepper to taste.

Mediterranean Vegetable Salad

Mediterranean Vegetable Salad – chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta tossed with a light lemon garlic dressing with lots of fresh herbs!

Mediterranean Vegetable Salad - chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta tossed with a light lemon garlic dressing with lots of fresh herbs!

Last week I realized that our air conditioner wasn’t working. It took me almost a month to realize this. And then another week to accept the fact that I had to call our housing office and whine. I had many conversations with myself that went “Well, 88 degrees isn’t that hot” and “I guess I can go without turning the oven on and drying clothes…”

Well I finally broke this past weekend. I completely flipped out because I WAS SWEATING WHILE WEARING A DRESS AND SITTING ON MY BUTT. And, of course, since it was the weekend so the housing office was closed.

Monday I got ahold of them and the guy came out to look at it. He called me out to the backyard where this super clear exchange took place:

Him: “Look at this.” *points to block of ice in the a/c*
Me: “Mmmkay.”
Him: “You need to change the filter every 30 days.”
Me: “But you keep it locked.”
Him: “We change it for you.”
Me: “But… you didn’t…?”
Him: “Yeah, you need to change it every 30 days.”
Me: “?!?!?!?!”
Him: “I’ll be back later.”

And then he never came back.

The good news is that the a/c is now working. The bad news is it’s looking like we’ll be going through this exact scenario next summer since I’m still not clear who the heck is supposed to change the filter.

Mediterranean Vegetable Salad

I made this salad that day because the air had to be completely turned off and I didn’t want to heat up the kitchen.

This fit the bill and was super refreshing.

It’s chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta cheese in a light lemon garlic dressing with a ton of fresh herbs. So basically all of my favorite things!

I just finished up the leftovers yesterday and I’m pretty sad about it. I see myself making this again and again through the summer.

(My anxiety over calling housing is not limited to a/c issues – earlier this year I went 3 months without light in my kitchen.)

5 from 1 vote
Print
Mediterranean Vegetable Salad

Ingredients
  • 1½ cups cherry tomatoes quartered
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 10 scallions white and green parts, thinly sliced
  • 1 hothouse cucumber halved lengthwise, seeded, and ½-inch diced
  • 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 Tbs minced garlic
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 5 ounces feta cheese broken into chunks if necessary
Instructions
  1. Place the quartered tomatoes in a mesh strainer and gently toss with ½ teaspoon of salt. Allow to drain 20-30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil.
  3. Spin the tomatoes in a salad spinner several times to remove seeds and moisture. (or rinse and drain well). Toss the tomatoes with the scallions, cucumber, chickpeas, parsley, mint, and basil in a large bowl. Give the dressing one more whisk before pouring over salad. Toss gently to coat. Add the feta and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve cold or at room temperature.