Tangy bean salad

This was a good lunch a couple of days this week:

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari (or cheat and use soy sauce...shhh)
1 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon sesame tahini
3 tablespoons water
2 1/2 cups cooked and drained no-salt-added garbanzo or cannellini beans
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

Whisk together vinegar, tamari, mustard, tahini and water in a medium bowl. Add beans, green onions, carrots and parsley, toss to combine and set aside at room temperature to let marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving.  Serve in pitas or over spinach.

Apple-cranberry tuna salad

This recipe turned out great.

1 Fuji apple, diced

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1 stalk celery, diced

2 tablespoons fresh (or 2 teaspoons dried) dill

2 cans/ packets white tuna in water

1/2 cup mayonnaise

In mixing bowl, combine apples and lemon juice. Add cranberries, celery, and dill. In a separate bowl, break up tuna with a fork. Add tuna and mayo to the apple mixture. Serve over a salad or on a sandwich.

Greek Turkey Burgers

We made these at our last Freezer Meals cooking night. They are a favorite at my friend, Denise's house. Doug was a little skeptical of the non-beef burger, but he really liked them!

• 1 large egg white
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 pound ground turkey
• Cooking spray
• 4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns, split
• 1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and cut into 1-inch strips

Place egg white in a large bowl; lightly beat with a whisk. Add onion and next 6 ingredients (through turkey); stir well to combine. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; cook 8 minutes on each side or until done.

Place patties on bottom halves of hamburger buns. Divide peppers evenly among burgers; cover with top halves of buns.

Note: To freeze extra servings, wrap each uncooked patty individually first in plastic wrap and then in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw patties completely in refrigerator, and then cook and serve as directed.

Roast Beef and Cheddar roll-ups

This Real Simple recipe is perfect for a summer meal.

Roast Beef and Cheddar roll-ups

4 servings

4 oz cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons horseradish

4 large flour tortillas

1 head romaine lettuce, tough ribs removed

8 oz thinly sliced deli roast beef

4 oz cheddar, thinly sliced

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and horseradish. Spread on each tortilla.

Layer the tortillas with lettuce, roast beef, and cheddar, then roll up.

Tuna Salad with Celery and Radishes

This Real Simple recipe was not only real simple (haha), but yummy.

Tuna Salad with Celery and Radishes

2 5-ounce cans tuna, in water, drained

8 small radishes, cut into wedges

2 stalks celery, sliced

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate for up to 1 day. Serve with bread, crackers, chips, pita, etc.

Bacon, Avocado, and Tomato Sandwich

This recipe was in the August issue of Martha Stewart this year. It is delicious.

Bacon, Avocado, Tomato Sandwiches

4 servings

12-16 slices pepper-crusted bacon

8 slices rustic bread

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons mayonnaise

1 1/3 cups radish sprouts

1 Hass avocado, sliced

1 large tomato, sliced

coarse salt

Cook bacon. Lightly toast bread. Spread 1 teaspoon mayonnaise on 1 side of each slice of bread. Pile on sprouts, avocado, bacon and tomato. Season with salt and top with slice of bread.

Spinach Tortilla Wrap

This was fast, easy, and delicious!

Spinach Tortilla Wraps

serves 4

4 spinach tortilla wraps

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can corn, drained

1 avocado, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 mild tomato salsa, plus extra for serving

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese

Mix beans, corn, avocado, salsa, cilantro, and salt. Lay tortillas flat and line middles with bean mixture. Top with cheese. Fold sides of wrap in, then roll from bottom to top. Serve with extra salsa.

Cucumber and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

Cucumber and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

This Real Simple recipe is very light and perfect for summer.

Serves 4

8 slices whole-grain bread

4 oz log fresh goat cheese, room temperature

½ cup walnuts

1 Kirby cucumber, sliced

watercress or spinach

Spread 8 slices of bread with goat cheese. Top with walnuts, cucumber, spinach, and bread.

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Everyday Food Magazine

(2 sandwiches)

4 slices rye bread

butter

4 slices ham

1 cup Gruyere cheese

Butter 4 slices rye bread. Place 2 slices, buttered side down, on work surface. Top each with 2 slices ham and 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese. Top with 2 slices bread, buttered side up. Cook in a skillet over medium until sandwiches are lightly toasted no both sides and cheese melts, about 5 minutes total.

Seriously Delicious Eggplant Sandwich

This sandwich is delicious. Period.

Eggplant Sandwich

(2 sandwiches)

4 slices ciabatta or other bread

1 medium eggplant, sliced 1/2" thick

roasted red peppers

soft goat cheese

pesto

arugula, baby spinach, or mache

olive oil

salt and pepper

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Preheat broiler. Brush eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil. Broil for 4 minutes, turn over, and broil for another 4 minutes. Remove from oven and place bread on aluminum covered pan. Brush with oil and broil 1-2 minutes each side.

Toss greens with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Now assemble the sandwich: spread goat cheese on one slice of bread and pesto on other. Layer roasted eggplant, roasted red pepper, and arugula. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Grown-up tuna sandwich

I'm not sure where I found this recipe, but it is a delicious, sophisticated version of a tuna sandwich.

Grown-up tuna sandwich

1 can tuna, drained

1 tablespoon salt-packed capers, rinsed and drained, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped red onion,

1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil, plus additional 2 leaves for garnish

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Mix all ingredients in bowl (except for 2 basil leaves), season with pepper, spoon onto crusty bread and top with basil leaves. (serves 2)

Savory Chicken Salad

This is a recipe from a Salud class I did at Whole Foods... very yummy and savory!

Chicken Salad with Dried Cherries and Toasted Walnuts

1 ¼ lbs skinless boneless chicken breast

¾ cup thinly sliced celery

½ cup thinly sliced green onion

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

¾ cup dried cherries

¾ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup chopped fresh celery

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper

Pie crust or phyllo cups, sandwich bread, or romaine lettuce, for serving

Poach chicken: cover chicken with cold water in saucepan, bring to gentle boil, turn down to simmer for 10 minutes, cool. Cut chicken into cubes or shred. In large bowl combine chicken with other ingredients. Add parsley at end. Spoon into large pie crust or into small phyllo cups... or on sandwiches or on a bed of lettuce