Steak Salad with Lemon-Parmesan Vinaigrette

Did you guys watch the Olympic closing ceremonies last night??  I was out for the first half and was really worried that I missed the Spice Girls reunion.  Luckily, it came on later when I was curled up on my couch with my jammies and ice cream.  Those women are total rock stars.  They were by far the best performance and the dance moves and singing were so spot-on that I felt like I was reliving my childhood.

Other favorites were the Monty Python bit, Russel Brand (I can't believe I just typed that), and the Top 40 part with DJ Fatboy Slim.  Some of the other numbers, though, I didn't really understand.  Like, why did the ceremonies end with that random band that nobody ever heard of?  Okay...maybe my family just never heard of them, but I still think it was a weird choice.

Seeing that this is a food blog, I do have a recipe for you.  I can't think of a decent transition, though, so....

**Insert Decent Transition Here**

I've been trying to eat healthier lunches since I've been home, because I don't want to go off to law school with an extra ten pounds.  That's reserved for all the stress eating after I start law school.  The problem with eating healthy at home, though, is that we usually have so many leftovers that it's silly to cook up something separate for lunch.  Therefore, I've been trying to utilize leftovers for healthy different lunches.  Some have been less than successful, but occasionally I hit the jackpot.

Steak Salad with Lemon-Parmesan Vinaigrette

Ingredients: 

1 steak filet, sliced

1 zucchini, chopped

olive oil

lemon juice

parmesan cheese

1/2 head romaine, chopped

Directions:

Heat a grill pan over medium heat.  Season the filet with salt and pepper on both sides.  Place on the grill pan and cook roughly 5 minutes per side for a medium-rare steak.  Set aside and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

In a saute pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add the chopped zucchini and cook for 10-15 minutes, until tender.  Set aside. 

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice until emulsified.  Adjust the amount of each depending on how acidic you like your dressing.  More lemon if you enjoy acidity, less if you don't.  Mix in the parmesan.  Combine all of the ingredients and toss to mix.

Serves: 1

Mediterranean Couscous with Olives and Artichokes

Yesterday I spent the entire day helping my dad move his office down a floor in the hospital.  It was hours of lifting boxes and pulling carts.  Oh boy, I hurt in places I didn't even know it was possible to hurt.  I'm counting this as my daily workout, because my butt hurts WAY more than it does after sets of squats.  So, there you go.

I know posts have been less frequent here, and it's basically because I'm home and no longer cooking like a beast.  My mom makes most of the meals (we're the typical nuclear family) and I feel weird making us wait ten minutes before eating so I can snap pictures.  Not that my family would mind.  My dad always makes these weird salad concoctions (believe me, they are NASTY) and goes, 'Liz, want to take a picture of this for your blog?'.  I usually tell him that since most of the world lacks his iron stomach and affinity for gherkins, I'd better steer clear.

This salad made me think of him, though.  He's notorious for making salads with all the odds and ends in our fridge.  Marinated artichokes.  Pickles.  Left over pork.  Doesn't matter what it is -- it'll go in the salad and be smothered in Western dressing.  This couscous salad doesn't involve pickles or Western dressing (Thank God), but it does have a bit of everything in it.  Mixed together with fresh basil and a light balsamic vinaigrette, it's the perfect summer meal.

Mediterranean Couscous with Olives and Artichokes

1 2/3 cup Israeli couscous
1 tbsp olive oil
1 3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sliced olives
1 cup chickpeas, rinsed
5 artichoke hearts, quartered 
1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 cucumber, quartered and sliced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt/pepper


Directions:


Cook couscous according to directions on package.


Combine all the ingredients, up to the balsamic vinegar.  In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic and olive oil until emulsified.  Pour into the couscous mixture and toss to coat.  Serve either on its own or with a main dish.

Romaine with Apples, Walnuts and Craisins

I went to the doctor's earlier this week for some tests, and was put in one of those God-forsaken hospital gowns.  They're always made of cotton in the tv shows, which is totally misleading for those of us who haven't been to the doctor's office in ions.  Maybe my hospital is just cheap, but the gowns were made of this gauzy paper that ripped if you made the slightest movement.  I tried to tie mine closed at the front (as to not flash my doctor repeatedly) and then ended up ripping the gown right in the chest area.  I pulled the other side of the gown over to avoid any nip slips, which of course left me in danger of ripping the other side.

I've never been a large protestor.  I don't sign petitions or campaign on street corners beside the Greenpeace people that no one wants to talk to.  I think it's mostly because I haven't found my cause.  Until this week.  Cotton hospital gowns.  I'm for 'em.

Alright, now that I probably sent some of you running with my TMI ramblings, I'll get to the food-blog-part of this post.  I was in charge of dinner earlier this week and I knew that I wanted a salad alongside the meal.  Growing up, we were not a salad-eating-family.  We would have one about once in a blue moon, but it was not something common.  And when we did have it, you can bet it was iceberg lettuce with cheddar cheese shreds and Western dressing.

If you don't know what Western dressing is, then you clearly are missing out on one of the most delicious and nutritionally devoid dressings known to mankind.  It's similar to French dressing but with more sweetness.  It forever will be associated with summer, grilling and water balloon fights for me.

Since getting my own apartment, I have become a regular salad eater.  I make up my own dressings and   throw basically anything in my fridge into the mix.  Definitely not the salads of my childhood.  This one that I made for my family used up some apples and romaine we had chilling in the fridge.  We served it on the side, but it could be eaten on its own for a meal, too.  Just add a piece of bread and fruit, and you've got yourself a meal!

Romaine with Apples, Walnuts and Craisins

Ingredients:


For Salad:


1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 apple, cored and chopped
1/3 cup craisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup goat cheese


For Dressing:


Dijon mustard
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil


Directions:


For the dressing, mix together the mustard and balsamic vinegar.  While whisking with either a fork or small whisk, pour in the olive oil.  Mix until emulsified.  


For salad, mix together all of the ingredients.  Pour in the dressing and toss to coat.

Chicken Salad...err...Salad

Remember that super easy chicken salad?  Well, I have an equally super easy way to use up the leftovers. You might be wondering what has me going all semi-homemade as of late.  What an I say, sometimes I like them easy.

All joking aside (seriously, though, when is the joking ever aside on this blog?) there is a beauty to having ready made food on hand for busy nights.  Or for the nights where I am just plain lazy and want to spend all night on the couch watching Grey's Anatomy.

I started re-watching the series, which always coincides with me trolling WebMD and thinking that my everyday maladies are life threatening illnesses.  There actually was a story line on one of the episodes where this guy with what appeared to be a simple runny nose ended up having fluid from his brain draining from his nose.  Every time I have the sniffles, I think of this.

Anyway, for the salad I mixed together the chicken salad and three bean salad with some chopped romaine.  The salad is filling and the mixture of the dressing from the bean salad and the chicken is pretty fantastic.  I ate this with a bun and large glass of lemon water.  The perfect summer meal.

Chicken Salad...err...Salad

Ingredients:


Romaine lettuce, chopped
Three bean salad
Chicken salad


Directions:


Combine all the ingredients.  Eat.  Eat.  And eat.

Ridiculously Easy Chicken Salad

So, this hasn't had a new post in a week.  I'd like to have some really cool explanation like I was absconding with the Avengers or aliens invaded, but the truth is that I'm back with my parents for a bit after graduation and I left my camera at my apartment.

Oh, and I also was in Virginia for half of last week.

Both of those in tandem are why all you voracious Tip Top Shape readers (the...let me count...three of you...or perhaps four) have been left high and dry this past week.  I'm back with a vengeance, though, and this site will return to its regularly scheduled programming.  

I actually missed blogging while I was in Virginia.  There's something nice about the routine of waking up, editing the post and immersing yourself in the genius of all those other blogs.  I even missed drafting the posts, something that I oftentimes find daunting when I'm planning what to post for the week.  My brother's girlfriend's sister (now isn't that a mouthful?) used to be a serious blogger, and my fingers itched after talking with her about blogging and food photography.

So, it's good to be back.

Today's recipe is so ridiculously easy that I almost didn't post it.  I'm not a big fan of semi-homemade meals, but sometimes any given night does not allow hours in front of the stove, or even twenty minutes.  This meal is for those evenings when you don't have time to cook but want to avoid the fast food trap or frozen meal quick sands.  It's nutritious, fresh and the leftovers can be used in a variety of ways.

Without further adieu, I bring you this ridiculously easy chicken salad.

Ridiculously Easy Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

Rotisserie Chicken, pre-cooked (2 cups)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 cup almonds slivers

1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

Remove meat from the chicken and chop into bite-sized pieces.  Set aside with the almonds and celery. In a separate bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice and pepper.  Add the chicken, celery and almonds.

Eat any way that you like.  My recommendations are: mixed with salad greens, on a bun or in a wrap.

Source: allrecipes.com

Three Bean Salad

I've been sick the past two days with a stomach bug, and I have never been more grateful for leftovers.  Usually I end up sick when I have absolutely nothing in my refrigerator.  This time, I had all of my leftovers from my party.  In one word, my fridge is stocked.

I made this three bean salad for my end-of-the-semester party.  The theme was "American Picnic" - yes, I have themes for my parties, feel free to mock - so I made some mini burgers, chicken salad and this bean salad.  Sadly, it was demoted to a two bean salad for the party due to my broken can opener.  I did consider going at it with a knife for a moment, but decided I liked my fingers more than kidney beans.

I have been eating this salad for just about every meal possible.  It is the BEST mixed with some chicken salad, lettuce and love.  I thought it might be too adventuresome for my touchy stomach, but so far I've heard no complaints.

Three Bean Salad

Ingredients:


Chickpeas
Green beans
Kidney Beans
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt/pepper


Directions:


Choose your own ratio for the beans.  I personally like it chickpea heavy, but that's just me.  If you're using fresh beans, soak them overnight and boil for 45 minutes - 1 hour.  If your beans are canned, rinse and set aside.  Boil the green beans until crisp tender, 4-5 minutes.  Put in a strainer and douse with cold water immediately to set the bright green color. 


Mix together the apple cider vinegar and sugar, until the sugar is dissolved.  Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking continuously until the dressing has emulsified.  Pour over the beans and let marinate for at least an hour.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

A Radish To Remember

A funny thing happened this morning. I went to write up my usual Tuesday post and I had to log into Blogger. Usually it has my email already plugged in and I just use my catch-all-password. This morning, though, both were blank and I learned that even with two cups of coffee in my system I am incapable of remembering my email (I rarely use the blog one). So, after using just about every combination of tiptopshape in email-form that I could, I buckled and clicked the help button.

I hate having to use the help button because it always says that it will send me my information immediately and it never does. I end up checking my email obsessively for fifteen minutes until I give up and do some dishes. Blogger surprised me, though, by actually sending it immediately. Good job, Blogger. You are officially off my shit list.

I have a somewhat unexciting recipe for you all today. I know, it's probably a faux pas to start this off with something negative. What can I say? I keep it real.

It's a salad, featuring the rock star of produce formerly known as radishes. I discovered radishes about a month ago. One of my coworkers makes these amazing salads for the office (they are nothing short of miraculous, really) and he used radishes one day. Up until this salad, my only radish experience was from CCD when I was seven and we recreated the last supper, complete with stale bread and sparkling grape juice. I remembered radishes as being bitter and generally unpleasant to stomach. Never one to be rude, though, I daintily tried one as I drummed up ways to make the rest disappear.

Guess what?

I loved them. Apparently, your palate changes from seven to twenty one (who would have thunk?) and everything is coming up radishes. Lucky them.

I'm not going to even bother with an actual recipe. Just throw together some lettuce and whatever you can find in your refrigerator. Radishes, of course, because no salad is complete without my little friends. Throw on some dressing (Goddess if you're a cool kid) and you've got yourself a meal.

I eat this pretty much every other day. It's tasty, healthy, and allows me to shovel copious amounts of sweets into my mouth without guilt. Now, if that isn't an incentive to eat this salad I don't know what is.

Roasted Pepper Salad

I consider myself a bad Italian, because up until this week I had never roasted a pepper. In fact, before this week I didn't even like roasted peppers. They seemed all sorts of slimy and slippery. I saw no reason to tackle that when I was perfectly content eating them raw.

Clearly, I was an idiot. Roasted peppers are fantastic. They are like a prayer. They are the wind beneath my wings. I want to sing corny love songs about them all day because they are just that good.

My first pepper roasting experience was with Giada. No surprise there, huh? This salad is sweet from the peppers, tangy from the kalamata olives, and perfectly finished with a bit of basil.

It's good stuff, folks.

Roasted Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

4 bell peppers (any color)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup basil, chopped

1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced

salt/pepper

Directions:

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the peppers on the baking sheet and broil in the oven for roughly 20 minutes, until the skin is brown and blistered. Turn over occasionally to get all sides broiled.

These are from before the broiling, obviously

Remove the peppers from the oven and seal them in a plastic bag. Let them come to room temperature, then peel and seed them. Slice them into strips.

In a bowl, combine the pepper strips, kalamata olives, basil, olive oil, and salt/pepper. Enjoy at room temperature.

Blizzard : and not the Dairy Queen Type

Chicago is supposed to be hit with the worst blizzard to date. Teachers yesterday warned us that classes may be cancelled for Wednesday. That little weather band on the bottom of news channels is going into overdrive. Supposed to be the snow storm of the century. Or the year.

Snow and I have a love-hate relationship. I think it's pretty. When it isn't flying directly into my eye (which it tends to do) I actually find it somewhat pleasant. At least it has to be above freezing, right?

But sometimes it gets a bit tense between the flurries and I. Snow likes to play tricks. It likes to make my commute to campus a bazillion hours long. It likes to make me slip.

It likes to steal my boots.

When I was little I hopped out of our boxy Cadillac into knee deep snow. When I unearthed my foot, it was bootless. Despite all our searching, we could not find that boot until the snow melted.

Clearly, you can see why snow and I have issues. No one touches my shoes and gets away with it.

According to all reputable weather sources, snow and I are geared to meet again. And I'm ready. I've got cookies, nutella, and a salad so spectacular, it only can be served in a mixing bowl. So, bring it blizzard. Just stay away from my boots.

"Everything But The Kitchen Sink" Salad

Ingredients:

Spinach

Cucumbers

Kalamata Olives

Carrots

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Tomatoes

Chickpeas

Farro

Balsamic Viniagrette

Directions:

To make the farro, combine 3/4 cup of farro with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for roughly 20 minutes. Watch for when the water is absorbed and test the farro for doneness. They should be tender with a bit of chewiness.

Add the rest of the ingredients and dressing. Toss and enjoy!

Grecian Salad

Today's trip to the grocery store was interesting. It had to do with a puzzling lack of garbanzo beans. Despite several rows of pinto and black-eyed, the actual bean that I needed decided to play hide and seek.

I finally found the three sole cans sequesterd in the Mexican cooking section. What they were doing there, I have no idea. All I know is that for a good ten minutes I thought I was leaving garbanzo-less. And any good person knows not to mess with my garbanzos.

Especially when I have very special plans for them.

Grecian Salad

Ingredients:

1 cucumber

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped

1/2 cup garbanzo beans

1/4 cup feta cheese

basil-balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

Slice the cucumber and chop the slices into quarters. Put in a bowl and add the halved cherry tomatoes. Next, add the olives, beans, and vinaigrette. Toss carefully. Sprinkle on cheese and serve.

Curried Tempeh Salad

Hello!

The weather has been crazy in Chicago lately. One day it is freezing cold. The next suddenly 70 degrees. Usually I wouldn't really mind except for the fact that I have consistently been choosing the wrong type of coat each day. Weather, make up yo' mind!

Clearly, I want it to be cold because all of my food choices are leaning toward the warm and cozy types. I've been slurping on soup and making pumpkin oats like they're going out of style. Last night's dinner was no different.

I bought a block of tempeh from Trader Joes a while back (hopefully not too long of a while back) and gaining inspiration from Une Vie Saine's Mexi-tempeh dish I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I didn't have any of the Mexican ingredients that was used in Gabrielle's recipe but I did have an unopened jar of curry powder. And some random carrots.

Hence, a recipe was born!

Curried Tempeh Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 block multigrain tempeh

1/2 tsp curry powder

baby carrots

spinach

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to boil and add the carrots. Boil until crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, crumble the tempeh into a microwave safe bowl and add the curry powder. Mix with a fork until well-combined and then microwave for one minute.

Plate the spinach and add the heated tempeh and carrots.

Salmon and Warm Olive and Tomato Salad

I consider myself an accomplished cook yet as of yesterday I had never ordered meat/fish from a butcher. I've cooked with meat and fish. I've been up to my elbows in homemade meatballs and seasoned chicken breasts. I just always got the meat from the prepackaged meat aisles.

I'd like to say that this was simply a product of convenience but it really comes down to one thing. Butchers scare me. Something about them intimidates me, maybe it's the white aprons or my inferior knowledge of cuts. Whatever the reasons, I pushed past them yesterday and ordered my salmon.

So, fear conquered! If only conquering all my other fears led to a meal...

Salmon and Warm Olive and Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

4 6 oz salmon filets

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1 stalk of celery with leaves (from inside)

1/2 cup kalamata olives

5 tablespoons olive oil

2 tbs plus 1 tsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp honey

pinch salt

Directions:

Whisk together 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, honey, and salt in a small bowl. Place the salmon skin side down on a broiling pan and brush tops and sides with honey glaze. Broil for 4-6 minutes.

In a small sauce pan combine the remaining oil, vinegar, salt, and kalamata olives. Heat until the oil begins to bubble, roughly 3 minutes. Put into a bowl and add the halved tomatoes and chopped celery. Stir to combine.

Simple Summer Bruschetta

My uncle sent us a plastic baggie full of produce. Inside were two large cucumbers and an array of grape tomatoes that were so darn cute that I almost didn't want to eat them. I have never been one to pass up good food, though, so I threw a bunch of it together into an easy bruschetta.

Simple Summer Bruschetta:

Grape Tomatoes

Cucumber

Basil

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Salt/Pepper

Combine all the ingredients. Take any left over basil and steep in some water. It makes a refreshing drink!

Mediterranean Farro Salad

Tonight I have something a bit different for you all. Instead of a recap of my eats (something a bit difficult because I keep forgetting my camera like an eighty year old) I am giving you one of my favorite healthy recipes.

Mediterranean Farro Salad is something I make fairly often during the school year. It is perfect for pretty much any season and is a cinch to make! For those of you who are not familiar with farro, it is very similar to couscous. I would say it has a slightly chewier texture. It is sold in most Italian specialty shops but if you can't find it feel free to sub in couscous.

I first heard of farro from this person:

Yeah, Giada and I go way back. Okay, I wish that we did, lol. Anyway, she had a recipe using farro in one of her cookbooks and I took it and reworked it a bit. Here is my take on her farro salad!

Mediterranean Farro Salad

Ingredients:

Farro (3/4 cup)

Grape Tomatoes (1/2 cup)

Cucumber (1)

Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese

Salt/Pepper

Directions:

Combine the farro and 2 cups of water in a highsided saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the farro is tender. Make sure to check around 10 minutes otherwise you might end up with some crusty farro.

While the farro cooks, halve the tomatoes and slice the cucumber. Once the farro is cooked, combine the farro with the vegetables and take a knife to put small chunks of parmesan onto the farro. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt/pepper to taste. This makes roughly 4 servings.

Mangia!