The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz » Kalyn’s Kitchen blog http://www.thecookingadventuresofchefpaz.com Culinary Tales of a Novice Amateur Cook ~ "Look Mom, I'm boiling water!" Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:33:06 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 Spinach, Tuna, Tomato and Radish Salad for Paz http://www.thecookingadventuresofchefpaz.com/2008/09/01/spinach-tuna-tomato-and-radish-salad-for-paz/ http://www.thecookingadventuresofchefpaz.com/2008/09/01/spinach-tuna-tomato-and-radish-salad-for-paz/#comments Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:28:03 +0000 Paz http://www.thecookingadventuresofchefpaz.com/2008/09/01/spinach-tuna-tomato-and-radish-salad-for-paz/ Please help me welcome this week’s guest blogger, Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen.  Thanks, Kalyn!

Paz

 

2008 © Kalyn’s Kitchen – All Rights Reserved

  
When Paz first asked me to be a guest blogger for her while she was recovering from surgery, I planned a surprise and photographed a bunch of food bloggers at the BlogHer conference in San Francisco, all holding signs with get well wishes for Paz.  Then I was impatient and shared a couple of photos in my post about the conference, and Paz refused to stay in bed like a good patient, so she saw the surprise!

I believe things happen the way they’re supposed to, so maybe the get-well wishes were better when Paz was first recovering anyway.  Now I’m thinking she might be feeling quite a bit better and maybe now she’s well enough to make this simple salad.  This recipe is loaded with nutritious ingredients to get Paz back in good shape in no time!

 

2008 © Kalyn’s Kitchen – All Rights Reserved

Spinach, Tuna, Tomato, and Radish Salad for Paz
(Makes one salad, can be doubled, Recipe created by Kalyn from Kalyn’s Kitchen.)

2 cups washed and dried baby spinach leaves (or arugula)
1/2 can tuna, drained (Italian tuna packed in olive oil is best for this.)
5-6 radishes, sliced
2-3 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut in quarters
extra virgin olive oil, about a tablespoon
juice of half a lemon (or more if you like a lot of lemon)

Arrange washed spinach or arugula on salad plate.  Put tuna in the middle of the spinach, arrange tomatoes around the edge, and sprinkle radishes over.  Drizzle salad with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil, the squeeze lemon juice over.  You can serve with extra lemon slices to squeeze on when you’re eating the salad if desired.

This is one of those salads where all the individual parts combine to make a lot of flavor.  Bon Appetit Paz!  Thanks for letting me be a guest blogger.  I hope you are feeling a lot better by now and will soon be back to some serious cooking and taking photos around New York!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

]]> http://www.thecookingadventuresofchefpaz.com/2008/09/01/spinach-tuna-tomato-and-radish-salad-for-paz/feed/ 32 Black Bean Salad with Avocado, Tomatoes, Red Onion, and Cilantro http://www.thecookingadventuresofchefpaz.com/2008/04/29/black-bean-salad-with-avocado-tomatoes-red-onion-and-cilantro/ http://www.thecookingadventuresofchefpaz.com/2008/04/29/black-bean-salad-with-avocado-tomatoes-red-onion-and-cilantro/#comments Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:25:34 +0000 Paz http://www.thecookingadventuresofchefpaz.com/2008/04/29/black-bean-salad-with-avocado-tomatoes-red-onion-and-cilantro/

 

I love salads.  I may have already told you this.  I’m not sure but I’ll tell you again.  I love salads — all kinds of salads, not just your regular leafy green type.

Kalyn made a Pinto Bean Salad with Avocado, Tomatoes, Red Onion, and  Cilantro that screamed at me to make it immediately.  I liked all the ingredients but my favorite (and if you’re a regular reader, you’ll already know) is cilantro.  It makes me do my happy dance in the kitchen when I chop it for use and sprinkle it on my food.  This is a super easy salad to prepare and the best thing about it is that you can use any type of beans you want.  Instead of pinto beans, I used black beans.  I’m going to experiment with different beans.  Awesome salad, Kalyn.  Thanks!

Paz

 

 Pinto Bean Salad with Avocado, Tomatoes, Red Onion, and Cilantro
(Makes 4 side-dish servings, recipe created by Kalyn)

1 can pinto beans, rinse and drain very well
4-5 tsp. white balsamic vinegar or champagne vinegar
1 avocado, diced into pieces 1/2 inch square
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 cup chopped tomatoes (cherry tomatoes cut in half would be great too, but I had medium tomatoes which I cut in eighths)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1-2 T olive oil, or a bit more
fresh ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

Pour beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse well until no more foam appears. Let beans drain well for at least 15 minutes. Then blot beans dry with paper towel, place in plastic bowl, and toss with white balsamic vinegar. Let beans marinate in the vinegar while you prep other ingredients.

Cut avocado into 1/2 inch pieces and place in small bowl. Toss with lime juice. Chop tomatoes, or if using cherry tomatoes, cut in half.

Chop red onion and cilantro. (I like to chop with a chef’s knife, but you could use a mini-chopper or food processor for this.) Mix onions and cilantro into marinating beans. Then use a large spoon to gently fold in avocado and tomato. Drizzle olive oil over salad and season to taste with fresh ground black pepper and sea salt, and gently toss again. Serve immediately, at room temperature.

Variations: I think other varieties of beans would also be tasty in this combination.

 

 

 

 

 

]]> http://www.thecookingadventuresofchefpaz.com/2008/04/29/black-bean-salad-with-avocado-tomatoes-red-onion-and-cilantro/feed/ 15