Easy Taco Salad Using Empty the Fridge Chili or Leftovers

This is a perfect way to serve ’empty the fridge’ chili or leftover taco meat or pulled pork. Just about any leftover protein will do!

Empty the fridge/weeknight last minute chili:

1 jar salsa

1 can black beans, drained

1 can cannelini beans, drained

1 can white corn, drained

4 c. cooked meat or vegan crumbles

Combine ingredients and cook 20- 30 minutes over medium heat or in the crock pot if you make it ahead.

To serve: crumble chips in bottom of bowl. Top with chopped iceberg or romaine. Spoon chili over salad and add a dollop of sour cream. Yum!!

Stuffed Baked Potato Skins One Night with Coconut Thai Chicken and Riced Mashed Potatoes Another Night with Raspberry Honey Mustard Chicken

My local grocer had russet potatoes on sale for an amazing price.  I bought 10 pounds!  I can’t eat much of them because of my sensitivity to nightshades, but the kids really like the stuffed baked potato skins we had on night one.  I served them with Teriyaki Ranch Chicken Thighs and Roasted Baby Bellas.

I baked the potatoes a day ahead, so I could work with them cool.   I made 18 potatoes!  I washed them thoroughly, poked them with a fork and baked at 350 F for an hour.

The next day, I scooped out the skins, leaving a little potato and refrigerated the skins again for a while.  I put the scooped out potatoes in a tupperware for mashed potatoes another day.

Brush skins with oil, season with a little seasoned salt and pepper blend, or other seasonings you like, and then sprinkle with cheese (I used vegan cheese) and cooked bacon pieces.

Meanwhile, I put the chicken in a baking dish, and the baby bellas in another.  The chicken was marinaded and cooked in Giorgio Blendabella Coconut Thai Sauce that was amazing!  I added in some Marsala wine to make it liquidy enough to be a marinade.

They were simply tossed with oil (I used sunflower) and seasoned salt and pepper blend.  These can be seasoned according to taste.

It all baked together at 350F for about 40 minutes (chicken with internal temperature of 165F.  I kept checking the food the last 15 minutes or so, and cut the chicken up so it would crisp up.

Then tonight, I made mashed potatoes by ricing the potatoes and adding in melted butter, non-dairy milk, and seasonings.  I just heated them on the stove top while tonight’s Honey Mustard Jalapeno Chicken cooked in the oven.

The Honey Mustard Jalapeno Marinade/Cooking Sauce was made from stuff I had a little of each of in the fridge.  Raspberry Honey Mustard mixed with Jalapeno Pineapple Jam.  No kidding.  Really good.

I served a salad that was a kit from Target’s new line.  Maple, Bourbon, Bacon salad.

Yummm.  I know it sounds like a lot of different flavors, but they all complemented each other.

Pearl Couscous With Broccoli Slaw

I had some Pearl couscous and was inspired to mix it with some broccoli slaw I had on hand.  The result was so yummy and so easy, I will definitely serve it again!

Just cook the Pearl couscous according to directions, let it cool and then mix it with the broccoli slaw. Yummm.

Chicken Salad with Farro and Grape Tomatoes

Waste not, want not.  Leftover boneless chicken breast (cooked in a delicious white wine, lemon, garlic sauce) was in danger of going to waste.  I chopped it down to small bite size pieces and tossed it with some grape tomatoes, celery, and leftover farro and some Kimchi, great northern beans, a little mayonnaise and viola a yummy new type of chicken salad is born.

4 C. leftover chicken, chopped into bite size pieces

2 celery stalks, cubed

1 pint grape tomatoes

2 Tbsp. Kimchi

5 Tbsp. mayonnaise

2 C. cooked farro

1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed.

Combine and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

 

Orzo Salad (Using Canterbury Naturals Artisan Salad Mix

Fresh Market had a sale on some interesting looking artisan salad mixes from Canterbury Naturals.  I bought the orzo cucumber one and it was yummy.  It’s a little higher in sodium than I like (370 mg  per 1/2 cup serving) so I will make my own from scratch next time!

1 Package Canterbury Naturals Orzo Cucumber Salad Mix (it contains whole wheat orzo, garlic, carrots, onion, bell pepper, and celery and a yummy dressing mix)

2 cucumbers, cubed

8 campari tomatoes, cut into quarters

1 can garbanzo beans, drained

2 Tbsp. Panera Tangerine Honey Dressing (too sweet by itself, but nice mixed with the dressing in the salad mix)

Cook orzo veggie mixture for 10 minutes, drain and rinse well.

Prepare dressing pursuant to directions on the package (you add olive oil and water).  Add in tangerine dressing.

Gently fold in tomatoes, cucumber, and garbanzo beans.

Everyone had seconds and some even thirds!  I can’t wait to try this from scratch!

Brown Rice, Corn and Black Bean Salad

I had leftover corn, black bean salad, but not quite enough for a side.  I cooked brown rice in the crock pot over night and mixed it in to make a yummy salad.

Corn and Black Bean Salad:

1 1/2 c. roasted corn

1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 c finely chopped sweet onion

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 1-2 limes
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tsp. chopped jalapeno pepper

 

Combine corn, beans and onion.  Toss with dressing.  Refrigerate at least overnight.

In the morning, stir in the cooked brown rice.  Refrigerate for the day.

I served this with some chicken and a salad bar.

Cous Cous Salad with Sugar Snap Peas and Tomatoes

4 C. cooked cous cous

1 package sugar snap peas, cut in 1 inch pieces

1 pint variety grape, cherry, or mini heirloom tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 c. ginger sesame dressing

I happened to have leftover cous cous.  It was time for another salad for the hot days of Florida summer!  I had sugar snap peas and tomatoes on hand, and thought, why not?

I cut the sugar snap peas into 1 inch pieces

I combined with delicious, colorful tomatoes.

The kids loved this.  This recipe is a keeper!

Multigrain Chop Salad With Sausage

2 lb. sausage, sliced and lightly browned.  I used 1 lb. jalapeno cheddar and 1 lb. smoked turkey

4 packets Minute Rice Multigrain Medley

1 package Dole Chopped Salad Kit

1 pint yellow grape tomatoes

1/2 c. Hidden Valley Mango Chipotle Dressing

Cook multigrain medley according to directions.

Meanwhile, slice and brown sausage in saute pan.

Combine sausage with chopped salad kit.

Fold in cooked multigrain medley.

Stir in Mango Chipotle Dressing.

Avocado Caprese Salad (Adapted from vealmadeeasy.com’s Veal Caprese recipe)

 

1 large Florida avocado
2 medium yellow tomatoes (or any tomatoes you love the flavor of!)
6 campari tomatoes
fresh mozzarealla
1/4 c. pesto (we really like Kirkland’s brand)

Cube avocado, and tomatoes.

Tear pieces of fresh mozzarella into it to taste (I used about 2 oz)

Mix gently and add in pesto.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

We love love love this salad and so did our vegetarian friend Beth who was over.

I served the chicken thighs that I had cooked last night (I chopped it, heated it in the skilled and melted mozzarella on it before serving)

and Buitoni linguini with butter, pesto and Parmesan.

A hit with everyone!

Red Quinoa Brown Rice Kale Salad

There is something to be said with stocking your pantry and fridge with items that are versatile and healthy.   I had some leftover chopped veggies and garbanzo beans from tortellini salad night, and a chop salad in the fridge, and someone had given me some tofurkey ‘sausage’ that I wanted to try,

1 package Dole chopped salad

1 package Tofurkey spinach pesto sausage

1 small bottle yogurt garlic dressing

2 pouches Seeds of Change red quinoa and brown rice

I sliced and browned the tofurkey in a skillet.  I did not heat up the quinoa, as it is fully cooked already.

I just tossed everything in a bowl with some garbanzo beans and put it in the fridge until everyone was ready to eat.

I put out the leftover sliced black olives and red peppers for those who like them!

I was a little concerned that it was just too easy, but it was delicious.  I can just imagine how amazing it could be on a day when I’m in the mood to make up fresh quinoa instead of going with the convenience stuff.