Avocado Pasta with Tomatoes and Bacon

This tasty dinner brings together the flavors of so many things that I just love so much. If you are looking for a new twist on your pasta, and you love avocados like I do, I recommend that you try out this avocado pasta dish. The avocado sauce is so simple to make, and you can really make it your own based on what flavors you like (and don't like). If you do not like onion, leave out the shallot. Add in more garlic or more basil if you want. You can also make this vegetarian by not adding in the bacon to the pasta or even vegan by also omitting the Parmesan cheese from the sauce. I first tried this recipe from the cookbook "Oh She Glows," which is all vegan recipes. We loved it. When I decided to make it again the other night, I was craving bacon and cheese, so I added those to the dish. We loved the meal even more this time! I made it for the third time for our lunch today, and we finished it off quickly. It is a meal that is done in less than 20 minutes from start to finish, and It tastes like summer with a side of bacon. Enjoy!

Recipe for Avocado Pasta with Tomatoes and Bacon

Makes 3 - 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
6 pieces of bacon
6 ounces angel hair pasta
20 - 25 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
 2 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small slices - for topping your pasta (optional)
For the avocado sauce
1 medium to large ripe avocado
2 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or two cloves of garlic, chopped)
1 Tablespoon chopped shallot
4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 - 4 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese (plus extra for topping your pasta, if desired)
3 small spanish olives (optional)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS
Cook bacon according to package directions (I prefer baking method). While the bacon cooks, bring a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease after it is finished cooking.  Cook pasta according to directions. Drain well then return to pot. Stir in the reserved bacon grease to the cooked pasta.

In a blender or food processor, add in the ingredients for the avocado sauce and blend until smooth. Scoop out the avocado sauce and add into the pot with the cooked pasta. Toss well. Divide pasta onto plates. Top each with chopped tomatoes, bacon pieces, extra grated Parmesan, and fresh mozzarella cheese. Drizzle the top with a little bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Eat immediately. Avocado does not save well, so this is not a meal that you should try for leftovers. You shouldn't have too much trouble eating it all! 

Recipe Adapted from the "Oh She Glows Cookbook," by Angela Liddon

Crispy Honey-Sriracha Tofu Tacos with Cucumber Mango Salsa (Vegetarian)

More tacos! I know you are excited! This summer I have made coconut fish tacos and steak tacos with smoked tomatillo salsa, and today I am bringing you these vegetarian crispy honey sriracha tofu tacos with a cucumber mango salsa. Hip hip hooray! How excited are you?

I recently went out to San Francisco to visit family, and I got to enjoy lunch at a favorite place, La Taqueria, in the Mission District of the city. It was hard to move in the restaurant and we had to circle like hawks to find seats to eat our food, but it was all well worth it. I tried the pork tacos there for the first time, and they were amazing. One thing that stood out about the tacos we ordered was that they were made with a double shell, with one crispy tortilla and one softer tortilla. We were given the best of both worlds, a soft taco and a hard taco all at the very same time! I tried the double shell method with these tofu tacos, but after trying a couple times, I found that the tastiest way to eat these is with one tortilla, baked in the oven to crisp up a bit. I think the best tortillas to use are* La Tortilla Factory white corn tortillas. They taste great, and they don't break! One of these days I am going to master the double shell method, though...

I topped these delicious tacos with cucumber-mango salsa, mashed avocado, and extra Sriracha sauce.  I was a little nervous about tofu in my tacos, and I was truly amazed at how good they turned out. Even if you are not a vegetarian, I am pretty sure you will find these tacos to be quite tasty. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for even MORE taco recipes!

*In the photos, I used a different tortilla than the La Tortilla Factory brand and the tacos were made with the double shell.

Recipe for Crispy Honey-Sriracha Tofu Tacos with Cucumber Mango Salsa (Vegetarian)

INGREDIENTS:
For the Cucumber-Mango Salsa
1 large, ripe mango, cut into 1/4-inch chunks
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and with the seeds removed, finely chopped
1/2 shallot, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced (with seeds removed)
Juice from 1/2 lime (save the other half for the avocado)
1/2 tsp. honey
Salt and pepper

For the tofu
12 ounces extra firm tofu, drained well, patted with a paper towel, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
2 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce (plus a little more for adding to taco)
2 Tbsp. honey (plus a little more for drizzling)
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. of cornmeal
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper - about 1/8 tsp.
3/4 tsp. Ancho chile powder
1/8 tsp. of sweet smoked paprika
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 - 2 Hass avocados

full-fat Greek yogurt
Good quality soft taco sized corn tortillas (I recommend La Tortilla Factory white corn)

DIRECTIONS:
Prepare the cucumber mango salsa. Toss the cucumber, mango, jalapeno, shallot, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well. Cover and place in fridge until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 315 degrees. Place tortillas on a baking sheet. Rub a very small amount of olive oil all over each side and sprinkle one side with a pinch of fine sea salt. Set aside.

Put the tofu in a large bowl. Mix together the honey and Sriracha sauce in a small bowl. Pour over the tofu, and gently toss to coat well.

In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, Panko breadcrumbs, flour, salt, pepper, chili powder, and sweet smoked paprika. Then pour 1/3 of the cornmeal mixture over the tofu, and toss gently. Add another 1/3 of the mixture, toss again. Finish with the remaining mixture and toss again to coat the tofu well. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat until hot. Then carefully add in the tofu. Cook, undisturbed, for a few minutes, then gently stir and flip over, a few at a time, until all pieces have been flipped. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes more, then gently stir again. Continue to cook and gently toss until tofu is crisped up on all sides. Add in a drizzle or two of honey, and stir. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the tofu with salt and pepper.

While the tofu is cooking, place the tortillas in the heated oven. Cook for a few minutes, then flip. You want the tortillas to be a little crispy, but not hard. You want a very light crisp so that they still fold well without breaking. That is why it is important to buy good tortillas!

While the tofu and tortillas are finishing up, mash up the avocado. Squeeze lime juice over the avocado, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Assemble the tacos. Top each warm tortilla with desired amount of tofu, cucumber-mango salsa, avocado, and Greek yogurt. Add a squeeze of Sriracha sauce, if desired.

Recipe makes approximately 6  - 8 tacos. 

Tofu taco recipe adapted from: The Woks of Life
Cucumber-Mango salsa adapted from:  Oh My Veggies 

More taco recipes:
Potato, Chorizo & Goat Cheese Tacos with Smoky Aioli 
Simple White Fish Tacos
Paladar's Sweet Potato Tacos 
Coconut Encrusted Fish Tacos with Mango, Avocado Crema, and Sweet Chipotle Sauce
Steak Tacos with Smoked Tomatillo Salsa

Sweet potato tacos

Coconut-Encrusted Fish Tacos with Mango, Avocado Crema, and Sweet Chipotle Sauce

I decided that this is going to be the summer of tacos! I searched the web for some super tasty taco recipes, and I also have been dreaming up a few recipes myself. I am kicking off the start of taco recipes with these delicious coconut-encrusted fish tacos with mango, avocado crema, and sweet chipotle sauce. They are amazing! I am planning on including vegetarian tacos, crab tacos, chicken tacos, pork tacos, grilled scallop tacos, shrimp tacos, and so much more over the next couple of months I hope you are as excited about these taco recipes as I am. Enjoy!

*This summer I am also hoping to make many recipes with tomatoes and squash from our garden, as long as they do well this season. Last season our zucchini crop did not produce. I want to make lots of recipes from this list. And, of course, I will be making plenty of yummy desserts this summer!

Recipe for Coconut-Encrusted Fish Tacos with Mango, Avocado Crema, and Sweet Chipotle Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
4 (4 ounce) frozen filets of flaky white fish (such as Alaskan Flounder), thawed
2/3 cup of flour
2/3 cup of Panko bread crumbs
1 1/4 cup of shredded sweet coconut (such as Bakers brand)
1/4 tsp. of smoked sweet paprika
1/8 tsp. of salt
Honey
Sea salt
Olive oil
Avocado Crema
2 large Hass avocados
Pinch of sea salt 
3 Tbsp. of full fat Greek yogurt
Juice of one lime
1/2 tsp. of pure maple syrup
Sweet Chipotle Sauce
One chipotle pepper from can, minced very finely
1 tsp. of chipotle pepper sauce from can
1 tsp. of honey
1/3 cup of full fat Greek yogurt
Mango
2 mangoes, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
Juice of one lime
Pinch or two of sea salt
Assembling
Shredded carrots or cabbage
4 - 6 soft taco size flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:
In a shallow dish, stir together the flour, Panko bread crumbs, coconut, smoked paprika, and salt. Pat thawed fish fillets dry with a paper towel. Drizzle a little of honey over one side of the fish,  use your hands or a spoon to make sure honey is rubbed in, and then sprinkle with some sea salt. Flip, and repeat on the other side. Then dredge the fish fillets into the coconut mixture, coating each side. Place the coated fish on a plate or pan and set in the fridge for 30 to 45 minutes. Chop up the mangoes and place in a bowl. Squeeze juice of one lime over the chopped mango and sprinkle with sea salt. Place in container, cover, and put in fridge until ready to use.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add in 2 of the fish fillets (more if there is room in your pan, without overcrowding) in the pan, and cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Then flip, and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes, or until coconut is browned, but not burnt, and fish is cooked through and flaky. Remove fish from the pan. Place fish on a baking pan and keep warm in oven at 200 degrees while you cook up the remaining two fillets of fish. Before cooking the rest of the fish, wipe the pan clean with a paper towel and add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Once all fish is cooked, transfer to a plate, drizzle with a little honey, sprinkle with sea salt, and cut up.

While the fish is cooking, make the avocado crema sauce and sweet chipotle sauce. For the avocado crema sauce, pit the avocados and remove the skin. Put the fruit of avocado into a bowl. Add the juice of one lime, pinch of sea salt, Greek yogurt, and pure maple syrup. Use a fork to stir well until completely smooth.

For the sweet chipotle sauce, add Greek yogurt, minced chipotle pepper, chipotle sauce, and honey to a bowl and mix well.

To assemble, warm tortillas by wrapping in paper towel and heating in microwave for about 30 seconds. Put cut up fish in tortilla, top with avocado crema, mangoes, sweet chipotle sauce, and carrots. Enjoy!

Recipe serves 2 - 3 
Recipe Inspired by Beer Battered Fish Tacos, by Pink Parsley 

Avocado Ice Cream with Homemade Chocolate Syrup

I have been obsessed with avocados lately. Actually, I have been obsessed with avocados for quite a long time, but these days, I feel like I am eating them at least once a day. I will eat it an avocado for breakfast with eggs, eat avocados for dinner with Mexican meals, and I will even eat avocados for dessert! I dreamed up this ice cream one night before going to bed, and the next day, I made my dreams come true. Wendy helped me make the ice cream mixture. Wendy put the milk, sugar, and lemon juice into the blender, and I added in the avocado. Then Wendy ran away to another room when I turned the blender on, and then came back into the kitchen when it was time to mix in the cream. We then added chocolate sauce and some milk into the mixture that we couldn't get out of the blender, and shared a chocolate avocado shake (well, Wendy let me have two sips). Based on the smoothness of the shake and the flavor, I could tell that the ice cream was going to be a hit. I only made a small amount of ice cream in case it didn't turn out, but next time I will make the full recipe. We all loved this ice cream!

 

Recipe for Avocado Ice Cream with Homemade Chocolate Syrup

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup of organic cane sugar
1 1/4 cup of whole milk
3 small to medium sized ripe (but not overripe) avocados, pit and skin removed
2 tsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:
Put the sugar, milk,  avocado, and lemon juice into a blender. Mix until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Stir in the heavy cream and whisk until well combined. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 hours. Then pour mixture into an automatic ice cream maker. Start ice cream maker, and let it mix for about 5 - 7 minutes, or until ice cream is formed. It will take less time than regular ice cream mixtures due to the thickness of the avocado. Then transfer ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze for desired amount of time before serving.Serve ice cream with homemade chocolate syrup!

For the chocolate syrup:
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. of cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. of unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Put the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt into a small saucepan. Add the 2 Tbsp. of water, more if needed, so mixture is able to be stirred. Add the unsalted butter. Put the saucepan over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil.  Let the mixture boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract. Serve warm or at room temperature over ice cream. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Eggs Baked in an Avocado with Fresh Herbs & Sriracha Sauce

Eggs baked in an avocado. Eggs baked in an avocado. Eggs baked in an avocado. Go make it! Cut an avocado in half, take out the pit, squeeze in some lime juice, crack in the eggs, bake, and top! I cannot believe I waited so long to try out this meal. I had told myself over and over again that I was going to try it, but I never did up until a few weeks ago. Now eggs baked in an avocado is my go to meal for breakfast, lunch (on the weekends), and sometimes dinner. Eggs and avocado are both considered brain food, and I need all the brain food I can get these days. The first time I tried it out, I liked it, but I wasn't head over heels in love with it. I think I liked the idea of eating it because it is so healthy, and since it is super healthy, I kept making it for myself. Now I am completely passionate about eggs baked inside of avocados. It is easy to make, low carb, high protein, filled with Omega 3s, gluten-free, well, you get the idea. So stop dragging your feet, and go make yourself some eggs baked in an avocado! You will thank me one day for telling you to try it. Enjoy.

Recipe for Eggs Baked In Avocado with Fresh Herbs & Sriracha Sauce

INGREDIENTS
1 Hass avocado (any size, I've been using smallish ones lately), cut into half lengthwise with pit removed
Juice of 1/2 lime

Salt and Pepper
2 eggs
Extra-virgin olive oil
Crushed red pepper flakes
Sriracha sauce
Fresh Herbs (thyme, dill, parsley, whatever you want)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Scoop out some of the avocado from each half so that there is enough room for the egg in each. Squeeze desired amount of lime juice over each avocado half. Sprinkle each  with salt and pepper. Crack one egg into one half of the avocado. Don't worry if some of the white runs out, you just want to make sure the yolk is in the avocado. Crack another egg into the other half of the avocado. Place in oven and bake for 12 - 14 minutes, depending on how runny you like your yolks. Make sure the egg whites are set and not runny, though! Remove from oven and drizzle with olive oil and sriracha sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs.
Grab a fork or spoon and dig in (make sure you only eat the fruit of the avocado and the eggs - discard the peel)!

Recipe Adapted from: Serious Eats

BRAIN FOOD
Brain benefits of Avocado: Cognitive functioning and mood.
Brian benefits of Eggs: Cognitive functioning, focus, and mood.
Brain benefits of Olive Oil: Cognitive functioning and memory.
Brain benefits of Lime: Cognitive functioning, memory, and mood.
Information from: The Healthy Mind Cookbook

Vegetarian Tamale and Cheese Pie

Over the past few months, I have been following a pretty low carb diet. Did you know that carbs are in pretty much everything under the sun except for meat, eggs, and cheese? I have definitely been feeling like I have been eating way too much meat lately. I have slowly been reintroducing carbs back into my diet, and I have been trying to find recipes that are healthy and satisfying. I have been uninspired by so many recipes that I come across, but I was so excited when I saw this recipe on a blog that I follow the other day. I knew immediately that I had to try it out. Greg was away for two weeks at a work training in Pennsylvania, so I made this dish for him when he got home last Saturday. We had our neighbor over, and we sat out on the front deck enjoying the chillier fall weather and the soulfulness of this dish. This recipe does require a bit of time, but none of the steps are difficult. After making it, you won't have to cook again for several days. We ate it every day between Saturday and Wednesday and never got tired of it! Our daughter, who is 1 1/2 and getting more picky about food, also enjoyed this meal. I think you will probably enjoy this meal, too! It is healthy, hearty, comforting, and filling! Yum!

Recipe for Vegetarian Tamale and Cheese Pie

INGREDIENTS:
3 14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes, with liquid reserved
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 tsp. of kosher salt, divided
1 Tbsp. of chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped (add more if you want more heat)
2 tsp. of chili powder
1 Tbsp. of freshly squeezed lime juice
2 15-ounce cans of black beans, drained
2 15-ounce cans of pinto beans, drained
1 1/2 cups of frozen corn
2 Tbsp. of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. of dried oregano
12 ounces of grated cheese (you can use colby jack, mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, pepper jack - or a blend of cheeses)
5 1/2 cups of water
1 3/4 cups of cornmeal
Salt & pepper

For serving:
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Chopped avocado
Tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, combine the diced tomato, chopped onion, garlic, olive oil, and 1/2 tsp. of the kosher salt. Mix together. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and then pour the tomato mixture onto the baking sheet. Place in oven and roast, stirring a couple times, until the garlic and onion begin to brown on the edges (about 30 minutes or so).

While the vegetables are roasting, pour the reserved tomato liquid into a blender. Add in the chipotle peppers, chili powder, and lime juice. Then when the vegetables are finished roasting, transfer them into the blender with everything else. Puree the mixture until it is slightly chunky, about 10 - 15 seconds. Set aside. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees.

Put the beans, corn, cilantro, and oregano into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour the sauce from the blender on top and mix well. Spread the mixture into an even layer, and then sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.

Get a whisk ready. Put the water into a large saucepan, set over high heat, and bring to a boil. Add in the 3/4 tsp. of kosher salt. Slowly add in the cornmeal, using the whisk to whisk vigorously so the cornmeal does not clump. Then reduce the heat to medium-high and continue to cook, while whisking constantly, until the cornmeal softens and the mixture thickens (about 3 - 4 minutes).

Remove the cornmeal mixture from the heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Use a spatula to spread the warm cornmeal evenly over the top of the casserole. Make sure to spread the cornmeal to the edges of the baking dish.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and cook for another 30 minutes. Allow it to cool for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.

Serve each piece with sour cream (or Greek yogurt), avocado slices, and tortilla chips.

Recipe makes approximately 10 - 12 servings.

Recipe Adapted from: Annie's Eats, and her recipe was slightly adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook

Simple White Fish Tacos

I am not sure why, but I have always thought that making fish tacos wouldn't be easy. Boy, have I been so wrong! This is one of the simplest meals to throw together, and it takes only 30 minutes from start to finish. I love the combination of the lime and cilantro in this recipe. We topped our fish tacos with mango, avocado, cabbage, mild cheddar cheese, and Panko bread crumbs I think these tacos would also be really good with some jicama. You can add whatever you want to your fish tacos, as long as you promise to top them with the creamy cilantro sauce. Oh, and the Panko bread crumbs really do add a nice crunch to the tacos, so you might want to consider those too. This is a great recipe for summer because it is so light, healthy, refreshing, and easy. Enjoy!

Recipe for Simple White Fish Tacos

INGREDIENTS:
For the fish
8 ounces of white fish (I used tilapia)
1 Tbsp. of fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 Tbsp. of cilantro leaves, torn
1/8 tsp. of cumin powder

1 clove of garlic, pressed
Salt and pepper

For the creamy cilantro sauce
Juice from 1/2 lime
1 Tbsp. of cilantro leaves, minced
1/4 cup of Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 clove of garlic, pressed
A pinch or two of ground cayenne pepper (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper

For serving
6-inch flour tortillas
Chopped mango (from 1 medium mango)
Chopped avocado (from 1 medium Hass avocado)
Shredded green cabbage
Finely grated mild cheddar cheese
Cilantro leaves
Panko bread crumbs (gives it a nice crunch)!
Or, whatever you want

DIRECTIONS:
In a shallow dish, stir together the fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, cilantro, cumin, and garlic. Put the fish in the dish and coat. Cover and put in the fridge to marinate for 20 minutes.

While the fish is marinating, make the creamy cilantro sauce. Stir together the lime juice, cilantro, Greek yogurt, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat the other tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Once it is simmering, put the fish into the skillet and cook, without touching, for 3 minutes. Then carefully flip the fish over and cook on the other side for 2 -3 more minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the fish and season with salt and pepper as desired. Let it sit for a couple minutes, then use two forks to shred the fish into bite-sized chunks.

Assemble the tacos on the tortillas with the fish, cilantro crema, and favorite toppings.

Recipe makes approximately 4 - 6 tacos.

Recipe Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally from The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Arugula and Fruit Salad with a Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Here is a super healthy and delicious salad for you! I am quite a fan of arugula. If you look through my blog postings, you'll see plenty of meals made with arugula. I'll post some yummy arugula recipe links at the bottom of this entry for you because I am very generous. I love the flavor of arugula. It is so much more sophisticated tasting than most of the leafy greens that are out there, and it also has tons of health benefits. It is a good source of several vitamins, folic acid, iron, and phytochemicals that fight cancer. And, not only is it good for you, but eating arugula also makes you more sexually energized - it's an aphrodisiac!

I think you'll find this salad to be very tasty. You'll love the combination of the fruit, avocado, and toasted walnuts with the sweet tasting vinaigrette. This salad makes quite the pretty display of colors and it is fun to eat. Enjoy!

Recipe for Arugula and Fruit Salad with a Blood Orange Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS:
6 cups of arugula leaves
2 medium Hass avocados, chopped
2 large mangos, chopped
3 mandarins (I use Wonderful Halos), separated into pieces
1/3 cup of walnuts
2 Tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. of honey
1 1/2 Tbsp. of blood orange vinegar
1/8 tsp. of kosher salt
Several grinds of fresh black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Toast the walnuts. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and arrange walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in oven and cook for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

While walnuts are toasting, mix up the dressing. Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk well. Set aside.

Divide the arugula onto plates. Top each with chopped mango, avocado, mandarin pieces, and toasted walnuts. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and then sprinkle with some extra black pepper, if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Original Recipe

More Tasty Arugula Recipes
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Asparagus and Arugula Pizza
Penne Pasta with Arugula Pesto
Asparagus and Arugula Risotto
California Pizza Kitchen-Style Quinoa Salad 
Greek Pizza

Mediterranean-Style Orzo Salad with Avocado and Arugula

I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious this orzo salad was! It was the first meal I made since before I had the baby (unless you count cheese quesadillas as a meal..). For the first couple weeks after having Wendy all I wanted to do was eat something super quick and easy, such as frozen pizza. Well, that got old fast. I decided I was ready to start cooking again and that I wanted to eat healthier. I went out to the grocery store with a list of healthy ingredients in hand. It felt good to get out of the house all by myself (yes, I'll admit it) and I'll even admit that I took my time at the store! I had this salad in mind when I did my shopping, but the cauliflower didn't look too hot and I couldn't find farro, so I decided I'd just go with a a different type of salad. Greg was amazed with how good the salad was. I think he commented like five times while he was eating it on how much he loved it. And usually I have to ask him f he likes something I made or not! This salad is super easy to make and it's incredibly healthy. It reminded me a little of this awesome salad I made a couple summers ago, that has quinoa and asparagus. Make the orzo salad vegan by leaving out the feta! Enjoy.

Recipe for Mediterranean-Style Orzo Salad with Avocado and Arugula

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of dried orzo

1 1/2 Tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1/8 tsp. of kosher salt
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. of oil from sun dried tomato jar
12 - 16 sun dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
16 - 20 kalamata olives, chopped
Desired amount of feta cheese (I like a lot), crumbled
Desired amount of baby arugula (I recommend a couple handfuls a serving)
2 avocados, sliced
2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the orzo according to package directions. While the orzo is cooking, make the dressing. Combine the olive oil, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, lemon juice, and sun dried tomato oil in a small bowl and whisk well. Once orzo is finished cooking, drain it of any excess water and then immediately transfer to a large bowl. Allow it to cool slightly while you chop the sun dried tomatoes and kalamata olives.

Then toss the orzo with the dressing and add in the sun dried tomatoes and olives. Toss again. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Just before taking it out of the fridge, slice the avocados and cucumbers.

Put the arugula leaves, cucumber slices, and avocado slices on a plate(s). Drizzle on a little bit of olive oil and a couple squeezes of lemon juice (just a tiny amount). Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on top. Top with a generous amount of the orzo. Add the crumbled feta on top. Serve with your favorite bread.

Recipe makes about 4 - 6 servings. 

Recipe Adapted from: Cookie and Kate 

Tomato, Avocado & Fresh Mozzarella Salad with a Honey-Lime Balsamic Vinaigrette

Holy tomatoes! Our tomatoes are doing much better this season than ever, and I totally attribute it to the 6-foot fence Greg built around our garden. Sorry deer, you'll have to go elsewhere for tomatoes this summer! We picked close to 10 pounds of tomatoes just a few days ago, and I picked another 5 pounds today. Incredible!

Here are some of the fun recipes I have been making with all the tomatoes: Cherry Tomato Tart with a Basil and Garlic Crust, Quinoa, Corn & Black Bean Wraps, and Three Tomato Pie  I made some of the cherry tomato tarts with my next door neighbor the other day and that was a lot of fun. I woke to find my food processor broken the morning of our tart date, and I called her to let her know, and she said she did not own one. I had to make the dough the old-fashioned way, and much to my surprise, it worked! But I am still pretty devastated about my processor...

This tomato, avocado & mozzarella salad with honey-lime vinaigrette is another great recipe with tomatoes from our garden. I have made it a couple times this summer and it is one of our fave salads. It is so easy to make and it is super healthy. It's filling enough for a light lunch or it can be served with dinner. You'll love the way the flavors come together! Enjoy.

Recipe for Tomato, Avocado & Fresh Mozzarella Salad with a Honey-Lime Balsamic Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS:
For the honey-lime balsamic vinaigrette 

Beautiful tomatoes...

1 Tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. of balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. of honey
2 tsp. of freshly squeezed lime juice
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
For the tomato, avocado & fresh mozzarella salad
12 - 16 Sugary tomatoes or large cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 Hass avocado, cut into smallish cubes
1/4 cup of fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
Extra lime juice
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Put all the vinaigrette ingredients into a smallish bowl and mix well. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the salad ingredients.

Put the sliced tomatoes, cubed avocado pieces, and cubed mozzarella into a medium bowl. Pour the honey-lime balsamic vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently. Squeeze a little extra lime over the salad and sprinkle on a little extra coarse sea salt and black pepper. Serve and enjoy!

Makes 2 servings. 

Our deer-proof garden - designed & built by Greg!

First zinnia of the season! Zinnias make me happy.

Mango & Avocado Salad

Recently I posted a recipe for sweet potato tacos, courtesy of Paladar Restaurant. If you haven't had a chance to look at the recipe yet, I suggest you do! A really nice addition to the sweet potato tacos is this mango and avocado salad. This salad actually is a great side for many meals.
I love it because it is simple to make and super healthy. The most difficult part about making the salad is cutting up the mangos! I have had several close calls while chopping them; so take the extra time and learn how to cut them properly ahead of time.
I also love this salad because it is so bright and colorful. It makes me happy to just look at it, but of course it makes me happier while I'm eating it up! I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do.

Mango & Avocado Salad Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
2 - 3 ripe mangos, cut in to 1-inch chunks

1 - 2 ripe avocados, cut in to 1-inch chunks (to be cut and added right before serving)
2 limes, juiced
2 tsp. of canola oil
1 Tbsp. of granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes (leave this out if you don't like spicy)
Sprinkling of Kosher salt
Sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Make the lime dressing. In a medium container, add the lime juice, canola oil, sugar, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir together well. Add in the mango slices, sprinkle the mango chunks with a little bit of salt, and then coat with the dressing. Cover the container and put in fridge for about an hour. Right before serving the salad, add in the avocado pieces and mix together. Enjoy!

***Original Recipe***

NOTE: Have leftover mango & avocado salad? Add in some canned black beans, and then use it as a filling in a tortilla. Makes a nice lunch!