Greek Couscous Salad

From Friday to Tuesday we had a glimpse of spring weather. Indeed, Monday and Tuesday got into the 60s! The sun was shining. Scarves, hats, and mittens were unnecessary. Boots were left on the mat at home.

Then there was last night. The rain/hail/snow/windstorm came back with vengeance. It woke me in the middle of the night for a few hours while it was trying to break through my windows. In the morning I could hear people scraping the icy snow mixture off their cars. I almost threw the covers over my head and declared I wasn't coming out until winter leaves us alone.

Unfortunately real life doesn't allow me to do that. So I'll settle for spring on my plate. In the form of this couscous salad. It goes perfect as a side to a grilled pork chop, chicken breast, or piece of fish. Make it. Sip a fruity cocktail. Pretend spring is out of hibernation for real.

Greek Couscous Salad 
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked couscous
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup diced red onion
kernels from one ear of corn
1/3 cup sliced black olives
1/3 cup feta cheese
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Stir together the couscous, vegetables, olives, and cheese. Squeeze the lemon juice on top and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to your own taste.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chicken Gyro Lettuce Wraps

You know how some days you feel like you are running around like a crazy person? That you keep doing lots of work but somehow it feels like the to-do list keeps growing and never shrinking? What happens when that is your life for months on end? Does that just make you a crazy person?

Hi, my name is Julie and apparently I am a crazy person.

At least I still make (sometimes) and eat (most of the time) yummy food. Very rarely lately do I share it with you, but what can I say? I'm a crazy person. Enjoy these quick and easy chicken gyro lettuce wraps. They'll make you feel a little less insane.

Chicken Gyro Lettuce Wraps (adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup shredded cucumber
1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1/8 cup chopped fresh basil
1/8 cup chopped fresh mint
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/8 cup chopped fresh chives
1 lemon, juiced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
Romaine hearts, for serving
Chopped pepperoncini and tomatoes, for serving

Directions:
Place the cucumber in a colander and generously salt. Let rest for 10 minutes and then press out the liquid. Add the cucumber, yogurt, fresh herbs, 1/2 of the lemon juice, 1 clove of garlic and 1/4 tsp cumin to a food processor. Puree until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Combine the other half of the lemon juice with the other clove of garlic and about 1/8 cup oil. Mix in the paprika, oregano, coriander, and 1/2 tsp cumin. Place the chicken in the marinade and toss to coat. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Shake of any excess marinade. Cook, flipping halfway through, for about 10 minutes until cooked through. Slice into pieces.

Serve the chicken on top of the romaine hearts garnished with pepperonicini, tomatoes, and cucumber sauce.

Serves 2.

Tempeh Greek Wrap

I remember my first experience with tofu on the college salad bar. It was this gross watery white sponge without texture and flavor. Needless to say, I did not enjoy it. But then I learned to love tofu. It is great when marinated and paired with bold flavors.

After I gained an appreciation for tofu, I wanted to venture out to other high protein soy products. The one on the top of my list was tempeh. Finally I have conquered that task.

Here is my take on tempeh--- first off, do not expect it to be anything like tofu. It is actually a hard pressed soybean product so the texture is completely different. You can actually see the soybeans! It is chewy and therefore holds up well for sandwiches. Like this Greek wrap. The flavor of the tempeh is lemony because that's what you cook it in. But paired with the salty feta and olives plus a tangy Greek yogurt spread and lots of fresh vegetables make this perfect for any summer lunch or quick dinner.

The verdict-- I like tempeh. I think I'll play around with it some more.

Tempeh Greek Wrap (adapted from Cooking Light)
Ingredients:
4 oz tempeh
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup water
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
salt and freshly ground pepper
Diced tomatoes and cucumber
Spinach leaves
Sliced red onion
Crumbled feta cheese
Sliced olives
Tortilla or wraps (I like 100 calorie La Tortilla wheat wraps)

Directions:
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the tempeh and cook for 2 minutes on each side to brown slightly. Reduce heat to medium and pour in the water and juice from 1/2 of the lemon. Simmer for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from pan and slice into 6-8 pieces.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, the other half of lemon juice, lemon zest and chives. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spread about 2 tbsp of the yogurt mixture on the wrap. Top with half of the tempeh. Add tomatoes, cucumber, spinach, onion, feta and olives. Roll up.

Makes enough for two wraps.

Greek Salad

Today was a "I put my boot on the wrong foot" day. Similar to a "I used conditioner before shampoo" day. Or a "I made my lunch but left it sitting on the kitchen counter" day. Or a "I burned my tongue on my morning coffee" day.

You know those days that I'm talking about. When you probably should have stayed in bed because something, or multiple somethings, just did not go right. Today, I literally pulled on one of my boots to realize it was on the wrong foot. To give myself a little credit, these boots don't have a zipper or laces or anything, they are just slipons so at first glance both feet look similar. Although I've had them for over a year and this was the first mishap. Ok, go ahead and laugh at my stupidity but only if you haven't done one of the aforementioned or something as equally dumb. Any stories you'd like to tell to make me feel better? Comment below!

What wasn't a dumb thing was this Greek salad-- refreshing, delicious and healthy. Guaranteed to take your "I knocked over a full glass of juice" day from dreary to bright.

Greek Salad (adapted from Cooking Light's The Complete Quick Cook)
Ingredients:
For dressing:
1 anchovy fillet
2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp worcesteshire sauce
1 tsp dried oregano (or 4 tsp fresh oregano)
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1/4 tsp dried dill)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, pressed

For salad (one serving):
2 cups torn lettuce (romaine, green leaf or red leaf)
1 small roma tomato, chopped
1 1/8-inch red onion slice, rings separated and chopped into quarters
2 tbsp pitted olives
2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
2 canned artichoke hearts, quartered
1/2 cup chopped cucumber

Directions:
Mash the anchovy fillet in a small bowl. Whisk in the remaining ingredients until completely combined. Store in refrigerator. Makes approximately 1/2 cup.

To assemble the salad, combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle in about 2 tbsp dressing and toss to mix completely.

Serves 1.

Chicken and Barley Greek Salad

One of my favorite grains is barley. I love the way it can be malted into a delicious, refreshing beer that quenches my thirst at the end of a summer (or winter or fall or spring) day. :)

When it comes to cooking with barley, I used to classify it with hearty stews like beef and barley in the crockpot. Perfect for the winter months. However, a few years ago I came across this cold barley salad in a Cooking Light magazine. I love the flavors of a Greek salad-- the salty feta cheese with the refreshing dressing and the pop of black olives. I thought this salad was be a perfect way to turn barley into a yummy summer salad. Boy, did Cooking Light do it right! This is the second (or is it third?) time I've made this salad. It is great because you can make the large batch on the weekend for dinner and continue to eat it for lunch throughout the week. You may find that the cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers get a little soggy by the end of the week, but my guess is it won't last that long. It never does in my house; that's for sure!

Chicken and Barley Greek Salad (adapted from Cooking Light)
Ingredients:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tsp olive oil
3 cups chicken broth (fat free, low sodium, preferred)
2/3 cup uncooked pearl barley
1 1/2 cup cucumber, cubed
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red bell pepper (or any color), cubed
1/2 cup feta cheese (reduced fat, preferred)
1/4 cup black olives, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:
Heat 1 tsp oil in a skillet over med high heat. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes on each side until browned. Add 1 cup broth, cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. Discard broth and shred chicken when cool enough to handle.

Bring the other 2 cups of broth to a boil in a large pan. Add barley, cover, reduce heat and simmer 35 minutes or until the liquid is completely absorbed. Fluff with a fork and cool.

Combine chicken, barley, cucumber, tomatoes, pepper, cheese and olives in a large bowl.

Whisk the olive oil, lemon rind, lemon juice, seasonings, garlic and vinegar in another bowl. Add the dressing to the larger bowl and toss to combine. Cover and chill in fridge until ready to eat.