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Greek Salad

Greek Salad

Greek Salad is a fresh, crunchy, vibrant salad with the best Greek dressing!  Every bite is packed with color and the best flavors that will keep you wanting more!

Did you know that a traditional Greek Salad does not contain lettuce? My Greek Salad follows the guidelines of the original Greek Salad that contains tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives and feta cheese. Bell peppers are common additions, and a vinaigrette made with olive oil and red wine vinegar or lemon juice is a must as well.

When I think about a Greek Salad, I think about Tarpon Springs in Florida. We love visiting The Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs and locals refer to it as the “sponge capital of the world”. The town is known for its Greek heritage and for its 51 miles of waterfront. I think this tiny Florida town has some of the best Greek food in the U.S.!

Greek Salad

Ingredients and substitutions:
Tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumbers, and red onion – if you’re going to omit one of these, leave out the bell pepper. The rest are essential.
Kalamata olives – you can use another kind of olive.
Feta cheese – good feta cheese is a must for this salad. For a dairy free option, try a vegan substitute.
Lemon juice – red wine vinegar will work very well too.
Extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper.

All our salad recipes: salads page.

Greek Salad

Greek Salad

This easy Greek Salad recipe is layered with tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives and feta cheese, and tossed with a simple Greek salad dressing. It’s fresh, healthy, crunchy, and naturally gluten-free.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Greek
Servings 5

Ingredients
  

  • 1 English cucumber, unpeeled (sliced into half moons)
  • 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
  • 3 medium ripe tomatoes (cut into wedges)
  • ½ red onion (sliced)
  • ½ pound feta cheese (1/2-inch diced)
  • ½ cup kalamata olives (pitted)

For the vinaigrette:

  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
  • teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, feta, olives and red onion in a large bowl.
  • For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss lightly. You can set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.
Keyword greek salad, salad

Beet Salad (Vinaigrette)

Beet Salad (Vinaigrette)

This Beet Salad (Vinaigrette) has the perfect balance of sweet and salty. It is so good! Super healthy and tastes even better!  I think every person from Eastern Europe has either made it or tried it.

Beet Salad (Vinaigrette)

Beets
I don’t think they get the appreciation they deserve. Beetroots, commonly known as beets, are a vibrant and versatile type of vegetable. They’re known for their earthy flavor and aroma. In addition to bringing a pop of color to your plate, beets are highly nutritious and packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds, many of which have medicinal properties. The most powerful health benefits of beets, I have read about, include their ability to lower blood pressure, improve digestion, and boost athletic performance. They also help in providing relief from macular degeneration, improve blood circulation, aid in skincare, prevent cataract, build immunity, and relieve respiratory problems.

This vibrant Beet Salad (Vinaigrette) is a healthy comfort food, perfect all year round!

All our salad recipes: salads page.

Beet Salad (Vinaigrette)

This Beet Salad (Vinaigrette) is simple but requires some time to make as you have to cook the beets, potatoes, and carrots. But the result is always SO worth it!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Russian, Ukrainian
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large carrots
  • 5 medium potatoes
  • 3 large beets (or 6 small beets)
  • 5 large pickles
  • ½ cup red onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add in carrots, potatoes, and beets. Boil for about 40 minutes, or until you can pierce the veggies easily with a fork. Drain the veggies and set them aside to cool at room temperature. Potatoes and carrots cook faster than beets and need to be removed from a pot about half way.
  • Remove the skin from the potatoes, beets, and carrots.
  • Dice the potatoes, beets, carrots, and pickles into small cubes.
  • Stir the veggies and onions to combine and season with salt, black pepper, and olive oil to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Keyword beet salad, beets, salad, vinaigrette

Bruschetta

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is the ultimate party appetizer! When I think of Bruschetta I think of summer and fun lake parties. This easy Italian appetizer brings out the best of the season in just a few simple steps.

Bruschetta toasts are so simple but look and taste incredibly luxurious. A drizzle of balsamic glaze adds a beautiful finish and extra layer of flavor to this garden fresh recipe.

This ultimate party appetizer is perfect to serve at parties as it is dietary-friendly. It’s naturally vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free! You can even make it gluten-free by using a gluten-free baguette. This means less stress for allergies or dietary preferences, and more enjoyment for your friends and family.

Bruschetta

In Italy, bruschetta means a thick piece of bread that is grilled, then rubbed with garlic, and topped with olive oil and salt. It is then topped with a variety of toppings from tomatoes, vegetables, meat, or cheeses. In the United States, bruschetta has come to be known as the appetizer of pieces of bread topped with a tomato and basil mixture, not the bread itself, as it is in Italy. This easy recipe is the Americanized version of what bruschetta means in Italy.

Bruschetta

This Bruschetta recipe is super fresh, light, and makes the perfect appetizer or side dish.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups tomatoes (diced)
  • cup fresh basil leaves (thinly slice)
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
  • teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 baguette (sliced into 1/2 inch pieces)
  • Balsamic glaze

Instructions
 

Toasts:

  • Preheat oven to 400˚F with a rack in the center of the oven. Arrange toasts on a baking sheet and bake at 400˚F for about 4 minutes then broil on high heat for about 1 minute or until the edges are golden brown.

Tomato Topping:

  • Combine tomatoes and salt in a bowl.  Let sit for about 15 minutes and drain tomato juice. Add garlic, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and pepper and stir gently to combine. 
  • Serve with toasts and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Keyword bruschetta