Meatless Sesame Cabbage Salad is the vegan answer to a Chinese Chicken Salad gone plant based. It’s a simple salad I’ve been throwing together since I became a vegetarian a handful of years ago. Sometimes I add a meatless-chicken patty to the greens or extra crunchy elements just to spice it up. Either way feel free to mix and match. I will give you my recipe to use as a base but use whatever you have to make it your own.

Roasted Asparagus Spring Salad: Is the type of salad you wish you could eat everyday.

Are you one of those people that never want to make salad for whatever reason? The thought of making salad RARELY appeals to me, because I don’t think it’s going to be satisfying enough as a meal. Then the second it’s done and I’m eating it, I can’t believe how delicious it is and promise myself to eat a beautiful salad as such EVERYDAY! Ahhhh the vicious salad cycle.

Spring has SPRUNG! It’s time to usher in the warmer weather with this refreshing Mediterranean Rotini Pasta Salad. I seriously dread having it in the house because I can’t stop eating it till it’s gone. On a the bright side it’s easy to make, and have on hand to accompany a main dish or partner up with a leafy green for a duo salad night.

This post is #sponsored by Allied Contigo on behalf of The Hollywood Bowl. All opinions and recipe are 100% my own.

Have you had a chance to check out the Hollywood Bowl family friendly movie music concert series calendar yet? Oh my word. I’m so excited for what’s in store this Summer. It’s not like the Hollywood Bowl ever disappoints, and the fact that they showcase some of the best films and concerts all sunny season long conjures up a new burst of excitement in me year after year. (more…)

Here’s a fun story. 7 years ago I entered an original recipe salad contest Fresh and Easy Markets were hosting. The ask was for people to submit their best Summer salad ideas and the winning salad would be packaged and sold in all Fresh and Easy Markets. I casually decided to enter my chipotle macaroni salad. Why not? I had just started blogging and was anxious to get involved in the big wide web, and seriously didn’t give it much more thought than that. A few weeks later I received an email saying out of 5 thousand entries my chipotle macaroni salad was crowned the WINNER! Say what? I thought I was going MAD and had misread the email. I couldn’t believe it, never in a hundred years did I think I would win.

It took about a year before I saw it on the shelves. I felt so humbled, and proud, and excited…it was definitely a surreal feeling seeing my creation displayed and sold in a supermarket. As part of the salad launch Fresh and Easy invited me in-store to take photos with my new packaged salad. A Facebook memory popped up today with these images that my friend Stephen (LatinoFoodie) took of me as I was being photographed by the photographer the market had hired.

It was an amazing experience for sure, and one that made a little space for me among the blogging world. I look at these photos and think… I’ve learned so much since then, I’m still grateful for this slice of recognition, I like that I was wearing the evil eye around my neck on a red string (keeping the haters at bay), and it looks like my hair was in an awkward stage of mid-length bangs that needed to be pinned down. With all the growth that has come with time one thing remains the same, my chipotle macaroni salad is still a winner, if I do say so myself, and should be celebrated all Summer long. I hope you’ll love it, as much as I do. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Chipotle Macaroni Salad:

• 1 – pound elbow macaroni (cooked according to box al-dente)
• 4 – tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1  – teaspoon salt
• 1/2 – teaspoon black pepper
• 1 – teaspoon dried dill
• 1/3 – cup green onion (minced) (about 10 stalks)
• 1 – red onion (diced small)
• 1 – cup frozen peas (thawed)
• 8 – oz. corn (about one cup)
• 4 – hard boiled eggs (peeled and chopped small)
• 1/2 – cup chopped black olives
• 1 – jar zesty dill pickles (chopped small)
• 1 lb – sharp cheddar cheese (cubed small)
• 6 – heaping tablespoons pimento (diced)
• 1 1/2 – cups mayonnaise
• 1/2 – tablespoon ground chipotle chile pepper ( feel free to add more if you like it extra spicy or less if you just want a tad of heat)

Directions:

1. In a big bowl add drained/cooled macaroni and mustard.  Mix well.
2. Sprinkle in salt, black pepper, and dill.  Mix well.
3.  Add both the red and green onion. Mix to combine.
4. Next add the peas and corn. I mix with each addition to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed.
5. Add chopped hard boiled egg, black olives, and pickles. Mix to combine.
6. Add cheddar cheese cubes and pimento. Mix well.
7. Now add mayonnaise into the salad and mix well. Lastly sprinkle in the chipotle chile pepper. Mix well and serve!
8. I prefer the taste of the salad the next day after all the flavors have had a chance to mingle in the fridge.
9. Enjoy!

Vegetarian BBQ Bowl is what I’ll be serving Memorial Day weekend! It’s funny because I get invited to BBQ’s all the time but usually the person having the BBQ will say “please bring your own food, we’re only grilling meat.” It use to take me by surprise that I was invited somewhere but being asked to bring the vegetarian option, but I’ve become accustomed to it at this point. (more…)

Hummus Avocado Tostada

It’s been a long couple of days:  My son joined a baseball team so I’ve been back and forth to the park getting him situated. He also plays drums, and yours truly has to drive him to practice.  One of my dearest girlfriends also had a (more…)