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Black Bean and Ramen Salad (Kathy in FL)
- 1 package ramen noodles
- 1 1/2 cups black beans, or other cooked beans
- 1 red and yellow bell pepper, cut in strips
- 1/4 onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Remove flavor packet from ramen noodles. Partially break noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Combine noodles with beans, peppers, onion, and cilantro. Combine vinegar, oil, and mustard with flavor packet from noodles. Shake well. Pour over salad and toss to mix. 4 Servings
Bulgur Salad (gardner)
Bulgur is whole wheat that has been steamed and then cracked, so it is very easy and quick to cook. I love it because it’s very different from couscous and rice, but just as quick. Adds much appreciated variety. If need be, all you need is to boil water and let the bulgur soak for 15–25 minutes. No actual cooking (other than boiling water).
According to Madison: Rinse 1 cup bulgur. Put in bowl with a dash of salt. Pour in 2 1/4 cups boiling water. Cover and let stand 15 minutes for fine-ground bulgur, 25 minutes for medium-ground bulgur. Drain off any excess water. And that’s it. Then you can add chopped vegetables, oil and vinegar, cooked beans, etc, for a quick grain-based salad.
Chicken BLT Tortellini Salad (Kathy in FL)
- 8 3/4 ounces package Three Cheese Tortellini — uncooked
- 2 cups fully cooked chicken breast pieces (from can)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes — sliced lengthwise (or drained petite diced tomatoes)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or equivalent of choice)
- equivalent of 3 slices cooked bacon – chopped (e.g., Real Bacon Bits)
- 3/4 cup ranch salad dressing
- 1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
- lettuce leaves (if you can get it or serve on/with flat bread)
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In a large bowl, stir together cooked pasta and remaining ingredients; serve immediately on lettuce leaves.
Orange Rice (Kathy in FL)
- 2 cups Instant Rice
- 1 1/2 cups orange juice
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 can mandarin oranges drained
Place orange juice and water in a 1 to 2 quart saucepan. Heat to boiling. Stir in ginger and rice. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fold in oranges and chill. Can be molded for salad. Serve on bed of lettuce. Yields: about 4 servings
Rice Summer Salad (Kathy in FL)
[Note: this calls for some fresh items, but you could substitute with dried equivalents that have been rehydrated.]
- 4 cups cooked, short grain, brown rice
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 small zucchini, chopped
- 1/2 cup cider or wine vinegar
- 6 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 cup cooked green peas
- 1/4 tsp. mustard powder
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 tsp. tarragon
- 1–5 Tbs. diced pimiento
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
Serve plain as a main dish, or piled on lettuce leaves and garnished with tomatoes and watercress. Preparation time is 30 min. with 2 hours to chill.
Salsa-Style Potato Wrap (Kathy in FL)
- 1 can (29 ounces) whole potatoes, diced
- 1 cup canned salsa
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions (or equivalent in rehydrated dried onion)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley (or equivalent in dried)
- 4 (10-inch) whole-wheat or tomato-flavored tortillas
- 4 large hard-cooked eggs, chopped (assuming you still have eggs, if not you might try substituting scrambled eggs made from dried eggs)
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or substitute some other cheese type product)
- 2 cups shredded dark-green leafy lettuce (if you don’t have any fresh and you aren’t growing any in a garden just leave this out. It add some bulk and fiber but isn’t strictly necessary if you are just trying to find something to eat)
Combine potatoes, salsa, green onions and cilantro in a medium bowl; toss gently with fork to mix. Warm the tortillas. Spread equal portions of the potato-salsa mixture on the bottom half of each tortilla, leaving room on the edges. Sprinkle with eggs and cheese; top with lettuce. Fold the side and bottom edges of each tortilla toward the middle over the filling, then roll so the tortilla covers the filling.