Green Bean Salad With Tomatoes, Olives & Feta

 

 

Summer is the time when fresh vegetables are plentiful. Today’s salad is a marinated dish of fresh green beans, tomatoes, red onions, and olives with a sprinkling of feta. The dish should marinate at least 3 hours in a refrigerated covered dish, but I like to leave it overnight. You can double the recipe for a big bowl for a cook-out or use the recipe for your immediate family. Make it to your family’s taste; my sister loves black olives while I love green. Fresh tomatoes can be small grape tomatoes or large heirloom tomatoes chopped into bite-sized pieces.

Green beans are a very healthy vegetable and are packed with nutrients such as Vitamin A, C, and K, potassium, iron, and calcium. Green beans are also low in calories, low sodium, low-carb and high in fiber. Plus the Greek inspired dressing is easy and so tasty.

Green Bean Salad With Tomatoes, Olives & Feta

Use organic when available. Serves 4

Green bean salad is made with fresh green beans, tomatoes, feta cheese and olives, all tossed in a Greek style dressing. 

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 lb fresh green beans trimmed (halved if desired)
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved (or tomato of choice chopped)
• 1/4 cup red onion sliced
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives pitted & sliced (or olive of choice)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or oregano
• 1/4 cup optional almond slices or chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled ( or goat cheese or shaved parmesan cheese)

Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (or apple cider or balsamic)
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat salted water to boil and add green beans
• Cook about 3 minutes until just tender
• Remove beans and plunge into a bowl of iced cold water to cool
• Drain beans and pat dry
• Place beans in serving dish
• Heat oil over medium heat in skillet
• Add crushed garlic and cook until just fragrant about 30 seconds
• Remove from heat
• Add tomatoes, Dijon mustard, olives, fresh herbs, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, feta
• Pour mixture over beans
• Toss to evenly coat green beans
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours
• Optional garnish with nuts

Enjoy!

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Chicken Avocado Salad With Citrus Chipotle Dressing

  

Chipotle Powder

Chipotle powder is made from just one ingredient: dried, smoked jalapeño peppers. They are then crushed into powder form. For a substitute I suggest smoked paprika which has a smoked earthy flavor similar to chipotle with less heat. Chili powder on the other hand contains a blend of ground red chiles with various spices, like cumin and oregano. In some blends, garlic and salt are also included. When using chili powder, you’d need to pare back on other spices in your recipe to prevent over seasoning.  Chipotle Powder is sold on Amazon.

 

 I’m a big lover of salads. and I’m always on the lookout for a new taste combination. Today’s dish is a green salad with romaine lettuce & arugula, cooked chicken breast, avocado, corn, grape tomatoes and black beans.  Sprinkle it with Feta cheese, drizzle it with Citrus Chipotle Dressing, and serve with crispy tortilla chips.  Yum! Yum! Perfect for lunch or even dinner this summer with the addition of fresh fruit. The dressing only contains 1/4 tsp Chipotle seasoning. Adjust to your taste more or less. 

 

Chicken Avocado Salad With Citrus Chipotle Dressing

Use organic when available. Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

Chicken Avocado Salad

• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 cup arugula torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 Haas avocado sliced
• 1/2 can corn drained and rinsed
• 1/2 can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes halved
• 1/2 red onion halved and broken into ring halves
• 1/4 cup Feta cheese
• 2 cooked chicken breasts (about 6 oz) sliced

Citrus Chipotle Dressing

• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro or 4 tsp dried cilantro
• 1/4 tsp ground chipotle powder
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper 

Instructions

Citrus Chipotle Dressing

1. Place all ingredients in blender or food processor

2. Purée until smooth

3. Taste and adjust flavorings

4. Store in container with lid in refrigerator

Chicken Avocado Salad

• In large bowl combine romaine and arugula
• Add beans, tomatoes, onion, and corn
• Pour 4 tablespoons of Citrus Chipotle Dressing over salad
• Toss salad to coat ingredients
• Split salad onto 2 plates
• Top with chicken, avocado, and Feta cheese
• Serve with tortilla chips

 

 

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Easy Cucumber & Onion Salad

 

                                           Published on comfortspringstation.com on 6/21/21

                                                   Ranked #5 in post visits in 2025 

 

 There are some summer dishes that are just easy classics using fresh garden ingredients.  Today’s recipe is the perfect example, Cucumber & Onion Salad. Slice cucumbers and onion, mix a quick marinade of vinegar, sugar,  salt and pepper.  The longer you marinate it, the better it tastes, but you can do a quick pickling.

 

 

 

 

The kind of vinegar you use is really a personal choice. I really like organic apple cider vinegar’s crisp taste, plus it has such great benefits for your health. There are claims to all sorts of benefits, many of which are supported by science.  This includes weight loss, reduced cholesterol, lower blood sugar levels and improved symptoms of diabetes. Of course, if you prefer white vinegar, red wine vinegar or rice vinegar, feel free to substitute.

I do not add water to the marinade like many recipes.  The cucumbers release water as they soak.  If you find the dressing too strong, you can dilute it with a little water.  I’ve seen many recipes for this dish that call for a lot of sugar.  If you need to increase the sugar, try increasing to the same amount as the vinegar – 2/3 cup.  If like me, you love fresh herbs, sprinkle a little dill on the salad.  Parsley or basil is also good.  Also, I am using a red onion as I love the color in the salad, but you could easily slice a white one too. A Vidalia is a good choice.

 

 

Cucumber & Onion Salad

 

Use organic when available. If you want to make a traditional southern marinade, it’s a simple recipe.

An easy and refreshing side dish of fresh cucumber and onion slices in a marinade of vinegar and sugar, with salt and pepper. Serves 5

Cuisine American

 

 Ingredients

• 4 large cucumbers
• 1 onion, red or white
• 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar or red wine or rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• Optional fresh herbs like dill or basil

 

 

 

 Instructions

•     Peel and slice cucumber into thin slices
•     Halve and slice onion into thin slices
•     Mix cucumbers and onions in large bowl
•     Mix in second bowl vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper
•     Stir until sugar dissolves
•     Pour marinade over vegetables and toss to coat
•     Optional sprinkle fresh dill, parsley, or basil on salad
•     Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes
•     Serve chilled

 

Enjoy your fresh garden salad!

 

 

 

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