Bread salad
This salad is something to make when there are cucumbers and tomatoes in season. And if you have some stale bread left over (which is exactly what happened to me), then a great salad can be made!
On lazy evenings this could even be a contender to a light dinner recipe. It is very fresh and smells of basil, it can also be a little fancy if necessary (I mean pairing with white whine can make anything more fancy.😄
200 g stale bread, something like ciabatta
2 large tomatoes
4 small cucumbers
1 sweet onion
Handful of basil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar or Balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper, brown sugar to taste
1. Cut the bread in 3-4 cm pieces, place in a deep bowl you will be serving the salad in.
2. Dice the tomatoes in 2-3 cm pieces. Peel the cucumbers, cut in half and chop in 2 cm pieces. Add everything to the bread in the bowl.
3. Cut the onion in half rings, add to salad.
4. Add torn basil leaves, salt, pepper and half a tsp brown sugar.
5. Drizzle with chosen vinegar and olive oil, mix together. Serve chilled.
Recipe: Ārija Avota
Photo: Oto Avots
Split pea porridge with Greek sauce salad
I didn’t use to make split pea porridge too often, since it usually was served with meat or other foods that made the whole dish seem a little heavy. This all changed once I traveled to Greece and discovered you can have the porridge on its own, just drizzled with a little olive oil and onions- that is just the kind of food you want in hot weather!
This recipe is currently very popular in my mother in laws household- hot weather outside, lots of garden work to be done, so this is the perfect dish- both rich and light at the same time.
And turns out, a salad of any kind pairs well with this porridge- I like a classic Greek salad with olives, tomatoes and fresh cucumber.
500 g split peas
1 medium onion for cooking
2 tbsp olive oil for cooking
Salt and pepper
For serving
Extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
For the salad
1 small head of lettuce
1 sweet onion
4 medium cucumbers
100 g feta cheese
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
2 handfuls Kalamata olives
1 sun dried tomatoes, cut in strips
200 g Greek yogurt
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Rinse the split peas several times in fresh water. Chop the onion finely.
2. In a pot heat the olive oil and cook the chopped onion until transparent, add the split peas and add cold water so that the peas are covered 2 cm above. Rapidly bring to boil and then turn the heat down and keep cooking for about 40 min until the peas become soft while stirring every once in a while.
3. Once almost ready, add the salt. The porridge will be runny so set the pot aside with the lid on and covered in a blanket for at least 20 min.
4. In the mean time prepare the salad.
5. Tear the lettuce and arrange on the bottom of the plate or bowl the salad will be served in.
6. Grate the onion and cucumber, drain the juice and add to the lettuce.
7. Mix the Greek yogurt with lemon juice, salt and pour over the salad. Add olives, cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes and sprinkle the feta cheese on top. Add fresh pepper to taste.
8. Chop the fresh onion and set aside.
9. Serve the porridge in bowls and drizzle over with olive oil and chopped onions, add pepper to taste.
10. Serve with the salad.
Recipe: Ārija Avota
Photo: Ieva Andersone
Green salad with basic sauce
This salad will save the world and all of us along with it :) If we are looking for a magic key to healthy lifestyle and regulating weight- this salad is that key! This basic salad recipe should be taught to every family member, so we can all live healthier and learn more healthy habits. This is the only time when the bigger the portion- the better!
The main part of this salad is the sauce, however for the salad itself- any in season greens and veggies will work.
Different seasonal salads and greens (rucola, spinach, dill, basil, chives, etc)
4 fresh cucumbers, peeled, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced or a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 sweet onion cut into rings
Options to add: bell pepper, avocado, mango, apple, pear, leek, carrots (grated), strawberries, sun dried tomatoes, capers, feta cheese, blue cheese, cooked chicken or shrimp etc.
For the basic sauce
¼ tsp salt
¼ tbsp lemon juice or vinegar (balsamico, apple or red wine vinegar)
1 tsp raw honey, jam, syrup or sugar
4+ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For extra flavor: chopped anchovies, blue cheese, pressed garlic, Dijon mustard, etc.
1. On a wide plate or large bowl, place the teared salad and chopped greens.
2. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onions and all other chosen options.
3. In a small bowl make the sauce: add salt, squeeze in the lemon juice and stir in the honey until it dissolves. Then drizzle in the olive oil slowly while stirring constantly with a fork. This is when to add the additional flavor option.
4. Pour the sauce over the salad only before serving.
Recipe:: Ārija Avota
Photo: Oto Avots
Romaine and blue cheese salad
This salad is great by itself as a snack or entrée, or as a perfect addition to many main dishes. When eating this salad, you use the romaine leaves as a utensil to scoop all the delicious sauce up. This salad could be called the “quick Caesar salad”- it is a little spicy and very juicy.
2 romaine salad cores (if you can’t buy the core separately, just use the inner leaves)
1 medium sweet onion, cut in thin slices
For the sauce
200 g blue cheese, crumbled
2 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press
4 fillets of anchovies, very finely chopped
3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
80 g high quality olive oil
Salt and pepper
Makes 4 portions
1. In a small bowl or cup, mix together the Balsamic vinegar, chopped anchovies, salt and garlic. Slowly drizzle the olive oil in the sauce, whisking with a fork constantly. Finally add the crumbled blue cheese and fresh pepper.
2. In a large bowl or plate (the one you will be serving the salad in) arrange the romaine lettuce one by one. If the leaves are too big, cut them in half.
3. Spread the sauce evenly over the leaves and sprinkle the fine onion slices on top.
Recipe: Ārija Avota
Photo: Ieva Andersone (IG: photoievaandersone)
Published: Ievas Virtuve, santa.lv
Potato salad
This salad is something straight from my childhood in Latvia, I love them for any occasion. With a cold and sparkling pickle straight from the jar! My grandmother and mom sometimes used linseed oil that gives the salad an interesting but really good taste. I mostly use extra virgin olive oil, sometimes pumpkin oil and also update the salad with cold smoked salmon for more spiciness.
I feel like this is a very healthy and real type of dish. You can just feel the strength it gives you when eating it!
8 medium potatoes, approximately 800 g
1 large onion, better sweet
50 ml pumpkin seed oil or extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Wash the potatoes with a brush and boil them in a pot until soft. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Peel and chop the onion.
3. When the potatoes are cool, peel and cut them into 1.5-2 cm cubes. If you want to have the salad warm, then use gloves to peel the potatoes sooner. Place in a large bowl and add the chopped onion, salt and pepper to taste and mix everything with olive oil.
4. Serve with pickles. Can also sprinkle with cold smoked salmon.
Recipe: Ārija Avota
Photo: Oto Avots
Citrus and avocado salad
This exotic salad is quite unusual, but it pairs very nicely with rich meat dishes, for instance a roast or ribs. It can really refresh and bring out the taste of the main course making any plain dish extraordinary.
Two handfuls of assorted green leaf salads- arugula, spinach, romaine lettuce etc.
1 orange
1 grapefruit
2 ripe avocados
2 medium sweet onions
For the sauce
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp honey
½ tsp seeds of coriander
Pepper to taste
Makes 4 portions
1. Peel the orange and grapefruit with a knife so that none of the white part is left on the fruit. Then slice the fruits in thin slices and then in half.
2. Peel the avocado and cut in slices.
3. Peel and slice the onion.
4. Take a large bowl (the one you will be serving the salad in) and layer the ingredients: the green salad on the bottom, then alternately add the citrus, avocado and onion rings.
5. In a small bowl or cup mix together the lemon juice, soy sauce, honey and coriander seeds. Then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while constantly whisking the sauce using a fork. Pour the sauce over the salad just before serving, add fresh pepper.
Recipe: Ārija Avota
Photo: Ieva Andersone (IG: photoievaandersone)
Apple and pomegranate salad with walnuts
This is a salad with a distinct aroma of winter- sweet, fragrant and also beautiful looking. This is a great companion for meat dishes and also looks good on the table. And even on its own, this salad tastes great with some fresh bread for a light and delicious pre-holiday meal.
1 large sweet/sour apple, cut into thin slices (a red apple looks best)
the seeds of 1 pomegranate
100 g roasted, chopped walnuts
1 package of fresh salad greens
For the sauce
1 tsp honey
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp apple vinegar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Makes 4 portions
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Roast the walnuts on a pan for about 8 min, until fragrant. Let cool and then chop.
2. Deseed the apple and slice in very fine slices.
3. Tear the salad and place in a large bowl (the one you will be serving in). Add the apple slices.
4. In a cup or small bowl, mix together the vinegar, salt, honey and chopped onion. Then gradually pour in the olive oil, constantly whisking the sauce with a fork.
5. Pour the sauce over the salad and carefully mix. This must be done only before serving.
6. Finally add the pomegranate and walnuts over the salad.
Recipe: Ārija Avota
Photo: Ieva Andersone