salsa chicken: crockpot style

So if you haven't caught on yet, I pretty much only cook simple things.  Kevin will dabble in more elaborate culinary experiments but not me.  Cooking has never come naturally so I tend toward the "baby steps" approach (for all you What About Bob enthusiasts); some cooking is better than no cooking at all, right?

Luckily whether you are a novice, like me, or not, this meal is for you because it tastes that good.

Shortly after my brother married Alexis (almost 4 years ago exactly) we stayed with them and Alexis introduced me to this dish...and now it's a staple for our family.
(you can check out Alexis's mommy blog here.)

This dish is a particular favorite because you literally throw everything in the crock pot and that's it.

Ingredients: (this recipe allows for leftovers)
1-1.5 chicken breasts, I put them in frozen (per 2 people)
1/2 16 oz. bag of frozen corn (you can substitute canned corn)
1 can black beans 
1 can kidney beans 
1 bottle Pace salsa, regular size (we use medium spice)
*you can use whatever salsa you like, of course, but I have found the sauce to be a bit more runny than desired when I've used more pricey, fresh salsa types, go figure.

Everything in, just before I start cooking it.

Put the chicken in first and make sure the salsa is covering it.
Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for a length of time conducive to your schedule. (the 6 hour setting usually works great for me)

Once it has cooked use a fork and knife to shred the chicken. (it should fall apart easily) Stir everything together and serve.

Served as the topping for salad.

I serve it either on tortillas with whatever toppings suit my fancy or as a topping for salad for the lower calorie option. (delicious both ways)

*This time I had mine on salad with some cilantro, crumbled Doritos, diced green onions, and my favorite dressing (recipe here)

Enjoy!

don't blink.

I had one of those moments a few nights ago.

Lee had been in bed for a few hours.

Just as we were heading to bed ourselves he started crying.

I went into his bedroom to try and calm him and get him back to sleep.  He insisted on being held and not staying in bed. So I gathered him up into my arms and rocked back and forth while I walked and hummed in his ear. 

As I hummed and rocked he nuzzled his head into my shoulder and wrapped his tiny arms around me and held on with his little hands. And as I looked down at his arm wrapped across me I had one of those moments and, as cliché as it may sound, I could barely breathe.  Suddenly I felt, what must have been very nearly the full reality, of just how quickly life speeds along and how deeply I love my children. 

I could feel his childhood slipping out of my reach; how quickly he’d grow, physically and emotionally; more independent by the second it seemed.  In that moment I knew that before I could blink he’d be much “too big” to be held by his Momma or rocked to sleep. All too soon his hands would be far from tiny and his needs far from the simplicity that dominates them now.  Soon he’d be all but grown and it seemed like it was all going far too fast for my liking. So I looked down at his tiny hand and tried to soak it in and etch that moment into my memory.

You know I usually don’t put Lee to bed. 

As part of a conscious effort to have meaningful bonding for our children with their father we decided, before Lee was even born, that bedtime would be Kevin's special time with our children as much as possible. And it has been wonderful; he has a special relationship with them that we all treasure.

But I’m so glad I went in to soothe Lee that night.

Ironically I ended up staying up almost that entire night in his room with him and believe me, I was exhausted the next day. 

(Lest you think that I’m an invincible mom that a lack of sleep doesn’t affect.)

But I am sincerely grateful to be given a moment’s glance into how wonderful this time of babies and toddlers really is. For the reminder it provided to me of what is truly important; to set my phone with all its apps aside more often, to turn off the noise and listen to the chatter of my children, to be in the moment with them, to respond to their innocent desire to be noticed and loved, to find the joy in the moment because it is, in fact, slipping away. (no matter how long some days seem)

I love my boys.

 
Take my new advice and try not to blink too much.
 

We don’t want to miss anything.

baked acorn squash+orzo pasta=autumn heaven

Last year, when we were living near my sister, she'd often come to visit us and cook with Kevin. (the two of them are cooking enthusiasts, I'm an eating enthusiast...yep, my kitchen with the two of them is a pretty good place to be for a person like me.)

Well one day last autumn she shared a roommate's family recipe for a DELICIOUS and SIMPLE way to eat acorn squash. And now I'm sort of obsessed.
I decided to make it for us to eat before we headed out to take the boys trick-or-treating this year and it completely hit the spot.

 Ingredients:
1 acorn squash (per 2 people, this is generous depending on the size of the acorn squash but I like to have leftovers the next day)
1 cup uncooked Orzo pasta (again per 2 people)
butter
salt
pepper

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
*Cut the squash in half.
(this is BY FAR the hardest part, I had to have Kevin do it the night before and I Saran wrapped it and kept it in the fridge until I was ready for it...)
*Put about 1/4" of water in a 9x13 pan and place squash halves RIGHT side up in the pan. 
(use a bigger pan if you are cooking more and they won't fit)
*Poke the inside of the squash halves with a fork and put a little slice of butter into each squash half to keep it moist while baking.
*Place the pan in the oven and lightly cover with aluminum foil.
*Bake for 1.5 hours or until a fork glides through the squash.
(you want it to mash up without hardly any effort with a fork)

*Cook the pasta about 20 minutes before the squash is done.
(I just brought some unmeasured water to a boil and added the pasta, stirring occasionally until it was tender.)
*Drain all the water then butter, salt and pepper to taste.  

*Remove the baked squash from the outer shell with a spoon or mash it right in the shell and mix the pasta in. ENJOY!
(again add butter and salt and pepper to taste)

 

happiest of halloweens.

For me, Halloween has always been a nice shout out to fall right on the edge of my favorite holiday season.

So, here's to crunchy leaves, pumpkins, cocoa and cider and... miniature skeletons and jack-o-lanterns.

 Far too many pictures of my boys (because this Momma can't resist)

obviously we don't all have to be happy about it all the time.

I do not know where he got his flare for the dramatic...

those lips.

when the cat's away...this mouse will play. (or DIY as may be the case)

So, while I was away with the boys visiting my family in Utah, Kevin tackled his biggest DIY project yet.

He replaced the carpet in three rooms with hardwood floors, and no he's never done anything remotely like that before. 

We'd been looking to replace the *very tired* carpet that seemed like it may be as old as our house (just shy of 20 years).
When the opportunity for me to get away coincided with a fantastic deal on hardwood we thought it might just be the perfect time. 
(That and the fact that the raised stones in front of our fireplace had been the cause of a few *very close calls* for major head injuries for Lee boy.)

Kevin is a trooper, not only did he have a business trip of his own for 1/3 of the time I'd be away, but he got a new and quite demanding assignment at work days after I left that required even longer than usual hours at the office.
Combine that with the surprises that always come when you DIY...and this flooring project became quite a handful.

Word to the wise: when padding for carpet is glued to the cement, factor in A LOT of time to get it all off.

Literally just in time, Kevin was able to finish laying the floor before he caught a plane to spend a day in Utah with us before helping me bring the boys home late one night only to turn around and leave again the next day on another business trip.  

(We're so glad to be home all together again.)

We still have to paint and put up the new baseboards and put finishing strips along all edges of the rooms but we're excited to have this project basically done. 


 (I'll be sure to add some true "before" and "after" pics when we are officially all put back together.)

* For those who are curious about this sort of thing; we decided on a .5" thick, 5" wide, strand-woven bamboo from Lumber Liquidators because of it's durability and hardness...and we liked the color:)
* It goes without saying that the price was right.  

life is the outtakes.

So, in trying to snap a few pics of my boys together...in the same space...at the same time, today I remembered why I never try to take pictures of them together all by myself. So I don't know if you can call these snapshots "outtakes" since they are the only pics I got. But I think maybe life is lived in the outtakes anyway. I hope so, because today has definitely been an "outtake" kind of day.

what i couldn't see.

It’s funny how we seem to be able to spot the improvements or happiness or growth of others and can be so blind to it in ourselves.

For me maybe it’s because I tend to get “trucking along", caught up in the immediate tasks at hand; cleaning up spit up, changing a diaper, putting away toys, reading books, doing dishes, picking up food my toddler threw, again. Often the busyness of the “everyday” keeps my thoughts singled to the very moment I find myself in.  Maybe it’s because my “progress of the soul” seems to happen at such a slow rate that it’s easy to miss. 

Whatever the reason, I was startled when my aunt Janet told me yesterday how good it was to see me so content with my life.  I hadn’t realized, not really anyway, how true that statement was.  I found myself thinking about what she’d said over and over that evening.  Why hadn’t I seen it? What changed?

My struggle with contentment started over four years ago, soon after I got married.  At the time I didn’t know that my weight gain and struggle to loose it were affected in part by a condition I didn’t know I had, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. This would also be the cause of my inability to have children for three years.  I remember telling my sister how I felt like I was “past my prime” and I’d never feel beautiful again. I struggled with my self-image as I continued to battle with weight loss and infertility, I even lost all the natural curl I’d had in my hair during infertility treatment. I remember day after day getting ready and not really looking at myself, disappointed with what I saw.  A quote from a favorite movie would often pop into my head; “as usual this is as good as it’s going to get” and I felt that.  Add to that the struggle and sadness I felt, waiting for my life to really begin and be meaningful because I wanted desperately to be a mom. (more on that here and here)

I was blessed with my first miracle baby in April 2012 and I thought my struggles would end.  I loved my baby with my whole heart but I found that I still did not love myself.  My body felt awkward and foreign, my new life did too.  I struggled through each day and each night with a baby that wouldn’t eat or sleep. I wondered hopelessly how to overcome so many “struggles of self”.  I could barely make it out the door, let alone exercise or eat well (if at all) or have good, helpful scripture study or meaningful prayers, though I desperately needed them.  If I had a quiet moment, I couldn’t keep my eyes open.  I felt a lot of despair and awful guilt.  I was finally a mom and all I could do was complain and lament about how awful I felt as an individual. Five months later I was miraculously pregnant again. And yet I struggled with feelings of fear, despair and guilt. Fear that I wouldn't be able to be a good enough mom to two, despair that I would never be in control of my body and guilt that I wasn't being a good enough mom to the son I had. 

I realized all I could do was try, so I did.  I tried to read from the scriptures or the words of living prophets’ whenever I had the chance; even it was in bite-size increments. I tried to exercise as many days as possible, even if it meant walking around the house or up and down the stairs during a nap.  I tried to eat well; I rid our house of foods that were bad for me. I tried to be aware of food quantities. I tried to ask for help when I needed it, especially from Kevin. I tried not to be so hard on myself. I tried to count each step in the right direction as a victory.  I tried to see each day as a new chance to be a little better; I tried not to look back and focus on failures. I tried to see myself as the sum of my victories and blessings and not as what I didn’t do or what I physically wasn’t. I prayed throughout the day for help, help to overcome the weaknesses I had, help to be happy, help to be a better and kinder wife and mother. I prayed to see God’s hand in my life that day, every day.

And without hardly any detection of my own,

I was learning to love myself “in transit”, but I couldn’t see it. 

Sure, I could tell I felt better than at my lowest points. But until my aunt pointed it out last night, I had somehow missed how much more content I’d become with who I am.

I’m still learning to love myself (of course), still trying to do those things that help me feel content with myself while I push through and try to be better and happier. I have bad days. Good gravy! I have "epic fail" days. But I have good days too and every day I've looked for it, I’ve found God’s hand in it.

Once again I’ve been reminded that God is good, He teaches us lessons through others. He knows what we need, He has a plan that is perfect for each of us. He hears our prayers of grief, pain, distress, joy, gratitude, fear and love. He wants us to overcome our weakness; He wants us to be content while we travel through our life’s journey and not just when we finally find ourselves at our destination.

So, from one who needed it, tell someone/everyone the good you see in them.  You never know what it will do for them.

Happy Monday!

fast.food.at.home: veggie style (aka my new obsession)

I am always looking for a new recipe that can check off all my boxes; healthy, fast, delicious, cheap, simple...not always super easy to find, right?
(good rule of thumb: if I can make it, it's super simple)

Well, I found this one on allrecipes.com a while back and we can't stop using it as a "we have no time to make dinner tonight" fallback because it's so tasty and healthy.

We really changed almost everything you put in the recipe, this is how we've grown to love it;
*You can put in whatever veggies you have or are in season. (love it when you can do that)

Ingredients:
1/8 cup olive oil
1-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced (add more if you like a strong garlic taste like we do)
1 tsp salt
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced 
2 peppers, chopped (we like peppers with a little kick but Bell peppers would work just as well)
3-4 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
feta cheese, crumbled (we just sprinkle as much as we want in, it probably amounts to about 1/4 cup (unpacked))

Baguette, sliced and broiled
*Our grocery store has white, wheat, and mixed grain baguettes you can cook at home, so the bread is hot and fresh. If you use this kind, cook the bread while you're making the dish, butter or brush with oil and broil after it's cooked.

Instructions:
Saute the garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet. Add salt, chopped veggies and sliced mushrooms and cook until they are warm through and tender. Add Balsamic vinegar as the veggies cook.  Add feta cheese directly after taking it off the heat and mix throughout. 

Cut baguette in half horizontally and spread butter or brush olive oil on halves.
Broil under golden brown, cut pieces to your desired size.

We serve the veggies in bowls with the oil and vinegar sauce it cooked in so you can dip the baguette in it...SO good. Spoon onto your baguette slices and try not to devour it all at once, seriously... :)

white chili with chicken: crockpot style.

My sweet friend Kari (who is also an incredibly talented photographer, check out her work here.) made me this soup the day we brought Drew home from the hospital and I've been in love with it ever since. 
(Her friend, McKenzie Weber, made the same soup for her when she brought her third child, Bryn, home from the hospital and she had to get the recipe...I understand why:) )

Well now I'm sharing the recipe with all of you.  :)
I changed it just a bit to make it easier, healthier and so that I could cook it in a crock-pot instead of on the stove-top, since that is more conducive to my hectic schedule right now. 
I also double it when I make it because it makes such good leftovers.

White Chili with Chicken Recipe;

*For a lighter version substitute light sour cream and half and half, or omit cream and sour cream completely. I go the substitution route, can't fully let go of the creaminess, right? 

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast  (I use canned chicken, 1 12.5 oz can)
1 med sweet onion, chopped (I use a food processor)
1 tsp garlic powder (I use 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
2 (15.5 oz) cans Great Northern beans (any white beans work, I use whatever I have)
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth (this is about 2 cups if you make your own broth)
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 c (8 oz) sour cream (I use light sour cream)
1 c whipping cream   (I use Half and Half)   

Cut chicken into 1/2 inch cubes. In a large frying pan, saute chicken*, onion, and garlic in oil until chicken is no longer pink. 
Put sauteed onion and garlic in crock-pot. Add chicken*, beans, broth, chilies and seasonings.  

 *If you use canned chicken you will wait to add it to the crock-pot until you add the beans, chilies and spices otherwise you saute with onion and garlic.

Choose the length of time you want for your crock-pot to cook. (I usually do the 4 hour setting) Whisk in the light sour cream and half and half 30 minutes before the cooking time is up. (So after 3.5 hours if you do 4 hours like me.)
 Top with fresh cilantro. (if desired)

This meal is so easy and ridiculously delicious, enjoy!
 


 

"our mothers knew it."

I’ve read this particular scripture story countless times; about a group of 2,000 teenage boys that bravely go to fight against their enemies so that their fathers, who promised never to kill again after they came to a belief in Christ, would not have to break that promise.

The thing that really gets me about the story though isn’t the boys bravery or even their unwavering faith in God’s protection, though both are remarkable, it is the fact that when their leader, Helaman, asked them about the source of this unmatched strength and faith they simply reply, “We do not doubt our mothers knew it.”*

Well now I’m the mom of two baby boys, who I know will grow faster than I can possibly imagine right now. And this week I can’t stop wondering, over and over, “What kind of mothers did those boys have exactly?” 

I wonder what I’d see if I were to somehow observe their daily interactions with their children within their homes. How did they show such great faith that their boys were described as men who “…put their trust in God continually”*?

I want to give that to my boys.  I can’t think of anything more empowering than an unwavering faith in God. There are so many things today, in our world, that are frightening, heart wrenching, debased, cowardly and amoral. There are countless influences that will not be concerned about the true wellbeing of my boys. But I am. 

I am.

But what does that mean exactly? I sure pictured myself as a different mom growing up than I am.  It is so much harder than I ever imagined to have daily family prayer and scripture study, to discipline as the Savior might and act out of love and not react out of the frustration of the moment. It is so much more exhausting than I knew day-to-day living could be.

I worry about my sons’ futures and the choices they’ll make.  I worry that I’m not teaching them well enough, how can you know that you’re doing enough?

Can my boys tell how much I love and rely on my Savior? How do I show them, really, that the only way to be happy now and forever is to follow, as exactly as possible, the loving guidelines that God has given us in His commandments from ancient and living prophets? How do you teach them that it really does matter, what we do, say and think, how we live and the little choices we make? How do I teach them what I know?

You may be thinking, “Good gravy Michelle! You are over complicating this, you just keep living and teaching them, every day.” It sure feels less simple than it sounds.   

I know there probably can’t be one fail-proof answer to my questions.  I also know, based on past experience, these are likely the types of questions that may only be answered one day at a time, as experiences pile up and deepen my understanding. But I do hope that somehow, no matter what choices my boys make in the future,they will be able to say without a doubt that their mother “knew it” too. In spite of how weak I feel.  Because I do, and I’m trying to live what I believe today and tomorrow… I hope it rubs off a little.

And I hope your successes rub off on me too, how do you do it? What are your little victories? As much bad as there is in the world, I am constantly surprised and thrilled at how much good I find in the people I get to interact with too.  So thank you.

*Alma 56:48 ,57:27

Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers.

I don't know about y'all but I really love beans, so the idea of a bean burger has always appealed to me. Being a healthy alternative to red meat was a plus too.

*As I've said before, though I love the taste of red meat, it's not really great friends with my stomach.


I used this recipe from allrecipes.com as a starting point for my first attempt at black bean burgers. My "burgers" were actually a combination of my favorite advice for changes I took from several different reviews of the original recipe.
(I would recommend trying some of the ideas at the bottom of this post on your first go-around to give your burgers a bit more flavor.)

So my recipe looked like this; (everything in red is a change I made to the original recipe.)

1/4 cup quinoa (cook this first and mix it in when smashing the beans)
(quinoa uses a 2:1 ratio like rice, so I used 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup quinoa)
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained, rinsed and dried  
(I dried mine on paper towels, this  helps keep them from falling apart later.)
2 hatch chili peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces (these are our new favorite pepper of the South, you can use bell peppers as called for if you can't get them)
1/2 sweet onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin (I thought that the cumin was a bit overpowering, so I'll use less and add different flavors next time.)
1 teaspoon chili sauce (I used Sriracha Chili Sauce)
1 cup bread crumbs (I used Panko)

Directions

1. If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty. Mix in cooked quinoa. (I mashed it a lot with a pastry blender.)
3. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Strain out the excess liquid in a fine strainer. (I pushed the mix against the strainer to get as much liquid as possible out.) Then stir into mashed beans.

   

   Just after adding the pepper, onion and garlic. My bowl sure makes the beans look like beef.

4. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce. (I added a bit of salt too.)
5. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.
6. If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

*everything in black is from the original recipe from allrecipes.com which you can find here.

*I put the patties in the freezer until we actually cooked them to help them keep their form.

We grilled onion and pepper to put on our burgers, added a little mozzarella,  some fresh guacamole and we topped it all with spinach.

So, I think when eating vegetarian burgers it's important to not expect it to taste like a hamburger, because it doesn't.  Think of it as a bean dish and it'll be a lot more delicious to you.


Both Kevin and I agreed that we wanted the actual bean burger to be "bursting with flavor" a little more and I think our next ones will be.
We are really excited to try a "teriyaki-style" burger with sliced pineapple on top. We also want to do a "mexi-style" burger with taco seasonings with fresh pico and guacamole on top.

Happy Friday!

lunch lifesaver. best dressing in the world.

I'm always trying to find ways to keep it healthier in the food department at our house and having a salad most days for lunch has been really successful for me.

With my two boys under two...(okay, two boys under one and a half) quick meals are a necessity during the day. But I still like my food to taste delicious.  For all these reasons, this salad is my go-to lifesaver.

For me the key is an old family recipe for a poppy seed, oil and vinegar dressing;

2/3 cup sugar  
2/3 cup white vinegar
1 cup olive oil (original recipe calls for vegetable oil)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp poppy seeds
1 diced green onion (optional)   

Romaine lettuce is the base (obviously) and then I go from there with what I have in the house.  
From there I had loads of topping go-tos;
red, black or pinto beans
bell peppers
red onion or green onion
doritos
mozzarella or feta cheese
crasins
cucumber
dried fruit

*When we have this type of salad for dinner we throw a chicken breast and some sweet onions and peppers on the grill to add in but I can't manage that during the day with the kiddos.

So so good. I know there are healthier ways to eat a salad, but for me, a salad is better than most other things I can whip together for lunch so it's worth it, at least for now. 

* Random Tidbit: I hated most vegetables up through my college years prior to serving as an LDS missionary. A love of anything veggie, is new and still developing for me.  So salads for lunch are a big deal, especially since I sincerely love them.  I love *most* vegetables now. So if you read this and think, "easy for you to do Michelle, I hate vegetables", no worries, I did too.  

Here's to a conscious effort to be a little better. (and delicious food)

Happy Monday y'all!

feels like home.

*This is a post I recently added to my art blog. (michtmc.blogspot.com)

With two babies under 17 months I have spent more time than ever before within the walls of my own home.  Instead of the constant "cabin fever" I feared I'd experience,  I've been surprised by how often I can feel the beauty of it all.

Babies, I believe, are especially close to God. There is something sacred about an infant experiencing things for the first time, something sacred too about being the one that they rely completely on for life.  So much so that it can easy overwhelm my emotions and leave me feeling anxious and unsure of myself. 

But through the days, weeks, moments and hours that have followed our second son's birth I have often found strength, beyond my own certainly, to somehow call back the perspective that allows me to love and care when I have nothing left to give. 

What happens inside the walls of a home, as I learn and grow with my children, is truly spectacular. It is not, perhaps, the kind of spectacle the world today applauds. But in truth,  it is beautiful, it's sacred, it's unique, it is elating and miraculous. It's humbling and heart wrenching, light and tremendously heavy. It is so much and yet it can feel like I’m doing so little. It is emotional. 

As I was pacing our bedroom with my baby last night the words from a song in Les Miserables kept running into my thoughts,

“To love another person is to see the face of God.”

It has given me a little peek into the depth of God's greatness;

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,  that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

                                                                                                 -John 3:16 (emphasis added.) 

This painting was inspired by my focus on the joy and happiness that home, my home and my roles in it, has brought to me.

best.pasta.salad.ever

Back when we were getting ready to move from Utah to Texas my sweet cousin called and asked if she could bring dinner over to eat while we chatted and packed.   I said "yes", of course, and she ended up bringing a pasta salad that quickly became my very favorite. I've made it again so many times and thought it was too good not to share with y'all. 

We have done a little bit of a variation but I'll get to that; here's the original recipe;

Ingredients: 

1 lb. pasta, (your choice, I used multi-grain Rotini) cooked, drained, and cooled
2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 lb. cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in halves or quarters depending on size
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
2 medium carrots, grated
1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 tsp. chopped fresh mint
1/2 lb. Feta cheese, cut into bite sized cubes
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: 31 minutes

Yield: 8 servings


Here is the dressing, that in my opinion, is what makes the salad;
(courtesy of Athelia Graham)
 

Ingredients: 

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp salt

 ¼ tsp pepper

3 Tbsp vinegar:

*this is the key: half white vinegar and half balsamic vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

¼ tsp dry mustard

¾ tsp grated onions(or fresh green onions)

¾ tsp poppy seeds

* I always double the dressing recipe so I have plenty if it needs a little boost for leftovers, and leftovers with this salad are AWESOME.

So, like I said we often do a variation on the original recipe based on what we have in the house and to save on cost.

Here is a favorite alternative list of ingredients to add to the pasta;

-sauteed sweet onions and Hatch chilli peppers, chopped 

(you could substitute bell peppers or something with a hint of spice for the Hatch peppers if you can't get them.)

*saute with a bit of olive oil and one minced clove of garlic

- chicken: 1 breast, grilled and chopped or one can, shredded

*We still added the cucumber, spinach, green onions, fresh basil, Feta and pepper.