Greek Salad with Oil-Free Greek Dressing and Feta (vegan)

Author: Brand New Vegan
Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen 
Serves 4-6

Instead of discarding the water (aquafaba) from the chickpea can, save it and use it to make the dressing for the salad.  The dressing goes perfectly well with this Greek style salad.  I added a heaping tablespoon of hummus to the dressing to give it a bit more body.  The salad ingredients are pretty typical for a Greek salad, but I think adding some bow tie pasta would be an especially nice addition.  Make this for your next work day lunch or a picnic.

Dressing:
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup aquafaba (garbanzo bean water/juice)
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 heaping Tablespoon hummus
¾ teaspoon dried basil
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped kalamata olives 

Salad:
2 English cucumbers, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
15 oz can drained chickpeas, saving the liquid (aquafaba)
Handful fresh spinach
¼ cup kalamata olives, sliced 
¼ cup crumbled vegan feta

Drain the water/juice (aquafaba) from a can of Garbanzo Beans and save (we'll need ¼ cup for the dressing).  Save the beans too and we'll add those to the salad. 
Mix all Dressing Ingredients together.  Whisk or shake until thoroughly mixed and set aside. 
Chop cucumbers and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces and place in a large salad bowl.  Thinly slice the onion, and cut the cherry tomatoes in half and mix into the salad.  Add the chickpeas, spinach, and the dressing and toss to coat.  
Add as little or as much feta as desired and garnish with sliced Kalamata Olives, fresh Basil and/or Parsley. 

Notes:
Artichoke hearts, couscous, or bow tie pasta would make nice additions to this salad.
Reviewers added pepperoncini and sliced beets with good results.
One reviewer substituted capers for the olives in the dressing.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 6 servings) 140 calories; 4 g fat; 35 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 512 g sodium; 5 g sugars; 6 mg cholesterol; 6 g fiber; 51 mg vitamin C; 112 mg calcium

One-Pan Orzo with Tuna & Tomatoes

Servings 3
Recipe from Albert Bevia of Spain on a Fork 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This is a lick-your-plate kind of dish.  So good!  

1 small onion
6 cloves garlic
12 black, kalamata, or green pitted olives (I used kalamata olives.)  
1 teaspoon sweet paprika 
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes 
1 cup orzo (Use whole-wheat, if you can find it.)
2 cups vegetable broth 
2 cans tuna in olive oil (5 oz each) (Save the olive oil for this recipe.)
Handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
Pinch sea salt
Dash black pepper

Add the vegetable broth into a sauce pan and heat with a high heat.
Heat a large fry pan with a medium heat.
Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, roughly chop the garlic, cut the olives in half, finely chop the parsley and drain the cans of tuna into a sieve with a bowl underneath. (You’ll be using the reserved olive oil for the next step.)
Add the olive oil from the canned tuna into the hot fry pan, immediately add in the onion and garlic, mix with the olive oil, after 3 minutes and the onion is translucent, add in the orzo, continue to mix, after 3 minutes and the orzo is lightly browned, add in the paprika, quickly mix together, then add in the canned diced tomatoes, season with sea salt & black pepper and add the black olives, mix together, then add in the hot broth, mix together, place a lid on the pan and lower to a low-medium heat, cook until the orzo is al dente. (check package instructions)
Once the orzo is cooked, remove the pan from the heat, add in the drained tuna and 2 Tablespoons of the finely chopped parsley, mix together until well mixed, sprinkle with more parsley.

Simple Rainbow Greek Salad

On this 8-inch plate you see Simple Rainbow Greek Salad; 

Sautéed Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast; and Boiled Potato with a bit of butter.

Husband-Tested Recipe from Alice’s Kitchen

Inspired by Alice’s good buddy, Ellen

Serves 6

While visiting my good friend, Ellen, we enjoyed this delicious healthful salad that she made.  What struck me was how colorful it was and how refreshing it tasted. So, I came right home and made it for my hubby and me. This would be a fabulous salad to pack for a simple lunch or to take on a summer picnic.  Be sure to cut the vegetables up into small bite-sized pieces for easy eating. 

Salad

1 red pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

¼ red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved*

½ cup Kalamata olives, drained and quartered

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1-2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained (optional, but nice)

Vinaigrette

1 lemon, juiced (about 2 Tablespoons juice)

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Put all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.  (The measurements are approximate. This is a very forgiving salad.) Put the vinaigrette ingredients in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.  Shake the jar well until the vinaigrette is well mixed.  Pour over the salad and toss.  Serve the salad chilled.

Leftovers make a great lunch.  Here is Simple Rainbow Greek Salad served
 with a Hard-Cooked Egg and 1/2 Nothin' But Snack Bar.

Hot Day Tuna Nicoise Salad

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 2

(Recipe can be doubled/tripled)

When it’s just too hot to cook, this salad will do just nicely for dinner.  You can blanch the beans, steam the potatoes, and boil the eggs in advance.  This dinner is very tasty and light enough for a steamy summer evening.  Serve some fresh peaches for a cool and healthful dessert.

Salad:

1 can tuna, drained and flaked

1/3 cup Kalamata olives, drained and chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

4 cups baby lettuce, arugula or spinach

2 scallions, sliced or ¼ cup sliced red onion

2 hard cooked eggs, peeled and sliced

3 cups fresh green beans, blanched

4 small red potatoes, sliced and steamed (Optional)

Vinaigrette:

1 fresh lemon, juiced

¼ cup olive oil

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place the salad ingredients on a platter.  Place the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a lid.  Shake vigorously.  Pour the vinaigrette over the salad.  Serve at room temperature.

Greek Salad with Chickpeas

Serves 4

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This salad is easy to put together and perfect for a light meatless lunch. If you’d like a more hefty lunch, follow the directions below the salad recipe using the same basic ingredients and make the salad into a sandwich.

½ small red onion, minced or thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

½ cup crumbled feta cheese (2 ounces)

1 can (15.5 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (You can also use 2 cups cooked, dried chickpeas.)

½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped

½ cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves

In a large bowl, combine the onion, lemon juice, and oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss well to combine and let sit 5 minutes.  Add the cucumber, tomatoes, feta, chickpeas, olives and parsley.  Season the salad with salt and pepper.  Toss to combine.  Divide among four bowls and serve.  (You can also line the bowls with freshly spinach or romaine lettuce leaves and then top with the chickpea salad.)

Nutritional Information: (per serving)

306 calories; 16 grams fat (4 grams saturated fat); 9 grams protein; 34 grams carbs; 6 grams fiber

Greek Salad Sandwich:

In a food processor, pulse 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained, 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, and ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves until finely chopped.  In a small bowl, stir together ½ small red onion, thinly sliced, 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  In another small bowl, mash together 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese with 1 Tablespoon olive oil.  Spread chickpea mixture on 4 slices of rustic bread or olive bread.  Top with ½ medium cucumber, thinly sliced, 1 tomato, thinly sliced and then the onion mixture; season with salt and pepper.  Spread feta mixture on 4 more slices of bread and place on top of sandwiches.  Serves 4

Nutritional Information: (per serving)

542 calories; 27 grams fat (6 grams saturated fat); 14 grams protein; 62 grams carbs; 7 grams fiber