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July 29, 2018

Tasty Roasted Fig Salad with Prosciutto and Feta

I love a good salad, especially if I can get creative with it and add interesting ingredients. This Roasted Fig Salad with Prosciutto and Feta hits all the right notes.

Roasted Fig Salad with Prosciutto and Feta | The Family That Heals Together

On a recent trip to New York City, I was determined to find the best gluten-free food the city had to offer. I’m not sure I accomplished that, as it was just a quick couple of days, but I did find some delicious eats!

Known for its iconic location with Central Park views, Tavern on the Green was definitely on my list. After finding that salads were about all we could safely eat gluten-free, the Mister and I left slightly disappointed with the over-priced meal, but, I was inspired by the fig salad I ate. (And I did enjoy the creme brulee… because duh.)

I decided I would remake it as soon as we got back home and made it to the store for ingredients.

Of course, I tweaked the original fig salad and added my own flare, because I’ve never been one to stick too closely to a particular plan… salads… life… in general.

This salad has such a nice combination of flavors: a little sweet, a little bitter, a little tart, and a little salty. I’m a big fan of mixing lots of flavors together to keep things interesting.

Are you one to mix foods and flavors or do you like to keep your foods all separated on your plate? When I was a kid, I mixed my canned corn with my potatoes. The combo of buttery, salty, and sweet was delicious. Honest.

I also used to dip my McDonald’s French fries in the little honey packets they gave with the chicken McNuggets. (Side story: Chicken McNuggets were one of my favorite foods as a kid. If I ever went anywhere else to eat, I’d ask for “Chicken McNuggets,” unaware that the “Mc” was unique to McDonalds.)

So anyways, this Roasted Fig Salad recipe perfectly combines a variety of flavors, especially for someone like me who enjoys putting together unusual ingredients.

Roasted Fig Salad with Prosciutto and Feta | The Family That Heals Together

I hope you love this Roasted Fig Salad with Prosciutto and Feta as much as I do!

Add it as a side the next time you grill out (it’ll go great next to chicken or a steak!), or take it to work for a light and healthy lunch. Trust me, you’ll feel just a little fancy knowing they serve something almost as good at Tavern on the Green in Central Park. 😉

Print Recipe

Roasted Fig Salad with Prosciutto and Feta

Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Jaclyn

Ingredients

  • 24 oz arugula
  • 4 medium figs
  • 1-2 oz chopped proscuitto look for uncured, additive free
  • 1 oz feta organic, grassfed
  • 2 Tbsp organic balsamic vinegar like this
  • 2 Tbsp raw honey
  • 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • Slice figs to about 1/4" thickness.
  • In a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, honey, and olive oil and stir well.
  • Place sliced figs in a single later on a baking sheet, then drizzle half the balsamic mixture over the figs, reserving the other half for later.
  • Roast the figs for 10-15 minutes, stirring halfway. The figs should be lightly browned and sweetly fragrant. Remove and allow to cool while you assemble the salad.
  • Fill a large salad bowl with the arugula, then crumble the feta and spread it over the arugula. Add the prosciutto and stir to combine.
  • Gently top the salad with the roasted figs, then drizzle the remaining balsamic mixture over the salad. Refrigerate, if desired, before serving.

Roasted Fig Salad with Prosciutto and Feta | The Family That Heals Together

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Blog, Easter Dinner, Recipes · Tagged: balsamic, dairy, Easter, feta, figs, greens, recipes, salad, salads, veggies, vegtables

May 3, 2018

Easy Quinoa Salad for Detox (Gluten-Free & Vegan)

The air is warming up, which means I’m craving all the fresh things like salad. This easy quinoa salad is quick, nutritious, and gluten-free & vegan to boot.

Easy Quinoa Salad | The Family That Heals Together

Early in my healthy eating days, I was introduced to a small, seed-like psuedo-grain. Quinoa (I mistakenly pronounced it ken-oh-uh, if you’re wondering) boasted a high-protein content (a plus for my vegan days), and was easy on my digestion, needing little to no soaking. Since switching over to a primarily paleo-style diet, quinoa stopped getting much play in my kitchen, which is a shame because it’s so versatile.

Cue the Bubba voice, “Quinoa breakfast porridge, quinoa stir-fry, quinoa salad…” You see where I’m going with this; quinoa can flex some muscle when needed.

Best quinoa salad? I think so.

Since doing some gut healing and experimenting with different foods, I’ve found that quinoa seems to be a safe starch for me. If it doesn’t work for you, that’s ok, there are tons of grain-free recipes here, including my favorite chopped salad. If you CAN eat quinoa, congrats! this easy quinoa salad is for you- and pssst… it’s the best quinoa salad ever!

Not only is this salad super fresh and yummy, it has some distinct health benefits, which is why I’ve dubbed it a Quinoa Detox Salad. Let’s look at the ingredients to see just how hard they’ll work for you and your lovely bod.

Easy Quinoa Salad | The Family That Heals Together

Easy quinoa salad: the players

Quinoa salad contains quinoa (which, by the way, is actually pronounced keen-wah, in case you’ve been living under a rock. Don’t want you to make the same faux pas I did when I first heard about it!). Duh. Here’s why that’s such a great thing. Quinoa:

  • is a complete protein, which is rare for plant-based foods. This means it has the complete profile of all 20 amino acids, including the 10 essential acids our body doesn’t produce on its own.
  • is actually more of a seed than a grain, based on its botanical makeup, which means it may actually be a suitable source of good carbs for those who stick with a mostly grain-free diet.
  • is a good source of minerals like manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus.
  • contains coveted b vitamins.
  • is a good source of fiber.

In addition, this easy quinoa salad is chock full of veggies and greens, some of which are detox powerhouses.

Another reason this is the best quinoa salad- it helps with detox:

Cilantro- known to help chelate heavy metals, cilantro should grace our tables daily! I like to add it to fresh-pressed juice, salads, guacamole, and anything else I can match the flavor profile to (I’m not one of those poor people who think it tastes like soap, thankfully!).

Lime juice- lime juice is a diuretic that helps to flush toxins from the body. It’s also rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which help rid the body of free-radicals.

Garlic- a powerful antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal, garlic can help with everything from the common cold to parasites. It contains a special compound called allicin which can also help relieve symptoms of allergies.

Plus- the nourishing ingredients:

Avocado- I don’t have to tell you how nourishing this good-for-you fatty fruit is. Avocados are also loaded with fiber and more potassium than bananas.

Olive oil- rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil is best used cold. Look for high-quality, organic, extra virgin olive oil bottled in dark glass.

Cucumber- a good source of b vitamins and fiber, cucumbers are also hydrating because they have a high water content.

This salad is well-balanced enough to be a full meal of its own, or works great as a side dish next to a steak. To speed things along and take the guesswork out of perfectly cooked quinoa, I cook it on the rice setting in my Instant Pot.

Easy Quinoa Salad | The Family That Heals Together

Let’s get on to the recipe for my favorite, super easy quinoa salad, since I clearly don’t need to convince you any more to try it!

Easy Quinoa Salad | The Family That Heals Together
Print Recipe

Easy Quinoa Salad

Prep Time15 minutes mins
Total Time45 minutes mins
Servings: 2 Servings
Author: Jaclyn

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup quinoa soaked or sprouted for optimal digestion* (get sprouted quinoa here.)
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1/3 cup loosely packed roughly chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic pressed
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp finely ground Himalayan Celtic, or Real Salt

Instructions

  • Cook the quinoa according to package instructions (note: I prefer to use the rice setting on my Instant Pot for perfect, easy quinoa every time. Use 1 cup water for 1/2 cup quinoa.), then move to refrigerator for 30 min- hour to cool. In a pinch, you can pop it in the freezer for a shorter period of time to cool more quickly, or make ahead and store in refrigerator to keep at the ready.
  • Meanwhile, peel and chop the avocado and cucumber into 1/2" cubes and set aside.
  • Combine fresh lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pressed garlic in a small bowl and stir well.
  • Add veggies, cilantro, and oil mixture to the quinoa and stir carefully to combine well. Serve cold and fresh. Keeps covered in fridge for a day or two, but the avocados will brown.

Notes

*some believe that eating grains, nuts, and seeds that have been "activated" through soaking or sprouting makes them more digestible and their nutrients more bioavailable. This is the idea behind sourdough bread. You can soak your quinoa with about a cup of water and a tsp of salt or apple cider vinegar for 2-4 hours before rinsing and cooking, or just purchase pre-sprouted quinoa for better digestibility. I personally like this sprouted quinoa best.

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Recipes · Tagged: gluten-free, lunch, quinoa, recipes, salad, sides, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

August 17, 2015

Chopped Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing – Easy to Prepare Recipe

Chopped Salad_title

 

I have been bragging about this salad on Instagram for months… and for good reason! It is delicious… simple and nourishing. Basically, I can’t get enough of it. And by changing up the fruit in the salad, I keep it fresh and interesting. Not that I need to, because with such an array of complimentary flavors, I honestly never get tired of it. I crave it all the time, and not just because it tastes good. My body really craves the nutrition it offers as well. The recipe is based off of my favorite salad at one of my favorite local restaurants… which also serves artisan (gluten and junky, but mouth-watering, …ahem) pizzas. However, this salad really does satisfy, so it’s not at all unusual for me to enjoy it while my date (aka Mr. Incredible) or a companion enjoys the pizza. It’s also not unusual for me to enjoy the pizza on occasion… but I digress.

Here’s how you can make this amazing chopped salad at home… and it’s almost as good as eating it at a restaurant, but falls short of having it prepared by someone else.

Chopped Salad Recipe: Paleo or Primal, Bursting with Flavor and Packed with Nutrition
Print Recipe

Chopped Salad Recipe with Honey Mustard Dressing

Prep Time5 minutes mins
Total Time5 minutes mins
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Jaclyn Harwell

Ingredients

  • 1 large free range chicken breast cooked and chopped into one inch chunks
  • 1/3 head organic cabbage thinly sliced
  • 3 large carrots sliced into rounds
  • 1 large avocado chopped
  • 1/2 cup organic fruit of choice my favorite is red grapes, but I've used raspberries and chopped apple with pleasing results
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 T. organic grassfed crumbled blue cheese (omit for paleo, dairy-free option)
  • handful chopped basil or, if you don't have fresh basil, omit and add 1 t. dried basil to dressing recipe, below

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup  homemade mayonnaise  find recipe here (try this version for a healthy store bought option)
  • 1 T. organic mustard any kind you prefer is fine, but check the ingredients to avoid sugar or gluten!
  • 1/2 T.  olive or avocado oil
  • 2 t. honey
  • dash each of salt  black pepper and garlic powder, to taste

Instructions

  • Placed chopped veggies and chicken into a large salad bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients well with a whisk or immersion blender then toss over salad.

_chopped_salad

 

 CHOPPED SALAD Pinterest

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Easter Dinner, Recipes · Tagged: Easter, honey mustard, salad, vegetables

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