Roasted Beet Salad

This salad uses all the beet! Perfect for summer.

6 tbsp olive oil

2 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp minced garlic

7 medium-large beets (about 3 inches in diameter) with greens

2 tbsp chopped drained capers

3/4 c crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Whisk oil, vinegar and garlic in small bowl to blend. Season dressing generously with salt and pepper.

Cut green tops off beets; reserve tops. Arrange beets in single layer in 13x9x2-inch baking dish; lined with foil – you will want enough to wrap them up. Drizzle with olive oil and fold the foil over the beets and wrap tightly. Bake until beets are tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Peel beets while warm. Cut beets in half and slice thinly. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in capers and 1/4 cup dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut stems off beet greens; discard stems. Wash greens. Transfer greens, with some water still clinging to leaves, to large pot. Stir over high heat until just wilted but still bright green, about 4 minutes. Drain greens; squeeze out excess moisture. Cool; chop coarsely.

Transfer greens to medium bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange beets in center of platter. Surround with greens; sprinkle with feta. Drizzle with any remaining dressing.

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Strawberry Basil CousCous Salad

This is such a wonderful salad – perfect for summer picnics.

1 c couscous, prepared and cooled

1/3 c lemon juice

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 c diced strawbeeries

1/2 c chopped basil

1/2 c feta, crumbled

Whisk together olive oil and lemon juice in a small bowl. Toss couscous with strawberries, basil and feta and drizzle olive oil mixture over the top. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8. 3 WW points.

Saag Paneer with Feta

This recipe is from Bon Appetite and it is wonderful! I bit of work for a weeknight but so worth it. I love using feta, if you are vegan use tofu.

• ¼ c plus 2 Tbsp. ghee or olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. coriander seeds
• ¼ tsp. ground cardamom
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 1½” piece ginger, peeled, chopped
• 1 lb. baby spinach (about 12 cups)
• 1 small serrano chile, coarsely chopped
• 1½ tsp. fresh lime juice
• Salt
• 6 oz. feta, or tofu, cut into 1″ pieces
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp. asafetida (optional)
• ¼ tsp. red chili powder
• Naan or rice (for serving)

Heat ¼ cup ghee in a large skillet over medium. Cook coriander seeds and cardamom, stirring constantly, until starting to brown, about 2 minutes.

Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Mix in garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add spinach by the handful, letting it wilt slightly after each addition before adding more. Cook until all of the spinach is just wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add chile and lime juice; season with salt. Let cool 5 minutes.

Transfer to a blender (reserve skillet) and blend until a coarse paste forms, about 1 minute. Return spinach mixture to pan and set over low heat. Stir in ½ cup water, then gently fold in feta, being careful not to break up. Cook until feta is slightly softened and has absorbed some of the sauce, 5–7 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. ghee in a small saucepan over medium-high, 1 minute. Add cumin seeds. As soon as cumin seeds start to pop, sputter, and brown, remove from heat, 1 minute tops.

Immediately add asafetida, if using, and chili powder. Pour ghee mixture over spinach mixture. Serve with roti or rice.

Serves 4.

Baked Eggs in Spinach

This recipe is so a one pan wonder and it tastes amazing. Be sure to take your eggs out before they are fully set as they will continue to cook.

• 2 leeks, sliced thin
• 2 jalapeños, minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 12 oz spinach
• 4 oz feta, crumbled
• 2 c cilantro, chopped
• 4 eggs
• Salt
• Aleppo pepper
• Hot sauce

Preheat oven to 375.

Melt butter in a 10 inch oven proof skillet. Add leeks, garlic and peppers and cook u til soft over medium heat. Stir in spinach and cilantro, cook until wilted, stir in feta. Break eggs into the spinach and bake for about 7 minutes. Season with salt and Aleppo.

Serves 4.

Tomatoes with Feta and Pistachios

This is the perfect summer salad, sweet tomatoes, briny feta and crunchy pistachios!

3 tbsp pistachios, toasted
1 lb mixed tomatoes, sliced
Salt and pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley, plus leaves for serving
¼ cup crumbled feta
1/4 c lemon juice
1/2 c olive oil

Combine olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a small jar, shake to combine.

Spread tomatoes on a platter, season with salt and pepper, scatter feta, parsley and nuts over the top then drizzle with some of the vinaigrette.

Serves 4.

Barley Risotto

This is from Ottoleghi and it is tasty and hearty – the feta really makes it something special. It comes together in about 45 min and is mostly hands off.

Ingredients:
1 c pearl barley
1 tbsp butter
3 tbsp olive oil
2 celery stalks, sliced thin
2 shallots, sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 sprigs thyme
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
4 strips of lemon peel
1/4 tap chili flakes
14 oz chopped tomatoes
3 c veggie stock
14 oz tomato sauce (plain)
1 tbsp caraway seeds, toasted and crushed
10 oz feta cheese, crunbled
1 tbsp fresh oregano

In a 12 skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add celery, shallot and garlic, cook until soft. Add remaining ingredient EXCEPT caraway, feta and oregano. Stir to combine and let simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 45 min.

In a bowl combine 2 tbsp oil, caraway, feta and oregano and let sit.

Serve barley topped with feta.

Serves 4. 11 WW PP

Eggplant Salad

  

This recipe is adapted from F&W. I used my air fryer to cook the eggplant – you could also use the oven and roast the eggplant at 350.

Ingredients:
One 1 1/2-pound eggplant
Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
3 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 TBSP olive oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
4 large scallions, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 ozs Greek feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven or fryer to 350.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel half of the eggplant. Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch dice.

In a large bowl, toss eggplabt withba little oil. Place eggplant on a baking sheet or in thebair fryer and cook 10 – 12 minutes stiring several time season with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, whisk the vinegar with the olive oil and garlic. Add the eggplant, scallions and bell peppers and toss well. 

Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Sprinkle the feta on top and serve.

Turkish Flats with Feta Salad

This one is from Jamie Oliver’s 15 minute meals, which actually take more like 30 – 45 minutes. This one is quite tasty.

Ingredients:
Meat:
1 lb ground veal or lamb
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
3/4 c walnuts, chopped
2 springs of rosemary, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP tomato paste
Juice of one lemon
Flat bread or flour tortilla

Salad:
6 green onions, sliced thin
1 small cucumber, sliced thin
3 tomatoes, quartered
2 heads little gem lettuce, torn
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
1/2 c feta, crumbled

In a large pan over medium heat cook the meat, salt and pepper, cumin, paprika, nuts, rosemary, and garlic until meat is mostly brown, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks. Stir in the tomato paste and lemon juice and cook cook for 2 more minutes.

Toss salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Heat flat bread or tortillas in a pan.

Top bread with meat and serve with salad.

Serves 4 – 6.

Cherry Tomato Salad with Feta

This is an easy and delicious summer salad! Perfect with spicy grilled meat.

Ingredients:
4 c cherry tomatoes, halved
3 oz feta, crumbled
1/2 c sliced olives
Salt and pepper

Toss and serve.

Serves 4.

Pasta with Yogurt, Peas and Chili

Another winner from Jerusalem – I love this cookbook! This one is perfect Meatless Monday. Be sure to use shell pasta.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 c Greek yogurt
5 TBSP olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic
1/2 lb large shell pasta
1/2 lb peas
2 tsp Aleppo
1/4 c pine nuts
3/4 c basil leaves, torn
4 oz feta crumbled
Salt and pepper

Combine yogurt, 3 TBSP olive oil, garlic, and 1/2 the peas in a blender and purée till smooth.

Cook pasta according to package.

In a small pan, heat 2 TBSP olive oil, add pepper and pin nuts. Cook over medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes until pine nuts are toasted.

Drain pasta and toss with peas, feta, basil, pine nut mixture and yogurt sauce.

Serves 3.