Roasted Cauliflower and Kale with Turmeric Dressing

 Yuuuuummmmm!!  I used chickpeas instead of cooked farro and hid the bowl of this salad in the fridge so I could eat it all myself.

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 cups chopped Lacinato kale (or baby kale)
• 1 cup cooked farro (or grain of your choice, or garbanzo beans)
• ½ teaspoon salt, pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ⅓ up golden raisins (optional)
• ⅓ cup chopped scallions (optional)
• Turmeric Dressing 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• cracked pepper
• 1 clove finely minced or grated garlic

1. 
   
2. Preheat oven to 400.
3. Trim leaves off cauliflower, and cut into florets. Place in medium bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt and a few twists of cracked pepper. Mix well and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven until tender, about 40 minutes, giving a stir halfway through.
4. Place the kale, farro, scallions and raisins in a large bowl.
5. Make the dressing: combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
6. Once the cauliflower is fork tender, add to the bowl and mix with kale and farro. Pour dressing over and mix until combined. Serve the salad warm, or chill for later. It’s good either way.

The Best Shredded Kale Salad

Another fantastic recipe from a cookbook I checked out from the library, so I need to keep a record of this wonderful salad because we will definitely be making it again!  The pecans are the showstopper, and chopping the kale very fine makes the tough leaves easier to put down.  

recipe from Oh She Glows Every Day, by Angela Liddon

• 2 medium bunches destemmed lacinato/dinosaur kale, rinsed and finely chopped (8 to 9 cups)
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries

For the pecan Parmesan:

• 1 cup pecan halves, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pinches fine sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Spread the pecans onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.


2. Remove the stems from the kale and discard.  Finely chop the kale leaves (the smaller, the better) and place in a serving bowl.
3. For the dressing: In a mini food processor, process the garlic until minced. Now add the lemon, oil, salt, and pepper and process until combined.  You can also just mince the garlic by hand, and whisk all the dressing ingredients together if you don't have a mini processor.  Adjust to taste, if desired. Pour the dressing onto the kale and mix it into the kale with your hands, massaging the kale as you combine everything.


4. For the Pecan Parmesan: Roughly chop the toasted pecans.  Place in a small bowl and add the nutritional yeast, oil, and salt, stirring until the pecans are thoroughly coated.


5. Sprinkle the Pecan Parmesan all over the salad, toss in a handful or two of dried cranberries, and serve!

Featherweight Slaw

I tried out this salad from my Food52 Mighty Salads book.  The ginger and lemon combination in the dressing made for a light flavor - perfect for a summer afternoon.  The salad was simple to throw together and while it wasn't the kids' favorite, Ryan and I both had seconds =)


8 cups very thinly sliced napa cabbage (about 1 head)
7 oz leftover cooked chicken, shredded (thank you, Costco rotisserie)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
3 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn
3 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced

Creamy Ginger Dressing:
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp peeled grated fresh ginger
salt, to taste
4-5 Tbsp olive oil


To make the slaw:

In a large bowl, toss together cabbage, chicken, almonds, sesame seeds, basil and scallions.

In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice, mayonnaise and ginger.  Season with salt.  Gradually whisk in oil until smooth.

Pour most, but not all of the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss until lightly coated.  Taste and add more dressing or salt as needed.  Serve immediately (the cabbage begins to wilt rather quickly after the dressing has been mixed in).

Yumm Sauce

One of my favorite spots for a quick bite to eat when we're traveling in the Northwest is Cafe Yumm.  I have been known to ask my family members to pack bottles of their signature yumm sauce when coming for a visit!  But now I have yumm sauce whenever I want (which is pretty much always), thanks to this great knock-off recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  The flavor is unique, as you'll see in reading the ingredient list, but I've not shared it with someone yet who didn't enjoy it - or at least do a really good job pretending to!  It's great as a dip for veggies, pretzels, or chips.  It's also great on meat or as a salad dressing, and goes especially well on your version of a taco salad.  Enjoy!

• 1/2 cup avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup canned Great Northern or Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk (from a can)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3 large lemons)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
• Pinch of coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast

DIRECTIONS:

1. For the Yumm sauce, add the oil, almonds, beans and water to a blender. Process until very smooth, 1-2 minutes (or as long as needed).
2. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, curry powder, oregano, cilantro and nutritional yeast. Process again until creamy and smooth. Add additional water to thin out the sauce, if needed. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve (this tastes best after it’s had time to rest – even several days – but you can also use it right away).

Lemon, Tomato and Feta Zoodle Salad

If you haven't tried a spiralizer before, or were thinking of getting one but aren't sure where to start - let me recommend this delectable salad!  It's light, tasty, healthy, easy . . . a perfect "Welcome Spring" lunch, if you ask me!

3-4 medium zucchini

2 big handfuls of cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup feta

2 cloves garlic

5 Tbsp olive oil, divided

juice of one lemon

2 teaspoons honey

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 350.  Crush the garlic and combine with 1 Tablespoon olive oil.  Halve the tomatoes, spread on a baking sheet, and drizzle with the garlic oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss everything together lightly.  Roast for 15 minutes in your preheated oven, then set aside while you assemble the rest of the salad.

Spiralize the zucchini and put zoodles in a large serving bowl.  Crumble feta on top.  Gently scrape tomatoes from pan and add to the bowl.

Lastly, mix together lemon juice, honey, and remaining olive oil.  Pour over the zoodles, feta, and tomatoes.  Toss gently until everything is evenly mixed.  Enjoy!

Caribbean Chicken Salad with Mango Dressing

Well Plated has been a recent source of favorite recipes for me, and this is another keeper!  The dressing alone is fantastic!  Paired with the simple chicken marinade and all the other salad toppers - I loved this easy dinner.  I made a few small changes that are reflected below.  See the original recipe along with beautiful photos here.  

FOR THE CARIBBEAN CHICKEN SALAD:

• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3 chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally 
• 18 ounces chopped romaine lettuce, leafy greens and hearts
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and diced
• 1 cup canned reduced sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 ripe avocado, cut into bite-size chunks
• 15 ounces mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained, but reserve some for the dressing (or substitute other juicy tropical fruits, such as diced mango or diced pineapple)
• Fresh cilantro, for serving

FOR THE MANGO DRESSING:

• 1 large mango, peeled, pitted and roughly chopped or 1 1/4 cups frozen and thawed mango chunks
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, (about 2 medium size limes)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil   
• 1-2 tablespoons reserved syrup from mandarin oranges

1. Place the soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, and ginger in a gallon-sized ziptop bag, seal tightly pressing out all of the air, and "squish" to combine. Add the chicken, firmly seal the bag again, and move the chicken around gently so that all sides are coated and it lays flat when the bag is on its side. Let marinade for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight. (If refrigerating overnight, let the chicken stand at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to grilling.) Meanwhile, prepare the dressing and other ingredients.
2. Make the dressing: Puree the mango, lime juice, honey, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and reserved fruit syrup in your food processor or blender until smooth. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and blend to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Use for salad, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Shake well before using.
3. Cook the chicken: Heat a grill pan or an outdoor grill over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for about 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove to plate and let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the romaine, red bell pepper, black beans, and avocado. Add the chicken, drizzle with the mango lime dressing. Toss to coat. Scatter the oranges and cilantro over the top, then serve.

Spinach Salad with Sweet-Spicy Nuts, Apples, Bacon, and Feta

This salad, another great recipe from Mel's Kitchen, could easily have been my favorite meal from our menu swap week (if it weren't for the Asian noodle soup that is coming up . . . YUM!).  There wasn't a single bite left in the bowl when my family of five walked away from the table.  Next time I would try brown sugar or maple syrup instead of white sugar for the nuts.  

Salad:
• 16 ounces baby spinach
• ½ small red onion, slivered (see note about tempering the onion flavor)
• 6 slices of applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled or chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup Feta cheese crumbles, more or less to taste
• 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries, more or less to taste
• 1-2 Honey Crisp apples, cored and sliced thin 
Sweet Spicy Nuts:
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of cayenne (more to taste if you want)
• Pinch of salt
Red Wine Vinaigrette:
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 clove of garlic, pressed or finely minced
• 1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
• Fresh cracked pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. For the dressing, shake all the ingredients together in a mason jar until well combined or run them through a quick blender cycle. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The dressing can be made up to a week in advance. 
2. For the nuts, lightly toast the nuts in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, checking often so they don't burn. While they toast, place the sugar, cayenne and salt in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the sugar mixture until it liquifies completely, adjusting the heat so it doesn't bubble and burn. Toss in the toasted nuts and stir to coat the nuts with sugar. Let the sugared nuts cool completely.
3. To assemble the salad, toss all the salad ingredients together along with the cooled nuts. Serve immediately with the vinaigrette alongside. All the components can be measured out/prepped ahead of time and stored separately (I like to soak the apples in a bit of lemon juice in water to help prevent browning). Just toss right before serving. Enjoy!

Strawberry and Feta Salad with Honey Vinegerette

This was a deliciously light and fresh-tasting salad that I served before a hearty beef dinner last week.  It's easy to put together and looks lovely with the different colors mixed together.

2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp honey

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

packed assorted baby lettuces

1 quart strawberries, hulled and sliced

4 ounces feta, crumbled

1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted

In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, honey, and vinegar.  Stir int he olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Put the lettuces in a large bowl, or on individual plates for serving.  Add the strawberries, feta, and pecans.  Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss well, and serve.

Chicken, Cheddar, Apple Salad with Spiced Pecans

Last week my friend, Jessie, and I did another menu swap!  I almost always cook at least two new recipes in a week of meals, but throwing five new recipes into one week is so much fun!  So each post this week will be one of the recipes Jessie gave me.

This salad was fantastic!  I cheated and went with store-bought spiced pecans, but we all still ate it up.  The dressing was more than enough, which means I'll probably be making the salad again next week!  The directions look long, but it's really a very simple salad to throw together.  

• The Salad:
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3-4 medium)
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 8-10 cups)
• 8 ounces sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped or sliced thin
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup spiced pecans, store-bought or following the simple recipe below
• 
  
Dried Cranberry Vinaigrette:
• 1/4 cup cranberry juice or water
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup red wine or raspberry vinegar
• 1 shallot, peeled and quartered
• 1 small garlic clove, peeled
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 
  
Quick Spiced Pecans: (or you can find them pre-made on a shelf with the croutons)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 cups pecan halves
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 
  
• 
  
• For the chicken and salad, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is shimmering and hot. Add the chicken and cook until it is nicely browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken over, add the water, and cover the skillet. Cook the chicken, letting it poach, until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool slightly before carving.
• 
  
• Toss the lettuce, cheese, apple, pecans, onion and dried cranberries together. Divide the salad among the serving plates. Slice the chicken on a diagonal and arrange over the salad. Serve with the vinaigrette. I prefer to let everyone douse their own salad with dressing, but you could toss the salad with 1/2 cup or so of the vinaigrette before assembling it on the plates and serve the extra dressing on the side.
• 
  
• For the pecans, melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the spices and then the pecans. Toast the nuts, stirring often, until the color deepens slightly and they are lightly toasted, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and toss with the sugar. Let them cool completely before tossing with the salad.
• 
  
• For the dressing, combine the cranberry juice (or water) and cranberries in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for one minute until hot. Process the hot cranberry mixture, vinegar, shallot, garlic, thyme, mustard, salt and pepper in a blender until the shallot and garlic are finely chopped. With the blender running, add the oil and continue to blend until the dressing is smooth and well-combined. Thin the dressing, if needed, with additional cranberry juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Greek Panzanella

We are big fans of Greek-inspired food.  This salad was delicious!  If you're needing something to accompany the salad, go for some chicken strips laced on skewers and marinated in this delicious dressing before grilling.  It'd be a total winner dinner in my book!

6 cups bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (day old is best)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 of a red onion, thinly sliced (my kids don't love raw onion, so I left this out, but would have preferred it for myself)

1/2 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced

8 ounces feta, cubed

2-3 large ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 large cucumber, chopped

Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons lemon juice

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425F

Spread the bread cubes onto a baking pan and drizzle with olive oil and salt.  Toss, then toast for about 10 minutes or until browned.

In a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Serve slightly warm and the bread will still be very crisp  or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend and the bread cubes will be a little softer.  Any longer the bread starts to get soggy.  (You can always prepare and even combine everything except the bread ahead of time and just add that when you're ready to serve.)

adapted from recipe found here

Beet and Nectarine Salad with Feta

Do you like beets?  I didn't use to, but I think it's because I didn't know how to eat them.  Plain, over-cooked beets are as bad to me as soggy brussel sprouts.  Blech.  The first time I remember trying beets and enjoying them was when a friend served them, cold, with fresh feta and olive oil.  I tried it partly out of curiosity, partly because I love feta, and mostly because I didn't want to be rude and not eat what I was served.  Yum!  I was pleasantly surprised and thus began a new relationship with this beautifully colored vegetable.

Beet smoothies are popular in my home.  Beet greens are great sautéed for quesadillas.  And today I'm sharing a delicious salad made better by beets.  I guess you could leave out the beets and the salad would still be good, but why not give them a try?!  My guess is you'll find the slightly sweet, slightly bitter flavor not too offensive.  And if you don't over-cook them, the beet can add a great texture to this salad.
    

2 medium beets, cooked and cut into wedges (see below for how I like to cook them)
2 ripe nectarines, cut into wedges
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted (cook on a dry frying pan for 7-10 minutes)
feta cheese
bed of salad leaves

for the dressing:
3 tsp. honey
2 tsp. dijon mustard
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil

There are many different ways to cook beets.  My preferred method is to steam them with the skins on. Trim the stems and long root then give the beets a good rinse.  Place in your steamer with just enough water so that the beets aren't sitting in water.  Bring water to boil, cover, and turn down heat to simmer 20-30 minutes.  Test with a knife to see if beets are soft all the way through.  Once finished, carefully remove whole beets from steamer and let cool until you can handle them easily.  The skins will rub off, but if you'd rather not have bright red pink all day, wear gloves or use a small knife to scrape them off.  Now you have peeled, cooked beets ready for use!  I steamed four beets, used two for this salad, cut the other two into chunks and put them in the freezer for smoothies.

To assemble the salad:

Start with a bed of salad greens on each plate.  Top with nectarine and beet wedges.  Add crumbled feta and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

Whisk honey, mustard, vinegar, and oil together to make the dressing.  Drizzle on top of salad and enjoy!

Kohlrabi, Carrot & Sesame Slaw

A while back, I purchased a Groupon for three boxes of organic veg to be delivered to my door.  I've just finished up my third box and I'm afraid they've got me.  The enhanced flavor of our veggies is noticeable, plus we're eating a lot more greens.  I thought I did a pretty good job of keeping a variety of vegetables circling on our table, but then I was given a kohlrabi, two eggplants, and some big leafy greens (which I'm still not entirely sure what exactly they were) and I realized that I haven't been branching out as much as I thought.  What to do with these exciting new treasures?!  I loved that challenge!
Thankfully, the kohlrabi came with a recipe card, which I will now gladly pass on to you.  Best served the same day, this slaw has a great crunch and vibrant sweet flavor with a little kick.  It'd go great with Thai turkey burgers!


1 kholrabi, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
4 carrots, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Dressing:
2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
a good squeeze of lime juice

Put the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan and gently heat them, stirring every now and then, for about 1 minutes, until they are golden.  Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl.  Add the carrot, kohlrabi and onion and stir together.  In a small bowl, whisk the chili sauce, sesame oil, vinegar and soy.  Add a squeeze of lime juice to taste.  Pour over the veg, add the cilantro and toss together.  Serve immediately.

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

I completely agree with Jessie - this is a perfect salad for a summer picnic.  

1 (12 ounce) package uncooked tri-color rotini pasta

10 slices bacon

1 cup mayonnaise (I used 2/3 cup)

3 tablespoons dry ranch salad dressing mix

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper

1/2 cup milk, or as needed

1 large tomato, chopped

1 (4.25 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in rotini pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Place bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until evenly brown. Drain and chop.  (I chopped my bacon first and then fried it, that way it all can cook in one pan at the same time)

In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, ranch dressing mix, garlic powder, and garlic pepper. Whisk in milk until smooth. Place pasta, bacon, tomato, black olives and cheese in large bowl and toss to coat with dressing. Cover and chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Toss with additional milk if the salad seems a little dry.

Mango Blueberry Quinoa Salad

I loved this salad!  Very light, summery, and refreshing.  I served it with a baguette and some brie.   


For the quinoa
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water

For the fruits and veggies
½ cup fresh blueberries
½ cup cubed ripe mangoes (I used frozen chunks, chopped them into bites, and they'd thawed by the time we were ready to eat)
½ cup cubed cucumbers
1/4 cup dried cranberries

For the lemon basil dressing
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
10 Basil leaves, chopped finely
Salt and pepper

Place the quinoa and water in a medium skillet and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or till the quinoa is cooked. Remove the lid, and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Let it cool to room temperature.

While the quinoa is cooking, combine the fruits in a bowl and refrigerate till you are ready to serve the salad.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients, except the chopped basil. Refrigerate till you are ready to serve. Chop and add the basil to the dressing just before serving. 

Add half the dressing to the quinoa and mix gently.

Assemble the salad just before serving – toss the quinoa, fruits and cucumbers together. Serve other half of the dressing on the side. Serve immediately.

Greek Dressing & Marinade

We've been enjoying some warmer weather this month, so I'm trying to keep the oven off and outdoor eating on!  This dressing/marinade is versatile and so delicious.  I used half the batch for marinating chicken skewers that we grilled.  The rest was drizzled over raw vegetables, cooked veggies, salad, pasta, and whatever else I thought might remotely work.

1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 c. white vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (this will not make the dressing spicy, just flavorful)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 c. canola oil (or other salad oil)
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. dry oregano

In the jar of a blender, combine all the ingredients through the garlic. Blend until smooth. While the blender is running, add the oil in a steady stream. Turn off the blender and add the feta and pulse the blender a few times (more if you want a creamier consistency). Whisk in the herbs. If possible, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Use as a marinade for chicken, lamb, or flank steak or drizzle over a Greek salad.