Living La Vida Holoka


Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

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This delicious Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad is made with seasonal veggies, topped with walnuts and dried cranberries, and a homemade balsamic Dijon dressing.

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Just because it’s fall, that doesn’t mean salad season is over!  I’m totally having a fall salad moment right now! I love using dark greens like kale and Brussels sprouts as a salad base.  They’re great warm or cold!  And paired with other fall veggies, a fall salad can make a wonderful meal or seasonal side!

I love fall salads so much that I went food shopping, had my Hungryroot box delivered, and still went back to the store for more veggies!  So with a big bag of chopped kale, baby potatoes, onions, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and garlic, I decided to make a warm fall salad with dinner one night.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

 
This salad involves a few different steps, but it comes together quickly and is worth the effort!  Brussels sprouts are roasted with potatoes, and onions.  While they’re roasting, kale, mushrooms, and garlic get cooked in a skillet. Then, the entire dish is put together in a bowl and topped with walnuts, dried cranberries, and a drizzle of balsamic Dijon dressing. 


The first thing I did was prep my potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and onions.  Then, I tossed them with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper, and put them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  The veggies were roasted in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes.


While the potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and onions were roasting, I heated olive oil in a large skillet.  Then, I added in my sliced mushrooms and let them cook for a few minutes.  Once the mushrooms were softened, I added chopped garlic, kale, and salt pepper.  I cooked everything just until the kale wilted and removed the skillet from the heat. 


Before combining all of those delicious veggies together, I made a simple dressing made with balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, and salt and pepper. I shook everything up in a mason jar and set it aside. 


Then it was time to put the salad together!  I mixed the roasted veggies with the kale and mushrooms in the skillet.


The salad got topped with some crushed walnuts, to give the salad some added crunch, and some dried cranberries, to give the salad a nice sweet tartness. 


And finally, the salad got a drizzle of that fantastic homemade balsamic Dijon dressing!  You’ll be happy that the recipe makes extra! 

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

Ingredients

    For the salad:
  • 2 generous cups Brussels sprouts, halved
  • 2 cups baby creamer potatoes, halved
  • 3/4 cup red onion, sliced into half moons
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil + 1-2 tbsp.
  • 1 1/2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced thin
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 6 cups kale, chopped
  • Crushed walnuts
  • Dried cranberries
    • For the dressing:
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Toss the Brussels sprouts, potatoes, and onion in 1 tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place on the baking sheet.
  3. Roast veggies in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until softened and crispy around the edges.
  4. While the veggies are roasting, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet.
  5. Add the mushrooms, cooking just until they soften.
  6. Then, add the garlic and kale, cooking just until the kale begins to wilt and turn bright green. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
  7. Mix the kale mixture with the roasted veggies and add to a serving bowl. Top with crushed walnuts and dried cranberries.
  8. Start the dressing.
    9. For the dressing:
  9. Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar.
  10. Place the lid back on the jar and give everything a good shake.
  11. Drizzle dressing over the salad before serving.
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Need to reheat this salad? Just pop it in a skillet with a light drizzle of olive oil, keep stirring it, and let it warm up for a few minutes.  It’s also pretty good cold the next day! 

Did you make this Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad

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If you love your pizza piled high with toppings like meat, cheese, and veggies, you’ll love this Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad made with pepperoni, veggies, mozzarella cheese, and other pizza inspired flavors!

This post may contain affiliate links. Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


What’s your favorite kind of pizza?  While I won’t turn away a hot and bubbly slice of plain pie – or any pie for that matter – I really love a good slice of pizza piled high with veggies, meat, and cheese!  You get a little bit of everything in every bite!  Plus, I like to think that adding veggies to pizza makes it healthier, meaning I can have an extra slice!

We’re a big, pizza loving family.  We have pizza every Friday night and my entire family makes their own pies – there’s no delivery here! So while I was trying to think of a side dish that would stretch throughout the week, I instantly thought about making a pizza style pasta salad.  Then, I thought about making a loaded pizza pasta salad with veggies, pepperoni, and other pizza inspired flavors. 


Pasta salad is one of my go-to sides to make when I don’t have much else in the house.  As long as you have a box of pasta, some cheese, veggies, and a bottle of salad dressing, you can make a pretty delicious salad!  Plus, pasta salad always lasts us a while.  It not only makes an excellent side, but an easy, cold lunch during the summer months!

I usually make my pasta salads with tricolor pasta to give it a little more color.  But it’s actually been hard to find since the pandemic started.  Weird.  Right?  So I’ve been using chickpea or whole wheat pasta instead.  It’s not as colorful, but it works just as well!  

Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad 

 
Making pasta salad is really simple.  After cooking my pasta, I let it cool and chop up the rest of my ingredients.  For this salad, I used pepperoni, black olives, onion, a large green bell pepper, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes.  I also cut about half of a small block of mozzarella into cubes and finished the salad with Italian dressing.

I finish most of my pasta salads with a bottle of Italian dressing.  It adds just the right amount of zing!  I also like to keep a little extra dressing on the side to refresh the salad when needed.

Like most pasta salads, this salad gets better the longer it sits and soaks up every bit of flavor.  So if you want to whip it up a day ahead of time, go for it!  I would just suggest saving extra dressing for the next day.  You’ll be surprised at how fast the pasta salad soaks up the dressing! 

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Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad

Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. rotini pasta
  • 1 stick pepperoni, cut into quartered pieces
  • 6 oz. black olives, sliced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup baby bella mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
  • 16 fl. oz. bottle Italian dressing
  • Optional: fresh basil, fresh oregano, Pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta according to package.
  2. Rinse with cold water, allow pasta to cool, and add to a large bowl.
  3. Add the pepperoni, olives, bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, mushrooms, and mozzarella to the pasta.
  4. Pour in the Italian dressing and stir.
  5. Serve pasta salad with fresh basil, oregano, and a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano cheese, if desired.
  6. Store up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
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Serve this salad with a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano, or Parmesan cheese, on top and some fresh basil and oregano leaves.  If you want to be bold and add a little kick, sprinkle some crushed red pepper flakes onto the salad, too! 

Did you make this Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad

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This Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad is a light and healthy, veggie loaded side dish or a protein packed, plant based lunch!

This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


I will 100 percent admit that I’m pretty much done with summer.  With everything going on this year, I tried my best to enjoy the summer months, but I just can’t handle the heat and humidity anymore – and the mosquitoes, the crazy weather, and the constant fireworks that seem to go off around the neighborhood and drive Hunter (and me) crazy.  So I’m done. 

Well, almost done. 

As much as I’m craving crisp mornings and warm sweaters, I am still craving fresh veggies, light dishes, and being able to pick tomatoes, eggplant, onions, and peppers straight from our garden.  So while I’m hot and miserable (actually, not-so-miserable thanks to the constant blasting of our air conditioning), I still get to enjoy what’s left of our garden and make veggie loaded salads made with ingredients picked straight from our backyard! 


I’ve been meaning to make this salad for a while.  I had two baggies of green lentils just sitting our freezer.  But since our tomatoes have taken over our kitchen windowsill, we’ve seen a lot of Caprese salads cross our dining room table. Tomato salads only go so far, so I wanted to make a salad that would hold up throughout the week, would make a cool and quick side dish, and be easy to pack for my husband’s lunch.

My once picky husband is fairly new to lentils.  So I wasn’t sure what to expect when I put this salad on the dinner table.  I watched him gobble up the portion that he spooned onto his plate and ask for some for lunch the next day.  When I asked him if he liked it, he said, “It’s a good salad for hot summer days!”  And he’s been working a lot of them since he works outdoors.  I love a husband approved dish!

Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad

 
If you’ve never cooked lentils before, the cooking process is kind of like cooking rice.  Like rice, I cooked the lentils in vegetable broth to infuse a little more flavor.  The broth comes to a boil before adding the lentils in.  Then, it’s dropped down to a simmer for about 20 minutes.  The lentils will absorb some of the liquid, but you will have to drain them.  To make a cold salad, like this one, cool them under cold water and set aside.

Remember those summer veggies I was talking about?  Well, we had picked a bunch of cherry tomatoes and some onions from our garden.  Plus, I had some ingredients to use up in the fridge.  So I chopped everything up, combined it with the lentils, and made a simple dressing from lemon, balsamic vinegar, salt and vinegar, a pinch of crushed red pepper, and some fresh oregano that was growing in our herb box. 

The result is a protein packed salad made with fresh ingredients, that just so happens to be vegan, too.  And although the salad is light, it’s still completely filling and will leave you satisfied.   

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Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Ingredients

    For the dressing:
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Optional: crushed red pepper flakes
    • For the lentil salad:
  • 1 1/2 cups dry green lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • 2 cups zucchini, chopped
  • 1 large bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

Instructions

    For the dressing:
  1. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, balsamic, oregano, salt and pepper, and crushed red pepper. Set aside.
    2. For the lentil salad:
  2. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Then, add the lentils.
  3. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until softened.
  4. Drain lentils and rinse with cool water. Set aside.
  5. Add the onion, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, and olives to a large bowl. Stir in the lentils.
  6. Pour dressing over the salad and stir to combine.
  7. Serve salad immediately or chill in the fridge.
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It always amazes me how simple ingredients can end up being a really delicious dish. And this salad is no exception!  It’s a flavorful and refreshing salad that really is perfect for hot summer days! 

Did you make this Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Asparagus Pasta Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

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This flavorful Asparagus Pasta Salad is made with shell pasta, fresh asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, and finished with a homemade lemon herb vinaigrette!

This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


Sometimes you clean out the fridge and magic happens.  Last week, I gave the fridge a good clean out ahead of my latest shopping trip.  Knowing I’d be buying another three week’s worth of groceries, I decided to use up some of the groceries in our fridge to make room.  I had a bunch of asparagus, baby bella mushrooms, and some homemade sun-dried tomatoes that I desperately needed to use.  So I decided to make a pasta salad.

This time of year, when it’s too hot to turn on the oven, I like to stock the fridge with a few cold salads, including pasta salad.  Pasta salads make excellent summer side dishes or a quick lunch.  Plus, they’re one of my favorite, easiest ways to use up fresh produce!

Asparagus Pasta Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

 
In my opinion, asparagus doesn’t get enough credit for its versatility.  You can steam it, saute it, throw it on top of a breakfast tart, or even turn it into fries! 

To make this pasta salad, I cut the asparagus into small pieces and sauteed it with baby bella mushrooms and garlic in a little olive oil, adding the sun-dried tomatoes at the end.  I let that cool down for a bit, then added it to cooked shell pasta (I used Banza) and some chopped red onion. So simple, but so good!


I could have easily thrown a bottle of dressing or some oil and balsamic vinegar on this salad and called it a day.  But my herbs are growing like crazy right now (you should seriously see my oregano – it’s like a bush!), so I made a quick herby, lemon vinaigrette in my Blend-N-Go blender. 

I used about half of the vinaigrette I made and saved the rest to keep adding to the pasta salad.  As the pasta salad sits, it’s going to soak up all of that good flavor from the dressing.  I always suggest adding more dressing the next day. 

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Asparagus Pasta Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

Asparagus Pasta Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

Ingredients

    For the pasta salad:
  • 8 oz. shell pasta
  • 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 cups fresh asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • For the vinaigrette:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar,
  • 1 tbsp. fresh basil
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

    For the pasta salad:
  1. Cook the pasta according to package. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
  2. Once cooled, add the pasta to a large bowl with the chopped onion.
  3. Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat.
  4. Add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute, then add the asparagus and mushrooms, cooking just until softened. About 5-8 minutes.
  5. Then, stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, cooking for about 1-2 minutes.
  6. Remove skillet from heat and allow to cool. Then, add to the pasta bowl and season with salt and pepper.
    7. For the vinaigrette:
  7. In a blender, add the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, vinegar, herbs, and salt and pepper. Blend just until smooth.
  8. Add half of the dressing to the pasta salad, reserving the other half to add to the salad, as needed.
  9. Serve salad immediately, or keep in the fridge in an airtight container.
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When it’s hot and gross outside, and the last thing you want to do is cook (it was 96 the other day, so I was thrilled to have salads in the fridge), pull out a pasta salad, toss in a protein if you desire, and you’re good to go! You’ve got lunch, you’ve got dinner, and you’ve got a veggie loaded pasta salad full of fresh flavor! 

Did you make this Asparagus Pasta Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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