Salads

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Blistered Jalapeño-Corn Vinaigrette

July 20, 2014 By Milen Gala

One of the funniest sketches on the hit TV series “Portlandia” is when the two stereotypical Portlandians sit down at a restaurant to order a chicken for dinner, but interrogate the server on the the chicken’s LinkedIn profile before they are willing to even consider ordering it. Welcome to the locavore movement, Pacific Northwest-style.

Portland is the epicenter of the locavore movement, a place where your chef, cook, baker, barista, ice cream scooper, have hunted, gathered, farmed, foraged, and sourced the ingredients from within a 100 mile radius to produce the “artisanal” delight that you may be consuming after having carefully considered whether your conscience, moral compass and personal digestive system enzymes allow you to actually eat it.

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The Everyday Superfood Salad Bowl

February 7, 2014 By Milen Gala

I make this salad so often that it was almost an afterthought for the website. Given that this salad graces our dinner table at least 4 nights a week, I felt compelled to share it with you. It is the embodiment of the GalaKitchen food philosophy in one bowl. Most importantly, it’s a snap to prepare, easy to assemble and oh so tasty and satisfying. No longer are salads defined by a handful of something green, a smattering of carrots and white, and creamy, lipid-laden dressing out of a bottle. No, you’ve now just entered the world of superfood salad bowls. Piled high with mixed greens, herbs, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, beets, winter squash, avocados and seeds this salad will keep you going all day long. These bowls are a complete meal for lunch or dinner.

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Celeriac and Lentils With Hazelnut and Mint

November 5, 2013 By Milen Gala

This week when V and I are out riding we can feel the change in the air… As the weeks pass and the weather changes, we begin to experience the chilly Autumn days. As we ride past the tip of Lake Washington at Log Boom Park and onto the Burke Gilman Trail, smokey bonfire, apple tree and pine needle scents fill the air. And while outside we have campfires and s’mores, inside we crave delicious, wholesome and substantial dishes made on wood burning stoves with scents of roasted nuts, vanilla, pumpkin, nutmeg, mint, and sage.

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Quinoa, Black Bean & Avocado Fiesta Bowl

October 29, 2013 By Milen Gala

Our local farmers’ market just ended for the year. Every Sunday Simi would hop on her scooter and we would walk on down to the park where our amazing farmers and vendors, our local restaurateurs, and our master gardeners all gathered to share a Sunday afternoon with us… There were childrens’ tables with crafts and healthy snacks, there were chefs doing demos based on cuisine from local eateries, and most importantly there were some AMAZING food trucks we salivated over while waiting in line for lunch.

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Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

September 7, 2013 By Milen Gala

Building on our discussion of vegetarian sources of protein, I thought it might be time for a little creative and delicious inspiration. This dish is super easy to put together and is so satisfying that you really don’t need much else along side it (except maybe some warm pita bread and hummus…yum). The creaminess of the avocado, the heartiness of the chickpeas and the warmth of the cumin and cilantro come together so effortlessly, gracefully marrying the quinoa. This dish is so delicious, and nutritious, that V and I both have an overflowing bowl of it for dinner at least once a week.

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