Cooking Lessons for Dad

Cooking Lessons for Beginners

Kamut Walnut Carrot Salad

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Yield: 6 servings

Kamut Walnut Carrot Salad

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Kamut grain, soaked overnight and drained
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 1/2 - 3 cups carrots, shredded
  • 1/3 cup raisins, golden (or any color)
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, thawed
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 - 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) salt, Kosher
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped (toasted)
  • 1/4 - 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

Instructions

  1. Soak Kamut grain overnight. Then rinse and drain it.
  2. Add the soaked Kamut to 1 1/2 cups of boiling water. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes or until the Kamut is tender and slightly chewy.
  3. Drain the Kamut and let it cool.
  4. While the Kamut is cooling, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl.
  5. Gradually whisk the olive oil into the dressing.
  6. In a large bowl combine the Kamut, carrots and raisins. Stir.
  7. Whisk the dressing again, then pour the dressing over the salad and mix together.
  8. Let the salad sit for 15 to 20 minutes to let the flavors come together.
  9. Stir again just before serving and top with toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds.

Notes

This salad is delicious topped with pomegranate seeds. You can also top it with dried cranberries.

If you do not soak the Kamut grain you will need to cook it much longer (about 90 minutes).

You can substitute the Kamut with about 1 1/2 cups of cooked spelt, faro, or soft or hard wheat berries.

You can cook the Kamut ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator.

You can also make the whole salad (except the nuts and pomegranate seeds) a few hours ahead of time. Store it in the refrigerator.

Serve this salad room temperature or chilled. Add the nuts and pomegranate seeds last, just before serving.

Kamut (kah-MOOT)

© Karen Breyer

 

Tahini Dressing

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Yield: 8 servings

Tahini Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons sesame tahini
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Mix ingredients in a blender. Chill until ready to serve.

Notes

Adjust seasonings to taste.

This dressing is used in the Quinoa Salad recipe found at Cookinglessonsfordad.com. Make this dressing within 24 hours of preparing the Quinoa Salad.

© Karen Breyer

 

Quinoa Salad

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Yield: 8 servings

Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

  • 4 cups quinoa, cooked
  • 1 cup bell pepper, diced (mixed colors; green, red, orange, or yellow)
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 2-3 stalks celery, sliced
  • 1/2 cup nuts, toasted (sliced almonds, cashews, or pine nuts)
  • 1 cup tahini dressing (see recipe on Cookinglessonsfordad.com)

Instructions

  1. Prepare tahini dressing and toast nuts ahead of time (see recipes). Rinse and chop vegetables. Mix ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Chill mixture and serve. (You may want to top with additional toasted nuts for garnish).

Notes

You may replace the quinoa with couscous if desired.

You can find the recipes for toasted nuts, tahini dressing, quinoa and couscous on Cookinglessonsfordad.com.

You could serve this salad immediately after preparing but it is better after it chills for a while.

© Karen Breyer

 

Fruit Salad

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Yield: Varies

Fruit Salad

Ingredients

  • Variety of colorful fruits (fresh, frozen, and/or canned)

Instructions

  1. Rinse fresh fruits. Drain canned fruits and thaw frozen fruits as desired.
  2. Gently mix fruits together in a bowl.
  3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Acidic fruit juices (like pineapple, orange, or lemon) will keep cut fruits (like bananas and apples) from turning brown. Add enough juice to coat the fruits.

Give frozen fruits enough time to thaw.

Frozen fruits will help to chill the salad and keep it cold for a while. This is nice when taking the fruit salad to a picnic, potluck or another location.

You can also add nuts or coconut if you would like.

© Karen Breyer

 

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