Balsamic Roasted Strawberries and Feta Dip

1 lb. strawberries, rinsed and stems removed

1 T. honey

1 T. balsamic vinegar

1-1/2 c. feta cheese

1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt

1/4 c. plus 2 T. olive oil, divided

1 t. lemon zest

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, torn

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Crostini, bread, or crackers, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Cut each strawberry in half or in quarters, depending on size. Add strawberries evenly to a 9" x 9" baking dish. Drizzle strawberries with honey, balsamic vinegar, and 2 T. olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste.

Roast strawberries for about 25 minutes, until softened and slightly caramelized. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

In a food processor, combine feta, yogurt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Process while slowly drizzling in 1/4 c. olive oil until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper, to taste.

To serve, spread the feta dip into the bottom of a shallow bowl or onto a rimmed plate. Spoon roasted strawberries alongside the dip and garnish with fresh basil. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature with crostini, bread, or crackers. 

Adapted from FreshFromFlorida.com. 

No-Cook White Bean Salad with Feta & Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. whole-milk plain Greek yogurt

1/2 t. Dijon mustard

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/4 t. coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 t. salt

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

3 c. loosely packed baby spinach

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 

2 small shallots, sliced

3 T. chopped fresh dill

1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

1/4 c. toasted chopped walnuts

Whisk together lemon juice, yogurt, Dijon mustard, garlic, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly stream in olive oil until combined. Add white beans, spinach, tomatoes, shallots, and dill; gently toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle with feta and walnuts. 

Serves 4.

Adapted from EatingWell.com.

Wild Rice Salad with Arugula Pesto

3 c. arugula, divided

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 t. salt

1/8 t. ground black pepper

1 8-oz. package cooked wild rice

2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 c. crumbled feta or goat cheese

2 T. pine nuts, toasted

Combine 2 c. arugula, Parmesan cheese, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Place wild rice in 4 medium bowls. Add the arugula pesto, tomatoes, feta or goat cheese, and the remaining 1 c. arugula; toss to coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts. 

Serves 4.

Adapted from EatingWell.com.  

Spinach Salad with Quinoa, Chicken, & Fresh Berries

3 c. fresh baby spinach or mixed greens

1 c. cooked quinoa

⅔ c. chopped cooked chicken breast

½ c. fresh blueberries and/or sliced fresh strawberries

2 T. crumbled feta cheese

2 T. sliced almonds, toasted

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 T. white wine vinegar

¼ t. Dijon mustard

½ t. honey

½ t. kosher salt

Place spinach, quinoa, and chicken in a bowl or in 2 (1-qt.) airtight containers. Top each salad with berries, cheese and almonds. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Just before serving, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, honey and salt in a small bowl. Divide dressing evenly between the salads and toss to coat; serve immediately. 

Makes 2 servings.

Adapted from EatingWell.com.

Black Bean Salad with Feta & Red Peppers

2 16-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 medium red bell peppers, cut into short, thin strips

1/2 c. vinaigrette salad dressing (balsamic recommended)

1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

1/2 to 1/3 c. fresh feta or goat cheese

Combine beans, red bell peppers, dressing, and parsley in a mixing bowl and toss well. 

Divide the salad among individual plates or shallow bowls. Top each with some of the cheese.

Serves 6.

Adapted from The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet, page 43.

Lentil & Feta Cheese Salad

1 c. green or brown lentils

3 medium firm, flavorful tomatoes or 5-6 plum tomatoes, diced

4-6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

2-3 scallions, minced

1/2 c. vinaigrette salad dressing

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Rinse the lentils and check them for small stones. Combine in a saucepan with 3 c. water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently until done but still firm, about 30 minutes. Check frequently toward the end of cooking time to make sure they don't become over-cooked. Drain any excess water and rinse until cooled.

Combine the lentils with the remaining ingredients in a serving bowl and toss together. Serve at once or cover and refrigerate until needed.

Serves 6.

Adapted from The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet, page 41. 

Greek Chickpea Salad

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 c. diced Persian cucumber

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1-1/3 c. halved grape tomatoes

20 pitted Kalamata or Gaeta olives

1/2 c. sliced red onion (sliced lengthwise)

4 oz. fresh feta cheese, cut into 4 thick slices

Dressing:

Juice of 2 fresh lemons

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

2 t. minced fresh oregano

1/4 t. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Divide chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, and red onion evenly between 4 salad bowls or 4-cup containers. Top each with 1 slice feta.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juices, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.

Serve dressing on the side with each salad.

Makes 4 servings. 

Adapted from Skinnytaste Meal Prep, p. 78.

Bulgur-Cauliflower Bowls with Olive Dressing

2 c. boiling water

1 c. bulgur

2 c. chopped or riced cauliflower

1/2 c. pitted Kalamata and/or green olives, coarsely chopped

3 T. lemon juice

3 T. olive oil

1 small clove garlic, minced

Black pepper

4 c. greens (bitter, mild, or mixed)

3 c. thinly sliced celery

1 15-oz. can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 c. (4 oz.) crumbled feta cheese

In a large heatproof bowl pour the boiling water over the bulgur. Cover and let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, if using chopped cauliflower, process with 3-5 pulses in a food processor to finely chop.

For dressing, in a small bowl combine olives, lemon juice, oil, and garlic. Season to taste with pepper.

Drain bulgur; return to large bowl. Stir in cauliflower. Divide mixture into serving bowls. Top with greens, celery, beans, and feta, and serve with dressing.

Makes 4 servings.

Adapted from Weeknight Easy Favorites, p. 4. 

Pasta with White Beans & Arugula

1 16-oz. package bow-tie pasta

1 19-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 8.5-oz. jar sun-dried tomatoes with herbs in oil, drained and chopped

5 oz. fresh arugula, thoroughly washed

4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. olive oil

1/2 t. salt

Cook pasta per package directions and drain well. Stir together beans, tomatoes, arugula, feta, basil, lemon juice, oil, and salt. Stir pasta into mixture and mix until blended.

Variation: Use chickpeas, drained and rinsed, instead of cannellini beans and add 15 oz. solid white tuna in water, drained.    

Serves 8.

Adapted from Southern Living Dinner in a Dish, p. 80.

Bow-Tie Pasta Toss

8 oz. uncooked bow tie pasta

3/4 t. salt, divided

1 c. grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 2.25-oz. can sliced black olives, drained

1 T. finely chopped sweet onion

3 T. olive oil

3 T. balsamic vinegar

1 small garlic clove, pressed

1 t. chopped fresh oregano

4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

More fresh oregano for garnish

Prepare pasta per package directions, adding 1/2 t. salt to the water. Drain well.

Place pasta in a large bowl. Stir in tomatoes, olives, and onion.

Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and remaining 1/4 t. salt. Add to pasta mixture, tossing to coat. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir in feta and garnish with additional fresh oregano, if desired. 

Serves 2-3.

 Adapted from Southern Living Dinner in a Dish, p. 69.

Tuna, Chickpea & Cherry Tomato Salad

1 6-oz jar tuna in olive oil

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1-1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 c. green olives, pitted and chopped

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

3 T. fresh lemon juice

1 c. pita chips, broken into 1" pieces

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

5 oz. baby arugula

Drain tuna, reserving oil. Flake tuna into 3/4" pieces. Place in a large bowl and add chickpeas, tomatoes, feta, olives, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to combine.

Pour reserved oil from tuna through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Whisk in lemon juice until bright yellow and emulsified, about 1 minute. Drizzle over tuna mixture; stir to combine. Gently stir in pita chips and parsley.

Serve over arugula.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Real Simple magazine, April 2023, p. 104.

Hummus Salad Bowl

1 container of hummus, regular or lemon flavor

6 c. romaine lettuce

1 cucumber, coarsely chopped

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1-1/2 c. grape or cherry tomatoes

1/4 c. olive oil

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. ground black pepper

1/4 c. feta cheese

1/4 c. kalamata olives

Pita chips

On the side or bottom of four bowls, add a generous swipe of hummus. Add lettuce, cucumber, radishes, and tomatoes.

For dressing, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper until combined. Drizzle over bowls and top with feta and olives. Serve with pita chips.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens magazine, June 2022, p. 62.

Herbed Chicken & Rice Salad

2 (8.5 oz.) packages microwavable basmati rice 

1/2 c. loosely packed fresh tender herbs (such as dill, parsley, and chives), plus more for garnish

1/4 c. plus 2 T. olive oil

1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)

2 T. chopped shallot (from 1 small shallot)

1/2 T. Dijon mustard

2. t. honey

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. black pepper

2-1/2 c. shredded rotisserie chicken breast

2 c. halved multicolored cherry tomatoes 

1-1/4 c. diagonally sliced Persian or mini cucumbers (about 3 cucumbers, sliced 1/4" thick)

1 c. sliced almonds, toasted

4 oz. (about 1 c.) feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 c. sliced celery (from 1 large celery stalk, sliced  1/4" thick)

1/4 c. coarsely chopped celery leaves

1/4 c. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Microwave rice according to package directions; transfer to a large bowl, and cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender; process until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Add chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, almonds, feta, celery, chopped celery leaves, and parsley to bowl with cooled rice; drizzle with dressing, and toss to coat. Transfer to a large serving platter or bowl, and garnish with additional herbs.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Southern Living magazine, May 2022, p. 93.

Strawberry Salad with Feta, Arugula & Pickled Red Onions

1 large red onion 

1/2 c. white balsamic vinegar

1 t. sugar

1/2 t. salt

5 oz. baby arugula

1/4 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 c. chopped fresh mint

2 lbs. fresh strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered

3/4 c. (4 oz.) crumbled feta cheese

1/2 c. toasted pistachios

1/4 c. olive oil

Cut onion in half lengthwise and thinly slice into half-moons. In a medium bowl stir together vinegar, sugar, and salt; add sliced onion and stir to combine. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, on a platter or salad plates arrange arugula, parsley, and mint. Top with strawberries, feta, pickled onions, pistachios, and, if you like, additional parsley and mint. Stir olive oil into pickling liquid; drizzle over salad(s).

Serves 8.

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens magazine, May 2022, p. 91. 

Lemon Potatoes with Beans

5 med. Yukon Gold potatoes (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds), unpeeled and quartered lengthwise into wedges

1/4 c. olive oil

1/3 c. fresh lemon juice (from 1-1/2 large lemons)

1/3 c. water

3/4 t. kosher salt, divided

8 oz. green beans or haricots verts, trimmed

15-oz. can butter beans or another white bean, such as cannellini, drained and rinsed

1-1/2 t. dried oregano

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/3 c. (2 oz.) crumbled feta cheese

Position a baking rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.

Place the potatoes into a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking dish. Pour the oil, lemon juice and water over the potatoes and sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Using tongs, flip the potatoes and return them to the oven to roast 15-20 minutes more, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork and browned in spots.

Add the green beans, butter beans, oregano, pepper and the remaining 1/4 t. salt to the dish with the potatoes and toss to combine and to coat the beans with the remaining oil in the pan. Return the dish to the oven for about 8 minutes, or until the green beans are crisp-tender. Sprinkle with the feta cheese and serve.

Washington Post, June 4, 2020. 

Pomegranate Splash Salad

4 c. fresh baby spinach

4 c. spring mix salad greens

3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese

3/4 c. pomegranate seeds

3/4 c. raspberries

1/3 c. pine nuts, toasted

Dressing:

1/2 c. thawed cranberry juice cocktail

3 T. olive oil

2 T. rice vinegar

Dash of salt

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine dressing ingredients. Shake until combined. Serve dressing with salad.

Serves 8.

Adapted from TasteofHome.com. 

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Feta Butter & Cabbage-Kale Salad

4 6-oz. sweet potatoes

5 T. salted butter, softened

2 oz. (about 1/2 c.) feta cheese, crumbled, divided

2 T. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

2 T. olive oil

2 t. honey

1/4 t. kosher salt

1-1/4 t. smoked paprika, divided

3 c. thinly shredded red cabbage (from 1 head)

1 8-oz. bunch lacinato kale, stemmed and thinly sliced (about 4 c.)

1/2 c. roasted, salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until tender throughout, 45-50 minutes. (Alternatively, prick with a fork and microwave for 6-8 minutes.)

Meanwhile, stir softened butter and 6 T. feta in a small bowl until blended.

Whisk lemon juice, oil, honey, salt, and 1 t. smoked paprika in a large bowl. Add cabbage and kale; toss until coated.

Cut open each baked sweet potato and fluff flesh with a fork. Top each with feta butter. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 t. smoked paprika and with pepitas. Serve sweet potatoes alongside salad topped with remaining 2 T. feta.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Real Simple magazine, Oct. 2021, p. 124.

Mediterranean Kale and Cannellini Stew with Farro

4 c. reduced-sodium vegetable broth

1 14.5-oz. can no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1 c. farro or Kamut

1 c. coarsely chopped green onion

2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 c. coarsely chopped celery

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 t. crushed red pepper

1/4 t. salt 

4 c. coarsely chopped green kale or Swiss chard

1 15-oz. can no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

3 T. lemon juice

1/2 c. (2 oz.) crumbled feta cheese

Chopped fresh parsley

In a 3.5- or 4-qt. slow cooker, combine broth, tomatoes, farro, green onion, carrots, celery, garlic, red pepper, and salt. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 ours or until farro is tender but still chewy.

Stir in kale, beans, and lemon juice. Cover and cook 1 hour more. Serve topped with feta and parsley.

Serves 6.

Adapted from a Southern Living magazine recipe.

Spring Pea Salad

3 strips bacon, diced (optional)

3 T. olive oil

1 T. lemon juice

1-1/2 t. Dijon mustard

1-1/4 t. honey

1/2 t. kosher salt

1 medium garlic clove, minced

2 c. frozen peas, thawed

3/4 c. thinly sliced cucumbers

3/4 c. thinly sliced radishes

2 scallions, green parts only, sliced diagonally

1/2 c. crumbled feta

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring often, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and discard (or save) bacon grease.

In a medium jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, salt, and garlic. Shake well to combine.

Arrange peas, cucumbers, and radishes in a serving bowl. Top with scallions, feta, and reserved bacon bits. Drizzle with dressing and toss just before serving.

Serves 4-6.

Yankee magazine, May/June 2021, p. 56. 

Spinach-Pineapple Salad

1 bag baby spinach or arugula (4-6 oz.)

1/3 c. praline pecans, finely chopped

4 oz. pineapple chunks, finely chopped

1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

1/4 c. poppyseed dressing

Place greens in salad bowl. Sprinkle pecans, pineapple chunks, and feta over greens. Dress with poppyseed dressing and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Adapted from a Publix "Aprons" recipe, Dec. 2020.