Szechuan Noodles

Dressing:
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 c. fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. tahini
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. dry sherry
1/4 c. sherry vinegar
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. hot chili oil
1 tbsp. dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Noodles:
1 lb. thin spaghetti
2 bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow), julienned
4 scallions, sliced diagonally

Place garlic and ginger in bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Process until finely minced. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add remaining dressing ingredients and puree until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator while preparing the pasta.

Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta in a colander, transfer to a serving bowl, and while still warm toss with about half of the dressing. Add bell peppers and scallions; toss. Add remaining dressing to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.

Greek Salad

Dressing:
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. minced fresh dill
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

Salad:
Romaine lettuce
Sliced red onions
Sliced black or kalamata olives
Grape tomatoes, halved
Cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
Crumbled feta cheese

To make dressing, in a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Whisk together until well combined.

To make salad, add romaine lettuce to a salad bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss well to coat. Top as desired with red onions, black olives, tomatoes, cucumber, and feta cheese. Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and shake well before using again.

Pasta Salad with Roasted Broccoli

2 lb. (2 heads) broccoli
3 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise (skin on)
2 tbsp. olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 oz. penne pasta
1 to 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
8 oz. jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed and cut into 1/2-inch strips (1 c.)
1/4 c. pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
1/2 c. walnuts, broken into pieces

Preheat oven to 450°F. Trim 1 inch from stems of broccoli. Peel outer layer of stems; cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Separate florets into bite-size pieces. On one large or two small rimmed baking sheets, toss broccoli, garlic, and 1 tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer; roast, rotating sheets and turning broccoli halfway through, until tender and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 c. cooking water; rinse under cold water until cool, and drain. Return to pot.

Remove skin from roasted garlic. In a small bowl, mash garlic until it forms a paste; whisk in lemon juice and remaining tbsp. oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over pasta; toss in broccoli, red peppers, olives, and walnuts. Add some reserved cooking water, if needed. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Chickpea, Cherry Tomato, and Feta Salad

1/4 c. canned chickpeas
1/2 c. quartered cherry tomatoes
1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. salt
Ground pepper

Rinse and drain chickpeas. Combine chickpeas with tomatoes, feta, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, and a pinch of pepper. Makes 1 serving.

Crab Pasta Salad

1 (12 oz.) pkg. tri-colored spiral pasta
1 sm. head broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 sm. head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 chopped tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped chives
12 oz. crabmeat or imitation crabmeat
1 (16 oz.) bottle oil and vinegar salad dressing

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse. In large bowl combine broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, chives, crabmeat, and pasta. Pour entire bottle of salad dressing over all and toss to coat. Makes 6 servings.

Mexican Corn and Bean Salad

1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 sm. can black olives, drained
1/3 to 1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. minced green onions
2 tbsp. taco sauce
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Cumin, to taste
Shredded lettuce
Shredded Mexican cheese
Tortilla chips

Combine corn, beans, and olives in serving bowl. Add mayonnaise, green onions, taco sauce, vinegar, chili powder, and cumin. Mix well. To serve, portion out shredded lettuce. Add spoonfuls of corn and bean mixture as desired. Top with shredded cheese and crumbled tortilla chips.

Mexican Chopped Salad With Honey-Lime Dressing

Salad:
1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped (~2 1/2 c.)
1 (15.5 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 c. chopped seeded tomato
3/4 c. chopped peeled jicama
3/4 c. fresh corn kernels, uncooked (can use frozen or canned)
3/4 c. thinly sliced radishes
1/2 ripe avocado, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c. crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Dressing:
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. chopped jalapeno pepper
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tbsp. honey

Toss salad ingredients in a bowl. Mix dressing ingredients in a separate bowl; pour on salad and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 servings.