Peach, Avocado, and Pistachio Salad

I could eat this one weekly. This salad has all the things: Nutty cracked wheat! Creamy avocado! Juicy peach! Peppery arugula! Crunchy pistachio! Do you know Simply Savory by Kate? You should! She made these curried pistachio and added them to a salad with peaches and avocado. Yum! I took a variation on it.

The Three Bite Rule - Peach, Avocado & Grain Salad
I tossed mine all together with a touch of honey mustard dressing and grilled sausages on top. LOVED it. This would be a really great use of a leftover grain. It would pack well if the nuts and peach were separate until serving.

Peach, Avocado, and Pistachio Salad (for 2-3)

Ingredients:

1 cup cracked wheat (or lentils/farro/brown rice/Israeli couscous/quinoa/etc)
1 1/2 cup water or broth
2 sweet Italian sausage links
1 peach
1 avocado
2 cups arugula
2 tablespoons honey mustard dressing
1/3 cup pistachios

Directions:

Cook the cracked wheat (or other grain) with the water or broth. (I cooked the cracked wheat that morning and refrigerated for the day.)
Grill the sausages.
Chop the peach, avocado, and arugula and mix together with the cracked wheat and dressing. Then top with the pistachios.
The Three Bite Rule - Peach, Avocado & Grain Salad
Slice the sausages to serve on top. Sprinkle with a little salt & pepper.
Enjoy!
The Three Bite Rule - Peach, Avocado & Grain Salad
This has everything. The grain makes it a filling dinner. I liked the stronger flavor of the greens since the peach is sweet and the arugula was creamy.

Sweet Pickle Macaroni Salad

Mr. J wasn’t into pickles until he had a bread & butter sweet pickle a few years ago. Now he wonders where they had been his whole life! I mixed up this sweet pickle macaroni salad as a side dish using not only the pickles, but the pickle “juice” for the dressing. It was an easy side to prep the night before for a faster week-night meal.

The Three Bite Rule - Sweet Pickle Macaroni Salad

Sweet Pickle Macaroni Salad (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of pasta, macaroni or other short noodle
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/2 small shallot, diced
2-3 sprigs of green onion, diced
3-4 bread & butter pickles, chopped
1/2 cup pickle juice
1/2 green pepper

Directions:

Boil salted water and add the pasta once it comes to a boil. Cook according to the package.
Mix together mayo, mustard, pickles, shallots, green onions, and pickle juice.
The Three Bite Rule - Sweet Pickle Macaroni Salad
Stir well and toss with the cooled pasta.
The Three Bite Rule - Sweet Pickle Macaroni Salad
When ready to serve, mix in the green pepper.
The Three Bite Rule - Sweet Pickle Macaroni Salad
Enjoy!

I almost mixed in a hard boiled egg, but ended up sending that as the little one’s lunch. This was good and the sweetness was good with a grilled dinner.

Broccoli Salad

This broccoli salad is a staple with our fam and is over due to be blogged! It is crunchy the light dressing is just enough for the raw broccoli. It is still pretty good the following day, or easy enough to make just enough for a few servings…or a lot.

The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad (serves ~6)

Ingredients:

1-2 heads of broccoli (about 2-3 cups)
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2/3 cup raisins (or dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried cherries)

Directions:

Chop the broccoli into bite size pieces.
Whisk together the dressing of mayo, sugar, and vinegar.
The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli Salad
Mix together the broccoli, dressing, and raisins. Let it come together in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes, or 4 hours before serving.
The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli Salad
Enjoy!

I love this one. I used 1 1/2 broccoli heads and thought maybe there wasn’t going to be enough dressing, but it was perfect. Mr. J most often makes this and thought the ratio would be right. He advised it often looks like not enough but to toss it together and wait till dinner. (I do the same with pad thai and too much dressing isn’t great on that either!)

It is a good one to prep in advance, even if just mixing up the dressing and chopping the broccoli. I’m all about working to prep dinner in advance. I’d totally shake up the dressing and in the morning before heading to work.

The little one wanted to help so I was going to have him put the chopped broccoli into the container, but he was only in it for the snacks. He munched the broccoli & raisins and whisked the dressing with me. We got this from my mom and we keep it on a regular rotation through the summer.

Easy, Cheesy Polenta with Meatballs

Polenta is the ingredient I always forget will provide the variety to a weeknight meal we all need. Rice takes forever. Pasta seems overdone. Polenta? Yeah polenta cooks in just a few minutes. I like it soupy to be spoon-able. I used pre-cooked turkey meatballs, zucchini and a really quick sauce. Poof! Dinner!

The Three Bite Rule - Easy Cheesy Polenta

Ingredients:

6 meatballs
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 zucchini, chopped
1 cup dried polenta
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup gruyere cheese,  shredded or chopped
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the zucchini and tomato paste to cook for about 4 minutes.
The Three Bite Rule - Easy Cheesy Polenta
Add in the meatballs, 1 cup of the broth, and salt & pepper. Bring to a low boil and cook for about 8 minutes until broth reduces a bit.
The Three Bite Rule - Easy Cheesy Polenta
In a medium pot, add the polenta, butter, 1 cup of broth, 1 cup water and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and stir in the milk and cheese.
The Three Bite Rule - Easy Cheesy Polenta
Spoon polenta in to the bowls, then top with meatballs, zucchini, and the sauce.
Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Easy Cheesy Polenta

Broccoli & Cheddar Risotto

Some of the most delicious things are not photogenic. This broccoli & cheddar risotto was so good but totally looks like rice-a-roni or something. I have looooved the pressure cooker and it is so great for risotto. It simmers opened for 4 minutes, then cooks for 6 minutes. Add a few minutes for getting to pressure and releasing the pressure. Done! Or, you could always make rice chop up some broccoli and add some cheese. Whatever works for you!

The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli & Cheddar Risotto

Ingredients:

1 cup arborio rice
1/2 white onion
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3/4 cup water or white wine
salt & pepper
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups shredded cheddar

Directions:

Cook the risotto in a pot or in a pressure cooker, as you normally would: (Here’s my method via pressure cooker) or (Here’s my method in a pot).
I added in the broccoli to cook with the rice.
The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli & Cheddar Risotto
While is it hot, stir in the cheese.
The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli & Cheddar Risotto
Enjoy!

At first I was disappointed the broccoli came apart, but then it was pretty great for a very evenly creamy bite. The texture was in the rice, and it was so unbelievably creamy. The little one was into it and it is still pretty addicting as leftovers!

The Three Bite Rule - Broccoli & Cheddar Risotto