Or in our case you can make it two days in a row because it’s that good!!

We’re definitely on a salad kick right now and I’m loving it.

And my body is pretty stoked too!

The keys to a great chopped salad are 1) fresh ingredients, 2) a variety of colors and textures, and 3) a dressing that compliments but doesn’t overpower.

Make it your own with your favorite Mediterranean ingredients – you could easily add or sub Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, capers….

The perfect dressing for this Mediterranean Chopped Salad is our Lemon Herb Vinaigrette.

I chose fresh oregano and parsley as our herbs and added a teaspoon of dried oregano as well. The fresh lemon juice and red wine vinegar add a gentle one-two punch.

Our Mediterranean Chopped Salad was a hit at my sister’s birthday celebration dinner.

We paired it with gorgeous grilled ribeye steaks and au gratin potatoes. We brought the Steakhouse dinner in-house and it couldn’t have been better.

I mentioned making this salad two days in a row.

Truth.

We devoured it the first night, so I made Mediterranean Chopped Salad again and served it with grilled chicken and shrimp for a light dinner. So delicious!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Mediterranean Chopped Salad

Whether you enjoy this salad as a side to a bigger meal or top it with chicken or shrimp and call it dinner, the flavors will keep them coming back for more!

Course Salad

Cuisine Meiterranean

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

For the Mediterranean Chopped Salad

• 4 cups iceburg lettuce chopped
• 2 hearts of romaine chopped
• 1 cup castelvetrano or kalamata olives sliced
• 1 16 ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 1 small red onion fine diced
• 2 persian cucumbers diced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• 8 ounces feta cheese diced or crumbled
• 1 cup roasted beets diced

For the Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

• 8 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 cup fresh oregano and parsley leaves stems discarded
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 clove garlic

Instructions

For the Mediterranean Chopped Salad

• Place chopped lettuce in the base of a large salad bowl. Top with remaining ingredients. Drizzle with Lemon Herb Dressing and toss.

For the Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

• Combine all ingredients in a glass jar with lid and shake vigorously. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

The post Chopped Mediterranean Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

A mezze (or meze) is a popular style of eating in the Mediterranean and Middle East.

Similar to Spanish tapas, each dish is meant to be shared and the various flavors compliment each other.

Here’s a little walk around our Middle Eastern Mezze Platter.

Each Recipes is linked to the dish titles.

Because many of the dishes are dips of one kind or another, most always a mezze will include fresh herbs & veggies such as cucumber, bell peppers, radish, and mint or parsley and nuts (we included walnuts).

You’ll also want to include pita bread and/or other flatbread type crackers.

Jerusalem Salad brings nice fresh bright flavors to your mezze platter. This side dish is loaded with cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and fresh parsley. It’s tossed in a simple lemon vinaigrette that really gives the salad a burst of citrus flavor.

Tabbouleh is a traditional Lebanese salad made with grains like bulgar, couscous or quinoa that’s tossed with lots of fresh parsley, cilantro and mint, diced tomato and cucumber and dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.

It’s absolutely delicious and gorgeous on a mezze platter.

Baba Ghanoush, a creamy smoky eggplant dip, is a personal favorite and a classic Levantine dish. The rich flavor plays so nicely with the other bright dishes being served.

Labneh (soft Middle Eastern cheese made from strained Greek yogurt) with roasted beets is an easy dish to include on your meze platter.

We also love Kofta Kebab made with ground lamb or beef. They’re packed with fresh herbs and spices and are delicious served on a bed of saffron rice.

With their crispy outside and tender most center, these Falafel are a crowd pleaser.

They get their bright green color from fresh herbs and you know that makes me happy. Falafel are perfect served with a side of creamy Lemon Tahini Sauce.

Marinated Olives & Feta bring a nice salty briny flavor component to our mezze platter.

Every mezze platter should include Hummus. Roasted Garlic & Herb Hummus is a favorite, but we also love Sweet Potato Hummus, Golden Beet Hummus, and Pumpkin Hummus.

Sharing a Middle Eastern Mezze Platter with friends and family is a fantastic way to allow everyone to sample so many wonderful Levantine dishes.

Whether you serve it as an appetizer with cocktails or as light dinner, your guests will be delighted by it’s beautiful presentation and bright fresh flavors.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

The post Middle Eastern Mezze Platter appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

So many beautiful colors and flavors in this Mediterranean Lunch Bowl.  Roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, luscious olives, orzo pasta, baby spinach, and grilled lemon & herb chicken.  Pulled together from ingredients already in our fridge and pantry. 

It was about a week ago when I made this fabulous 7-Layer Hot Italian Dip.  Several of those layers found their way into the Mediterranean Lunch Bowl.  Just a little hint that these two recipes play very nicely together.

As a bonus, this lunch bowl fits nicely into our healthy choices plan.  Because the ingredients bring big bold flavor there was no need for a heavy dressing.  Instead I simply used some of the juices from the olives, red pepper and artichoke hearts with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice.  And serving this bowl….in a bowl, keeps portion control in check.  Go me.

I’ve mentioned recently that we have a new Sprouts Farmers Market, conveniently located along my route to work.  They have a gorgeous olive bar, loaded with all kinds of marinated love.  You can buy as little as one olive if you choose.  That makes a Mediterranean Lunch Bowl all the more wonderful.

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Mediterranean Lunch Bowl

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the lemon & herb chicken…

• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast 6-8 ounces
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 2 fresh oregano sprigs
• 1 Tbl. capers
• 1 lemon

For the bowls…

• 1/2 cup orzo pasta
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• roasted red pepper with juice
• marinated artichoke hearts with juice
• assorted olives with juice
• olive oil
• salt & pepper

Instructions

For the lemon & herb chicken…

• Press the rosemary, oregano, capers and 2-3 lemon slices onto the chicken breast. Grill in a grill-pan over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, then gently turn and grill an additional 5-7 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

For the bowl…

• Prepare the orzo according to the package instructions. Drain; season with olive oil, salt & pepper.
• Divide fresh spinach, sliced grilled chicken, orzo, roasted red pepper, artichoke hearts, and olives between two bowls.
• Combine reserved marinating liquids with olive oil and lemon juice to taste. Drizzle over bowl ingredients.

The post Mediterranean Lunch Bowl appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I’m so excited to be sharing this recipe with my new friend and fellow food lover Sandi-A New York Foodie.  She’s invited me to do a guest post on her blog, which will be a first for me.  I’ve chosen Salmon Marbella, because in a round about way, this dish brought us together.

Lemony Thyme was actually the inspiration for this dish….which feels kind of cool.  Coming off a full week of Eat Out of the Fridge/Pantry we treated ourselves to a nice big piece of salmon.  We tossed ideas back and forth on how we would prepare it but made no progress.  I called up our love food photography… page and perused it until I landed on Chicken Marbella….why not.  The ingredients work well with salmon (and we happen to have them on hand), in fact those punchy flavors coupled with the natural salmon oils might just be amazing.  Yes, it shall be Salmon Marbella over Toasted Israeli Couscous for dinner.

The salmon is marinated for an hour in the classic aromatic ingredients that make this dish uniquely Marbella:  green olives, garlic, prunes, capers, bay leaf and oregano, red wine vinegar, and olive oil.  Brown sugar and white wine are added before baking to create the most delicious sauce.  Bake the salmon at 350 for 30 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork, and is still very moist inside.  This is a wonderful dish to serve over our favorite Toasted Israeli Couscous, also known as pearl couscous.  We loved Salmon Marbella and think you will as well.  Enjoy.

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Salmon Marbella {Over Toasted Israeli Couscous}

Course Seafood

Cuisine Mediterranean

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 lb. salmon fillet
• 8-10 prunes rough chopped
• 8-10 green olives rough chopped
• 2 Tbl. capers with juice
• 3-4 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 Tbl. dried oregano chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white wine

Instructions

• Marinate the salmon for one hour in a zip top bag with the prunes, olives, capers, garlic, oregano, bay leaf, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and freshly cracked black pepper. Bring to room temperature for the last 15 minutes.
• Coat a shallow baking pan with cooking spray.
• Place salmon fillet skin side down in pan and pour marinade mixture over top.
• Sprinkle with brown sugar and white wine.
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork but it still moist in the center.
• Serve over Toasted Israeli Couscous, prepared according to package instructions or for Gluten Free option over rice or cauliflower rice.

The post Salmon Marbella {Over Toasted Israeli Couscous} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Whipped up a batch of Cowboy Caviar in honor of tonight’s Country Christmas themed Annual Company Party.  I can not wait.  While we work (and play) hard all throughout the year, the Christmas Party is a chance to spend an evening with my second family and their spouses.  And inevitably make memories that will last us until next year’s party :)  Did I mention, I can not wait!

Looking for an easy appetizer to bring to a holiday party….Cowboy Caviar might just be the answer.  What makes this an easy no fuss recipe is you can substitute any ingredient with what you have on hand.  Just use a nice combination of crunches and colors.  We had a can of black eyed peas in the pantry, but kidney or black beans would be great too.  I used a zucchini for my ‘green’ but avocado is wonderful in this dip as well.  I’m a black olive freak so I added some of those, along with corn, jalapeno, red onion, radish, pimento, garlic, scallion, cilantro and tossed it all in a cumin lime dressing.  Serve with tortilla chips and look how cute it is delivered in a mason jar!!

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Cowboy Caviar

What makes this an easy no fuss recipe is you can substitute any ingredient with what you have on hand. Just use a nice variety of crunches and colors.

Course Appetizer

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the dip…

• 1 can black eyed peas drained and rinsed
• 1 small zucchini diced
• 1 jalapeno fine diced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 cup frozen corn thawed (or canned)
• 2 oz. diced pimento
• 12-15 black olives sliced
• 1 scallion thin sliced
• 2-3 radishes fine diced

For the dressing

• 3 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 Tbl. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions

For the dressing…

• Combine dressing ingredients and chill while making the dip.

For the dip…

• Combine all ingredients then gently toss in dressing. Chill before serving. Serve with corn tortilla chips.

The post Cowboy Caviar & A Country Christmas Party appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Leftover olives…what to do? what to do?  A quick search found this fabulous tapenade recipe by Former Chef.  The recipe calls for kalamata, green, and Californa ripe olives but you can use any combination you have on hand.  The ripe olives add a nice balance to the punchy kalamatas.  You’ll also want to add roasted red pepper.  These can be bought in a jar but roasting them at home is super easy.

The easiest way to roast a red pepper is directly on your gas stove or grill.  Brush the pepper lightly with olive oil.  Put the pepper over a low flame and turn it frequently with tongs.  Char it well on all sides…this will take up to 10 minutes.  Place pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. This will create steam which will loosen the skins.  Once the pepper has cooled, cut it in half removing the seeds and charred skin.  Rinse to remove any remaining seeds or little bits of black charred skin.

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Triple Olive Tapenade

The tapenade recipe is so delicious. Spread it on crusty bread for an appetizer or pair it with baked salmon for a wonderful Mediterranean dish.

Author Former Chef

Ingredients

• 1 cup kalamata olives pitted
• 1 cup large green olives pitted
• 1 cup large ripe black olives pitted
• 1 red bell pepper roasted and cut into 1″ pieces
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 1/2 oz. parsley loosely chopped
• 1/2 oz. basil loosely chopped
• 1 Tbl. lemon juice
• 2 Tbl. capers
• 5 Tbl. olive oil

Instructions

• Put the olives, garlic, and roasted red pepper into a food processor. Pulse in 1 second intervals 10 – 15 times. Scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Do not over chop. You want to be able to see pieces of the different olives & peppers.
• Then remove the olive mixture and set aside.
• Add the parsley, basil, lemon juice, and capers into the processor bowl.
• With processor running drizzle in the olive oil until well blended. Pour herb oil over olive mixture and combine thoroughly.

Notes

I’ve also prepared ths tapenade using Sundried Tomatoes packed in oil in place of the roasted red pepper.
In addition, feel free to change up the fresh herb combination to nuance the flavors. Oregano and lemony thyme would both be great in this dip.

Serve with crusty bread and get happy.  

The post Triple Olive Tapenade {with Roasted Red Pepper} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

We were first introduced to Chicken Marbella at a dinner party.  Not just any dinner party, but a monthly affair that revolved around a different theme chosen by the host couple.  We were each assigned a course and often a specific recipe to bring together to share. 

These evenings were mostly about dinner table conversations with good friends and sharing great food, however this dish stayed with us.  I’m not sure who came up with the idea of assigning recipes, but I for one loved it.  It took me outside my comfort zone.  I had become the appetizer queen, probably because it’s my favorite way to eat…with my fingers, but I loved the challenge of tackling a new recipe.  My most memorable assignment was for a Fall Themed Dinner.  We were given dessert… Apple Galettes with Caramel Sauce to be exact.  I will revisit this recipe and the fun we had making it sometime very soon.

Back to Chicken Marbella (sometimes referred to as Chicken Mirabella), besides the amazing flavors of this dish, the other thing I remember is before it ever made it to the table the aromas told us this would be something special.  Don’t fear the prunes or olives if you think you’re not a fan…. they are the stars of the dish, even if you don’t eat them (please give them a try).  This Mediterranean dish combines their sweet and salty influences to create the most amazing broth.  Basting the chicken throughout the cooking keeps it juicy and flavorful.

This make ahead dish has become a go-to dish in our house.  Serve over rice or couscous or even with a big piece of crusty bread.  Just don’t let one drop of this broth go to waste!

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Chicken Marbella

This make ahead dish has become a go-to dish in our house. Serve over rice or couscous or even with a big piece of crusty bread. Just don’t let one drop of this broth go to waste!

Prep Time 8 hours hours

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 6 skinless chicken thighs or 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 8-10 prunes pitted
• 8-10 green olives pitted
• 2 Tbl. capers with liquid
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• 8-10 fresh oregano leaves
• Sea salt & fresh cracked pepper
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients except wine and brown sugar in baking dish.
• Mix well and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Top chicken mixture with wine and brown sugar.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, basting chicken with liquid several times during cooking, until chicken is cooked through.

Notes

This recipe requires an over night marinade (8 hours minimum) Resting the chicken after cooking allows the juices to redistribute through the meat, leaving it juicy & moist.

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