Cava Salad
Homemade Take-Out
When it comes to fast food, I have a few weaknesses. The first is Cava Grill. I just love the different combinations of Mediterranean cuisine that you can create! There are spicy things, crunchy things, healthy things, acidic things... basically all of the things that I love - AND - they source locally! BONUS. Here's how I recreate Cava's creations at home....
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Cava Inspired Mediterranean Salad
Hangry Timer: 1 Hour
Feeds: 2 (+ lunches)
Cost: $20
Meal prep. It's time consuming but so rewarding. Although salads seem easy, they are the meals that take the most time for me. I crave lots of different ingredients and textures, so a lot of prep is involved. Since I was planning to make these salads for dinner anyway, I set up a meal prep station and packed lunches for the week to maximize motivation and utilize all of these salad specific ingredients. What's your favorite salad topping? Be sure to loop me in to your mealtime conversation with #hangrydistrict! xoxo
What You Need:
1 Chicken Breast, cooked*
1/2 Cucumber, chopped
1/4 Cup Quinoa, cooked
1/4 Cup Cabbage, shredded
Handful of Greens, spinach, kale, arugula...etc.
Pickled Jalapenos & Pepperoncinis, I like Gordy's
Crunchy Stuff, I like Wonton Strips
Sriracha
Salt
Pepper
Feta Vinaigrette
Feta Cheese, Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, Oregano. BOOM.**
What To Do with It:
I like to arrange the proteins, vegetables and greens in separate piles on a plate or a Tupperware (for lunches!). I drizzle the vinaigrette all over the top of the salad, add a drizzle of Sriracha and top with the crunchy wonton strips and pickled peppers. Add a wedge of lemon to the salad for some extra zing and top it all off with a healthy sprinkling of salt and pepper.
You can mix it all together, or create separate flavor bombs by picking different bites from each little pile. It keeps desk lunches fun and you can create new salads every time by swapping out the proteins and toppings. Some other ingredients I like to use are: olives, sesame sticks, pita chips, steak, farro, rice, shrimp, slivered almonds... the options are endless! Enjoy your snack attack!
*Season boneless skinless chicken breasts heavily with your favorite spices. I like to use salt, pepper, oregano, lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Cavender's Greek seasoning is also perfect for this recipe! Cook in a cast iron skillet for 8 minutes on each side for a nice crust on the outside and a juicy chicken on the inside.
**For vinaigrettes, I like to use one part oil, one part acid and then the mix-ins. Start with 2 Tablespoons of oil and vinegar and adjust the seasonings to your liking. I put all of the ingredients into a jar and shake it like crazy - the easiest way to ensure fast eating when hangry.
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