Dinner DeeAs recipes: Ramen Salad, Beet Hummus, Street Corn Salad

Flavors of Florida

Celebrate the Sunshine State with a fresh, plant-based feast! How to transform local Florida produce into three show-stopping, make-ahead dishes.

Celebrate the Sunshine State with a fresh, plant-based feast! ☀️ In this episode of Dinner DeeAs, we welcome food journalist and podcaster Dalia Colón, author of The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook. Dalia shows us how to transform local Florida produce into three show-stopping, make-ahead dishes. Click here for more on her food podcast, The Zest.

Inside the Florida Vegetarian Kitchen:

Cool & Crunchy Ramen Salad: Throw away the salty flavor packet! Learn how to use crushed dry ramen noodles to add a satisfying crunch to a fresh cabbage and broccoli salad. Dalia shares the secret of how the lemon dressing softens the noodles perfectly without ever turning on the stove.

Ruby Red Roasted Beet Hummus: Turn a humble beige dip into a vibrant, earthy showstopper. This nutrient-packed hummus uses roasted beets to achieve a stunning color and deep flavor—perfect for charcuterie boards or healthy wraps.

"No-Mess" Mexican Street Corn Salad: All the flavors of Elote without the cob! Dalia explains how lime juice and salt "cook" the fresh corn for you, creating a tangy, creamy salad that’s easy to share at picnics or beach days.

Pro-Tips from Dalia Colón:

• Acidity as Heat: Discover how lemon and lime juice can act as a cooking agent to soften tough vegetables and raw corn.
• Kid-Friendly Kitchen Tasks: Why crushing ramen noodles with a tiny hammer is the perfect way to get children involved in meal prep.
• The "Little Black Dress" of Dips: Why Tahini is the essential foundation for any custom hummus recipe.

Click here for a printer-friendly version of these recipes. If you make any of them, take a picture and let us know how they turned out. 

And let us know if you have a question or a recipe request! Email DinnerDeeAs@fox.com or message us on Facebook or Instagram.

See Dinner DeeAs every weekday at 1p on Fox 13 Tampa Bay and 7a on FOX 35 Plus in Orlando.

Cool and Crunchy Ramen Salad

Orlando’s Mills 50 District is home to some of Florida’s most authentic international restaurants, including a handful of great ramen joints. When it’s too hot outside for soup, enjoy this make-ahead alternative.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 2 (3-ounce) packages ramen noodles (you just need the noodles, not the flavor packets)
• 2 cups shredded carrots (about 8 ounces)
• 2 cups finely chopped broccoli (about ½ head broccoli)
• 2 cups shredded cabbage or kale (about 8 ounces)
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup sliced raw almonds
• 5 green onions, sliced
• ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup fresh lemon and/or lime juice (about 4 large lemons or 6 medium limes)
• ½ cup raw honey
• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Put ramen in sealable plastic bag and use rolling pin or mallet to smash noodles. This is a fun task for kids or yourself—whoever needs to let out some aggression!
2. In a large bowl, mix ramen, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, sunflower seeds, almonds, green onions.
3. In medium bowl, whisk together oil, juice, honey, salt. Pour dressing over veggies and toss until veggies are coated.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Ruby Red Roasted Beet Hummus

Hummus is tasty and convenient for a quick lunch or beach snack. But it doesn’t exactly win any contests in the looks department. Adding beets gives this hummus both substance and style. It’s still convenient for a quick lunch or snack. It also makes a show-stopping appetizer for your holiday table or anytime. Use it as a dressing for my falafel tacos, or as a dig for raw veggies, crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips, and such.

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 large beet, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Bag/Box of Crackers or Pretzels to serve with hummus

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread beets on prepared baking sheet. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil to coat. Roast in oven for 30 minutes or until tender. Let cool.
3. In food processor or strong blender, combine chickpeas, garlic, remaining ¼ cup olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, salt and pulse. Adjust lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and continue to blend until hummus reaches desired flavor and thickness.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Here’s a less messy, more shareable way to enjoy the flavors of Mexican-style corn on the cob. To veganize this dish, use non-dairy mayo and skip the cotija cheese. You won’t miss it.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 6 to 8 ears)
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• 1 tablespoon diced fresh jalapeño (or more or less, to taste)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup mayonnaise or vegan mayo
• Juice of 1 lime
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black or cayenne pepper
• for serving: ½ cup cotija cheese and ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In large bowl, combine raw corn kernels, red onion, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro.
2. In small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper.
3. Pour dressing over salad. Toss to combine.
4. Serve immediately at room temperature, topped with cotija and cilantro, or refrigerate until chilled or up to overnight.

For more ‘ideas for dinner’ from Dinner DeeAs, click here.