Pomegranate Pear Salad

I'm a disaster in the kitchen.

Ask my mom.

She used to come home from work and apparently (so she says) there'd be things like honey on the door knobs, unidentified ooze dripping from the cupboards or a flour-covered winter wonderland.

I thought she was exaggerating, but now my own kids, my own flesh and blood who I birthed through my loins are saying the same thing.

They should have been here to see the pomegranate meteor shower.

I finally found a successful seed extraction method, which involved 'tapping'  (not striking apparently) the pom with a wooden spoon, over a bowl.  Stand back and watch.

For right-brained people like me, creative messes are daily occurances. But hey, I clean them up like an OCD germaphobe so itr all balances out.

This household's been making this amazing salad for many moons. 

Years, in fact...  And although the salad ingredients are subbed out on a regular basis, it's really all about that dressing.  That, that perfect dressing - I never sub (except maybe just a little just because I'm not the best conformist).

  

When you can find them, pomegranate arils make the most lovely addition.  

The red glistening jewels add such a nice tart crunch, 

plus they're a potent form of antioxidants. 

How do you know if a pomegranate is ripe?  

Well, they pick them ripe and ready, unlike other fruits (so I guess only the pom pickers get to know when they are truly ripe).  Just look for one that's heavy and smooth, and firm.  And if you really don't want to deal with it, use Craisins - you can't go wrong.

 So, enjoy this lovely combination of sweet, tart, crisp and crunchy.  It will bring an enlivening freshness to your fall menu.

Pomegranate Pear Salad
1 large head Romaine (or about 1/2 lb. any kind of greens)
1 cup Swiss Cheese - julienne strips
Arils from one pomegranate OR 1 cups Craisins (you're going for tart, small, and red here)
1 pear, diced (peeling optional)
1 red apple, diced (leave peel on)
1 cups cashews

DRESSING
1/2 cup sugar
2 t. finely grated purple onion (I sub out 1/2 t. onion powder all the time)
1/2 t. salt
2/3 cup canola or olice oil
1/3 cup lemon juice, fresh
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 T. poppy seeds

Combine sugar, onion, salt, lemon juice and mustard in a bowl or blender.  Whisk until smooth, slowly adding the oil. When blended, add the poppy seeds.

NOTE:  This makes a LOT of dressing, sometimes I only make 1/2 that amount and it's still great.

What I do:  Make this is a quart sized mason jar, then add the diced pear and apple to the jar and shake up lightly to coat to prevent them from browning.  That way, I can make this a little bit ahead of time, which is always important in my book.

Combine salad ingredients and toss with dressing just before serving. As soon as you add the dressing, the fresh clock starts ticking.  

I subbed the cashews for some pecans that I toasted up in a little saute pan for about 5 minutes and used some Irish white cheddar instead of the Swiss, used spring greens instead of Romaine.

POM - it's what's for dinner.

Posted by Rona

Harvest Cobb Salad

It's fall!  

And as much as I love soups and stews, 

ya still gotta keep it fresh.  

Cooking rule #221:  Whenever you make something hearty or heavy, it is imperative that you add something light and fresh lest you feel like a big lump. 

Let me introduce a most lovely fall salad...

This beautiful daughter came to visit

and she LOVES salads.  

 Here she is holding her bowl of it. 

It's the roasted butternut squash that's walking the red carpet here.  It's different  (like bologna on a cinnamon roll), unexpected (your Grandma got a skull tattoo) gives a little bit of sweetness (like the Walmart greeter), yet has the perfect complimentary texture to all the other great condiments.  

Wait... The savory toasted pecans just might be the star of the show.    The hint of mustard perfectly highlights the Dijon in the vinaigrette.  

  

Although this is a basic vinaigrette, it's so light and fresh (like your prom date). It makes a generous amount so you may want to only pour on half of it on.

Yeah, there are no avocados on this.  

They were rock hard (like the spaghetti on your microwave ceiling) at the store. 

They remain in my fruit bowl until they can behave properly. 

Unlike traditional Cobb salad, there's no blue cheese,  but you won't miss it.  There's so much going on here (like the crowd at a rock concert), that there is quite an abundance of harvest flavors.

So enjoy this fresh fall salad...


Harvest Cobb Salad:

2 heads of romaine, roughly chopped
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into cubes (I had roasted turkey on hand, so I sliced that up)
2 cups roasted butternut squash cubes (I had sweet potatoes)
6 sliced thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 avocados, sliced
1/2 cup Craisins
3 slices Muenster cheese, julienne sliced
4 hard boiled eggs

Savory Toasted Pecans
1 cups pecans
1 T butter
1/4 t. ground mustard
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. paprika
1/4 t. salt

For the seasoned pecans: 
Heat a skillet to medium-low.  Melt the butter, add pecans.  Sprinkle with ground mustard, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.  Saute for 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly to toast.  

Assemble:  Place the lettuce in a bowl.  Layer the other ingredients in rows. Before serving, toss with vinaigrette. 


Vinaigrette:

3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Shake together in a jar. 

Vegan Avocado Wraps with Sunflower Herb Spread AND Smoky Zucchini Bisque

Let me just say, I'm not a vegan (and never will be)- not with the deep emotional bond I have for butter, cream, and steak.

But I LUV clean eating too.

Mother Nature's got it goin' on eh?

The other day we were in Sedona and tried this weird little vegan restaurant. Although we were the only diners without dreads, Tarot cards, a Subaru or B.O., 

I must say the whole experience was pretty cool and the food was"herbaceous, delightful and balanced"

- just as they described.

With natural beauty all around us, 

we had to eat from the earth's bounty that day.

The best part was the chef and I became BFF's inspite of our differences, and he shared his secret weapon with me - 

the Sunflower Herb Spread.  

$$ The Money $$$

It made the wrap.

Next step - go home and recreate it.

The Smoky Zucchini Bisque is my healthy rendition of a not healthy recipe.  I made some simple changes which took out a ton of fat and calories, but it still has a great flavor and is creamy, warm and soothing.  

When you eat nutritionally dense foods, you just feel good.

"Love runs from my head down to my toes." - Freddie Mercury
:-)

Every now and then my inner hippie comes screaming out.

The Sunflower Herb Spread is the 'mama'.  She holds it together while adding a little flavor and personality.

The bisque is great topped with a dash of Tabasco or Siracha.

And here we go...


Vegan Avocado Wrap

Layer the following on whole grain bread or wrap:

thick layer of sunflower herb spread
baby spinach leaves
tomato slices (salt and pepper these)
avocado slices
thinly sliced red onion
shredded carrots
sprout of the day


Fold in thirds (because it's probably too big to roll up) and slice in half on a diagonal.


Sunflower Spread

2 cups raw sunflower seeds, soaked in water overnight (or for at least an hour)
3/4 to 1 cup fresh herbs (anything goes here)
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
1 small clove garlic, minced (a little goes a long way here)
Salt and pepper

Drain and rinse the sunflower seeds. Throw it all in a high powered blender or food processor.  I like it not totally smooth.  You can mince the herbs yourself and add them at the end if you like them more noticable.  Some good herbs to try would be basil, thyme, chives, dill, parsley, tarragon, rosemary (but smaller quantity).  

Note:  By soaking the sunflower seeds the nutritional value is greatly enhanced, plus the ability for the body to better absorb the nutrients.

Smoky Zucchini Bisque

5 med. zucchini (about 3 pounds)

4 cups chicken broth

3 Tbsp. dried onion flakes

or 1 cup chopped onion

3 oz pkg. bacon bits - I subbed 2 t. liquids smoke flavoring

2 cups half-&-half - I subbed 1 can fat free evaporated milk (could use almond milk too)

Freshly ground pepper

1. Heat the chicken broth in the large pot on high.

2. While the broth is heating, cut the zucchini in slices or chunks and place it in the broth.

3. Add the onion flakes and bacon.

4. When the soup comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium. Cover the lid and let it simmer 10-15 minutes.

5. When zucchini chunks are tender, puree them with a stick blender. Or, use a stand blender and puree in two batches.

6. Add a few grinds of pepper to taste, and the half and half, or milk, or fat-free half-and-half. Serve topped with more bacon, croutons or a sprinkle of cheese.

 Source- "Soup's On!" by Valerie Phillips (Covenant Books)

Feed your soul.

And yo belly.

Ommmmm......

Posted by R

Pumpkin Smoothies

After a week of eating like Sumo wrestlers in training with my daughter and her family here, and feeling like cankles were being enhanced, we switched up the pumpkin to something healthy.

It was YUM.

 Thick and rich, with just the right amount of spice.

It was better than an ice cold Diet Coke.

Well, almost.

Full of good things and so satisfying.

Pumpkin Smoothie

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 frozen banana
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
dash vanilla
1-2 cups almond milk
2 T chia seeds
sweetener - Splenda or honey if desired

Instructions (pay attention here)...  Blend until smooth.

Enjoy :-)


Posted by: Rona

Greek Bulgar Salad

Fall's a comin'.  You can smell it in the air.  

But it's not here YET!

Summer loving, had me a blast.  

And that is due in part to fresh main dishes

such as 

Greek Bulgar Salad

A little bit of hearty, a lot of fresh. 

Plus it comes together so quickly, you can get where you need to be - OUTSIDE!

Tastes really great the next day, but don't put the spinach in until you're ready to eat it.  

Summer days, drifting away.

But ah, oh those SUMMER NIGHTS.

wellawellawella

Greek Bulgar Salad

3 c. cooked bulgar, al dente and cooled (this cooks up really fast and easy - cook in salted water)
3/4 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced thin (in olive oil)
1 cup feta cheese, large crumbles
1 English cucumber, diced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved
handful of roasted cashews (optional)
4 cups spinach leaves, thinly sliced

Greek Vinaigrette
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t. dried basil
3/4 t. onion powder
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil 
Salt and Pepper to taste

If necessary, cool down cooked bulgar by rinsing in cold water.  Mix with olives, cucumbers, spinach, and oven dried tomatoes.  Add the dressing and then gently (trying not to break it up) add the cheese.  Serve at room temperature for better flavor.

For vinaigrette, mix together all ingredients except the oil until blended.  Lastly, whisk in the oil. 


Posted by Rona



Adapted from Studio 5

Chia Thingies

Ch Ch Ch Chia

You just sang that jingle, didn't you?

But you only know the first line (Is there even a second line?), and now it will be in your head all day. Sorry.

Actually, if I'd have known back in the 70's the remarkable nutritional value of the humble powerhouse Chia Seed, I would have licked clean that lil ol' clay donkey.

These Chia Thingies are a healthy way to get some serious nutrition into your system.  They are the perfect make-ahead breakfast, mid-morning snack, or even dessert.  

They are soooo easy, and soooo yummy.

Chia Thingies 

You can make these the night before, and take one with you to work in the morning.  It actually only takes about an hour for them to set up.  They kind of remind me of tapioca pudding, but so much healthier.

The Chia Seeds look like little black rocks, but when they are mixed with liquid, they form a clear gel like substance around them.  They absorb 10 times their weight in water making you feel fuller.

Well yuck, globulin type substance.  But trust me.

Chia seeds have more Omega 3 fatty acids than any other food, including salmon.  Plus there are 10 grams of fiber in 2 tablespoons of Chia Seed, not to mention they are loaded with cancer-fighting antioxidants... and vitamins and minerals.

I've been ordering them online from Amazon Prime (which may or may not have me on their Christmas card list), but I just saw them at my local Safeway. 

You don't need to grind these like flax seed.

I've tried this concoction with most kinds of fruit.  Berries are especially da bomb: blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry...

All ya gotta do is shake your groove thing.

Tupperware's got nothing on a mason jar.

It's the best receptacle for this.

Let it go.

Let go of the guilt. 

It's time to move forward with 

a  guilt-free Chia Thingy.

Chia Thingies

1 1/2 cups almond milk
3 T chia seeds
handful of fresh or frozen fruit
drop of vanilla 
Splenda or honey

Put in a pint jar, give a quick stir or shake up.  Wait.  Wait a little longer.  Stir it up.  Wipe the sweat from your brow.  Enjoy it.


Posted by: Rona