Mixed Greens with Goat Cheese, Toasted Walnuts and Maple Vinaigrette

This salad is my all time favorite! It is easy to make and it is so satisfyingly delicious! I share it with you and hope you love it as much as I do.

Salad:
A bowl full of mixed greens
A handful of chopped dates
A handful of chopped, fresh chives
¾ cup of chopped walnuts, toasted
Crumbled goat cheese

Wash and spin greens and place in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle the chopped dates and chopped chives over the greens and top with the toasted walnuts and goat cheese.

Maple Vinaigrette:
4 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons of maple syrup
1 Tablespoon of small diced shallot
½ teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the vinegar, syrup, shallot, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk together and while slowly whisking the ingredients, add the olive oil. Whisk until all ingredients are incorporated.

To serve:
There are two choices here. You may prepare individual salad servings and add the dressing or pass it at the table.

OR, you may add some of the dressing to the bowl of prepared salad, toss and serve. If there is dressing left over, feel free to pass it at the table as well. Eat and enjoy!

Substitutions:
You may use any type of greens. I prefer the baby greens.
For the dates you may substitute golden raisins.
Instead of walnuts, any type of toasted nut will do.
Have no chives on hand? Feel free to use fresh green onion.
No shallots available? Use onion, red or yellow, in it’s place.

Festive Spinach Salad

Salad:
A bowl full of fresh spinach
1 cup of sliced green apple
1 cup of dried cranberries
½ -1 cup of crumbed goat cheese
½ cup or so of toasted pecans, chopped

Wash and spin spinach and place into a large salad bowl. Add the apple, cranberries and goat cheese.

Vinaigrette:
4 Teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
4 Tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

Place the vinegar into a small bowl and slowly whisk in the olive oil until fully incorporated.

Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well. Top with the toasted pecan pieces. Eat and enjoy!

Substitutions:
Any type of greens will do.
Try dried blueberries in place of the cranberries.
Toasted walnuts or hazelnuts will nicely replace the pecans!
Have no balsamic vinegar? Use red wine or white wine vinegar in its place! Just have fun with it…and keep it simple!

Mixed Greens with Walnuts and Mushrooms

Salad:
A bowl full of fresh mixed greens
1 cup or so of toasted walnuts, chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced (or 1 shallot)
½ cup mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced

Wash and spin greens and place into a bowl. Add the walnuts, half of the onion, and the mushrooms.

Vinaigrette:
½ of the sliced green onion or shallot
¼ cup of white wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon of toasted walnuts, chopped

Place the onion, vinegar, sugar, pepper and mustard in a blender and blend well. With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil. Then, slowly add the toasted walnuts. Blend well.

Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss. Eat and enjoy!!!!
Or, serve the salad and pass the dressing.

Substitutions:
You may use any type of greens and any type of toasted nuts.
In place of the white wine vinegar, you may use red wine vinegar. Not crazy for Dijon mustard? Feel free to use honey mustard or stone ground mustard in its place!

Orange and Almond Salad

Salad:
A bowl full of mixed greens
1 can of mandarin oranges, drained and chilled
½ of a red onion, thinly sliced into rings
½ cup of sliced almonds, toasted

Wash and spin the greens and place into a large salad bowl.
Add the orange slices and onion rings.

Vinaigrette:
¼ cup of garlic red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 Tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon of black pepper
Salt to taste
½ cup of extra-virgin olive oil

Place the vinegar, sugar, parsley, pepper and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Slowly whisk the olive oil into the mixture until incorporated.

Add the vinaigrette to the bowl of greens, oranges and onions and toss well. Just before serving, toss in the almonds.
Eat and enjoy!

Substitutions:
Any type of greens will do nicely…Baby greens, romaine, green leaf or red leaf lettuce or any combination. Any type of toasted nuts will do nicely as well….the choice is yours!

Raspberry Spinach Salad

Salad:
A bowl full of fresh spinach
1 red onion, sliced thinly into rings
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
1 pint of fresh raspberries, cleaned

Wash and spin the spinach and place into a large salad bowl. Add the onion rings and kiwi. Chill.

Raspberry cream dressing:
1-10 ounce bag frozen raspberries, thawed and drained
¼ cup whipping cream
2 Tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

In a blender, blend the raspberries until smooth. Pour this through a mesh sieve. This removes the seeds from the raspberries. Add the cream, vinegar and salt and mix well. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and incorporate well. Chill for at least one hour.

Just before serving, toss the salad with the dressing and then add the fresh raspberries. Eat and enjoy! Or, plate the salad and pass the dressing.

Romaine and Mango Salad

Salad:
1 head of Romaine lettuce
½ head of napa cabbage
2 mangos, peeled, pitted, and diced
½ of an English cucumber, thinly sliced
toasted pumpkin seeds

Wash, chop and spin the romaine and cabbage and place into a large salad bowl. Add the diced mango, sliced cumber and set aside.

Vinaigrette:
Juice from one lime
2 Tablespoons of honey
2 Tablespoons of garlic red wine vinegar
1 minced garlic clove
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, honey, vinegar and minced garlic. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until incorporated.

Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss well. Just before serving, sprinkle the pumpkin seed over the prepared salad.
Eat and enjoy!

Substitutions and tips:
You may use green or red cabbage in place of the napa cabbage.
I use mango from a jar that has already been peeled and pitted. I find this to be a real time saver.
No honey on hand? Use a bit of sugar instead.
If you don’t like pumpkin seeds, use toasted sunflower seeds or any type of toasted nuts!

Spinach Crunch Salad

Salad:
A bowl full of fresh spinach
1 can of Mandarin oranges, drained and chilled
½ cup of water chestnuts, thinly sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
6 mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
5 pieces of crisp, cooked bacon, crumbled

Wash and spin spinach and place into a large salad bowl. Add the orange slices, chestnuts, onion and mushrooms.

Dressing:
2 generous Tablespoons of plain yogurt
2 generous Tablespoons of mayonnaise
2 generous teaspoons of honey
½ teaspoon orange rind
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Combine all the ingredients for the dressing and blend well.
Toss together the salad greens and dressing. Eat and enjoy!

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Salad:
A bowl full of fresh spinach greens
2 pints of fresh strawberries, sliced

Wash and spin the spinach greens and place into a large bowl. Clean and slice the strawberries and place them over the greens.

Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup of sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
1-2 teaspoons minced onions
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, minced onions, Worcestershire sauce and paprika. Mix together and slowly whisk in the olive oil until incorporated.
Just before serving, pour the vinaigrette over the spinach and strawberries and toss. Eat and enjoy!

Substitutions:
You could use sliced kiwi in place of the strawberries, but the strawberries taste and look so lovely with the dark green spinach.

Parmesan Vinaigrette

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons grated fresh parmesan cheese
Black pepper to taste
1 minced shallot
1 minced garlic clove
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Place vinegar, cheese, pepper, shallot, garlic into a blender. Blend well and slowly add the olive oil. Blend until incorporated.

Champagne Oregano Vinaigrette

½ cup champagne vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano
1 minced shallot
A drizzle of lemon juice, optional
1 Tablespoon sugar/or sweetener
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper, to taste
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place vinegar, mustard, oregano, shallot, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper into a blender and blend well. Slowly add the olive oil. Blend until well incorporated.

Honey Mustard Dressing

¾ cup mayonnaise/or miracle whip
4 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons mustard

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend well, until well incorporated.

Easy Caesar Dressing

½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup grated, fresh parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons water
Black pepper to taste
Minced garlic, to taste

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend well, until well incorporated.

Cranberry Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons cranberry juice
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

In a bowl whisk together the syrup, mustard, vinegar, juice and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly add the oil, whisking until the vinaigrette is emulsified. You may also place all ingredients into a blender, blend slowly, until incorporated.

Shrimp Salad

One of my favorite salads! It is a meal in itself. Try it! I’m sure you’ll love it as much as we do!!!

Marinade and shrimp:
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 garlic clove, minced ( or more if you love garlic )
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced fine
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 pounds of shrimp, shelled, deveined, and cleaned

Combine the above ingredients and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Dressing and Salad:
¼ red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, squeezed from a lime…not from a bottle
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the onion, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper in a blender and blend well. Slowly, add the extra virgin olive oil. Blend until incorporated.

A bowl full of fresh greens (your choice as to the type of greens)
Diced tomato

Place the greens in a salad bowl, add fresh tomato.

Remove the shrimp mixture from the “fridge” 30 minutes before grilling. Grill the shrimp on skewers or on a grill wok, until they are pink and cooked through. Add the grilled shrimp to the bowl full of greens and add the dressing just before serving! Eat and enjoy! Goes well with crusty bread!

Salad with Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnuts

Dressing:
¼ cup orange juice
3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together until emulsified.

Salad:
A bowl full of fresh spring greens (or greens of your choice)
A handful or two of toasted walnuts (or toasted nuts of your choice)
Crumbled goat cheese, a couple of handfuls (or amount to your liking)

To the bowl full of greens, add the walnuts and goat cheese. Dress salad and serve. Eat and enjoy!

Greens with Grapes and Asiago Cheese

This is one of my favorite salads. It is simple and refreshing! Try it!

A bowl full of greens
½ cup (or more) of red, seedless grapes, halved
Red onion, sliced in rings, as little or as much as you’d like
½ cup grated asiago cheese

Add the grapes, onions and cheese to the bowl full of greens.
Dress with the below dressing.

Dressing:
Whisk together the following, until emulsified.
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

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Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower, cleaned and cut into 2-inch florets
2-3 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425degrees. Toss the above ingredients together and spread evenly into a shallow baking dish. Bake in the upper two-thirds of the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 25 minutes. Eat and enjoy!

Mashed Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower, cleaned
About ¼ cup sour cream
About 2 Tablespoons of cream cheese

Boil cauliflower in a pan of water until tender. Drain and mash, adding sour cream and cream cheese. (adjust these ingredients to your liking) Mash or whip until desired consistency is reached. Serve hot. Eat and enjoy!
(feel free to add garlic, chives, diced green onions…the choice is yours)

Yellow Squash and Tomato Casserole

6 medium-sized yellow squash
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 can of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained well
½ cup finely chopped green pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons of Smart balance (or butter or margarine)
5 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled

Wash squash and trim ends. Cut the squash into ¼ to ½ inch pieces and place in a bowl. Add the finely chopped onion, drained tomatoes, finely chopped green pepper, basil, salt and pepper and cheese. Combine well and pour this mixture into a baking dish. Dot the top of the veggie mixture with little pieces of the Smart Balance, and spread the crumbled bacon evenly over the top.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Mmm-yum! Eat and enjoy!

Yellow Squash, Tomato, and Mozzarella Bake

This is one of my all time favorites. I hope you try it and love it as much as I do!

2 cups of ½ inch cubes of yellow squash, cleaned before chopping
1-1 ½ cups of grape tomatoes, cleaned and halved
1 small onion, diced
Salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup of diced fresh mozzarella cheese (more or less, the choice is yours)
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed, you may use a bit of garlic powder, to taste
2-3 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Combine the above ingredients into a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, until cheese melts! How easy is that??? A real taste bud pleaser! Eat and enjoy!

Roasted Asparagus

2 pounds of fresh asparagus, cleaned, tough ends broken off
A drizzling of extra virgin olive oil
A sprinkling of kosher salt
A sprinkling of ground black pepper

In a bowl, combine the above ingredients and mix well to coat the asparagus. Spread the asparagus in a single layer in a baking dish or baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until tender-crisp. Easy! Healthy! And Yummy! Eat and enjoy!

Broccoli and Red Peppers

Steam the florets of a head of cleaned broccoli, until tender crisp.

Saute one red bell pepper, diced, in a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil, until soft, about 5 minutes.

Combine the broccoli and red peppers, and sprinkle a bit of crumbled goat cheese on top. It’s not only pretty, it’s healthy! An easy side dish for the Christmas Holidays! Or any day! Eat and enjoy!

Zucchini Parmesan Bake

2-3 zucchini, washed and sliced into rounds, about ¼ inch in diameter
A drizzling of extra virgin olive oil
½ cup of grated fresh parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste

Combine the zucchini rounds and olive oil in a bowl, lightly coating the rounds.
Place the rounds on a baking sheet, in a single layer. Sprinkle the zucchini with cheese, salt and pepper. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until cheese is golden. Remove and serve. Eat and enjoy!

Risotto with Chickpeas, spinach and raisins

2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 cup of Arborio rice (risotto)
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup of raisins
6-7 cups of chicken broth, kept hot in a separate saucepan
2 cups of packed fresh spinach, cleaned and chopped
1 cup of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup of grated fresh romano or parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Do Not brown. Stir in the rice and stir for about one minute, until moistened.

Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it is mostly absorbed by the rice. Add the raising; begin to add the broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring occasionally after each addition. Wait until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next ½ cup of broth. (Reserve ¼ cup of the broth to add at the end.)

When the rice is tender but firm (about 20+ minutes), turn off the heat. Add the remaining ¼ cup of broth, spinach, chickpeas, cheese, and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine with the rice. Let sit, covered for a few minutes, then give it another stir and serve immediately. Eat and enjoy!

Sweet Baby Carrots

2 Tablespoons Smart Balance (or butter or margarine)
2 cups of baby carrots
3 Tablespoons maple syrup

In a saucepan, melt the smart balance and add the carrots. Cover and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender or tender crisp, however you desire your carrots. Add the maple syrup, stir until carrots are coated and warm through. Eat and enjoy!

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Stinky Chicken
4-6 boneless, trimmed chicken breasts
2 cups plain bread crumbs
1 cup of finely grated fresh romano or parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of skim milk with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, combined

Place the bread crumbs, grated cheese, garlic powder and salt and pepper into a large baggie, shaking well to combine all ingredients.
Place the milk with olive oil into a bowl. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk mixture, and then coat it by placing it into the baggie of bread crumb mixture, shaking it until the chicken is coated. Repeat this process with each piece of chicken.

In a baking dish drizzle just enough extra virgin olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Place the prepared pieces of chicken in the dish and place into the oven, temperature set at 325 degrees. Bake chicken slowly, about 90 minutes, until done. I have found baking chicken for a longer time at a lower oven temperature produces very tender chicken. Eat and enjoy!

Grilled Chicken with Plum Salsa

For the Chicken: 4-6 pieces of chicken, I use boneless chicken breasts

Combine the following ingredients in a bowl:
2 teaspoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons BBQ sauce (your choice)
Combine well and rub the mixture on the pieces of chicken and grill slowly until done. You may choose to bake the chicken rather than grill it.

Plum Salsa:
1 cup chopped ripe plum (2-3 plums, diced)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons of finely diced red onion
2 teaspoons vinegar (cider, red wine, or white wine…the choice is yours)
½ teaspoon Cholula (or other hot sauce such as Tabasco)
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine these ingredients in a bowl and chill. Serve along side the chicken.
Feel free to substitute plums with fresh peaches, nectarines, or pineapple. The choice is yours! Eat and enjoy!

Steak with Roasted Red Pepper and Banana Salsa
Sounds strange, I know, but it’s yummy!

For the salsa, combine the following ingredients and serve at room temperature, or chilled. The choice is yours.

4 bananas, diced
2 roasted red peppers, skinned and diced (yes, you may use roasted red
peppers from a can or jar)
8 tablespoons (more or less) fresh chopped cilantro
4 scallions, diced
6 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice (no, not from a bottle)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
3 teaspoons minced ginger, optional
6 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons seeded and diced jalapeno peppers

Grill the steak or beef of your choice and serve with salsa on the side.
You’ll love how this tickles your taste buds! Eat and enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Swordfish

Combine the following ingredients into a small sauce pan:

½ cup of salsa or picante sauce
3 Tablespoons of vinegar (white, white wine, red wine….your choice)
3 Tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute
½ teaspoon soy sauce
Bring to a gentle boil and add the following:

3 Tablespoons carrots, small dice
3 Tablespoons green pepper, small dice
2 scallions, white parts only, small circles
Again, bring to a gentle boil and then add:

2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons of cold water.
Stir slowly until mixture thickens, 10-25 seconds. Remove from heat.

Grill or bake swordfish. (I rub swordfish with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle pre-made seasoning for fish onto both sides, and grill until done).

Serve grilled swordfish with the sweet and sour sauce on the side.
Yum-Yum, and good for you, too! Eat and enjoy!

Salmon with Pinot Noir Caper Sauce

6-8 pieces of salmon fillet, preferably center cut, about ¾ inch thick
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded, peeled and diced
½ cup Pinot Noir wine
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 – 3oz. jar of capers with brine (about ½ cup)

Rub the salmon pieces with the soy sauce and refrigerate for 1 hour. Let the salmon return to room temperature before cooking or grilling.

In a large, heavy non-reactive skillet, cook the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until the garlic turns light brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic and discard.

Add the diced bell peppers to the oil, cover and cook over low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the pinot noir wine and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Boil until reduced slightly, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, approximately 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat. This sauce may be prepared in advance and re-warmed before serving.

Heat a large, dry, nonstick skillet over high heat, working in batches, sear the salmon pieces, skin side down, for 2-3 minutes. Flip the salmon and sear the other side, also for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the salmon is cooked through. Remove from the skillet and discard the salmon skins. If you prefer, you may grill the salmon.

Re-warm the sauce over low heat, and stir in the mustard and capers with brine. To serve, spoon the sauce onto plates and place a portion of salmon on top of the sauce. Pass any remaining sauce around the table, in the event one wants a bit more. NOT LOWFAT! Eat and enjoy anyway!

Pork Tenderloin with Apple Salsa

Rinse and clean the pork tenderloin.
Rub with extra virgin olive oil
Sprinkle Cajun Seasoning all over the tenderloin, patting it gently so seasonings adhere to the tenderloin.

Grill the tenderloin over high heat until “blackened”, then reduce heat and grill until meat thermometer reads 155 degrees
.
OR, you may bake the tenderloin in the upper third of the oven at 475 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 60-90 minutes or until thermometer reads 155 degrees.

Apple Salsa
The salsa needs to be prepared in advance, so it can be chilled for a few hours. This allows the flavors to combine.

Combine the following into a bowl:
4 green apples, (I use Granny Smith), cored and cut into ¼ inch dice
1 medium red onion, cut into ¼ inch dice
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¼ inch dice
1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
½ cup golden raisins
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Into a blender combine the following and blend well:
¾ fresh orange juice
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Salt and Black pepper to taste
Blend well. With the blender still running, slowly add the following:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon dark sesame oil, optional
Pour the dressing over the apple mixture. Toss gently and combine well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Serve the salsa along side the sliced pork tenderloin. What an adventure for your taste buds! Eat and enjoy!