Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

In my recent attempt to find healthy salads I came across this recipe in the Spice and Spirit cookbook. The only change I made was to substitute the sugar with splenda. Since the vegetables are so crisp it was still good a few days later as leftovers. Note that the cookbook indicated that this serves 8-10 people. We had it at a meal with 12 people and other side dishes/salads and there was a lot left over(and no, not because it wasn't good).

1 large broccoli, cut into florets
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 zucchini, diced
4 green onions, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 C. oil
1/3 C. Vinegar
1 tsp. Salt
1 Tbls. Splenda
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/3 tsp. pepper

Toss together all salad ingredients. In a seperate bowl combine or whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Serve chilled.

Chickpea Salad with Tehina and Garlic Dressing

Sorry it's been a while since I have posted. I am working full time now and have very little time for anything else-including cooking.
Lately I have been searching for healthy salad recipes. I know it sounds dumb-isn't all salad healthy? Well when you dump gobs of mayonnaise, oils and sugar into the dressing and then onto the salad then no, it isn't. In attempt to bring some variety into my Rosh Hashanah menus I found some new salad recipes and I will be sharing several with you in the next few weeks.
This first one I found on this blog that I came across recently. I didn't get a chance to photograph my salad but it pretty much looked the same. I did use my progressive dicer to make this salad (thanks for the recommendation Talia) which made it simple to throw together.
The only change I made to the recipe was changing measurements to quantities as I prefer recipes that way so I assume you do too.

2 cans chick peas, drained
2 cucumbers, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
6 scallions, diced
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Dressing:
1/2 cup Tehina
4 Tbls lemon juice
2 Tbls water
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Chop all vegetables and toss. Mix dressing and pour over salad before serving.

Caryn's Quinoa Pilaf

You may notice that I make a lot of quinoa. I love how versatile it is and it really is a super food. A few years back I had never had quinoa and I really wanted to try it. For some reason I was a little intimidate by it and the fact that it required rinsing made me even more hessitant. Enter Caryn's Quinoa Pilaf. My friend Caryn gave me this recipe that doesn't require rinsing so it was a good way to ease me into the world of Quinoa. This remains one of my staple recipes. Aside from the fact that it is delicious, I love how colorful it is and that it is so simple to make. Thanks Caryn!

(I didn't have a zucchini this time so the photo is a little less green than usual)


1 Tbls. Olive Oil
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 zuchinni
2 carrots
2 garlic
1 pepper(green, yellow or orange)
1 1/2 C. Quinoa
3 C. Boiling Water
1/2 tsp. Salt-or to taste
1 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash-or to taste

Shred all veggies in food processor. Heat oil in an pan and add the veggies and saute. Add quinoa. Then add water, salt and Mrs. Dash. Bring to boil. Stir. Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes on low.

Roasted Carrots with Garlic

This recipe is from the Uncommonly Kosher cookbook. I have cut down the oil but otherwise left the recipe as is. We have been enjoying this one for quite a while. I often double this one as many get gobbled up before serving and we like the leftovers too.

10 large Carrots, sliced
8 large Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Tbls. Olive Oil
2 Tbls. Parsley, chopped
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Place carrots in a bowl. Mix garlic, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Toss garlic mixture with carrots. Arrange on a single layer on a cookie sheet(I use parchment paper for easy cleanup) and bake for 40 minutes. Turn carrots while roasting.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Today tomatoes were on sale for .49 agrout per kilo which is a few pennies per pound so I bought the 3 kilo I was limited to. I decided to make some tomato soup. I believe this recipe originated in a South Beach Cookbook. I doubled the recipe since it doesn't make a lot and I had a lot of tomatoes. I still have a bunch so if you have any good tomato recipes you'd like to share I am happy to receive them!

2 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes(about 10 tomatoes), cut in half lengthwise
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 Tbls. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
black pepper
1 Tbls. olive oil
1 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange tomatoes, cut side up and scatter onion and garlic in a single layer around the tomatoes. Sprinkle with basil, oregano, salt and pepper; drizzle with oil. Bake on middle rack until tomatoes are golden on the bottoms and start to collapse, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and put in pot, add 1/2 cup of broth and puree until smooth. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup of broth and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm.
Makes 4 (1 1/4 cup) servings.

Crustless Quiche

I found this recipe on the Weight Watchers website many years ago. You can use any vegetables you'd like or have on hand. Most recently I made it with just onion and red pepper. I also doubled the recipe to make it in a 9X13 pan. If you do so you need to add about 15-20 minutes to the cooking time so the center finished cooking.

1/4 green pepper, diced
1/4 yellow pepper, diced
4 oz mushrooms, chopped
1 crown broccoli, chopped
1/4 Onion, diced
6 Egg Whites or 3 Eggs
3/4 C. Cottage Cheese
Salt
Pepper

Saute the vegetables in pam. Beat eggs and add cottage cheese mixing well. Add a
little bit of salt and pepper for flavor. Spray a 8X8 pan with Pam. Combine the vegetables with the cottage cheese mixture and pour into prepared pan. Cook at 350 for approx. 20 minutes or until lightly brown and set.

Baba Ganoush

I do not like eggplant. My husband loves it but I don't. I have tried it prepared many different ways: fried, battered, in tomato sauce, lasagna, parmagean, roasted, grilled-you name it I have tried it but I just can't get on board. This doesn't mean I don't cook it-I just don't eat it. However there is one way I like eggplant. That is in the form of Baba Ganoush. Something about this salad makes the eggplant delicious to me. So when I saw this recipe for Baba Ganoush I had to try it. I had never thought about making Baba Ganoush before and when I saw how simple it was I couldn't believe it. The only change I made to the recipe was I didn't use paprika as all I had was sweet paprika and I didn't think it was an appropriate substitute for smoky.

1 Eggplant
2 Tbls. Tahina
1 Clove Garlic, minced
lemon juice, to taste
Pinch Smoked Paprika, optional
salt, pepper
Pinch Cumin

Roast eggplant at 425 degrees until black, softened and oozing juice, about 45 minutes. Mash eggplant pulp (remove skin) with rest of ingredients.

Mexican Quinoa Salad

I found this recipe for Mexican Quinoa Salad on The Girl Who Ate Everything site. It was guest blogged from My Green Diet. Does that make this a 3rd generation recipe? Please look at their picture as it is much better than mine.

I began making this recipe on Thursday evening. I cooked the quinoa and made the dressing. On Friday I completed the prep but completely forgot that I had made the dressing. As I was adding the lime juice I thought to myself that I had made a salad dressing the night before that had similar ingredients. It wasn't until all the ingredients were in the bowl that I realized that I had already made this dressing. So I went ahead and made another cup of quinoa so that I could double the recipe and use all the dressing. I posted about my error on facebook which prompted a lot of requests for the recipe. I commented that after we tasted it and determined if it was good would I share it. The results are in-we really liked it and our guests did too.

The only change I made was I didn't use red quinoa as I didn't have any. I do think it looks pretty in their picture and may have to get my hands on some. I used bottled lime juice and I counted the tomatoes as I hate when recipes give you a measurement for something that you'd rather count. Also, take note that the original recipe says it serves 2-4. I am guessing they mean as a main dish because as a side dish it serves more than that- probably 6-8.

(Also, if anyone knows why blogger keeps rotating my photos or can give me a solutions it would be greatly appreciated)

1 C. Quinoa, washed and drained
2 C. Water
1/4 C. Olive Oil
3 Tbls. Lime Juice
3/4 tsp. Cumin
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes, (optional)
1 Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
12 Cherry Tomatoes, cut in quarters
5 Green Onions, finely chopped
1/4 C. Chopped Cilantro
1 Avocado, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the quinoa and add to a saucepan with the water, cover, bring to boil and reduce to simmer - cook until all water is absorbed. 10-15 min. Turn off the heat and leave it alone for 10-15 minutes. Remove lid, fluff with a fork and pour into a large bowl. Add black beans, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and avocado.
Separately, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, cumin and red pepper flakes. Add salt and pepper.
Toss dressing with quinoa mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
This salad can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Part Whole Wheat Pizza

After last nights chili disaster I decided to move back into the kids comfort zone. I decided to make the same pizza I always make them but making the crust part whole wheat-repeat after me-baby steps. The recipe for pizza dough that I always use is from my 7th grade home economics cooking class. So thank you Mrs. Purtell. I just change the white flour to part whole wheat.

Part Whole Wheat Pizza

1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
3/4 C. warm water
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbls. oil
3/4 C. whole wheat flour
1-1 1/4 C. white flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt, oil, whole wheat flour and 1/4 C. white flour. Stir. Slowly add remainder of white flour until moderately stiff. Turn dough onto greased board and kneed until smooth and elastic-approximately 5-10 minutes. Place dough in a bowl sprayed with Pam. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes. Refrigerate for 2-24 hours.
Roll out dough to cookie sheet or pizza stone. Add sauce, shredded cheese and toppings. Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Everyone loved it and nobody had a clue that I changed anything. I guess that is the key-slow, small changes.

Chili

Tonight I made chili for dinner. I based it on this recipe I found for Four Bean Chili.
I made a few changes however. I could not find pinto beans so instead I used a can of Spicy Chili Beans. I also didn't include the meat so it was vegetarian. Lastly, I did not prepare it in a crock pot but in a pot on the stove. So I present to you my version of

Four Bean Vegetarian Chili:

1 Tbsp Canola Oil
1 Large Onion, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1-15 Oz Can White Beans, rinsed and drained
1-15 Oz Can Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
1-15 Oz Can Chili Beans, rinsed and drained
1-15 Oz Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1-28 Oz Can Chopped Tomatoes with Juice
2-15 Oz Cans Tomato Juice
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Cumin
2 Bay Leaves
2 Tsp Salt
Grated Cheddar Cheese

In a large pot over medium heat heat oil and saute onions for 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute another minute until the onions start to caramelize, then remove and place in a crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and stir to combine. Cover and simmer the chili for 2-4 hours on low. Top with cheese and serve.

My husband and I loved it. My kids- not so much. Part of the problem I think was that it was slightly spicy. Not sure if that was because of the chili powder or the chili beans. When it was reheated the next day it was not as spicy. The other problem is that my kids don't like to try new things and this was way outside their comfort zone. Perhaps I tried this too early. I am not giving up though-I will try this one again(perhaps with meat next time). I highly recommend it with the cheddar mixed in. Also, my kids enjoyed mixing in the cheese and watching it melt.