Summer Salad with Cucumber Dressing

Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 head of Iceberg lettuce
• 1 head of Romaine lettuce
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1 Cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 Cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 Cup of diced apples

Tear lettuce with hands into bite sized pieces and place in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix.

Dressing

Ingredients:

• 2 cucumbers roughly chopped
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp dill
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 Cup non-fat yogurt (plain)
• pinch of salt and pepper to taste

In food processor, at cucumbers and pulsate until pureed. while on low speed, add olive oil, basil, parsley and dill. turn off and place ingredients in medium bowl. Stir in yogurt with rubber spatula until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place dressing over salad and toss gently until mixed.

Optional:  Pine nuts and raisins can be added to salad mixture or sprinkled on top.

Avocado & Tomato Salad with Vinaigrette

1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley leaves

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 small jalapeños, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Chicken Flavor Bouillon

4 medium tomatoes

2 medium ripe avocados

1. Combine bell pepper, onion, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, jalapeños, garlic and bouillon in medium bowl; stir well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Slice tomatoes or cut into wedges. Peel and slice avocados. Arrange tomato and avocado slices alternately on top of each other on large platter; drizzle with prepared dressing.

Apple Stuffing

1 1/2 cups brown rice, uncooked
3 1/2 cups Apple Juice, divided
1 apple, diced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning (thyme, rosemary, sage)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup bran
1/3 cup slivered almonds

1. Prepare rice according to package directions, using 3 1/4 cup apple juice for the liquid.
2. Cook diced apple, chopped onion, sliced celery, raisins, poultry seasoning, and pepper in butter in a large skillet until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in the cooked brown rice, bran, slivered almonds, and remaining apple juice.
3. Use as stuffing for poultry or pork roast, or bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Baked Tomatoes with Herbs

4 medium tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon oregano (dried)
Dash pepper
1/2 cup fat-free saltine cracker crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C).
2. Cut off tops of tomatoes; remove a little of the pulp. Place tomatoes in a shallow baking dish.
3. Stir together remaining ingredients, except crumbs. Sprinkle mixture over tops of tomatoes. Top with crumbs. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until tender.

Avocado Salad Dressing

1/4 seedless cucumber, finely diced
1 ripe avocado, mashed
1 tomato, finely diced
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. Spanish onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. low-salt chicken base powder
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. fruit sugar or honey
1/4 tsp. Vegit (optional)
1 tbsp. good health mayonnaise
Braggs Seasoning or sea salt to taste

Mash the avocado with onion powder, garlic powder, fruit sugar, Bragg's, Vegit, and mayonnaise. Add a little water to thin the avocado mixture. Stir in the diced cucumber, tomato and onion. Pour the dressing over romaine lettuce.

Red Leaf, Pear and Walnut Salad

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider
1/4 cup canola oil
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
10 cups rinsed and well-drained red leaf lettuce, coarsely chopped, packed
2/3 cup walnut pieces (or coarsely chopped), toasted* (sliced or slivered almonds can be substituted)
4 pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

• Add vinegar, apple juice, canola oil, Dijon mustard, and honey to food processor or blender and pulse until well combined. Stir in poppy seeds and add salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Reserve 1/4 cup of the dressing and set aside.
• Add red leaf lettuce and walnuts to large bowl, drizzle the remaining dressing over the top, and toss to coat well. Divide the lettuce among 8 individual salad plates or bowls. Add pears to the large bowl and toss them with the reserved 1/4 cup dressing. Spoon pears evenly over the eight salads.

* To toast the walnut pieces, broil in toaster oven or oven, stirring often and watching carefully, until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Or toast them in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat.

Spinach, Orange and Almond Salad

• For the vinaigrette: 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped shallots
• 5 teaspoons olive oil
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• For the salad: 1 tablespoon slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup spinach, cleaned and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1/8 orange, peeled and sectioned

For the vinaigrette:

1. Place all the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well.

2. Add the salt and pepper to taste.

For the salad:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

3. Place the spinach in a bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

4. Transfer the dressed spinach leaves to a serving plate. Arrange the orange sections on top and sprinkle with the almonds.

Braided Easter Bread

• 2 1/4 to 3 1/4 c. flour
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pkg rapid-rise dry yeast
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 c warm milk
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp anise seed
• 1/2 c candied fruit (optional)
• 1/4 c chopped nuts (optional)
• 5 raw colored eggs

Combine 1 cup of the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add dry mixture to the milk and melted butter mixture, along with the eggs. Beat with a mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in enough of the remaining flour and the anise seed plus any of the candied fruit or nuts to make a soft dough. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour as necessary so dough is not sticky. Let rise for about 1- 1 1/2 hour or until double in size.

Divide dough in half. Roll each piece into 24" rope. Overlap dough over itself (twist 2 pieces together) connecting the 4 end pieces to form a wreath. place on greased baking sheet. Place the five raw colored eggs into spaces between twists. Brush with melted butter. Let rise for 1 hour. Bake at 350 for 35-50 minutes.

Rice with creamy coconut milk

2 cups white rice, short grain 4 cups water, cold 1 cup evaporated skim milk 1/2 teaspoon coconut essence 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon margarine pinch salt 1. Boil water in a medium size saucepan. 2. Add rice and simmer until rice is soft (approximately 15 - 20 minutes). 3. Do not drain any remaining water. 4. Mix in coconut milk, butter, cayenne pepper and salt. 5. Blend together until desired consistency. 6. Serve warm.

Italian Mushrooms

• 1 lb. fresh mushrooms
• 1 (10 oz.) can tomato juice (unsalted)
• 1 c. tomato puree (unsalted)
• 2 tbsp. herb vinegar
• 1 tsp. dehydrated onion flakes
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. dried salad herbs
• 1/8 tsp. oregano
• ¼ tsp. tarragon
• 2 tbsp. frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate

Wash mushrooms; remove stems. Set aside in large mixing bowl. Mix rest of ingredients well. Add mushrooms to marinate overnight, stirring occasionally. Serve with toothpicks.

BBQ Shrimp

• 1 lb. medium cooked shrimp
• 6 oz. tomato puree (unsalted)
• 4 oz. tomato or V-8 juice (unsalted)
• ¼ tsp. dry mustard
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp. rum
• 1 tbsp. grated onion

Clean shrimp and set aside. Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve shrimp on toothpicks.

Sweet-and-Sour Celery

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons mild honey
• 4 pounds celery (2 to 3 bunches; any dark green outer ribs peeled), cut into 2-inch pieces, reserving about 1 cup inner celery leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Cut a round of parchment paper to fit just inside a wide heavy 6-to 8-quarts pot, then set round aside.

Simmer water, lemon juice, oil, honey, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in pot, stirring, until honey has dissolved. Stir in celery (but not leaves) and cover with parchment round. Simmer until tender and liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, 35 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop reserved leaves.

Serve celery sprinkled with celery leaves and parsley.

Mixed Greens with Tangerines and Fennel

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
• 1 teaspoon finely grated tangerine peel
• 1 5-ounce package mixed baby greens
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, very thinly sliced crosswise
• 4 tangerines, peeled, segmented

Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Divide greens among 4 plates. Scatter sliced fennel and tangerines over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over and serve.

Snow Peas with Toasted Almonds

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed
• 2 teaspoons minced shallot
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Melt butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and cook until golden and fragrant and butter begins to brown, stirring frequently, about 11/2 minutes. Add snow peas and shallot; sauté until snow peas are crisp-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; add lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and serve.

Lemon Herb Potatoes

6 sm Baking potatoes;                   
1 tsp Dill weed;
1/2 c  Onion; chopped                   
1/8 tsp White pepper;
1 Tbsp Unsalted margarine;                
1 tsp Lemon peel; grated
1 cl Garlic; Minced                     
1 Tbsp Parsley;Paprika
1/4 c  Skimmed milk; hot           



1.Bake potatoes until done. Cool.
2.Saute onions and garlic in unsalted margarine.
Scoop out potatoes and mash.
Beat in onion mixture, hot skimmed milk,
lemon and pepper. Mix in dill and parsley.
Refill skins.  Sprinkle with paprika.
3.Bake at 400F for 30 minutes.
 
Variation:  add 1/2 oz grated cheddar cheese on top
of each potato before baking the final time.

Balsamic Mushrooms

1 lb mushrooms
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T red wine
1\2 t sesame oil
4 sprigs of parsley

separate parsley crowns and finely chop stems.
Braise the parsley stems with mushrooms in the vinegar ,wine and sesame oil and reduce to sauce like thickness.

Serve and sprinkle with parsley crowns

Corn with Basil Butter

2 ears corn on the cob (10 inches long), with husks attached
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp reduced-calorie margarine
1 tbsp whipped butter, softened
1/4 tsp grated orange peel
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Set corn on floor of microwave oven and microwave on high (100%) for 5 minutes, turning corn over halfway through cooking, until corn is tender.
Using a fork, in small mixing bowl combine margarine, butter, and orange peel, mixing well; stir in basil.
To serve, pull back corn husks and remove corn silk. Brush each ear with half of the butter mixture.