Christmas Salad

I made this for a ward Christmas dinner.  It was a hit!


1 head red leaf lettuce
1 head green leaf lettuce
2 large grapefruit
1 large pomegranate
1 large avocado
1 large pear

Dressing:
1 cup sugar
2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
2/3 c apple cider vinegar
2 cups vegetable oil
1 T poppy seeds

Blend dressing in blender. Refrigerate until ready to use. Tear lettuce into small pieces, set aside. Peel grapefruits and cut into sections, set aside. Seed pomegranate, set aside.  Assemble  salads on individual salad plates: place lettuce on plate, arrange grapefruit and pomegranate seeds on top, slice avocado and pear, put pieces onto each plate, then drizzle dressing over each salad and serve. Or mix all together and serve immediately.

Mock Sour Cream aka Tofu Sour Cream

1 12 ounce box silken soft tofu
1/2 cup raw cashew nuts
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
2 green onions diced or 2 T snipped chives

Place all ingredients in blender, except onions or chives.  Blend for at least one minute until silky smooth.
Add the green onions or chives. Thickens as chilled or serve immediately.
MMMM!

Turkey Enchiladas

I had a turkey in the freezer that needed cooked, so we had these on the fourth of July for lunch!
My family loved them.

2 cups shredded Cheddar and Monterey cheese blend


1 onion, chopped

1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives

24 (6 inch) corn tortillas
 
1 batch Texas enchilada sauce
 
1/2 can salsa verde
 
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 9x13 inch baking dishes.


2.In a small bowl, combine the cheese, onion, and black olives.

3.In a small skillet, heat one tortilla, and cook until soft. Remove and dip in enchilada sauce to coat.

4.Add turkey and cheese mixture to center of tortilla, roll and place in the prepared dish. Repeat until bottom  of pan is covered with enchiladas. Spread enough sauce over to cover.

5.Repeat process in second pan spread remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is melted.  Pour salsa verde over the top before serving.  Serve with mock sour cream (see sauce recipes)

Texas Enchilada Sauce

2 (6.5 ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/3 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T water

1 onion, minced

Directions

1.In a medium saucepan combine tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, paprika, cumin, pepper, salt and garlic. Cover and cook over medium heat.

2.Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Saute onion for about 4 minutes; stir into sauce. Cook sauce for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Karla's French Onion Dressing for Taco Salad

2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 c vinegar
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c ketchup
1 cup canola oil
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder

Blend in blender and refrigerate til use.  WE LOVE THIS DRESSING!!!

Grilled Tomato-Basil Salsa

We served this for father's day.  I was in love!

Yields 2 cups (Goes great over grilled eggplant - to grill eggplant brush with olive oil after slicing in half lengthwise, grill for 4 minutes on high heat on each side, Slice into 1 inch slices and serve with salsa over it -mmmm)
8 ripe  tomatoes

5 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup leek, finely diced

2 cloves finely chopped fresh garlic

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil



1. Heat your grill to high.

2. Place the tomatoes in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place tomatoes on the grill and grill until charred on all sides, and just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from the grill and coarsely chop. Put the chopped tomatoes in a bowl, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, onion, garlic, vinegar and basil and gently mix until combined. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Can be made 4 hours in advance and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Oven Roasted Vegetables

2 medium potatoes + 2 sweet potatoes


OR

4 medium potatoes, cut into medium cubes

1/2 large red or yellow onion, cut into medium cubes

2 large carrots cut into sticks

1/2 pound fresh or Costco frozen green beans

3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

3 fresh rosemary sprigs, or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary

3 Tb olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste



Put all in a large bolw and mix til evenly coated with olive oil. Place in jelly roll pan in one even layer.

Roast in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes at 450. Lower heat to 375 for another 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Remove rosemary sprigs. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Healthy Double Chocolate Muffins

Before beginning the batter, combine the following and set aside:
˜ 1 ripe banana, squashed until smooth
˜3/4 cup unsweetened apple or pear sauce
˜ 3/4 cup dried cranberries [Craisins], raisins, or dates
˜ 3/4 cup of flaked coconut (I grind mine finely!)
˜ 1 cupssemi-sweet chocolate chips
˜ ½ cup cooked 10-grain cereal
Mix dry ingredients together
2  ½ cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup agave or honey or raw cane sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda [not baking powder!]
5 TBLSP unsweetened cocoa powder (Specially Dark from Hershey’s)
½ cup ground almonds or pecans or walnuts

Make 3 large indentations in the dry mixture:

1. 2 TBLSP lemon juice or vinegar
2. 2 Tb vanilla
3. 1 Tb of canola or olive oil

Before mixing all together, pour over all the dry ingredients

1 Cup of  cranberry juice and 1 cup water
or
1cup apple juice and 1 cup water

Stir the mixture well, then add the ˜fruit-chocolate chip mixture and blend.
Pour into muffin tins sprayed with Pam (makes 2 dozen) and bake 325 degrees for 25 minutes.

Cream of Asparagus Soup - To die for!

Cream of Asparagus Soup




24 oz of asparagus (which translates 6 cups of the stems cut into pieces with the stems set aside)

4 tsp of butter or coconut oil

2 onion, halved or sliced

2 leek sliced thin

8 Tbsp. brown rice

8 c chicken stock

2 bay leaves

1 1/3 c coconut milk or milk (optional - it tastes amazing without)

salt and pepper



Remove and discard woody bases of asparagus by bending the asparagus and snapping off. Cut off teh tips and set aside. Chop the stems into small pieces.

Bring a saucepan ot salted water to a boil and drop in the asparagus tips. Cook for 1-2 minutes until bright green and barely tender. Reserve.



Heat the oil or butter over medium heat and add the onion and leek. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft.

Add the asparagus stems, rice, stock, and bay leaves with two pinches of salt. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the rice and vegetables are very soft. Remove the bay leaf.

Allow the soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, working in batches if necessary.

Return the soup to the pan and place over a medium-low heat. Stir in the reserved asparagus tips and then the coconut milk or milk. Taste and adjust the seasoning , adding salt, if needed and pepper. Enjoy!



Optional: Grill 12 oz of chicken and place pieces on top with the asparagus tips. 6:53:00 AM by Colette Delete

Basic Cream Sauce

This is a GREAT healthy substitute for cream of anything soup! Great for Hawaiian Haystacks)

1 c raw cashew nuts
2 c water
1 tsp salt or more to taste
2 tsp onion powder
3 cube chicken boullion or 1 T food yeast flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 T conrstarch, flour or clear jel
1 1/2 c mro ewater to be added after blending

Place all ingredients in blender and blend on high for about 2 minutes until smooth
When the mixture is so smooth  that no graininess is felt in a drop of it between your thumb and finger, pour into a saucepan.  Add the 1 1/2 c more water to the blender, swish it around and ad to the mixture in teh pan.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly as it thickens to keep it from lumping. As soon as it thickens, remove from heat.
If a thicker sauce is needed, return to heat and slowly stir in mroe starch that has been dissolved in cold water, letting it come to a gentle boil as it thickens.

(Seven Secrets Cookbook by Neva and Jim Brackett)

Linda's White Bread

4 1/2 c warm water
4 T yeast
1 c oil
3/4 c powdered milk
3/4 c honey
2 T salt
12 c flour

Add in order in mixing bowl. Knead.
Place in large bowl. Let raise til double.  Form into four loaves. Let rise until just at pans edge.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Coconut Curry with Greens

1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, diced
1 inch piece of ginger diced or 1 tsp ginger dried
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp curry powder
1 med sliced carrot
2 cup fresh greens (spinach, kale etc) or 10 oz frozen spinach
2 cups cooked black beans
14 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 can coconut

Place onion, garlic, ginger, seasonings, and about 1/4 c water in a medium sized kettle. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the sliced carrot, cover and simmer for 5 more minutes.
Add the chopped greens and simmer 3 more minutes, adding a little mroe water if needed.
Add beans , tomatoes, curry, milk. Heat and serve over rice.

Scalloped Potatoes

6 c thinly sliced potatoes
1 onion, sliced into rings
1 can coconut milk (lower fat version: 1 cup each coconut milk and water blended with 2 T flour)
1/2 T onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic power
1 tsp salt

Boil Potatoes adn onions in 6 cups water with 2 tsp salt for 5 minutes.  Drain and place in an 8 inc oiled casserole dish.  Combine milk with seasonings and pour over potatoes, presing them firmly into the milk.  Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake uncovered at 400 for 45 minutes.