Quick Mixed Greens Salad with Fresh Pesto

Who doesn't need a good salad recipe in a rush?  Obviously this salad has your usual ingredients, but feel free to add/subtract based on what you have available.  You could add chopped ham or 1/2 cup of black beans for protein; sliced hard-boiled egg; artichoke hearts; avocado; the options are limitless.  This salad is also great for parties because it is simple enough yet flavorful that it will satisfy almost everyone (let's be serious, not EVERYONE always gets satisfied, but we are going for most people).  If you do not prefer pesto, consider using oil and vinegar, or the classic vinaigrette recipe I've listed below.  The pesto keeps prep time at zero, but if you make the vinaigrette ahead of time you essential have no prep time there either. 

Quick Mixed Greens Salad with Fresh Pesto
(Print this Recipe)

Serves 1-2 people

1 handful (or 1 cup) mixed greens, prewashed/prepared (I like to buy organic greens--can find them at Costco or at your local market)
1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
1 tomato, diced or sliced, however you like it
3 scallions (baby green onions), sliced into slivers, including the white and some of the green part for color
1 Tbs. fresh pesto (you can buy this at Costco or make your own; just remember to keep it refrigerated)

Directions:
Toss all together and serve right away.  If your pesto is hard to toss, you can put in in the microwave for a VERY short time to get it to loosen up.


For those who do not prefer pesto...

Classic Vinaigrette Dressing:

1 clove or 1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbs. dijon dressing
1/4 c. vinegar (use any kind you like or have on hand: red, balsamic, but preferably not white. Also, if you like less tang to your dressing, cut the vingar down to 1/3 cup)
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil (you can use vegetable oil if that's what you have available)
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of pepper


Put all of the above ingredients in a blender until combined. Use 1-2 Tbs. to dress salad. Dressing can be kept unrefrigerated.
*For a lower calorie dressing, simply use 1 tsp. oil and 2 tsp. vinegar with salt and pepper to taste on the salad.

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Caribbean Sweet Pork Salad

One word describes this recipe:  WOW!  The most flavorful, delicious spread you could put on lies within this recipe.  Besides being super tasty, and I MEAN TASTY, this recipe is economical and feeds a crowd for cheap!  Great to make when having family over, a party, a picnic, or festive occasion of your choice.  Another great thing about this recipe is its flexibility for your guests--aka., they can have it as a salad, a burrito, or a combo of both, or all items separately.  As a calorie conscious gal myself, I like the option of "building my own" whatever, be it a salad, etc.  This recipe allows the eaters to put on as much or little of each of the items, including dressing, as they like.  Note that the pork by itself serves 12, but the other ingredients only serve about 6, so adjust the different parts (the pico, beans, etc.) accordingly.  I got this recipe from a friend of mine, Christine Deaton.  Thanks Christine!!

Caribbean Sweet Pork Salad
(Print this Recipe)

Serves: 6
Difficulty: Medium
Prep time: 30 minutes (excluding Sweet Pork)

Ingredients:

1 head of romaine lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces.
1 can black beans
2-4 cups cooked white rice
Shredded Cheddar Cheese for topping
6 tortillas
3 cups of Sweet Pork (see recipe below)
Cilantro Ranch Dressing (see recipe below)
Pico de gallo for topping (see recipe below)

Place a warm tortilla in a bowl or on a plate. Place approximately 1/3 cup of warmed white rice, 1/3 cup of warmed sweet pork, and 1/3 cup of warmed beans on the tortilla. Place lettuce over the rice, meat, and beans. Sprinkle with pico de gallo over the salad as desired. Drizzle with cilantro ranch dressing and sprinkle cheese as desired. Serve and enjoy.

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 package of Hidden Valley ® buttermilk ranch dressing. (prepare according to directions- you’ll need 1 cup buttermilk and 1 cup mayo to complete this)
3 Tbsp of salsa verde (found near the traditional salsa at store)
¼ bunch of cilantro
2 cloves of garlic
¼ cup lime juice
1/8 tsp Tabasco Sauce (if desired)

Clean and rinse cilantro and remove large stems. Pour prepared ranch dressing in a blender, and add cilantro leaves, salsa verde, garlic, lime juice and Tabasco (if desired). Blend until cilantro is finely chopped. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until dressing has thickened.

Pico de Gallo

1 cup diced tomatoes (remove seeds)
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 Jalapeno diced (at least a Tablespoon, but more if you prefer)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 limes juiced (about 1/3 Cup of lime juice)
1 Tbsp cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and stir well. Refrigerate to keep chill.


Caribbean Sweet Pork

Serves: 12
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 6-8 hours

Ingredients:
4 lb pork shoulder roast
1 Cup of Pace Picante sauce
2 Cups brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Remove pork roast from packaging, and wash. (Avoid cutting the roast to expedite cooking time)
In a separate bowl, mix picante sauce and brown sugar and wisk until sugar is mostly dissolved.
In a crock pot or slow cooker, place the roast in the cooker and cover the roast with the mixture of picante sauce and brown sugar.

Place on medium heat, cover and simmer. Check it every hour or so to rotate roast in the juices. The roast will eventually produce enough juices to make the right consistency, so do not add water or remove liquid.
Once the roast is fully cooked (approx. after 8 hours), use a fork to separate the meat into smaller segments. Cover and continue to keep warm.

If it appears to be too juicy, turn slow cooker down to its lowest setting, remove the cover and let it reduce as needed.  Any remaining meat from the meal can be refrigerated, frozen, or canned for future use.
(Or cook at 320 degrees in the oven.)

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Chicken Tikka Masala

I adore Indian food--ADORE!!!  You think it would, therefore, be easy to find a recipe that matches the flavors I adore so.  Well, not as easy as you might think.  Turns out, I didn't know which region of India the dishes I liked came from until I started asking.  The Northern and Southern regions are vastly different.  Turns out that I prefer North Indian cuisine.  Here is Chicken Tikka Masala recipe I modified from http://www.grouprecipes.com/.  I did alter the recipe by marinading the chicken in the yogurt mixture, and I also added lite coconut milk instead of heavy cream.  I prefer my tikka masala to be a bit sweeter, not a lot, just not tart which can tend to happen with all the tomatoes; add more sugar if you are like me.  Also, it tastes better the next dayafter the spices had time to meld all together.  I got another recipe to make my own garam masala in case I couldn't find any, but luckily Whole Foods had it. 


Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients

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• chicken Tikka: 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil shopping list
• 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 
• masala Sauce: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons) *You could alternatively use the bottled variety; I recommend Christopher Ranch garlic
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 
• 1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced, or canned green chilies. 
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2-3 teaspoons sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3 cup lite coconut milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 

How to make it 

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• The Problem: Chicken tikka masala is not an authentic Indian dish—it was invented in a London curry house. Without historical roots, there is no definitive recipe. The variations we found had mushy or dry chicken and sauces that were unbearably rich and/or overspiced.
• The Goal: The promise of a new way to cook chicken with exotic flavors holds plenty of appeal—especially if the recipe can be kept simple and made with readily available ingredients.
• The Solution: To season the bird, we rubbed it with salt, coriander, cumin, and cayenne and refrigerated it for 30 to 60 minutes. Then we dipped it in yogurt mixed with oil, garlic, and ginger. To cook the chicken, we chose to keep this a year-round recipe by using the broiler instead of the grill. And since large pieces don't dry out as quickly as smaller ones under the broiler, we cooked the chicken breasts whole, only cutting them into pieces after cooking. While the chicken was cooking, we made the masala sauce. Masala means "hot spice," and the ingredients in a masala sauce depend on the whim of the cook, although tomatoes and cream are always present. We added onions, ginger, garlic, chile, and a readily available commercial garam masala spice mixture (McCormick won a recent taste test). A little tomato paste and sugar gave our sauce color and sweetness.
• 1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside. (Note that restaurant Tikka Masala will sit in the mixture ideally overnight, per another group recipes user who commented on this recipe)
• 2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
• 3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
• 4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

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Books like Twilight Continued: Latest Finds

I am constantly on the search for books that I will like as much as I did the Twilight series.  While none have come close to the brilliance that is Stephenie Meyer, I haven't given up hope.  Here are a few that I have picked up recently and are on my reading list so we'll see how they compare.  I am hoping they will match up to the The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones; City of Ashes; City of Glass series and The Hunger Games Trilogy: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. 

 Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, Book 1) by Cassandra Clare (hardcopy only, $11.55 from Amazon beats Walmart and Target prices)
  Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls)by Maggie Stiefvater (paperback is only $8.99)

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (paperback is only $9.99)

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Healthy Stir-Fry

"Healthy Stir-Fry" should be considered a redundant title, but sometimes it's not.  Consider the usual side dish that accompanies most stir-fry recipes, that being white rice.  I put it in my useless food category because it lacks the fiber and protein of brown rice and it seriously spikes insulin levels.  It is a worthless starch in my opinion, yet I still stock it for the rare occasion that I am willing to throw caution to wind and indulge in a great rice pudding recipe.  Now, if you are not a fan of brown rice, I pose to you the saying my aunt would regularly recite to me when I would visit her house and she would try to get me to eat a new vegetable: "try it; maybe someday you will like it."  Funny enough, one day I started liking cucumbers thanks to her!  If you really hate brown rice, perhaps try it once and a while in small doses.  Your body will thank you.  I have relatives who are very allergic to wheat (and they know this because they go into a major stupor after eating it as their body works fervently but failingly to digest it) but have no issues with brown rice. 

So...back to making stir-fry healthy.  For starters, watch the oil content.  I limit myself to 2 Tbs. where at all possible.  Next, go for the low sodium soy sauce--high sodium content and water retention are the best of friends, for men or women.  Third, go light on the portion size of proteins that pack a punch in the fat department.  Most people think that pork is super light, but mind you there are varieties that can seriously increase your waistline.  A good alternative is shrimp, or chicken if you don't want to pay the price for shellfish.  If you do go for chicken, look for a brand that raises its foul without hormones and doesn't inject its product with chemical solutions or flavor enhancers.  I like Foster Farms, and you can get that at Costco even. 

Healthy Stir-Fry

1 large onion, preferably of the sweet variety, but yellow will do just fine, diced
2 Tbs. oil, preferably peanut or sesame oil, but other oils work fine also
1 Tbs. minced garlic; you can add less if you aren't as much of a garlic fan
3-4 carrots, thinly chopped
2-3 stalks of celery
6 asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch pieces
3-4 cups brown rice
soy sauce to taste, about 1 tsp.
oyster sauce to taste, about 3 Tbs.
Optional: 1 cup cooked chicken, pork, or shrimp

1.  In a wok or large frying pan, saute onions in oil until soft over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes more, being careful to stir often so the garlic doesn't burn.
2.  Dump onion contents into a separate bowl and set aside.  In the wok you just used, add the rest of the veggies along with a 1/2 cup of water and cover and steam for 3-4 minutes until soft.  Strain off any remaining water.  Dump steamed veggies into the bowl holding the onions and garlic.
3.  In the same wok you've been using, add in the brown rice and briefly fry for 2-3 minutes.  You can add extra oil at this point if you would like, but I try not to in order to control the fat content of the dish.
4.  Add all the veggies (and cooked protein of your choice if you are opting for it at this point) to the wok with the brown rice and combine over medium-low heat to reheat veggies (and not burn the rice.)  At this point, add the soy and oyster sauce.  NOTE: The oyster sauce is KEY to this dish--without it, you will lack some serious flavor.
5.  Top with baby green onions (scallions).

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Healthy Snacks for Toddlers

If you are a health concious mom, perhaps you have stumbled across a similar problem:  finding healthy snacks for your toddler.  Now, I'm not talking about fruits or veggies because as far as I'm concerned those are a given.  Specifically, I'm referring to "snacks," as in the kind that your friend pulls out in a single packet or a box and wants to share with your kid.  While I don't profess to be a 100% purist, I do look for snack items that have organic flour, whole wheat flour, cane juice instead of high fructose corn syrup, etc.  One brand that I like is Annie's.  I don't feel bad if my kid snacks on these (even though I still reach for fruit first), because they have healthy ingredients.

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My Favorite Things: For the Kitchen

When I think about cooking, images of my favorite dishes come to mind.  Without the proper cooking supplies, however, those recipes would have been a definite pain to make.  Here is one of the items I use weekly!  It also makes a great gift, as the money you spend on it will actually be toward something that gets used (if the person loves to cook) as opposed to getting donated or tossed into some random box in the garage.

Le Creuset Classic Round Pot:  This pot is no less than AMAZING!  It holds roasts, any soup, and serves as a functional all around pot.  I use it, literally, every week.  While you may think the price is steep, just consider that this pot will outlive you, your children, and your grandchildren!

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