Fattoush – my way

If you like lemon you will like fattoush. I first had this at a Lebanese restaurant and instantly loved it. The original recipe is high in calories from the olive oil in the dressing. My version of fattoush uses chia seeds to emulsify the dressing with much less fat. I kept the important parts of the salad, the small dice of tomato and cucumber, the lemon juice, sumac and toasted flat bread.

If you are unfamiliar with sumac it is a ground dried berry that has a tart lemony flavor. I buy my sumac on-line from Zamouri Spice.

Fattoush – my way
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 whole wheat roll up, torn into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon of olive oil
10 cups of mesclun greens, torn into bite sized pieces
½ cup of fresh parsley, leaves picked
1 cup of red tomatoes, finely diced
1 cup of yellow tomatoes, finely diced
2 cups of cucumbers, finely diced
¼ cup of broccoli sprouts
3 tablespoons of lemon dressing (recipe below)
14 ounces of brined artichokes, cut into bite sized pieces
2 teaspoons of sumac powder

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed skilled. Toss the flat bread pieces in the oil and cook over medium heat until the bread is crispy. When crispy turn off the heat and finish the salad.

Put all the vegetables into a large bowl and toss with the dressing. When the vegetables are evenly coated sprinkle with the sumac powder and toss to coat.

Place the salad and top with the crispy flat bread pieces so they stay crispy as long as possible.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 284.18
Calories From Fat (31%) - 87.75

Total Fat - 10.36g
Saturated Fat - 1.34g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 965.78mg
Potassium - 1155.62mg
Total Carbohydrates - 39.64g
Fiber - 15.49g
Sugar - 7.41g
Protein - 15.02g

Lemon Dressing for Fattoush Salad
Makes 12 tablespoons

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons of ground chia seeds
juice and zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of water
¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients and stir so the chia seeds are evenly distributed. Stir every few minutes while the chia seeds are absorbing the water. The dressing is ready to use in 10 minutes and will hold in the refrigerator for days.

Nutritional Information (per tablespoon):

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 44.62
Calories From Fat (72%) - 32.07

Total Fat - 3.71g
Saturated Fat - 0.46g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 40.32mg
Potassium - 15.08mg
Total Carbohydrates - 2.61g
Fiber - 1.87g
Sugar - 0.14g
Protein - 0.77g

Comments:

This salad is light but filling. It is a good salad to have if you are eating late and don’t want a heavy meal to digest before bed. I make this a lot of lunch since I normally always have lettuce, tomato, cucumber, lemon and flat bread in the house. If you like feta, the almond feta would be nice on this salad.

Salad of Baked Tofu, Short Grain Brown Rice, Cucumber with Spicy Sauce and Shelled Hempseeds

Tonight was one of those nights when I didn’t have dinner planned an hour before we ate. I started baking the tofu with a lettuce wrap in mind and ended up making a bibimbap style dish. This is the sort of meal I make when I haven’t planned. I call this a rice bowl dinner. It starts with a base of warm rice and gets topped with the contrasting texture of cold crisp veggies. The hempseeds were added for omega 3’s (love those cancer fighters). The sauce I used this evening was medium to mild in heat level. If you like your sauces hotter use more chili garlic sauce.

Salad of Baked Tofu, Short Grain Brown Rice, Cucumber with Spicy Sauce and Shelled Hempseeds
Serves 2

Salad Ingredients:

2 servings of baked tofu oriental flavor
2 cups of cooked short grain brown rice
4 cups of lettuce
6 inches of seedless cucumber, cut into matchsticks
2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, minced
1 tablespoon of shelled hempseeds

Dressing Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of liquid aminos
½ tablespoon of agave
½ tablespoon of chili garlic sauce
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
¼ inch of ginger, finely minced

Directions:

Place the rice on the bottom of the bowl with the lettuce and cucumber around the outside. Top with baked tofu, cilantro and hempseeds.

Mix the dressing ingredients together and thoroughly combine. Pour half the sauce on each salad and serve.

This salad can be served with warm or cold rice.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 515.01
Calories From Fat (21%) - 107.39

Total Fat - 12.64g
Saturated Fat - 0.84g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 852.89mg
Potassium - 610.08mg
Total Carbohydrates - 91.12g
Fiber - 9.79g
Sugar - 3.75g
Protein - 20.36g

Comments:

Rice bowl dinners show up at our house a few times a year. I like the chewy texture of the tofu with the soft rice soft and crisp fresh vegetables. The counterpoint of the sweet and salty sauce was also good contrast. If you need a quick dinner try a rice bowl they are fast, filling and tasty. This salad would also be good with peanuts but I went with hempseeds to get more Omega 3 fatty acids in our dinner tonight.

Cucumber, Pickled Onion and Green Salad with “Buttermilk” Dijon Dressing

There were so many colors on the plate this evening I wanted a more monotone salad to accompany dinner. Don’t let the color of this salad make you think it is bland. The pickled onions add a lot of flavor as does the Dijon mustard and rosemary.

Cucumber, Pickled Onion and Green Salad with “Buttermilk” Dijon Dressing
Serves 4

Pickled Onion Ingredients:

½ red onion, thinly sliced
white vinegar to cover

Salad Dressing Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of reduced fat almond milk mayo
½ cup of almond milk
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, finely minced
¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Salad Ingredients:

8 cups of mesclun greens, torn into bite size pieces
1 seedless cucumber, finely sliced

Directions:

Cover the red onion with white vinegar and refrigerate. This needs to sit a minimum of 15 minutes, but a day is not too long. When you are ready to make the salad drain the vinegar from the onions.

Combine all the salad dressing ingredients in your food processor and puree to combine. Refrigerate until you need it. This will keep days in the refrigerator.

Combine the greens, cucumber, drained onions and salad dressing in a big bowl. Toss to combine. Taste the dressed salad for seasoning and adjust the salt and pepper as desired. Serve cold.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 57.11
Calories From Fat (43%) - 24.81

Total Fat - 2.85g
Saturated Fat - 0.2g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 205.85mg
Potassium - 314.47mg
Total Carbohydrates - 6.56g
Fiber - 2.69g
Sugar - 1.28g
Protein - 2.16g

Comments:

This is a simple salad that has big flavor punch for the onions and the dressing. It is a nice change from our usual salad with vinaigrette.

Corn, White Bean, Poblano and Zucchini Enchiladas with Pumpkin Seed Salsa

We were in a Mexican food mood tonight. Well, to be more specific I was in a Mexican food mood tonight, since it is difficult to get my husband to express any opinion on what he wants for dinner. He did choose white beans over black beans today but that was the extent of his involvement. Initially I was going to make empanadas tonight, but then I got lazy and dinner turned into enchiladas (sorry about that). Since I have not posted a healthy whole-wheat empanada yet I will do that soon.

I used corn tonight because it is in season and local. The beans were added for fiber and protein. The poblano pepper was a much heat as I thought my elderly parents could tolerate (my husband and I would have liked much more). The zucchini was included to add bulk to the enchilada without a lot of calories. Pumpkin seeds are such a traditional Mexican item they seemed appropriate tonight. You can’t have Mexican food without cilantro … so it went it too. The chia seeds were used for their omega 3 content and because they are a great fat replacer in dressing type applications. Not to mention they are high in omega 3’s which fight inflammation and cancer.

None of the reasons I added items sounds very technical, and it shouldn’t. I cook completely by instinct. I have had many friends ask me why I combine different things or add things and the answer is normally “I have no idea I just wanted to use it”. I think this is what happens when you have cooked for 30 years as I have. I almost always make recipes up as I go along. After years of friends asking me for recipes I decided it made sense to start a blog. It is much easier than emailing recipes to people everyday. My husband was thrilled when I started the blog because he can see what he is having for dinner from work, and it reminds him of things that he really liked so he can ask me to make it again. I hope what you are getting from this is that cooking is more art than science. Once you learn what foods go together and how different things react (like chia seeds, agar, etc.) under various conditions (hot or cold temperatures) the rest of cooking is just playing in the kitchen.

I have one food book that I love and use every week. That book is Culinary Artistry. It is a wonderful book that outlines which foods combine well in terms of flavor. If you don’t have a copy pick it up the next time you are at the bookstore or library and see what it is all about. I have found it to be the most useful book in my kitchen and given the hundreds of books on food and cooking that I have, that is saying something.

Corn, White Bean, Poblano and Zucchini Enchiladas with Pumpkin Seed Salsa
Serves 4 hearty appetites

Enchilada Ingredients:

½ tablespoon of canola oil
1 poblano pepper, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cups of zucchini, finely chopped
2 ears of corn, kernels removed
1 roasted red pepper, finely chopped
2 cups of white beans, drained
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon of ancho chili powder
½ teaspoon of oregano, dried
4 whole-wheat roll ups (or tortillas)

Enchilada Sauce Ingredients:

15 ounce can of tomato sauce
½ teaspoon of ancho chili powder, or to taste
1 clove of garlic, grated – optional
½ teaspoon of cumin seed, toasted and ground - optional

Pumpkin Seed and Cilantro Salsa Ingredients:

1 teaspoon of white chia seeds, finely ground
1/4 cup of water, filtered
1 clove of garlic, grated
¼ teaspoon of cumin seed, toasted and ground
1/3 cup of fresh cilantro
juice for ½ lime, or to taste

Cucumber Salad Ingredients:

3 cucumbers, quartered and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into bite size strips
½ cup of fresh tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
4 tablespoons of acid (lime juice, lemon juice, sherry vinegar, or red wine vinegar), or to taste
oregano, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup of fresh cilantro, minced

Directions:

In a heavy bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron) cook the peppers and onions in the canola oil until the pepper skin is blistered and the onion is softened. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the vegetables have given up their liquid. Allow the mixture to cool so that you can fill the enchiladas without getting burned.

To fill the enchiladas I place the tortilla (or whatever thin flat bread you are using) in the pan I am going to bake in. Next place ¼ of the filling in the flat bread and gently roll the flat bread around the filling with the seam ending on the bottom. Continue until all four flat breads are filled.

Open the can of tomato sauce and add the chili powder and grated garlic (if using) to the can and stir to thoroughly combine. Top the filling enchiladas with the sauce. Sprinkle the top of the sauce with the cumin (if using). Place the baking dish in the oven at 350 for at least 30 minutes. If the to is beginning to brown and the edges of the flat bread are starting to crisp the enchiladas are ready to come out of the oven. If you aren’t certain you can use a thermometer to check the internal temperature (you want at least 180 degrees on the inside).

To make the salsa, add chia seeds to the water in a measuring cup and stir to thoroughly combine. It will take 15 minutes or so for the seeds to absorb all the water and the mixture to get thick. Process the pumpkin seeds in the your food processor until they are completely ground. Add the chia seeds, garlic, cilantro and cumin to the food processor and pulse until everything is homogeneous. Place the pumpkin seed salsa in the refrigerator in the covered dish until needed.

For the cucumber salad, toss the cucumber, tomato and bell pepper with the acid, to taste. Add oregano, salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until needed. Add the fresh cilantro just before serving.

Place the enchilada on the plate, top with the pumpkin seed salsa and serve the cucumber salad along side.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 477.46
Calories From Fat (13%) - 63.54

Total Fat - 7.9g
Saturated Fat - 1.22g
Cholesterol- 0mg
Sodium - 1231.21mg
Potassium - 1964.91mg
Total Carbohydrates - 88.67g
Fiber - 21.59g
Sugar - 13.31g
Protein - 27.95g

Comments:

I know this isn’t going to sound right …. but did you see those nutritional stats? I was so psyched by the numbers (that is my finance geekiness coming out a little I fear). The fat percentage was perfect for the Life Over Cancer book (happy dance occurring at my house). Add to that over 21 grams of fiber and almost 28 grams of protein. I am one happy girl let me tell you. How can you not love a meal with those statistics that also tastes great? I know we loved it. Even my opinionated 80year old omnivore parents enjoyed it. We didn’t have any leftovers (not one bite).

Now you all know my favorite kitchen book what is yours? Do you have a favorite cookbook? I would love to know what it is and why you like it.

Asian Style Cucumber Salad

This cucumber salad is my version of one a Korean friend of mine made when we were in college (almost 30 years ago). I never asked her for the recipe, I made this from memory so it may be a conglomeration of many of the Asian dishes I have had since college. Either way, it tastes good. This looks very similar to my zucchini salad from this morning, but tastes nothing like it.

The cucumbers are a little spicy from the chili garlic sauce. The salad is too spicy for little children, but it should be fine for most adults. If you don’t like a lot of heat you can always start with half the amount of the chili garlic sauce and taste to see if the heat level is good for you. I think I like spice and heat more than most people. I added fresh garlic because I put garlic in almost everything (that is what Italians do, even those of us that aren’t 100%). Garlic is such a healthy food for everything from cancer to heart disease that I think we should eat it everyday. The sesame seeds were added for texture so you could leave them out if you prefer.

Asian Style Cucumber Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon of chili garlic sauce (on the Asian aisle in the grocery store)
1 clove of garlic, grated or finely minced
1 teaspoon of liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon of sesame seed oil (the toasted version has more flavor)
1 scoop of stevia powder (1 gram) or agave
2 seedless cucumbers, halved and sliced as thinly as you can
a few thin slices of red onion (about ¼ cup)
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds - optional

Directions:

Whisk together the dressing ingredients (rice wine vinegar, chili garlic sauce, garlic, liquid aminos, sesame seed oil and stevia). Taste the dressing for seasoning. I tend to like my sauce a little less sweet; you may want more sweetener in your version.

Toss the cucumbers and onions into the sauce and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and serve cold.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 84.8
Calories From Fat (27%) - 22.47

Total Fat - 3.37g
Saturated Fat - 0.54g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 340.56mg
Potassium - 562.65mg
Total Carbohydrates - 20.14g
Fiber - 2.03g
Sugar - 5.05g
Protein - 2.52g

Comments:

This is great to accompany any kind of Asian food. I like to serve it when we have bibimbap or stir-fry. It is also good on a roasted vegetable sandwich with hummus. It is also good served on greens as a salad, or you could serve it on top of seitan or tofu as a relish. It looks pretty with fresh cilantro but I didn’t have any today. This salad works well with almost any Asian dish.

Tomato, Cucumber and Cilantro Salsa Fresca

I make variations of this fresh sauce (salsa fresca) a few times a week. It is very versatile and adds acid (from the sherry vinegar) and crunch (from the cucumber) to any dish you pair it with. It is good on salads, sandwiches and on top of hot dishes.

Tomato, Cucumber and Cilantro Salsa Fresca
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 seedless cucumber, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 tomatoes, cut into small dice (approximately 1 cup)
¼ cup of fresh cilantro, minced
1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar
½ teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon of oregano, dried
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine everything in a bowl and toss to evenly coat vegetables with sherry vinegar and olive oil. Store in a covered bowl in the refrigerator until needed.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 19.8
Calories From Fat (33%) - 6.52

Total Fat - 0.77g
Saturated Fat - 0.09g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 76.48mg
Potassium - 161.5mg
Total Carbohydrates - 3.16g
Fiber - 0.86g
Sugar - 0.54g
Protein - 0.64g

Comments:

I use this to top cooked food that could use a lift from fresh food with crunch. This is good on enchiladas, veggie burgers, seitan cutlets, Tofurky sausages, falafel…. you get the idea. This fresh sauce is also good on salad, or tossed with other cooked veggies (either cold or hot). It is also nice on a roasted vegetable sandwich with hummus. I also like to put this on top of grilled bread.

Beet, Apple, Carrot and Cucumber Juice

For breakfast this morning we had a piece of two whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana slices. Since the bread was posted previously I didn’t bother to take its picture or post the stats again. However, I did make a vegetable and fruit juice this morning that I have not posted previously.

Those of you who know me know how much I love my Vitamix blender. I use that blender everyday, and sometimes more than once a day. That blender makes the best smoothies, juices (with the fiber) and quick soup. If you haven’t tried a Vitamix I highly recommend them. I waited a few years to buy one due to the price tag and now I can’t imagine not having this blender.

Since our breakfast was devoid of vegetables I decided to make a vegetable and fruit juice. My husband is not crazy about tomato based juices so I didn’t want to use tomatoes. Then I remembered the baby beets I bought to make a salad. Two little baby beets were enough to make this juice a beautiful magenta color. This juice tasted mostly of apple.

I really enjoyed this juice and particularly the nutrition it packed. One serving of this juice contained over 6900 IU of Vitamin A (the RDA is 3000 IU’s for adult males). Vitamin A is required for normal functioning of the immune system and plays a critical role in the development of white blood cells, which is important for preventing and fighting disease. Studies in cell culture and animal models have documented the capacity for vitamin A to reduce carcinogenesis significantly in skin, breast, liver, colon, prostate, and other sites.

To increase the nutrition of this juice, I used organic products and scrubbed the skin, but left it on the vegetables when they were “juiced”. With all the nutritents in and just under the skin I think it makes a big difference in terms of overall nutrition to leave the skin on the fruits and veggies.

This juice is mild in flavor and tastes mostly like apple, with a little beet flavor in the background. We liked this juice enough that I may make it everynight and keep it in the refrigerator to have with our breakfast. This juice is a tasty way to get a little extra vegetable nutrition in each day.

Beet, Apple, Carrot and Cucumber Juice
Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 baby beets, scrubbed
1 apple, scrubbed and cored
1 large carrot, scrubbed
4 inches of seedless cucumber
1 cup of filtered water

Directions:

Cut fruit and vegetables into chunks and place in your blender with the water. Blend until completely smooth. You may need to add additional water depending on the power of your blender. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Nutritional information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 85.69
Calories From Fat (4%) - 3.3

Total Fat - 0.4g
Saturated Fat - 0.08g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 66.21mg
Potassium - 490.55mg
Total Carbohydrates - 21.1g
Fiber - 4.46g
Sugar - 13.59g
Protein - 1.89g

Comments:

This juice tastes like apple with a little beet in the background. The overall flavor is mild, but pleasant. Both my husband and I liked this juice. I plan to make this juice regularly and keep it in the refrigerator so that we can add a little extra nutrition to our diet when we are thirsty.

Tofu Raita

Indian food is very popular at our house. I think one of my favorite things about Indian cooking is their use of spice and condiments, both things I adore. When you add the generous use of turmeric (a powerful antioxidant that fights cancer and Alzheimer’s) what is not to like.

Raita is a light refreshing condiment that is typically made with yogurt. We think it is just as good when made with silken tofu. I have been making this dip for about two decades. I have no idea if my seasonings are authentic since this has morphed over the years into the flavors that we like.

Tofu Raita
Makes approximately 28 tablespoons

Ingredients:

12.3 ounces of low fat silken tofu
2 tablespoons of canola oil
2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
1 cucumber
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ cup of fresh dill, minced
1 clove of garlic, finely minced or grated
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine tofu, canola, lemon juice, and vinegar in a food processor. Puree until completely combined and smooth. Refrigerate until needed.

Grate the cucumber and move it to a wire sieve. Sprinkle the cucumber with salt to extract as much water as possible. Wait at least 30 minutes for water to drain. Place cucumber in cheesecloth and squeeze excess water from cucumber.

Stir cucumber, dill and garlic into the tofu mixture and refrigerate until needed. Taste for seasoning before serving; we always add pepper.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 15.42
Calories From Fat (64%) - 9.85

Total Fat - 1.11g
Saturated Fat - 0.09g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 44.46mg
Potassium - 25.38mg
Total Carbohydrates - 0.6g
Fiber - 0.06g
Sugar - 0.25g
Protein - 0.87g

Comments:

This condiment is one of my favorites. It also makes a fantastic salad dressing. If you want to take it in another direction it is also good with a little Dijon mustard and capers stirred in. Sometimes I add a few freshly toasted cumin seeds that I grind in a spice mill. Sun dried tomatoes are also a nice addition to this sauce. This sauce has many uses.

Cold Spinach, Cucumber and Tomato Soup

My husband took his breakfast with him this morning so I could play around in the kitchen since no one was eating but me. When I talked to my friend Sue this morning she mentioned something she remembered that Jacque Pepin did with leftover salad. She said he took leftover dressed salad and tossed it into the blender and make a cold soup. Needless to say I had to give this a try with what I had in the refrigerator.

I used baby spinach since it is higher in nutrition that lettuce. We had picked up cucumbers from the CSA so I cut one large one into chunks and tossed that into the blender. Garlic is so healthy, so I added a clove. Since I typically dress my salad with sherry vinegar and canola those also went into the soup. I added the chia seeds for their their thickening ability, Omega 3’s and cancer fighting abilities. I knew I wanted a green soup, so the tomato was going to need to go on top the soup so that the color didn’t get muddy.

Continuing with the notion of adding foods that reduce platelet aggregation (from Chapter 17 in "Life Over Cancer"), the foods on that list in this morning’s soup include: tomato, canola oil and garlic. Although the book doesn’t specify chia seeds I assume those also belong on the list since they include flaxseeds for their Omega 3’s.

This is a light soup that is very refreshing and perfect for a summer day. I will be playing around with this concept over the coming months. I like that this soup is so low in calories, and that it includes so many vegetable servings.

Cold Spinach, Cucumber and Tomato Soup
Serves 1

Ingredients:

4 cups of fresh baby spinach, wash and spun dry
1 large cucumber, cut into chunks
1 clove of garlic, peeled and smash
½ tablespoon of sherry vinegar
½ teaspoon of canola oil
1 cup of water
½ tablespoon of chia seeds
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tomato, finely diced

Directions:

Place spinach, cucumber, garlic, vinegar, canola oil and water in the blender and puree until everything is completely smooth. Add the chia seeds to the blender and let them sit on top the blended vegetables for 10 minutes to rehydrate. Then puree the soup again until the chia seeds are completely incorporated. Taste the soup for salt and pepper and season according to your taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, pour into a chilled bowl and top with diced tomato.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 133.71
Calories From Fat (30%) -40.33

Total Fat - 4.7g
Saturated Fat - 0.45g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 116.2mg
Potassium - 1440.05mg
Total Carbohydrates - 19.5g
Fiber - 7.97g
Sugar - 8.37g
Protein - 7.25g

Comments:

I thought this was a great first attempt at a salad soup. I will be making a few modifications to the next version. I am going to substitute almond milk for the water for a little richness. I also think that tofu sour cream would be perfect on top this soup. I may also add a little cilantro or parsley to the soup when it is being pureed for additional flavor.

This is a good concept that has a lot of potential. I am glad Sue mentioned the leftover salad soup. I can see this becoming a regular at our house, especially during the summer.

Mexican Inspired Wheat Berry Salad

Wheat Berries are one of the healthiest grains available. I like to include whole grains where I can in our diet since they are a good source of B vitamins. In the summer my body seems to crave cold food and raw vegetables. I am always looking for new ways to combine whole grains and raw vegetables.

If you are unfamiliar with wheat berries they are a chewy grain whose texture is not like the other common grains we see in America. I like the somewhat “meat-like” chew of the cooked berries. This salad can be served alone, over a green salad, in a lettuce cup, or sprinkled on a whole wheat wrap that was spread with hummus.

Mexican Inspired Wheat Berry Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups of pressure cooked wheat berries
1 tablespoon of canola oil
2 tablespoons of lime juice (or apple cider vinegar)
1 clove garlic, grated or finely minced
½ teaspoon of ancho chili powder
1 tomato, diced
4 stalks of celery, finely minced
4 inches of seedless cucumber, finely minced
1 carrot, grated
¼ cup of cilantro, finely minced

Direction:

Combine all the ingredients and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 140.78
Calories From Fat (19%) - 27.08

Total Fat - 3.1g
Saturated Fat - 0.29g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 18.7mg
Potassium - 255.31mg
Total Carbohydrates - 25.13g
Fiber - 4.87g
Sugar - 1.71g
Protein - 5.47g

Comments:

This salad has a mild flavor. The garlic flavor is subtle, and the vegetables do not overpower. If you like a lot of flavor in your salad I would recommend you add a little finely minced red onion and a little more ancho chili powder. You could also add a little cayenne if you want some “heat” in your cold salad.

Fusion Salad

This salad is crazy and mixed up, but it is great. The sherry vinegar is Spanish, the edamame Asian, and the dukkah Middle Eastern. I don’t think anyone else would put these together, and I am not certain why I did. I am very happy that I combined these ingredients, because I really like this salad. I first added dukkah to a salad earlier this week and loved it. Today I didn’t have cooked bulgur, but I did have edamame ….. and this salad was born.

I like that the edamame adds a little soy protein to the salad. Soy is reported to help minimize the occurrence of estrogen dependent cancers like prostate and breast.

Fusion Salad
Serves 1

Ingredients:

½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
½ tablespoon of sherry vinegar
8 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
¼ of a seedless cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
¼ cup of shelled cooked edamame
2 cups of mesclun greens
½ teaspoon of dukkah

Directions:

Whisk together olive oil and vinegar until combined. Toss tomatoes, cucumber, edamame and greens in the dressing and plate when they are all evenly coated with the dressing. Top the salad with a sprinkle of dukkah and enjoy.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 185.09
Calories From Fat (54%) - 100.24

Total Fat - 11.66g
Saturated Fat - 1.5g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 26.9mg
Potassium - 781.97mg
Total Carbohydrates - 15.51g
Fiber - 6.07g
Sugar - 1.93g
Protein - 7.71g

Comments:

This is a great salad. It isn’t something that you will have anywhere else, but it is fantastic nonetheless. I like the combination of flavors and textures. I also really like what the dukkah does to a salad.

Gazpacho with Olive Oil

It was late before we had dinner last night so I didn’t want to make something heavy. I wanted gazpacho, but we were out of avocados. I love my gazpacho with avocados but since we were out of them I made a more traditional version of this cold soup.

This version of gazpacho is lower in fat and calories than my avocado version. I still prefer my avocado version, but this is a good substitute. The soup is packed with flavor (I used the higher amount of hot crushed peppers) and nutrition. I like soups that are a complete meal. Cold soups are a particular favorite of mine because the only thing you need to clean is the blender.

The lycopene in the tomatoes, combined with the olive oil, is thought to protect men from prostate cancer. The fresh garlic helps to reduce your cholesterol and reduce the risk of cancer. Red bell peppers are packed with vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. I added the carrots to this version of gazpacho to add a good source of beta-carotene to the soup. I wasn’t able to taste the carrots in the final soup. I will be continuing to add carrots to my gazpacho from now on.

If you need a quick dinner and want something cold this is a good option.

Gazpacho with Olive Oil
Makes 2 entrée sized servings

Ingredients:

28 ounces of diced tomatoes
3 carrots, cut into chunks
¼ of a red onion, peeled and cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 –2 tablespoons of hot crushed peppers (wet hots)
½ - 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
½ seedless cucumber, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine everything except the cucumber and bell pepper in the blender and process until it is completely smooth. Begin with the smaller amount of hot crushed peppers and salt and taste once the mixture is smooth. Add more if necessary.

Store the soup in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Chill bowls to serve the soup. Pour the soup into the chilled bowls and top with diced cucumber and bell pepper. I always add a little grind of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to the top of the soup before serving.

You can top the soup with fresh minced cilantro and/or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if you like.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 283.88
Calories From Fat (46%) - 131.98

Total Fat - 14.98g
Saturated Fat - 2.06g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 579.47mg
Potassium - 1615.91mg
Total Carbohydrates - 35.84g
Fiber - 10.69g
Sugar - 20.56g
Protein - 6.23g

Comments:

This makes a large amount of soup that is enough to be an entire meal. If you want a little more protein in the meal, you can include a little cooked and cooled edamame or a bean dip with raw vegetables to dip.

My husband and I both think this makes a nice dinner when the weather is warm. We do prefer our avocado version for its creaminess, but this one makes a great substitute and has fewer calories and fat grams.

If you are concerned about the fat in this version of gazpacho I would suggest you don't order it when you are out. Most traditional recipes for gazpacho use 3 or 4 times the amount of olive oil compared to my version. So that you have a comparison, each tablespoon of olive oil adds 14 grams of fat and 120 calories, which is most of the fat in this recipe.

Green Salad with Bulgur and Dukkah

Salads are a mainstay of our diet. We eat them everyday, but salads can sometimes be boring. This salad is anything but your usual green salad. The bulgur is an interesting addition, but the Middle Eastern dukkah takes the salad over the top. This may be my new favorite green salad. I hope my husband likes it as much as I do.

Green Salad with Bulgur and Dukkah
Serves 1

Ingredients:

½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
½ tablespoon of sherry vinegar
kosher salt, to taste (numbers assume ¼ teaspoon)
black pepper, to taste
4 cups of mesclun greens, torn into bite sized pieces
6 grape tomatoes, cut into halves or quarters
2 inches of cucumber, halved and cut into thin half moons
4 tablespoons of cold cooked bulgur
½ tablespoon of dukkah, for garnish

Directions:

Combine the dressing ingredients (olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper) in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the remaining ingredients, except the dukkah. Toss to thoroughly combine the ingredients. You want the bulgur to be evenly distributed and to lightly coat the leaves.

Put the dressing salad into a bowl and sprinkle with dukkah and enjoy.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 183.22
Calories From Fat (46%) - 84.83

Total Fat - 9.82g
Saturated Fat - 1.28g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 504.1mg
Potassium - 752.05mg
Total Carbohydrates - 21.13g
Fiber - 7.42g
Sugar - 1.13g
Protein - 5.79g

Comments:

I love salads, but unless you change them frequently they can be the least interesting part of the meal. Since salads are good to include in a meal, I am always looking for ways to make my salads a little unusual. The cooked bulgur adds protein, texture and color. The addition of bulgur is unusual enough to take this otherwise typical green salad to a new level. About a month ago I made some dukkah for bread and pasta topping. I thought why not add the dukkah to the salad. It turns out that dukkah is a fantastic salad topping. I don’t know if this is normally what they do with dukkah, but it is my favorite way to use it so far. The dukkah adds healthy fat and crunchy texture that I like. It also adds a subtle Middle Eastern note to the salad. If you are looking for a different salad from your usual give this one a try.

Bulgur and Vegetable Salad

I love a cold grain and vegetable salad. This one combines the benefits of whole grain with added nutrition from the raw vegetables. This salad is packed with vegetables and flavor. It has a little heat from the hot crushed peppers and flavor from the lemon juice and zest. The crunch of the cold vegetables add a nice textural counterpoint to the cooked grain.

Bulgur and Vegetable Salad
Serves 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups of bulgur, uncooked
4 cups of water
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
2 lemons, juice and zest
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of edamame, shelled
1 seedless cucumber, cut into quarters lengthwise and then sliced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 carrots, grated
2 tablespoons of hot crushed peppers
½ teaspoon of dulse granules
1 pound of raw asparagus, sliced fine
½ pound of sugar snap peas, sliced

Directions:

Cook bulgur in water with salt in a covered pan until water is absorbed (about 20 minutes on medium heat). Add lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil to warm bulgur. When salad has cooled, add the prepared vegetables and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 205.31
Calories From Fat (14%) - 29.71

Total Fat - 3.46g
Saturated Fat - 0.49g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 148.35mg
Potassium - 589.13mg
Total Carbohydrates - 38.44g
Fiber - 10.82g
Sugar - 5.49g
Protein - 9.15g

Comments:

This salad has a little heat from the hot crushed peppers, and plenty of flavor. It travels well, and makes a great lunch with some raw baby spinach, broccoli sprouts and sunflower seeds. I added the spinach and broccoli sprouts for the additional cancer fighting benefits.

Brown Rice Salad with Vegetables

This is what I call a clean out the refrigerator salad. What goes in the salad is a function of what I have on hand. There are a few rules I follow when I make these kinds of salad. I normally use a little more cooked grain (brown rice, millet, bulgur, or quinoa) than I do vegetables. I try to vary the color of the vegetables that I add to the salad. I like the dressing to be sharp in these salads so that the final salad is not too bland or requires a lot of salt. I also think the salad need a little heat from the crushed red peppers or harissa.

All the ingredients in this salad are healthy. The variety of vegetables serves to increase the variety of vitamins and minerals this salad contains. I like knowing that this salad is good for me and helps to protect me from chronic disease.

Brown Rice and Vegetable Salad
Makes 7 – 1 cup servings of salad

Ingredients:

4 cups of cooked brown rice, cooled
½ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
4 inch piece of cucumber, finely diced
¼ of a red onion, finely diced
3 stalks of celery, finely diced
½ cup of finely sliced green onion tops
1 lemon (juice and zest)
1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon of harissa, or crushed red peppers
1/2 tablespoon of thyme, dried
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine rice and vegetables in a large container with a lid. Whisk the dressing ingredients, lemon through thyme, until thoroughly combined. Add dressing to the rice and veggies and toss everything together. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired. Refrigerate salad until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 176.77
Calories From Fat (24%) - 43.19

Total Fat - 4.95g
Saturated Fat - 0.75g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 10.9mg
Potassium - 188.79mg
Total Carbohydrates - 30.51g
Fiber - 3.34g
Sugar - 0.99g
Protein- 3.23g

Comments:

I make brown rice salads a few times a month. The salads are different depending on what I have on hand. These types of salad improve as the rice has time to absorb the flavors of the dressing. Chickpeas would be a good addition to this rice salad. When I have olives on hand, I sometimes dice those and add them to the salads as well.

Gazpacho with Avocado

Everything in this soup is good for you. It is full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals as well as being anti-inflammatory. I am not going to detail the health benefits of every ingredient this time since it will take up too much space and I want to post the recipe tonight. I will cover the benefits of a few of the ingredients that I have not discussed previously.

Avocado is high in monounsaturated fat, like olives, and has been shown to reduce total cholesterol if eaten regularly. The specific monounsaturated fat that avocados contain (oleic acid) was recently been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Avocados are also a good source of potassium that helps to reduce blood pressure. It also appears that eating as little as 2 ounces of avocado with your vegetables increases the bodies absorption of the carotenoids that vegetables contain.

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene (a carotenoid) that has been widely studied for its cancer preventing properties. It has been theorized that lycopene reduces most types of cancer. According to studies, the body is better able to absorb the lycopene when the tomatoes are cooked (as is the case for canned tomatoes) and are consumed with fat.

This soup is cool and refreshing as well as very good for you. I make this soup often when the weather turns warm. I think of it as a liquid salad.

Gazpacho with Avocado
makes 2 dinner sized servings or 4 - 6 appetizer servings

Ingredients:

28 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
1 english cucumber
½ red onion
2 cloves of raw garlic
1 raw red bell pepper
1 ripe avocado
1 roasted red pepper
1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar
½ teaspoon of harissa
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
½ teaspoon of dried oregano
Extra virgin olive oil for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine canned tomatoes, 1/2 of the cucumber, red onion, garlic, roasted red pepper, avocado, vinegar, harissa, paprika, salt and oregano in a blender. Process to thoroughly combine and continue until the mixture is completely smooth. Finely dice the remaining English cucumber and raw red bell pepper. Refrigerate the soup and diced vegetables separately to thoroughly chill. To serve, pour the cold soup into a cold bowl and top with the finely diced vegetables. If you wish you can drizzle the top of the soup with a little extra virgin olive oil and a grind of fresh black pepper. It is also good topped with tofu sour cream and/or a little fresh parsley or cilantro.

Nutritional Information (assumes 2 servings):

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 323.09
Calories From Fat (42%) - 136.28

Total Fat - 16.28g
Saturated Fat - 3.1g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 528.87mg
Potassium - 1935.89mg
Total Carbohydrates - 43.89g
Fiber - 14.82g
Sugar - 23.15g
Protein - 9.14g

Comments:

We like our gazpacho to be light and cooling since we normally eat this when it is hot and humid. This gazpacho has the lightest touch of heat in the background from the harissa, raw garlic and onion.

Bulgur Salad with Walnuts, Bell Pepper and Cucumber

If you are looking for a cold bulgur salad that is big on flavor this dish fits the bill. This is an adaptation of a recipe I found in a middle eastern cookbook. My version has a lot less olive oil, and I think more flavor. The salad actually improves as it sits in the refrigerator overnight. I like to have this around for a quick lunch with mesclun.

Bulgur Salad with Walnuts, Red Bell Pepper and Cucumber
Makes 6 entrée sized servings

Ingredients:

For the bulgur:
1 ½ cups of bulgur, uncooked
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
3 –4 cups of water to cook bulgur

Salad dressing:
zest and juice from one lemon
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon of cumin seed, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon of coriander seed, toasted and ground
½ teaspoon of sweet paprika
½ teaspoon of allspice berries, ground
½ teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground

Fresh uncooked items to be added to the salad once cold:
½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 English cucumber, finely diced
kosher salt for pepper and cucumber

Optional ingredients for garnish:
Parsley sprigs
Toasted pine nuts
Pomegranate molasses to drizzle on top

Directions:

Cook bulgur in simmering water with kosher salt until tender. This should take approximately 20 minutes. Drain the bulgur in a fine wire sieve before proceeding.

Make the dressing so that it can be added the bulgur while it is still hot. Combine all the dressing ingredients and mix well to combine. The warm bulgur will absorb the dressing more completely than a cooled grain. Place the bulgur in the refrigerator to thoroughly chill before proceeding.

Chop the fresh ingredients finely. Lightly salt the bell pepper and cucumber and place in a colander for them to release some of their liquid. If the vegetables seem very wet it wouldn’t hurt to pat them with a couple of dry paper towels to remove additional moisture before adding them to the grain. In fifteen to thirty minutes add the fresh ingredients to the salad provided the dressed grain is completely cold. Toss the ingredients and check for seasoning before returning to the refrigerator.

To serve:

This salad needs to sit a few hours to absorb all the flavors and allow them to marry. This bulgur salad is good served with warm pita bread and/or falafel or a green salad with a lemon and tahini dressing. I would pair this with a dry white wine, like a Pinot Grigio.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 245.58
Calories From Fat (33%) - 80.4

Total Fat - 9.48g
Saturated Fat - 1.03g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 482.19mg
Potassium - 373.18mg
Total Carbohydrates - 37.58g
Fiber - 8.64g
Sugar - 5.5g
Protein - 6.72g

Comments:

This salad has a lot of flavor. The allspice adds something unusal to the dish that is not prominent enough to pick out. The pomegranate molasses really shines in this recipe. If you haven't had it is tart and somewhat sweet at the same time. Once you try pomegranate molasses you will find yourself reaching for it often. If you are new to pomegranat molasses and have difficulty getting it out of the bottle try warming it in a tall pan of simmering water on the stove. If that doesn't work use a chop stick to coax the molasses out of the bottle. It can be difficult to get starting flowing but is very worth the effort.