My Salad Nicoise

                It’s spring soon and the markets have what they call Spring Potatoes.  These little potatoes seem so much more tender than the usual potatoes the rest of the year.  This salad is how I like them best. 

Salad

(These amounts will make two salads)

½ lb. small Potatoes boiled until fork tender

½ lb. small Green Beans-steam or blanch to preferred doneness

1 5 oz. can Oil Packed Tuna

2 Hard Boiled Eggs-cut in 1/4s the long way

24 Nicoise Olives

20 small Pear or Cherry Tomatoes halved

1. Arrange the potatoes, beans, eggs, olives, and tomatoes on a plate.
2. Top with tuna and drizzle with dressing. 

Dressing

¼ c. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon Mustard

Pinch of Sugar if needed.

1. Wisk together all the ingredients.

   

Black Bean Chili

              It’s the beginning of March today and true to form it is acting like a lion.  Along with this weather phenomenon is the continuing trend for some meatless dinner during the week.  This is why I am giving you this recipe.  Not only will it keep you warm, but you will also have a tasty, meatless meal.

2 Tbsp. Oil

1 large Onion finely chopped

1 tsp. Mexican Oregano*

1 tsp. Chipotle Powder*

1 tsp. Ancho Powder*

1 tsp. Ground Cumin*

1 14.5 oz. can Fire Roasted Tomatoes Crushed

1 14.5 oz. can Fire Roasted Tomatoes Diced

1 10 oz. can of mixed Chilies and Tomatoes

2 15 oz. cans of Black Beans-drained and rinsed

* 1 heaping Tbsp. of your favorite chili blend can be used in place of these spices.

1. Sauté Onions in the Oil until they become translucent.
2. Add the Spices and stir together.
3. Add the three cans of Tomatoes.  Stir and let simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Add the Beans and let simmer until the beans are warm.  This takes about 10 minutes.  It is now ready to serve
5. Set up a Toppings Bar and let everyone choose their favorites.

Toppings

Sour Cream

Chopped Green Onions

Corn Chips

Salsa

Cheese

Avocado

Chopped Onions

Jalapeños-either jarred or fresh

If meat is desired, here are some suggestions to stir into the chili:

1 lb Ground Turkey Thigh

4 fresh Chicken or Turkey Chorizo Sausage removed from their casings

The Chili is even better the next day. Think Nachos.

Peach Squares

            I hope you enjoyed your Valentine dessert.  But you’re probably standing around trying to figure out what to do with three egg yolks.  I have a recipe for you.

Crust

1-1/4 c. Flour

1 stick Butter

2 Tbsp. French Vanilla Yogurt

Filling

¼ c. Flour

3 Egg Yolks

1/3 c. French Vanilla Yogurt

1 c. Sugar

1 15oz. can Sliced Peaches

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare the crust by blending together the Flour, Butter, and Yogurt. 
3.  Press the crust mixture into a 9x13 pan.  Cover the bottom and a little up the sides to create a small lip.
4. Bake for twenty minutes. 
5.  Blend together the Flour, Egg Yolks, Yogurt, and Sugar to create the filling.
6. Pour the filling into the crust when it comes out of the oven.
7. Cut the Peaches into thinner slices.  Place on top of the filling.
8. Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife comes out cleanly.  
9.  Let the squares cool before cutting and serving.

              The flour in the filling can be substituted with a Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. This can be done as well for the crust or a premade Gluten Free Crust can be purchased. Lactose Free or Soy Yogurt is available in order to replace the regular Yogurt.

Valentine's Day Tart

                Valentine’s Day makes you think of cards, chocolate, flowers, chocolate, candle light dinners with someone you love, and of course chocolate.

                Since I am trying to lose weight and still work with the allergies my family has, I think I have found a perfect dessert for the Valentine’s Day dinner.

                This is my take on Pavlova.  Most people think of it as a baked meringue with whipping cream and fruit.  I am still using the meringue, but changing the filling.

Valentine’s Day Tart

 1 Meringue Ring-This can be store bought or you can use the recipe I have included.

6 oz. or ¾ cp. French Vanilla Yogurt

1 lb. box of Strawberries-Small ones keep whole, half or quarter large Strawberries.

2 Tbsp. Chocolate Chips

1 Tbsp. sliced, toasted Almonds

1. Put Yogurt in the bottom of the Meringue Ring.
2. Arrange Strawberries on top of the Yogurt.  Place the Strawberries in circles with the end up.  Be sure to cover as much Yogurt as possible.
3. Put the Chocolate Chips in a microwaveable dish and cook for 20 seconds on high.  Stir to melt the chocolate.  Once stirred, if necessary, microwave for another 15 seconds and stir again.  When the Chocolate is completely melted, drizzle over the Strawberries and Meringue Ring.
4. Sprinkle Almonds on top.

          The tart can be eaten right away or assembled about two hours ahead of time.  If assembled ahead, put the tart in the refrigerator.

Meringue Ring

3 Large Egg Whites at room temperature

¼ tsp. Crème de Tartar

¾ cp. Sugar

Parchment Paper

9” Plate

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
2. Put a piece of Parchment Paper on the table.  Place the 9” Plate upside down on the Parchment Paper.  Trace around the outside edge of the Plate with a pencil to create your 9” circle.  Lay the Parchment Paper pencil side down on a baking sheet.
3. Blend together Egg Whites and Crème de Tartar.  Whisk until they create soft peaks.
4. Add Sugar 1 Tbsp. at a time.  Blend Sugar in fully before adding another Tbsp.  Once all the sugar is blended in, there will be stiff peaks.
5. Fill in the Parchment Paper circle with half of the Meringue.
6. Build a ring around the edge of the circle with the remaining Meringue.  The ring can be as thick or as thin as you desire.
7. Bake for 1-1/2 hours.  Turn off the oven but leave the Meringue in for another hour or overnight
8. Make sure the Meringue is cool before assembling the rest of the tart.

I hope you enjoy this dessert with people you love.

The Grapefruit

            I wonder if you are tired of seeing commercials talking about your holiday weight gain and what you need to do about it.  Do this diet, take our pill, and use that equipment.  All this is repeatedly told to us in an effort to get us to lose weight.

          The diet I’m going to talk about is The Grapefruit Diet.  It’s a “diet” that somehow shows up every year as part of the weight loss phenomena.  I want to say there is a problem with this diet.  Many people don’t like grapefruits because they are too tangy.

             I have a solution.  Here is how I like my grapefruit.

Grapefruit Salad

1 Grapefruit (red or pink preferred)

2 Navel Oranges

1 cp. fresh Pineapple*

*If fresh Pineapple is not available, an 8 oz. can of Pineapple packed in juice can be used.  Be sure to drain the juice before use.

1. Peel the Grapefruit.  Then cut or peel the individual sections from the membrane.
2. Prepare the Navel Oranges the same way as the grapefruit.
3. Cut the Pineapple into tidbits.
4. Put all the fruit together in a bowl.

Note: This can be eaten right away.  If not, put the salad in the refrigerator until a half hour before serving.

               I hope you enjoy this refreshing salad.

Red Beans & Rice with Sausage

           Today is the first day of 2013.  It’s my birthday and I am making the resolution that I am going to lose the 80lbs I have gained in the past thirty years.

          My first goal is to lose 30 lbs by April 1.  Since I don’t have a scale, my results will be measured in what clothing I can wear again.

          To celebrate the New Year we will have our traditional meal of red beans and rice for good luck.  We add sausage just because we love it.  This is an easy recipe.

Red Beans & Rice with Sausage

1 lb. Dry Beans

2 Dried Chipotle Peppers

2 c. Rice

4 c. Water

4 Fresh Sausages

 

1.        Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.         Soak beans in a bowl of hot water for one hour.  The beans must be completely covered by the water.
3.         Drain the beans and put in a Dutch oven.  Completely cover the beans with cold water and add the peppers.  The peppers will float on the water.  Cover the Dutch oven.
4.      Put the beans in the oven to cook.  Periodically check the beans to make sure they remain covered with water.  If they don’t, add more water.
5.        After three hours in the oven, add the sausage to the beans in the Dutch oven.  Cook for another hour.  If the beans are not tender at this point, keep cooking and check every ten minutes until they are tender.
6.       Once the beans and sausage have finished cooking, remove the peppers.
7.       As the beans cool, make the 2 c. rice with the 4 c. fresh water in the method best for you.  I use the microwave.

          Serve everything on a single platter.  Place the rice first then the beans go on top.  The sausages can go either on top of the rice and beans or on the sides of the platter.

Happy New Year 

 

Some Do Not Like It Hot

          I don’t know about where you live, but our weather has been so hot. It got the point that I turned on the air conditioning in my house for the first time since it was installed 12 years ago. With all the heat we have not felt much like eating. Our dinner these days has become a fruit smoothie.

Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup Fat Free Plain Yogurt

Note: Soy and lactose free yogurts are available in stores as a replacement for regular yogurt.

1 cup Orange Juice

Enough Fresh and/or Frozen Fruit to fill blender carafe

Note: The fruit can be any variety you like. Every time I make a smoothie the fruit combination is different. Some of our favorites are pineapple, strawberries, and frozen tropical blends.

1. Put Yogurt and Orange Juice in blender carafe.

2. Add fruit until it fills to about an inch below the top edge of the carafe. 

3. Blend until smooth and serve.  With a 5 cup carafe I am able to fill around four 12 oz. glasses.