Strawberry Shortcake

Easy summertime dessert:  Made on biscuits, pound cake, scones or shortcake, and topped with sweetened strawberries and freshly whipped cream:

French Walnut Oil Vinaigrette

 

This is the recipe from "La Tourangelle Roasted Walnut Oil", except the amount of balsamic vinegar has been reduced.  I have experimented with making my own walnut oil vinaigrette since my first salad at Restaurant St. Michel in Coral Gables, 29 years ago, where they served a very similar one as their house dressing.  The secret of this simple vinaigrette is to use roasted walnut oil, since plain walnut oil is not very flavorful, and make sure to refrigerate it once open to keep it fresh.  

This is very good on any mixed greens salad,  or French Roasted Beet Salad (recipe here from the French Essence blog by Vicki Archer).  I especially like this with some crumbled goat cheese and French bread!

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. Roasted Walnut Oil

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Dash of salt, to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and enjoy.

Apple-Maple-Pecan Muffins

Made in the large (Texas size) muffin tins for 6 muffins. Leftovers are good sliced in half horizontally and reheated in the toaster oven. Recipe from my mother, Mary Jane Scanlon.

Makes 6 large (Texas size) muffins. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shelled pecans

1/3 cup chopped dried apple slices (1/4 inch pieces)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chopped peeled apple (1/4 inch pieces)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup vegetable oil, preferably sunflower

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Using spray vegetable oil, coat a 6-muffin Texas size muffin pan and set aside. 

Lightly oil bowl and blades of food processor; in processor bowl, coarsely chop pecans and dried apple slices.  Transfer to mixing bowl.  Add flour, oatmeal, baking powder and soda, fresh apple and raisins.

In a 2-cup measuring cup, measure oil and syrup; add egg and vanilla; whisk until blended.  Pour over dry ingredients.  Stir with wooden spoon or spatula until just blended.  There should be a few spots of unblended flour.  Spoon batter into greased muffin cups; batter will almost fill each cup. 

Bake until muffins feel firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes in pan.  Carefully turn out of pan. Let the muffins cool on a rack a few minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

Carrot and Almond Muffins

When I make muffins for breakfast, it is usually these -- healthful and delicious.  They are made in the large (Texas size) muffin tins for 6 muffins. Leftovers are good sliced in half horizontally and reheated in the toaster oven. Recipe from my mother, Mary Jane Scanlon.

Makes 6 large (Texas size) muffins. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole unblanched almonds

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup sliced pared carrots

1/2 cup vegetable oil, preferably sunflower 

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Using spray vegetable oil, coat a 6-muffin Texas size muffin pan and set aside. 

In bowl of food processor, coarsely chop the almonds; transfer to mixing bowl.  Add flour, wheat germ, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins to the same bowl; stir to blend thoroughly.  With processor motor running slowly, add carrots through feed tube, process until finely chopped.  Add oil, brown sugar, egg and vanilla.  Process until blended.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry; stir with wooden spoon or spatula until just blended.  There should be a few spots of unblended flour.  Spoon batter into greased muffin cups; batter will almost fill each cup. Bake until muffins feel firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes in pan.  Carefully turn out of pan. Let the muffins cool on a rack a few minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

Yogurt Topped With Honey, Prunes and Wheat Germ

Great mid-morning snack with lots of calcium and protein and it has only four ingredients. In a small bowl, place two large spoonfuls of non-fat plain Greek yogurt, sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. wheat germ, top with two D'Noir Prunes (I like the Sunsweet brand without preservatives), and then drizzle with 1 Tbsp. honey (I've been using a locally made buckwheat honey from Berryville, VA this winter -- local honey is supposed to be good for your immune system, and the buckwheat is nice for a change as it seems a little less sweet than clover or orange blossom honey). Serves 1.  Approximately 250 calories.

Bittersweet Chocolate on Sliced French Baguette

If you like chocolate croissants, you will like this.  Take a 1/2 inch slice of a French baguette, top with 2/3 of a square of bittersweet chocolate (such as 60% Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate).  Place on the lowest rack of the toaster oven.  Heat for a couple of minutes until chocolate melts and the bread will be slightly crunchy.  Remove from the oven, spread the chocolate smooth, and enjoy! Besides the taste, the best part is that it is only about 150 calories!

I

Pad Thai (for Shellfish Allergies)

A vegetarian version which is also shellfish-free with the substitution of  soy sauce (I used Kikoman's brand) for fish sauce.  Fish sauce is made with anchovies which, although not shellfish, is to be avoided by those allergic to shellfish.  Also, since I did not have tamarind pulp on hand (which adds a nice, authentic flavor), I substituted The Wizard's Organic Vegan Worcestershire Sauce (an anchovy-free Worcestershire sauce that is available at Whole Foods stores).  Worcestershire sauce contains tamarind, and I keep this brand on hand since the original Lea and Perrins brand Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies. This recipe is also Gluten-free.  Serve with cooked rice.  Serves 8.

Ingredients:

Pad Thai Sauce:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup lime juice (approximately1 large lime)

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce (I used Kikoman's -- regular, not reduced sodium)

3 tsp. anchovy-free Worcestershire sauce (such as The Wizard's Organic Vegan Worcestershire Sauce)

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1 12-14 oz. package of rice noodles (linguini-style, such as Thai Kitchen Stir-Fry Rice Noodles) OR Cellophane (mung bean thread) noodles (such as Ty Ling)

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Spice Mixture -- In a small dish, mix together the following:

Additional 1 1/2  Tbsp. sugar

1 1/2  tsp. salt 

1 tsp. chili powder

3 dashes cayenne pepper

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1/2 cup peanut oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 eggs, beaten

1 14 oz package extra-firm tofu, sliced into thin 1/2 inch julienne strips

1 1/2 cups finely chopped peanuts

2 medium shallots, very thinly sliced

2 cups fresh bean sprouts (traditional, but optional)

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Directions:

(1) Prepare rice noodles by soaking according to package directions.

(2)  Prepare Pat Thai sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix together sauce ingredients -- sugar, lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce, stirring occasionally.  Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat to simmer 5 minutes; remove from heat.

(3) In a large skillet on medium heat, add oil and heat.  Add minced garlic, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add beaten eggs, stirring until cooked though.  Add tofu strips, stirring to mix well, and cook another 2-3 minutes.  Add Pad Thai Sauce and additional Spice Mixture; stir well.  Add the cooked, drained noodles, stirring to mix well. Add chopped peanuts, sliced shallots and bean sprouts, if used, stirring to mix thoroughly until sauce mixture is absorbed and the Pad Thai is heated through.  Serve.

Sweet and Savory Kale

Very easy and delicious way to get more variety of greens into diet. Recipe from the back of a 16 oz. package of fresh, pre-washed and pre-cut, Nature's Greens Kale Greens.  

 Note:  Recipe calls for using the whole bag of kale  -- says it serves 4-6, but I think it makes enough to serve 8, at least, depending on portion sizes.  I halved the recipe for the four of us, but here is the whole recipe:

Prep Time: 5 minutes / Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1 1/4 cups chicken stock (or canned broth)

1 1lb. (16 oz)  bag Nature's Greens Kale

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 sliced almonds - optional

Salt and pepper, to taste (I did not add any)

Directions:

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil on medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic; saute until onion softens, stirring often, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the mustard, sugar, cider vinegar and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil on high heat. Add kale, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add cranberries and continue cooking on medium-high heat, stirring often.   The liquid should reduce by about half and cranberries will get plump in about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, if needed.  Sprinkle with almonds, if desired.