The Best Spinach Salad Ever

another recipe to try.......

Ingredients:

• 6 Cups spinach, roughly chopped
• 1/3 Cup dried sour cherries
• 3 Scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 Green apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 Cup seedless red grapes, halved
• 1/4 Cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 Teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 Ounces crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, combine spinach, cherries, scallions, apples, grapes and walnuts.
2. In a small bowl, whisk vinegar and oil, and season dressing with a little salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add dressing and optional cheese to spinach-cherries mix, toss and transfer to serving plates.

Recipe Credit: Martha Stewart.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-best-spinach-salad-ever-recipe.html#ixzz2V3Owcudr

Spinach-apple Smoothie

A recipe to try......

When I make a smoothie, I usually don't use a recipe but I do usually put in spinach.

Ingredients:

• 1 Banana
• 1 Granny smith apple, peeled
• 8 Ounces fresh spinach
• 1 Cup water

Instructions:
1. Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.

Recipe Credit: food.com

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/14-ways-to-use-spinach-slideshow.html#ixzz2V3MusSaX

Boursin Cheese (Homemade)

This recipe is from Food.com Home of the Home Cook.  

evelyn/athens http://www.food.com/recipe/boursin-cheese-homemade-80675

INGREDIENTS

2 garlic cloves
8 ounces butter, at room temperature
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (the real stuff, and freshly-grated)
1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon chives
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. Have cheeses and butter at room temperature.
2. Crush garlic.
3. Mix cheeses, butter and garlic.
4. Add remaining ingredients, mix well.
5. Pack into a container just large enough to hold the boursin and store in refrigerator for a few hours before serving.
6. To serve, bring to room temperature.
7. Serve with crackers.
8. Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving.
   
   

REVIEWS I LIKED

Can-Can Canapés! Boursin Baguette Bruschetta Recipe

Boursin Parisian Panini Recipe

Out of this world with a slice of garden fresh cucumber on a cracker!
boursin stuffed bacon wrapped chicken 
To Die for Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes Recipe
No cream cheese for me so I used a well drained block of fat-free yogurt cheese (my own drained for 24 hours). Skipped the butter as well. The flavors were just like the real thing and more than offset the loss of fat.
I served it with freshly baked whole wheat French bread and a salad, delicious. 

Leeks Braised in White Wine

Leeks Braised in White Wine

Ingredients:

6 Medium leeks, white and light green parts only
Coarse salt and freshly-ground pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Cup dry white wine
4 Garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions:
1. Prepare the leeks: dark leaves and roots off. Cut leeks in half, lengthwise. Let sit in a bowl of cold water for about ten minutes before running under a faucet to removed any debris hidden in the layers. Cut washed and cleaned leeks into two-inch pieces.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and parboil leeks for about two minutes. Drain.
3. Add olive oil to a large, lidded skillet. Add leeks in a single, even layer, along with wine and garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. Let mixture go to a boll before covering. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. It’s ready when most of the wine has reduced and the leeks are soft yet still intact.
4. Remove from heat, but do not drain; let the leeks cool for just a few minutes in the wine before serving. Top with parsley if desired and serve warm.

Recipe Credit: Martha Rose Shulman via the New York Times



Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/leeks-braised-white-wine-recipe.html#ixzz2ONQSMHwu

Marinated Mushrooms

From Flickr by lydiajoy1 http://divinehealthfromtheinsideout.com/2010/09/marinated-mushroom-saute/

Looking for a great marinated mushroom recipe. I have been loving mushrooms this winter, all types mostly sauteed in butter. Below are 3 recipes I found on line.

They will be a great addition to an antipasto tray and served with sliced baguettes to dip into the marinade. I want to use a mix of cremini and oyster mushrooms.

This recipe is from the Food Network - Tyler Florence

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
2 lemons, zested and juiced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 small bunch fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Directions
Add 1/4 cup olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook them for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Pour over the remaining olive oil and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool. Serve at room temperature.

This recipe is from Whole Foods Market

1 pound fresh cremini mushrooms

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 
  Method: 

  Clean mushrooms and remove stems. Simmer mushroom caps in salted water for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, garlic, red onion, oregano, parsley, salt, peppercorns and coriander. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.
  Nutritional Info: 

  PER SERVING:110 calories (70 from fat), 7g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 160mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 2g sugar), 3g protein

  
  This recipe is from Martha Stewart  Living, November 2004
  Prep Time 10 minutes   Total Time    30 minutes  Yield Serves 4  
  

  • Ingredients

  • 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, or a mix of cremini and oyster mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh oregano
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  Directions

  1. Trim stems from cremini (break apart oyster mushroom clusters, if using). Put mushrooms in a medium bowl, and set aside.
  2. Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, and oregano in a medium bowl. Whisk in oil in a slow, steady stream; whisk until mixture is emulsified. Whisk in the salt and pepper. Pour marinade over mushrooms, and let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, at least 20 minutes; if desired, refrigerate mushrooms in an airtight container overnight. Serve at room temperature.

  
  

Spinach and Artichoke Pie

This recipe is from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen  by SUSAN VOISIN on APRIL 18, 2006

I have been wanting to try some recipes with artichokes and plan to give this recipe a try. (BD 3/17/13) Yikes, it has tofu. This will be a first.  I am not telling mike there is tofu in here.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 12-16 ounces baby spinach (I used the pre-washed, bagged kind)
• 1 pound extra-firm tofu
• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp. salt, or to taste
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. minced Kalamata olives
• pinch cayenne
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 14-ounce can quartered artichokes, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, slightly crushed (or toasted pinenuts)
• 12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
• olive oil in spray bottle

Instructions

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in a large, deep non-stick skillet for 3 minutes. Add the spinach and 2 tablespoons water, stir, and cover the skillet. (If you couldn’t fit all of the spinach in, wait a minute for the spinach to shrink and add more.) Cook until the spinach is completely wilted and shrunken. Set aside.
2. While the spinach is cooking, mash the tofu and stir in the nutritional yeast and all the seasonings, including the olives. Add the artichokes, almonds, and the spinach mixture, and mix well.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 F and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Unwrap the phyllo dough and arrange it beside the baking dish as described above. Lay a sheet of phyllo over the bottom of the pan, spray it lightly with olive oil, and repeat the process until you have 6 sheets in the bottom of the pan. Make sure the remaining phyllo is covered with a damp cloth, and pour the spinach-tofu filling into the pan, spreading it to completely cover the phyllo. Repeat the phyllo process, covering the filling with six more sheets, spraying each one lightly. Make sure to spray the top sheet thoroughly, so that there are no un-oiled spots.
4. With a sharp knife, cut through the top layer of phyllo to form 9-12 equal pieces. (This helps to keep the phyllo from breaking when you cut it after baking).
5. Put it in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Enjoy!

Preparation time: 20 minute(s) | Cooking time: 35 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 9

Per serving: 187 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (24% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 

0mg Cholesterol; 531mg Sodium; 6g Fiber.

OK here is some info on nutritional yeast.  This is new for me as well.

Kale Mallung (Sri Lankan Kale and Coconut)

by SUSAN VOISIN on AUGUST 17, 2011
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2011/08/kale-mallung-sri-lankan-kale-with-coconut.html

Mallung is a dry dish, so resist the temptation to add much water. I made mine mild so that I could taste the kale and coconut, but feel free to use more peppers and even keep some of the seeds in for added heat.

Ingredients

• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 to 2 hot chile peppers, seeded and chopped
• 12 ounces kale, stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• generous grating of black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut, fresh or frozen
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. Heat a large, deep, non-stick skillet. Add the onions and peppers, and cook, stirring often, until onions soften and turn pink. Add water by the tablespoon if needed to prevent sticking.
2. Add the kale and a splash (about 1/4 cup) of water, along with the cumin and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring every minute or so, until kale is wilted but still bright green, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the coconut and 1 tablespoon lime juice and leave on the heat just long enough to heat through. Check the seasoning and add more lime juice if needed and salt to taste. Serve hot or cold.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s) | Cooking time: 10 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per serving): 94 calories, 34 calories from fat, 4.1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 40.5mg sodium, 460.9mg potassium, 13.9g carbohydrates, 3.3g fiber, 1.3g sugar, 3.7g protein, 3 points.