Strawberry Salad with Walnuts & Goat Cheese

This is a wonderful strawberry salad with walnuts and goat cheese added for a delicious twist.

For the pomegranate vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (available at Middle Eastern groceries)
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon finely minced shallot
salt to taste

For salad:
6 cups mesclun
1 cup strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
3 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled (also known as chevre cheese)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Whisk all the vinaigrette ingredients together and set aside. Arrange greens on plates. Top with berries, drizzle with dressing and top with walnuts and crumbled goat cheese. Season with freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 4

Variations
* Don't worry if you can't find the pomegranate molasses. Just add the same amount of crushed strawberries and a bit of sugar (about 1/2 a teaspoon). It won't taste exactly the same, but it will still be delicious.

From: http://www.cookingnook.com/strawberry-salad.html

Healthy Weight Loss Recipes
Exercise & healthy diet - the 2 components of healthy weight loss.

Whisperinghome
Articles on home improvement, home decor, gardening,
home safety, cleaning & storage ideas, more!

Natural Health & Nutrition
Up-to-date articles on health, fitness and nutrition

Top Gambling Secrets
Here are some secrets to win any kind of gambling!

Recent Keyword Searches: ham and cheese omelette calories, ham omelette lose weight, weight loss recipes for 1, healthy weight loss recipes, weight loss blogger

Fluffy Fruit Salad

SUBMITTED BY: Christine Halandras

PREP TIME: 10 Min
READY IN: 10 Min
SERVINGS: 14 servings

INGREDIENTS
* 1 (20 ounce) can unsweetened pineapple tidbits, drained
* 1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
* 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
* 1 (8 ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
* Lettuce Leaves (optional)
* 1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, combine pineapple, cranberry sauce and oranges. Fold in whipped topping and orange peel. Serve on lettuce if desired. Garnish with pecans just before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fluffy-Fruit-Salad/Detail.aspx

Chinese Salad

My version of Chinese salad, fresh and crispy with a nice crunch from the toasted nuts and crispy noodles. A commercial honey-soy dressing gives a great salty/sweet taste that compliments this salad.

15 min - 15 min prep - 2-4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups bean sprouts, fresh
3-4 cups Chinese cabbage, I use sugarloaf
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds, shelled of course
1/4 cup crispy hokkein noodles
2 carrots, julienned
1/4 English cucumber, bite sized chunks
2 green onions, sliced on the diagonal
honey soy dressing (Kraft makes an excellent one)

DIRECTIONS:
Thinly slice cabbage.
Toss in bean sprouts, julienned carrots, cucumbers and green onions.
Just prior to serving toss through the crispy noodles and toasted nuts so they don't go soggy.
Add salad dressing to taste and enjoy!
If you want this as a main dish, add cooked, crumbled chicken mince or shredded chicken for a nicely rounded meal.

FROM: http://www.recipezaar.com/258652

Spicy Diced Vegetables

This yummy vegetarian recipe was give to us by some friends. They have their own restaurant so we knew it would be good. I'm really not sure how long prep time is so I've just put in a rough guess.

45 min - 15 min prep - 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
2 carrots
2 potatoes, Large
2 tomatoes
250 g green beans
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
salt

DIRECTIONS:
Peel carrots, potatoes and tomatoes and dice.
Trim beans and cut into small pieces.
Heat oil in a heavy based saucepan and fry mustard seed until they pop, add onion, garlic and ginger and fry stirring frequently until onion is golden.
Stir in turmeric, coriander, cumin and chilli powder and fry for a few seconds then toss in vegetables until coated with spices and oil.
Add salt to taste.
Add 3 tablespoons water, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Stir gently every 5 minutes and add a little more water if necessary.
Sprinkle with garam masala just before end of cooking.
Serve with rice or bread of your choice.

FROM: http://www.recipezaar.com/257189

Marinated Roasted Vegetables

Clean out your vegetable bin and serve a gourmet-quality side dish! This one is really a no-brainer and you'll love the subtle boost in the hearty flavor of these roasted vegetables. I have listed specific vegetables, but use whatever you have, including cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, parsnips, etc. Preparation time includes 2 hours of marinating time. Enjoy!

2¾ hours - 2 hours prep - 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, medium-sized, peeled and halved
6 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
2 medium onions, peeled and halved
3 celery ribs, cut into 3-inch lengths
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons prepared mustard (I like Heinz)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons malt vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
1 teaspoon dried sweet basil leaves
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, tomato flavored (look in Mexican aisle at grocery)
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Blend all ingredients except for the vegetables in a large mixing bowl to make the marinade. Pour in the vegetables and stir them around so that they get initially coated with marinade.
Marinate the vegetables in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, stirring once or twice.
Place the vegetables, with all the marinade, in an 9" x 13" (or larger) casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake on the middle rack in a pre-heated oven at 375-degrees F. for 45 minutes.
Serve hot.
TIP: Sometimes the potatoes and carrots I use in this recipe are a little flaccid -- so, to fix that problem, all I do is soak them in really cold water (after they're peeled) for about 2 hours before marinating and they crisp right up!

FROM: http://www.recipezaar.com/256612

Super Budget Macaroni Cheese

This is a favourite around this house because it is so cheap to make and freezes well. I like to pack this as part of my boyfriend's lunches, along with things like chicken drumsticks, fruit, and corn fritters. Note: there are weeks when we can't afford cheese. Never fear, just leave it out! You should add a little more seasoning in this case, and perhaps a pinch of dried herbs over the top to lend it more character.

45 min - 15 min prep - 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
500 g macaroni
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated low-fat cheese
1-2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (reserve the ends of bread if your family doesn't eat them, or keep stale bits ready to whizz in the)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta; drain; set aside.
Warm milk in saucepan. When it is just warm to the touch, whisk in half the flour. Let the milk begin to simmer, whisking all the time. You be the judge of the thickness - we like it really thick. If you want it thicker, add the remaining flour and continue to whisk until smooth and thick. Stir through the cheese and the salt and pepper until the cheese is melted. Take off the heat.
Pour into a baking dish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celcius.

FROM: http://www.recipezaar.com/256257

Carribean Black Beans

Easy and flavorful! Excellent side dish for spicy dishes like jerk chicken or Puerco Pibil! Serve with mango salsa for a delicious combination.

25 min - 5 min prep - 5 servings

INSTRUCTIONS:
1 1/2 medium sweet onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh grated gingerroot
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
4 1/2 cups drained cooked black beans or 3 (16 ounce) cans black beans
3/4 cup orange juice
salt & freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil until barely soft.
Add the spices and saute until very soft.
Stir in the beans and orange juice and saute for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
Mash a few of the beans with a fork or the back of a spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Adjust the consistency to your liking by adding orange juice or mashing more beans. You can also blend the beans with additional orange juice to make an excellent bean dip!

FROM: http://www.recipezaar.com/255938