Roasted Cauliflower and Onions with Parmesan Cheese

I love cauliflower!  My Mother would be so proud of me if she knew that.  I would never eat it as a child without a gallon of milk to wash down each bite,though, and because my Father didn’t care for it either, she never  served it at home. I use it in a variety of ways to make grain free pizza crust, tortillas, flatbreads, rice, and in soups and stews... but hardly ever just as side dish.  For some reason I have been craving it lately.  This Roasted Cauliflower and Onions with Parmesan Cheese, which has lots and lots of garlic, too, is truly delicious.  I might even get The Captain to try it!  The cheese interests him a lot.

I have used coconut oil instead of my usual olive oil here in roasting these veggies. I am making an effort to use more coconut oil in my cooking these days and this is a natural fit.

You cannot imagine how good the aroma coming from kitchen was as this baked away in my oven! I wish I could capture that and share it with you!  The whole, smashed cloves of garlic in this dish smell just wonderful as they cook.  And yes, my windows are still open wide, long after removed the pan from the oven.

I calculated the N.I. for this dish as 4 servings, but honestly, I could easily make a meal of this just for myself!  And if you like really cheesy, by all means... add more!

A word of caution here… don’t slice the onions too thin or they will just disappear as they bake.  I like to leave them at least 1/2 inch in width.

Roasted Cauliflower and Onions with Parmesan Cheese
Makes 4 generous servings

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1/2 medium to large white onion (cut it in half vertically)
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• Dashes of salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese 

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. Wash the cauliflower and remove its core and leaves. Break it into flowerettes and place them in large bowl.
3. Slice the onion vertically and place the pieces in the bowl with the cauliflower.
4. Add the peeled and smashed garlic cloves to onions and cauliflower and toss altogether.
5. Drizzle the coconut oil over veggies and mix well.
6. Pour it all into a roasting pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the oven, and stir veggies. 
9. Place the pan back in oven and bake for another 20 minutes.
10. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the veggies with the parmesan cheese.
11. Place the pan back in the oven for a final 20 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven. 
13. Serve warm or cooled.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ =  3.
Calories 132; Protein 7g; Carbohydrate 16g; Fat 6g; Fibre 6.

Mix all the veggies together in a large bowl and drizzle with coconut oil.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper before placing the pan in the oven.

After 20 minutes, remove from oven, stir vegetables, and then replace in oven for another 20 minutes before sprinkling with parmesan cheese and baking a final 20 minutes.

Serve hot from the oven, or allow to cool and store in fridge till ready to serve.  Reheat in microwave or eat cold… great either way!

Mmmmmmm!

Printable Recipe

What is  your favorite way to eat cauliflower?

Bacon and Tomato Sauce

Doesn’t everything just taste better with bacon on it?
 
I don’t eat regular pasta anymore, preferring zoodles or spaghetti squash strands over wheat flour or even brown rice noodles.  But The Captain does like his pasta so I threw this together for lunch on Tuesday after we came home from the tennis court.

I was hungry, and hoped this might be quick. I already had some zoodles prepared and waiting in the fridge, so I put some water on to boil for The Captain’s linguine noodles while I made this sauce. It all came together in about 20 minutes.

I always keep some cooked, crumbled bacon in the freezer. It is just so handy to add a spoonful or two for a little flavor boost.  I also keep peeled garlic cloves in the fridge, too. If you don’t have crushed tomatoes on hand, use diced, or even fresh.. and you could also use your immersion/handheld blender to puree them if you like.

Bacon and Tomato Sauce
Makes 2 servings.

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 3/4 cup white onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh or dried basil for garnish and flavor punch

1. Warm the olive oil in a skillet or saucepan over MEDIUM heat.
2. Add the garlic and onions and saute about till softenened but not browned, about 7 or 8 minutes.
3. Add the bacon and mix.
4. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes and mix again. Allow to heat through.
5. Remove from heat and then ladle sauce over noodles of choice on serving plates. Garnish and season before serving.

Per serving, sauce only.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 132; Protein 8g; Carbohydrate 10g; Fat 7g; Fibre 2g.

Printable Recipe

If you like this recipe, won't you please consider Pinning it? Thanks so much.

Kate’s Bright Green Lettuce Soup

Do you have any friends with whom you like to swap recipes and talk food?  One who gets as excited as you over a new find at Costco, or a new spice she has tried?  One who sends you flavored vinegars in the mail because she knows you will love them as much as she does?

Well, I do...  and I am so thankful for her.  My friend is Kate, and she has been the source of many of the recipes and ideas I have shared here with all of you.  When she told me about her Bright Green Lettuce Soup I thought it best to just turn things over to her.  And she is much, much too modest.

Here’s Kate's story:

I am so excited to be asked by my dear friend Elle to guest post on her blog! She’s very adventurous to ask a newbie to give it a whirl, don’t you think?

I have shared recipes with Elle in the past and frequently look for her input. About a year ago I started sharing photos of my creations so she could see what my end result looked like and compare her results to mine (hers are usually better!). So when I sent her the photos of this bright green soup she was very intrigued.

Getting back to the beginning. This year I purchased a half share CSA (community share agriculture). In my first delivery I received a HUGE bag of spring mix – the farmer calls it Spicy Mesclun Salad Mix. After eating it just about every day for lunch the first week, I still had 3/4 of a bag left and received another bag in the second delivery. {Picked up week’s 6 delivery, and there has been a bag of this Spicy Mesclun Salad Mix, each week.}

I was making chit chat with a patient (I am a mammographer) and was talking about gardening, and juicing. So I mentioned my CSA and my spring mix dilemma. She suggested making soup out of it and said David Rocco had a recipe for one.

Well, I couldn't find the recipe she mentioned but I perused these ones:

• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/lettuce-soup-recipe2.html
• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/creamy-arugula-and-lettuce-soup-with-goat-cheese-recipe.html
• http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1297403

And this is what I came up with:

Bright Green Lettuce Soup
Serves 5

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup onion chopped (about 1 medium)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil (or oil of your choice)
• 10 oz cleaned and dried spring mix
• 900 ml Campbell's vegetable soup broth (or make you own)
• 1/4 cup coconut milk (I found little 160 ml cans; about the size of tomato paste cans)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Parsley for garnish if desired
• Chives for garnish if desired
• Greek Yogurt for garnish if desired (this will add an additional element of creaminess)

Directions:

1. Preheat the coconut oil in a heavy bottom soup pot.
2. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until onions are soft and translucent.
3. Add the stock to the pot, cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered for 5-10 minutes to more fully cook the onions.
4. Turn the heat down and add the lettuce, cook until wilted. About 3-7 minutes more.
5. Remove from heat and carefully puree the mixture with an immersion blender, or cool completely and use a regular blender to puree.
6. Return to heat and stir in coconut milk. (** You could use cream, sour cream, or yogurt).
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley and chives.

Per serving without garnishes.
Weight Watchers P+ = 1.
Calories 47; Protein 1g; Carbohydrate 5g; Fat 3g; Fibre 2g.

It smells delicious as it is cooking!!

The verdict:

It’s kind of like a cream of spinach soup, but probably not quite as thick.

I brought some to work the next day to share with my co-workers and they all had positive things to say....tasty, refreshing, exotic were some descriptors they offered.

This is a tasty and healthy soup. You could add some red Thai chili if you would like some extra zing, or a touch of arrowroot powder/cornstarch to make it a bit thicker if you like (of course adding more spring mix would also thicken it.)

Oh, did I mention it freezes really well and keeps it bright green hue?

Onions sauteed till translucent in the coconut oil.

 

Mixed Spring Greens, washed and dried.

 

Mmmmm.  Coconut milk.

 

Puree the soup...

 

till quite smooth.

 

Freeze the leftovers if you like…

 

The beautiful bright green color won’t disappear!

 

Printable Recipe

 

Have you ever made soup with lettuce?


Now what to do with the rest of the greens? Pesto perhaps?

Thanks so much to Kate for her lovely, delicous recipe, and for taking over the blog today... if you like this recipe won't you consider Pinning it or Tweeting it via @WeCanBegin2Feed. Thanks so much!

Peanut Butter, Soy, and Sesame Sauce for Zoodles or Noodles

Ya’ll know how much I love my zoodles.  I have had so much fun coming up with new sauces for them every week or so. I never get tired of them.  Nope, never.  Do you have any favorite foods like that? That you could eat over and over and over and still want more?

Now, I don’t eat peanut butter very often… I really think that almond butter and cashew butter are better for me.  But sometime you just have to have peanut butter in a recipe for the flavor it brings.  This is one of those recipes. I have tried it with almond butter and it is just not the same.

When you put a sauce on zoodles it tends to bring out the moisture in them, so by the time you get to the bottom of the plate, there is usually soupy sauce left.  Don’t waste it… get out your spoon and slurp it up!

Peanut Butter, Soy, and Sesame Sauce
Makes 1 serving

• 1 Tbs peanut butter
• 1 Tbs tamari soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1/2 tsp dark sesame oil

1. Mix the peanut butter and soy sauce till well-combined.
2. Add the minced garlic and sesame oil and stir to blend.
3. Pour over zoodles and toss to coat.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 135; Protein 6g; Carbohydrate 5g; Fat 10g; Fibre 1g.

Just tossed, already getting wetter.

Printable Recipe

Since I first came up with this recipe, I have also tried it with a spoonful of fat free plain Greek Yogurt stirred in... it makes the sauce a bit thicker and just as tasty!

What is your favorite nut butter?

Souvlaki Style Pork with Vegetables and Sauce

This dish was inspired by something I found in a magazine a few weeks ago.  It is kind of an easy version of one of my favorite Greek dishes, Pork Souvlaki.  But here there is no messing with the barbecue or kebabs… it’s just a lean pork loin roast (or a tenderloin if you prefer) and some veggies.

It is a simple matter of browning the pork roast in a pan with some olive oil, and then baking it in the oven while the veggies are cooking in the same pan you used to brown the roast.  It all comes together pretty quickly and it is quite delectable.

I used a mixture of white and sweet potatoes. I would have used all sweet for me, but The Captain prefers white.  And the sauce is very garlicky… just the way we both like it!

This meal fed the 2 of us on three different occasions so I only made up two servings of the sauce each time... one for each of us.  I prepared it first and let the garlic work its magic in the yogurt while I prepared the main dish. Of course you will omit the sauce if you follow a Paleo diet.

Souvlaki Style Pork with Vegetables
Makes 6 servings

• 1-1/2 lb lean pork loin or tenderloin
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch chunks (about 2 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced vertically (about 3/4 cup)
• 8 ounces sweet potato, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 8 ounces white or yellow potato, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 dried oregano

1. Trim any fat from the pork roast and then rub about 1 tsp of dried oregano all over the surface.
2. Place 1 tsp of olive oil into a large non-stick pan set it over MEDIUM heat. 
3. Set your oven to 425°F to preheat.
4. Put the roast in the warm pan and cook it a couple of minutes on each side until browned.
5. Place the roast on a baking sheet and bake in hot oven about 20 to 25 minutes.
6. When the roast is cooked through, remove to cutting board and allow to rest for a few minutes until slicing into 18 slices.
7. Meanwhile, add the other 1 tsp of olive oil to the same non-stick pan and add the potatoes, onion, and garlic, and cook about 6 minutes till the potatoes begin to soften and the onions are lightly browned.
8. Add the chicken broth and water, and bring to a boil.
9. Reduce the heat and simmer till the potatoes are almost cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
10. Add the remaining vegetables and 1 tsp of oregano.  Cook about 5 minutes until the zucchini and the pepper are tender.
11. Remove from heat and serve with Souvlaki Sauce on the top. Garnish with more oregano if desired.

Souvlaki Sauce
For each serving

• 2 Tbs fat free plain Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, peeled, smashed, and minced

1. Mix together and refrigerate while preparing the roast and vegetables.

If you happen to be following the Weight Watchers new Simple Start program, or the Simply Filling Technique, there is no counting to be done here… these are all Power Foods. But I did calculate the N.I. for those of you who count Points Plus Values.

Per serving, without Souvlaki Sauce
Weight Watchers P+ = 7.
Calories 266; Protein 27g; Carbohydrate 21g; Fat 8g; Fibre 3g.

Per serving, with Souvlaki Sauce
Weight Watchers P+ = 7.
Calories 287; Protein 30g; Carbohydrate 23g; Fat 8g; Fibre 3g.

Printable Recipe

Are you a Greek food fan?  What is your favorite dish?

Juicy Caribbean Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot

I like to have a few meals in the freezer to have on days when I work a couple of shifts or when we have had a very busy afternoon and I don’t really feel like spending a lot of effort in making dinner. I find the easiest way to do that is to make a pulled pork dish in the crock pot, and then divvy it up into individual servings to freeze.

When I want to serve it I usually just pop it into a small saucepan, still frozen, and cover with a lid... heat on MEDIUM, stirring occasionally till it is heated through.  Then serve it with whatever side dishes you like... cooked leftover veggies, rice, or even on toast.

There are so many different spices and herbs that can be used with the pork.  I have made it with tomato sauce in BBQ style, with apples and raisins, with chili peppers and vegetables, and with balsamic vinegar and onions.   This time around I used canned Mandarin oranges and garlic, and call it Caribbean Pulled Pork.  Lovely.

That first evening I served it with avocado on Romaine lettuce leaves that we could wrap and eat with our fingers, alongside some creamy coleslaw.  Since then I have enjoyed the leftovers with Cauliflower Rice, over cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, and with carrots and pea; The Captain likes it served over a toasted and split roll, like Sloppy Joes, or over rice.  Your choice. It’s all good.

I will give you the N.I. for the ingredients I used, but if that is not important to you, don’t fuss over it. Just put your pork in the slow cooker with the oranges and garlic, and cook. Then shred with 2 forks after it is done.  Easy, and delicious!  And if you are eating strictly Paleo, then use fresh oranges instead of the canned.

Juicy Caribbean Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot
Makes 35 servings of 2 ounces (after cooking weight) each

• 4-3/4 lb. lean pork loin roast, all fat trimmed off 
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 Tbs cumin
• 1 cup canned Mandarin oranges with juice
• Dashes of salt and pepper

1. Lightly coat the interior of the slow cooker with a non-stick spray for easy cleanup.
2. Pierce the outside of the pork roast with a knife in 8 different places around the outside, making a half inch gash each time.
3. Push a piece of garlic into each gash.
4. Lightly coat a large non-stick skillet over MEDIUM heat and put the pork roast in the pan.
5. Turning frequently, cook the pork roast just a couple of minutes till all outside edges are browned.
6. Place the pork roast in the bottom of the crock pot and sprinkle the cumin over it.
7. Puree the Mandarin oranges in your blender or with an immersion blender and pour over the pork and garlic.
8. Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
9. After cooking remove all but 1 cup of the liquid.
10. Shred the pork by pulling it apart with 2 forks, and incorporate the remaining liquid as you do so. Add back liquid as desired to make it the consistency you like.  I ended up adding back most of the liquid.
11. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

Per 2 ounce serving. (You may want 1-1/2 to 2 servings at a sitting.)
Weight Watchers P+ = 2.
Calories 92; Protein 13g; Carbohydrate 1g; Fat 3g; Fibre 0g.

The sides of the slow cooker get pretty messy during cooking so that light coating of non-stick spray really makes a difference in the clean up process.

Messy but fun and informal lettuce wraps… the avocado is a nice garnish.

Printable Recipe

Creamy Garlic Nooch Sauce for Zoodles or Noodles

The Captain is getting very skilled at selecting green Zucchini squashes at the market. Smaller ones for lunch… larger ones for dinner.  And he seems to find the straightest and freshest, too.  Straigher zukes make for curlier zoodles!

I wanted to have zoodles for lunch, and I was craving nooch. I love the salty, almost cheese-like taste of the nutritional yeast, and decided to use some fat free plain Greek yogurt with it to make my zoodle sauce.  A bit of garlic, a splash of lemon juice, and we’re set!

If you can make this up and leave it for 15 to 30 minutes, refrigerated, to allow the garlic to work its magic, so much the better.  If you made it in the morning and took it to work, by lunchtime it would be incredible!  Better make sure to take your toothbrush along, too.

I used fat free Greek yogurt because I wanted to spend my fat calories on olives, and I prefer Greek style yogurt because of its higher protein content, and thick consistency.  You can use regular plain yogurt if you like but the N.I. won’t be the same, of course.

Creamy Garlic Nooch Sauce

Makes 1 serving

• 1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• splash of lemon juice, about 1/2 Tbs

1. Mix everything together and toss with zoodles or noodles before serving.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 121; Protein 18g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 1g; Fibre 4g.

Printable Recipe

Do you use nutritional yeast too?  What is your favorite way to have it?  I am always looking for new ways to enjoy it.

Sensational Sesame Sauce with Zuke Noodles

Happy New Year!

I am so excited to share my latest creation with you in my first post of 2014.

This Sesame Sauce truly is sensational.  It is salty, and smoky, and garlicky, and it feels like silk on your tongue. When I was eating it, I told The Captain that I could eat it every day.  That is not something I think very often... but this sauce is THAT good.  Really.

I have been eating zuke noodles ever since I got my new spiralizer this past week.  The first two times I had them, I made sauces based on extra lean ground beef and tomatoes… different veggies and spices… but similar.  I loved them.  But I wanted something different.  A girl just cannot eat ground beef every day, no matter how lean it is.

I got The Captain to operate the spiralizer… I was just too excited!

A huge plateful of noodles from half a medium zucchini… and I ate the whole thing!

My serving the second time trying them was a bit more conservative… I only at about half and put the other half in the fridge where they keep nicely for a couple of days.

Look how long just one noodle can become!

When I decided to have them for lunch on Tuesday, I knew I needed a change of sauce.  I remembered the nooch sauce that I have been using as a salad dressing, but thought I should have something somewhat thinner, to coat the zuke noodles, rather than sit like a blob on the top of them.  I love tahini paste and I love the saltiness of soy sauce and the smokiness of dark sesame oil so I decided to combine the flavors… and after a bit of testing and tasting, this is what I came up with.  I love it. I am going to eat it again and again and again.  And yes, it is high in fat, but it’s healthy fat and on days I have this sauce, I will really watch curb my fat intake the rest of the time.  I just may even try it with only a teaspoon of sesame oil instead of a whole tablespoon.  Time will tell. 

I made up the sauce and tried it before adding the garlic, and it tasted great… but the addition of the garlic put it right over the top! Try it both ways. I know you will love it, too.

If you are avoiding gluten, be sure to use tamari soy sauce, which is wheat free.  If you are eating truly Paleo, you will want to use coconut aminos.  It’s all up to you.

I am sure this would be great on real pasta too.  If that is your preference, do give it a try.

Sensational Sesame Sauce with Zuke Noodles
Makes 2 servings

• 1/4 cup tahini paste
• 2 Tbs tamari soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
• 1 Tbs dark sesame oil
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and minced

1. Prepare yourself a plateful of zucchini noodles using a spiralizer or a julienne peeler.
2. Set them aside on the counter for a couple of hours to soften.
3. Mix all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl..
4. If you are preparing a single serving, reserve half of the sauce and store in refrigerator for another time.
5. Spoon the other half of the sauce over the zuke noodles and with two spoons, mix to coat the noodles.
6. Serve and devour.

Per serving, not including noodles.
Weight Watchers P+ = 8.
Calories 273; Protein 7g; Carbohydrate 6g; Fat 25g; Fibre 0g.

I made sure to spoon up ALL the sauce… I suppose I could use 1/3 instead of 1/2 for each serving… Hmmmmm.  But so tasty!

Printable Recipe

Are you noodle fan?

If you enjoy this post please share it  via @WeCanBegin2Feed on Twitter  and/or Pin it.

So What is Goop?

I have been asked this question several times since I posted about making Goop last weekend during my batch cooking marathon!   What is Goop?

I first hear the term GOOP when I met The Captain many years ago… at that time he made a one-skillet dish, based on ground beef, onions, and other veggies… and called it Goop.  Sometimes we used it as the filling in in a baking powder biscuit pie crust with cheddar cheese lattices, and sometimes he enjoyed it with macaroni noodles.  The vegetables varied, depending on what we had on hand, and we used a bit of tomato sauce to hold it all together.

We basically gave it up when we moved aboard our sailboat in 2002 and I completely forgot about it.  Till about a week ago.  We have been eating extra lean ground beef more often this past year and I am always trying to come up with new ways to serve it.  I was going to make up a Meat Sauce to serve with pasta and spaghetti squash, and I remembered Goop.

The main difference between Goop and a Meat Sauce, is that Goop is not seasoned or spicy, and it has only a bit of tomato sauce… much thicker than Meat Sauce.

Here is how it went the last time I made it… and you can see The Captain enjoyed a serving of barley alongside.  You can keep your meal gluten-free or Paleo quite easily.

Goop
Makes 4 servings

• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 medium onion, thinly slices (about 7.5 ounces)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 4 medium carrots, cut into small pieces
• 1 medium red pepper cut into small chunks
• 8 green beans, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
• 3/4 cup tomato sauce

1. Melt coconut oil in large skillet over MEDIUM heat.
2. Add ground beef, onions and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the meat is fully browned and the onions are soft and translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. 
3. Add the carrots, peppers and beans. Cook another 5 or 6 minutes till somewhat soft.
4. Add the tomato sauce and stir to combine. 
5. Cover and allow to simmer for half an hour. You may need to reduce heat to LOW.
6. Divide into 4 and serve.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 8.
Calories 310; Protein 25g; Carbohydrate 17g; Fat 15g; Fibre 5g.

Please note that in Canada our extra lean ground beef may be up to 15% fat. In the U.S. it may be a low as 4% so this will affect the N.I.  And you could certainly get more, but smaller, servings from  these ingredients.

Steaming away on the stove.. almost ready to add the tomato sauce and then cover.

And ready to serve. You can see how thick it is.

I like mine with some kind of squash… or even a cauliflower tortilla to scoop it up.

Printable Recipe

What d’ya think?  Could you be a Goop fan, too?

Strawberry Salad with Roasted Garlic

Here is one of those truly fabulous ideas that I wish I had thought of myself… and after you read this you may well wonder why you didn’t think of it too.

But thankfully, Kristina did, and wrote a blog post about it that appeared in my inbox one day last week… and I kept it there, to remind me to get the ingredients to make it, SOONER rather than later.

The only other time I have ever eaten roasted garlic was on a friend’s boat… she served it with camembert and crackers as an appie before dinner.  I remember that I really liked it but have just never had an occasion to try it myself.

Kristina’s Raspberry and Roasted Garlic Big Salad was just the motivation I needed.
Well, I went hunting for fresh raspberries yesterday in my favorite local markets… the berries growing here are not quite ready to pick yet… but they were just so darned expensive that I didn’t buy any.  But I did spy some lovely strawberries and thought they might do just as well.

So today, after The Captain washed our balcony deck and watered the flowers and tomatoes and herbs and strawberries, we decided we should have lunch out in the sunshine and I knew this salad would be perfect. A sunny and beautiful day deserves a sunny and beautiful lunch!

I referred to Kristina’s post on how to roast the garlic and then did that right away so it would be cooled before lunchtime rolled.  You cannot imagine how great it smells as it is cooking. MMMmmmm.  I am sure everyone walking past my open windows enjoyed it as well.

And of course I made enought for both of us… if you love garlic as much as we do, you won’t have to ask why!

I didn’t make it up EXACTLY like Kristina did, so will give you my ingredients and the recipe for the little dressing I made too, but you will have to check her original post to get the low-down on roasting the garlic…  it was truly fabulous! 

We both really enjoyed it and I will be making it again, certainly… but I think next time I will use a whole head of garlic for each salad. It is THAT good!  I might even add some slices of baked chicken breast and serve it for dinner.  It is absolutely company-worthy too.

Of course my Weight Watchers friends may gasp at the N.I., but just use fewer cashews and you can lower the fat content easily...

Thanks to Kristina for the great idea – and of course  her lovely photos always add to the temptation to make up her recipes, too.

Strawberry Salad with Roasted Garlic
Makes 2 servings

• 1 head garlic, roasted and cooled
• 3 cups mixed salad greens, washed and dried
• 2 mini cucumbers, sliced
• 10 strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 cup raw cashews

1. Tear the salad greens into bite size pieces and divide between 2 serving bowls or plates.
2. Add half of the cucumbers, strawberries, and cashews to each bowl.
3. Gently squeeze roasted garlic cloves out of their papery coverings and place half of them into each bowl.
4. Toss the salads and then spoon the dressing over the top before serving.

Strawberry Dressing
Makes 2 servings

• 1 medium strawberry
• 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp olive oil
• drizzle of lemon juice
• dash of salt

1. Mix all ingredients and then spoon half over each salad.

Per serving, salad and dressing.
Weight Watchers P+ = 9.
Calories 326; Protein 10g; Carbohydrate 24g; Fat 24g; Fibre 4g.

Printable Recipe

Raw head of garlic, sprinkled with EVOO, salt and pepper…

and roasted…. cooling on the counter.

Mine and his… waiting to be dressed with….

this little mixture.

The final product, ready to enjoy.

A sunny day and a sunny salad… I need some new unbreakable dishes for al fresco lunches.

Yup, it’s all for you!

What d’ya think?  Are you a garlic fan?

Have you ever roasted garlic?

Any other ideas as to how to enjoy it, other than on crackers?  Maybe roasted chicken?

Roasted Red Pepper Sun Dried Tomato 'Hummus'

When the the post with a recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Sun Dried Tomato Hummus from PEACE + LOVE + LOW CARB first arrived in my inbox a few weeks ago, I knew it was something I wanted to try!

It is not truly a hummus, because there is not a chickpea to be found!  And it is more like the texture of a Babaganoush – likely because of the tahini that is in it. The flavor is more liket that Babanoush as well.   It will make a lovely dip or sandwich topping… and for dinner we enjoyed some served on roasted chicken breasts.

It fits into a variety of food plans, too…. vegan, paleo, gluten free, and it is also low fat which I know my Weight Watchers buddies will appreciate…. actually, you could leave the olive oil right out of it if you like.

I didn’t Pin the recipe, because I was afraid I would forget about it… I left it in my inbox to keep reminding me that I wanted to make it… just as soon as I found some red peppers that didn’t cost an arm and a leg!  Gosh they have been so very expensive here lately.

But, today was the day!

The Captain and I went for a nice long walk downtown this morning. I had some library books to pick up at the central branch and we circled around through Chinatown to check out the market stalls… I love wandering the Chinese grocers… no hype, no fancy displays…just great looking, fresh-off-the-truck produce for very good prices. 

Hurray for great produce buys!  I found some nice red peppers, some bananas and some limes, while The Captain chose some white onions and oranges. 

After we got home and had lour lunch out on the the balcony in the sunshine, I got to work, on this ‘hummus’… I made up only half of the recipe as given and then added a few dashes of red pepper flakes for a bit more of a taste punch.

Most of these ingredients are things that I normally have on hand.  When I want roasted red peppers, I do my own using an easy quick method for broiling them in my oven.  I have purchased roasted red peppers in a jar, and they would likely be fine in a pinch, but they just are not as tasty as doing them yourself.

I also used dried sun-dried tomatoes so I let them soak in a bit of water while I peeled and seeded the still warm, just-roasted red pepper.

Kyndra used a Vitamix blender to make her hummus. I don’t have a Vitamix. In fact I am sure that my food processor is pretty middle of the road, but it didn’t have any trouble handling the load from these ingredients.

I did my clean up and put the hummus is in the refrigerator to chill.  I have to confess, I did lick the spatula after I finished using it to scrape out every bit of goodness from the bowl of my food processor… and the hummus is delicious…



A few hours later I served it over baked chicken breasts with our dinner and it was soooooo delicious!  Very garlicky, and just the right amount of cumin. It did need a bit more salt and The Captain loved it, too.

Yeah, I know… the color!   But in spite of that, it is wonderful!

Half the recipe, as I made it, produced about 2 cups of hummus.  The Nutritional Information is as I made it.

Per 1/4 cup serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 1.
Calories 52; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 5g; Fat 3g; Fibre 1g.

Do you like veggie dips?  What else could you pair this with?