Superfood Nirvana Salad

Superfood Nirvana Salad



6 cups mixed greens (baby lettuce mix, herb salad, etc)
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cups strawberries, sliced
1 cups blueberries
3 kiwis, peeled & sliced
1 can diced beets
½ cup sunflower seeds (hulled)
¼ cup golden flax seeds
Berry Vinaigrette Dressing:

½ cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup acai berry juice
¼ cup blueberries
1/3 cup strawberries
Couple pinches of salt
Freshly ground pepper

Prepare dressing by combining all ingredients into a bowl and pureeing with a hand blender until completely smooth. Set aside.
In a large salad bowl gently toss together the greens, beets, and blueberries. Place equal amounts on 4 plates or bowls and top each with about ½ cup of quinoa. Arrange kiwi and strawberry slices on top, sprinkle the sunflower seeds and flax seeds on top, drizzle each plate generously with the dressing, and enjoy!

Fresh Peach Salsa

Fresh Peach Salsa

4 medium peaches, peeled and pitted
2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges and seeded
1/2 sweet onion, cut into wedges
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Baked tortilla chip scoops

Directions
In a food processor, combine the first five ingredients; cover and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the chilies, vinegar, lime juice and pepper; cover and pulse just until blended. Transfer to a serving bowl; chill until serving. Serve with chips. Yield: 4 cups.

Nutritional Facts
1/4 cup (calculated without chips) equals 20 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 58 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein. Diabetic Exchange: Free food.

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Chocolate Cherry Cookies (94 cal each!)


1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
1.5 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1/3 cup)
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup dried cherries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next
3 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add brown sugar,
stirring until smooth. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at medium
speed until well blended. Add cherries, vanilla, and egg; beat until combined. Fold in chocolate.
Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes or until almost firm. Remove cookies from pans;
cool on wire racks.

Southwest Turkey Burgers

Southwest Turkey Burgers

Ingredients
8 slices turkey bacon or turkey bacon with black pepper or applewood smoked bacon
1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast, the average weight of 1 package
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large shallot or 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional - parsley may be substituted
1/2 small bell pepper, green, red or yellow, seeded and finely chopped
1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons, 2/3 palm full, ground cumin
1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne hot sauce, several drops (recommended: Tabasco)
2 teaspoons grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
Vegetable oil or olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 pound deli sliced pepper jack cheese
4 crusty kaiser rolls, split
1 cup sweet red pepper relish, found on condiment aisle - pepper jelly may be substituted
Red leaf lettuce
Spicy O-nuts, recipe follows

Directions
Chop your garlic and veggies.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until crisp. Wipe excess grease from pan and return skillet to heat.

While bacon cooks, combine turkey meat, garlic, shallot or onion, thyme, cilantro or parsley, bell pepper, serrano or jalapeno pepper, cumin, hot pepper sauce,
grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Divide mixture into 4 equal mounds then form meat into patties. Drizzle patties with vegetable oil to coat.
Cook in skillet over medium high heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Place sliced cheese over the patties in the last 2 minutes of cooking,
use 1 or 2 slices for each patty, as you like.

Pile cooked cheeseburgers into buns. Spread sweet relish or jelly on bun tops and set red leaf lettuce into place, using the relish or jelly as glue.
Top cheeseburgers with 2 slices of cooked, crisp bacon or turkey bacon and lettluce. Then serve with tortilla chips, tossed salad and/or spicy o-nuts.

Boot Tracks

Boot Tracks



INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup salted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, (optional)
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

PREPARATION
Preheat a nonstick (not Belgian) waffle iron.
Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Add flour, cocoa powder, oil and espresso powder (if using). Beat until thoroughly combined.
Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto the preheated ungreased waffle iron.
(To avoid burnt fingers, use two spoons, one to scoop and one to scrape dough onto the waffle iron.)
Close and cook until the cookies are puffed and cooked through, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
Waffle irons vary, so watch closely and don’t let the cookies get too dark.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool until just warm.
Dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while still slightly warm (see Variations).

Variations: Instead of confectioners’ sugar, drizzle cooled cookies with melted bittersweet and/or white chocolate.
Or make a peppermint drizzle: Mix 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 4 teaspoons water and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract;
add natural green food coloring, if desired.

Makes: 3 dozen cookies

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Some days, you want gourmet, but without the gourmet time and cost. Here is a little something that can be served as a side, as a main course, or as an appetizer!

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

10 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
5 bacon strips, halved lengthwise

Directions
Place asparagus on a sheet of waxed paper; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with pepper; turn to coat. Wrap a bacon piece around each spear; secure ends with toothpicks.
Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until bacon is crisp. Discard toothpicks.

Yield: 2-3 servings.

Nutritional Facts
1 serving (5 each) equals 222 calories, 22 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 25 mg cholesterol, 281 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g protein.

New Mexican Chicken Tacos with Sweet Salsa Verde

New Mexican Chicken Tacos with Sweet Salsa Verde Preparation

	3 tablespoonolive oil 2 lbschicken skinless, bone-in chicken parts; (thighs work best)
	1 Salt
	3 tablespoonchile powder; (ancho if you have it)
	1 largeyellow onion; sliced thin
	6 clovesgarlic; pressed or thinly sliced
	1 dried ancho chile; coarsely chopped or fresh poblano
	2 New Mexican chiles; coarsely chopped *can use dried if you can't find fresh
	4 cchicken broth
	Cilantro; plus more chopped, for garnish (optional)
	12 tortillas; warmed
	SWEET SALSA VERDE:
	2 tablespoonsolive oil
	1 mediumred onion; coarsely chopped
	1 jalapeno; seeded & coarsely diced
	8 tomatillos; husked and coarsely chopped
	3 tablespoonsfresh lime juice
	2 tablespoonshoney
	0.25 ccilantro leaves; chopped
	1 salt and pepper; to taste Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and ancho chile powder. Sear, meaty side down, in the oil until golden brown. Turn over and brown on the other side. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook until lightly golden brown. Then add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Return the chicken & add the chiles, broth, and cilantro, and bring to a boil. Cover and roast in the oven until the chicken easily falls away from the bone, about 45 min. (MAKE SALSA VERDE WHILE CHICKEN IS IN THE OVEN). Remove the chicken from the pot and strain the juices into a bowl. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove bones and shred with a fork. Place the reserved liquid in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the shredded chicken, and cook for a couple of minutes- just til warm. Divide the warm chicken among the warm tortillas, top with Salsa Verde and chopped cilantro. SALSA INSTRUCTIONS: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and jalapeno and cook until soft. Add the tomatillos and 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Put in blender, add remaining ingresients & blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.