Cranberry-Pear Tossed Salad

Prep Time: 15min

Ready In: 15min

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup apricot nectar 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1/3 cup canola oil 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 12 cups torn mixed salad greens 3 medium pears, sliced 1/2 cup dried cranberries 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.	For dressing, in a bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients; set aside. In a heavy skillet, melt sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add walnuts; stir to coat. Remove from the heat.
2.	In a large salad bowl, combine greens, pears and cranberries. Drizzle with dressing. Add nuts and blue cheese (optional); toss.

Happy Summer everyone!!!

Because of summer being here we're going to start uploading and sending out some healthy recipes!! Including some fruit salads, veggie recipes ect. The next post will be a Cranberry-Pear Tossed Salad! This recipe will be a big hit come 4th of July! I'm also working on finding a fruit salad in a watermelon shell. Those are huge hits for summer holidays!!

Beef Taco Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing

Prep Time:

35 min

Inactive Prep Time:

10 min

Cook Time:

12 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

For the Meat:

• 3/4 pound lean ground beef (90 percent lean or higher)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/3 cup water

For the dressing:

• 4 medium tomatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

• 2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar
• 2 ounces baked corn tortilla chips (about 32 chips)

Directions

To prepare the meat, heat a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink, stirring occasionally and breaking the meat up with the spoon. Add the garlic and beans and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the chili powder, cayenne and water and stir until well combined and some but not all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly. Meat mixture may be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To make the tomato dressing, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes (with their juices), oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Dressing may be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Place 2 cups of lettuce on each plate or in a lunch container. Top each serving with 1 cup of the beef mixture then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cheese. If making to-go, pack 3/4 cup of the tomato mixture in a separate sealable container and put about 8 chips in a separate bag. Right before eating, pour a portion of the tomato mixture with the liquid on top of each salad, and crush tortilla chips on top.

Nutritional analysis per serving (Serving size: 2 cups lettuce, 1 cup beef mixture, 2 tablespoons cheese, 3/4 cup of tomato mixture, and about 8 crushed tortilla chips)

Calories 430; Total Fat 22 g; (Sat Fat 8 g, Mono Fat 10 g, Poly Fat 2 g) ; Protein 29 g; Carb 36 g; Fiber 9 g; Cholesterol 70 mg; Sodium 770 mg

Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc

Good source of: Riboflavin, Vitamin K, Manganese

Credit goes to Food Network

Vegetable Lasagna

Vegetable Lasagna

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed, plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic, plus 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 24 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 eggplant, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 medium yellow squash, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 portobello mushroom, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare tomato sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cloves crushed garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add dried oregano, basil, and parsley and stir. Add crushed tomatoes and salt and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and dried thyme. Place zucchini on a sheet pan and brush with olive oil mixture. Bake until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Marinate the eggplant and yellow squash in the remaining olive oil mixture for a few minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and saute until fragrant. Add sliced button mushrooms and saute until tender. Set aside. Meanwhile, place marinated vegetables in a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.

Line the bottom of a casserole dish with the baked zucchini slices. Add half of the eggplant and squash mixture. Top with half of the tomato sauce and then spread the ricotta cheese over. Arrange portobello slices over top and then sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Top with the sauteed mushroom mixture. Top with remaining eggplant and squash mixture. Spread remaining tomato sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and all of the Parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted and brown, about 40 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into and serving.

~Courtesy of FoodNetwork

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour, 10 Minutes


Ingredients:

* 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
* 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon paprika
* 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tablespoon minced onion
* 10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
* 1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
* 1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information open nutritional information:

Amount Per Serving Calories: 491 | Total Fat: 35.2g | Cholesterol: 0mg

**This isn't one of my recipes, this is the site of where I got it so I'm giving credit for using it:http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Strawberry-Spinach-Salad-I/Detail.aspx

Enjoy!

Vegetable Lasagna

VEGETABLE LASAGNA

Ingrediants

* 2 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 cup diced green pepper
* 1/2 cup diced red pepper
* 1/2 cup diced zucchini
* 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
* 2 26 oz. jars spaghetti sauce or 6 cups homemade spaghetti sauce
* kosher salt and black pepper to taste
* 15 oz. part-skim ricotta cheese
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 1 cup shredded asiago cheese
* 12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, such as Ronzoni or Barilla
* 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat olive oil in a large (12- or 14-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and peppers. Saute several minutes until vegetables start to soften.

Add zucchini and mushrooms. Saute 2-3 more minutes until the vegetables have released most of their water. Stir in spaghetti sauce.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let the sauce simmer about 7-10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, eggs and asiago cheese together. Set aside.

Spoon about 3/4 cup of the vegetable sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.

Top with four lasagna noodles, going crosswise. It's okay if they overlap.

Top with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, the Parmesan cheese and 1/3 of the sauce.

Top with four more lasagna noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/3 of the sauce.

Top with the remaining lasagna noodles and remaining spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the spaghetti sauce.

Cover with aluminum foil, and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil, and bake another 10-20 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Let rest 15 minutes before cutting.

Credit: This is where I found the recipe, it's not my own I just wanted to share it with everyone! http://kidscooking.about.com/od/dinnerrecipes/r/vegetablelasagn.htm

Chicken Breasts With Mushroom Cream Sauce

Chicken Breasts With Mushroom Cream Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

Serves: 2
Total Time: 30 Minutes

• 2 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed (see Tips & Techniques)

• 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 tablespoon(s) canola oil
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1 cup(s) thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
• 2 tablespoon(s) dry vermouth, or dry white wine
• 1/4 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoon(s) heavy cream
• 2 tablespoon(s) minced fresh chives, or scallion greens

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Directions

1. Season chicken with pepper and salt on both sides.
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once or twice and adjusting the heat to prevent burning, until brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
3. Add shallot to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Pour in vermouth (or wine); simmer until almost evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Pour in broth and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream and chives (or scallions); return to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, turn to coat with sauce and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

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Tips & Techniques

It's difficult to find an individual chicken breast small enough for one portion. Removing the thin strip of meat from the underside of a 5-ounce breast — the "tender" — removes about 1 ounce of meat and yields a perfect 4-ounce portion. Wrap and freeze the tenders and when you have gathered enough, use them in a stir-fry or for oven-baked chicken fingers.

Credit To: Delish.com, which is where I found this recipe! I didn't invent it myself so to speak, I just wanted to share it with you all.

Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories	275
Total Fat	15g
Saturated Fat	5g
Cholesterol	84mg
Sodium	373mg
Total Carbohydrate	5g
Dietary Fiber	--
Sugars	--
Protein	25g
Calcium	0