Easy Salad

Ingredients
2 avocado
1 large red apple
2 Tbl honey
1/2 cup raisins
1 Tbl sunflower seeds
Preparation
In a bowl, combine the diced avocados, apple and raisins. Drizzle with honey, and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

Creamy Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion
1 medium head cauliflower
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 oz Cheddar cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
2 Tbl chopped fresh dill
Preparation
Coat a saucepan with oil, add onion and saute until tender then add the cauliflower chopped in big pieces and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add broth and milk to pan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until cauliflower is very tender.
Puree soup in a blender in batches. Return to pan over medium-low heat. Whisk in cheese and continue stirring just until melted. Sprinkle with dill and serve with toasted baguette slices.

Grilled Mini Pizza

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 tomatoes
1 lb homemade pizza dough
2 Tbl olive oil
8 oz grated Cheddar cheese
1 Tbl fresh thyme leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation
Prepare medium-hot fire on a charcoal grill
Cut the tomatoes into thin slices.
Divide the pizza dough in four equal balls, place some flower on your work area, then roll and stretch each ball until you obtain 4 mini pizza dough.
Place the pizza dough on the grill, cook 2 minutes on each side until is lightly colored about 2 minutes on each side. After removing from the grill drizzle on each olive oil, add the tomato slices, season with salt and pepper, and the cheese.
Cover the grill until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes, or until its gets a crust.

Coconut Carrot Salad

Ingredients
3 large carrots
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup celery
2 Tbl shredded coconut
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbl sour cream
1 Tbl cider vinegar
salt for taste
1 tsp sugar optional
Preparation
In a bowl, combine shredded carrots, raisins, walnuts, celery, and coconut. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, and salt. You can add sugar is the carrots are not the sweet ones. Stir dressing into carrot mixture. Refrigerate for at least 1 hours before serving.

Italian Chicken with Penne

Ingredients
1 pkg Penne pasta
2 tsp chicken-flavor instant bouillon
1 can artichokes
1/2 cup green onions
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 pound boneless chicken breast
1 tsp dried basil
2 Tbl olive oil
2 cups milk
2 Tbl cornstarch
Preparation
Boil the pasta, rinse with water and place it in a bowl. Cut the artichokes and chicken in 1 inch pieces,chop the onions,garlic. In a pan place the wine and cook the green onions, artichokes and garlic. Place the mixture in a separate bowl, and in same wine cook the chicken with basil and oil, add the other mixture. Simmer for 15 minutes then add the cornstarch and milk and poor over the pasta.

Beef and Corn Pasta

Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 lb 1/4 inch pieces steak
Spaghetti, cooked according to pkg directions
2 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 can corn, drained
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
salt as needed
Preparation
In a pot, heat oil, vinegar, garlic, onion, carrots, and green pepper. Simmer 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add meat and all remaining ingredients except the spaghetti. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally. Before serving, reheat adding water if needed. Serve over cooked, drained spaghetti using about 3 cups of the sauce per pound of pasta.
Makes 4

Cabbage with Sour Cream and Swiss Cheese

Ingredients
1 cabbage
5 oz Swiss cheese
1 Tbl all purpose flour
2 cups sour cream
2 cups milk
7 oz butter
salt
1 Tbl bread crumbs
Preparation
Slice the cabbage in big pieces and boil with salt. In a pan place butter on all walls, cover in bread crumbs and gratin cheese. Remove the water from the cabbage, then place in the pan, over it place the milk mixed with sour cream and flour, add more cheese, bread crumbs and the rest of butter cut in small pieces. Place to the preheat oven until its cooked, around 30 minutes.

Pomegranate

The Benefits of Pomegranate
The fruit is packed with vitamins and nutrients and scientists are studying its role in fighting heart disease and cancer.
The largest pomegranate, known for the large seeds and sweetness grow in California. But the most important thing is the variety is especially rich in antioxidants.
Eating pomegranate will lower the potassium helping reduce the blood pressure, bringing fibers to your body, and vitamin C.
Drinking pomegranate juice will help your blood flow to heart. This is recommended in people with coronary heart disease.
The natural pomegranate juice it can be drank by people suffering of diabetes, the natural pomegranate juice does not effect the blood glucose or the cholesterol levels.
Studies suggest that pomegranates could reduce the spread of lung cancer, and keep the prostate cancer from returning.
Are very recommended for the many health benefits that bring to you, are fun to eat, and are delicious to add to salads.
(See the Spinach and egg salad)

Waffle with Apricot

Ingredients
2 cups pancake & waffle flour
1/2 milk
1 tsp orange zest
1 stick butter
Preparation
Mixed the waffle flour with milk and orange zest. Heat the pan, place some butter, let it melt then add 1 big spoon of mixed, let it cook at medium heat on both sides.
It can be great served at breakfast with apricot gem, and fresh oranges or orange juice.
If you like it more sweet top with whipped cream.

Cheese, Bacon Polenta

Ingredients
polenta (see recipe on the blog)
mozzarella cheese
turkey bacon
Preparation
Heat a pan with 2 Tbl oil, place one layer of polenta, one layer gratin cheese, sliced bacon , then repeat 2 more layers. Place in hot over , at a heat of 375 F for 15 minutes, until the cheese on the top is crispy and melted. It can be serve with sour cream, or as it is next to baked drumsticks.

Fruit Salad

Ingredients
1 orange
1 cup papaya cubes
raisins
1 Asian pear
2 Tble orange juice
1 tsp honey
Preparation
Cut the fruits in bite size, mix the orange juice with the honey stir to dissolve then pour over the fruits and at the end add raisins.

Beet Salad Grand Marnier

Ingredients
1 can beets
2 tsp sugar
4 Tbl lemon juice
1 Tbl olive oil
1 pinch paprika
1 pinch cumin
pepper
salt
fresh parsley
1 Tbl Grand Marnier
Preparation
Diced the beets into bites size cubes, mixed all remaining ingredients and pour over the beets, toss and place in fridge for 30 minutes before serving.

Liqueur Coffee

Ingredients
1/4 orange liqueur
1 oz brandy
1 cup hot coffee
sugar for taste
whipped cream.
Preparation
Heat the alcohol, then pour in the hot coffee, sugar, stir, add the whipped cream then serve.

Cream French Toast with Fruits

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 Tb milk
vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1 small pinch salt
6 slice bread (white or whole wheat)
whipped cream
berries ( strawberries, blueberries, blackberries)
butter to cook the bread in
Preparation
Mixed the eggs, add the milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt. Place the bread in the mixed then in a hot pan with butter let the bread cook, on both sides. Serve with whipped cream and fruits.