A delicious salad from a fun Philly restaurant.
Salad
4 c Romaine lettuce chopped  bite size
1 orange diced
1 Avocado cubed
1/2 Jicamapeeled julienned
2 scallions
2 TB cilantro chopped
1/4 c almonds, chopped roasted
2 radishes, thinly sliced

Vinagrette
3 TB olive oil
4 TB apple cider vinegar
1 TB water
1 tsp spicy taco seasoning
1 tsp dijon mustard

RECIPES FOR HEALTH
Spicy Quinoa, Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
Published: July 13, 2010

This refreshing summer salad can sit in the refrigerator for a few hours without deteriorating, so it makes a great choice for bringing to work or to a summer picnic. Martha Rose Shulman presents food that is vibrant and light, full of nutrients, fun to cook and to eat.

Grain
1 cup quinoa
3 cups water
Salt to taste
Salad
2 cups diced cucumber
1/2 small red onion, finely minced (optional) or 3 scallions chopped
2 cups finely diced tomatoes
1 small jalapeño or serrano peppers (to taste), seeded if desired and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish
2 TB fresh lime juice
1 TB red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
3 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 avocado, sliced, for garnish
Topping
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
1/8 cup roasted plain unsweetened grated coconut
1 TB Taco seasoning
1/4 c crushed plain tortilla chips

1. Bring the 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt (1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) and the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and translucent; each grain should have a little thread. Drain off the water in the pan through a strainer, and return the quinoa to the pan. 

2. Meanwhile finely dice cucumber and onion.

3. Combine the tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cucumber and onion, season to taste with salt, and add the quinoa and cilantro. 

4. Combine taco seasoning, peanuts and coconut. Sprinkle a tablespoon over each plate when served individually. If serving in a large bowl toss the seasoning, coconut and peanuts into the salad at the very last minute before serving.

Yield: Serves six.

Nutritional information per serving: 236 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 25 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 6 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

A delicious recipe from my dear friend MJS.
Sauté:
1 onions finely chopped
4 garlic cloves crushed

Add and stir constantly until they start sticking:
1 cups Red or orange lentils
1 Tablespoon Curry
1/4 tsp ras el hanut (optional Morrocan seasoning)
1/4  teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt to taste
2 tsp chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Add:
 28 oz can Tomato puree or crushed
1 1/2 (tomato) cans Water
handful of chopped cilantro

After the lentils are cooked for 20minutes Add
2 Grated or thinly sliced potatoes (optional)

Simmer for 45minutes-1 hour.
Add more water if necessary for the taste and consistency you want.

1 egg
1 c buttermilk (if not available, add 1 TB vinegar to regular milk)
2 TB oil
1 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt

Beat egg; add remaining ingredients in order listed and beat with a whisk until smooth.  Grease heated griddle if necessary. To test griddle sprinkle with a few drops of water; if bubbles kitter around, heat is just right.

Pour batter from a pitcher or the tip of a large spoon onto the hot griddle. Turn pancakes as soon as they are puffed and full of bubbles but before the bubbles break. bake other side until golden brown.

Ten 4 inch pancakes.

1 c cornmeal
1 c flour
2 TB sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c milk
1/4 cup
1 egg
1/2 c corn (if corn is frozen allow to thaw before adding to the batter. or if canned drain)

Heat oven to 425. Grease skillet or 8x8 pan. Blend all ingredients about 20 strokes. Beat vigorously 1 minute. Pour into pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or til golden brown. 9-12 servings.

* Optional: add about 1/2 cup corn.

Two yummy nutritious summer salads! I love salads because they are super nutritious, they taste yummy, they take time to eat, they carry no guilt, and you feel GREAT after eating! 

Blueberry Salad
Mix the following ingredients together to create the base of the salad:
spinach (chopped)
romaine (chopped)
mint (finely chopped)
scallions (chopped)
Sprinkle small handfuls of each fruit:
blueberries
orange (peeled and chopped)
cherries (halved and pitted)
avocado (diced)
raisins
Top with:
pepitos/pumpkin seeds (roasted and salted)
vinaigrette

Grilled Eggplant Salad
Mix the following ingredients together to create the base of the salad:
spinach (chopped) 
romaine (chopped) 
basil (chopped) 
tomato (chopped) 
cucumber (chopped) 
scallions (sliced)
Mix eggplant, garlic and curry together and place a big spoonful on top of each salad:
grilled eggplant (mashed) 
roasted garlic (mashed)
2 tsp curry
Top with:
vinaigrette

1 can chickpeas
6 garlic cloves roughly chopped
1 large onion roughly chopped
2 TB sesame seeds
2-4 TB Extra virgin olive oil
4-6 TB lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt

Saute garlic and onion in 2 TB olive oil. 
Combine all ingredients in a blender (add the oil and lemon juice to taste) puree until the flavor and texture satisfies you.

Variations: Each of the numbers below is a different recipe variation I like.

1. Saute raw jalapeno peppers with the onions and garlic. Add cilantro to the blended ingredients.
   
2. Add roasted red peppers to the blended ingredients.
   
3. Add 1-2 TB chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the blended ingredients.
   

1/2 red bell pepper diced
2 plum tomatoes diced
1 scallion chopped
1/2 avocado chopped
1 Tb cilantro chopped
lettuce thinly sliced for each wrap
2 Tb Hummus of your choice for each wrap
5 whole wheat tortillas

 In a bowl combine pepper, tomato, scallion, cilantro and avocado until the avocado coats the other veggies. Spread 1-2 TB hummus on each tortilla, add veggie mixture, add lettuce. 

Isaac loves wonton soup, so instead of ordering chinese I decided to try making it. I found this recipe on Foodnetwork.com. I especially like the addition of the bokchoy and mushrooms... the local chinese restaurant doesn't include them.  I found a step by step photo of how to fold wontons to make that easier to understand.

• WONTON SOUP
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
•  1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, plus 3 tablespoons finely chopped
• 10 cups canned vegetable broth
• 1/2 pound  vegetarian ground meat substitue
• 1 tsp ground flax seed 1 Tb water
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• About 30 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced bok choy
• 1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps
• 1/4 cup sliced bamboo shoots (optional) 

Directions
 In a large saucepan or soup pot heat the oil over medium high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the garlic and 1 tablespoon of the ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the 1/4 cup of sliced scallions and the  broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low so that the broth just simmers. Allow broth to simmer for at least 20 to 30 minutes while the wontons are being assembled.

In a small mixing bowl combine the remaining teaspoon of minced garlic, remaining tablespoon of chopped ginger, 3 tablespoons of finely chopped scallions, the vegetarian ground "meat" , flax seed mixture, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and crushed red pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Working on a flat work surface, lay out a few of the wontons. (Keep remaining wonton wrappers covered with plastic wrap.) Fill a small bowl partially filled with cool water and set aside. Using a teaspoon measure, place a heaping teaspoonful of the filling in the center of each wonton. Using your fingers, lightly wet the edges of the wonton. Bring 2 opposite corners of the wonton together to form a triangle and enclose the filling, pressing edges firmly around the mound of filling to eliminate any air pockets and seal. Moisten opposite corners of the long side. Curl moistened corners toward each other, overlapping one on top of the other, and press the edges together to seal. You should now have a rounded stuffed wonton with a triangle poking up at the top. Assemble the remaining wontons in the same manner. When the wontons are all assembled, set aside.

Add the sliced bok choy, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots to the broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Using your hands or a slotted spoon, gently add the prepared wontons to the simmering broth. Increase the heat slightly so that the broth returns to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally (very gently), until the wontons float and the filling is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Discoveries I made:
1. I didn't have bok choy so I used choy sum (an asian green like a very leafy brocoli rabe)... was a very nice substitute.
2. I had never tried Shitake mushrooms before... Wow! they are really nice, they are pretty and they have a different flavor and texture than white or portobella mushrooms.
3. I made my filling exactly 1 tsp size so the wontons were bite size, and you didn't have to cut them up to eat them. We could pick them up with the chopstick and pop them in our mouths.
4. I didn't have bamboo shoots, but i didn't miss them in the soup.

2 medium onions chopped
4 garlic cloves pressed
1 large green bell pepper chopped
2-4 TB Olive oil
1 c cauliflower cut to bite size pieces
1/2 c zucchini quartered and sliced
2 quarts  vegetable broth
1tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
dash cayenne
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground mixed pepper corns
2 Tb freshly chopped cilantro (optional)
15 oz. can white beans drained
salt to taste
2/3 c dry rice ( like brown Jasmine rice)
cilantro and scallions for garnish



1. Saute peppers, onions, and garlic in oil until soft and nearly golden.
2. Combine the onions mixture, the broth and all the seasonings, then simmer 15 minutes.
3. While the soup is simmering, prepare your rice.
4. Add cauliflower and zucchini to soup cooking 5 minutes (you don't want to over cook the cauliflower and zucchini you want them "al dente" for texture) then add the beans and turn off the soup.
5. When the rice is done, add the drained and rinsed beans to the soup and add salt if needed.
6. To  serve, put a 1/4 cup rice in the bottom of a bowl, then ladle the soup over the rice. Garnish with a pinch of  fresh chopped cilantro and chopped scallions. Delicious with crusty bread or tortilla chips.