Pear and Watercress Salad

This salad pairs well with Butternut Squash Pot Stickers.

Pear and Watercress Salad
Serves 2

1 bunch watercress
1 pear, sliced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, honey, and olive oil.
2. Toss watercress and pear with dressing.
3. Top with sesame seeds.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Peach Salsa

I haven't found Southern food to be particularly vegetarian friendly. Fried green tomatoes are one of the few vegetarian Southern dishes I've tried. Pair this with a salad, fried chicken, or catfish.

Fried Green Tomatoes
Serves 4

2 large green tomatoes
1/2 cup corn meal
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut tomato into large slices.
2. Whisk egg and milk together in one bowl. Mix corn meal, cumin, red pepper, salt, and pepper in a another.
3. Dip tomatoes first in egg and then in corn meal.
4. Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a large pan over high heat.
5. Add tomatoes in a single layer. Cook five to ten minutes or until browned. Carefully turn over and cook five minutes more.
6. Serve topped with peach salsa.

Peach Salsa

2 peaches, pealed and diced
1 tomato, diced
1 red jalapeno, finely diced
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add jalapeno and cook about 3 minutes.
2. Add all other ingredients and cook for about 30 minutes.

Watermelon and Orange Salad with Feta and Basil

This unlikely combination tastes wonderful. The sweetness of the fruit contrasts well with salty feta and basil.

Watermelon and Orange Salad with Feta and Basil
Serves 2

4 slices of watermelon, cubed
1 orange, pealed and halved
2 ounces feta
Some red onion, diced
Fresh basil, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine all ingredients and serve immediately.

Fruit Kabobs with Yogurt Dip

I love appetizers, but they are often so heavy I have no room for dinner. These fruit kabobs with yogurt dip were a big hit with my family and still allowed us to enjoy dinner.

Fruit Kabobs
Serves 8

1 pineapple, cut off top, sides, and bottom and cut into large chunks
2 Mandarin oranges, pealed and segmented
3 kiwi, pealed and cut into large chunks
2 banana, pealed and cut into large chunks
1 grapefruit, pealed and segmented

Thread fruit on wooden skewers and serve with yogurt dip


Vanilla-Ginger Yogurt Dip
Serves 8

1 small carton vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons light cream cheese
1 teaspoon ginger
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve with fruit kabobs


Strawberry-Cinnamon Yogurt Dip 
Serves 8

1 small carton strawberry yogurt
2 tablespoons light cream cheese
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve with fruit kabobs

Strawberry Spinach Salad

I love strawberry spinach salad in the springtime. The traditional recipe uses poppy seeds, which are expensive. I've substituted sunflower seeds here, which offer a better bang for your buck and a unique flavor.

Strawberry Spinach Salad
Serves 4

1 package baby spinach
4 ounces strawberries, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon raspberry vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar

1. Combine spinach, strawberries, and sunflower seeds.
2. Whisk olive oil, raspberry vinegar, and sugar together. Toss with salad.

I served this salad with ham sandwiches and potato au gratin for a classic spring meal.

Watercress Salad with Cuties Clementines and Fresh Mozzarella

Have you seen those adorable commercials for Cuties clementines recently? I love that they are marketing a healthy product toward young children--especially when so many food commercials out there are for high fat, high sodium processed foods. When I saw Cuties in Jewel last week, I had to try them--even though I thought I was getting sucked into to a marketing ploy. Turns out Cuties clementines really are as sweet, seedless, and easy to peel as the commercials say. I've never craved a completely healthy food this much before! I've eaten 6 today alone. While I love Cuties all by themselves, I've also created a tasty salad recipe that incorporates Cuties. Enjoy!

Watercress Salad with Cuties Clementines and Fresh Mozzarella 
Serves 2 

1 bunch of watercress
2 Cuties clementines
2 ounces of small fresh mozzarella balls
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Combine juice from one clementine, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Peel other clementine, separate wedges, and slice in half.
3. Cut mozzarella balls in half.
4. Combine all ingredients and serve.

Lemon-Honey Fruit Salad

Lemon and honey go so well together! They make a great dressing for a fruit salad.

Lemon-Honey Fruit Salad
Serves 2

1 banana
1 kiwi
1 pink lady apple
1 blood orange
1 lemon
1 tablespoon honey

1. Chop banana, kiwi, apple, and orange. Combine.
2. Combine lemon juice and honey. Drizzle over fruit.

Cinnamon-Pear Waffles

Every once and a while, I want to make a seriously indulgent breakfast. These Cinnamon-Pear Waffles were rich, sweet, and tasty. A waffle iron is needed for this recipe.

 

Cinnamon-Pear Waffles
Serves 2
 
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking power
2 teaspoons  and 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1 pear, sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup water
Powdered sugar

1. Combine flour, baking powder, 2 teaspoons sugar, and salt.
2. Add egg, butter, and milk. Stir until just combined.
3. Heat waffle iron.

4. Meanwhile combine pear, 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer about 10 minutes. If necessary, add 1 teaspoon corn starch to thicken.

5. Cooking waffle according to waffle iron directions. My waffle iron makes 1 giant waffle my husband and I split.
6. Top waffle with pear mixture and powdered sugar.

Baked Brie with Fruit Compote

I received 3 containers of dried fruit from my grandma for Christmas. It isn't my favorite snack on its own, but I turned it into a delicious appetizer. This is fantastic served with a baguette.

Baked Brie with Fruit Compote
Serves about 10--though I could eat the whole thing!
1 cup variety of dried fruit (apricots, pears, apples, etc.)
2 tablespoons strawberry jelly (or any variety)
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon cornstarch 
1 large wedge of brie

1. For fruit compote, dice fruit and combine in sauce pan with jelly, cornstarch, and water. Heat over low heat about 20 minutes.
2. Bake brie at 350 degrees about 20-30 minutes, until gooey.
3. Top brie with fruit compote. Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

I had enough dried fruit from my grandma to make this several times. One time, the brie completely melted in the oven. I just topped it with fruit and served it out of the pan. Still a success!

Green Chili Enchiladas with Tropical Sauce

I'm so excited to share this recipe. Having a ton of kiwi and oranges in the house from my fruit and vegetable delivery from Organics Delivered forced me to be creative and invent a very fresh, unique enchilada. This is highly recommended!

Green Chili Enchiladas
Serves 2

4 medium flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup light ricotta cheese
1 4 oz can diced green chilies
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper

1. Mix cheese, chilies, and spices together.
2. Put 1/4 of cheese mixture in each tortilla. Roll tortilla.
3. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
4. Serve topped with tropical sauce, with side of rice and beans.

Tropical Sauce
Serves 2

1/2 cup light sour cream
1 orange, seeded and diced
1 kiwi, pealed and diced
2 tablespoons chopped red onion

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Serve on enchiladas.

Apple, Pear, and Pecan Salad with Blood Orange Dressing

Here's another creation using all the lovely organic produce I got delivered from Organics Delivered. It would normally never occur to me to purchase blood oranges, but they created a beautiful dressing for this salad. The pink color of the dressing colored the fruit, giving this salad an interesting color. I've included the specific types of fruits and vegetables I used, but anything can be substituted.

Apple and Goat Cheese Salad with Blood Orange Dressing
Serves 2


1 blood orange
1 pink lady apple, sliced
1 bosc pear, sliced
1 head of leaf lettuce, shredded
1 handful crushed pecans
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. For dressing, mix juice of orange, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2. Toss fruit, lettuce, and pecans with dressing.

Orange Spinach Salad

With oranges full of vitamin C and spinach full of vitamin A, this salad is packed with nutrients. The beautiful contrast in colors makes this a great dish to serve at a dinner party.

Orange Spinach Salad
Serves 4

1 medium orange
1 bag of baby spinach
1/4 of a red onion, sliced
1/4 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Slice off 1 quarter of the orange and squeeze juice into a small bowl. Remove any seeds.
2. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
3. Peal the rest of the orange and cut each piece in half.
3. Combine spinach, red onions, orange pieces, and walnuts.
4. Drizzle with orange juice and olive oil dressing.