Who wants to cook these days? It’s too hot and humid. So a salad is perfect….. I recreated the salad from a great local restaurant called Windsor.  Here is my version.

• 1 small bunch kale, rinsed well, ribs removed and chopped chiffonade
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1/2 cup sugar snap peas, chopped on the diagonal
• 3/4 cup shredded carrot
• 2 tablespoons roasted sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons goat cheese or feta
• Your favorite salad dressing

Combine all ingredients and toss with the dressing.

Serves 2

This is a great dish for when you have extra veggies around and need to use them up. You can use different combinations of vegetables, cheeses and herbs. Inspired by a recipe in Sophie Dahl’s, Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights, get creative with it!

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 baby zucchini, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil (or fresh basil to taste if you have it)
• 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled (or feta)
• Low fat sour cream

Heat olive oil on medium in a 10 inch OVEN PROOF (remove rubber handle) non-stick pan. Saute zucchini until slightly golden.

Turn on broiler. Mix eggs with the salt, pepper and basil. Pour evenly over the zucchini. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Cook for 2-3 minutes to set the bottom.

Place pan under the broiler a few inches and cook about 2 minutes. Spin pan around and cook another couple of minutes until evenly browned and the cheese is melted. Watch it carefully as it will burn quickly. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes to set.

Slice and garnish with sour cream if desired. Serve with a nice leafy salad.

Serves 2

Preparation for Beets

• Beets (whole) - 6-8
• Olive oil - 1/4 cup
• Salt & pepper - to taste

In a roasting pan, mix beets, oil, and salt & pepper all together. Cover roasting pan with foil and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Once beets have cooled to room temperature the skins will peel off very easily. If not eaten right away they should be stored in the refrigerator.

• Beets (peeled & cut  into 1 inch disks) - 3-4
• Goat cheese (cut into 1 inch pieces) - 12oz
• Walnuts (crushed) - 1 cup
• Red Butter Lettuce (washed & Chopped) - 1 head
• Balsamic vinegrette - 1/2 cup
• Salt & pepper - to taste

In a bowl, mix lettuce and Balsamic vinegrette with a pinch of salt & pepper, then place on serving plate. Lay a beet slice on green mixture and place goat cheese disc over beet. Keep repeating as if you were making tomato mozzarella salad. Finally, top salad with walnuts and finish with Balsamic vinegrette and serve.

This is a great Frittata as is but you can also substitute other vegetables in place of the zucchini and potatoes.

Cilantro Chile Sauce

• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 small bunch cilantro
• 1 green (serrano) chile, seeds removed
• 2 pinches ground cumin
• a couple big pinches of salt

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Before you saute the onion, toast the walnuts in the Dutch oven until they’re fragrant. Cooking the beets along with the rice renders a beautiful burgundy color.

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups finely chopped peeled beets
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth
• 6 cups finely sliced Swiss chard
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 3 minutes. Add rice, giner, and rosemary; saute 1 minute. Add wine; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.

Add beets, water, salt and broth; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until beets are tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in chard; cook 5 minutes. Add cheese, stirring until blended. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon walnuts.

Serves 4

CALORIES 412 (30% from fat); FAT 13.7 (sat 4.9g, mono 4g, poly 3.6g); IRON 2.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 14mg; CALCIUM 92mg; CARBOHYDRATE 57.5g; SODIUM 611mg; PROTEIN 14.1g; FIBER 4.1g

Source: Cooking Light, December 2002