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Raw Beetroot Salad with Pear


I wanted to prepare some original salads for our guests and I browsed the internet until I came across Jamie Oliver’s recipe for raw beetroot salad with pear and feta. We are not allowed cheese in our diet so I omitted the feta from the recipe and altered other minor details and it worked! This was one of the salads I served as an appetizer.


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Ingredients

 


2-3 good sized beetroots, 1-2 ripe pears, zest and juice 1 lemon, olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, small bunch of fresh mint, 2-3 tablespoon sunflower seeds, lightly toasted under a grill

 


Method of Preparation

 

  1. Scrub, peel and cut beetroot into fine matchsticks
  2. Peel, core and cut the pears into matchsticks
  3. Make the dressing using the lemon zest, juice, salt pepper and olive oil
  4. Dress the beetroot and pear matchsticks in a little of the lemon oil dressing and taste for seasoning adding more salt if required. More lemon juice  can be added to check the sweetness of the beetroot and pears
  5. Transfer the salad onto a platter, sprinkle over the baby mint leaves and the sunflower seeds and the salad is ready to serve.





Peach and Blueberry Cobbler

 

Flipping through the July/August issue of Eating Well magazine, I noticed this cobbler recipe and it intrigued me. It's called a cobbler, but it doesn't look like any cobbler I've ever seen. Peach-blueberry cobbler... or giant pancake with peaches and blueberries in it?? There was only one way to find out.


Peaches and blueberries are in season in my area now, so I already had some of each on hand. The rest of the ingredients are your typical pantry/baking staples.


So, how did it turn out? Surprisingly more like a cobbler than my cobbler-skeptic self was expecting. The peaches softened up and became really juicy and the blueberries burst open creating a cobbler-like taste and texture. One of my all-time favorite flavor combos is peach and blueberry, so I was kinda already sold to begin with. The best way to eat this dish: warmed with a little vanilla ice cream on the side. Yum!


handmixers.net















Peach & Blueberry Cobbler

Makes 10 servings


Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup whole-wheat flour

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup reduced-fat milk

3 ripe but firm peaches (about 1 pound), pitted and sliced into eighths, or 3 1/2 cups frozen

2 cups (1 pint) fresh or frozen blueberries


Procedures

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Place butter and oil in a baking pan. Heat in the oven until melted and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, baking powder, combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add milk, sugar and vanilla; mix to combine.

4. Add the melted butter mixture to the batter and stir properly. Pour the batter into the hot pan. Spoon peaches and blueberries evenly over the batter.

5. Bake until the top of the cobbler is browned and the batter around the fruit is completely set, 50 minutes to 60 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm.


Nutrition Information

Per serving: 182 calories;

8 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono);

11 mg cholesterol;

26 g carbohydrate;

3 g protein;

3 g fiber;

212 mg sodium;

140 mg potassium.

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings Exchanges: 1/2 fruit, 1 1/2 carbohydrate (other), 1 1/2 fat



Chicken with Mushrooms, Onions & Chestnuts 


Boneless chicken thighs make almost any chicken dish a special one and this dish which I recently prepared for friends, prepared with onions, mushrooms and chestnuts is no exception. Apart from fresh and cooked salads, I served the chicken dish with baked potato (sweet potato) and broccoli. My husband and I were able to adhere to our diet whilst enjoying the meal like everyone else.


Ingredients (serves 6-8)


14-16 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, 2 large onions, 1 small box champignons, 16 Portobello mushrooms, 1 package vacuum packed peeled and cooked chestnuts, olive oil, sea salt, ground black pepper




Method of Preparation

  1. Trim off any excess fat from the chicken thighs and wipe dry.
  2. Peel and finely slice the onions
  3. Peel and finely slice the mushrooms
  4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper
  5. Add a little oil to a frying pan and heat
  6. Sear the chicken thighs on both sides before transferring them to a saucepan
  7. Partly cook the onions in the frying pan before adding them to the chicken
  8. Mix and place on a low heat
  9. Add the mushrooms, mix and continue to cook gently with the saucepan covered
  10. After approximately 30 minutes add the chestnuts into the liquid that has accumulated and continue cooking again for 20-30 minutes or until the chicken thighs are tender.

 In case too much liquid has accumulated and for a stronger flavored sauce, I transfer some of the liquid to a small saucepan and reduce it by a third, by cooking it uncovered. Once it has reduced I return it to the chicken dish. Bon Appetite!