lucky♣plate

About 4 servings

8 pieces bacon (I use Trader Joe's pre-cooked, easier plus has no nitrates)
Package of baby arugula
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Grated orange zest from one orange
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (I use about 1/4 C)
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup good olive oil (I use about 2 T)

Directions

Cook bacon (I heat pre-cooked in microwave for a minute or 2 to crisp it up).

In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, apple, walnuts, cranberries, and blue cheese. For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, mustard, maple syrup, salt, and the pepper in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.

Chop the bacon in large pieces and add it to the salad. Toss the salad with just enough dressing to moisten.  Serve immediately.

By: Barefoot Contessa, with a few modifications

Makes 4 servings

1 head, about 2 pounds, green cabbage, cut in half and very thinly sliced
1 cup peeled and shredded carrots
1/2 large onion, very thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1/4-inch thickness
1/2 cup mint leaves, loosely packed
1/2 cup Asian basil leaves, loosely packed
1/2 cup peanuts, roasted and coarsely ground
1/3 cup tuk trey dressing (recipe below)
4 sprigs or more cilantro, chopped for garnish
Crushed chilies or thinly sliced fresh chilies optional for desired heat

In a large salad bowl, toss all the vegetables and herbs together. Set aside a handful of peanuts for garnish, and mix in the rest of the peanuts. Add the tuk trey dressing (recipe below) and toss well. Add a little spice, either crushed red chilies or thinly sliced fresh bird's-eye chilies if desired, and toss to mix well. Serve on large plate and sprinkle with the rest of the ground peanuts. Top with the cilantro sprigs for garnish.

Tuk Trey Dressing (vegetarian version)

1/4 cup water (I swap first two and use 1/4 C sugar and 1/2 C water)
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (I used about 1 t.)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
5 teaspoons lime juice, freshly squeezed (added more as increased water amount)

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil and turn off heat. Add sugar and salt and stir to dissolve completely. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Let cool completely before dressing salad.

From: NPR

1 can pineapple chunks
2 T low sodium tamari sauce
½ C rice wine vinegar
2 t ground ginger
1 t ground mustard
½ t red chili flakes
Black pepper to taste

1 carton extra firm tofu, cut up into cubes
1 carton grape (or cherry) tomatoes
1 zucchini, cut in half and then sliced
1 large green bell pepper, chopped into about 1 inch squares
1 small onion, chopped into about 1 inch squares

Wooden skewers

Brown rice
Cashews

Blend the pineapple juice from the can and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add tofu, veggies and pineapple. Marinade for one hour (or more). Thread tofu, veggies and pineapple on skewers. Heat oven to 375. Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Place skewers on a cookie sheet. Bake for about half an hour.

Pour marinade in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced and a little thicker.

Serve kabobs over brown rice. Drizzle some marinade sauce and sprinkle some chopped up cashews on top.

From: Whole Foods

Prep: I use my own frozen fruit. Wash berries and drain. Slice them and place in a storage bag. Make sure they are in one layer to avoid clumping. Use than more than one bag if need. Place flatly in the freezer. Do the same with bananas.

Roughly 1/2 cup organic sliced/frozen strawberries
Roughly 1/3 cup organic sliced/frozen bananas
1 cup plain coconut beverage (not the coconut milk in the can); Trader Joes The unsweetened vanilla almond milk is also good.
1/2 carton non-fat Greek yogurt (I use pomegranate or mango from Trader Joes; for a flavored variety the calories are not bad although it's not true Greek yogurt. Otherwise use plain.)
1 spoonful oat bran (about 1 tablespoon)

Recipe:

Place all in blender and blend. Sometimes I'll add a few frozen raspberries or pineapple to the mix above for a slight variation. But not blackberries – too many seeds! I have also swapped in flax seed meal for the oat bran.

By: K2

Chile Paste:
I used about 1 T of my favorite chili paste with garlic and 1 T green
1 stalk lemongrass, minced
2 shallots, minced (½ cup)
1 tsp. red miso
Some water if too thick

Soup:
8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth + some additional water
1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
1 ½ cups Swiss chard (alternate: beet greens or kale)
1 cup fennel chunks
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 package firm tofu chunks
1 cup coarsely chopped arugula
¼ to ½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
¼ cup chopped parsley

To make Chile Paste:
Put paste ingredients into the small bowl of emersion blender (or food processor) and blend.

To make Soup:
Bring broth to a boil in saucepan over high heat. Stir in soy sauce and chili paste. Add greens, fennel and mushrooms, and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes. Add tofu, and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in arugula, mint, and parsley, and simmer 1 to 2 minutes, or until herbs wilt.

Modified from a recipe from Vegetarian Times.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 teaspoon Thai green curry paste
15 ounces canned light coconut milk
Vegetable stock
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar (did not use)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (did not use)
1 can of drained bamboo shoots (did not use)
1 large head broccoli, stalks chopped, crowns cut into florets (I used 2 bunches of broccolini)
1 pound yukon gold potatoes, peeled, diced small (I used russet as I like the taste better)
1 large tomato, diced (I used 2)
Juice of a lime
1/3 cup thin-sliced fresh basil
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat the oil on in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onion and saute until beginning to soften. Stir in the curry paste until well combined. Add the coconut milk, broth, soy sauce, the broccoli stalks (reserve the florets for a bit so they don't overcook) and potato. Bring nearly to a boil, adjusting heat as necessary. When the potato is mostly cooked, add the broccoli florets, making sure to stir into the hot liquid. Cover and let cook. Stir in the tomato and let warm through. Stir in the lime juice and basil. Season to taste and serve.

Per Serving (1 cup?): 166 Cal (33% from Fat, 12% from Protein, 56% from Carb); 5 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 4 g Sat Fat; 25 g Carb; 5 g Fiber; NetCarb 20; 66 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 664 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 3 points.

From: A Veggie Venture

1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 head crisp lettuce, such as romaine, chopped
1 large ripe tomato, cored and cut into wedges
2-3 small new potatoes, cooked and cubed
Bunch chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon drained capers, rinsed and chopped
6 black olives (used cured), pitted and chopped
1/2 cup crumbled light feta cheese
2 tablespoons tomato juice (used V-8)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar (used more)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (0-fat)
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
 
1.Cover onions with very cold water in a small bowl and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain the onions and place them in a salad bowl, along with lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, basil, capers, olives and cheese.
2.Whisk together tomato juice, oil, Greek yogurt and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss.

Nutrition: Per serving : 108 Calories; 5 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 6 mg Cholesterol; 12 g Carbohydrates; 5 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 159 mg Sodium; 498 mg Potassium

From: EatingWell with some modifications.

2 cups chopped fennel (1 bulb or 5 fennel stalks, fronds removed)
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
1 cup dry white wine, divided
15 oz. dried green split peas
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, divided (I just threw them all in at beginning)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
5 oz. baby spinach leaves (did not add)

Heat saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add fennel and onion, and sauté 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.  Add 1/2 cup wine, and simmer 2 minutes. Add split peas, 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, thyme, bay leaf, and 7 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1/2 cup wine, and cook, uncovered 10 minutes, or until split peas are tender. Stir in spinach, and cook 2 minutes, or until spinach is wilted. Remove bay leaf, and puree soup with immersion blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Toast remaining 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds in small skillet 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Serve soup garnished with toasted fennel seeds.

Per 1 1/4-cup serving: 227 cal., 13 g protein, 2 g total fat (<1 g sat fat), 42 g carb, 0 mg chol, 481 mg sod, 21 g fiber, 3 g sugars.

From: Vegetarins Times (I think)

3 free-range, no hormones added, chicken breasts
1 lime
Garlic
1 or 2 tablespoon olive oil
Kale (I used Trader Joe's pre-chopped in a bag)
Jar of salsa verde
12 corn tortillas baked in oven until crisp
Queso fresco or cotija
Greek yogurt (0-fat) or light sour cream
Hot sauce

Poach the chicken breasts in water with lime juice (I used ½ lime) and a few garlic cloves cut into large slices. When cooked through let cool. When cooled shred the chicken breasts and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan. When hot add the kale and stir. When the kale starts to wilt a bit add a little water to start steaming it (add more if needed to prevent scorching). When close to done add the salsa verde and shredded chicken and heat through. Take off the heat.

Spoon chicken and kale onto a baked tortilla; (I have not had good luck with making soft tacos but that would be a good option as well). Sprinkle with cheese of choice. Spoon on some Greek yogurt and sprinkle with hot sauce.

By: K2

Serves 6

3 Tbs. olive oil
Large fennel bulb, diced (4 cups)
2 cups vegetarian Italian sausages, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (I used spicy)
2 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth + water as needed
1 28-oz. can chopped tomatoes
3 Tbs. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup or so whole wheat shell pasta

Heat oil in soup pot over medium heat. Add fennel seeds and sauté 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in fennel, and cook 5 to 7 minutes. Add wine and cook 5 to 10 seconds to deglaze pan, scraping up any brown bits. Add broth, tomatoes, parsley and pasta; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until pasta is done. Add sausage at end and heat through.

Modified from a Vegetarian Times recipe.