chopped thai salad with sesame garlic dressing

INGREDIENTS

For the dressing:

• ⅓ cup canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste (ginger would also work)
• a squeeze of lime juice

For the salad:

• 16 ounces frozen shelled edamame
• 5-6 cups baby kale
• 3 large carrots
• 2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow)
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 3 green onions
• ¾ cup cashews (if you can find them, Trader Joe's Thai Lime and Chili Cashews are the bomb)


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Puree all the dressing ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust to fit your preferences. Transfer to a dressing jar and rinse the food processor out for use later.
2. Cook the edamame by boiling it for 3-5 minutes in a pot of boiling water. Drain and allow it to cool. Meanwhile, slice up the kale, carrots, peppers, cilantro leaves, and green onions into thin strips or shreds.
3. Place the cooked edamame in the food processor and pulse 5 times to get a minced texture. Transfer to a bowl and repeat the same process for the cashews. Toss the kale, carrots, peppers, cilantro, green onions, edamame, and cashews together until well combined. Drizzle with the dressing, toss gently a few times, and serve immediately.


NOTES

The salad will stay fresh longer if you store the dressing separately from the salad ingredients, tossing them together just before serving.

Agave nectar or sugar would work in place of the honey for vegans.

Those 3 cloves of garlic pack a spicy garlicky punch, so if you don't love garlic, use less.
source: http://pinchofyum.com/chopped-thai-salad-sesame-garlic-dressing

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Easy Burrito Bowls

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked rice

1 cup salsa, homemade or store-bought

3 cups chopped Romaine lettuce

1 (15.25-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (15-ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

For the chipotle cream sauce

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon chipotle paste*

1 clove garlic, pressed

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 teaspoon salt, or more, to taste

Instructions

To make the chipotle cream sauce, whisk together sour cream, chipotle paste, garlic, lime juice and salt; set aside.

In a large saucepan of 1 1/2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; let cool and stir in salsa; set aside.

To assemble the bowls, divide rice mixture into serving bowls; top with lettuce, corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado and cilantro.

Serve immediately, drizzled with chipotle cream sauce.

Notes

*2 tablespoons chipotle peppers, in adobo sauce, can be substituted for chipotle paste.

source: http://damndelicious.net/2014/09/10/easy-burrito-bowls/

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Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients

4 bananas

24 ounces low-fat vanilla yogurt

2 cups low-fat granola

Directions

Peel and chop bananas.

Take half of the fruit and split it between the bottom of six cups or bowls.

Take half of the yogurt and split it between each cup or bowl, placing it on top of the fruit.

Sprinkle each cup with 1/4 cup granola.

Repeat layers.

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

Drizzle with honey and top with chopped nuts.

Try other fruits, such as strawberries, apples, oranges, etc. (Use 2 cups fruit for the recipe.)

Use different flavors of yogurt, such as lemon or strawberry, or plain for less sugar.

Honey is not recommended for children under 1 year old.

source: www.foodhero.org/recipes/yogurt-parfait

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Healthy Dessert: Lorna Jane's Peaches and Cream Slice

Ingredients

Base

40g almonds

80g almond meal

350g dates

1 tbs coconut oil

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

Peach Layer

100g cashews (soaked overnight)

300g desiccated coconut

½ cup water

2tbs coconut oil

200g preserved peaches **

2 tbs honey

1 vanilla bean pod (alternatively, you can use 1tsp vanilla bean paste)

1 tbs agar agar

Garnish

20g macadamia

20g almonds

20g shaved coconut

20g pumpkin seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbs honey

* Unrefined Granola was used in this recipe

Method

Base

Line cake tin with baking paper.

Blend all ingredients for base in food processor until desired texture is reached. Or until you can press mixture together, and it stays.

Press into base of cake tin ensuring layer is even and flat and place in freezer.

Garnish

Mix all ingredients together in bowl and toast in the oven until light brown.

Leave aside to cool.

Peach layer

Add cashews, coconut, water, coconut oil, vanilla and honey to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add half the peaches and blend until all combined. Add small amounts of water at a time if the mixture is still too dry.

Tear the remaining peaches up and scatter them over the set base.

In a saucepan, heat water and agar until dissolved. Slowly pour agar into remaining ingredients with the food processor running.

Pour the mixture over the base and peach pieces and smooth down.

Sprinkle garnish over the top and lightly press into the slice (this is to keep the nuts from falling off the top).

Place in freezer until set, then cut and enjoy!

*You can use store bought preserved peaches (try looking for products with little additives), or you can make your own by removing them from the seed, cutting them in wedges and cooking them in the oven for roughly 15mins (at 180 degrees) or until soft and sweet.

Serves: 12, prep and cook time 60 minutes

 

You will need: A square baking tin (27cmx27cm), however you can use any shape that suits.

source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/healthy+recipes/healthy+dessert+lorna+janes+peaches+and+cream+slice+,39291

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Spring Food: Vegetarian rice paper rolls

Ingredients

8 rice paper rolls
1 large carrot, peeled and grated coarsely
4” segment of cucumber, sliced and then cut thin matchsticks
1 handful fresh mint leaves, larger ones torn
250g firm tofu
3 tbs dark soya sauce

1 large spring onion, cut into 3” lengths and finely sliced lengthways
2 tangerine, peeled and segments opened and some skins removed if you are in the mood (optional)


Sauce

5 tbs of a chutni like The Spice Tailor Peanut and Tamarind Chutni 11/2 tsp dark soya sauce 11/2 tsp lemon or lime juice 30g creamed coconut (if block, dissolve in 4 tbs boiling water) or if creamy add a little less


Method

Heat a non-stick griddle pan. Cut the tofu into ¾” deep, 1” wide rectangles. Pat well with several layers of kitchen roll to take out some of their moisture.

Place the tofu on the griddle pan and cook until the underside has lovely brown bars on them. Turn and repeat with this side.

Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce. Stir together all the ingredients, adjusting consistency, I like it creamy but not thick. Taste and adjust, lemon juice or coconut to taste.

Once the tofu is done, place straight into the soya sauce (you are not seasoning with anything else so you can allow them to soak in a little).

Place your rice rolls, two at a time in a deep plate of water until just soft. Place them flat on some kitchen roll to dry slightly and place on your work surface. Place 6-7 cucumber shreds in a line in the centre of each, leaving a 1” border at the top and bottom. Follow with some spring onion and 1 tbs. or so of carrot, then 2-3 mint leaves, 1-2 tangerine pieces and finally the tofu.

Fold in the top and bottom and then one side and roll, keeping it tight, the whole thing so that it is like a spring roll. Cover with some damp kitchen roll as you finish the rest. Serve as they are or halved with the dipping sauce.
source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/healthy+recipes/spring+food+vegetarian+rice+paper+rolls,39499

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Chicken waldorf salad recipe

The perfect salad for warm summer nights or weekend lunches

Chicken waldorf salad recipe

Ingredients

1 whole granny smith apple (chopped into pieces)

1 whole pink lady apple (chopped into pieces)

2 sprig spring onion (sliced)

1/3 cup walnuts (halved)

200 g chicken breast (cooked, cut into slices)

2 stalk celery stick (finely sliced)

1/2 cup red grape (halved)

2 tbs low-fat mayonnaise

2 tbs natural yoghurt

1 tbs lemon (juiced)

4 cup lettuce (shredded)

Serves 4

Method

Mix apples, grapes, celery, onions, walnuts and chicken together.

Stir through mayonnaise, yoghurt and lemon juice.

Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce and season with salt and pepper.

source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/healthy+recipes/chicken+waldorf+salad+recipe,41985

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Brown Sugar-Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

7 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Beat softened cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add vanilla, and beat until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 1 minute or until smooth.

source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/brown-sugar-cream-cheese-frosting

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