Sweet Basil Cheesecake

Okay, okay... this is a bit of a misnomer.  There is cheese and it is cooked like a cheesecake, but, other than that, there isn't really anything about it that tastes like cheesecake.  However, it is a perfect combination of sweet and savory and at a recent dinner party, it disappeared in moments, which is always a good recommendation!  AND - it is super-duper easy. Don't be scared if you think you "can't" make cheesecake.  You can. You will. And this is a great place to start because it's an appetizer so no one will judge you that much anyway, right?

Sweet Basil Cheesecake

This recipe makes two large or six small 'cheesecakes'.  It can be made ahead and saved for special events in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for as long as you like.  Just make sure to bring to room temperature before serving.

INGREDIENTS
Ricotta Cheese, skim or reduced fat (1 cup)
1/3 Fat Cream Cheese (1 cup/8oz/1 bar)
Goat Cheese, soft (1 cup/8oz)
Basil, chopped (1 cup)
Eggs, whole (2)
Eggs, yolk (1)
Splenda (1 or 2 tbsp.)
Sea Salt (to taste and for garnish)
Olive Oil (to garnish)
Veggies or Crackers (to serve with)

METHOD
(1) Spray spring-form, tartlets or pie plate with cooking spray and pre-heat oven to 350F

(2) Add all ingredients (EXCEPT BASIL) into food processor and blend until smooth.

(3) Add chopped basil to food processor and pulse until finely chopped and incorporated evenly.

Wrap Pan in Foil to Keep out Water

(4) Wrap pan(s) with foil and place in baking dishes (of any kind).  Fill dish with hot/boiling water up to the halfway point of the cheesecake pan.  This helps the cheesecakes cook without drying out.

(4) Spoon mixture into cooking receptacle(s).  BE CAREFUL OF THE HOT WATER IN THE BAKING DISH - IT WILL BURN YOU.  It sure as heck burned me!

 pan is 1/2 emerged in hot water

(5) Bake in dish w/water until edges become golden and start to pull away from edge of pan (small = 30 mins; large = 50 mins)

(6) When edges are golden and middle is still jiggly, turn off heat in oven and open oven door.  Let the cheesecakes rest inside the oven (small = 30 mins; large = 50 mins)

bake until edges are golden and then let rest in oven

(7) Remove pan(s) from baking dish and allow to cool and then chill in fridge, aprox. 2-4 hours.

(8) Serve cheesecakes with a sprinkle of sea salt and olive oil drizzled on top along with vegetables and/or crackers (my favorite is zucchini coins! SO GOOD!).

*Want a super deluxe appetizer?  Serve this with roasted red peppers to scoop up with cheesecake and veggies/crackers.

Beautiful, Delicious & Light

STATS
With vegetables is perfect for a low-cal lunch or snack.  
Serves: 12 (1/2 of small cheesecake)
Cals: 150
Fat: 12g
Carbs: 4g
Protein: 9g
Iron: 3%
Calcium: 10%

Gluten-Free Pizza!

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie... it's.... a stomach ache....  Sound like you?  Worry no more...

Cauliflower Pizza Crust!

Cut the gluten (and thereby carbs) and inject an incredible amount of calcium and protein.  I want to be clear, this is not "diet food".  This is mouth-watering, dynamite, and is a crowd pleaser regardless of whether you need/want a gluten-free meal.  In fact, I actually do eat gluten and don't consider this to be a "substitute" but rather a unique recipe.  It is just awesome and quite frankly, way easier than making pizza dough.

Finished Pizza! Delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
***These proportions make 1 pizza
Cauliflower, fresh (1 cup)
2% Mozzarella (1 cup)
Egg (1) or Egg Substitute (1/4 cup)
Fennel
Garlic
Italian Seasoning (or just basil and oregano...)
Pizza Sauce
Pizza Toppings





METHOD:

Riced Cauliflower

(1) Put cauliflower in food processor and obliterate until it is rice sized or just smaller



(2) In a large bowl, mix cauliflower with mozzarella.  Add egg or egg sub. and mix until a moist and thick mixture.

cauliflower, cheese & egg

the "dough"

(3) Spray a pizza pan (or baking sheet if you don't have one) with cooking spray. Or, cook on top of parchment paper so the pizza doesn't stick. DO NOT forget this step!!!!

spoon crust onto greesed pan

sprinkle with seasoning

(4) Spoon "cauli-rella" mixture onto pan and spread evenly throughout. Try to keep the crust under 1/2''. The more thin you can spread the mixture the crispier the pizza will be.













(5) Sprinkle fennel, garlic and italian seasoning all over crust





(6) Bake at 425F for 15-20 minutes.

browning edges

(7) When the pizza appears crispy and starts to slightly lift off of pan, take out of oven and let sit for ten minutes.  This is very difficult to burn, but easy to under cook, so when in doubt, keep it in a little longer.





(8) Add sauce, toppings and cheese to suit your crowd.  See suggestions below!

add sauce, cheese & toppings

(9) Bake at 400F until toppings are warm and cheese is melted.

(10) Slice and enjoy!*

* If you put a lot of sauce or a lot of toppings (like I do) then you may have to utilize a fork for consumption.

SUGGESTED COMBINATIONS:
Victory Garden
I like red sauce and mozzarella with vegetarian toppings such as peppers, olives, sweet onions, mushrooms, artichokes, tomato, spinach and any other plant you can think of, and of course, fresh basil.

Victory Garden

Mediterranean
Pesto sauce (homemade & low-cal is best...) with kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, sweet onions, mushrooms and artichokes.  I like this with some mozzarella and then after the final cooking.. sprinkle on some reduced-fat feta cheese crumbles.

Mediterranean

Turkey Pepperoni 
Add Turkey Pepperoni to any pizza for extra protein and minimal extra calories & fat.

Margarita
Perfect yet simple: sprinkle crust with extra virgin olive oil before you add sauce and then top with fresh basil, crushed garlic, thinly sliced tomatoes and mozzarella and then sprinkle with parmesan after final baking.

STATS:
*These are approximate/average for the Victory Garden and Mediterranean*
Per Slice
Cals: 137
Fat: 8
Carbs: 7
Protein: 12g
Iron: 2%
Calcium: 62%

Faux Phở Bò (Vietnamese beef noodle soup)

One of the reasons Vietnamese cuisine is ridiculously enticing is that the modern version was largely designed to appeal to both native Vietnamese as well as French taste.  As such, sometime after the turn of the 20th century, Phở Bò, or a rice noodle (Vietnamese) and beef (French) soup was born.  My take is actually a faux version of this amazing soup because it is made with tofu noodles that are far less caloric than rice noodles.  So I guess one could describe it as a turn of the 21st century trying-to-be-less-chubby American version.  At any rate, it is easy to make at home and perfectly healthy.  What I really like is that it has a wonderful citrus flavor that is light and refreshing which makes it ideal for hot summer days.  I actually prefer it without the beef... but I prefer almost everything without meat! But, it is a great option for leftover roast.

Phở Bò

To add a little giddy'up to this meal - serve it with Chicken Salad Wontons.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken Broth (4 cups)
Water (1 cup)
Shirataki Noodles (16 oz)
Mushrooms, sliced (1 cup)
Fresh Basil, chopped (1/2 cup)
Cilantro, chopped (1/2 cup)
Green Onion (4 stalks)
Lime Juice (1 fresh lime)
Honey (1 tbsp.)
Garlic Powder (2 tsp.)
Salt & Pepper
Bean Sprouts (1.5 cups)
Beef, thinly sliced (12 oz)
Garlic Chili Sauce (to serve with soup)
Lime Wedges (4 - to serve with soup)

METHOD

(1) Prepare noodles.  Drain and rinse twice. Dry noodles by pressing paper towels or a kitchen towel (more sustainable, of course) on noodles until as much of the moisture as possible is absorbed.  It is vital you get these squishy guys really rung out.

(2) Bring chicken broth, water to a boil.  Add garlic powder, honey, mushrooms and noodles.

(3) Boil until mushrooms start to get tender and then turn down to medium.

(4) Chop and add basil, cilantro, lime juice, green onions and salt/pepper to taste.  Soft boil for about 5 minutes.

(5) Turn to low until you are ready to serve.  when you are ready to serve, toss in bean sprouts and let them cook only until they are slightly soft (less than five minutes).

(6) Adding the Beef: if you are using raw beef, you can throw the thinly sliced pieces in at this point, or, you can do the traditional method and pour the steaming soup over the raw pieces in each bowl.  This cooks the beef medium-rare.  You can also use leftover or pre-cooked beef and add the pieces at any point.

(7) Serve with garlic chili sauce and lime wedges for individual seasoning.

STATS
Serves: 4
Cals: 207
Fat: 7g
Carbs: 14g
Protein: 23g
Iron: 20%
Calcium: 18%

Salmon Noodle Oodles

This is so simple it's criminal.  I adapted this from a Hungry Girl episode I recently watched on the Food Network.  My mother approved (that is huge) and friends have exclaimed how amazing it is because it is a five minute meal that is perfect for a pre-workout meal, especially softball games, because it is light yet packed with protein.  If you have trouble filling up on low-cal meals, try this one, because it is a serious amount of food for 162 calories.... Enjoy!!!

INGREDIENTS
Mushrooms, sliced (1 cup)
98% Fat Free Cream of Celery Soup (1 can)
Shirataki Noodles, drained and dried (8oz package)
Salmon, drained (1 pouch/can aprox. 5-6oz)
Green Onions, chopped (2 stalks)
Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper

METHOD

(1) Cover skillet with cooking spray and add mushrooms.  Sprinkle with garlic powder and saute on high until mushrooms are tender.

(2) Turn heat down to medium.  Add cream of mushroom soup and stir with mushrooms.

(3) Drain, rinse and thoroughly dry noodles.  Take paper towels and press over noodles to completely absorb all of the moisture that they have retained.

(4) Add noodles to skillet.  Salt & Pepper to taste.

(5) Drain salmon and add to skillet on top of noodles.  Let sit for a few moments while chopping green onions.

(6) Stir altogether and turn heat up to medium-high and cook until hot, serve into bowls and top with green onions and course black peer and then dig in!


STATS
Serves: 2
Cals: 162
Fat: 6g
Carbs: 19g
Protein: 13g
Iron: 4%
Calcium: 13%

Chicken Salad Wontons

These may in fact be better than egg rolls!!!  And they sure are better for you.  Easy to whip up but not easy to resist...

Chicken Salad Wontons

INGREDIENTS
Wonton Wrappers (40)
Shredded Chicken (1.5 cups)
Broccoli Slaw (4 cups or 1 package)
Mandarin Oranges, drained (1 cup)
Bamboo Shoots, drained (5oz can)
Low Sodium Soy Sauce (3 tbsp.)
Orange Juice (1/4 cup)
Sesame Oil (2 tsp.)
Rice Vinegar (1/2 cup)
Ginger Puree (1 tbsp.)
Garlic Powder (1 tbsp.)
Red Pepper Flakes (1 tsp.)
Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (1 tsp.)

METHOD

(1) Place one wonton wrapper into a mini muffin tins and press down to create a cup.  Spray with cooking spray and lightly sprinkle with garlic.  Bake on 400F until they crisp and start to turn brown on the tips (about 10 minutes).  Remove from oven but do not remove from tray until cups cool.

(2) Finely chops bamboo shoots and mandarin oranges.

(3) In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, broccoli slaw, mandarin oranges and bamboo shoots.

(4) In a salad dressing shaker (or a small bowl), combine soy sauce, orange juice, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, red pepper and splenda.  Shake or mix until smooth.

(5) Stir dressing into salad until evenly distributed.

(6) Spoon mixture into wonton cups and serve!

This recipe is best if served fairly soon after making.  They will last as an appetizer through a party, however, they will get soggy on the bottom if you them TOO far in advance.

I also like to eat the filling as a salad.  It's healthy and delicious!

STATS
Per Wonton
Serves: 40
Calories: 36
Fat: 0.4g
Carbs: 5g
Protein: 2.5g
Iron: 1.5%
Calcium: 0.7%

Just as Chicken Salad (not in wonton shell)
Serves: 4
Calories: 180
Carbs: 12.5g
Fat: 3.25g
Protein: 20g
Iron: 11%
Calcium: 7%

Blackberry 'Recovery' Shake

On occasion it does in fact get over 85 degrees in Oregon, and when it does, no one knows what to do.  So, after a particularly long and hot run, my handsome co-conspirator suggested I make a shake along these lines.  It actually gave me superpowers for about two hours afterwards!  It's not particularly low in calories, carbs or fat, but it's not suppose to be.  Rather, it is packed with important nutrients, protein and electrolytes that you need to recover.  It's also good for breakfast!

Blackberry 'Recovery' Shake

INGREDIENTS:

Blackberries (1.5 cups)*

Almond Butter (1 tbsp.)

Honey (2 tsp)

Vanilla Extract (1 tsp)

Coconut Extract (1 tsp)

Protein Powder (1/2 scoop or 10g)**

Ice (about 1 cup)

* You can use any kind of berry you like!

** I like vanilla

METHOD:

(1) Put berries, almond milk, almond butter, honey, vanilla, coconut extract and protein powder in the blender and blend until smooth.

(2) Add 1 cup of ice and blend again until frothy.  You can add more or less ice depending on how slushy or thick you want your shake.  

STATS:

Serves: 2

Calories: 147

Carbs: 19

Fat: 9

Protein: 6

Iron: 8%

Calcium 41%

White House Lunch

Salmon with Blackberry Sauce & Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

A Northwest Dinner

While this amazing dinner has nothing to do with the White House or lunch... my father exclaimed after eating it that he hoped the leaders of the free would might eat something of this caliber every day for lunch.  He also thought that it may be one thing Michelle Obama and Laura Bush would agree on.  I actually think of it as a quintessential Northwest Dinner given that it contains all ingredients from Oregon, but what's in a name anyway?  I am just glad he liked it so much!

SALMON & BLACKBERRY SAUCE


INGREDIENTS
Salmon (16 oz)
Blackberries (1 cup)

Grill asparagus and salmon simultaneously 

Water (1 cup)
Balsamic Vinegar (1/2 cup)
Rice Vinegar (1/2 cup)
Honey (1 tbsp.)
Sea Salt


METHOD
(1) Boil water (1 cup) and blackberries (1 cup) for about five minutes and bubble on low for 15 more minutes.

(2) Add honey (1 tbsp) and both vinegars (1 cup total).  Stir until mixed.  Boil at a low heat for another 20 minutes or until the mixture is reduced by half and thick.  Sprinkle sea salt to taste.

(3) Once sauce is almost done, spray a grill or fish grilling pan (shown below) with cooking spray and pre-heat on high.

(3.5) Start Asparagus [SEE BELOW]

(4) Place salmon skin side down on grill and cook on high until 1/2 to 2/3 cooked through.  Flip and place pink side down until cooked throughout and easily flakes.*  In total, this should take about 25 to 35 minutes but it is best to cook fish on a case by case basis.

(5) Slice salmon into four pieces (4 oz each), drizzle blackberry sauce on top and garnish with blackberries (if you haven't eaten them all already!).

*Mom, thank you for helping me perfect salmon cooking.

STATS
Serves: 4
Calories: 291
Fat: 6g
Carbs: 26g
Protein: 33g
Iron: 1%
Calcium: 23%


BACON WRAPPED ASPARAGUS


INGREDIENTS

Asparagus, fresh (12 stalks)

Turkey Bacon (4 slices)

Garlic Powder / Any seasoning 

METHOD

(1) Place clean asparagus on a wax paper sheet and cover with cooking spray.  Sprinkle garlic powder or any other spice of your choosing (Old Bay is good with seafood).  Roll them over, spray and season again.

(2) Take bundles of three asparagus spears and wrap them with one piece of bacon.

(3) Place on grill for about 20 minutes or until bacon starts to crisp.  Flip them so that the other side of the asparagus and bacon is also cooked and leave them grilling for another 10-15 minutes or until asparagus is tender and bacon is crisp and serve 'em up!*  Put these on the grill AT THE SAME TIME as the Salmon.

*Be careful the bacon drippings don't start a fire on your grill (sorry Mom).

STATS

Serves: 4

Calories: 48

Fat: 2g

Carbs: 3g

Protein: 2g

FULL MEAL DEAL

Per Serving...

Calories: 339

Fat: 8g

Carbs: 29g

Protein: 35g

Iron: 1%

Calcium: 23%

Beef & Goat Cheese Salad

It's Monday... which means, among other things, that many of us have a left over "Sunday Roast" to put to use.  Here is a great lean recipe to use up your leftovers (rather than a mayo smothered sandwich!).  This salad serves as a whole meal and its fast to make with leftovers.  Still craving beef and don't have leftovers?  No problem, just bake/broil/grill 12oz (for 4 servings) of beef (whatever cut you like) with seasoning until you are satisfied (I like mine with a little pink in the middle).  Happy Monday!!!

Beef & Goat Cheese Salad

SALAD INGREDIENTS:
Beef, 4 slices (3 oz each)
Goat Cheese, soft (2 oz)
Fresh Spinach (4 cups)
Mixed Salad Greens (4 cups)
Tomato (1 large)
Green Onions (4 stalks)

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:
Balsamic Vinegar (3 tbps.)
Dijon Mustard (3 tsp.)
Olive Oil (1 tsp.)
Water (1/4 cup)
Garlic Powder (to taste)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

METHOD:

(1) Place dressing ingredients into a small saucepan and heat on medium until they slightly bubble and start to reduce in volume.  Whisk to get the mustard blended for a creamy (not lumpy) dressing.

(2) While dressing is warming, cut beef into strips/chunks and chop tomato and green onions.

(4) Arrange greens, spinach, tomato, green onion and beef on four plates (I use pasta bowls for my 'meal salads'); top each salad with 1/2 oz of goat cheese.  It's easiest to use a small spoon to scoop out little chunks.

(5) When dressing is hot, dunk the meat into the dressing for about 15 seconds; take a fork and place each piece of meat on the salads.

(6) Use a tablespoon to evenly dress each of the salads until all the dressing is used up.

STATS:
Serves: 4
Calories: 206
Fat: 7g
Carbs: 10g
Protein: 21g
Iron: 20%
Calcium: 17%

Coleslaw!

This is the ultimate remix to coleslaw.  It's crisp, a little spicy, a little sweet, and infinitely delicious.  I have several friends who say they don't like coleslaw, but end up having a second serving of this one. Oh yeah... and it's fat free!

This is the Remix to Coleslaw... Hot and Crisp out of the Kitchen...

INGREDIENTS:
Cabbage, shredded/ chopped into fine slices (4 cups)*
Carrot, shredded (1 large)*
Sweet Onion, chopped (1 cup)
Red Apple, thinly sliced (1 large)
Fat-free Yogurt (3/4 cup)
Lemon Juice (1 tbsp.)
Hot Sauce, such as Tapatio (1 tbsp.)
Garlic Powder (2-4 tsp.)
Cumin (2 tsp.)
Stevia (1 tsp.)
Salt
Pepper (course is best)

* Cut down on your prep time by using a pre-mixed slaw mix rather than cabbage and a carrot

METHOD:
(1) Chop / Shred / Slice cabbage, carrots, onion and apple.  Mix them together so they are evenly distributed.
(2) Mix yogurt, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic powder, cumin and stevia together in a small bowl.
(3) Combine dressing with vegetables until evenly distributed.  Salt & Pepper to taste.

Of course you can also adjust the garlic, hot sauce and cumin depending on your preference.  If you like a 'soggier' coleslaw add more yogurt.

STATS:
Serves: 6
Calories: 50
Carbs: 7
Fat: 0
Protein: 3g
Iron: 3%
Calcium: 8%

Anyone Craving Chinese Food!?

I know it's not Halloween yet... despite the influx of orange and black at the craft store... but here is a scary fact: the average "Chinese-American" meal ranges from 1,300-2,000 calories WITHOUT egg rolls.  Quite frankly, I think it is worth every ounce of grease and sodium.  However, if you like Chinese or any other kind of Asian food as much as I do, you probably don't want to be eating take out several times a week. Luckily, my mother has discovered a delightful hoisin chicken recipe that when paired with the following salad will fulfill your Chinese food craving without having to splurge!

Hoisin Chicken with Mandarin Salad

HOISIN CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken Breasts (16 oz or 4 pieces)
Hoisin Sauce (2 tbsp.)
No Sugar Added Ketchup (1 tbsp.)
Garlic, chopped (2 cloves or 2 tsp.)
Orange Juice (1tbsp.)
Red Pepper flakes (1/2 tsp.)
Fresh Parsley (1tbsp. chopped)
Garlic Powder (1/2 tsp.)
Whole Wheat Flour (2 tbsp.)***
Sesame Seeds

***If you need a gluten free recipe replace whole wheat flour with cornstarch or rice flour.

METHOD:
(1) Mix Flour, Parsley, Red Pepper and Garlic Powder in a small bowl.
(2) Mix hoisin sauce, ketchup, orange juice and chopped garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
(3) Spray a skillet w/Pam and put on Med/High heat
(4) Drag chicken (both sides) through flour and place on one side of a skillet that has been sprayed with PAM or similar cooking oil for 4 minutes
(5) Flip chicken to cook the other side and smother with sauce.  Try to keep the sauce on the chicken because it will caramelize and turn black on the skillet.  Cook for another 4-6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
(6) Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of chicken

STATS:
Serves: 4
Calories: 170
Fat: 3g
Carbs: 12g
Protein: 27g
Iron: 1%
Calcium: 2%

MANDARIN SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

Mixed Greens or Spinach (6 cups)

Cucumber (1)

Mandarin Oranges, drained (1 cup)

Sweet Onion (1/2 - try to get Walla Walla Sweet!)

Edamame (1/2 cup)

Low Sodium Soy Sauce (3 tbsp.)

Orange Juice (1 tbsp.)

Sesame Oil (1 tsp.)

Rice Vinegar (6 tbsp.)

Ginger Puree (2 tsp.)

Garlic Powder (2 tsp.)

Red Pepper Flakes (1/2 tsp.)

Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (1/2 tsp.)

METHOD:

(1) Create salad by chopping onion and cucumber and combining with mixed greens, drained mandarin oranges and rinsed edamame.  

(2) Create dressing by mixing soy sauce, orange juice, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, red pepper and splenda in salad dressing shaker or a small bowl.

*** Wait to dress salad until you serve, otherwise it gets really soggy!

STATS:

Serves: 4

Calories: 157

Fat: 3g

Carbs: 22g

Protein: 6g

Iron: 22%

Calcium: 12%

FULL MEAL DEAL 

Serve "family style" or serve one chicken breast on 1/4 of salad with dressing drizzled on greens.

STATS: 

Serves: 4, Calories: 327, Fat: 6g, Carbs: 34g, Protein: 33g, Iron: 23%, Calcium: 14%

#1 Almond Cookies

#1 Almond Cookies

This delightful cookie also has superpowers!!! Inspired by my friend Bethany's gluten-free peanut butter cookies, the #1 Almond Cookie will keep you chugging along through a tough day or melt in your mouth as a divine dessert (check out their low-carb and gluten free status below).  I eat them after a long run because they help give me a great protein boost and are packed with the calcium and iron my body needs when it's working hard.  If you are one of those people that has a spoonful of peanut butter or almond butter from time to time as a snack, think of these as the mobile and less messy version.

Why not fuel your body with nutrients while you indulge?  Makes sense to me!

INGREDIENTS:

Almond Butter* (1 cup)

Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (1/2 cup)

Vanilla Extract (2 tsp. or to taste)

Egg (1) or Egg substitute (1/4 cup)

METHOD:

(1) Preheat oven to 350F

(2) Mix all ingredients together until smooth

(3) Refrigerate mixture for 10-15 minutes

(4) Roll tablespoon sized balls and place them on un-greesed baking sheet

(5) Make criss crosses by smashing a fork into the balls

(6) Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tops of cookies are starting to turn golden

(7) After cookies cool for about five minutes remove from baking sheet and place on plate or wire rack to avoid over cooking

STATS:

Serves: 20

Calories: 100 (per cookie)
Fat: 7g 
Carbs: 2g
Protein: 4g
Iron: 3% 
Calcium: 4%

Cherry Quinoa Salad

This salad is a serious crowd pleaser.  Babies to Great Grandparents adore the sweet and savory mix.  Lucky for them it is also packed with nutrients and remarkably lean.

Cherry Quinoa Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 cups quinoa (uncooked)
3 cups vegetable broth (canned, boxed or homemade)
2 cups cherries (any variety)
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cucumber
1 sweet onion
1/2 cup fat-free yogurt
1/2 to 1 tbsp cumin
1-2 tbsp garlic (powder or diced)
2 tsp stevia (if needed for bitter cherries)
salt & pepper (to taste)

METHOD:

(1) Cook Quinoa
Boil vegetable broth (3 cups) and add quinoa (1.5 cups).  Turn down to medium/low, cover and continue to cook for about 12-15 minutes or until all the broth is absorbed into the quinoa.  You can add a pinch of salt to the mixture.  Fluff cooked quinoa and take off of stove and cool.

(2) Chop Fresh Ingredients
(a) Peel cucumber and chop, along with onion, into dime sized pieces.
(b) Pit and cut cherries in half.
(c) roll spinach leaves together and chop.  Do about 8 leaves at a time.  This makes the spinach curl into strips and it mixes much more easily into the salad.

(3) Mix
(a) Mix together all fresh ingredients that have been chopped with cooked quinoa.
(b) Add cumin, garlic and salt and pepper.
(c) Add yogurt to help the salad stick together.
(d) Taste.  If needed, add stevia to sweeten any bitterness from cherries and add more garlic, cumin, salt and pepper to suit your audience.

(4) Chill & Enjoy
When you are satisfied with the taste put your salad in the fridge.  This salad is best if slightly chilled but not super cold.  You can make one-day in advance.

STATS
Time: 30 minutes 
Serves: 6 (as a meal) to 10 (as a side)
Calories: 225 (as a meal) / 125 (as a side)
Fat: 3g (as a meal) / 2 (as a side)
Carbs: 42g (as a meal) / 25 (as a side)
Protein: 9g (as a meal) / 6g (as a side)
Iron: 13% (as a meal) / 8% (as a side)
Calcium: 5% (as a meal) / 3% (as a side)