Potstickers....Yum!!!

Who doesn't love potstickers?  These are another great way to use up some cabbage!  You can even try more veggies, like radishes, peppers, etc.  Be creative!

If you are gluten free, here is a relatively easy recipe to make your own wontons.  Nicole's site is fabulous!

Also, if you are soy free, here is a non-soy soy sauce substitute I've played with and love!  Now, I didn't measure exactly when I made it.  But, these are some basic ingredients and you can play with it until you get a flavor you like!

No-Soy, Soy Sauce Substitute
Ingredients
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dark molasses
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 pinch white pepper
• 1 pinch garlic powder, or even try fresh chopped garlic, which is what I did:)
1 pinch onion powder
• 1 1/2 cups water
Directions
1. Add all ingredients together in a saucepan until the taste is as desired.  Bring to a boil. Boil gently until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Enjoy!  


Note: When I made mine, I didn't boil it, so you can try it both ways and see what you like. 

Mandarin Chicken Salad from Esther Dick

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sliced almonds       1 cup chopped celery
3 Tbl. sugar                       2 green onions chopped
1/2 head romaine lettuce or other choice of green lettuce
 2 cans mandarin oranges
1 bag baby spinach            
3 chicken breasts, cooked and cut in small bites
Dressing:
1/2 cup peanut oil             4 TBL sugar
4 TBL red wine vinegar       1 tsp salt
dash pepper                     1 TBL parsley

Directions:
Carmelize the almonds by stirring almonds and sugar over high heat until sugar crystallizes and almonds turn toasty brown.   Make salad and add almonds and mandarin oranges on top after tossing the salad with dressing.

Number Of Servings:about 12




I could eat this salad. every.day!  It is THAT good.  You can omit the chicken and eat it as a side or add the chicken and make it a meal.  This would also taste great with chicken nuggets, fish like salmon, and probably more! 

Jess' Chicken Pillows

Mmmmmm.  These are so delicious!  They take a little bit of time but this recipe makes a ton and these can be frozen, once they are cooked.  I adjust this recipe quite a bit because of the fat content, but you can do it either way you prefer.  


Ingredients:
2 8 oz. package cream cheese (I use 1/3 less fat)
1/4 c  butter softened
2 tsp. pepper
4 c. cooked chicken, cubed or shredded


1 small package of mushrooms, chopped
2 T. finely chopped green onions
1 T. olive oil


1 cube butter ((I use 2 eggs, lightly whipped) 
2 c. seasoned bread crumbs (can use Gluten free bread crumbs as well)
4 pkg. crescent rolls


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Blend together cream cheese, butter, and pepper until smooth.  Sautee mushrooms, onions, and olive oil.  Add to cream cheese mixture, along with chicken.  Mix well.  Separate crescent rolls.  Take 2 triangular rolls and push together at perforated seam to make into a square. Make sure you seal the perforations well so your filling doesn't come out. Put about 3 tablespoons of chicken mixture in the center of each square. Fold the dough corners to the center over the chicken mixture forming a pillow.  Roll each pillow in melted butter (or eggs) and roll in crumb mixture, coating thoroughly.  Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  While the pillows are baking, cook some quinoa (or rice) and lemon mushroom sauce.  


Lemon mushroom sauce:
1 can cream of mushroom sauce
1 cup low fat sour cream (you can use PLAIN yogurt here, I've even tried it with Greek yogurt--just make sure it's PLAIN)
1/4 cup lemon juice or to taste (fresh squeezed is great if you have fresh lemons)
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste


Boil these together until warm and mixed well. 


Serve pillows on top of rice, and pour sauce over.  I love these with fresh steamed broccoli!

Japanese Beef Stir Fry

Prep Time: 30 Min

Cook Time: 15 Min

Ready In: 45 Min

Servings 8

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless beef sirloin or beef top round steaks (3/4" thick)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 (10.5 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Beef Broth

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 head Chinese cabbage (bok choy), thinly sliced

2 medium red peppers, cut into 2"-long strips

3 stalks celery, sliced

2 medium green onions, cut into 2" pieces

Hot cooked regular long-grain white rice

Directions

1. Slice beef into very thin strips.
2. Mix cornstarch, broth, soy and sugar until smooth. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in saucepot or wok over high heat. Add beef in 2 batches and stir-fry until browned. Set beef aside.
4. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the mushrooms, cabbage, peppers, celery and green onions in 2 batches and stir-fry over medium heat until tender-crisp. Set vegetables aside.
5. Stir cornstarch mixture and add. Cook until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Return beef and vegetables to saucepot and heat through. Serve over rice.

Footnotes

1. TIP: To make slicing beef easier freeze beef for 1 hr. 
2. MAKE AHEAD: Prepare vegetables and place in resealable plastic bags. Refrigerate overnight.

Grilled Salmon with Peanut Hoisin Sauce

Makes 4 servings 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all natural peanut butter *your choice of creamy or crunchy

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 cloves minced garlic

4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets

olive or cocount oil for cooking

sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped scallions (green onions)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Sauce can be made several days ahead of time and refrigerated. If it is too thick, just add a little water when heating it before serving.
2. Drizzle olive oil on both sides of the salmon and season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill until done to your liking. Top each grilled salmon filet with warm Peanut Hoisin Sauce and sprinkle with chopped scallions, just before serving. Enjoy!

Catherine Dawe’s Five Fruit Salsa

Salsa Makes: 16 servings

Takes:30 Min

Ingredients

2 cups chopped cantaloupe

6 green onions, chopped

3 kiwifruit, peeled and finely chopped

1 medium navel orange, peeled and finely chopped

1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped

1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1 (8 ounce) can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained

optional: CINNAMON TORTILLA CHIPS:

10 (8 inch) flour tortillas

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the cantaloupe, onion, kiwi, orange, peppers and pineapple. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
2. For chips, brush tortillas with butter; cut into eight wedges. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the tortillas. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-14 minutes or just until crisp.
3. Just before serving, drain salsa if desired. Stir in strawberries.
4. Serve fruit salsa on top of pork and/or with cinnamon chips.

* Serve with Grilled Pork Chops

Crunchy Romaine Toss

Takes: 6 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup stevia (all natural and zero calorie sugar substitute)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 teaspoons reduced sodium soy sauce

sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodles, broken

2 tablespoons organic butter or coconut oil

1 cup chopped broccoli

1 small head romaine lettuce, torn

4 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the sugar, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, salt and pepper; shake well. Discard seasoning packet from noodles or save for another use. In a skillet, saute noodles in butter until golden. In a large bowl, combine noodles, broccoli, romaine and onions. Just before serving, toss with dressing and walnuts.

Roast Vegetable Casserole

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbs olive oil

2 large onions, peeled and cut into quarters

4 large stalks celery, cut into

2-inch pieces

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 large acorn squash, peeled, cut in half, seeded, and cut into large chunks

8 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole, optional

3 potatoes, peeled

2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, optional

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried

5 medium-size ripe tomatoes, cut into quarters, or 2 cups canned whole tomatoes, chopped

2 Tbs flour

4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease the bottom of a large flameproof roasting pan with oil. Place onions, celery, carrots, squash, garlic (if desired), potatoes, and scallions in pan. Stir well; add salt, pepper, and thyme.

2. Roast, stirring once or twice, for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and gently stir in tomatoes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and roast for another 15 minutes.

3. Remove pan and place it over two burners set on medium-high heat. Sprinkle flour onto vegetables and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add stock and bring to a boil.

4. Taste; add salt and pepper if desired. Place pan back in oven. Roast 15 minutes until sauce is thick and vegetables are cooked. Serve hot.

Rainbow Salad with lemon poppyseed dressing

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Connie Riska’s Mandarin Orange Almond Salad

Ingredients:

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

4 tbsp vinegar

1c vegetable oil

1 tbsp parsley flakes

4 tbsp sugar (can substitute with Stevia-but read Stevia label about substituting)

1 can (10 ¾ oz) mandarin oranges

½ head romaine lettuce

½ head red leaf

4 green onion, including tops, chopped

6 oz. almonds

3 heaping tbsp sugar  (must use real sugar)

Directions:

Dressing:
Mix salt pepper, vinegar, parsley flakes and w tbsp sugar.  Refrigerate overnight. ***You can also put in freezer for about 20 minutes if you need it sooner)

Nuts:

In a heavy saucepan combine the 3 heaping tbsp sugar and the almonds.  Cook over medium low heat until the sugar melts and the nuts are well coated.  Watch carefully, nuts and sugar and easily burn.  Pour glazed nuts onto a cookie sheet to cool; separate.

Salad:

Break greens in small pieces and mix with onions.  Just before serving, drain oranges and add to greens.  Add prepared nuts (see below).  Add dressing; toss and serve immediately.

Japanese Beef Stir-Fry

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Roasted Yam and Kale Salad

Slow Cooker Delight

Country Green Beans

You can omit the ham if you want this to be vegetarian.

Cucumber, Tomato and Feta Salad

Scallion and Asparagus Salad

Chicken Pasta Salad with Cashews and Dried Cranberries