Peanut Butter and Julie

Chickpea and Caramelized Butternut Squash Salad with Goat Cheese

Pancakes, cookies, and cannoli--oh my!  I have really been on a caloric blogging kick lately, haven't I?  It's just that sweets and treats are so darn fun to make, not to mention that fact that they photograph beautifully.  Well for today's post, in honor of those of you who have courageously given up sugar for Lent, I am offering up a something nutritious, light, and healthy.  I can't make any promises about my next post though.

Despite what my dessert-heavy blog archives might lead one to believe, I have always maintained a very healthy diet.  I also try to work out every day.  Lately I have noticed that my workouts have not been as effective as they used to be.  Being a creature of habit, the problem is that I tend to do the very same treadmill workout every single day.  Consequently, my muscles have gotten used to this lack of variety, and they have become bored.

So this morning I decided to shake up my exercise routine by attending a class that my friend teaches called "Body Pump."  (should be called "Body Torture." ) This class is designed to work all of your core muscle groups by doing a series of movements while holding either lightly weighted bars or weights.  You work on one muscle group per song, and you do the movements over and over again for the entire song.  We're talking 100 squats, 80 lunges, 75 curls......you get the picture.  Sheesh!  Some of those songs just seemed to go on and on and on.  I mean how many times do we really need to hear the chorus?  Oh, and those "lightly weighted" bars that I previously referred to?  I felt like I was lifting a small car by the end of the songs.  I. Am. Sore.  And I will likely be even more sore tomorrow.  But it's a good sore, and you can bet my Body Pumped booty that I am going to go back for more.  I highly recommend it for anyone who is up for an, um, adventure.  The classes are taught at gyms nationwide.

Feeling extra-healthy and energetic post-workout, I was inspired to create something on the lighter side for lunch.  As cliched as it may sound, I really did put this together from ingredients that I found after rummaging around my fridge and pantry.  Roasting vegetable is my favorite method of preparation because it helps to bring out their natural sweetness.  From the butternut squash to the chickpeas to the peppers, this salad is rich in Superfoods, and it makes for a filling dish.  The goat cheese adds a creamy-tangy aspect, and the sweet and spicy dressing brings it all together beautifully.  Here are a few extra tips for making this cheery colorful chickpea salad:

• Instead of using butternut squash, you can use peeled cubed sweet potatoes, golden beets, or acorn squash.  The sweet potatoes might require a bit more roasting time.
• The chickpeas cans be replaced by black-eyed peas or your preferred type of bean.  You could also do a combination of a few different beans.
• The easiest way to peel a butternut squash is with a carrot peeler.  Paring knives tend to cut away too much of the vegetable's flesh.  Cut off a bit of the end of the squash so that you can stand it up as you peel.
• This salad is best eaten within a few hours of preparation, but it will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for 2 days.  Enjoy the salad chilled or at room temperature. 

Chickpea Salad with Caramelized Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese

For the Spicy Maple Vinaigrette

1/3 cup cider vinegar

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Zest and juice of one orange

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the Salad

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 cups drained and rinsed canned chickpeas

1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

1 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled

Prepare the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, orange zest and juice, and red pepper flakes.  Season the mixture with salt and pepper.  Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until well incorporated.

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.  Toss the cubed squash with the olive oil and scatter on the baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast the cubes for 25-30 minutes, until the squash is lightly caramelized and tender, stirring the squash periodically so that the cubes brown evenly.

Carefully scrape the warm squash into a large mixing bowl.  Add the chickpeas, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, thyme, and parsley.  Toss the mixture with 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the salad with the crumbled goat cheese and serve!

Provencal Grilled Chicken Salad

From the moment that I finished the first chapter of A Year in Provence several years ago, Peter Mayle became one of my favorite authors.  His easy-to-read stories, mostly set in the south of France, comically detail the slow-paced, provincial lifestyles of the local French town-folk in a drastic contrast to those of the many tourists and vacation homeowners who have arrived from fast-paced cities and high-stress jobs. 

When I finished reading A Year in Provence in what I assume was record time, I moved right on to Toujours Provence, Hotel Pastis, Encore Provence, Chasing Cezanne, and every last publication by Monsieur Mayle that I could find, courtesy of Amazon.com (and you know it has them all.)  After breezing through his entire collection, I only have one grievance: he doesn't write quickly enough to keep up with my insatiable appetite for his books!  Try as they may, and many do try, nobody writes books about living in Provence like Peter Mayle.  So Pete, can I call you Pete?  No?  O.K.  Mr. Mayle it is.  Mr. Mayle, if you're reading this, and we all know that you are a closet Peanut Butter and Julie fan, please, please never stop writing.

In addition to the aforementioned comical aspect of his books and the eloquently described surroundings, I love Peter Mayle's books because they are filled with pages and pages discussing nothing but food.   Good food.  French food.  I have never become so hungry reading as I have during the feast-related portions of his collection, which seem to occur on just about every other page.  The French are know n for their culinary skill,  and I really think that the author's talent for bringing the regional cuisine of Provence to life through his writing is partially responsible for my love of Provencal cuisine.   

This simple, yet colorful and flavorful salad is a perfect representation of something that might be served at a Provencal summer lunch, the kind that lasts several glorious hours.  Full of typical regional ingredients like basil, tomatoes, artichokes, and capers, which are mixed with warm chicken and a simple balsamic vinaigrette, this salad is light and healthy, but very satisfying.  The flavors tend to improve the next day as the ingredients mingle, so make sure to prepare an extra big batch.  Bon Appetit!  Here are my extra tips for preparing this healthy Mediterranean-inspired meal:

• Instead of grilling the chicken, you can also roast it in a 400F degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or you can simply use about 6 cups of shredded rotisserie-style chicken.
• It is best to add the chicken to the rest of the salad while it is still warm, and I've found that this aids in absorption of the vinaigrette and other flavors.
• Feel free to use your creativity when building this salad.  Kalamata or nicoise olives, feta or goat cheese, hearts of palm, and lightly toasted nuts would all make nice additions to this dish.
• This salad will keep, tightly covered and refrigerated, for 2-3 days.  The vinaigrette will keep for up to 1 week, also covered and refrigerated.
• If you cannot find sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, simply rehydrate dried ones in a solution of hot water, and then toss them with some olive oil.

Provencal Grilled Chicken Salad

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

For the salad

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 red onion, sliced 1/2-inch thick

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes, drained

3 ripe Roma tomatoes, quartered

1 cup drained canned artichoke hearts, quartered

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

For the vinaigrette

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 Roma tomato, diced

2 tablespoons minced red onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon drained capers

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

2/3 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, toss the chicken and the onion with the olive oil and vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.  Grill the chicken over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 7 minutes per side.  Set aside until cool enough to handle.  Meanwhile, grill the onion for about 4 minutes per side or until slightly charred but still crisp tender.  Roughly chop the onion and place it in a large bowl.  Slice the grilled chicken breasts on the diagonal into 1/2-inch thick pieces.  Add the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, tomatoes, artichokes, capers, and basil to the bowl and toss to mix.

Prepare the vinaigrette:  Combine the vinegar, red pepper, tomato, onion, garlic, capers, and basil in a medium bowl.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil until incorporated.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add 1 cup of the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to mix.  Season with salt and pepper and garnish with extra fresh basil.

Whole Grain Penne "Caprese"

I would like to start this post by extending a sincere "thank you" to Haley Suzanne at Appoggiatura (gosh, I hope I didn't butcher the spelling) for an award that she honored me with.  Apparently, I occasionally "make her day," via this blog and my "sunny disposition."  Obviously, she hasn't seen me before I have my morning caffeine fix.  Seriously though, Haley, I am humbled by your kind words, and I encourage everyone to click on over to Haley's beautifully photographed blog for a sampling of her culinary grace notes, as she so eloquently puts it (although I would love to say that I came up with that phrase on my own.)   As the recipient of this award, I am now tasked with passing it on to some other bloggers who make me smile.  After many sleepless nights of surfing the blogosphere, analyzing posts, and agonizing over who would make the cut---O.K., I'm over-dramatizing this a bit.  Here are five talented bloggers who help to brighten my day (drumroll):

1. Candy, at The Courageous Cook, has a fairly new blog, but with her lighthearted and amusing stories, which accompany each recipe, I am a frequent reader.  Candy is also a talented contest cook, who is heading to the Gilroy Garlic Festival next week, so stop by and wish her luck!
2. Anne, at Cooking With Anne, always has the most beautiful photos of what is growing in her garden in Pennsylvania.  I was particularly captivated by the squash blossoms.
3. Shannon, from Writing as I Eat, is not only a talented cook, but a darn funny one too!  Read her post about her recent trip (her third) to the Pillsbury Bakeoff.  I told you that she is talented.  You might have also seen her as one of the featured contestants on Food Network's coverage of the Bakeoff.  She had that sinful looking tart....
4. I like to visit Jeni at I Found Happy because she writes all about Durham, North Carolina, where I went to grad school, and one of the sleeper great food cities in America.  Jeni, next time you go to Foster's, tell Sara Foster I said "hi!"
5. Finally, for dessert, there's Amy of Sweet Freak.  How can you not love a site whose URL is dessertsfordinner.com?  Amy's blog is all about NYC's best sweets, and boy, am I going to be well equipped with ideas come my next trip to the Big Apple!

So there you have it, my sure-to-cause-a-smile list 'o blogs.  Drop by over your morning coffee and start your day out right!

Today, keeping with yesterday's "marathon training" theme, I made one of Eric's favorite pasta  salads for him to graze on over the next few days.  Named after the traditional basil, tomato, mozzarella Caprese salad, this recipe was inspired by one of Ina Garten's many simply delicious "why didn't I think of that?" creations, which I've worked on enough times to finally tweak it to perfectly suit our tastes.  Because it is a lighter pasta dish, this recipe works year-round, and from my experience, it is a true crowd pleaser, so keep it in mind for your next potluck or dinner party.  Here are a few tips from preparing this colorful, healthy, and hearty dish:

• Pine nuts can be expensive, so if you don't have any on hand, or if you cannot find some at a reasonable price, then by all means substitute some toasted and chopped walnuts or hazelnuts for a similar effect.
• Depending on whether or not I can find good basil in my grocery store, I'll often substitute chopped arugula, which has a bit more of a bite, but it works very nicely in this recipe.
• This dish can be served hot, cold, or at room temperature.  Serve it as a main dish, or use it as a side for grilled chicken or fish.
• I mentioned this in previous postings, but my current preferred pasta is the line that includes flaxseeds from Trader Joe's.  This pasta has great texture, a nutty flavor, and at 99 cents per pound, you can't beat the price. 
• If you can't find good ripe tomatoes, feel free to substitute a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes or fire-roasted diced tomatoes.

Whole Grain Penne "Caprese"

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

8 ounces whole grain pasta

14 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, divided

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and diced

2 teaspoons capers, drained

3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted, divided

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound ripe roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

12 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/3-inch cubes

1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, julienned

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until it is al dente, according to package directions.  Drain the pasta and toss it with some olive oil in order to prevent it from sticking.  Place the pasta in a large bowl.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine 7 of the sun-dried tomatoes, the red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, 4 olives, and the crushed red pepper.  Puree the mixture until fairly smooth.  Add half of the tomatoes to the processor, and pulse several times, until the mixture is almost smooth.  Add the other half of the tomatoes, and pulse 2 or 3 times, so that the sauce contains larger pieces of tomato.  Season with salt and pepper.

Chop the remaining kalamata olives and sundried tomatoes and add them to the pasta in the bowl.  Add the mozzarella and pine nuts to the bowl and toss to combine.  Pour the sauce over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and the basil, and toss well to coat. 

   

Arugula-Walnut Pesto Chicken Salad

A few weeks ago, Eric announced that he was going to have another go at the Las Vegas Marathon this December.  Fortunately, he seems to have learned a lesson from his previous attempt, which ended disastrously.  Oh, he finished, but I practically had to carry him to the car, he couldn't climb the stairs for two days, and he spent most of that time looking pale and miserable on the couch.  Way to celebrate the big victory!  How can you not  want to run 26.2 miles when I paint a picture like that?

Actually,  all of this pain and suffering could have easily been avoided with a little thing called "training."  Eric comes from a family of naturally talented runners.  His dad just finished the Boston Marathon, his mom runs several smaller races each year, his sister has climbed just about every peak in Colorado, and she likely did it at 7mph or faster, and his cousin is even paid to run.  These people run everywhere and, quite frankly, I'm surprised that I was allowed into the family, what with my walking and hiking tendencies (although, to be fair, I do speed walk at the highest possible incline...)  Since running is obviously in the genes, Eric didn't really feel the need to practice as much as he probably should have, which obviously backfired in a way that he will never forget.

So, this time around, my older and wiser husband has mapped out an Olympic-worthy training regimen using the only method that he knows--a beautiful, intricate spreadsheet.  Let me put it this way:  Julie is to cooking as Eric is to building spreadsheets.  We have a spreadsheet for everything in our house.  I've never seen someone have so much fun with Excel, the program that nearly pushed me over the edge during graduate school.  These graphs are works of art, and I'd frame them if it didn't mean splashing our family finances all over our walls for visitors to see.  So, anyhow, this spreadsheet lists his daily running goals up until the day of the race, and he has put in a request for me to up the protein and carb quotient of his meals, with lots of pasta.  All of a sudden, I'm living with Carl Lewis......

One of Eric's favorite ways to eat pasta is with pesto.  When most people think of pesto, they think of basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan, but I find pesto to be one of the more versatile condiments, so I like to play around with different types of greens, herbs, nuts, and even cheeses whenever I prepare a batch.  This variation combines peppery arugula, something I always have on hand for salads and sandwiches, toasted walnuts, and Parmesan cheese.  I always save some pesto to toss with pasta or scrambled eggs or spread on sandwiches, but I also like to make this addictive pesto chicken salad.  Eat this on its own, toss it with pasta, or serve it between slices of toasted multi-grain bread with juicy heirloom tomatoes.  At the very least, I predict an eating marathon in Eric's future!  Here are a few more tips for making this peppery pesto, vinaigrette, and salad:

• Wild arugula, sometimes referred to as "rocket," can be found in the section of your grocery store that carries mixed greens and bagged salads.  Arugula has a peppery taste with a little more bite, but it is less expensive than traditionally used basil.  If you don't care for arugula, you can substitute fresh baby spinach, basil, flat-leaf parsley, watercress, or a combination of these.
• Pine nuts, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), hazelnuts, pecans, or even cashews can serve as substitutes for the walnuts.  Keep an eye on the pine nuts as they toast--they burn very easily!
• Occasionally, I'll substitute grapeseed oil for olive oil in the pesto and vinaigrette.  Mildly flavored grapeseed oil is gaining popularity in the kitchen, and it offers many of the same health benefits as olive oil.
• Pesto is a great vehicle for using up mixed greens and herbs that are on the verge of going bad.  Pesto can be portioned out and frozen in plastic bags or in ice cube trays and then used on an as-needed basis.
• For the roasted and shredded chicken, I wait for boneless skinless chicken breasts to go on sale and then I buy several packages, separate pieces into zip-top bags, and freeze them.  When I want to prepare this salad, I thaw 4 or 5 breasts, season with salt and pepper, and then roast them at 400F degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.  Rotisserie chicken can also be used, but that is usually a pricier option.

Arugula-Walnut Pesto Chicken Salad

For the pesto

2 1/2 cups arugula leaves, packed

6-8 peeled garlic cloves

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup lightly toasted walnuts

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

For the pesto vinaigrette

1 cup prepared Arugula-Walnut Pesto

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Juice from 1 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad

6 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1 cup pesto vinaigrette

1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups arugula, packed

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the pesto:  Place the arugula and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to roughly chop, scraping down the sides of the bowl several times.  With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow stream through the feed tube, stopping several times to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the lemon juice and continue to run the food processor until the leaves are pureed.  Add the walnuts, cheese, salt, and pepper, and puree about 1 minute more, until the pesto is well blended and smooth.  Add more olive oil if the pesto is too thick.

Prepare the pesto vinaigrette:  In a medium bowl, whisk together the pesto, vinegar, and lemon juice.  Add the olive oil slowly, whisking until incorporated.  Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare the salad:  Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the vinaigrette, walnuts, and parmesan; toss to mix.  Add the arugula, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to mix.  Garnish with additional chopped walnuts and cheese, if desired. 

Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad

We had to make another Costco trip this weekend.  Dreading it, I waited until the last possible minute before finally giving in on Saturday.  I believe it was during the moment that I was scraping every last bit of flour out of its canister, in efforts to gather enough for the recipe that I was working on, that I realized I couldn't avoid it any longer.  So, bright and early Saturday morning, after our workout and a delicious breakfast at The Cracked Egg (highly recommended), Eric and I arrived at Costco just in time for opening.  As a rule, I always shop at Costco right when it opens--less crowded, less claustrophobic, and much, much faster.

If we are in a recession, you wouldn't know it from the goings on at the Summerlin Costco.  Carts everywhere were piled high, filled with everything from dog food to Guitar Hero, even at 10 a.m.  We wanted to get some steaks to grill for dinner, but when we searched for the tenderloin, they had apparently already sold out in record time and were in the process of restocking, so we waited.  Armed with our freshly cut steaks, a good pinot noir from Costco's vast and impressive selection, and about 40 other "necessities" (mind you, I use that term loosely), we headed to the checkout for the always painful grand total.

After a really nice night out on Friday, we decided to stay home, rent a movie, and grill our steaks for dinner.  To go along with the filets, I made one of my favorite warm weather salads, full of roasted vegetables and tossed in a light lemony dressing.  Because it tastes delicious at any temperature, I like to make a big batch and graze on it over the next few days.  It went perfectly with our lightly seasoned grilled steaks, but I think we could have found a better pairing in the cinematography sector.  I voted for 27 Dresses, or even There Will Be Blood, but I lost out to Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.  On the positive side, I was able to do other things while the movie played--the plot didn't require my full attention.  At least dinner was good.  Here are my tips for this simple summer salad:

• If you don't have orzo on hand, or if you can't find it in your grocery store, feel free to substitute rotini, farfalle, orecchiette, or even penne.   Whole wheat versions would work nicely too.  If not located with the general pasta, orzo can often be found in the Italian foods section of the grocery store.
• Mix and match vegetables for this salad according to your personal preferences.  If you prefer yellow or orange peppers, use them.  Assorted mushrooms, grape tomatoes, yellow squash, and broccoli florets would all be good choices for additions or substitutions.
• This salad will keep well, covered and chilled, for 3 to 4 days.  I like to eat it cold, but you can really serve it at any temperature.
• Top the salad with grilled chicken or shrimp to turn it into an entree.
• The feta cheese in this recipe is optional, but it certainly adds a nice tangy flavor.  Other cheeses that would work nicely are crumbled goat cheese or a milder diced buffalo mozzarella.

Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 (1-pound) eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 red bell peppers, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1 large zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 red onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons dried thyme

Salt and pepper

1/2 pound dried orzo pasta

For the dressing

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

To finish the salad

1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

4 scallions, minced

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1/2 pound feta cheese, diced (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.  Toss the eggplant, peppers, zucchini, red onion, and garlic with the olive oil and thyme in a roasting pan.  Season generously with salt and pepper and toss to mix.  Roast for 40-45 minutes, until browned, tossing occasionally.

While the vegetables roast, cook the orzo.  Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the orzo and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender.  Drain the orzo and transfer to a large bowl.

Add the roasted vegetables to the orzo, scraping all of the liquid from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and add the dressing to the pasta bowl.  Toss the mixture to coat well.  Add the pine nuts, scallions, parsley, and feta (optional) to the salad and toss well.  Season to taste and serve at room temperature or cold.

Healthy Wheatberry Salad

Doughnuts and scones and muffins--oh my!!  After looking over the last few days of my blog posts, I realized that they have been heavy on the, well, heavy stuff.  I usually try to keep the order well-balanced, but apparently I have been in a baking kind of mood lately.  So now it's time to give your sweet tooth a rest with some healthy whole grains and fresh vegetables.

This wheat berry salad is one of my favorite "go-to" salads when I want to have something easy, filling, and healthy in the refrigerator that I can graze on over several days.  Sometimes I'll eat it as a meal in itself, served over mixed greens, or I'll have it as a side dish for dinner.  The recipe is a slight variation of Ina Garten's Wheat Berry Salad, found in her third cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Family Style.  I love her recipes because they are prepared with fresh ingredients, they are simple and not too fussy, and they always present beautifully.  This is a great salad for entertaining or to bring to a potluck, as it is a nice change from your standard rice or couscous recipe, and the vinaigrette-coated vegetables look like little jewels sitting in the wheat berries.

Wheat berries are the mother grain from which flour, bread, and pasta are derived.  When cooked, they have a nut-like flavor, a chewy texture, and can serve as a healthy whole grain substitute for rice, pasta, or couscous.  Look for wheat berries in the organic, bulk, or health foods section of your grocery store.  Here are a few extra tips for this whole-grain wheat berry salad:

• Feel free to adjust the amounts of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to suit your personal taste.  I decreased the amount of olive oil from the original recipe and added a bit of vinegar because I like the more acidic flavor.
• Instead of using thyme, add 2 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley at the very end. 
• Experiment with different vegetable combinations in this versatile recipe.  Substitute chopped shallots for the red onion, try using different colors of peppers, add some chopped celery, or dice some fresh sweet beets.
• The wheat berries are done cooking when they have softened, but are still chewy or "al dente".  If they absorb all of the water before this point, just add a bit more.  Be sure to use the hard wheat berries as they will not become mushy when cooked.

Healthy Wheat Berry Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 cup hard winter wheat berries

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 red onion, finely diced

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

3 scallions, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 large carrot, diced

Place the wheat berries, 3 cups of water, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes or until the wheat berries are soft.

Saute the red onion in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and thyme and stir to mix.  Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the wheat berries, onion mixture, scallions, red bell pepper, and carrots.  Season well with salt and pepper and stir to mix.  Allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes prior to serving so that the wheat berries can absorb the sauce.  Serve cold or at room temperature.

Roasted Beet, Candied Almond, and Pecorino Salad

Anyone who has ever dipped into a bowl of candied or spiced nuts knows that they are highly addictive.  There you are at the restaurant, sitting at the bar and waiting for your table to be ready, absentmindedly picking at the bowl of sweet and spicy cashews.  Your hand goes for a refill, and you hit an empty bowl.  Something about the combination of flavors, which fire a direct hit to every area of your palate, makes it impossible to eat just a few.  Suddenly, you're not so hungry for dinner anymore (buy hey--are there any more of those nuts stashed behind the bar???).

One way to avoid this problem, other than not making the delectable snacks, which we all know is out of the question, is to make the nuts a part of your meal, such as a topping for a salad.  It's funny how, to many people, putting something on a salad automatically makes it healthy, just because it's called a salad.  I've got news for you people:  A deep fried taco shell, filled with ground beef, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole is not the same as mixed greens with balsamic on the side.  But, if you sprinkle a reasonable amount of nuts, or cheese, or even bacon on top of the salad, you still get the benefit of flavor without the extra calories.

This simple salad incorporates one of my favorite vegetables, sweet roasted beets.  Combined with the slightly spicy and salty almonds, a citrus dressing, peppery arugula, and tangy pecorino, it really puts your taste buds to work!  Here are a few tips for preparing the salad:

• If you cannot find golden beets, then red beets may be substituted.  I tend to prefer the golden beets because they don't stain everything that they come into contact with!  Striped "candy cane" beets and baby beets are also acceptable substitutions.
• The orange juice can be replaced by tangerine juice, grapefruit juice, or even pomegranate juice.
• Marcona almonds are large flat Spanish almonds, and they have a richer, more intense flavor than general almonds.  I found mine at (where else?) Trader Joe's, and most specialty grocers are likely to carry them.  Normal blanched almonds can replace the marconas.
• Shaved parmigiano-reggiano or asiago can be substituted for the pecorino cheese.  Mixed greens, frisee, or baby spinach can be substituted for the arugula.

Roasted Beet, Candied Almond, and Pecorino Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds golden beets, scrubbed and trimmed

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup marcona almonds

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced shallots

6 cups baby arugula

Shaved pecorino cheese

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  In a large baking dish, toss the beets with 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Cover with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until tender.  When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut them into 1/2-inch pieces.

Meanwhile, line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium saucepan, combine the butter with the sugar, honey, salt, and cayenne and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Add the almonds and stir until evenly coated with the syrup.  Scrape the almonds onto the parchment lined baking sheet in an even layer.  Bake with the beets for 12 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.  Let cool and then break into pieces.

In a small saucepan, simmer the orange juice over moderate heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 10-15 minutes.  Let cool and then transfer to a large bowl.  Whisk in the vinegar, mustard, and shallots.  Gradually whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil and season the dressing with salt and pepper.  Add the beets and arugula and toss.

Transfer the salad to a platter or bowl.  Garnish with the candied almonds and the shaved pecorino cheese.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

And now, a lesson in nutritious eating from Peanut Butter and Julie:

  Quinoa, pronounced "keen-wah", is a grain that is very rich in amino acids or protein.  It has a fluffy, creamy and slightly crunchy texture, and when it is cooked it has a bit of a nutty flavor.  Quinoa is a nutritional goldmine, rich in manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, and phosphorous.  It is said to be beneficial for people who suffer from migraines, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.  It will also clean your house, mow your lawn, and make you look like a supermodel (not really--just checking to see if you are paying attention amidst all of this educational stuff).  Quinoa can be used interchangeably in recipes with grains such as rice, couscous, or in the case of this recipe, bulgur wheat.

Tabbouleh is a traditional Middle Eastern dish made of the above-mentioned bulgur wheat, herbs such as parsley and mint, and spices.  Tabbouleh is often served as an appetizer, a salad, or as part of a mezze, the Middle Eastern version of tapas.  The recipe is thought to have originated in Lebanese cuisine, but it is now enjoyed all over the world and is very common in vegetarian diets.  I love to make tabbouleh because it is a versatile dish, open to creative variation.  I have added shredded chicken to tabbouleh to make a more substantial meal, and I have also made it into a sweeter dish, with golden raisins, cinnamon, and orange juice.  You can't help but feel healthy eating it as tabbouleh is about as close to "spa cuisine" as you can get.

For this recipe, I combined the two above "lessons for today" to make one light and nutritionally abundant dish, Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad.  Here are a few tips for preparing this twist on tabbouleh:

• Look for quinoa in health food stores, or in the health foods section of your grocery store.  Stores like Whole Foods will have a quinoa bin in their bulk foods section.
• If you cannot find quinoa, simply substitute bulgur wheat.  This is what tabbouleh is traditionally made from, and it should be easier to find than quinoa.  Look for it in the organic or health foods section of your grocery store, or you might even find it in the general rice and grains section.
• Before simmering the quinoa, rinse it under cold water in a fine mesh sieve or strainer.
• If you prefer to peel and seed the cucumber prior to chopping, feel free to do so.  I like the extra texture and color that the dark green peel provides, and it is an easier process if you can omit the extra steps.  If you are concerned about a waxy coating, use an English cucumber.  These are wrapped in plastic so they do not need the waxed coating and they have much smaller seeds.
• I prefer to use roma or plum tomatoes for this salad, but vine-ripened, heirloom, and even the sweet small grape tomatoes would work well too.  If using a smaller grape tomato, just quarter each tomato as opposed to chopping.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup water

1/2 cup quinoa

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/2 cup chopped seeded tomato

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Lettuce or arugula leaves (optional)

Whisk oil, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and garlic together in a small bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

Bring the 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the quinoa, cover, and reduce the heat to low.  Cook until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.  Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and cool.

Add the cucumber, tomato, mint, and the remaining cup of chopped parsley to the quinoa.  Add the dressing and toss to coat.  Serve the quinoa atop lettuce or arugula leaves, if desired.

Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

On Christmas Eve of last year, because we didn't have any relatives or friends coming over and it didn't make sense for me to spend hours in the kitchen whipping up some elaborate meal for just the three of us (the dog is always included in the head count), Eric and I decided that we would have dinner at one of our favorite special occasion restaurants on the strip.  Well, to quote Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, "BIG mistake--HUGE!"  Due to the holiday and the high volume of expected reservations, the restaurant had decided to change almost everything that we loved about it.  Gone was the imaginative, hard-to-choose-from menu, and in its place was a fixed price, no options version.  Eric had been looking forward to selecting the chef's food and wine pairing option and to finishing his meal with the decadent cheese cart, neither of which was available.  Gone too was the attentive, well-paced service and relaxed atmosphere.  Ironically, with so much eliminated from the dining experience, they still managed to raise the prices!  Suddenly, a few hours in the kitchen for our small party of three didn't seem so crazy....

Needless to say, for Valentine's Day, we will not be venturing out to try the hottest new restaurant that Las Vegas Boulevard has to offer (word on the foodie street is that this distinct honor goes to Carnevino, Mario Batali's new place in Palazzo).  I think that we are done with major holiday dinner spent at restaurants--much better on the wallet and the palate to celebrate a day late.  Instead, I am going to prepare a simple dinner at home, with three place settings of course.  Although I won't be wheeling out the cheese cart for dessert, hopefully Eric's "cheese tooth" will be satisfied by this simple salad, my own version of a salad that I once tried at a restaurant and absolutely fell in love with.  The small, crispy round of tangy goat cheese becomes nice and soft when warmed, but it is not so rich that you can't enjoy the rest of your meal.  Pair it with a nice crisp white wine, or for Valentine's Day, a special glass of Champagne.  Here are some tips for this elegant salad:

• The goat cheese rounds can be coated with the breadcrumbs up to 8 hours in advance.  Cover and refrigerate.
• If you don't have panko breadcrumbs, feel free to use regular breadcrumbs.  To save time and ingredients, you can even use the Italian-seasoned variety and then omit the thyme and parsley from the recipe.
• For the vinaigrette, if you don't have sherry vinegar on hand, you may substitute red wine, champagne, or white wine vinegar.
• It is important that the olive oil in the skillet is very hot prior to adding the coated goat cheese rounds to the pan.  This helps to prevent them from sticking. 
• Instead of using dried cranberries, try using dried sour cherries, halved red grapes, or even sliced Granny Smith apples.  Candied pecans, toasted walnuts, or slivered almonds would all make nice substitutions for the toasted pine nuts. 
• When choosing a goat cheese for this recipe, look for one that is semi-firm and creamy on the inside.  If you are shopping  at a store with a cheese counter, ask for help.  Cheeses can be confusing!

Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Dijon Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Goat cheese salad

1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 rounds of soft, fresh goat cheese, 1/2 inch thick (about 2 ounces each)

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten until foamy

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons pine nuts

6 cups arugula or mixed baby greens

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Make the dressing:  Whisk together the Dijon, vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil until well blended.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Mix the panko, thyme, parsley, pepper, and salt in a medium shallow bowl to blend.  Dip each goat cheese round into the egg whites, turning to coat.  Coat each with the breadcrumb mixture.  Transfer the coated cheese rounds to a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the cheese rounds and cook until crisp and golden, 2-3 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate.

Toast the pine nuts in a shallow baking pan until just golden brown and fragrant, 3-5 minutes.  Toss the pine nuts and mixed greens with the Garlic Vinaigrette and distribute evenly on 4 salad plates.  Sprinkle each salad with 2 tablespoons dried cranberries and top each with a goat cheese round.  Serve immediately.   

Grilled Polenta, Prosciutto, and Portobello Salad

The name of this recipe is slightly misleading.  Yes, this is technically a salad because it sits on a bed of arugula; however, this is not your garden variety garden salad.  A beautiful dish like this, overflowing with so many flavorful and filling ingredients, deserves to be the star attraction and leaves no room for a main course.  That grilled chicken that you were planning will just have to wait and make its debut tomorrow, because this salad is a tough act to follow.

The creation of this salad started when I decided that I wanted to make grilled polenta after reading a recipe for it in a magazine.  Polenta is one of those foods that is slowly making a comeback in the gourmet restaurant scene, but many people aren't quite sure what it is, so they don't order it.  Ironically, polenta started out as a peasant food because you can make a very basic version of it using only cornmeal and water. Today, restaurants are mixing it with cheeses, sundried tomatoes, wild mushrooms, and fresh herbs to give it more flavor.  It can be served either soft, similar to mashed potatoes, or grilled, as in this recipe.  I prefer polenta grilled because it is crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside as opposed to just one texture.

To accompany the polenta, I really just started adding some of my favorite ingredients that I had on hand.  Large portobello mushrooms are great for marinating and grilling because they absorb so much flavor and have a nice, almost meaty texture.  Thick red onions caramelize deliciously on the grill and add a new color to the salad.  Salty and slightly smoky prosciutto crisps up quickly under the broiler and serves as a crunchy topper to the salad.  And Parmigiano-Reggiano, well, I'll put that on pretty much anything!  Here are some pointers for making this delicious salad:

• If you don't want to make polenta using the slow-cook method, you can save time by purchasing either a box of instant polenta or a tube of pre-cooked polenta.  The instant polenta can usually be found near the rice, grains, and pasta in the grocery store, but you can also check the organic/health foods section or Italian foods section, if your store has one.  The pre-cooked polenta, if your store has some in stock, is typically kept in the refrigerated meats and cheeses section, but your best bet would be to ask someone who works there as each store is different.
• Arugula is a mixed green, with a similar appearance to baby spinach, but with a slightly peppery flavor.  If you can't find any arugula, you may substitute other mixed greens or baby spinach.
• If you don't have a grill or a grill pan, you can always pan sear the polenta in a large skillet, and you can roast the portobellos and onions in a 375F degree oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through the roasting time.
• You will know that the polenta is ready to flip on the grill when the entire piece can be lifted off the grates cleanly with a spatula.
• To shave Parmigiano-Reggiano, grip the block of cheese firmly in one hand and, using a carrot peeler, peel thin slices away from you.  Alternatively, you can just grate the cheese over the salad. 

Grilled Polenta, Prosciutto, and Portobello Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

6 portobello mushrooms, stems and caps separated, halved

1 large red onion, thickly sliced (1/2 inch rings)

2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

6 pieces of thinly sliced prosciutto

1/2 cup chicken stock

12 pieces set polenta (see recipe)

4-6 cups arugula

8 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved

Toss the portobellos and sliced onions with the garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a large bowl.  Let stand at room temperature, tossing occasionally, for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, crisp the prosciutto: Preheat the broiler.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place the prosciutto, in a single layer, on the sheet.  Broil the prosciutto for 3-4 minutes, or until crispy.  Let cool completely and then break into pieces (4-5 pieces per slice of prosciutto.)

Transfer the portobellos and onions to a plate.  Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock.  Raise the heat and return the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture has reduced by half, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high.  Lightly brush the tops and bottoms of the polenta pieces with olive oil and place on one side the grill pan.  Cook, flipping once, until the polenta is marked, crisp, and no longer sticks to the grill, 6-8 minutes per side.  Meanwhile, place the portobellos and onions on the other side of the grill pan and cook, turning frequently to avoid burning, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Place the arugula on a platter.  Arrange the polenta, portobellos, and onions on top.  Drizzle about half of the sauce over the portobellos.  Top with the crispy prosciutto and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Serve immediately with extra sauce on the side.