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Blueberry-Gorgonzola Salad

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 (5-oz.) package mixed salad greens

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 cup loosely packed basil leaves

1 cup glazed walnuts

3/4 cup sliced fresh chives (about 1-inch pieces)

3/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

3/4 cup bottled raspberry-walnut vinaigrette

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves

Preparation

Toss together all ingredients in a large serving bowl.

Crisps, simple yet versatile!

Blueberry Crisp a la Mode

Yield: 8 servings

I absolutely love crisps! They are simple to make and extrememly versatile. You can basically make them in every season. I particulary love berries, but as we all know berries can be very expensive so I usually stick with blueberries, this way if I have extra I can make them in pancakes the next morning or add them to a salad.



Ingredients

6 cups blueberries

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup regular oats

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces

2 cups vanilla low-fat ice cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.



Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; spoon into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon, and cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over the blueberry mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Top each serving with 1/4 cup frozen yogurt.



Note: Topping may also be made in the food processor. Place 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon in a food processor, and pulse 2 times or until combined. Add butter; pulse 4 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal.



Nutritional Information

Calories:288 (26% from fat)

Fat:8.3g (sat 4.8g,mono 2g,poly 0.9g)

Protein:4.2g

Carbohydrate:52g

Fiber:3.8g

Cholesterol:22mg

Iron:1.3mg

Sodium:96mg

Calcium:77mg

Making Use of Fruits in Season

Summer Strawberry Salad

The key to summer is salads, they are light and not overfilling. They are also very refreshing and easy to make when the temperature is 94 degrees out. Personally, I hate boring salads. The worst thing about a boring salad is when people expect you to eat it as a main course. I have been trying to change people's perceptions of salads. For those of you who don't know romaine letuuce has absolutely no nutritional content. This is why the only thing it is good for is complimenting sandwiches, burgers, and a good antipasto. There are three components to a healthy and filling salad. First, mix up your base! I love using a nice organic fresh spring mix or fresh spinach. Both add plenty of healthy nutrients and vitamins to your salad. Next, utilize the fruits that are in season. Summer is a perfect time to use strawberries or blueberries in a salad, they add a natural sweetness. Next, adding walnuts, almonds, or cashews can make all the difference. They add a dose of healthy fat and give the salad a variety of texture. I also love adding crumbled cheeses to my salads, but some people don't which is why I say its an option. However, if there is one thing that I learned from french cooking it is that fruit and cheese compliment one another very nicely.

Ingredients

1 Bag of Spring Mix or Spinach salad mix
1 Container of fresh strawberries (I reccomend Driscols or better fresh strawberries)
1 Container crumbled blue cheese
1 bag silvered almonds (sweetened or unsweetened depending on your preference)

Directions

This salad is super simple. First, quarter your strawberries. If you have extra time on your hands you can quarter your strawberries and put them in a medium sized bowl, add water and a little sugar (or 0 calorie sweetner) and let the strawberries soak for extra sweetness! After you are done with your strawberries simply toss all the ingredients together. This can be served with a vinagarette or there is a dressing on the bottom you can serve it with. If you want to make this salad more filling simply add grilled chicken.

Dressing
Ingredients


Dressing:

1 tablespoon sugar


2 tablespoons red wine vinegar


1 tablespoon water


1/8 teaspoon salt


1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Yields: 4 servings.