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Showing posts from October, 2011

Babe's "Naked" Fruit & Veggie Salad ♥

Today's salad inspiration: A "naked" salad: No dressing. Not a drizzle of vinaigrette, not even a splash of lemon juice. What do we think, what makes a salad a salad? Is it the dressing? or what's dressed? Back in June, a reader forwarded a recipe. (Thanks for the recipe, Mary!) She listed a few of my favorite ingredients for salads, romaine and chopped vegetables plus fresh fruit and dried fruit, coconut and a few nuts. The instructions were simple, "Cut all ingredients in medium pieces and mix together. Very delicious!" The recipe struck me as a fall salad so onto the stack it went until last week when it hit me, Hey wait, this salad has no salad dressing! Sure enough, said Mary when asked. "Actually, I like it without dressing." My brain got to working. Is it the "dressing" that makes a collection of chopped veggies a salad? Do I ever make a salad without stirring in some sort of something to bind it all together? Admittedly, I was

Pumpkin Hummus with Honey ♥

Today's healthy hummus recipe: A traditional chickpea hummus, turned pretty and slightly sweet with pumpkin and a drizzle of honey. No added oil! Whole Food, Fresh & Seasonal. Homemade Hummus, Fast & Casual. Budget Friendly. Little Effort, Big Taste. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Easy Meal Prep. Lower Cal. Lower Carb. Lower Fat. Weight Watchers Friendly. Vegetarian, Easily Adapted to Vegan. Naturally Gluten Free. One of My Very Favorite Hummus Recipes. Happiness Quotient 100.

Favorite Pumpkin Recipes ♥

Just in time for "pumpkin season" Рthat's October and November in the northern hemisphere Рmy favorite pumpkin recipes, sweet and savory and everything in between. BUT FIRST, A FEW FACTS Pumpkins are for jack o' lanterns, sure -- and Cinderalla carriages and moonlit nights awaiting the Great Pumpkin. But best of all, pumpkins are for eating! But don't try eating pumpkins grown for Halloween carvings, they'll be watery. Instead, for cooking, choose anything except a carving pumpkin. In fact, my favorite "pumpkin" is called a kabocha squash (more information below). No surprise, though, pumpkins are part of the squash family. In 2009 and again in 2011, pumpkins are in short supply. I've been reading about shortages of canned pumpkin pur̩e. When buying canned pumpkin, be sure to buy "100% pumpkin pur̩e" which is 100% pumpkin and not "pumpkin pie mix" which is pumpkin mixed with spices and other ingredients. I