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{The Recipe Redux} Memorable Vacation Meals – Warm Goat Cheese & Fig Salad

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Galeries Lafayette
Warm Fig & Goat Cheese Salad

Warm Goat Cheese & Fig Salad

It took me all of ten seconds to decide I should attempt a warm goat cheese salad for this month’s Recipe Redux’s “Most Memorable Vacation Meal” challenge.

Even though it’s been more than a decade, I can still see and taste the original warm goat cheese and fig salad on which this one is based. It just goes to show how powerful food memories can be!

So, where did this food memory take place? In a fancy restaurant? Nope. In a food court. Not just any food court, but the Galeries Lafayette department store food hall, a cross between a gourmet supermarket and food court, in the heart of Paris.

Galeries Lafayette

Galeries Lafayette

Photo Credit: Flickr – designmatters

I was taking part in a weeklong culinary vacation, called “Unpolished Paris” that forever changed my relationship with food. It was on this trip I vowed to never again settle for tasteless, over-processed food. (Life is too short and delicious real food too wonderful!) And to try to live my life more like the the slim and elegant French ladies I saw everywhere.

The flavors and textures of that warm fig and goat cheese salad delighted me in a way food never had done before. It was one of many food memories created that week, for which I am forever grateful.

This is my interpretation as best as I can recall and recreate it with the ingredients available. I enjoyed this warm fig and goat cheese salad for lunch today and was immediately transported back to that Paris department store lunch counter…

Enjoy!

Warm Figs with Goat Cheese

Warm Figs with Goat Cheese

Warm Fig & Goat Cheese Salad

Warm Fig & Goat Cheese Salad

Warm Fig & Goat Cheese Salad

Warm Goat Cheese & Fig Salad Almost Like Paris

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Filed Under: 6 PointsPlus, Salads Tagged With: , ,

{38 Power Foods} Lentil, Mushroom and Kale Burritos

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Making a lentil, mushroom and kale burrito
Lentil, Mushroom, and Kale Burrito

Lentil, Mushroom, and Kale Burrito

Would you ever think to turn a mixture of lentils, mushrooms, and kale into a filling for burritos?

I certainly wouldn’t. But I’m glad the talented Camilla Saulsbury did for her cookbook, 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking: 500 Recipes for Lifelong Wellness.

And I’m happy I found the recipe and tried it for this week’s 38 Power Foods Blogging Group. (For nine weeks now, a group of bloggers, led by Mireya of My Healthy Eating Habits, has been posting recipes using the healthy ingredients from Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients, by Martha Stewart and the editors of  Whole Living Magazine.)

Because of this group, I’m trying all kinds of recipes I probably wouldn’t otherwise, with surprising results: I never would have guessed in a million years that my midwestern born and raised meat and potatoes loving husband would have enjoyed these lentil, mushroom and kale burritos so much he would opt to eat them two nights in a row! But he did. Really.

So, what is this week’s power food? Mushrooms.

Lentil, Mushrooms and Kale

Lentils, Mushrooms and Kale

Did you know that mushrooms, considered among the most medicinal of all the earth’s natural substances, have been used to fight cancer and boost immunity in China and Japan for centuries?

They’re low in fat and a good source of protein, fiber, vitamin D, potassium, and B vitamins, including B12, which is good news for vegetarians. And it turns all mushrooms – wild, cultivated, Asian, fresh, and/or dried – have their respective strenghts. So be sure to eat a wide variety for the most benefits.

Making a lentil, mushroom and kale burrito

A lentil, mushroom, and kale burrito in progress

This lentil mushroom and kale burritos recipe was really quick and easy, especially if you use already cooked lentils. And surprisingly delicious. The recipe calls for canned lentils, but I used Trader Joe’s steamed lentils, which I love. And as Camilla explains, be sure to remove the virtually inedible stems and tough center ribs of the kale, before slicing it.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: 10+ PointsPlus, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,

{38 Power Foods} Marinated Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

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Marinated Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
Marinated Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

Marinated Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

Roasted beets, sliced and marinated in a simple vinaigrette, then topped with goat cheese and mint. Deciding which recipe to make for this week’s 38 Power Foods group was easy. As soon as I spied this quick and easy recipe for marinated roasted beet salad with goat cheese and mint, I knew it was the one since I had everything I needed on hand except the beets.

Every Friday a group of bloggers led by Mireya of My Healthy Eating Habits, is working their way through the healthy ingredients contained within Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients, from Martha Stewart and the editors of  Whole Living Magazine.

And as you’ve already guessed, this week’s Power Foods ingredient is beets.

If you haven’t seen the book, it’s definitely worth taking a peek. The 38 Power Foods are categorized into 5 chapters: 1) Vegetables; 2) Fruits; 3) Grains and Legumes; 4) Nuts and Seeds; and 5) Eggs, Yogurt and Fish. Along with recipes for each ingredient, there’s interesting health information, as well as buying, storing, and preparation tips, making it a useful resource for anyone wanting to eat healthier.

So what are beets health benefits exactly? Well, they’re low in calories, high in fiber, rich in iron, folic acid, and beta-carotene. Naturally sweet and delicious, they come in a rainbow of colors – red, white, golden and even candy cane striped (Chioggia).

Full of powerful antioxidants and phytonutrients, beets and may help protect against cancer, heart disease, and eye diseases. And their leafy greens are even more nutritious than the roots, so be sure to find a way to use them. (I usually just wash them, chop them and saute them like I would spinach or swiss chard.)

I did make a few minor changes to the recipe. First, instead of steaming the beets, I wrapped them in foil and roasted them in the toaster oven until tender because I think it’s easier. I also reduced the olive oil called for from 2 tablespoons to 2 teaspoons, which was more than enough for our tastes.

Everyone really enjoyed this simple marinated roasted beet salad with goat cheese and mint, so it’s getting added to my “Make Again” file.

Enjoy!
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Filed Under: 4 PointsPlus, Salads, Side Dishes Tagged With: , , ,

Weight Watchers Lentil Salad with Mint and Goat Cheese

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Weight Watchers Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese and Mint
Weight Watchers Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese and Mint

Weight Watchers Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese and Mint

A simple dish of fiber-rich lentils, fresh mint and creamy goat cheese. I never would have thought of combining these ingredients into a salad if I hadn’t seen the recipe for this Lentil Salad with Mint and Goat Cheese featured in an early June issue of Weight Watchers Weekly.

Since then I’ve been wanting to give it a try. And I’m so glad I did. It’s a really nice change from the usual mayo-based side dishes and salads so popular this time of year.

The original recipe calls for cooking a cup of lentils, which isn’t a big deal, but does require 20 to 30 minutes of simmering. I used a package of  Trader Joe’s steamed lentils I had in the refrigerator instead, turning this into a simple no-cook lentil salad recipe, perfect for summer.

Trader Joes Steamed Lentils

Trader Joes Steamed
Lentils

(I’ve become a big fan of them since receiving a package when a friend was cleaning out her fridge before leaving for the summer, which I used to make a Camilla’s lemony lentil and quinoa salad.)

The only other change I made was adding a little dried tarragon. Next time I’m going to experiment with a little red wine or sherry vinegar. I hope you like this simple tasty dish as much as we did.

Enjoy!
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Filed Under: 4 PointsPlus, Salads, Side Dishes Tagged With: , ,

Simple Mixed Green Salad with Dates and Goat Cheese

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Mixed Greens with Dates & Goat Cheese
Mixed Greens with Dates & Goat Cheese

Mixed Greens with Dates & Goat Cheese

Mixed greens, dates, and goat cheese tossed with a simple dressing of olive oil, vinegar and soy sauce. I keep wondering, how can anything so simple be so delicious? And asking myself why I never considered adding dates to a salad before.

Have you ever thought of adding dates to a salad? I certainly hadn’t before this date salad recipe.

I’m a huge date fan.

I eat dates as a sweet snack and love them in yummy baked goods: banana date coconut muffins, old-fashioned date bars, banana date coconut cookies, crispy rice and date no bake cookie balls. I’ve also had them as simple appetizers –  stuffed with a bit of Parmesan cheese or olive tapenade.

But this salad of mixed greens, dates and goat cheese was a total revelation. I’m hooked.

It’s funny, when I purchased this large container of beautiful soft Medjool dates at Costco several weeks ago, I wondered if I would be able to eat them all before they began to dry out. I think it’s safe to say that problem is now solved! I have Camilla Saulsbury and  this recipe from her terrific cookbook - 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking: 500 Recipes for Lifelong Wellness to thank.

Medjool Dates

Medjool Dates

This date salad is super simple to make, coming together in 10 minutes or less. Enjoy it as a side dish or light main dish. It’s easy, healthy and delicious, with just 3 PointsPlus value in a side-dish size serving.

Mixed Greens with Dates & Goat Cheese Ingredients

Mixed Greens with Dates & Goat Cheese Salad Ingredients

Enjoy!
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Filed Under: 3 PointsPlus, Salads Tagged With: ,

Mixed Greens & Strawberry Salad with Chicken, Goat Cheese & Avocado

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Mixed Greens, strawberries, Chicken, Goat Cheese & Avocado
Mixed Greens & Strawberry Salad with Chicken, Goat Cheese & Avocado

Mixed Greens & Strawberry Salad with Chicken, Goat Cheese & Avocado

Mixed greens tossed with sliced strawberries, chopped cooked chicken, crumbled goat cheese, chopped avocado and sliced almonds, in a simple honey & citrus vinaigrette dressing. Yum. Yum. Yum.

I had this delicious salad for lunch yesterday and just thinking about it still makes me smile. I was able to concoct it by combining ingredients I had in the fridge and pantry: mixed greens, strawberries, leftover rotisserie chicken, avocado, red onion, goat cheese crumbles, and sliced almonds. (Oh, how I love a well stocked fridge.)

This hearty main dish dinner salad (with 8 Weight Watchers Points+ per serving) laced with lean protein, fiber, and healthy fat, kept me full and satisfied until dinner.

I love salads for lunch and sometimes even for dinner, especially when the weather turns warm, like it’s already doing here in Phoenix.

The key is to never think of salads as “diet food.”  Instead think of them as colorful, satisfying and delicious ways to load up on healthy vegetables and fruits, especially when tossed with your own healthy homemade salad dressing.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: 8 PointsPlus, Chicken & Turkey, Salads Tagged With: ,