Pomegranate Salad

Seeds of one pomegranate
4 apples, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl, combine fruit and nuts. In separate bowl, combine sugar, vanilla. Start with 1 cup of yogurt and slowly add additional spoonfuls, until the fruit and nuts are lightly coated

Note: Pomegranate season is short- around Oct/Nov. for the rest of the year, substitute raspberries.

Strawberry Shortcake Muffins

2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 egg
1 c. heavy cream (substitution below)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. diced strawberries, well drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups. In large bowl mix together flour, baking powder and sugar. Cut in butter in small pea-size pieces. In small bowl mix egg, vanilla and cream then add all at once to flour mixture. Stir with spoon until blended. Gently mix in strawberries. Spoon into muffin cups and bake for about 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan before removing. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar to serve.

Note: For a lower-fat muffin, substitute the heavy cream with evaporated skim milk.

Crock Pot Peach Cobbler

3/4 c. Bisquick
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 can evaporated milk
2 tsp. margarine or butter, melted
2 large eggs
3 large ripe peaches, mashed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Lightly grease crock pot. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugars and bisquick. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Stir. Pour in margarine and milk and stir. Mix in peaches and cinnamon, until well mixed. Pour into crock pot. Cover and cook on low for six to eight hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Serve warm. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Moroccan Lentil Salad

1/2 c. dry lentils
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
2 minced hot green chile peppers
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 lime, juiced
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste

Place lentils and water in a pot. Bring water to boil, reduce to simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until tender. In a medium size mixing bowl combine lentils, beans, tomatoes, green onions, green chilies, bell peppers, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, and salt to taste. Toss well. Chill for 20 minutes. Serve chilled.

Hamburger Rice Casserole

1 lb. hamburger meat, cooked and drained
1 c. rice, uncooked
1 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 medium onion, chopped
6 tbl. soy sauce
2 tbl. brown sugar
4 c. boiling water
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger meat and chopped onion until hamburger is no longer pink and set aside. Pour boiling water over uncooked rice in a 2-3 qt. casserole dish. Add in cream of mushroom soup; stir until it is dissolved into water and rice. Next add soy sauce and brown sugar. Finally, add hamburger meat and onion and mix well. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Shortcut Chicken Noodle Soup

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 qt. chicken stock
8 oz. dry wide egg noodles
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
salt and pepper
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped


Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Meanwhile, boil water in a separate pot and cook noodles according to package instructions. When slightly less than al dente, drain and set aside. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Fold in the noodles and chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Adapted from Tyler Florence's Chicken Noodle Soup

Sweet Potato Fries

Cooking spray
6 sweet potatoes
3 tbl canola oil
1 tsp salt
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Peel the sweet potatoes, and cut them into 1⁄2-inch french fries.

3. Place potatoes in a large resealable plastic bag, and add oil, salt, and cayenne pepper, if desired. Secure the bag, and shake well until potatoes are coated with oil.

4. Arrange potatoes on the baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes. Turn with a spatula and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Watch carefully, as thinner fries may not take quite as long.