Cole Slaw

Yes, another post. Two in one weekend!

Yesterday we had Child 1's birthday celebration. I made Chuck Roast Barbecue.  We had chips for a side. But I was really craving some cole slaw.  So I thought, "Why not?" Cole slaw and barbecue go together.  Even in December.

I have never made Cole Slaw other than using a bagged slaw and a nice slaw dressing, all pre-made.

However, with some diet changes in our household, buying the jar of dressing was a big no-no.

What to do, what to do.

I went to a message board and found a recipe that I thought would work. And it seemed simple. Plus it fit our diet restrictions.

Please know when I say diet, I am not referring to losing weight. I am referring to avoiding certain foods due to reactions. :)

I say that because once you will see the recipe you will wonder what kind of diet we are on. It is not low calorie, though I did calculate them and it wasn't horrible.  The bun for my Chuck Roast was actually higher.

Anyway, here is the recipe with my modifications.

Ingredients:
1 bag of shredded cabbage/carrots (A slaw mix but no dressing).  You could also shred your own but I didn't need any extra chores.

1 Tbsp minced onion (I cheated and used dried minced onion)

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

2Tbsp vinegar (I just used white distilled)

2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
Place cabbage, carrots, and onion in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix together remaining ingredients until smooth.

Pour over the cabbage mixture.  Chill in the fridge until time to serve it.

The original recipe was actually double of all of the sauce ingredients and that is how I made it. Then I ended up pouring off a LOT of the dressing. So I would definitely halve it (what you see above) next time.  It is probably because I didn't use a whole head of cabbage but rather the bagged stuff.

Either way, it was good. In fact, it was one of my favorite slaws I have ever tasted.

I will be making this again...

Reba

Chicken Avocado Salad

I will be upfront here.

This recipe was totally for me.

I am the only person in the family who eats avocados.

But when I saw this recipe via Pinterest, I just knew I had to try it.

So last week I gathered the necessary ingredients, put them together, and chowed down for lunch/dinner the next few days.

For me (one who loves avocados), it was delicious.

Not low in calories or fat, but it is all good fat, right? :)

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cut into small pieces (I followed the recipe above and used it from a rotisserie chicken but I will try it just with boiled chicken next time...much cheaper :)

2 medium avocados, diced

2 T fresh squeezed lime juice (divided...1 T each)  Note: I did not add that much. I used one lime and got all of the juice I could from it.  It was plenty for me)

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion (I just cut with kitchen scissors)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro (as finely or as coarsely as you want)

2 T mayo (or light)

Directions:
Place the shredded chicken in one bowl.

In another bowl,mix 1 T lime juice with the avocado in another bowl.  Season with salt to taste.

Mix the mayonnaise and remaining lime juice to make the dressing.

Add the sliced onions and dressing to the bowl of chicken, mixing until the chicken is coated with dressing.

Add the avocado and cilantro to the bowl, gently stirring.

Either serve right away or chill in the fridge. I did keep mine overnight in the fridge, and it was just as good the next day.

The original recipe suggested serving with pita bread or on a leaf of lettuce or just alone. I really wanted a little crunch. So I placed mine upon a "bed" of chips.  Then I topped it with Parmesan.

And I loved every bite.

Every fattening bite. :)

Reba

Easy and Delicious Fruit Salad

The other day I wanted a little sweetness but nothing heavy. Since the good "fruit" season will be ending soon, a fruit salad just seemed like the perfect dish.

And it was.

This recipe came from my cousin P. It was in the family cookbook. I have made it before but it has been a while.

Easy, quick, and good.

Ingredients:
Fruit (I used kiwi, apple, strawberries, grapes, and blueberries...you can use what you want. :)

1 box vanilla instant pudding

1 regular can of pineapple chunks

Directions:
Drain juice from pineapple chunks.

Mix desired fruits in a bowl.

Add in drained pineapples.

Mix the pineapple juice with the vanilla pudding.

Then pour over the fruit.

Enjoy,

I know, it is very simple.

And very good.

Nothing like a good fruit salad on a summer day!

Reba

Avocado Basil Pasta

After I saw this recipe (via Pinterest), I could not WAIT to make it.  I knew I would be the only one in my family who would touch it though.  So tonight, when we had some friends from church over for a cookout, I decided it was the perfect time to try it out.  I am glad I did. :)

Yum.

Now if you don't like avocado, this won't seem as yummy.

Though I have to say it would be fine without it.

Just better with it.

Have I ever mentioned how much I like avocados?

Ingredients:
1 package bow tie pasta (or whatever kind of pasta you wish to use...I really liked the bowtie)

2 avocados, chopped (remove that big seed in the middle and peel, obviously :)

6 slices bacon, drained and crumbled (I was short on time, so I just cooked mine in the microwave on a bacon cooker)

2/3 cup fresh basil, chopped.  I can't find a lot of fresh herbs in our area. What I can find are these wonderful "singles" that cost like a dollar.  Basil leaves come in one of the "singles".  So I just used scissors to cut the basil leaves up into little pieces.  All that to say, I didn't honestly measure 2/3 cup.

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

3 cloves of garlic, minced

ground black pepper and salt to taste

freshly grated cheese (The original recipe used Romano.  I used my favorite Parmesan:)

Cook pasta according to the directions on the bag.  Drain.

Add all other ingredients (except cheese) to a large bowl and stir.  Add in bow tie pasta.  Stir thoroughly.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Enjoy.

I loved it. I mean, it is pasta, avocado, and bacon.  What is there not to love?

Since I am the only one who would eat this (mainly due to the avocado), I would make it sometime minus the avocado.  Then I would add the avocado any time I was ready to eat it.  That way I could warm up the pasta without warming the avocado.  I could probably get 3-4 lunches out of this recipe.

And I will.

I don't think there is anything low fat about it.

But it is worth each and every calorie...

Reba

Chicken Salad

Not long ago, hubby and I had a date at our new local museum (Crystal Bridges). While there, we decided to have lunch because...well, it was lunchtime. There is a neat restaurant in the museum named "Eleven". I am not sure why it has that name. But that is beside the point (as so many of my points are:).

I am still watching my calories since I am recording them in "My Fitness Pal" daily. I knew I was having my "calories don't count" day for V-day when we ate our Chicago deep dish pizza. So that meant I had to be good.

I browsed the menu, unsure of what to do. Most of it looked good but high calorie.

One thing stuck out to me though. Chicken salad. I quickly looked it up on My Fitness Pal and found it to be fairly low calorie.

The funny thing is I didn't eat chicken salad as a child. I didn't eat it as a young adult. I basically didn't eat it until I was about age...40. About a week ago to be exact.

And I loved it.

I wondered, "Why haven't I eaten this before?"

Then of course, my next thought was, "How can I make it at home?"

I always need quick lunches for my school week.

I did a little search on Pinterest and found a couple of recipes. This recipe was my favorite. It reminded me most of what I had at the museum.

And it really is fairly low cal (or can be).

Ingredients:
2 cans (12.5 oz) chicken (You can use 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken but if you don't mind the taste of canned chicken, it is MUCH faster and easier :)

3/4 cup light mayonnaise (I really like the one with olive oil)

1 cup red grapes (the original recipe said to cut the grapes in half...I quartered them instead so they wouldn't be too big)

1 stalk celery diced

1 green onion diced

salt and pepper to taste

a spoonful of nuts. I have been using half a tablespoon of slivered almonds which were made for salad

The original recipe calls for a half a cup of diced apples, but I omitted that part.

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. Top with the nuts (almonds, pecans, or cashews)

Keep leftovers refrigerated.

The first time I tried this recipe out, I put it on some "flat bread", a new product for me. I wasn't crazy about it.

Today I put it on top of a leaf of lettuce and just ate it with a fork.

I liked that much better! (And it was much lower calorie-wise)

More soon,
Reba

Super Salad

Lately I have been in the mood for salads for lunches. When I combine them with the Strawberry Smoothie to drink and a little crusty bread/olive oil, I am a happy camper. I had a salad this summer at a restaurant that I LOVED. However, it is not convenient for me to go there often nor do I have the money to spend every time I am in salad mode.

One day at the grocery store, I thought, "Why go to a restaurant to buy a salad when I can make my own?"

This is totally cheating in some ways. I cook NOTHING for this. And it isn't anything new or terribly creative. But I will share anyway.

I just get a bag or a container of mixed greens, depending on my mood. (Spinach is a favorite). Then I add sliced avocado, grilled chicken (I buy the Oscar Meyer brand in the deli section...southwestern flavor is my favorite), sliced roasted almonds (found in the produce section at my grocery store), some croutons, and a little cheese (either Parmesan or feta). Then I top with just a little dressing; my favorite is Vidalia Onion dressing. I am not an onion person but I LOVE this dressing.

Mix together...voila!

What do you like to put on your salad?

Reba

7 Layer Salad

I would love to say I made this recently, but honestly, I made it in March. I just never got around to blogging about it. It is a family favorite (as in from my side of the family); this recipe comes from my mom. It is one of my favorite salads; I love to eat the leftovers (if there are any) the next couple of days. By the way, there is nothing healthy about it which is probably why it is so tasty. :)

So, here are the layers. Use a big bowl.

Ingredients:
Iceberg lettuce. I wish I could tell you an exact amount. I just buy a head, wash it, then tear it into little pieces. I fill probably half the bowl with the lettuce.

Celery. About 2 or 3 stalks washed then cut up into little pieces.

Green onions. Again, just cut into little pieces, enough to cover the celery.

Green peas. I use frozen petite and just pour a layer over the onions. The funny thing is I won't eat cooked peas but I will eat them in this salad frozen/cold...

Mayonnaise. That would be the unhealthy part but it is the best part of the salad. :) Use 1-2 cups and cover the salad.

Sugar. 1 teaspoon sprinkled over the mayo. The original recipe calls for a tablespoon, so use whatever you are comfortable with.

Cheese. I use the shredded cheddar cheese (2%).

Bacon. A few slices fried and diced. I think I cheated and used the microwave kind this last time but I prefer real bacon.

Cover and chill until ready to use.

Yum.

Oriental Salad

Almost every time we have a potluck at school, someone brings this salad and it is done in no time. I kept meaning to ask around at school how to make it but never thought about that when I was actually AT school. :) So one day I was in the mood for it, I pulled out my handy dandy family cookbook, opened it up, and...ta-da...there it was. Actually, not once but twice. I ended up using my grandmother's recipe which was just like one of my co-worker's recipe with one minor change via the co-worker...

Ingredients:
1 bag of coleslaw (my recipe says tri-color, I just used the most colorful coleslaw mix I could find...
2 packages of Ramen noodles, Oriental or beef (my co-worker uses beef)
1 package of sunflower seeds...already shelled of course :)
1 package of slivered almonds
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar

Crush the Ramen noodles. I put them in a plastic bag and used a meat tenderizer. Do NOT use the seasoning packets yet.

Mix the slaw, Ramen noodles, almonds, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.

Mix the oil, vinegar, sugar, and Ramen flavor packets in a large measuring cup or a bowl. Refrigerate overnight.

Pour the dressing over the slaw mixture just before serving.

Forgive the picture above. I didn't take the picture right away. No matter how it looks, I will say, it was good stuff!

Reba

Sweet and Sour Salad

Just to show you we really do eat green things...

I got this recipe from my friend Katie once upon a time. (Not the same Katie as in Katie Bread :) I had it once and was hooked. However, I tend to rely on bagged salads rather than just making my own. The other night I wanted something to go with our crawfish etouffee and this came to mind. I have been reminded how very much I enjoy it. I will be making it again soon!

Sweet and Sour Salad

Salad-
Romaine Lettuce
4 green onions
1 package Ramen Noodles, crumbled (no seasoning)
1 cup walnuts (pieces)
4 tbsp butter

Dressing-
1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil (I use olive but that is my preference...)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a skillet. Brown the Ramen Noodles (yes, crunchy...NOT cooked) and the walnuts in the butter.

Cool on a paper towel.

Mix the Romaine lettuce, the green onions (chopped), the noodles and the walnuts.

Mix dressing ingredients.

You can make them both ahead of time but I wouldn't add the dressing until right before you serve it or you could end up with soggy lettuce. :)

The funny thing is that a year ago, none of my kids would have eaten this. However, we were having crawfish etouffee the other night, with caramel pecan brownies for dessert. They all wanted dessert so two of the kids chose to eat salad instead of the etouffee to hopefully have a brownie later (after being told that a few bites of white rice was not sufficient for a dessert...). They wouldn't say it but I think they might have even enjoyed it. Might.

Happy cooking!
Reba