Teriyaki Bowtie Salad

Since yesterday's post was really supposed to be last weeks post, I decided to reward you and post again today. Yeah!

Everyone needs a delicious go-to salad for family gatherings. Something to spice up a regular green salad or spinach salad. This is one we love. It is great as a side dish or even a main dish (on those warm summer nights which I must be dreaming of since I am posting this when the temperature is barely above freezing). Chicken can be added, but we like it vegetarian.

I use my homemade teriyaki sauce in this recipe. You can make the sauce in advance and keep it in the fridge.

TERIYAKI BOW-TIE SALAD

Salad:
10 oz. egg-free whole grain bow-tie pasta, boiled until just tender (I buy mine at Costco)

1 cup water chestnuts, drained (I like mine sliced in half)

1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped

1/2 bunch green onions, chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup honey roasted cashews

Grilled chicken breasts, cut into strips (optional)


2 cans mandarin oranges, drained and well-rinsed (optional, we choose not to use these)

5 - 10 oz spinach (or we like using romaine lettuce)

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil*

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp raw sugar

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (I like to add a bit more)

1/2 tsp pepper

Whisk all dressing ingredients together.

Combine all ingredients except oranges and spinach (or romaine). Place in a large ziploc bag with dressing and squish the bag until everything is covered in sauce. Place in refrigerator overnight (I have been known to put the recipe together in the morning and eat it that same night - you just need time to let the flavors blend).

Immediately before serving, pour the salad into a bowl and add the oranges. Serve over a bed of spinach or romaine lettuce.

Jana

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Honey Roasted Cashews

Where has the time gone? I had great intentions of posting this recipe a week ago... and the sad part is, I'm not really sure what has kept me from posting. Just trying to recover from vacation and get ready for Halloween, I guess. I always wonder when life will slow down, but if it ever did, I'm sure I would be really bored. So, here's to a busy life!

This recipe can be used in so many ways. We like to use it in homemade trail mix, but it is also great on salads, in pasta dishes and eaten plain as a snack. You can also use different kinds of nuts, like almonds, walnuts or pecans.

Homemade Trail mix

Honey Roasted Cashews

1 lb. raw cashews (approx. 3 1/2 cups)

2 Tbsp. raw honey (preferable local)

1 1/2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

1 1/2 Tbsp. butter (or coconut oil)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 Tbsp. turbinado (or raw) sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with tin foil.

Measure out all ingredients and combine the honey, maple syrup and butter. Microwave until butter is melted. Add salt, vanilla and cinnamon to the honey mixture and stir.

Place cashews in a medium size bowl, pour honey mixture over the nuts and toss. When coated, spread on prepared baking sheet (spreading to form a single layer) and bake for 6 minutes.

Remove from oven as stir. Place nuts back the oven and cook for another 6 minutes.

Remove nuts and pour them into a clean bowl. Toss with raw sugar and a little more salt (to taste) and let cool, stirring occasionally). When completely cool, scoop into glass jar with an air-tight lid.

If tree nuts are a no-no in your house, you might also try this with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

Jana

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Dairy Free Cole Slaw

There are a few more weeks of summer and maybe you still have some family reunions or get-togethers to attend. Coleslaw is always a perfect side dish for any BBQ or outdoor family gathering. I am a sucker for some good coleslaw, but have had a very hard time finding a great recipe that I can make at home. I like to think of myself as a connoisseur of coleslaw now, having tried so many different recipes. Most were ok, but there was always something missing and I could never figure out what it was. Not to mention that most coleslaw isn't that healthy, despite having cabbage and carrots in it.

After going to a family BBQ last year, I was introduced to the perfect make-at-home coleslaw - Brookville coleslaw. I have seen versions of this recipe all over the internet now but I believe the original stems from a hotel in Kansas (The Brookville Hotel) that is famous for it's old fashioned chicken dinners.

Now, I had a few issues with the original recipe. One being that used heavy cream as an ingredient and the other was the amount of sugar. I have always had issues using heavy cream - I am just weird like that. I don't like giving my kids super high fat dairy products (except maybe the occasional bowl of ice cream) and we had The Princess's dairy allergy to deal with. So, I set out to "healthify" (is that a word?) this recipe and it turned out dairy free in the process. A double bonus.

Now, my hubby thinks that without the cream it is lacking a little but I disagree in this instance. However, if you don't have issues using heavy cream, go ahead and give it a try. You can decide for yourself which you prefer.  So, choose your method and lets get mixing!

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup sugar (ALOT!!)*

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 cup raw cashews**

1 cup water**

1 bag coleslaw

1 bag broccoli slaw (which I have found at my local Walmart)

* You have a few options here. You can substitute turbinado sugar. You can also cut the sugar down to 1/2 cup. I don't like things super sweet so it works for me. If you want to cut the sugar down but need more "sweet" add a bit of agave nectar to taste.

** This is what replaces the heavy cream. Raw cashews blended with water in a high-powered blender produce a nice "cream" that can be used to replace heavy cream in recipes. Obviously it won't make whipped cream, but it is very helpful when making sauces and soups. If you want to keep the cream, use 1 cup.

About 1 hour before serving, blend water and cashews in a high-powered blender until creamy. Add salt, sugar, cider vinegar mix. Pour over coleslaw and broccoli slaw. Mix well and refrigerate until serving.

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