Banana Sorbet!

Slice one large banana and freeze pieces in a single layer.  Puree frozen banana slices with 1 T. milk in a food processor.  Add chocolate, peanut butter, or honey if desired.  Continue mashing with a spoon until smooth.  Serve in a small ramekin dish.

Salmon Pasta Salad!

8 oz. rotini

8 oz. frozen peas

8 oz. canned salmon, drained and flaked

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1 T. olive oil

1 t. black pepper

baby lettuce mix

Boil rotini until almost al dente, add peas to boiling water and cook for a minute more.  Drain and rise with cold water until cooled.  Combine rotini, peas, salmon, lemon juice, yogurt, olive oil, and black pepper in a large bowl.  Serve over baby lettuce.

Nicoise Salad!

2 c. baby lettuce mix

1 can tuna, drained

1 potato, boiled and diced

1/2 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved

5 olives, halved

1 T. horseradish dijon mustard

1 T. olive oil

1 t. white wine vinegar

1 T. water

1 t. black pepper

Layer tuna, potato, tomatoes, and olives over lettuce. Whisk together mustard, oil, vinegar, water, and pepper and drizzle over the salad.  Makes one large salad.

Clam Chowder!

1 T. butter

1 onion, diced

16 oz. clam juice

2 c. chicken broth

1 potato, diced

1 t. thyme

1 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

2 T. flour

1 T. butter

1 c. milk

8 oz. jar shelled clams with juices

Saute onion in butter in a large pot until onion is soft.  Add clam juice, broth, potatoes, and seasonings.  Boil for 15 minutes or until potato is soft. In a separate saucepan, whisk flour and butter to make a roux.  Whisk in milk to thin it out.  Add mixture to soup pot and whisk to incorporate.  Add clams and boil for a minute more.  Garnish with more thyme.

Banana Walnut Pancakes!

2 beaten eggs

1 c. milk

2 T. canola oil

1/2 t. salt

1 T. sugar

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 large banana, diced

1/4 c. chopped walnuts

Cooking spray

Maple syrup

Mix all ingredients in given order in a large bowl.  Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and spoon pancake batter over medium heat.  Flip when golden brown on both sides.  Serve with maple syrup.  Makes 6 large or 10 small pancakes.

Black Bean Salsa!

2 cans fire roasted tomatoes with chiles

1 can black beans, drained

1 c. corn kernels

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

4 oz. can diced jalapenos

1/4 c. diced red onion

Tortilla chips

Combine all salsa ingredients in a large bowl.  Serve with chips.

Breaded Zucchini Chips!

3 zucchini

2 eggs, beaten

1 c. panko breadcrumbs

cooking spray

1 t. salt

1 t. pepper

1 t. crushed red pepper

1 c. tomato sauce

Slice zucchini into rounds.  Dip zucchini into beaten eggs and then in the panko. Bake on a large baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until zucchini is soft and panko is golden.  Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper and serve with tomato sauce for dipping.

Eggplant Tomato Tart!

For the crust:

2/3 c. cornmeal

1/3 c. whole-wheat flour

1/4 t. salt

2 T. butter

2 T. canola oil

3 T. water

For the filling:

olive oil spray

1 eggplant, cut into rounds

3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 c. romano cheese

1/4 c. shredded basil

Pulse cornmeal, flour, salt, butter, and oil in a food processor until the mixture resembles small pebbles.  Add the water and pulse until the mixture forms a loose dough.  Press into the bottom of a pie dish and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Coat two baking sheets with olive oil spray and arrange the eggplant and tomato slices in a single layer.  Spray with more olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 15 minutes at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until soft.  Meanwhile, saute shallots in olive oil in a small pan.  Layer half of the eggplant slices in the bottom of the tart and cover with some romano and basil.  Add another layer of eggplant and shallots and cover with more cheese and basil.  Layer the top with the tomatoes and top with the rest of the cheese.  Bake the tart at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and vegetables have further wilted, 25-30 minutes.  Let cool before cutting into slices.

Buffalo Chicken Salad!

1 lb. chicken breast tenders

2 T. sriracha

2 t. olive oil

1 heart of romaine, cut into strips

4 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 carrots, grated

2 T. chopped red onion

1/4 c. plain yogurt

2 T. milk

1 T. rice wine vinegar

1/3 c. crumbled blue cheese

1 t. black pepper

Pound chicken with a mallet to an even thickness.  Cut into small strips and toss with sriracha and olive oil in a large bowl.  Broil on a baking sheet until cooked through, 6 minutes total, turning once.  In a large bowl, combine romaine, celery, carrots, and red onion.  In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt, milk, vinegar, blue cheese, and black pepper.  Top salad with chicken and drizzle with blue cheese dressing.