No-Cheese Sauce

This is straight from the Forks Over Knives Cookbook (p29). I will say- this will never replace cheese, but I think if you were making a Mexican dish and wanted to add some flavor and cut the fat of cheese, you could sub this in. Or maybe cut half the cheese with this mix! I think it would be really good in chicken enchiladas. Or as a chip dip- cut with plain yogurt or sour cream.

Makes 2.5 cups
1 large yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped (about 1.5 cups)
3 tablespoons cashews, toasted, optional
1 tablespoon tahini, optional
1 cup nutritional yeast
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender in the order given and puree until smooth and creamy, adding up to 1/2 cup of water if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.

Thoughts? I have no idea if I really understand what nutritional yeast is... but I've used it a few times in recipes from this book, and it really does make things creamier!

What I did differently? I really don't like raw onion, and the book calls a variation of roasted red pepper. So I roasted the onion and pepper myself. I also skipped the tahini as I didn't have any in the house.

Results? It tasted a little like queso. Think of this as you think about where you would use this.

Would I make it again? Yes, but as I mentioned earlier, I would make it as a dip or a filler. In this case, I put it on a plate of nachos in place of cheese, it was pretty good.

Winter Salad

 This salad has been around for a while. I've changed up the dressing to be slightly healthier. It is a crowd pleaser, and the perfect dish to lighten up those heavy holiday meals!!


Winter Salad



Ingredients:

2 heads of Romaine lettuce, torn

1 cup of shredded swiss cheese

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup cashews



1 apple, cubed

1 pear, cubed

Toss together in a large bowl, adding cashews just before serving.

Dressing:

1/4 c sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbls grated onion (or 1/2 tbls of onion flakes)- optional
1 Tbls poppy seed
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about one lemon)
Mix well then add
1/2 cup canola or Grapeseed oil

Add dressing just before serving.

Tip:To make ahead, chop up the pear and apple, and toss them in the dressing to keep from turning brown. Then toss all together just before serving.

Healthy Trail Mix

Trail mix is a great snack! It can also be a great way to curb your sweet tooth, or salt craving. However, store bought Trail mix always leaves me feeling a little guilty. A friend of mine actually shared her trail mix with me last summer, and I've been making it ever since. We took your standard GORP (Good Ole Raisins and Peanuts) and made a healthier (although more expensive) version.  Enjoy!

1 Med bag of Dark M&M's

1 bag of Goldfish Pretzels

6 oz Roasted Almonds (salted or not- your choice)

6 oz Roasted Cashews (salted or not- your choice)

1 pkg of Craisins

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer to air tight container. Enjoy!