Creamy Potato-Cauliflower Salad

It's memorial day!  -Which means cookouts and all the yummy food that comes with summer.  Naturally, David had people over for a little cookout and we burned things in the fire pit.  I took the opportunity to bring out a new potato salad recipe.  I guess this puts me at four different ones that I consider successful!  Each one is unique and I like them all.  Although, i notice most of them do have bacon as a featured taste :)

I saw a pretty interesting spin on potato salad while reading the June issue of Better Homes and Gardens.  This is my interpretation of that recipe.  I would say this one was pretty yummy -- and pretty healthy too! :) I liked the cauliflower in this, it was a different spin.  I also learned that my pupsters like cauliflower!  They were all about the pieces I gave them. 

Creamy Potato-Cauliflower Salad
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, June 2011

Materials
6 red potatoes, coarsely chopped
1/3-1/2 head of cauliflower, coarsely chopped
3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
approx 1-1.5 cups plain yogurt
dill, lots of it. 
approx 1-2 tbl lemon juice
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
a handful (approx 1/3 cup?) Gorgonzola blue cheese
pepper to taste

Methods
I started with the potatoes -- cooking them until they were just fork tender and still fairly firm.  Once they were cooked I drained them and rinsed them with cold water. I did the same with the cauliflower -- steaming for a few minutes until fork tender but still firm. 

I mixed the yogurt, dill, and lemon juice together with some pepper.  I didn't add salt since I was adding the Gorgonzola and bacon to the salad later.  I tossed the yogurt mix with the potatoes and cauliflower and folded in the cheese and bacon and left it in the fridge too cool off. 

026/027 -- Chili Lime Steak Salad

I decided to return to carnivorous cooking in a rather simplistic way. During my vegetarian phase I found a yummy sounding recipe over at Our Best Bites that called for a little bit of beef. I'm cheating and considering this two recipes -- the Chili Lime Rubbed Steak and the Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing. I made a few modifications to the OBB recipe. My version (which is 97% their version) is below. I used a flat iron steak for this recipe. Let me wax on about how I enjoy the flat iron steak. It is fairly affordable so far as beef goes, and it is not too fatty and gross, AND it cooks up pretty quickly/easily on the grill or under the broiler. For the longest time I hadn't tried the flat iron as I'm a patron of the NY strip, however, Lulu convinced me to give the flat iron a try. I'm sold. I'm still a NY strip girl when going out to restaurants, but I'm sold the flat iron for my own cooking purposes.

I started out making the rub for the steak

Materials

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 lime, juiced

1 tbl olive oil

Steak, (I used a flatiron cut)

Methods

Mix all ingredients together. Pour mixture over steak and press into sit. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes. I cooked my steak on my George Foreman :) Cut into thin slices against the grain.

While the steak was marinating I made the salad dressing

Materials

1 cup plain fat free greek yogurt (I like fage or oiknos best)

1 packet ranch dressing mix

about 1/2 cup milk

about 1/2 cup cilantro

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

juice of 1 lime

Methods

Combine ingredients in food processor and process until smooth! Keep cool and enjoy!

Finally, I used the dressing, slices of the steak, romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, avocado, and black beans to make an awesomely yummy meal. The steak was really good -- and totally easy. This rub was definitely worth repeating. The salad itself was really yum-tastic. The original dressing recipe called for a green salsa and hot sauce -- which i totally forgot while at the store. The recipe was pretty good as it was, although it wasn't quite so green. definitely a good score -- fairly lightweight, filling, easy, and yummy.

Recipe 8: Falafel Pitas with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

I didn't get my traditional Lebanese meal while in DC earlier this month, so I decided to try my hand at some semi-healthy falafel. This is based on a recipe published in Cooking Light. (Thanks for reminding me how I like that magazine MB!).

Materials

~ 1/4 cup minced red onion

~ 1 tsp ground cumin

~ 1/2 tsp paprika

~ 1/4 tsp black pepper

~ 1/8 tsp salt

~ 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained

~ 1/4 cup bread crumbs

~ egg substitute equivalent to about 2 eggs

~ olive oil

~ wheat pitas

~ spinach

~ cucumber

~ 1/4 cup red onion

~ 1 tsp lemon juice

Methods

1/ Mix first 9 ingredients in food processor and process. Form into four patties. Heat about 1.5 tbl of oil to medium-high in a nonstick pan. Pan fry four about 4 minutes per side.

2/ Meanwhile mix chopped, peeled cucumber, 1/4 cup minced red onion, yogurt, and lemon juice in a small bowl.

3/Combine sauce, falafel patty, and spinach in 1/2 of a pita pocket.

Veridict

This turned out OK, but was nothing to write home about. I felt like it was a little bland. I also think that I over processed it to the point that the beans were too broken down. I would recommend not overprocessing and using torn bread instead of breadcrumbs. However, I probably won't make this again but will rather try a similar recipe in the hopes of finding a super yummy falafel for at home.

I ate the falafel with spinach and tomatoes with some of the extra cucumber yogurt sauce. The yogurt sauce is similar to one that I often make for with my salmon. I brought a little something filling with my roasted greek potatoes - just potatoes, canola oil, lemon, and oregano. The sides were more yummy than the falafel -- that says it all.

Recipe 3: Veggie Frittata

For my next endeavor I decided to do some breakfast for dinner, or brinner as my friend Jane likes to call it! The veggie frittata here is based on a low fat frittata published by the Hungry Girl. Those of you who know me well know that this was a massive step up as I DESPISE eggs.

Ingredients:
~1 1/2 cup egg substitute
~2 tbsp fat free non-dairy creamer
~2 slices mozzarella cheese
~1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
~1 portabella mushroom cap
~1 green pepper
~2-3 green onions
~ sliced grape tomatoes
~ 1-2 tbl Parmesan cheese
~ plain Greek style yogurt


Directions:
1. Whisk egg substitute and non-dairy creamer. Chop mozzarella cheese into pieces. Mix mozzarella and cheddar cheese into egg mixture. Turn on Broiler

2. Heat up an oven safe pan to medium-high and soften the mushrooms, peppers, and onions. Cook for approx 5 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the egg mixture. Shake pan to spread eggs, mix to ensure that cheese is spread and eggs get up under your veggies. Cook for 2 more minutes

3. Place pan under broiler for approx 4 minutes until egg is puffed up and fully set.

4. Let cool and slice into quarters. Serve with a fat dollup of Greek yogurt or sour cream.



Verdict:

AWESOME. For a girl who doesn't really like eggs, this was great. The original recipe called for mushrooms, turkey bacon, and apples -- which also sounds good -- but this just spoke to me. I added some pepper and herbs to the egg mixture before added it to the pan. I loved all the veggies -- I knew I could probably eat half of it because it was so yummy, and it wouldn'tbe all that bad because it was all veggies. Definitely a winner -- I plan to do this low fat frittata again with other goodies in the middle!


My friends Amber and Kristen are the ones who introduced me to putting sour cream on frittata's. It totally makes it sooo much better! I highly recommend it.