The salad will kick your arse!

I've always loved Cheesecake Factory and everything they whip up, but my favorite by far the antioxidant salad. This salad is truly underrated. 

I set out to mimic their salad but I must admit that since I didn't have all the ingredients on hand I substituted for what I had. The finished product: WOW!  Truly unbeatable. This salad will kick your arse!

Antioxidant salad

1 bag Greens: romaine, spinach, kale

Broccoli flowerets

1 medium apple

1 large mandarin orange

1/4 cup mix of dried fruit and nuts

I can of diced beets

Dressing

White wine vinegar dressing

2 packets duck sauce 

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and red pepper flakes

Mix all first ingredients then mix all dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Mix well and serve with your favorite crusty bread. 

Don't forget to pair with your favorite wine. 

Taking the fear out of homemade pizza

Homemade pizza is easiest when you buy fresh store dough found in the frozen foods aisle. 

We start by thawing the dough to average temperature.  Using floured hands stretch the dough to either round shape or rectangular depending on your pan. Prep your pan beforehand with a film of olive oil topped with a light sprinklings of breadcrumb to cover the pan. 

Ingredients

Fresh Pizza dough

Extra virgin olive oil

Breadcrumbs 

Toppings: 

Any or all shredded Italian cheeses

Your favorite store or homemade sauce

Roasted, grilled or pan fried seasoned Vegetables: zucchini, red, green, yellow peppers, mushrooms, onions- put aside and let cool for a little bit.

Preheat oven to a 450 degree temp. 

Roll out dough using flour surface and hands then place on oiled pan with breadcrumbs.  

Add 1 teaspoon olive oil then spread the sauce. Add the cheese, then the assorted veggies.  You may want to spray the veggies to keep them from burning the tops with a bit of cooking spray oil.

Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes.  

Your pizza should be bubbling hot, extra crispy and the vegetables should be to perfection. 

Enjoy with a glass of robust red wine such as Shiraz or merlot. 

that time of the year....

For cool dishes and delicious salads. 

I love me a good hummus. This is the easiest recipe for hummus I've found. It takes a can of chickpeas or chickpea flour. We used chickpea flour. 

Recipe for easy Hummus

Ingredients 

1 cup of chick peas (or chick pea flour-

Enough water to make a paste to your liking. About 1 1/2 - 2 cups of water)

Salt and red pepper flakes

Juice of one lemon

1 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, garlic, cumin, and ¼ teaspoon of salt to a food processor. 

Process until smooth and creamy. If needed, add additional water to thin out the hummus and ¼ teaspoon

of salt to your taste. 

It's easier to use canned chickpeas since they're already cook. If you use chickpea flour you must cook it first by adding enough water and salt. Cook over medium heat and stir to avoid lumps.  Cooked for about 10-15 minutes.  Transferred to a bowl and put in the fridge to cool off. 

When it's cooled completely mix all ingredients together either by hand or in a food processor. 

If you have tahini sauce on hand add a tablespoon to the mix. You can also add sesame seeds to the mixture for crunchiness. Either way you will love it. 

Serve with tortilla or pita crisps or with your favorite crackers. 

Enjoy.