I’ve been wanting to make this salad for a long time. I first saw it at Allrecipes.com.

Here’s my variation based on what was handyin the fridge — I took out the avocado though. It has a delicious, complex flavor with lots of different textures.  I’d def. keep some romaine in for crunch but I’d like to mix in other greens too.  Might not use all the dressing — I just dumped it in but it was a bit too much since I don’t think I had a full head of lettuce.

Ingredients

• 1 head leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 3 pears – peeled, cored and chopped
• 3 – 4 ounces Roquefort, Gorgonzola, or Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1  1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the nuts. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.

2. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.

3. In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.

• 1 grapefruit, juiced
• 1 cup blueberries

I hand juiced the grapefruit and then whizzed it with 1 cup blueberries with the stick blender.

I’ve had a headache all day and I’m trying to cut the brain fog.  It helped somewhat.

We adapted it somewhat so Julia could help make it and so I could use up some yellow squash though.

INGREDIENTS

• One 17-ounce tube polenta
• 2 cups grated yellow crookneck squash
• One 28-ounce jar good-quality marinara sauce — you won’t use it all.
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (or vegan mozz.)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the polenta into 1/2 inch thick slices.

Spread the bottom of a shallow 9 inch pie pan with a little of the marinara sauce, then arrange the polenta slices in a single layer.

Sprinkle grated squash over the polenta.

Then pour the remaining sauce evenly over them. (You won’t use all the sauce from the jar!)

Sample the cheese.

Sprinkle the surface evenly with the cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serves 4 generously.

THE VERDICT

Julia’s comment?

“Mommy, my life is changing. I am having learning experience. I really don’t like this polenta.”

Can’t say I blame her… while the store bought tube polenta makes this quick and easier for Julia to help, I wasn’t crazy about the Marjon brand we used either. Like it better when I make the polenta myself. So this recipe will have to be played with some more.

A fast lunch fix.  Julia had hers with goldfish crackers floating on it.  Couldn’t really tell the egg was there — I think going vegan with it and using tofu would be better. Not bad, but needs a little work.  Its main virtue is quickness — esp with impatient 5 year old around. I can have her mess with beating the eggs while I’m dealing with the rest.

INGREDIENTS

• 32 oz carton of Imagine “No Chicken” Broth
• 4 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 egg whites, beaten
• 2 green onions, minced for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Boil the broth.  Dump in tomatoes, sugar, and ginger and cook for 2 minutes while beating the egg whites.  Pour the egg whites into the soup while stirring all the while. Garnish with green onions and serve.

This can be made pretty quickly though I’ve seen recipes that include yeast and some rising time.  I’m not that nice to my dough. I also sometimes prefer it more like crepes (variation below) This serves 4.

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup water (boiling)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbs oil

Mix all those together in a bowl with a spoon, then when it cools, knead further.

Meanwhile, chop up…

• 1 cup green scallion, minced

Divide the dough into 4 parts.  Take one part and roll it into a ball and smash into a circle with a rolling pin.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the green onions.  Roll it up into a tube.  Coil the tube into a spiral.  Then smash it flat with the palm of your hand.  Further flatten with rolling pin. Now the green onion is evenly dispersed through the dough.

Repeat with the rest of the dough.  You end up with 4 large pancakes.

Pan fry in skillet with 1 tbs oil per pancake. Cut into wedges and dip into soy-sauce and vinegar.

CREPE STYLE VARIATION (serves 4)

This way you skip the rolling and could even just sprinkle in the onion once your pour the batter in the skillet. It’s a softer pancake.

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbs oil
• 1 cup green onion, minced
• 1 cup all purpose flour

In a mixing bowl, whisk everything but the flour together.  Then add the flour a little at a time.  Pan fry in skillet with 1 tbs oil per pancake. Cut into wedges and dip into soy-sauce and vinegar.

]]> http://livingthe7th.org/2009/07/16/scallion-pancake/feed/ 0 Cat scallion_pancake2 scallion_pancake1 http://livingthe7th.org/2007/07/06/herbed-cream-cheese/ http://livingthe7th.org/2007/07/06/herbed-cream-cheese/#comments Fri, 06 Jul 2007 01:51:33 +0000 Cat http://whiteplate.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/herbed-cream-cheese/ ]]> Veganized from Sarah Schlesinger’s 500 Fat Free Recipes — “Summertime Tomato Sandwich” recipe.

• 1 8 oz tub of Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried cilantro
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried chives
• 1/2 tsp dried basil

Mix everything together well. Spread on bread and top with onion and tomato or your desired fixin’s. I happen to like it on “Everything” bagels.

An easy, fast, reliable “sick comfort food” type of dish. I’ve been eating it for breakfast for the last few days. The recipe doubles easily.

• 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed, drained, picked over and simmered uncovered in a pot of water for 20 min. When tender, drain.
• 1 lb potatoes, peeeled, chopped, and steamed

For dressing, whisk together:

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs balsamic
• salt and pepper to taste

Chopped green onion to taste for garnish.

If eating right away, just mix it all up. If not, let the dish cool before adding the green onion or they will lose crunchiness.

• 1 box of Amy’s Cheese Snacks + 1/2 lb raw pineapple chunks.

NUTRITION:

• Calories: 491
• Fat: 15
• Sat Fat: 7
• Carbohydrate:72
• Fiber:7
• Protein: 19