Sweet and spicy Caramelized Walnuts

These sweet-salty nuts make fabulous nibblers as well as a topping for salads. You can add more kick by sprinkling on a little curry powder during the last few seconds of cooking.
Ingredients
makes one-half cup

1/2 tsp. vegetable oil or ghee
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 Tbs. sugar
Tiny pinch of asafetida (optional)
Seasoned salt to taste
Directions
In small skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add cumin and asafetida if desired and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add walnuts and cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
Sprinkle with sugar and a little seasoned salt. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring, until nuts are coated with sugar, 2 to 3 minutes.
Immediately remove from heat (sugar will burn if it continues to cook) and transfer to plate. Cool completely before using.

No-Cook Sweet Corn Salad

This is a great recipe for right now--fall--when corn is sweet and fresh. This salad is great with all fresh late summer ingredients and is really refreshing.

Ingredients:
4 ears of corn
2 large, ripe tomatoes
2 medium cucumbers
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 TBS oil (I use olive)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or more)
1 red onion thinly sliced and diced
6 TBS chopped cilantro

Directions:
1. Cut kernels from corn and place in a medium bowl.

2. Seed and dice tomatoes and cucumbers and add to bowl (I don't seed them, but whatever is your preference)

3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together lime juice, sugar, oil, sald and pepper.

4. Stir red onion into lime mixture

5. Toss corn, tomatoes and cucumbers with dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

6. Add chopped cilantro right before serving.

Taco Salad with Ground Turkey and White Beans

My friend Jessica just asked for this recipe, so I thought I'd post! I love this for a healthy dinner. I don't mix the turkey together with the other ingredients until I put them on my plate, that way the leftovers stay good (no wilty lettuce) and I can take them for lunch the next day!

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey (or chicken)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
1 mango, peeled, seeded and diced
1 avocado, peeled pitted and diced
1 tomato diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup peeled and shredded carrots
1 15 oz can white beans (or black), rinsed and drained
1/2 c. scallions, diced
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 c. store-bought salsa
1/4 c. fat free sour cream (i use Fage fat free greek yogurt)
4 pickled jalapenos (optional- i never have these!)
baked tortilla chips (also optional- i never have these either)

In a large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey, cumin, and chili powder and cook for 5 to 7 minutes (until done). In a bowl, toss together lettuce, mango, avocado, tomato, onion, carrots, beans, scallions, and lime zest and juice. Serve salad with turkey and garnish with salsa, sour cream, jalapenos and tortilla chips.

Mama Z's Coleslaw

A great addition to a BBQ or potluck dinner

Slaw Ingredients:
1 package (1 lb) coleslaw cabbage (or 1 pound shredded cabbage with some shredded carrots in it)
1/2 c. slivered almonds (i usually add more)
1 bunch scallions
2 tsp. sesame seeds (again, i add a LOT more)
2 packages ramen noodles without the flavor package

Dressing Ingredients:
4 tbs sugar
1/2 c. oil
6 tbs. white vinegar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Directions:
1. brown almonds and sessame seeds and let cool
2. slice scallions into discs
3. mix slaw and scallions
4. add almonds and sesame seeds once cool
5. in a seperate container mix together dressing ingredients
6. pour the dressing onto the slaw mixture
7. break up uncooked noodles.
8. add ramen to slaw right before serving

ps--this usually tastes better when chilled, so if you have time, do that!