Roasted Beet, Avocado and Arugula Salad

Looking for a colorful salad that is delicious and good for you? Here it is! I am not a fan of beets, but I find them to be so beautiful that I do include them in some dishes - plus Jason loves those colorful roots, and I don't want to deprive him of one of his favorite veggies. This salad would be great for a holiday party due to all the vibrant colors, or just to eat at home with friends. The golden beets absorb the pink color of the red beets, creating a sunset appearance that is just lovely.

Roasted Beet, Avocado and Arugula Salad

4 - 6 red and golden beets
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup orange juice
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 1/4 TBS white wine vinegar
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 large avocado
5 - 6 cups arugula
2 - 3 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Remove stems from beets. Scrub beets with brush, then cut in half. Place beets in baking dish, then add water. Cover with foil and back 1 hour until tender. Cool, remove skins. Cut beets into 1/2 inch slices.
3. Combine orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss half of juice mixture with beets.
4. Peel and cut avocado into slices.
5. Add oranges, avocado and beets to arugula in a large bowl.
6. Drizzle remaining dressing onto salad and serve immediately.

Thai Coconut-Curry CHicken Noodle Soup

I love Thai food but our area seems to lack a good place to eat out, so I was thrilled when I found this recipe! Easy and delicious! I altered a few things from the original and would actually prefer the soup with tofu rather than chicken, but overall this is a warm, flavorful soup. This entire soup from start to finish takes less than an hour, so don't be overwhelmed by the long list of ingredients. The recipe is not as difficult as it may first appear - it is actually pretty simple.

Thai Coconut-Curry Chicken Noodle Soup

5 cups water
7 -8 oz pad thai noodles, broken in half or quarters (makes eating them easier once in the bowl!)
1 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots (use onion if shallots are not available)
1/2 small orange habanero chili, seeded and chopped
1 small hot red chili, seeded and chopped
1 - 2 TBS Green Curry paste
1 1/2 tsp curry powder (I used closer to 1 tsp to lessen the curry flavor for hubby)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 garlic cloves, minced (ooops, left this out and didn't miss it at all)
4 cups "no chicken" broth (found at natural food stores like Whole Foods or Weaver Street Market)
2 cups veggie broth
1 (13. 5oz) can Coconut milk
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cooked and chopped OR tofu
1/2 cup choped green onions
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS fish sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
16 oz bag of fresh spinach leaves

1. Bring 5 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add noodles and cook according to package directions, usually about 5 - 7 minutes until tender but not over done. Drain and set aside.

2. Using the same pot (cutting down on dishes!) add oil to pot over med-high heat. Add chili peppers, shallots and next 5 ingredients though garlic. Saute about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

3. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add coconut milk, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

4. Add chicken, onions, sugar, fish sauce, and spinach to pan, cook 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and noodles to pot and serve!

If you have a favorite veggie like snow peas or carrots they may be a nice addition to this soup. Be creative and try adding something else if you like!

***if using tofu you may want to add it earlier on so it has time to gain flavor from the soup. Experiment and let me know how it works out and when you added it to the soup)

Southwestern Confetti Salad

This is an easy salad that is great alone as a lunch or a wonderful side dish for dinner. It takes minimal amount of time to prepare which is great for a busy work night. Great served at room temp or chilled.

Southwestern Confetti Salad (adapted from Cooking Light)

1 cup cooked rice (cooked in veggie broth from added flavor)
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 cup grated carrot
1 tomato diced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
2 TBS fresh chopped cilantro
1 TBS lime juice
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS minced seeded jalapeno pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed drained

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to combine.