I’ve decided that I am going to lose weight! I am making this declaration because I know I am not the only one facing advancing weight gain that seems to go hand in hand with advancing age. My overweight issues are simple. I’m over 70, have arthritis, take medications that encourage my body to gain weight, and have absolutely no self-control when it comes to food. Now, the age thing, arthritis, and required medication I can’t do anything about. The self-control – well, that’s what I really need to focus on. And really, the wisdom that is supposed to come with age seems to have happened in certain areas. But when it comes to food, wisdom seems to have skipped the “moderation in all things” arena entirely! So that leaves the problem of getting my weight back down to a reasonable level, entirely by the application of determination and the desire to see my toes again!

Now I’m not talking about being 128 pounds (college weight) again. I’m talking about being a healthy weight for a woman of my age and body type. It’s really a self-imposed weight that I feel is reasonable. After all, I have always known that I simply was not designed to be svelte. I came in what I refer to as the “European peasant-body model”. (No offence to European peasants intended.) So I’m never going to be skinny, but my greatest hope is not to be considered “filled to the brim of slimness” either.

So why all this rhetoric about weight? Well it’s just to let you know that I will be trying harder to bring you more recipes that are lower in calories, fat, salt, and everything that makes food taste wonderful. (Just kidding about the “makes food taste wonderful” part.) Tasty food will always be my number one priority.

So, with healthy, low calorie, and delicious food in mind, I offer this not-so faithful adaption of a recipe I found on the Smitten Kitchen site. (Love that site BTW.)  

• 1 head of broccoli (with stems*), thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 celery stalk, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1/3 c. finely chopped red or white onion
• 1/3 c. slivered almonds
• 1/3 c. dried cranberries
• ¼ c. low-fat buttermilk
• ¼ c. light mayonnaise
• 1 T. cider vinegar
• ½ tsp. sugar
• ½ tsp. seasoned salt
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash
• freshly ground black pepper (not very much)

Combine the broccoli, carrot, celery, onion, almonds, and dried cranberries in a bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, seasoned salt, kosher salt, Mrs. Dash, and pepper together and pour over the broccoli mixture. Toss well and adjust seasoning. (Try not to eat all the salad before anyone else gets at least a bite!) Refrigerate at least 2 hours before you plan to serve. (Good luck waiting that long!)

*Peel stems before slicing.

I first had this wonderful salad several years ago at our friend Sylvia’s 60th birthday party. Our mutual friend Shelley had prepared the salad, and the first words out of her mouth to me that evening were “Patti, you have just got to try this salad”! And ever the one to comply with a friend’s request, especially if it involves food, I gladly gave in to her summons. You know how you feel when you are experiencing a life changing moment and are wise enough to realize it, that’s what happened to me at Sylvia’s party. I knew instantly that I had met an ingredient that would forever become a part of my life. And it has. I use kale in casseroles, side dishes, soups, and of course salads. (I have yet to use kale in any desserts, but give me time. It could happen yet!)

And whoever thought to massage kale to remove the bitterness is nothing less than a genius. When Shelley told me how she had massaged the kale, I was thunder struck. First of all, I had never seen kale for sale in the grocery store. It was simply something green that lined the dishes and bowls in the deli case. You didn’t eat that stuff; it was just for presentation. (In much the same way parsley was used as a garnish until people discovered not only its health benefits, but how a last minute sprinkle of parsley freshens the flavor of almost any kind of savory.)

Thus it was for me with kale. I started exploring recipes that contained kale. I quickly found that kale had taken the place of spinach in many recipes previously featuring vitamin C rich Amaranthaceae.   I personally love spinach with a passion. But I certainly understand substituting massaged kale for spinach because children especially don’t like the oxalic acid taste of spinach. I simply started using kale in addition to spinach and chard because I just love me my greens!

So consider making this salad for your family or friends in the near future. It’s easy to prepare, has tons of healthy ingredients in it, and the flavor is extraordinary.

And thank you again Shelley for introducing me to kale. And if I remember correctly, the recipe originated at PCC. So thanks to PCC too! (Oh, and sorry for the couple of changes I made.)

For more kale recipes, search under “Kale” on the home page of this site. Also search under “soup”, because many of my favorite recipes containing kale are in the soup section.

• 1 bunch curly kale, de-stemmed, cut into bite sized pieces, washed, and spun dry in a salad spinner
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 c. finely diced red cabbage
• ¼ c. diced red onion, opt.
• ½ c. currants or finely chopped raisins
• 1 apple, finely diced (I use Honey Crisp or Opal, if available)
• ½ c. sunflower seeds, toasted
• ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T. apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 c. gorgonzola, blue, or feta cheese, crumbled

Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Add salt and rub the kale pieces together with your fingers for about 2 minutes or until the leaves turn a darker color as the tough cellulose structure breaks down. (Massaging kale actually eliminates the bitter taste making it a perfect green for almost any salad.) Add the cabbage, onion, currants, apple, and sunflower seeds. In a small container whisk the olive oil and vinegar together. Gently stir into the kale mixture. Adjust salt and vinegar. Just before serving, toss in the crumbled cheese.  

OK, so who doesn’t like potato salad? Well, as it turns out, lots of people don’t like traditional potato salad. And for more reasons than I care to enumerate on this post. But those of us who love old fashioned potato salad could argue that any potato salad worth its calories must have certain ingredients. For me those ingredients include celery, dill, onion, mustard, and of course mayonnaise! Lots of mayonnaise! But old fashioned potato salad is crazy full of calories. So in keeping with my desire to eat healthier, without forgoing every food I hold near and dear, I decided to go on a quest for a reduced fat replacement. Of course, my favorite ingredients are all in my new version, except the mayonnaise of course. But olive oil replaces the mayonnaise beautifully. (I can only go so far when I change things up, so even though green onions replace a white onion, and a bit of dill weed replaces the dill pickles, the basic flavor is still there.)

I created a potato salad that was better for me, while still containing the ingredients that I would argue in front of the Supreme Court, were mandatory in a great potato salad! (I’m certain Clarence Darrow would agree! He was known for taking on cases that were sure to be hard fought!)

Anyway, after looking at many recipes on the internet, I came up with this combination of ingredients. And if truth be known, I almost prefer my new potato salad to my old standby (on this site BTW – under Old Fashioned Potato Salad).

So I am going to leave the decision up to you. You can either prepare a potato salad that, in my estimation is the best potato salad ever invented (Old Fashioned Potato Salad) or this recipe which is healthier, but contains ingredients that, although not low calorie, are not as caloric as my old favorite. (And yes, I know. It’s almost cheating to include blue cheese and bacon in the ingredient list. Because, after all, who doesn’t like blue cheese and bacon?)

• 2 lbs. good sized red potatoes, cut into quarters (don’t peel the potatoes)
• ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T. white vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp. dill weed
• ½ tsp. seasoned salt
• freshly ground black pepper  
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 3-4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
• 5-6 slices bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool to touch, and cut into small bite sized pieces. 

While the potatoes cook, in a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, dill weed, seasoned salt, and pepper. Add the slightly warm potatoes; toss to coat. When the potatoes are completely cool, stir in the green onions, celery, and blue cheese. Refrigerate for a couple of hours to blend flavors. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before you plan to serve. Stir in the bacon and adjust the seasoning just before serving.

Hello everyone,

If you would like to receive an email whenever a new post/recipe/entry appears on my blog, just click on

“Leave a reply” in the upper left hand corner of any post just under the recipe title. The following screen will appear way down at the bottom of the recipe:

Leave a Reply

A blue box with the words “Enter your comment here…” will appear.

Just click in the box, leave a comment, and the following will appear.

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: (icons will appear on the right)

Then fill in your email (required) and name (required), and Website if you so choose. Please note: your email address is never made public.

Then check either or both of the boxes:

–          Notify me of new comments via email

–          Notify me of new posts via email

Then hit the Post Comment button

If you really don’t want to post a comment, but still want to receive email notifications, just write (in the comment box) – Patti. That will be sufficient to sign you up for all new comments or new posts, or both. Well that and checking the appropriate box(s) too.

But as always, if you have problems email me at chezcarrcuisine@wavecable.com

And thanks for reading my blog.

Patti

There are really only 4 good reasons to make this salad. The first reason – it is more of a condiment than a true salad. In other words, you don’t have to make a huge bowl to fulfil the “salad or veggie requirement” in your meal. With this salad, an average serving would only be about half a cup. 2^nd reason – it’s quick and easy to prepare. Number 3 – it is best made ahead of time. 4^th, but absolutely not the last reason – this salad is beautiful to look at!

I started making what I refer to as “little condiment salads” probably 25 years ago. This was after my kids were out of the house and I wanted just that extra little flavor sensation to spice up an otherwise ordinary meal. (You know, the basic three course dinner – meat, starch, and veggie or salad. The holy trinity of dinner preparation.) So long ago I decided, that in some cases, a little dish of something delightful, like this tomato salad, was just the ticket. And I’ve been making this salad, or a variation (see below) ever since.

So next time you feel the meal you are planning needs a little extra touch to make it even better, give this “condiment” a try. You will love the fresh flavor and the vibrant color. Or if you know you are going to have one heck of a day, make your salad the evening before. The salad is not going to wilt or grow soggy. (That’s your job after a hard day!) In fact, it will simply be in your fridge waiting for your tired body to throw some rice in your rice cooker and cook up some pork chops. Then when the rice and chops are ready, you need merely open the fridge, take out the salad and sit down to a lovely meal. I hope you enjoy this salad as much as we do.

You know, I almost missed the most important reason you should prepare this salad. Reason number 5 – this salad is just plain delicious!

• 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
• scant 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 T. finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 T. finely chopped white or yellow onion
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 tsp. coarse salt (I use half kosher and half smoked black pepper, but any coarse salt will do)
• freshly ground black pepper
• heaping 2 c. cherry tomatoes (red or orange) cut in half

Whisk together the olive oil, parsley, chives, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Gently stir in the tomatoes. Best made ahead of time to allow flavors to meld. Serve cold.

Variation: Use any of the following in place of or mixed with tomatoes: cucumber, celery, carrot, avocado, red pepper, etc. Also basil or mint can be added, along with feta cheese. A bit of fresh lemon juice is also a lovely addition. Basically any combination that appeals. The point is to keep the salad small and more of a condiment than a bowl of salad.

We first tasted remolacha when we visited Argentina a few years ago. Before that time I had never tasted roasted beets in a salad. Now it’s quite common, thank goodness. Of course, several decades ago, you couldn’t order any item in a restaurant without the plate appearing with the requisite slice of pickled beet garnish. (I still can’t eat pickled beets from a can.) But give me a salad made from beets like my sister-in laws Beets in a Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette (on this site), and we are talking a completely different story!

And truly, there is nothing better than a fresh from the ground beet roasted with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. A perfect side vegetable. Or mixed with greens, a simple dressing, chèvre or feta, and some nuts for additional flavor and crunch, and you have this salad which is truly fit for a king!

So especially now when beets are literally popping out of the ground and being sold in every farmer’s market in America, give this delicious salad a try. And while you’re at the farmer’s market, you might pick up a container of locally made chèvre to go in your salad. We especially love to use flavored chèvre in this recipe. Our favorite is garlic and basil.

So do yourself a favor. Support your community by buying local, and your own health by choosing organic whenever possible. If this salad doesn’t convince you that beets are a treat, then I don’t know when I’m beat and will retreat from making any further comments on the subject!

• 2 medium sized beets
• 2 tsp. + ¾ c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ c. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 T. finely chopped shallots
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. kosher salt or more to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 c. salad greens (I use a combination of romaine, arugula, and spring greens)
• 3 oz. chèvre (goat’s milk) cheese, room temperature (you can use feta if you prefer)
• ½ c. toasted walnut or almond pieces

Remove the tops and the roots of the beets and peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut the beets in bite sized pieces. Place on a baking sheet and toss with the 2 teaspoons olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Roast in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula, until the beets are just tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Set aside.

Meanwhile place the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, shallots, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, and remaining ¾ cup olive oil in a jar. Cover with lid, and shake vigorously to blend. Taste and adjust seasoning, if required.

When ready to serve, place salad greens in a medium sized salad bowl. Add the roasted beets, and enough salad dressing to lightly moisten all of the greens. Gently crumble the chèvre into the bowl along with the nuts. Toss lightly and serve immediately.