Turkey Sandwich with Roasted Chicken and Bell Peppers

The chicken provides a lot of flavor, and you only need a little bit. You can substitute any flavorful roast meat in place of the chicken, but if you want to recreate this exact sandwich (which was either very yummy or I was really hungry) you should use chicken that has a savory, smoky, soy sauce flavor. Also, the bruschetta bar has a lot of tasty spreads - like the olive tapenade for this sandwich.

Turkey Sandwich with Roasted Chicken and Bell Peppers

2 slices whole wheat bread

2 tsp mayo

1/4 tsp mustard

2 slices swiss cheese

3 slices turkey

3 lettuce leaves

1 Tbsp olive tapenade

3 roasted red pepper slices

1 roasted chicken wing, shredded into chunks

2 tomato slices

1. Spread one slice of bread with mayo and mustard.

2. Layer on remaining ingredients.

PB, J, and Mozzarella

What can you do with a mozzarella ball, other than toss it with salad and/or some sort of pasta? I'm not saying that that's not delicious (frankly I love anything that involves mozzarella...or cheese for that matter), but I wanted to try something a little bit "out there." So with "an open heart and an empty stomach" (or shall I say an open mind?), I say unto you in the words of the Chairman's uncle, "Allez Cuisine, mozzarella pb and j!" (okay, I admit that last part was not in the original transcript.)

PB, J, and Mozzarella

3 mozzarella balls (from antipasto bar, Tastes of the World)

1/3 cup all natural peanut butter

2 Tbsp each of Rice Krispies, Honey granola, and Toasted wheat germ (in the soymilk fridge)

2 packets of grape jelly (about 1 Tbsp?)

1 Tbsp honey

1 tall glass of milk/soymilk/water*

1. Mix grape jelly and honey in a small cup. Put peanut butter in another cup.

2. Dip mozzarella balls, one at a time, first into the peanut butter (using a fork) to coat all over, then roll in cereal of choice.**

3. Drizzle with grape jelly-honey mixture and eat with milk/soymilk.

*optional, but highly recommended as I did not have a glass of milk as I was chewing one of these and found myself craving milk like crazy afterwards.

**while Honey granola may look pretty with its grooves and textures, it is actually quite a challenge to chew when combined with pb and a lump of mozzarella. I recommend the other two cereals, especially if you happen to have a toothache or a small mouth.

Kidney Bean Salad

I wanted to give this salad a fancy, cheesy, salad-y name...like "Taste of Spring" or "Garden Delight" but 1 hour of Organic Chemistry has left me with nothing but the meager creative juice to come up with Kidney Bean Salad. Delectable, eh? Trust me, it tastes better than it sounds!

Kidney Bean Salad
1 Mountain of mixed greens
grape tomatoes
cucumber slices
broccoli florets (you need to break them down)
cubes of muenster cheese (available on special soup days; omit or substitute tofu to vegan-fy!)

Kicked Up Sesame Dressing
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp honey
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp hot sauce
1/8 tsp chili pepper flakes

1. Assemble salad.
2. Mix dressing ingredients together, and adjust the ingredients to suit your taste buds.
3. Drizzle dressing over the salad, being careful to hit all of the cucumbers.

"Caprese" Mixed Greens Salad

Technically not a traditional "caprese" since there was no fresh basil at the Ratty, but I think mozzarella and grape tomatoes are delicious together just by themselves. The mixed greens were especially fresh today, and tossed with creamy mozzarella, salty olives, tangy tomatoes, and a hint of fruity raspberry vinaigrette, this salad is light and delicious.

Vegan-ify!

To make vegan, substitute tofu cubes for mozzarella and leave out the prosciutto.

"Caprese" Mixed Greens Salad

plateful of mixed greens

dash of raspberry vinaigrette

slightly smaller dash of balsamic vinaigrette

light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

4-6 mozzarella balls

7-9 grape tomatoes

4-6 olives

1. Pile mixed greens on plate. Add dash of raspberry vinaigrette, balsamic vinaigrette, and olive oil.

2. Slice mozzarella balls, grape tomatoes, and olives in half and arrange over salad. If you like prosciutto see the recipe below for the prosciutto toppers. If you're not a fan of prosciutto or want to keep this vegetarian, skip the toppers and enjoy as is.

Prosciutto Toppers

1 mozzarella ball

1 grape tomato

1-2 slices prosciutto

2 toothpicks

Slice mozzarella ball and grape tomato in half. Cut a 1 inch wide strip of prosciutto. Place mozzarella and cherry tomato (cut ends together), wrap in prosciutto, and secure with a toothpick. Place on top of your salad and enjoy!

Broccoli, Cheese, and Tofu Pasta

Broccoli, Cheese, and Tofu Pasta
1 1/2 cups plain pasta
1/4 cup black beans
1/2 cup tofu cubes
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
black pepper

1. Combine all ingredients and microwave for 1 minute on high power or until cheese is melted.

Nachos

Nothing too creative, but just a different way to present food. We eat with our eyes, so treat yourself by plating food gorgeously!

Nachos
2 cups shredded lettuce
1/3 cup refried beans
1/3 cup salsa
1/4 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup guacamole
2 Tbsp olives
2 Tbsp roasted green peppers
2 Tbsp sour cream
Tortilla chips

1. Pile lettuce neatly onto 3/4 of a plate.
2. Top with beans, salsa, cheese, guacamole, olives, green peppers, and sour cream, being sure to keep each topping separate.
3. Sprinkle on scallions.
4. Arrange chips in an arc around the lettuce.

Cracklin' Oat Bran Yogurt

A healthy and yummy dessert or breakfast! I love Cracklin Oat Bran because it has a nutmeg and cinnamon flavor and a nutty crunch from the toasted oat bran, perfectly complementing the tang of plain yogurt. Just a little dollop of sour cream adds a nice balance to the nonfat yogurt, and the peanut butter and seeds enhance the nutty flavor of the cereal while cinnamon heightens its spice.

Cracklin' Oat Bran Yogurt
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp old fashioned peanut butter
1 dash of cinnamon
1/4 cup Cracklin' Oat Bran cereal
2 Tbsp sour cream
2 tsp pumpkin seeds
1 tsp sunflower seeds

1. Put yogurt in a bowl.
2. Top with peanut butter, sprinkle on cinnamon, and add cereal. Dollop on sour cream and sprinkle nuts around.

Veggie Pita Pizza with Broccoli

This is healthy, easy, and delicious! It's really awesome when the Ratty has whole wheat pita.

Veggie Pita Pizza with Broccoli
1/2 whole wheat pita
5 baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup shredded cheese
2 tomato slices, cut into smaller pieces
3 portabello mushroom slices
a few broccoli florets (topping) and more for the side
2 tsp basil infused olive oil
black pepper

1. Top the pita with spinach, cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli.
2. Drizzle on olive oil.
3. Place on the panini press and lower the lid to 1 cm above the toppings - be careful not to let the top of the grill touch the top of the pizza. Grill until cheese is melted.
4. Sprinkle the top with black pepper and serve with a side of broccoli.