Broccoli Mushroom Feta Edamame

Aw, stop it already, we know we're just too good at the whole recipe naming thing. A great combination of flavors, and you can use it to turn into the Cucumber Hummus Bite.

Broccoli Mushroom Feta Edamame

broccoli

mushrooms

edamame

feta

olive oil (optional)

1. Combine everything on a plate. Cover with another plate.

2. Microwave on high for 120 seconds, or until broccoli is bright green and cooked through, mushrooms have softened, and feta has melted.

Cucumber Hummus Bite

Cucumber and hummus are just made for each other. Aren't they adorable? And the baby broccoli floret, c'mon, you have to admit he is cute - not to mention delicious!

Is it weird to anthropomorphize food and talk about eating it in the same sentence?

Cucumber Hummus Bite

1 sliced cucumber

1 dab of hummus

1 sliced mushroom with feta (microwaved)

1 cute broccoli floret (make sure it's cute - if not, the results will be rather disappointing)

1. Spread cucumber with hummus.

2. Gently embed a mushroom slice and broccoli into the hummus.

3. Bite, chew and swallow.

Hummus Pita Wrap

Sometimes the simple things are the best. (Simplicity is such a nice excuse to be lazy, isn't it?)

Hummus Pita Wrap

1 whole wheat pita

hummus

feta cheese

baby spinach

lettuce

cucumber slices

tomato slices

onions

1. Spread hummus on pita.

2. Top with the other ingredients.

3. Fold in half.

Tropical Sunrise Drink

On a hot day, what could possibly beat a construction-worker-vest-colored drink with a cheesy name?

Tropical Sunrise Drink

ice

cranberry juice

passionfruit guava juice

segmented orange and grapefruit

1. Get a cup of ice.

2. Dispense 1 second of each juice.

3. Garnish with orange and grapefruit segments.

4. Pretend you are on a beach in Hawaii, sit back, and watch your worries fade into the sunset.

Broccoli Chicken Salad

This salad was almost too big for the plate.

Broccoli Chicken Salad

1 plate of mixed greens

cucumbers

broccoli, steamed

red bell peppers

northern beans

1 baked chicken thigh, shredded

Asian Sesame Ginger Dressing (recipe follows)

1. Combine everything on a plate.

Asian Sesame Ginger Dressing

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp old-fashioned peanut butter

1 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce

3 turns of ground black pepper (in the soup station)

1/4 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp onion powder (3 shakes)

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp honey (optional; I didn't put it b/c peanut butter was sweet enough)

Rainbow Pinwheel Sandwiches

Great as an appetizer or lunch, and embarrassingly easy to make. Feel free to mix and match wrap flavors, cheeses, meats, and veggies; you really can't go wrong with any combo.

Rainbow Pinwheel Sandwiches

1 tortilla sheet

sour cream (optional)

cheddar, swiss, or american cheese

sliced turkey or ham

mixed greens or lettuce

bacon (optional)

1. Spread sour cream on tortilla, if using.

2. Layer on: cheese, sliced meat, greens.

3. Roll up sandwiches -- not too tightly or too loosely. Stick 5 toothpicks in the roll, spaced evenly apart. Cut out the ends and cut the roll into five sandwiches.

Local Dinner: Mile High Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

Words cannot describe the scrumptiousness of this dessert.

Russian Dressing Salad

The color of this dressing is reminiscent of that pink color used in Dr. Seuss' Cat in the Hat storybooks.

Russian Dressing Salad

Dressing:

2 Tbsp sour cream

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp raspberry vinaigrette

sprinkling of black pepper

Salad:

lettuce

cucumbers

onions

kidney beans

tomatoes

Mix the dressing together in a small cup and drizzle over salad.

Salmon with Arugula and Mashed Sweet Potato

We owe a lot to the Ratty on this one - didn't do much except put a few things together, but hey, you gotta treat that salmon with respect.

Salmon with Arugula and Mashed Sweet Potato

1 sweet potato

1 piece of salmon

arugula (from the agnolotti with lemon dish)

1. Peel the sweet potato into a bowl, and mash with a fork.

2. Plate the sweet potato, salmon, and arugula in that order.

Spinach Pie "Wrap" Quesadilla

The "secret" ingredient? Raisins! Yes, they're good for you and yes, they're usually found in granola, but if you're up for something a little different (and dare we say delicious) give this one a try -- the sweetness of dried grapes goes fabulously with the savoriness of melted provolone and hot spinach in a lightly toasted wrap.

Spinach Pie "Wrap" Quesadilla.

1 whole-wheat flour tortilla

lots of baby spinach (about 2 generous "grabs" with the tongs)

1 slice provolone cheese

1/4 cup shredded cheese

3 Tbsp raisins

1. Place provolone cheese on tortilla. Pile on the spinach, shredded cheese, and raisins.

2. Fold carefully into a "wrap" -- it will be rather puffy but the spinach will wilt down.

3. Place in a pre-heated panini press and let it do its thing for 5 min, or until golden brown grill marks appear.

4. Slice in half and enjoy.

Broccoli Tuna Melt Salad

This hot/cold salad was inspired by Meeting St's gigantic Broccoli Tuna Melt sandwich. I never manage to eat those sandwiches properly anyway, so this "deconstructed" version of the sandwich lets you mix everything together and eat with a fork, like a salad.

Broccoli Tuna Melt Salad

2-3 lettuce leaves

3 slices tomato

1 scoop tuna salad

5-6 broccoli florets

6-7 mushroom slices

1/4 cup shredded cheese

3 onion rings

1 slice thick honey wheat bread

1. Arrange lettuce and tuna salad on a plate. Cut tomato slices in half and arrange around tuna salad.

2. Microwave broccoli and mushroom on a plate with 1 Tbsp basil infused olive oil and 1 Tbsp water (2 min, cover with another plate, on high).

3. Sprinkle cheese over cooked broccoli and microwave another 30 seconds or until melted.

4. Arrange broccoli/mushroom/cheese mixture over tuna salad.

5. Slice onion rings in half and cube the bread into 6-7 "croutons." Arrange over top and enjoy.

Tuna Edamame Salad

Tired of the same old salad dressings? Love asparagus? Love creamy stuff? Then try drizzling a ladle of creamy asparagus soup on your mixed greens!

Tuna Edamame Salad

1 plate of mixed greens

1/4 cup feta cheese

1/4 cup tuna

1/4 cup edamame

1 ladle of creamy asparagus soup

1. Assemble salad and drizzle soup on top.

Tilapia on Spinach with White Space

Ah... white space. Try it at on your plate at the Ratty and you may find that your chewing becomes ever so slightly more thoughtful, and your conversations become a tad bit more....refined.

Tilapia on Spinach

1 Tilapia filet

bowlful of baby spinach (packed tightly)

2 Tbsp Basil infused olive oil

1 Tbsp vegan bean stew

1-2 Tbsp Tilapia provencal chopped tomatoes & capers

1. Cook the spinach. Pack the baby spinach into a bowl and drizzle olive oil on top. Cover with a small plate and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove from microwave CAREFULLY (use napkins as "pot-holders")
2. Arrange spinach in a neat pile in center of plate.

3. Put tilapia filet on top of cooked spinach

4. Garnish with vegan bean stew and tilapia provencal veggies. Buon appetito!

Creamy Edamame Pasta Salad

You know how you sometimes get into a habit of doing things the same way every day? I always get into "breakfast habits" -- soymilk-cereal-fruit, soymilk-cereal-fruit, soymilk-cereal...

Or "lunch habits" -- sandwich, sandwich, sandwich...

Or "dinner habits" -- pasta and marinara, pasta and marinara, pasta and... cream of asparagus soup? Add in some edamame for protein and veggies for vitamins.

Creamy Edamame Pasta Salad

whole wheat penne

spoonful of edamame (green soybeans)

spoonful of diced tomatoes (burrito bar)

spoonful of scallions

small spoonful of raisins

spoonful of sliced zucchini (salad bar)

1 ladle of Cream of Asparagus soup

salt & pepper

1. Gather pasta and veggies on a plate.

2. Spoon soup on top.

3. Mix with a fork and add salt/pepper to taste.

Savory Waffle Sandwiches

While these were good, during the time it takes to split the waffle open and make the sandwich, the waffle crust goes from satisfyingly crispy to disappointingly soggy. Still, the flavors were pretty good, and it's worth a try if you are a waffle fan. The good news is we have a secret genius idea for maintaining the crispy crust of a waffle sandwich...stay tuned!

Savory Waffle Sandwiches

1/2 spoonful of waffle batter

1 lettuce

1/4 cup tuna salad

1 slice swiss cheese

1/4 cup garbanzo bean salad (pre-made at the V-dub...plain garbanzo beans with some dressing and roasted red peppers work too)

1. Pour waffle batter into half of the waffle iron.

2. Make waffle.

3. Cut in half, and split each half into two without burning off fingers.

4. Fill with fillings.

Almost Seven Layer Dip

...Because it's six layers, unless you count the plate. Just layer it in the mug, invert, remove the mug, and viola! A happy little cylinder of food. But in the recent sweltering atmosphere of the Ratty, if you don't attack the dip immediately it will collapse into an amorphous blob. Still delicious, nonetheless.

Almost Seven Layer Dip

diced tomatoes

guacamole

pinto beans

scallions

shredded cheese

sour cream

1. Layer the tomatoes, guacamole, pinto beans, scallions, cheese, and sour cream in a mug, in that order. It helps to alternate layers of "mortar" with...uh...bricks?

2. Invert mug onto a plate.

3. Remove mug carefully.

4. Serve with crackers or chips or toasted pita bread or cucumbers.