La's Green Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

This picture totally doesn't do it justice!
Green Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup or brown sugar
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 cups baby spinach
3 cups watercress, tough stems removed
2.5 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/3 cup fresh chives, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (or more, if you're anything like us!)

Directions
1. Whisk maple syrup (or brown sugar), vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Add spinach, watercress, strawberries & chives; toss to coat.
3. Divide the salad among plates and top with pecans and goat cheese.

Tip: To toast chopped or sliced nuts, stir constantly in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Brown Rice Pudding

This recipe was given to me by La, college roommate and Godmother of Baby, during my wedding shower. La describes it as comfort food with a twist. I learned something with this recipe about molasses. The difference between sulfured and unsulfured molasses is that sulfured molasses is made from green cane stalks and sulfur dioxide is used to sanitize the juice. Sulfured molasses is usually lighter in taste and color than the same grade of unsulfured molasses.
Serves 6.

Ingredients
3 cups non-fat milk
1/2 cup short-grain brown rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tablespoon unsulfured molasses


Process
1. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring milk, rice and salt to a simmer.
2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until rice is very tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir occasionally, cooking about 1 and 1/2 hours.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir in raisins.
4. Gradually stir the egg mixture into the rice mixture.
5. Stir over low heat until mixture is just thickened, about 6 minutes.
6. Transfer to bowl. Stir in molasses. Cool
7. Refrigerate, until well served, and serve in small dishes, like ramekins.

Hummus

Hummus is a popular Middle Eastern dish which may be one of the worlds oldest prepared foods. It is high in iron and Vitamin C, and is a good source of Folate and B6. When engaged, I was fortunate enough to have 2 wedding showers. The shower my awesome brides maids threw for me which included a potluck recipe share. All the recipes were put into my recipe box that I am now sharing recipes from. My college roommate La brought yummy hummus so this recipe is hers!

Ingredients
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Tamari
1 Tablespoon Curry powder
2 15-ounce cans chick peas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Process

1. In a food processor, puree: onion, garlic,lemon juice, vinegar, tamari, and curry powder until mixture is smooth.
   
2. Add half of the chick peas and half of the tahini and blend until smooth.
   
3. Add the remaining chick peas and tahini and blend coarsely so the mixture is chunky.
4. Toast the sesame seeds in a heavy skillet over medium heat until they are golden. Shake the pan or stir constantly to avoid burning.
   
5. Add sesame seeds and parsley to hummus and stir to blend.
   
6. Adjust seasonings to taste.
   

Fold into a bowl, with maybe a sprinkle of paprika over it, and serve with fresh vegetables or pita chips or points