j3551c4:

Ingredients:

• 1 (10-ounce) box plain couscous
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 oranges
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup golden raisins, currants, or chopped dates

Preparation

1. 1. Pour couscous into a large bowl, and stir in 1 cup boiling water. Cover with plastic wrap, and let steam 5 minutes or until couscous is tender. Fluff with a fork, and stir in oil and next 3 ingredients. Let cool slightly.
2. 2. Zest both oranges; juice one. Peel second orange, and chop. Add zest, juice, and chopped orange to couscous mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and chill 1 hour or up to 2 days. Add more oil, salt, or pepper if desired before serving.

(Source: myrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 cups mango (diced)
2 cups rhubarb (cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ginger (grated)
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup coconut (unsweetened)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter (melted)

Directions:
1. Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl.
2. Add the mango, rhubarb, lemon juice and ginger and toss to coat.
3. Mix the flour, rolled oats, coconut, brown sugar and butter in a large bowl.
4. Place the mango and rhubarb mixture into an 8x8 inch baking dish and pour the topping on.
5. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until it is bubbling and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes.

(Source: closetcooking.com)

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic (grated)
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 5 ounce bag baby spinach
2 handfuls strawberries (sliced)
1 avocado (peeled, pitted, sliced)
1 handful fresh peas (optional)
1 handful blue cheese (crumbled) [Optional]
1 handful pecans (chopped)

Directions:
1. Mix the garlic, honey, mustard, vinegar and oil.
2. Assemble the salad and toss with the dressing.

(Source: closetcooking.com)

Ingredients:
1 cup farro
1 zucchini (thinly sliced)
1 handful asparagus (cut into bite sized pieces)
2 tablespoons basil pesto
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chickpeas
1/4 cup walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup pecorino romano (optoinal)

Directions:
1. Cook the farro as directed.
2. Blanch the zucchini and asparagus in boiling water.
3. Mix the basil pesto, olive oil and lemon juice.
4. Toss every thing to mix.

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants, (about 1 pound each)
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini, (see Note)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish
• Ground sumac, for garnish**

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to high.
2. Prick eggplants all over with a fork. Thread garlic cloves onto a skewer. Grill the eggplants, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Grill the garlic, turning once, until charred and tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Transfer the eggplants and garlic to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, peel both. Transfer to a food processor. Add lemon juice, tahini and salt; process until almost smooth. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sumac, if desired.

**If you can’t find ground sumac for the garnish, chopped pistachios are traditional as well.

Ingredients:

• 2 large cans (29 ounces each) pear halves
• soft butter
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups bite-size shredded rice cereal, such as Rice Chex
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• ice cream or whipped topping, if desired

Preparation:

(Source: southernfood.about.com)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup rice (medium or short grained such as arborio)
2 1/4 cups milk**
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 handful strawberries (sliced)
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon pistachios (chopped)

Directions:
1. Bring the milk, rice, sugar and vanilla extract to a boil in a sauce pan.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer until the milk is mostly absorbed, about 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Simmer the balsamic vinegar and honey in a small sauce pan to reduce to a syrup.
4. Mix the strawberries into the rice and drizzle the balsamic syrup on top followed by the chopped pistachios.

**I would suggest substituting with almond milk

(Source: closetcooking.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large cucumbers, in quarters and sliced
• 1 cup shredded veggies*
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

DRESSING

• 1 cup almond mayo
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 Tbsp sea salt
• 1/4 Tbsp Herbamare
• 1/2 t white pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Chop up the various veggies and add HALF of the shredded veggies to the mix. Hand mix the dressing, then add the other half of the shredded veggies at the end. Adding half at the end makes sure that you get some of the color showing through. Feel free to add some fresh cracked black pepper or paprika for an extra touch of pizazz.

*Note on shredded veggies: I used white cabbage, carrot, and a touch of purple cabbage for color. You really can just be creative with what you have to keep it fresh without needing to shop for extra veggies. Just make sure to have something sweet (like carrot or beet) mixed in there and to have some lovely colors!