apple poppyseed spinach salad

with a little bit of the apple poppy seed dressing left over from the magical coleslaw and a bag of spinach on the verge of wilting in my fridge, there was nothing to do but create a salad to go with my sunday night roast and mashed potato dinner.

this might be my new favorite salad - made by me, panera bread, cafe rio or anyone else for that matter. use your leftover apple poppyseed dressing and whip this one up!

apple poppy seed spinach salad

baby spinach
slices of a sweet apple (i used fujis)
feta cheese
craisins
roasted almonds or walnuts (both good - whatever your preference)
apple poppy seed dressing (here)

1. no exact recipe here - just top a pile of spinach with apple, feta, craisins and nuts and then toss it with the apple poppy seed dressing. viola!

then let your mouth water between bites.

bbq pulled pork and magic coleslaw sandwiches

okay.... here it is! the magic cole slaw. this stuff has changed my life.

let me start from the beginning. back in may when we moved a friend from my church offered to bring us dinner one night while we were getting settled in. she showed up with bbq pulled pork (yum), trader joe's ciabatta buns (yum), sun chips (yum), fruit salad (yum) and cole slaw (yikes!)... to put on the sandwiches (double yikes!).

since it would be rude not to try it, i decided i'd better.and wow! am i glad i did!

so i asked her what she put on the magical cole slaw (that's a direct quote). "girard's apple poppyseed dressing," she said.
problem: my budget doesn't do salad dressings that cost $4.99 (on my budget i have $7 total per day to feed my family. $5 for salad dressing doesn't work.)

solution: replicate the dressing. done! it's close enough to give the same effect on the sandwiches and hubby likes it better than girard's. so ha!

this really is a great, tasty, well-balanced meal when you add the coleslaw. cabbage is amazing for you.

bbq pulled pork and magic coleslaw sandwiches
enough coleslaw for 6 sandwiches

pulled pork:
a lean pork roast (size of your choosing)
your favorite bbq sauce (we love sweet baby rays - you can find it at walmart)

trim pork roast of excess fat and place in crock pot. smother with tons of bbq sauce (if you're not sure about how much to add, just make sure to check it a couple of times throughout the day and add more if it's looking dry). cook 8-10 hours on low. shred at the end and add more bbq sauce if it needs more.

magic coleslaw:
1 bag of prepared coleslaw
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cup apple poppyseed dressing (recipe below)

mix coleslaw and dressing together in a bowl.

the bovine's apple poppyseed dressing:
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons light tasting olive oil
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon molasses (optional)
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
4 to 6 dashes salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon poppyseeds

combine all ingredients but poppyseeds in a blender. mix well until blended. add poppyseeds. mix well. refrigerate 4+ hours to let onions rehydrate and flavors meld.

put the sandwich together:

toast ciabatta buns (we like walmart's). top with pulled pork and more coleslaw than you think you'll want. serve with lots of napkins. :)

freeze leftover bbq pulled pork for [the following week] when you crave the sandwiches again. thaw in fridge over night. heat and serve.

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you'll have extra dressing. what should you do with it? an apple poppy seed spinach salad up next to use it up! stay tuned!

discovering your dollar store

when i moved less than a year ago some other frugal ladies from church introduced me to something i now rely on weekly for my cooking ventures: the 99 cents only store. this amazing dollar store sells nothing for more than 99c and they have some great fresh produce, some of which i definitely can't find cheaper anywhere else. here's a list of some of the things i've found there (over the course of time - not all in one trip):

• 2 pack of red/orange/yellow bell peppers
• container of mini bell peppers - multi colored and just red
• 3 pack of green bell peppers
• 2 lb bag of peaches/plums/nectarines
• 2 lb bag of dole bananas
• 6-8oz container of raspberries/blackberries/blueberries
• 3 pack hearts of romaine lettuce
• 5 lb bag of potatoes
• 3 pack of mangoes
• 3 pack of avocados
• 3 lb bag red/yellow/white onions
• 2 lb bunch broccoli/cauliflower
• 2 pack of large cucumbers
• 8 oz package of brown/white/baby bella mushrooms
• 2 pack of portobello mushrooms
• 2 lb bag carrots
• 6 pack roma tomatoes
• 1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes
• bagged organic spinach
• 4 pack large bunches of cilantro
• bag of green onions

i've also found some other non-produce items that i've been happy to find there too:

• 1 lb lasagna noodles
• bottle of oyster sauce (for asian cooking... see my asian label for more)
• 4 pack unsweetened applesauce/berry applesauce (good baby food to go)
• gerber meals for toddlers - 3 for $1
• boxed gerber granola bars - 3 boxes for $1
• wheaties fuel cereal
• large bag twizzlers nibs (confession - i love these)
• jelly flops (real jelly belly jelly beans that are funny shaped or stuck together)
• 6 pack large pita breads

i've been really happy with the quality of nearly everything i've bought from my dollar store. my hearts of romaine are even fresher and last longer than the ones i buy at other stores.

and of course i love that shopping at my dollar store makes meals like the one below possible. we loved this salad at our house - and it is as beautiful as it was delicious. packed full of beautiful (and usually) expensive veggies, this one is a keeper as long as my dollar store keeps providing bell peppers. :)

thai peanut noodle salad

find recipe here at our best bites

(i left out about 1/3 cup olive oil, though!)

just for fun, a few other great non-food items i've found at the dollar store:

• halloween costume stuff (including really cute wings - usually so expensive!)
• nick jr and disney books (like diego, backyardigans, disney princesses, etc.)
• awesome coloring books (discovery channel, disney)
• silk flowers
• picture frames

so discover what dollar stores are near you - you never know what you'll find!!

cilantro lime vinaigrette

salads are one of my favorite foods on the planet - my all time favorite being the cafe rio-style salad. the more ingredients the better. pile it high.

when i went dairy free for my baby boy i was devastated not to be able to eat the cafe rio ranch dressing and was forced to try their other dressing.... which was shockingly delicious!
so of course i tried to replicate it at home. i think i like mine better than cafe rio's. and it's soooo easy. try it with the sweet and spicy slow cooker chicken, above, and your choice of beans and rice. then top with all the salad toppings you can handle. a perfectly delicious, healthy and well-balanced meal.

cilantro lime vinaigrette dressing
5-6 servings

1 cup bottled lite balsamic vinaigrette dressing (i use kroger brand that i got for $1)
juice of 1 small lime, or 1/2 of one large lime
1 large clove or 2 small cloves garlic
1/2 a bunch of cilantro

combine all ingredients in a small food processor/chopper and mix until all ingredients finely chopped and combined. serve over your favorite mexi-salad.

chicken black bean tostadas with cilantro lime drizzle

so we're on a very extended summer vacation and i'm hardly ever home these days. please excuse the lack of posting. we had these babies for dinner tonight and man, were they good!! put your own twist on them or enjoy them just like we did.

chicken black bean tostadas with cilantro lime drizzle
6 servings

1 bone-in chicken breast, skinned, cooked and shredded (i cooked mine about like this plus lime juice)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
lime juice, spices of choice (i used cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne, chili powder)
corn tortillas
tomatoes, chopped
your favorite fresh or homemade salsa
shredded romaine lettuce
sour cream, guacamole or other toppings you like
cilantro lime drizzle (1/2 cup light ranch dressing run through your blender or food processor with a few handfuls of cilantro and a few squeezes of lime juice)

1. prepare chicken ahead [optional] and store in fridge until ready to cook. combine shredded chicken, beans, a few squeezes of lime juice and spices of choice in a sauce pan. cover and let heat on medium/low until hot.
2. heat tortillas until hot and slightly crispy in skillet or in oven at 450.
3. top tortillas with chicken bean mixture, then with lettuce, tomatoes, salsa and any other desired toppings. drizzle cilantro lime dressing over the top.

recipe of the week: zesty italian dressing mix

i have an amazing find to share with you tonight. yesterday i was going to make crockpot chicken and rice for dinner but realized i had used the rest of my zesty italian dressing mix. this stuff is great for a million recipes, but i get irritated when i run out because it isn't the cheapest ingredient. so, i decided to wing it and search the internet for something close. let me tell you, this was just like the real thing! soooo good and crazy easy! i love eliminating an expensive ingredient! yahoo!

zesty italian dressing mix
from: mrs. t's christmas kitchen

1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon each: pepper, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, sweet red pepper flakes (i used a handful of my frozen red and orange bell peppers, defrosted and minced)
Pinch of paprika

mix together. makes equivalent of 1 packet.

recipe of the week: cafe rio-style salads

sorry this took so long! we were trying to get moved into our new apartment...so with no more adieu... cafe rio-style salads!

as i mentioned in my last post, salad is my favorite lunch meal ever. why? you can get all of the food groups in one meal and it tastes soooo good! for those of you who have never eaten at cafe rio in utah, i'm so sorry for you because their salads are fabulous. since i can't eat there every day, i make myself a cafe rio-style salad at home for lunch... every day (that is really true some weeks!).

enjoy and add your own flair to your salad with whatever you have in your kitchen. thanks for your patience with my terrible food photography while i'm learning. :)

cafe rio-style salads

dressing:
1 1/3 cup fat free sour cream
3/4 cup low fat mayo
1 bunch cilantro
1 package ranch dressing mix
4 tablespoons salsa verde (i like herdez from wal-mart - it's yummy and cheap!)
1 clove garlic
1/8 teaspoon tabasco sauce
juice of 1 lime

blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.

rice:
cook 1 cup white rice in 2 cups chicken broth as you normally would.

when its done add 1/4 cup green enchilada sauce and any extra cilantro you have.

beans:
1 can black beans
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
dash of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
3/4 teaspoon cumin

simmer onions and garlic in a tiny bit of olive oil until tender. add the rest of ingredients and cook until beans are hot.

chicken:
cut a chicken breast through the middle to have 2 semetrical breasts. see picture below.


pan-cook in a little bit of oil, lime juice and salsa verde and sprinkle with garlic salt, cumin and black pepper. cut into thin slices.

putting it all together:

1. heat a tortilla in a pan until barely crisp on both sides. sprinkle with a little bit of cheese.
   
2. put rice, black beans and chicken on top of tortilla.
3. top with chopped romaine lettuce (no iceberg - it has NO redeeming nutritional value!), fresh salsa (chopped tomatoes and lime juice will suffice if your budget has no room for fresh salsa) and your homemade dressing.
   

all i can say is yummy!! i really can't get enough of these salads!

here's my silly husband in action... getting a salad ready for the camera. haha.


challenge: have extra ingredients from this recipe (like enchilada sauce, maybe)? visit the ingredient search at allrecipes.com and put your extras to good use!

also coming soon, learn about why ground turkey is totally skinny bovine-worthy. (and go buy some at macey's in provo - see sale alert!!! on side bar for details.)

i found the imitation cafe rio dressing online forever ago, but have never been able to find it again! it's somewhere out there in cyberspace without my modifications. :)

recipe of the week: homemade poppyseed dressing

my absolute favorite lunch is a yummy salad. if you do it right you can do it cheap and healthy (stay tuned - next post will have more on this). one of the best ways to make it cheap and healthy is to make your own salad dressings. good store-bought salad dressings (like newman's) are expensive and REALLY high on the bad fat and calories scale. change the salad dressing-stigma in your brain and make your own - the healthy way!

here is one of my favorite homemade dressings. it is really yummy on a salad with chicken and your favorite fruit. mmm..... enjoy!

poppyseed dressing

1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free mayo

1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 cup white sugar

1/8 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon poppyseeds

mix well. refrigerate until ready to use and refrigerate leftovers.

coming next is one of my favorite meals - a lunch salad with a cafe rio-style flair!

above recipe is slightly modified version of "poppyseed dressing I" from allrecipes.com. thanks to the same for the photo.