WALDORF SALAD: Simply the best!

"According to the American Century Cookbook, the first Waldorf Salad was created in New York City in 1893, by Oscar Tschirky, the maître d'hôtel of the Waldorf Astoria. The original recipe consisted only of diced red-skinned apples, celery, and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts were added later to this now American classic"

You will need:
Lettuce, 1 1/2 cup chopped, slightly toasted walnuts , 1 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced, 1 1/2 cup red seedless grapes, sliced (or a 3/4 cup of raisins or dried cranberries), 3 sweet apple, cored and chopped, 9 Tbsp mayonnaise (or light mayo or yogurt for less calories), 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice,  1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper.
How to Prepare:
Use a medium sized bowl, mix together the mayonnaise (or yogurt) and the lemon juice. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper. Mix in the apple, celery, grapes, and walnuts. Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce with your favorite dish.

Servings: 6.

Quick Fact: Is good to know that you could even let it seat for even 2 days and it will still be as good and fresh as in day one.
Bon Appetit!!!

Light Chicken, Rice and Beans for a Family Dinner

You will need:
- Rice: 2 cup long grain white rice, 4 cups water, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon Canola Oil (or another light healthy Omega 3 oil); 1 clove chopped garlic;
- Beans: Dried beans, water, 1/2 small onion coarsely chopped, 1 clove chopped garlic;
- Chicken: 1 roasting chicken, about 5 1/2 pounds, 2 clove chopped garlic, 1/2 small onion, , Fresh sage, about 6 to 8 large leaves, 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves, Dash pepper, Salt and pepper, an orange cut into chunks.

How to prepare:

Rinse and stir the rice very well. In a pan heat Cannola Oil until medium heat. Add 1 chopped garlic and before it all turns brown add half cup of rice for 5 minutes stirring it constantly. Add the rest of the rice, the water and the salt. Let it boil and cook at lower heat for about 25 to 30 minutes (it depends on your stove).

Soak the beans overnight, rinse, drain. Pour them into a pan, add water, 1/2 small onion coarsely chopped, 1 clove chopped garlic and then cook then until tender.

Heat oven to 450°. Wash chicken and pat dry. Set the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. Chop sage, mix it with the garlic. Loosen chicken skin with your fingers and spread this mix under the skin pressing it towards the back so its evenly spread over the meat. You may put any excess in the cavity of the chicken along with the orange chunks and fresh thyme leaves. Sprinkle the chicken lightly with salt and pepper.
Roast the chicken for 10 minutes at 450°. Reduce heat to 350° and roast for about 17 to 20 minutes per pound, or until an instant-read thermometer reads about 165 to 170° when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. Remove to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Servings: 6.

YOU MAY SERVE WITH ONE OF THE SALAD OPTIONS THAT I WILL BE POSTING SHORTLY...

Bon Appétit !!!

BANANA NUT CAKE AS A NICE SWEET PRESENT

You will need:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat cake and pastry flour  to reduce carbs and add some fiber)

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup unsalted butter

5 small or 3 big ripe mashed bananas

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar (Domino if available)

2/3 cup buttermilk (or regular milk for a little less sweet)

2 eggs

How to prepare:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 - 5 inch round pans.

- In a large bowl, mix butter, vanilla, white sugar and brown sugar until creamy, light and fluffy. Add in eggs, mixing one at a time. Mix in the bananas.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; Add this flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk to the creamed mixture.
- Stir in chopped walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool.

The whole process takes about an hour. Calories per serving: 347(with all purpose flour).

And My Better Half is you!

Halves! There are a lot of things that we can put in halves... an apple to share, a brownie, a cake! And the best thing about slicing is that you get some to spare.  For some women eating is an art, for some others is a pleasure... They are both right! Eating shouldn't only be a need... so that's why I'll show you here some guilt free recipes that will turn your eating habits into a pleasure. But wait a minute, "I don't want to enjoy it for God sake, I want to loose some weight!" you may say; Well girlfriend, with the recipes I'll be posting you'll do both, enjoy a meal and loose some weight... just gotta behave and split.