For this salad I roasted a few plump beets. I wrapped each one in aluminum foil and placed them in the oven. Remember to place them on a cookies sheet first to avoid any leakage. Beet juice can be impossible to get off surfaces. I then segmented some oranges- which has been my ingredient of choice ever since they have come in season. I have been putting them in everything I can.

I placed the colorful beets and oranges on some mixed greens and made a delicious salad with orange juice and balsamic vinegar.

The salad was so beautiful looking that I didn’t want to disturb it and eat it. Once I did, I realized how delicious it was…

• 3 to 4 medium red beets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wrap each beet in aluminum foil. Roast the beets for 40 to 50 minutes. Let them cool and scrape the skin off. Cut into 1-inch squares.

• 2 large navel oranges, peeled and cut into segments
• 4 cups mixed greens

Balsamic Dressing

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon agave
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

Add the vinegar, orange juice, agave and mustard. Mix well and drizzle the olive oil slowly while whisking constantly until the dressing is emulsified.

Assemble four plates with the greens, oranges and pieces of beets. Drizzle the dressing and serve.

The trick is to first buy an English cucumber instead of the regular variety. The English variety is leaner and longer and has less seeds. I cut it in half length wise and then scoop the seeds out with a spoon. In order to get the cucumbers super crispy, one can sprinkle some salt on them, place them in a colander over a bowl. The salt will extract the extra moisture out of the cucumbers and make them crunchy. This step is optional and skipping it will not lessen the flavor.

The salad has very few ingredients including the rice vinegar, serrano chilies and cilantro. Try this simple yet delicious salad…

• 1 large English cucumber, seeds scooped out and cut into half moons
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 3 to 4 serrano chilies, cut in half
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Place the cucumber in a medium bowl. Add the salt, vinegar, chilies and cilantro. Mix well and refrigerate for an hour or two before serving.

I love combining the orange and the yellow variety- the names of the lentils are below (actually I am not very good at remembering lentil names .. so I recognize them by color and shape). Anyway, I love combining the two and cooking them with a bit of garlic. I usually cook the lentils in water, but they can be made with chicken or vegetable broth.

Once the lentils are tender and cooked, I added baby spinach to the mix. I finished the dish with a tempering of cumin and mustard seeds.

It is one of my staples, especially when I don’t have a lot of time to cook…

• ½ cup pink lentils (masoor dal)
• ½ cup yellow lentils (moong dal)
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt

Add the lentils, garlic, water, turmeric and salt to a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes on medium heat till the lentils are soft.

• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cups baby spinach

Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the cumin and mustard seeds along with the cayenne pepper. Saute for a minute or two till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the oil mixture to the simmering lentils. Add the spinach to the lentils and mix well till all the greens are wilted. Check for seasonings and serve hot.

I roasted some red pepper, squash and zucchini with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roasting vegetables brings out the nutty, sweetness which is delicious in this dish. I mixed the veggies in a mixture of pesto and homemade marinara sauce. To make even more different, I tossed the pasta with some chopped fresh mozzarella.

I then roasted the dish in the oven till the cheese became soft and oozy. I served it with some delicious garlic bread and a yummy red wine… and we did not miss the meat…

• 1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 squash, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, with a drop or two of olive oil, wrapped in a piece of aluminum foil
• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place the vegetables and drizzle olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper and mix well with fingers. Place the wrapped garlic cloves in a corner and roast for about 30 minutes or till the vegetables are golden brown. Take out of oven and keep aside.

• ½ pound penne pasta, cooked al dente
• 2 cup fresh or store bought marinara sauce
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1 inch pieces
• ½ cup basil pesto
• Salt

Place the cooked pasta in an oven proof dish. Add the vegetables and the pesto. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the marinara sauce and mix well. Add the sauce to the dish. Mix well. Add half cup of cheese and toss. Check for seasonings. Place the remaining half of cheese on top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, till the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.

I started with some yummy extra virgin olive oil, shallots and garlic. I sautéed them for a bit and added the quinoa and some white wine. Unlike Arborio rice, this grain takes just ten to twelve minutes to cook. It also takes less liquid. In order to keep with the vegetarian theme, one can add vegetable or even mushroom stock.

I then added fresh baby spinach, some half and half and grated cheese. The dish can be eaten on its own and served with some roasted vegetables or some delicious lentils or beans.

It was a delicious dish- I couldn’t tell I was eating any thing other than risotto.. This is a great way to incorporate quinoa into your kids diets…

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 3 to 4 cups baby spinach
• ¼ cup half and half
• ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• Salt

Heat a saucepan with the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic, sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add quinoa and stir for a minute. Add the white wine and stir. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the grain is tender. Stir the spinach, half and half and cheese. Check for seasoning and add salt. Serve with fish.