Healthier Layered Holiday Salad

I so enjoyed the all-church Thanksgiving potluck yesterday evening - lots of yummy dishes. One that hubby enjoyed was the traditional layered salad in a trifle bowl. It was tasty but rather salty, and I never make it for good reason - tons of fat and salt and even sugar, added to the mayonnaise dressing!

Here is my version of a layered salad that would be pretty and appropriate for the holidays:

Made Healthier Holiday Layered Salad

1 bag of baby spinach

1 bag of romaine
1 16oz. Can of garbanzos, drained
1 small can of mandarin oranges, drained
1 green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small purple onion, chopped or 1 bunch of chopped green onions
1 small can sliced ripe olives, drained
1 small jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
nuts – optional – sliced almonds work well
4 oz. Shredded reduced-fat cheese of choice, Italian blend works well

favorite salad dressing – oil and vinegar balsamic vinaigrette or lower fat versions of ranch

Layer in this order in a pretty glass bowl:

From bottom to top

romaine
½ package of cheese
garbanzos
green peppers or yellow peppers
olives
spinach
red peppers
onions
rest of cheese
mandarin oranges
nuts, if using

You can further reduce the fat by leaving out the nuts and cutting the cheese portions, but heck, you do need a little fat.

 

Southern Belle Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Butter. Need I say more?

Modified from Craig Claiborne's New York Times Cookbook

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake


1 stick plus 3 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
fresh or canned pineapple slices 4 to 5
1/4 cup pecans
maraschino cherries (optional)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a cast iron skillet or other round baking pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar and arrange pineapple slices to fit. add maraschino cherries if desired and add pecans around the pineapple slices.
To prepare cake - Cream remaining butter and white sugar in mixing bowl. add eggs and vanilla, beating well. In separate bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture alternatively with the milk.
Spoon batter carefully (batter will be very thick) over the pineapple slices. Bake for about 35 minutes or until done. Let cake cool for 5-10 minutes. While still warm, invert onto a serving platter.

Peeled and sliced pears or peaches, 3-4, can be substituted for pineapple.

Gingerbread is a Good Source of Iron and Calcium, Potassium and B-6

Oh, how we can rationalize things! Anyway, I love gingerbread and had poor results with some recipes I tried last year. So, I returned to good ole Craig Claiborne, who I always think of for entrees but not desserts.

I really like the texture of this cake. Maybe a tad too sweet.


1 tablespoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt (I added a bit more to the batter)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger (I like a strong ginger flavor. I used two teaspoons and will probably bump that up next time)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (don't mess with this.  trust me)
1/3 cup vegetable shortening (yes, I know. but you can get 0 trans fat Crisco at the grocery, and you need a neutral product for a good gingerbread. It's better for your arteries than butter)
1/2 cup white sugar (a tad too sweet for me, I may decrease by a couple of tablespoons next time. but you can't fiddle around too much because you need the heft of the sugar)
1 egg
3/4 cup dark molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8x8 inch baking pan. (my oven burned the bottom and edges slightly, so I will try 325 next time)
Add vinegar to the milk and set aside. Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices
Cream the shortening, adding sugar gradually. Add egg and beat well. Add the molasses and mix.
Add dry ingredients alternatively with the milk. Stir only until mixed. Turn into pan and 45 to 50 minutes or until gingerbread springs back when touched in the middles. Cool in pan on cake rack.