Cold Asian Salad

A terrific find from my new favorite cooking site. Goes well with a spicy, flavorful wine like Honey Moon Viognier from Trader Joe's.

Sesame and Cilantro Vermicelli Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Honey Soy Dressing
1/4 cup grapeseed oil or corn oil
3 Tbsp dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper or chili powder
3 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp soy sauce (less if using tamari which is more concentrated than soy sauce)

Salad
8 ounces of vermicelli, thin spaghetti, or angel hair pasta
Salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup sliced and chopped red bell pepper
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

1 Cook the pasta in a large saucepan in salted boiling water, according to directions on pasta package. Drain but do not rinse.

2 While the pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing. In a microwave-safe dish, heat the vegetable oil, sesame oil, and red pepper, in the microwave on high heat for 2 minutes. Add the honey and soy sauce and mix well.

3 Combine the drained pasta with the dressing in a large bowl until the pasta is well coated. Cover and chill for several hours.

4 When ready to serve, mix in the cilantro, peanuts, green onions and bell pepper. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Serves 4 to 8, depending on serving size.

Delicious Summer Salad

Hubby and I are on a eat-more-veggies-and-less-meat kick these days. It's also been crazy crazy hot here in Los Angeles, so I find myself craving salads that require as little use of my stove as possible. This salad goes excellent with a crisp, light white wine such as Synergy Blanc from Novella Vineyards (a whopping $4.99 at Trader Joes).

CKS Note: I used a large red pepper instead. It gave the salad a lot more color and tasted just as good. I also didn't have time to refrigerate the salad before serving, but I still gobbled it up!

Tortellini Asparagus Salad

Ingredients:
18 ounces tortellini, refrigerated
1 pound asparagus spears, chopped
1 large yellow pepper
1 teaspoon lemon peel, finely shredded
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic , minced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
1/2 cup green onion, sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Directions:
1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven, cook tortellini according to package direactions, adding asparagus and sweet pepepr the last minute of cooking; drain. Rinse tortellini and vetetables with cold water; drain again.

2. For dressing, in a screw top jar, combine lemon peel, lemon jice, oil, mustard, surgar, salt, and garlic. Cover and shake well.

3. In a very large bowl, place tortellini and vegetables. Add dressing, toss to coat. Cover and chill for 2 to 8 hours. Just before serving, stir in cheese, green onions, and nuts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

This is a recipe Don and I discovered on the Food Network website during our first year of living together. We made it many times during that first year and often come back to it still. The minty cucumber salad compliments the roasted salmon deliciously and the sesame crust makes for a beautiful presentation. If you want to get really fancy, try laying down alternate of regular and black sesame seeds. Than press the salmon flesh into the seeds for a tiger stripe like effect.

Roasted Salmon with Chile Minted Cucumbers

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Ingredients

• 1 small hot house cucumber, sliced thin
• 1/2 fresh red chile, sliced thin
• 1 handful fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (6-ounce) salmon fillet, without skin
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Combine the cucumber, chile, and mint in a mixing bowl. Pour in the vinegar, sprinkle with the sugar, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together so the cucumbers are well coated in the vinegar, the cucumbers will soften and the flavors deepen as it sits.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season both sides of the salmon with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Sprinkle the top of the salmon with the sesame seeds. Place a cast iron or regular ovenproof skillet on the stove over medium heat. Coat the pan with the oil and when it is nice and hot, lay the salmon in the pan, sesame seed-side down. Sear the salmon for 3 minutes, then stick it in the oven and roast for 10 minutes until it's just cooked through. Serve the salmon on a pile of the chile minted cucumbers.

Pink Ladies, and I'm not talking about Grease

Don said I nearly stumped him at the grocery store this weekend. We decided to divide and conquor. Since they are in the same shopping center, Don took the list for our local produce mart (Farm Boy) while I hit up the Trader Joes. We had just had a lovely afternoon in the park with the dogs and we wanted to get the shopping done quickly since Cordy and Seumas were waiting for us in the car. Anyway, on my list were Pink Lady Apples which Don had never heard of before and I don't blame him. It's not an apple that gets center stage a lot of times. In fact the only time I can ever recall using pink ladies before is in my cranberry apple sauce recipe that calls for a variety of apples for depth of flavor. Pink Ladies are a sweet variety and especially tasty when eaten sliced raw and chilled. They go well in fruit salads and, in this case, performed fantastically in my new delicous Apple Slaw recipe below, courtesy of Cooking Light. If you dn't have dried cherries on hand, this would also go really well with dried cranberries.

Apple Slaw


The sweet-spicy Pink Lady apples complement the tartness of the cherries and the vinaigrette in this slaw, which is a natural companion for pork chops or ham. Cameo, Fuji, or Gala apples will also work well.


Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Slaw:
2 1/2 cups chopped Pink Lady or other sweet apple
1 (12-ounce) package broccoli slaw
1 (3-ounce) package dried tart cherries
2 tablespoons unsalted sunflower seed kernels

To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

To prepare slaw, combine apple, broccoli slaw, and dried cherries. Drizzle with vinaigrette; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds; chill for up to 3 hours.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 125 (29% from fat); FAT 4g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.1g,poly 1.1g); IRON 0.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 33mg; CARBOHYDRATE 24.9g; SODIUM 91mg; PROTEIN 2.1g; FIBER 2.7g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2002

Cooking Light Night #15

With our Biggest Loser contest starting next week at work, you can expect to see a lot more cooking light recipes here in the next several weeks. Here is a dinner we tried recently. The salad was really tasty and refreshing, and even with the delicious dessert afterwards, the total meal is still less than 500 calories.

Stir-Fried Chicken Salad


The pan sauce in this dish doubles as a piquant vinaigrette for the salad. Serve with crunchy breadsticks, if you wish.

1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon bottled chopped garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon peanut oil
4 cups mixed salad greens
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
Lime wedges (optional)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken to broth mixture, stirring to coat. Let stand 3 minutes.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Add chicken to the pan; cook 4 minutes or until done, stirring frequently. Stir in the reserved marinade. Reduce heat; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat.

Combine greens and basil in a large bowl. Add chicken mixture, tossing to coat. Place 1 1/4 cups salad mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons onion and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanuts. Serve immediately. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 214 (30% from fat); FAT 7.2g (sat 1.3g,mono 3g,poly 2.2g); IRON 2mg; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 60mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8g; SODIUM 594mg; PROTEIN 29.1g; FIBER 2g

Cooking Light, MAY 2006

Strawberries Romanoff


Marinating fruit in liquid is also called macerating. Orange-flavored liqueur complements fresh berries in this classic dessert. Macerate for only the length of time specified so the strawberries retain their texture.

4 cups sliced strawberries (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 cup Cointreau or Grand Marnier (orange-flavored liqueur)
1/3 cup whipping cream, chilled
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mint sprigs (optional)

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill 3 1/2 hours.

2. Place cream, 3 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Spoon over strawberry mixture. Garnish with mint, if desired. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup strawberry mixture and 3 tablespoons whipped cream mixture)

CALORIES 207 (29% from fat); FAT 6.7g (sat 3.9g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.5g); IRON 0.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 22mg; CALCIUM 41mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.2g; SODIUM 10mg; PROTEIN 1.6g; FIBER 3.4g

Cooking Light, JULY 2008

Cooking Light Night #12

Here is a fun new salmon recipe if you're looking to add new flavors into your life. That's what tonight's dinner was all about. Don did say that given the title of the dish, he was a little disappointed that the horseradish didn't come through stronger. So don't be scared away if you don't like horseradish. This definitely is a sweet dish and not a spicy one. The apple jelly and champagne vinager come together to form a subtle and yet sophisticated sweet glaze. Searing the Salmon Fillets in a hot skillet before baking it off in the oven gives it a nice crispy carmelization that compliments the other flavors well. And baking the fish in the same frying pan that you seared it in, saves dishes and extra clean up after dinner. We didn't have chives so we used green onions and that worked just as well. Now that we have all the ingredients, we will certainly make this again, and will surely entertain with it.

We also tried a new salad recipe tonight. It's definitely not for everyone with it's unusual combination of flavors and textures. In this recipe, cold Spinach Salad meets warm cooked apples and caramelized onions with spicy curry, tangy cider vinegar, and crispy salty bacon crumbles. I enjoyed it but probably won't make it again. I love apples in my salads, but I think I'll stick to raw and not cooked. If you decide to try this recipe, I recommend adding a little crumbled goat cheese if you have on hand.

Apple and Horseradish-Glazed Salmon


Mild apple jelly and hot horseradish pair well with rich salmon. Serve with a neutral-flavored side of couscous or rice.


1/3 cup apple jelly
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick), skinned
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine apple jelly, chives, horseradish, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk.

Sprinkle salmon with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add salmon, and cook 3 minutes. Turn salmon over; brush with half of apple mixture. Wrap handle of skillet with foil; bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Brush with remaining apple mixture.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet)

CALORIES 375 (40% from fat); FAT 16.8g (sat 4.3g,mono 7.7g,poly 3.4g); IRON 0.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 90mg; CALCIUM 30mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.1g; SODIUM 376mg; PROTEIN 36.4g; FIBER 0.1g

Cooking Light, MAY 2004

Spinach, Walnut, and Curried-Apple Salad


This warm spinach salad is sweet, salty, spicy, and crunchy. Add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of red curry powder for a spicier dish.


Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced Granny Smith apple
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 teaspoon red curry powder
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon honey
8 cups fresh spinach (about 1/2 pound)
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (drained)

Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add apple and onion; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in curry powder; sauté 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, broth, and honey. Remove from heat.

Place spinach in a large bowl. Pour warm apple mixture over spinach; toss well. Sprinkle with nuts and bacon.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

CALORIES 74 (35% from fat); FAT 2.9g (sat 0.6g,mono 0.9g,poly 1.2g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 2mg; CALCIUM 51mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.3g; SODIUM 69mg; PROTEIN 2.5g; FIBER 2.4g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2002

Cooking Light Night #11

Don made this delicious and refreshing recipe tonight. The feta dressing was remarkably tasty. Definitely a Greek inspired dish, I liked this much better than a traditional Greek Salad. This would be the perfect meal for a hot summer night. For the plain yogurt, we used nonfat Greek yogurt from Trader Joes. Also, this would go really well with some fresh Toasted Pita Bread on the side. We will definitely make this again. Serve with a cool glass of Chardonnay.

Chicken Souvlaki Salad


The elements of a classic Greek salad and a chicken souvlaki sandwich combine in this piquant dish. You can also use lamb in place of the chicken.

2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic, divided
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
3 cups cubed peeled cucumber (about 3 cucumbers)
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
2 ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup grated peeled cucumber
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat grill or broiler.

Combine 1 teaspoon garlic and the next 6 ingredients (1 teaspoon garlic through chicken breast) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake to coat. Remove chicken from the bag. Grill or broil chicken 5 minutes on each side or until done. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces.

Combine chicken, cubed cucumber, and the next 4 ingredients (cubed cucumber through tomatoes) in a large bowl. Combine yogurt and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over chicken mixture; toss well.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

CALORIES 259 (28% from fat); FAT 8.2g (sat 3g,mono 3.4g,poly 1g); IRON 2mg; CHOLESTEROL 79mg; CALCIUM 161mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.3g; SODIUM 679mg; PROTEIN 31.8g; FIBER 2.9g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2002

Cooking Light Night #7

Many exciting things going on at the Early Household. Our friend Nathan just moved down to California to pursue his acting career. He will be staying with us over the next few days until he finds a place and then kick into job finding gear. We are so excited that he is down here and can't wait for Hannah to follow suit in the next few months. With lots going on, we've gotten a little off track with the meal planning, but now are back on schedule. Tonight we cooked up this quick dish and it was the easiest quickest one yet. I did the main dish and Nathan, my Sous Chef, prepared the salad. I kid you not, start to finish in less than 15 minutes.

The tomato sauce was really excellent and a quite flavorful with the salty kalamata olives, garlic, and chili flakes for an extra kick. (We turned the heat up by adding quite a bit of chili flakes for a nice little endorphin boost.) And the corn and black bean salad was so refreshing and delicious. The dressing was really tasty and even Nathan said he thought the salad was quite good even though he's normally not a salad person. We used leftover corn on the cob from the night before in the salad and will keep this in mind for future occasions too.

Tofu Steaks with Tomato-Olive Sauce


While tofu is often paired with assertive Asian seasonings, it also benefits from intense Mediterranean flavors. In this recipe, an easy olive-spiked tomato sauce enlivens pan-grilled tofu. Round out the meal with steamed broccoli and orzo. Each serving contains about 8 grams of soy protein.


2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 pound extra-firm light tofu, drained and cut lengthwise into 4 slices

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add red pepper and garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add olives; cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and black pepper; keep warm.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add tofu; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 tofu steak and 1/2 cup sauce)

CALORIES 115 (49% from fat); FAT 6.2g (sat 0.8g,mono 4.1g,poly 1g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 77mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.7g; SODIUM 363mg; PROTEIN 9.2g; FIBER 1.3g

Corn and Black Bean Salad


"I wanted a side dish that had a little spicy heat to serve with my pan-fried tilapia. I came up with this Mexican-inspired salad." -Peggy Kistler, Salem, OR


2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
1 cup diced red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of salt

Combine corn, bell pepper, onions, cilantro, and beans in a medium bowl.

Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over corn mixture; toss well. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

CALORIES 74 (28% from fat); FAT 2.3g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.3g); IRON 0.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 19mg; CARBOHYDRATE 14.4g; SODIUM 208mg; PROTEIN 3.4g; FIBER 3.4g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2006

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2001

Cooking Light Night #4

Believe it or not, this makes even better leftovers. The homemade pizza sauce is amazing! To be honest, I wasn't that crazy about the salad but it was very light and fresh. Other's might like it and the dressing keeps overnight and doesn't wilt the salad. I'm not a huge fan of Garbanzo beans so if I make again, I might leave those out and substitute in some olives.

Roasted Pepper Pesto-Tomato Pizza

1 large garlic clove peeled

1 cup basil leaves

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 (5.2-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained

1 (1-pound) Italian cheese-flavored pizza crust (such as Boboli)

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

3 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 6 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat oven to 450°.
Drop garlic through food chute with food processor on; process until minced. Add basil and next 6 ingredients (basil through bell peppers), and process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl once.
Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread pepper mixture over pizza crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border; sprinkle with mozzarella. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on top of the cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Sprinkle pizza with oregano.Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

CALORIES 285 (28% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 3.9g,mono 3.4g,poly 0.9g); IRON 2.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 376mg; CARBOHYDRATE 37.2g; SODIUM 611mg; PROTEIN 14.2g; FIBER 1g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2000

Greek Dinner Salad

This main-dish salad works well with many variations - change the fresh herbs, beans, and cheese to use what you have on hand.

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

6 cups shredded Romaine lettuce

3 cups diced tomato

1 cup thinly sliced red onion

3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon capers

1 cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced

1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

6 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, each cut into 8 wedges

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add lettuce and the next 6 ingredients (lettuce through chickpeas); toss well. Serve with pita wedges.Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 cups salad and 8 pita wedges)

CALORIES 388 (29% from fat); FAT 14.8g (sat 3.8g,mono 4.8g,poly 1.4g); IRON 4.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 17mg; CALCIUM 173mg; CARBOHYDRATE 64.9g; SODIUM 779mg; PROTEIN 15.7g; FIBER 11.4g

Cooking Light, JULY 2003

Cooking Light Night #3

So....effin.....good! I can get used to this new healthy eating. Made this for gaming group tonight. Excellent reviews all the way around. We made a couple of substitutions: multigrain seeded baguette for the french bread, dijon mustard for the regular mustard, Arugula for the watercress, and fresh fuji apples from the Farmer's Market for the Granny Smith. There are countless possible variations for this recipe but the base idea of it is phenomal.

Smoked Turkey, Brie, Green Apple, and Watercress Sandwich


This baguette sandwich is a meal in itself. Serve it with a glass of crisp Chardonnay.


1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard
1 (8-ounce) French bread baguette
6 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey breast
1/4 pound Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup trimmed watercress
1 cup thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine honey and mustard in a small bowl. Cut bread in half lengthwise; place on a baking sheet. Spread honey mixture on bottom half of loaf; top with turkey and cheese. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until cheese begins to melt.

Arrange watercress and apple slices onto melted cheese; sprinkle with pepper. Cover with top half of loaf, and cut into 4 portions.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 portion)

CALORIES 337 (29% from fat); FAT 10.7g (sat 5.3g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.7g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CALCIUM 114mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.8g; SODIUM 926mg; PROTEIN 19.4g; FIBER 2.5g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2003

Strawberry-Kiwi Salad with Basil


Here we provide the exception to our picnic rule #1--the soupy sauce on this salad is irresistible, especially with angel-food cake "dunkers."


1/4 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 peeled kiwifruit, each cut into 6 wedges
2 cups quartered strawberries (about 1 pint)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Add kiwifruit and strawberries; toss well. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Stir in basil just before serving.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

CALORIES 90 (23% from fat); FAT 2.3g (sat 1.1g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.4g); IRON 0.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 6mg; CALCIUM 46mg; CARBOHYDRATE 17.8g; SODIUM 157mg; PROTEIN 1.6g; FIBER 3.8g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2001