La France Spinach Salad - A REAL Restaurant recipe

La France Spinach Salad

There used to be a fabulous French restaurant called La France on University Ave. in Provo, Utah, that we loved. This is their salad recipe. We would order this yummy salad all the time. My mom has a way of talking with people, and they give her recipes that they won't normally give out. The restaurant has been gone for many years, so I feel good about sharing this recipe now.

The tarragon vinegar is excellent in this dressing, and is worth seeking out. The flavors and textures in this salad harmonize beautifully, I think you will love it too.

This salad is a delicious meal all by itself.



La France Spinach Salad Recipe:

Dressing:

2/3 c. sour cream
1/3 c. Best Foods mayonnaise (or healthy diet mayonnaise)
1 T. tarragon vinegar
onion salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Salad:

2 to 3 large bunches of fresh spinach, washed, stemmed, and dried in a salad spinner
3 slices crisp diced bacon, crumbled
sliced avocado
sliced tomato
3 to 4 hard boiled eggs


Method:

Mix the dressing ingredients together, seasoning to taste with the onion salt and pepper.

Put the prepared spinach into a large mixing bowl.

Toss the spinach with the dressing.

Immediately portion spinach mixture onto 3 individual shallow soup bowls.

Top each salad with an equal portion of bacon.

Top each salad with an avocado slice and a tomato slice.

Top each salad with an equal portion of hard boiled eggs pressed through a ricer.

Serve immediately.


Note: This is the restaurant's representation of this salad. personally, I load up on the sliced avocado and ripe tomato (if the tomatoes are not ripe and juicy, 1 slice as a garnish works fine).

Potato Ricer

Enjoy, 

Leila

Sugar-Free KFC Copy-Cat Coleslaw recipe and a homemade coconut buttermilk for a dairy-free option

KFC Copy-Cat Coleslaw (reduced fat and sugar-free) and a recipe for Coconut Buttermilk

This is a great copy of KFC's Coleslaw. It's even nicer that this recipe is sugar-free. I like the coleslaw best the first day, but it is still excellent left over.

I prefer using dairy ingredients here because they are more authentic and neutral tasting. You can use coconut milk instead if you don't do dairy, which also will make this salad low-carb. An alternate mayonnaise can be used as well.

I am not concerned about the fat from the coconut milk because it is a healthy fat that our body thrives on. Plus fat adds to the feeling of satiety, so we don't need to eat as much food to feel satisfied. Fat also has the added benefit of slowing the absorption of sugars and starches in our diet, which is good for our blood sugar levels.


KFC COPY-CAT COLESLAW Recipe:

Dressing:

1/3 c. erythritol or xylitol (or mixture of the two)
1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog), to taste
1/8 t. freshly ground pepper
1/4 c. organic 1% milk
1/2 c. Best Foods low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 c. low fat buttermilk
1 1/2 T. white wine vinegar or raw vinegar
2 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice

Salad:

8 c. very finely shredded, then chopped cabbage
1 c. peeled and grated organic carrots


Method:

Mix the dressing ingredients together with an electric hand mixer, or stir by hand.
Add cabbage and carrots and toss well to coat.
Cover and chill at least 3 hours before serving.


Variation: You can convert this to a dairy-free recipe easily.
Use coconut milk for milk, and make a coconut buttermilk to replace the dairy buttermilk.


COCONUT BUTTERMILK Recipe:

1/4 c. coconut milk, canned or homemade
1 t. white wine vinegar or raw vinegar (or fresh lemon juice)

Mix and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes before using.


Note: The added acid sours the coconut milk so that it behaves like dairy buttermilk in foods, like baked goods.


Enjoy,

Leila

First make the dressing to taste.

Add the freshly shredded vegetables.

Mix well.

Place in a serving dish.

Serve and enjoy.

Author, Leila.

A different twist on broccoli salad - and it's now sugar-free!

Broccoli Salad (Sugar-Free)

This is a variation of the sweet broccoli salad usually found in restaurants. I have removed the sugar, making it a delicious low-carb salad. Do not use a grape seed oil based mayonnaise, it has to much of the fatty acids we don't need more of in our diet. A homemade mayonnaise is best.

This is a great salad for the Sugar 100 Diet by Jorge Cruise. I like this book of his by the way. This recipe is also paleo friendly and gluten-free (do check your mayonnaise ingredient list though).


BROCCOLI SALAD Recipe:

Serves 8 to 12

Dressing:

1 c. Hellman's mayonaise Or Best Foods (or better yet, homemade)
1/4 c. erythritol (or Lakanto's zero-cal white granular sweetener)
1/4 c. xylitol
2 t. white wine vinegar
1 t. prepared mustard
1 t. sweet paprika
Sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog), to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Salad:

2 bunches of broccoli florets
1 c. chopped red onion
1 c. organic raisins (Craisens have added sugar)
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms, optional
2 fresh mandarin oranges, peeled and separated into individual segments (or 1 small can, drained)
1/2 c. cashew pieces (or sunflower seeds) (see recipe for "C" soaked Sunnies on this blog)
8 slices fried bacon, crumbled


Method:

Mix the dressing ingredients until smooth. S
eason to taste.
Cover and chill overnight.
Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and mix well.
Serve.


Enjoy!

Leila

A delicious hearty Italian salad with an easy homemade dressing

Red & Green Italian Salad

This is a hearty beautiful salad and can make a meal by itself. It is something different to take on a picnic or pot-luck.

This is an easy recipe to adjust for specific diets like paleo, low-carb, vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free. Use gluten-free pasta or omit the pasta altogether if you want to. Omit the cheese if you avoid dairy.


RED & GREEN ITALIAN SALAD Recipe:

Salad Ingredients:

1 can jumbo pitted black olives
2 c. cooked gluten-free large shell macaroni, or other shape if desired
1 4-ounce jar pimentos with juice, sliced into strips
4 to 5 small zucchini, sliced thick
1 quart lightly steamed broccoli, cut into uniform bite-sized pieces
1 quart lightly steamed cauliflower, cut into uniform bite-sized pieces
1 medium red onion, sliced in rings
1 to 2 dozen small mushrooms, stemmed and sliced in half

Dressing ingredients:

1/2 c. good olive oil, or more
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1 to 2 garlic cloves, well smashed
1/2 to 1 t. sweet paprika
1 t. fennel seed (soaked in water to soften, then drained)
1 t. dried oregano
BioSalt, to taste (recipe on this blog)
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Mozzarella or Jack cheese, cubed, optional

Garnish:

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional


Method:

In a large bowl, toss the salad ingredients together.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the salad dressing ingredients together. Season it well.

Pour the well-mixed dressing over the salad ingredients and toss together thoroughly.

Marinate 1 hour.

Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese, if desired.


Note: You can serve this salad on a bed of lettuce.


Enjoy,

Leila

Delicious marinated green Beans (good for raw food diets)

Marinated Green Beans - And a yummy salad to put them in!

I loved it when my mom made Salad Nicoise with these marinated green beans. Her salad would also have steamed baby red potatoes and we would drizzle some of the green bean marinade over those too. These beans store well in your refrigerator for a few days. I have had pickled store-bought green beans before - yuk. Make these instead, you will love them.



MARINATED GREEN BEANS Recipe:

Fresh whole green beans
Your favorite healthy oil & vinegar dressing
4 garlic cloves, barely crushed
1 t. mustard seed
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1 t. dill seed, if desired
A touch of raw honey



Method:

Wash the green beans and snip off the tips, and string if necessary.
Pack the whole green beans in a clear jar.
Mix the oil & vinegar dressing with the garlic, mustard seeds, red pepper, and dill (if using).
Add a little honey, to taste.
Pour oil & vinegar dressing mix over beans to cover.
Seal the jar and refrigerate 2 to 3 days before eating.


Tip:

These marinated green beans are terrific on salads, like salad Nicoise, potato salad, etc...

OR

Make the Marinated green beans the main ingredient of the salad and add:

Kalamata olives
Feta cheese
Diced ripe tomatoes
Minced fresh oregano

Garnish salad with a pinch of sea salt, fresh ground pepper and a sprig of fresh oregano.


Enjoy!

Leila

A zippy sugar-free 3-bean salad recipe (no artificial sweeteners)

Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad

Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad

This has been a favorite salad of mine since I was a child. My aunt made this salad using regular granulated white sugar. It is really good but I wanted to create a version that does not use sugar. I also use a fresh, healthy oil instead of canola, soy, peanut, or corn oil.

Making this salad yourself is really easy, and now you can control the sugar content.  It never is as good in restaurants as when homemade anyway, have you noticed that?

I like to make and have on hand a sugar-free sweetener blend of 50% erythritol and 50% xylitol, which is conveniently used here. Just store in your pantry for quick access.


Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad Recipe:

1 pint (1 lb) canned green beans
1 pint (1 lb) canned wax beans
1 1/2 c. freshly cooked dried red kidney beans (or 1 can drained and rinsed)
1/2 c. chopped green or red bell pepper
1 very large onion, thinly ringed
3/4 c. erythritol/xylitol blend (mix both granular sweeteners at a 50/50 ratio)
1 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. very light olive oil
1 1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
fresh ground pepper, to taste (40 grinds)


Method:

Drain beans and combine with green pepper and onion.

Combine sugar-free sweetener, vinegar, salt, and ground pepper and mix until sweetener is completely dissolved  (I recommend heating the vinegar mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stirring well and then heating another 30 seconds, and stir again, to help it dissolve).

Add the oil to the vinegar mixture, mix and pour over the vegetables.

Toss well. Chill overnight. Toss again before serving to coat well.


Note: For a variation use garbanzo beans.


Enjoy,

Leila



UPDATE:

I changed the dressing to cut back on the amount of erythritol and xylitol called for. I also varied the vegies used.

Cutting back on the sugar-free sweeteners used saves you money. Plus adding a bit of stevia glycerite to the mix, makes the sweetening blend more synergistic and sugar-like in taste. Trust me, you won't miss the sugar here at all in this recipe!

I used all green beans because I frequently do not have yellow wax beans just hangin' around. The yellow wax beans are my favorite part of the salad though. I used yellow bell pepper for color and for the milder flavor they have. I used both kidney beans and garbanzo beans for more color variety and nutritional purposes. I think this recipe would work fine using fresh green beans too, blanching them first would probably be best.

Do which ever variation you want, they are both good!

Alternate Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad Recipe:

1 50-ounce can (3 lb 2 ounces) canned green beans
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 15.5-ounce can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 very large onion, thinly ringed
1/4 c. erythritol (Lakanto's sweetener is also great)
1/4 c. xylitol
1/4 t. NOW brand stevia glycerite (or homemade stevia glycerite recipe on this blog)
1 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. very light olive oil
1 1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
fresh ground pepper, to taste (40 grinds)


Method:

Drain beans and combine with yellow bell pepper and onion.

Combine sugar-free sweetener, vinegar, salt, and ground pepper and mix until sweetener is completely dissolved (I recommend heating the vinegar mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stirring well and then heating another 30 seconds, and stir again, to help it dissolve).

Add the oil to the vinegar mixture, mix and pour over the vegetables.

Toss well. Chill overnight. Toss again before serving to coat well.


ENJOY!

Mixing the sugar-free dressing.

Three-Bean Salad before tossing together.

Tossed  Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad - Ready to marinate.

Variation with thawed frozen green beans.

2nd UPDATE:

Here is another option for you. I changed the dressing again, to lower the amount of erythritol and xylitol called for.

I cut back even further the amount of erythritol and xylitol used in the dressing. Doing this cuts down on the possible effects of consuming sugar alcohols. Xylitol, cool as it is, sometimes gives some people a bit of gastric distress. Erythritol is the gut-friendliest of the sugar alcohols, which is great to know. Sugar alcohols are also more expensive than regular white cane sugar, as I'm sure you've noticed.

I chose to add some food-grade vegetable glycerine to the mix. It is naturally sweet, sugar free, affordable, and has a warming effect, which nicely counteracts the cooling effects of the erythritol and xylitol. Vegetable glycerine also gives a nice syrupy glossiness to this salad dressing.

I still add a touch of stevia glycerite. Just so you know, when you blend these sweeteners, they act synergisticly with each other, enhancing each others sweetness. The result is that when combined they taste more like real sugar. And your gut is happier too.

The salad still tastes great with these new adjustments. You can choose any of these dressing variations, they are all good.

As far as the vegetables go, I used a red bell pepper this time. and I think I prefer slightly less onion, So I used a med-large red onion instead of an extra large onion.

So I'm just giving you another option for making this salad, Your'e welcome :)


2nd Alternate Sugar-Free Three Bean Salad Recipe:

1 50-ounce can (3 lb 2 ounces) canned green beans
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 15.5-ounce can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium-large red onion, thinly ringed
1/4 c. food grade vegetable glycerine
2 T. erythritol
2 T. xylitol
1/4 t. NOW brand stevia glycerite (or homemade stevia glycerite recipe on this blog)
1 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. very light olive oil
1 1/2 t. sea salt or BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
fresh ground pepper, to taste (40 grinds)


Method:

Drain beans and combine with yellow bell pepper and onion.

Combine sugar-free sweeteners, vinegar, salt, and ground pepper and mix until sweetener is completely dissolved (I recommend heating the vinegar mixture in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stirring well and then heating another 30 seconds, and stir again, to help it dissolve).

Add the oil to the vinegar mixture, mix and pour over the vegetables.

Toss well. Chill overnight. Toss again before serving to coat well.


TIP: I like to add 1/2 tsp. Psyllium Husk Powder to the dressing to slightly thicken it.


Enjoy!

Author, Leila.

Refreshing sweet & savory pear salad

Fresh Pear Salad

Cute Cuddling pears

This is hardly a recipe it's so easy, but that's the beauty of it. It makes for a refreshing side, breakfast or light lunch.

The flavor of the Neufchatel cheese perfectly compliments the sweet ripe pears...and who doesn't love pecans?

Serve this for breakfast, serve this to company, everyone will love it!



FRESH PEAR SALAD Recipe;

Peel, halve and core ripe juicy pears (1/2 to 1 pear per person)

Soften Neufchatel cheese and thin with a little apple or pineapple juice (do not make it runny).

Mix well with a hand mixer.

Frost the pear halves with the soft cheese mixture.

Set pear halves onto a romaine leaf

Garnish generously with finely chopped pecans.

Serve.


Enjoy!

Leila

Dilly Rice Salad - A very fast and flavorful dish (Gluten-Free)

Dilly Rice Salad or Side

Loaded with flavor, this is a great basic recipe that you will come back to again and again. It is quick to put together and it lasts several days in the refrigerator, saving you a lot of time in food prep. I like making a batch for quick meals throughout the week. It makes a nice lunch, great for taking to work or on picnics, and of course as a side for dinner. It makes a nice meal
served with a rotisserie chicken from Costco, and some fresh sweet melon and berries.


DILLY RICE Recipe

8 c. cooked brown rice
2 handfuls fresh dill weed, minced, to taste
2 T. fresh lemon juice, to taste
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
4 small scallions, minced (or 2 large)
1 to 2 garlic cloves, pressed, to taste (my mom prefers 3 to 4 cloves)
1 bunch parsley, minced (or spinach)
1/3 to 1/2 cup high quality olive oil or GREEN OIL (recipe on this blog)
onion salt, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
BioSalt, to taste (recipe on this blog)
sliced olives, optional
Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle over top, optional
Dried dill weed, optional


Method:

In a large bowl, toss everything together well, seasoning to taste.
Chill. This is even better the next day. Taste again for seasonings before serving.

Fresh Orange Ginger Oriental Dressing (Oil-Free)

Dad's Dressing - Quick & Easy (oil-free)

We all love dad's delicious salad dressing. It has an Asian flair and is a nice combination of sweet, tangy, savory and spicy. He mixes it up fresh in the salad serving bowl, to taste. Then he adds the desired salad ingredients, tosses and serves at once.

At our house, we like a mix of romaine, spinach, and baby greens, topped with scallions, shredded raw vegetables (carrot, zuchinni, celery...), diced apples, oranges, even bananas, sprouts, slivered almonds, shredded chicken, etc...

Try this healthy alternative to store bought dressing!


DAD'S DRESSING Recipe:

Yield: Enough for 1 large salad

Juice and mashed pulp from 1 sweet orange
2 T. real maple syrup, or to taste
1/2 to 1-inch piece of ginger root, grated fine
2 t. sesame seeds, to taste
Tamari soysauce, to taste

Method:

Place the orange juice and pulp in a small mixing bowl.
Add the maple syrup, ginger and sesame seeds, mixing well.
Add enough Tamari to salt the dressing to taste.


This dressing is best used fresh and is good over many kinds of salads.


Enjoy,

Leila

Sugar-Free Thai Cucumber Salad (Noodles & Co. Copy-Cat)

Thai Cucumber Salad  
-AKA- Noodles & Co. Tomato Cucumber Salad Copy-Cat


I find this salad very refreshing. I set out to duplicate this typically sugar-laden salad that is frequently served in Thai restaurants.  It is very easy to make, especially if you prepare a quantity of dressing in advance. My family likes this salad a lot. Sometimes I make this with only cucumbers and a touch of red onion, I like that it is very versatile. Now you and your family can enjoy this sugar-free version too.

I made a seasoned sprinkle to garnish your salad with too!



THAI CUCUMBER SALAD Recipe:

Dressing:

3/4 c. rice vinegar
1 1/4 c. xyitol (to replace the conventional 1 1/4 c. white sugar) (or Lakanto sweetener to taste)
1 clove garlic , mashed in a mortar & pestle
1 small shallot, peeled and finely sliced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and very finely sliced, or grated
1/2 to 1 small hot green chili, minced fine
2 cilantro roots, washed and minced or 12 cilantro stems, minced fine
6 ground coriander seeds (use if you do not have the fresh cilantro roots)
1 t. BioSalt or sea salt, to taste

Method:

Boil the vinegar with the sweeteners, garlic, and coriander roots (or the cilantro stems plus ground coriander seeds) for about 2 minutes, to blend flavors and thicken slightly.

Let cool to about room temperature before adding the minced shallot, grated ginger root, and minced hot chili.

I double the dressing recipe and store it in a jar in the refrigerator.


Salad:

1 large cucumber, diced
1 small bunch coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped, optional
1 - 2 ripe garden tomatoes, diced, optional
A few slivers of red onion


Method:

Place the prepared vegetables in a serving bowl.

Pour enough dressing over to coat and marinate the vegetables. Toss well and let marinate a few minutes before serving.

Garnish on top with the seasoned sprinkle (recipe below), if desired.

Serve as a side or relish.



Garnish:

2 t. sesame seeds (preferably toasted)
1 t. ancho Chili powder
1 t. sweet paprika powder
1/4 t. onion salt

Mix together and store air-tight. You have made enough for a few salads.

Enjoy!

Leila

Mother Nature's Salad Recipe - Does a body good!

Mother Nature's Salad 

This is one my most favorite salads, and has been so since I was in my preteens.
It is so fresh and beautiful piled high on a soup plate. It is quite stunning to present and is a meal in and of itself. This is a unique herbal dressing too and it goes perfectly with this salad. I often add even more of some of the herbs listed in this recipe (Tarragon and Basil).  I usually cut back on the thyme, for my personal tastes. Make sure there is enough salt or the dressing can taste a bit flat.

I do not have a picture of this salad yet....hopefully coming soon.



MOTHER NATURE'S SALAD & DRESSING Recipe:

Fill a soup plate with the following fresh ingredients in the order listed:

Diced Romaine Lettuce
Shredded carrots
Shredded red cabbage
Diced cooked beets (or raw shredded beets)
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced avocado
Diced white cheese (or shredded)
Thin-sliced mushrooms
Thin-sliced red onions
Alfalfa sprouts

Garnish the salad with:

Raw cauliflower florets
Raw broccoli florets

Top the piled-high salad with the dressing recipe below, to taste.


MOTHER NATURE'S HERB-OIL DRESSING:

3 c. olive oil
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1 t. sea salt, or BioSalt to taste
1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper
1 crushed garlic clove
1/3 c. dried parsley
4 t. dried dill weed
2 t. dried basil
2 t. dried thyme (or less. I think too much thyme makes foods taste moldy. Weird)
1/2 t. dried tarragon, crushed

Mix the dressing ingredients and give it some time to sit to let the flavors blend. Note that when you store this dressing in the refrigerator, the olive oil will solidify, so allow time to let it come to room temperature before using. shake well before use.

Mother Nature's Herb Oil Dressing

Enjoy nature's bounty,

Leila

Ruby Red Raw Beet & Apple Salad - Nourishing for your body

Raw Beet & Apple Salad

My mom used to make this for us when I was little, using beets from our garden. The sweet crisp apple compliments the earthy taste of the beet beautifully, and the lemon brings it all together.

This is a refreshing, detoxifying salad. Besides being high in fiber, the beets are known to be a blood and liver cleanser. A Dr. friend of mine recommends eating a raw beet a day for a week to cleanse and nourish the body. This is a delicious way to do that. And you know what they say about apples...



RAW BEET & APPLE SALAD Recipe:

1 large raw beet, grated
4 medium apples, cored and grated
zest of 1/2 organic lemon, optional
1/2 organic lemon, juiced


Method:

Mix the raw shredded beet and apples together. It should be about equal parts beet to apple.
Add the lemon zest, if using and fresh lemon juice. Toss well to mix.
Taste the salad, it should be a little tangy from the lemon juice, add more if its not.
Eat immediately or chill. This salad lasts a few days in the refrigerator.


Enjoy,

Leila

Addicting Spinach Cucumber Salad

Spinach Cucumber Salad (Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free)

Spinach

My mom made this delicious and healthy salad for us all the time when I was growing up. I remember planting a spinach patch next to our chives just for this salad. I'd go outside and check the growing spinach to check to see if there was enough to make this salad yet. Good thing spinach grows fast. We would pinch off the outside leaves, allowing for the continued growth of the plant. We would then snip off a few fresh chives and mince them up.

We always made this dressing (recipe below) for this salad. It is perfect. This recipe would make a meal for the two of us. If you use it as a side, it will serve at least 4.



SPINACH CUCUMBER SALAD Recipe:

1 large bunch spinach, washed and dried, destemmed
1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced thin

DRESSING:

1/2 plain yogurt
1/4 c. mayonnaise
2 T. olive oil
1 to 2 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 c. fresh chives, minced
1 T. fresh dill weed, minced
1/2 t. xylitol
onion salt, to taste
dash garlic powder
fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Method:

Mix the dressing ingredients to taste.

The dressing should have a nice tang and have enough onion salt added so that it isn't flat tasting.

Toss the dressing with the prepared spinach and cucumber and serve immediately.


Options:

You can use frozen minced chives. I harvest chives from my herb garden in the summer and mince them up and freeze them in a zip-lock bag. Then they are ready for me year-round.

You can add 2 to 3 T. finely minced scallion tops (the green part) for the chives.

You can substitute about 1 T. dried dill weed for the fresh dill weed, to taste.


Enjoy!

Leila

Cucumber