Saturday, March 24, 2007

28 Cooks' Weekend Remix

As I've mentioned before, this is my favorite time of year. The temperatures are getting warmer, the sun stays out a little bit longer each day, and the smell of spring is in the air.

This is about the time of year I shelve all of my heavier winter comfort food recipes and start making those recipes that are light and fresh tasting. I was going through my archives recently and thought I would share some of spring recipes that caught my eye.

If you've made any of these recipes, I'd love to to hear how they turned out for you or any changes you've made in the comments.


Southwest Couscous Salad with Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette

SW Couscous Salad

This recipe contains some of my very favorite ingredients - cilantro, black beans, chipotle peppers, and fresh lime juice. It also lasts a few days in the refrigerator, so it's perfect to have on hand to throw in lunch bags throughout the week.

Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette

Spinach Strawberry

I'm a huge fan of spinach salads and this one is no exception. I love the combination of fresh strawberries, parmesan cheese, and the cinnamon vinaigrette.

Mediterranean Stuffed Tomatoes

Med stuffed tomatoes

Just looking at this picture makes me think of warmer temperatures and sunny days. Even though it's not tomato season, there are some decent ones available. If you can't find any great ones, chop up a few okay ones and mix it into the couscous salad.

Bueno Fresh Salsa

Bueno Salsa

This is probably one of the most requested and most made recipes. I can't count how many people have told me that they make this religiously, and have shared the recipe with their friends and family. It's so easy to make, and is hands-down one of the best salsas I've tasted. A coworker of mine made a guacamole, using 2 cups of salsa (slightly strained), and 4 mashed avocados. When she brought it into work, it was devoured in under an hour.

Wasabi Salmon with Lime

Wasabi Salmon with Lime III

This was a recently made recipe here at 28 Cooks, but it quickly became a favorite. The fresh lime juice is perfect with the salmon, and the wasabi peas give the fish an interesting yet delicious texture.

Chipotle Black Bean Cakes with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Chipolte Black Bean Cakes

Being a vegaquarian, it's often hard to find something to eat at BBQ's. These are perfect to have on hand, as they are easy to make and freeze really well. The cilantro yogurt sauce is the perfect companion to these "as-spicy-as-you-want-them-to-be" patties.

Orange Pomegranate Mousse

Orange Pomegranate Mousse

I was blown away by this dessert when I first tasted it. The yogurt and fresh whipped cream combine to make a very light and tasty dessert. I'm also a huge fan of anything pomegranate, and I love it paired with fresh orange juice.

Tropical Apricot Mousse

Tropical Apricot Mousse I

This is another great dessert to have if you're on a diet, as it's very low in fat and calories.

Enjoy!


13 comments:

Kalyn Denny said...

They all look quite delicious. I must try that Wasabi Salmon, I've had that recipe saved to del.icio.us for a while but haven't gotten to it yet!

Anonymous said...

Yum. These recipes look really good. I will have to give some a try as long, as they don't have dairy(whey allergy)and tomatoes (acidity) in them.

Special Sauce said...

I actually just made a bueno fresh hybrid- with black beans and corn- and it was fantastic. And I think the southwest couscous salad is coming to work for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for the inspirational posting!

Dr. Melissa West said...

Great idea! I love to lighten up at this time of year too. Bye, bye comfort food! Hello fresh produce!

Ellen said...

Mmm, these look great. I'll definitely try many/most/all of them without delay. Thanks for rounding these up in one spot! :)

Anonymous said...

I took the Bueno Fresh Salsa into work for a special occasion and I was amazed at the number of requests for the recipe. And if I can make it, anyone can.

Linda said...

that last dessert you put up looks amazing i can't wait to try it out. thanks for highlighting these!

bee said...

stellar. all round.

Heather said...

I like the look of the black bean cakes. I have several cans lurking in my pantry ... hmmmmmmm :)

Anonymous said...

It's April 1- you're slacking!
-Nat

Emily said...

is a "vegaquarian" the same as a "pescatarian"?

Anonymous said...

I made the southwest couscous salad last night for dinner. It was sooooo yummy! The vinaigrette was just perfect and this was the first time I had ever opened a can of the chipotles and the aroma just hits you. I'm looking forward to actually using the peppers instead of just the adobo sauce.

I substituted the black beans with chickpeas though. Also just had some for lunch today, and the flavours are just great! :) I've just started reading your blog, and I'm definitely going to keep coming back!

Unknown said...

Hmmm, the stuffed toms look divine! I cant wait to get cooking!!

Thanks fro all the yummy receipes!!!

Golf