One Teaspoon From Disaster

Tired of lettuce, croutons and ranch dressing, I went in search of a new side that would replace the same ol' same ol' dinner side salad.

I did have a few criteria: 1. it had to taste good and also go well with just about anything coming off the grill, 2. it had to be healthy (preferably high in protein, too), and 3. it had to be easy to assemble (preferably doable well in advance of dinnertime and able to sit waiting in the fridge). And so I give you: citrus cilantro bean salad. It meets my scrupulous conditions and has a nice twist--the recipes calls for radishes. How often does this come along? This flavorful salad is so good, you may be tempted to eat it as an entrée. Just be mindful about beans being the "magical fruit" and all.

Ingredients:

1, 15-ounce can black beans, drained

1, 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained

1, 10-ounce can mandarin oranges, with juice

1/3 C. fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tsp. chili powder

handful red radishes, diced

1 avocado, peeled and chopped

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, lightly stirring until mixed well. Chill before serving.

Ok, be optimistic. In an effort to better our health and save a little moolah, I advocate going meatless for dinner once in awhile. Although you may feel skeptical, give these sweet potato wraps a try. They are delicious. You're doing nothing more than baking sweet potatoes and red bell pepper slices and then filling a wrap (I chose whole wheat tortillas) slathered with hummus (I picked some type of garlic and olive variety). It's quick, easy and you'll get a big dose of protein minus the meat.

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, cubed into ½-inch pieces

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

½ tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. thyme

prepared hummus

In a mixing bowl, toss potatoes and bell pepper pieces with olive oil. Spread evenly in a baking dish and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix spices with lemon juice. Drizzle on top of potatoes and peppers, stirring to coat well. Bake for another 20 minutes. Spread desired amount of hummus on wraps; fill with potato mixture and roll like a burrito to serve. Makes about four wraps.

Here is an easy, delicious dinner that takes hardly any time at all to prepare, and is even quicker if you cook your chicken in advance, shred it and store it in the fridge until dinenr time.

The key to this bbq chicken pizza is the sauce. Blending bbq sauce and marinara and then adding cilantro makes it not too sweet, a little smoky and fresh tasting.

Be careful not to over bake this pizza. It's best on a more doughy, less crispy crust.

Ingredients:

1 tube refrigerator pizza dough

½ C. marinara sauce

¼ C. bbq sauce

¼ C. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

4 C. cooked chicken, shredded

½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions: Grease a pizza pan or baking sheet. Spread dough into a uniform thickness. Top with sauce mixture, chicken, bell pepper, cilantro and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes, or until crust is light brown. Serves four.