Published: July 15, 2008 04:45 pm         

TASTE THE BEST: Easy dishes can be tasty dishes

It is possible to eat healthy and not cook. No, I'm not talking about going out to eat, even though you can eat healthy while eating out, too. When it is entirely too hot to grill outside, or even if you don't have time to cook, here are some recipes to give you a break from cooking.

Sandwich

California Wrap Sandwich

Four 10-inch flour tortillas

8 to 12 trimmed leaves of green or red leaf lettuce, washed and dried

12 oz. sliced cooked turkey breast

12 slices apple-wood smoked bacon, cooked

1 vine-ripened tomato, cored and cut into 16 wedges

1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 16 slices tossed with 2 tsp. lime juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup arugula or watercress, washed and dried

1/2 recipe ranch dressing (recipe follows)

Wrap tortillas in barely damp, doubled layers of paper towels and microwave on high for 45 to 60 seconds. Alternatively, heat the tortillas individually in an un-greased large skillet over medium heat.

Lay the tortillas on a cutting board and start to layer the ingredients. Fan the leaf lettuce on the top three-quarters of each tortilla then lay the turkey slices on top, followed by the bacon, tomato, and avocado. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with the arugula and some of the dressing. Fold up the bottom quarter of the tortilla and then start to roll each sandwich into a cone shape. Secure the tortilla with a toothpick. Serve immediately.

Ranch dressing

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise

1/4 to 1/3 cup buttermilk

2 tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley

2 tbsp. minced fresh chives

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 tsp. white wine vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

Mash the garlic and salt to a paste with the side of a chef's knife. In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, mayonnaise, 1/4-cup buttermilk, parsley, chives, scallion, vinegar, and pepper to taste. If the sauce is very thick, thin the dressing with a couple more tablespoons of the buttermilk. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days.

www.foodnetwork.com

Salad

Fruit Salad with Honey Dressing

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice, plus the juice 1 lemon

1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. prepared mustard

1 apple, cored and diced

1 banana, sliced

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

For the dressing, combine the honey, orange juice, oil, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, poppy seeds, salt, and mustard in a jar with a tight lid; cover and shake well. Toss the apple, banana, and avocado with juice from 1 lemon to prevent the fruit from turning brown. Combine the fruit, raisins, and nuts in a glass bowl. Add the dressing and stir gently. Serve on red leaf lettuce.

www.foodnetwork.com

Side dish

Delta Cole Slaw

1 head green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly cracked white pepper

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard powder

2 tsp. celery seeds

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup finely chopped green onion tops

2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves

In a large, non-reactive bowl, combine the cabbage, bell pepper, onion and carrot, season with the salt and pepper and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour before proceeding.

Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard and celery seeds in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir the vinegar periodically to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat. Remove the cabbage from the refrigerator and pour the vinegar over the top of the cabbage. Add the oil, green onions and parsley, and toss well to thoroughly combine.

Cover with plastic wrap and return the cabbage to the refrigerator. Allow slaw to sit for 2 or 3 hours before serving, stirring occasionally. Serve with barbecue.

www.foodnetwork.com

Main dish

Salmon Tartare

4 ounces smoked salmon, julienned

1 tsp. capers chopped

1 tbsp. homemade or prepared mayonnaise

1 tsp. chopped dill

1 tsp. minced shallots

1/2 lemon, juiced

Salt and pepper

2 slices pumpernickel slices, squared of and cut into4 triangles each, toasted

8 small dill sprigs

Combine salmon, capers, mayonnaise, dill and shallots. Taste, and adjust seasonings with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Divide among croutons and top each with a dill sprig.

www.foodnetwork.com

Dessert

Ice Cream Club Sandwich

8 frozen waffles

1 pint ice cream of your choice

1/2 pint raspberries

4 thin, crispy wafer cookies

Mini chocolate chips or sprinkles

Multi-color sprinkles

Raspberry coulis, to serve, recipe follows

Toast the frozen waffles according to package directions and let them cool. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften a bit. Slice the raspberries in half.

Spread some ice cream evenly over 2 waffles. Cover 1 with raspberry halves. Press a wafer cookie gently onto the other. Gently press the 2 halves together to form a club sandwich. Put it into the freezer while you make the rest.

Spread the chocolate chips and sprinkles onto plates. Remove the sandwiches from the freezer. Press 2 edges of each sandwich into the chocolate chips and the other 2 edges into the multi-color sprinkles. Carefully cut them in half using a serrated knife, put them onto plates, and drizzle with the raspberry coulis.

Raspberry Coulis:

1 (10-ounce) bag frozen raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Put the frozen berries, sugar, and lemon juice into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often to mash the berries, until their juices are released. Press through a sieve to strain out the seeds. Cool and refrigerate. Will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days.

www.foodnetwork.com