Festive Greek Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 cups mixed baby salad greens
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored, halved and cut into ¼ inch strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, halved and cut into ¼ inch strips
• 1 European-style cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
• 4 large ripe tomatoes, cored and diced
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Greek)
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 T. pomegranate molasses
• 1 t. ground oregano (or more to taste)
• 1 t. ground white pepper (or more to taste)
• 8 Greek cracked green olives, soaked and rinsed multiple times to remove salt
• 12 Kalamata olives, soaked and rinsed multiple times to remove salt
• ¼ lb. crumbled non-fat Feta cheese, soaked in water to remove salt
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the salad greens and baby spinach with the bell peppers, cucumber, red onion and tomatoes.
• In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice and pomegranate molasses; season with the ground oregano and ground white pepper. Add the dressing to the salad and toss.
• Place a portion of the salad onto the center of each plate. Top each with 2 cracked green and 3 Kalamata olives. Sprinkle some feta on top, season with the black pepper and serve.

PER SERVING
Calories: 358
Protein (grams): 8
Fat: 22
Carbohydrates: 32
Fiber: 8

Wild Mushroom Soup

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (or ¼ cup olive oil plus ¼ cup macadamia nut oil)
• 2 T. Madras curry powder
• ½ T. ground thyme
• 16 oz white button mushrooms, cleaned and halved
• 4 cups Roasted Vegetable Stock
• 8 oz assorted wild mushrooms (chanterelle, morel, oyster, shitake), thickly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 T. fresh thyme leaves
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

• In a large heavy saucepan, heat ¼ cup of the olive oil over medium heat; add the onions, halved garlic, curry powder and ground thyme. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the white mushrooms and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more. Add the stock, increasing the heat just to the start of a boil then
  lower to a simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly then purée in batches in a food processor or blender. Return to the stockpot and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the wild mushrooms, minced garlic and thyme leaves, season with some black pepper and cook until the mushrooms are starting to brown, about 7 minutes.
• Ladle some soup into each soup bowl. Spoon some wild mushrooms on top in the center, season with some black pepper and serve immediately. Great with Californian or Australian Chardonnay or white Burgundy.

PER SERVING
Calories: 304
Protein (grams): 2
Fat: 28
Carbohydrates: 11
Fiber: 3