Cauliflower and Rice Mornay Casserole

This is the perfect recipe for cauliflower. It is a great side dish that combines your veggies and carbs. It has become one of our family favorites and goes well with many meat and fish dishes. Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower broken down into small florets - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour - 2 cups milk - 1 tablespoon good-quality curry powder - 1 cup grated Spanish Manchego cheese - 2 cups cooked rice (long-grain or Basmati) - 1/2 cups breadcrumbs - 5 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil) - 1 teaspoon salt. Preheat oven to 400F. Coat the cauliflower florets with 3 tablespoons of the EVOO and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread in one layer on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. The cauliflower will be very al dente, but please note that it will be cooked further as a casserole. Turn down the oven to 350F. Heat the milk in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO in a saucepan. Add the flour and stir well with a balloon whisk for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the oil-flour mixture. Add the curry powder and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and incorporate well. Slowly add the heated milk until completely incorporated while constantly beating with the whisk. Once the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat and add the cheese. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate well (the cheese will stick to a balloon whisk). Combine the roasted cauliflower, cooked rice and sauce in a large bowl and empty into a 9 x 11-inch casserole dish. Top with the breadcrumbs and bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

Healthy On-The-Go Steel-Oat Breakfast Bars

I'm really getting into the Steel-Oat vibe after researching its multiple health benefits. I have adapted a recipe I found for steel-oat breakfast bars to my personal taste. My testers loved them and feedback has been very positive. This certainly makes for a great on-the-go power breakfast. Ingredients: 1 cup water - 3 cups milk - 1/2 cup brown sugar - 1/4 teaspoon salt - 1 1/2 cups steel oats - 1 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries, chopped apricots and golden raisins) - 1/2 nuts (I used almonds) - 1 teaspoon cinnamon - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Directions: Bring water and milk to a boil. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Stir frequently during cooking process. Allow to cool thoroughly and empty into a 9 x 11-inch greased dish. Press the steel oat mixture down into the dish so that it is compact. Sprinkle with almonds and your favorite granola. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Cut into desired portions and store in the refrigerator until needed. Note: These bars are soft, but they do hold well together.

Healthy Hump Day Supper

Appetizer: Artichoke and Roasted Pepper Flatbread: Main Course: Salmon with Oven Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables, Cous-Cous and Harissa Dressing: For the Flatbread appetizer see Healthy Flatbread Pizza blog, but top with tomato sauce, Italian anti-pasto artichokes, Italian roasted red peppers, fresh basil, crumbled buffalo mozzarella and a sprinkle of Parmesan. For the Mediterranean Vegetables, cut the following vegetables into 1-inch cubes: 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 orange bell pepper - 1 large egg plant - 2 small zucchini - 1 large Spanish onion. Place in a "very" large mixing bowl and add 15 halved cherry tomatoes, 4 finely chopped cloves of garlic, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper and 3 tbsp EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil). Gently mix the vegetables and spread evenly on a large baking sheet so that you have a single layer of vegetables (you may need to use 2 smaller sheets). Bake in a 400F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked and slightly brown at the edges. Allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, add 1/4 cup finely chopped basil and a handful of chopped natural black olives (optional). Sprinkle the vegetables with 1 log of crumbled goat's cheese. For the Harissa dressing: Blend 2 tbsp. tomato paste, 1 tbsp. honey, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. Sambal Oelek, 1/2 tsp. salt, black pepper and 1 tbsp. lime juice. Prepare a box of cous-cous according to instructions. In a heavy skillet, fry the seasoned (salt and black pepper) salmon filets in a tbsp of olive oil. I like to leave the skin on and sear the salmon skin-side down on high heat first. After about 3 minutes, I turn the salmon over and turn the heat down to medium low and fry for a further 3 minutes. Allow the salmon filets rest off the heat for about 5 minutes. This is an important step as the salmon will continue to cook even away from the heat. Take care NOT to overcook the salmon. I find this is the best method to guarantee perfectly cooked salmon filets. Serve the salmon with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, the vegetables and cous-cous and drizzle with the Harissa dressing. Note: Harissa is a Moroccan spice paste that can be purchased in tubes at some well-stocked delis.