Two Recipes

Here are 2 recipes I prepared this weekend. I enjoyed both and they're fairly healthy. Any changed I made I have noted.

Company's Coming Salad
Taste of Home
8 servings

Ingredients:
2 T sugar
1/2 c sliced almonds
1 pkg. (5 oz.) spring mix salad greens
6 cups torn romaine
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced

DRESSING:
3 T canola oil
2 T cider vinegar
5 t sugar *(I used 2 packets of splenda)
1 T minced fresh parsley
1/4 t salt

In a small heavy skillet, cook and stir the sugar over medium-low heat until melted. Stir in almonds and cook for 1 minute or until lightly browned. Spread onto foil coated with cooking spray; set aside.

In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, romaine, oranges, celery, and onions. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Drizzle over salad; add almonds and toss to coat. Serve immediately. *(I tossed the dressing with the lettuce and then arranged the other stuff on top. I then topped the whole salad with the nuts)

Nutrition Facts:
1.25 cups per serving
134 calories
8 g fat
1 g saturated fat
0 cholesterol
98 mg sodium
14 g carbs
3 g fiber
3 g protein

*Using the splenda instead of the sugar will obviously change the nutrition facts, but I left it the same as the recipe indicated.

Raspberry-Topped Cream Tarts
Taste of Home
16 servings

1 T brown sugar
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t ground nutmeg
4 flour tortillas (8 inch)
Warm water
1 pkg. (8 oz.) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened *(I used Fat Free)
3 T sugar *(I used 2 packets of Splenda)
1-2 T skim milk
1/2 t almond extract
1 cup fresh raspberries *(I used raspberries and blueberries)

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside. Cut tortillas with a 3.5" biscuit cutter; discard tortilla scraps. Brush both sides of tortillas with warm water. Spray tops with cooking spray; sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Press into ungreased muffin cups.

Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pans on wire rack.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, milk, and almond extract; mix well. Spoon into the cooled tortilla shells; top with the raspberries.

Nutrition Facts:

1 tart per serving
93 calories
3 g fat
2 g saturated fat
8 mg cholesterol
108 mg sodium
13 g carbs
1 g fiber
3 g protein

**Again, the substitution of Fat Free cream cheese and Splenda are NOT reflected in the nutrition facts. Also, I did not see the need to use the cooking spray, so I omitted it. The shells were really nice and crispy even without it. I would recommend that if you use the Fat Free cream cheese you omit the skim milk, as the FF cream cheese is softer than the reduced-fat and doesn't need as much liquid to smooth it out.

These tarts look beautiful on a serving plate. You could use a variety of fruits on the top. I did one plate with 2 raspberries and 1 blueberry on each tart...very nice presentation!