Lettuce wraps

without the lettuce :)

we are in Ghana

I found this recipe on Pinterest and tried it the other night. It's a delicious way to eat chicken and rice (or quinoa).

I modified by cutting the chicken in strips, using rice instead of quinoa, and ate it salad style, rather than wrapped in lettuce.

Recipe from Natasha's Kitchen

Chicken Quinoa Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Print

Prep time

50 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

1 hour

These are a meal in themselves. They are quick to make and easy to assemble. They’re really self serve and definitely encourage fun conversation at the dinner table. I love the addition of quinoa; making it a well-rounded meal and the quinoa keeps you full longer. About the sauce: we've tested other recipes for peanut dipping sauce and nothing compares to this one. This sauce is BOSS. It's creamy, easy, and has just two ingredients. It definitely induces serious cravings! P.S. the kiddos love these best with ranch.

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost To Make: $20-$23

Serving: 6-8

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled or sautéed and thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated, or ¼ tsp dried ginger powder
• ½ Tbsp sesame oil

For the Wraps:

• 2 heads of Boston, Bib or Butter Lettuce
• 2½ cups cooked Quinoa (*see notes below on how I made it)
• 1 medium or 3 small cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 large or 2 medium Carrots, sliced into matchsticks
• ¼ bunch of fresh Cilantro

For the Easy Peanut Dipping Sauce:

(I put the recipe I used below - in case you can't find bottled dressing)

• ¾ cup Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger dressing (P.S. this dressing contains wheat so if you’re gluten free, try: Braggs ginger sesame)
• 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter (microwave 30 sec if peanut butter refrigerated)
• ⅓ cup chopped peanuts, optional topping

Instructions

How to Prepare the Teriyaki Chicken:

1. In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients of your marinade: 2 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated ( or ¼ tsp dried ginger powder) and
2. /2 Tbsp sesame oil
3. Place chicken breast in a medium bowl, add marinade and stir to coat the chicken evenly. Refrigerate for 20 minutes (prep your veggies in the mean time).
4. Once chicken is marinated, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the chicken along with some of the oil in the marinade and sauté until caramelized and browned on both sides and fully cooked. If chicken breasts are very large, you might cover with the lid when sautéing the second side for the chicken to cook through.
5. Remove from heat and let chicken breasts rest on a cutting board 5 minutes before cutting into it, then slice into thin strips on the diagonal.

*How I Cooked Quinoa:

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine colander until water runs clear to get rid of any natural bitterness. Quinoa is cooked similar to rice. The ratio is ¾ cup dry quinoa to 1½ cups filtered water. I cooked mine in the rice maker on the white rice setting without adding any salt or butter and it was done after about 20 minutes. Transfer quinoa to a bowl to cool. You want it to be room temp or cooler before using in lettuce wraps.

How to make the best peanut dipping sauce

1. Combine ¾ cup sesame ginger dressing with 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter and whisk together or shake together in a tupperware with a tight fitting lid. Transfer to a small bowl and top with chopped peanuts if using.

How to Serve:

1. Place all prepared vegetables on a platter: lettuce, sliced cucumbers, sliced carrots and sprigs of cilantro. Add your bowls of chicken, quinoa, and peanut sauce to the serving platter.
2. You can either pre-assemble the lettuce wraps or let your hungry folks assemble their own (my favorite method!). Start with the lettuce leaf, add a heaping Tbsp of cooked quinoa, a strip or two of chicken breast, sliced cucumber and carrots along with a couple sprigs of cilantro. Drizzle with prepared creamy peanut sauce and be prepared to love this.

Recipe from Allrecipes

Asian Ginger Dressing

Rated:  Submitted By: DIETER_WEBER Photo By: LynnInHK Prep Time: 9 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Minute Ready In: 10 Minutes Servings: 20

"Terrific salad dressing for all salads - especially great for use on cabbage salads. Everyone who has had the dressing wants the recipe."

INGREDIENTS:

3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root 3/4 cup olive oil 1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons honey 1/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS:

1.

In a 1 pint glass jar or larger, combine the garlic, ginger, olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and water. Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid, and shake well. Remove lid, and heat jar in the microwave for 1 minute just to dissolve the honey. Let cool, and shake well before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

These are my favorite bran muffins - I've been making them for years.

You can keep the batter in the refrigerator for weeks - so warm, fresh muffins are just 15 minutes away!

They are from Jane Brody's Good Food Book - my favorite ever cookbook

3 cups whole bran cereal (all-bran or bran buds)
1 cup boiling water
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup raisins, other dried fruit, or chocolate chips (my favorite)

In medium bowl, soak cereal in boiling water. Let cool. Stir in buttermilk

In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until well blended. Beat in the eggs, and then mix in the bran-buttermilk mixture.

Sift or stir together the flours, baking soda, and salt. Add this to the bran mixture, stirring just enough to combine. Add dried fruit or chocolate chips.

Either refrigerate the batter in a tightly closed container for later use or divide it among 23 muffin cups (or 24 large ones) - filling each cup about two-thirds full.

Bake 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Pumpkin spice cupcakes

I made these for Sunday dinner yesterday - delicious!

thanks to Chow

I decreased the spices slightly because I was making these for my grandchildren

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (not pie filling; about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1 recipe Pumpkin–Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line 2 (12-well) muffin pans with paper liners. Alternatively, coat the wells with vegetable oil; set aside.
2. Place the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside.
3. Place the sugar and measured oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until the sugar is incorporated, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula.
4. Return the mixer to medium speed and add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, about 1 1/2 minutes total mixing time. Reduce the speed to medium low, add the pumpkin, and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula.
5. Turn the mixer to low speed, slowly add the flour mixture, and beat until almost completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in any unincorporated flour at the edges with a rubber spatula, making sure to scrape to the bottom of the bowl.
6. Fill the muffin wells three-quarters of the way (about a heaping 1/4 cup per well). Place the muffin pans side by side in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Rotate the pans front to back and side to side and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 10 minutes more.
7. Place the pans on wire racks and let them cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and cool completely on the racks. Frost withPumpkin–Cream Cheese Frosting, if using.

Here's Chow's frosting recipe - I actually used chocolate frosting because I was making my Easy Chocolate Cake for Sunday dinner too (big family) - so I'm not sure how this tastes but the reviews are good.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
• 1/3 cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
2. Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until fully combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Reduce the speed to low, slowly add the powdered sugar mixture, and beat until fully incorporated and smooth, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the paddle and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Turn the mixer to medium speed, add the pumpkin, and mix until fully incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute. Use immediately.

My favorite lentil soup

This recipe is from my all time favorite cook book - Jane Brody's Good Food Book.

It's an old book but still available on Amazon

This soup is so good!

My Favorite Lentil Soup

2 T olive oil

2 large / 3 medium onions, chopped

3 carrots, grated

3/4 t marjoram

3/4 t thyme

1 28-oz can tomatoes with juice

7 cups broth

1.5 cups dried lentils--rinsed and picked

1/2 t salt

1/4-1/2 t pepper

6 oz dry white wine

1/3 C fresh parsley or 2 T dried parsley flakes

Heat the oil in a large pot with a heavy bottom. Sauté the onions, carrots, marjoram, and thyme for about 5 minutes.

Coarsely chop the tomatoes, then add them to the veggies. Add the broth and lentils. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for a half hour to 45 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Add the wine after the lentils are tender, then season to taste. 

I like to add chopped Kale near the end of the cooking time.

This soup is great topped with grated cheese

Basil walnut pesto

I've made this pesto 3 or 4 times this summer already - it's amazing spread on hearty whole grain toast and topped with cherry tomatoes.

This recipe is from Vitamix - but I think it would work in a good blender or food processor.

Basil Walnut Pesto

Yield: 1 c (240 ml)

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil

1/4 cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 cups (80 g) fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup (30 g) walnuts

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.

Select Variable 1.

Turn machine on and slowly increase to Variable 7.

Blend for 45 seconds-1 minute, using the tamper to press ingredients into the blades.

Recipe yields enough sauce to coat one pound of pasta

Note - this recipe works better when doubled so that the Vitamix tamper can reach the ingredients - and it's so good you will eat it all up fast!

Easy Chocolate Cake

Love this cake!

I made this last week for our Sunday Dinner on the deck. All the family was here so that means 17 hungry grandchildren running around. We gave the kids ice cream bars and the adults (mostly the ladies) gathered around the table and devoured every bit of this 9x12 cake. We just kept cutting off little pieces as we chatted. We told the kids - "this is the grown up dessert."

The recipe (and picture) is from Cinnamon and Spice and Everything Nice

Chocolate Sour Cream Snack Cake

Ingredients

1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 + 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa*

1 + 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening or butter, softened

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream (regular or light, not non-fat)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

frosting:

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup sour cream (not non-fat)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted

4 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more if needed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9x13x2 inch baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt together. Add shortening, milk and sour cream; beat on medium speed 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Add eggs and vanilla; beat 2 more minute.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center. Cool on wire racks 15-20 minutes, turn out and cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting.
4. To make frosting: in a large mixing bowl cream butter and sour cream together until fluffy on medium speed, beat in vanilla and cocoa powder, add one cup of confectioners’ sugar at a time until you reach a nice, thick consistency, continue to beat on medium speed until fluffy 3-4 minutes. Spread evenly over top of cake.

Notes

*Use Dutch-processed or European cocoa.

Recipe adapted from McCalls ©1910

Read more: http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/chocolate-sour-cream-snack-cake/#ixzz2bGUFj1FW

Pizza Dough

I received this recipe from the owner of a Chicago pizzeria - it's the best!

Pizza Dough

4-5 cups flour
2 Tbs (or packages) yeast
2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup oil (I use olive oil)

(I use rapid rise (instant) yeast. If you use the active dry yeast that comes in the packages, follow more traditional bread making steps where you hydrate the yeast in water and mix in with the liquids.)

• Combine and mix 2 cups of the flour with all dry ingredients, including yeast, in a large mixer fitted with a bread mixing blade. 
• Add water and oil and mix until combined. Add the rest of the flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball. 
• Let rise until double. This dough rises quickly but timing depends on many factors so expect 20-40 minutes.
• Briefly mix dough to deflate it and then divide into portions. This makes 2 large or 4-8 smaller pizzas (depending on size).
• Shape pizzas - I roll out the dough with a rolling pin or your can stretch and pat it into shape in lightly oiled pans. I like my crusts quite thin but this recipe works with any style crust.
• You can top and bake the them right away or partially pre-bake the un-topped pizza crusts and finish them in the oven or on the grill later. The crusts can be frozen at this point too.
• Bake at 500 for about 5 minutes for pre-baking (take them out just before they start to brown) and 15-30 minutes, until browned, for a topped pizza (timing depends on the toppings).

These crusts make amazing grilled pizza. I bought the book Pizza on the Grill for cooking and topping ideas. It's great.

Simple French Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Years ago I learned to make this simple dressing from a dear French friend. I use it almost daily in all its variations.

I make this with no recipe - more by feel. Here are the general directions, but you need to experiment with the proportions.

This makes enough for a large salad. But you can make extra and store it in a jar in the refrigerator. Just shake before serving.

French Vinaigrette

• Use a sturdy bowl.
• Start with good quality dijon mustard - 1/2 to 1 teaspoon.
• Add salt and fresh ground pepper. You need plenty of salt - remember you will be flavoring a big bowl of greens.
• Add any other flavorings you'd like - honey (same amount as mustard) for a sweet dressing (great with bitter greens), and fresh or dried herbs - my French friend liked to add a finely chopped shallot
• Add about 2 tablespoons of the acid - this can be lemon juice or vinegar
• Gradually whisk in the oil - 3 or 4 times the amount of the acid - about 6 tablespoons. I use very good quality olive oil. As you whisk in the oil, the mixture will emulsify and become creamy.
• Taste, adjust seasoning, and toss with greens.

Chocolate Mousse

I've worked on perfecting this recipe for years

Chocolate Mousse

3 eggs, separated

4 ounces dark chocolate (flavor is important – so use good quality - I like to use a few different varieties – you can add some cocoa if you want it extra chocolatey)

¼ cup milk

½ cup sugar

1 cup whipping cream

• Heat chocolate, sugar, and milk in pan over low heat. Be gentle and stir often so the chocolate doesn't scorch.  Heat until chocolate melts and sugar dissolves. Take off the heat for a minute.
• Beat egg yolks with a fork or whisk. Pour a little of the warm chocolate mixture into the yolks and stir in to carefully raise the temperature without curdling the eggs.
• Whisk egg mixture into the chocolate pan. Cook gently with lots of stirring (whisk is best) until you just see a bubble or two (to make sure the eggs are cooked).
• Pour into bowl and let cool to room temperature. Mixture should be like thick pancake batter. If it's too thick, whisk in a little more milk.
• Meanwhile whip the egg whites until almost stiff (holds soft peaks). When chocolate is cooled, carefully fold in egg whites (spatula works best).
• Whip cream until stiff. Fold it into chocolate mixture. You can reserve some for a topping if you like.
• Spoon into pretty bowls or stemmed glasses. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate curls (made with a peeler) or a bit of fruit.

Mango Mousse

I learned to make this when we lived in the Caribbean and had 3 glorious Mango trees in our yard.

Mango Mousse

1 env. unflavored gelatin

6 tbsp. sugar

1/4 c. cold water

1 1/2 c. fresh mango puree (from 2 lg. ripe mangoes)

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 lg. egg whites, at room temp.

1/2 pt. (1 c.) heavy or whipping cream

In microwavable 1-quart bowl, combine gelatin and 4 tablespoons sugar. Stir in water and microwave uncovered on high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until gelatin and sugar dissolves. Stir in mango puree and lemon juice. Chill mixture just until it mounds slightly. In small bowl, with electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into mango puree mixture.

In small bowl with beaters, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold mango mixture into whipped cream (reserve a little cream if desired, for garnish). Divide mango mousse among 6 serving dishes. Chill mousse until firm. To serve, garnish with whipped cream, mango slice and mint sprigs, if desired.

Serves 6

Fermented European Bread

Justin found this recipe years ago in the New York Times. It's probably my all time favorite recipe find. The bread is easy to make, incredibly delicious, and always impressive.

Don't be discouraged by the sticky dough - it may look like it won't work, but it does - and it's worth it!

Fermented european bread

3 c flour

1/4 t instant yeast

1 t salt

cornmeal or wheatbran

1. Combine flour, yeast, salt. Add 1 5/8 c water, stir until blended. Dough will be sticky (you may need to add a little extra flour – it should just form a soft ball). Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise 12-18 hrs at room temp (if you need it faster, double the yeast – I’ve made is with a 6 hour rising time).

2. When surface is dotted with bubbles, dough is ready. Flour your work surface. Put dough on it. Sprinkle a little flour on the dough and fold it over itself once or twice. The dough will be very sticky and you will wonder how it will ever form into a loaf – have faith.

3.  Gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball using lots of flour and a flour covered spatula if necessary to fold the loaf a few times. Coat a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put dough, seam side down, on towel and dust with more flour. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise 30-60 minutes. When ready, dough will be double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with finger.

4. Heat oven to 450 1/2 hr before backing. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, pyrex or ceramic, corning) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under the towel and turn dough over into pot.  It may look like a mess but that's ok. Gently shake pan once or twice if dough is uneven.  It will straighten out as it bakes.  Cover with lid and bake 30 min. then remove lid and bake another 15-30 until loaf is beautifully browned.  Cool on rack.

Sour dough option – add ½ cup of sour dough starter and decrease water to 1 ½ cups. You may need a little extra flour.

Makes one 1.5 lb loaf

Peanut Butter Balls

I made a modified version of this recipe today - yum!

Peanut butter balls

original recipe from Praying Twice

Mix together:

2 cup creamy peanut butter

3 cup rice krispies

1lb (3cup) powdered sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

Make balls and dip in melted:

 2 (maybe 3) package milk chocolate chips

Put on cookie sheets in fridge to harden. Enjoy.

Makes about 70 balls.

Here's my 

Modified version

I substituted this for the Rice Krispies - add just enough so it's possible to make balls. 

Spread about 1 cup nuts (I used almonds and walnuts), 1 cup oats, and 1/2 cup seeds (I used pumpkin) on a large cookie sheet. Roast in oven for 10 minutes at 400 or until just starting to turn golden. In food processor or blender (I used vitamix dry blade), grind coarsely. Substitute this for the Rice Krispies, 

I also decreased the sugar to 2 cups.

I used good quality dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips.

eat your greens - spinach toasts

Greens in Guyana March 2013

I think we need some posts on ways to use greens. 

We recently bought a food share from a local organic farm (La Nay Ferme in Provo Utah) and the early food bags are full of gorgeous fresh picked greens - some for salads, but others work better cooked. So I thought I'd collect some recipes to help us consume this wonderful food.

Greens are: 

• richly nutritious
• relatively inexpensive
• easy to grow
• versatile
• beautiful

Why don't we eat more of them?

My grandparents grew up in the south and ate turnip greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, collard greens, beet greens and more.

We lived in the Caribbean for a few years and the produce markets were full of gorgeous green leaves of all sizes (I took the picture above during a visit to Guyana a month ago).

Greens are loaded with good things for our bodies.

On the nutrition front, dark green leafy vegetables, calorie for calorie, are considered one of the most nutrient-dense foods available. Specifically, they are an excellent source of several minerals, including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium as well as vitamins K (providing nine times the recommended daily allowance (RDA) per 1 cup serving) C, E, and many of the B vitamins. In addition, leafy greens provide a number of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin and also contain small amounts of fatty acids. Cementing their place on the nutritional honor roll, leafy greens contain very few carbohydrates, much of which is offset by its high fiber content (so much so that the leafy greens are generally considered a “freebie” vegetable in most low-carbohydrate diets).

In addition to their shared nutritional benefits, leafy green vegetables also have several medicinal benefits in common. According to recent research, for example, leafy green vegetables can help prevent age-related cognitive declines, can help prevent cataracts and boost eye health (you can thank the potent combination of lutein, and zeaxanthin for that one!), and may also reduce your risk of skin cancer.

From Marks Daily Apple
Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dark-leafy-greens/#ixzz2QFG32OHQ

Here's a recipe (haven't tried it yet) from Dr Weil's Healthy Kitchen

Spinach Toasts

Description

Cooking spinach takes very little time, but you need to wash and drain it carefully, and remove tough stems first, which may take 5 or 10 minutes. Plan accordingly. The spinach on these little appetizers is a great source of iron and vitamins A and C.

Ingredients

3/4 cup purified water 2 bunches fresh spinach (about 2 pounds), stemmed 9 pieces thinly sliced whole wheat bread 1 small onion, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil 2/3 cup low-fat**  plain yogurt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint Freshly ground pepper to taste 11/2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts GARNISH 1 red apple, cut in thin wedges

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Pour the water into a large stainless steel pot and bring it to a boil. Drop in the washed spinach and cook for 3 minutes, stirring several times. Drain the spinach in a colander over a pan to catch all the water, which you can save to make vegetable stock (page 122). Put a bowl or plate on top of the spinach, inside the colander, and press down to squeeze excess water from the leaves. Trim the crusts from the bread slices, cut on the diagonal to create 2 triangular pieces, then cut again to make 4 triangles. Put them on a cookie sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the onions and garlic in canola or grape seed oil in a medium nonstick sauté pan over low heat until onions are softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Put the spinach leaves into a medium bowl, along with the onions and the garlic. Add the yogurt, mint, pepper, and nuts and toss thoroughly with a fork. Spread the spinach mixture on the toasts just before serving. Garnish with apple wedges. Makes 36 pieces - 3 triangles per person.