Recipe Exchange

The following recipe is from Ann Blystone, and stars this week's Pick: blueberries. It's called Autumn Salad, but personally, I think it works year-round. It also features Gorgonzola cheese, which means it has to be a winner. The recipe says you can substitute goat cheese -- but I have to admit that goat cheese is one of the few foods I really cannot tolerate. It tastes -- well -- too goaty!

Ann is not sure where the recipe originates, but speculates her mother of a long-ago restaurant meal.

AUTUMN SALAD

4 1/2 oz. baby arugula or baby spinach
1/2 pint (1 cup) fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained, or frozen blueberries, thawed in a single layer on a paper towel for 20 minutes
1/4 cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped (or slivered toasted almonds if smoked not available)
1 Jonathan, Jonagold or similar apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tblsp. Sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or goat cheese

• Put the arugula, blueberries, almonds and apple cubes in a salad bowl.
• Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt and a few twists from a pepper mill. Pour over salad and toss to blend.
• Sprinkle cheese on top, or serve on the side. Serve immediately.

The following is a recipe from the latest Weight Watchers cookbook, "Slow Cook It," which really is one of the best WW cookbooks on the market. I made the recipe Monday night for our weekly family dinner, and everyone approved. It is the perfect mix of sweet and spicy, and uses low-fat turkey breast, perfect for a weeknight dinner. It goes together in a snap, and cooks all day, ready to eat after a long day of work. I served it with steamed broccoli, brown rice, and a salad dressed with a Sherry/Mustard Vinaigrette. I also made extra sauce, because it really does perk up the rice.

TURKEY WITH CHILI-ORANGE SAUCE

1/2 cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

4 shallots, sliced

3 Tblsp. low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp. Asian chili garlic

1 tsp. ancho chili powder

1 skinless, boneless turkey-breast half

2 Tblsp. cold water

1 Tblsp. cornstarch

2 Tblsp. low-sugar orange marmalade

1 tsp. white wine vinegar

• Combine wine, orange juice concentrate, shallots, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and chili powder in 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Top with turkey. Cover and cook until turkey is fork-tender, 3-4 hours on high to 6-8 hours on low.
• At end of cooking time, transfer turkey to cutting board; cover with foil and keep warm. Whisk water and cornstarch in small bowl until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until mixture simmers and thickens, about 20 minutes. Stir in marmalade and vinegar.
• Cut turkey into 12 slices and serve with sauce.
• Makes 4 servings. Per serving (3 slices turkey with about 1/3 cup sauce): 275 calories; 2g fat; 1g sat fat; no trans fat; 114mg cholesterol; 504mg sodium; 20g carbohydrates; 1g fiber; 42g protein; 42mg calcium. 5 Weight Watchers Points.

Pick of the Week: Blueberries

It's week three of exploring Everyday Health's list of the 13 most powerful super foods. Today, we say good-by to the A's -- avocados and apples -- and turn our attention to one of my favorite fruits, blueberries.

The only thing bad about blueberries is usually the price. They made Everyday Health's list for many reasons:

• Blueberries are anti-aging superstars -- love that! -- loaded with antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, which have been shown to improve brain function and vision. Everyday Health says that studies have shown that eating blueberries slows impairments in motor coordination and memory that accompany aging.
• Blueberries reduce inflammation, which we have learned over the past decade is linked to just about every chronic disease, including Alzheimer's, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
• Speaking of cancer, there are other studies that have shown that blueberries have much greater anticancer benefits than any other fruit.
• And now for my favorite reason: They taste so good, and one cup is only 1 Weight Watchers Point.

Selecting: Since blueberries are packaged, there is no picking through to find the perfect ones. Blueberries should have a healthy purplish-blue color and be free of mold and soft spots.

Storing: Blueberries will keep as long as two weeks, but it's best to remove them from the packaging they come in, place them in a single layer in a container, and store in the refrigerator. If you keep them in the original packaging, check daily and eat the berries that are getting soft. Any moldy ones, immediately discard. Wash right before using.

Freezing: Wash blueberries and remove any stems. Place on baking sheet in freezer until solid; then pack in plastic containers or freezer bags, leaving about 1/2-inch of headspace.

The following recipe is from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, which the Council got from one of my favorite chefs, Carole Peck, chef/owner of the Good News Cafe in Woodbury, CT, a mainstay in that lovely town for at least two decades. The recipe even gives the formula for blueberry vinegar, which makes a perfect gift anytime of the year. When blueberries are in season, by some extra, make the blueberry vinegar, and you'll have a stash of holiday gifts ready to go!

BLUEBERRY, APRICOT AND SWEET ONION SALAD

1/2 cup sliced sweet red or white onion, rinsed

3/4 tsp. Kosher or sea salt

8 pitted fresh or dried apricot halves

5 Tblsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tblsp. blueberry vinegar, recipe follows

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

2 cups packed arugula

• In a bowl, combine onion and salt; let stand at least 2 hours (can be prepped and refrigerated up to 3 days).
• Preheat broiler or grill. If using dried apricots, place in a bowl and cover with boiling water; let stand 5 minutes; drain.
• Arrange apricot halves on a broiler pan, skin side up; brush with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Broil until skins begin to brown, about 3 minutes Cool; cut in 1/4-inch slices; set aside.
• To prepare blueberry dressing: In a cup, whisk the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons blueberry vinegar.
• Rinse salted onion; drain. In a bowl, toss arugula with half the blueberry dressing; arrange on four serving plates.
• In the same bowl, combine the blueberries and onion; toss with the remaining dressing; arrange on serving plates dividing equally. Garnish with apricot strips. Makes 4 servings.

BLUEBERRY VINEGAR

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups white wine vinegar

• In a blender container, combine blueberries, sugar and vinegar. Blend until pureed; strain. Refrigerate until ready to use. Makes 1 cup.

Top

Super foods

The Web site Everyday Health just posted a list of a baker's dozen of the most powerful super foods. They admit that if you ask 10 nutritionists for their own lists, you will get 10 different lists. But this list, the site claims, is a good place to start.

I have to admit that I love lists. It might be my short attention span, but lists are easy to read and stick with me longer that something I read in paragraph form.

Because this post would be entirely too long if I listed all the foods, wrote about what www.everydayhealth.com had to say, and added my own thoughts, I have decided to publish the the list of foods today, and then for the next 13 weeks, I will focus on each one in Wednesday's Pick of the Week. I cannot wait to get to week 12 to write about my favorite food, red wine. I never looked at red wine as a favorite food. Now this is great news!

The list:

1. Avocados
2. Apples
3. Blueberries
4. Cabbage
5. Fish and fish oil
6. Garlic
7. Mushrooms
8. Almonds
9. Eggs
10. Flax seeds
11. Pomegranates
12. Red Wine
13. Dark chocolate