Arugula, Mushroom, Cucumber, Prosciutto Salad, Another Healthy Inspired Lunch

I was at the mood today for a nice healthy salad. I have used all of these ingredients in other salads but never together. So here is my inspired salad lunch.

As you all know by now, I dress almost every inspired salad lunch with Pink Himalayan Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper, a delicious Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar. Sometime I add a sprinkle of fresh robust olive oil.

INGREDIENTS

Baby Arugula

Fresh White Button or Baby Bella Mushrooms sliced

Cucumber peeled and sliced

Thin Sliced Prosciutto

Shaved Parmesan Cheese

Balsamic Vinegar

Salt & Pepper to taste

Olive Oil optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Place baby arugula on the bottom of the place. Add sliced mushrooms and cucumbers. Add salt and pepper. Add the sliced prosciutto then the parmesan cheese. Adjust salt and fresh ground pepper to taste and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and oil if using. ENJOY!! #myinspiredrecipes #arugula #prosciutto #parmesan #lunch

Apple, Strawberry & Gorgonzola Salad My Healthy Lunch

I was at the market today and saw the most wonderful Strawberries and a perfect Honey Crisp Apple. I wasn't sure what I was going to make or how I was going to use them. So I put them away and waited for lunchtime.

For those of you who know me I am not a big fruit eater. However, over the past year (thank you pandemic) I have added fruit into my diet, both in my daily morning Espresso Fruit Smoothie and my lunches. I may be a bit odd when it comes to fruit and lunch, I dress almost every fruit inspired lunch with Pink Himalayan Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper, a delicious Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar. Sometime I add a sprinkle of fresh basil.

INGREDIENTS

Honey Crisp Apple (or the apple of your choice)

Fresh ripe Strawberries

Gorgonzola Cheese (or blue cheese)

Balsamic Vinegar

Salt & Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice the apple and arrange on a plate, add strawberries in between the apples and top with the gorgonzola cheese. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. ENJOY!! #myinspiredrecipes, #honeycrispapple #strawberries #gorgonzola

Applesauce and Almond Torte... An Inspired Dessert

I happened to have a couple of cans of unsweetened applesauce in my pantry. When I was growing up the only thing we had applesauce with was Pork Roast or Pork Chops. There must be something delicious that can be made with applesauce so, I started doing some research and reading numerous recipes on how to make Applesauce Cake or Bread. I was not inspired. In my quest to cut down on white flour a while back I had purchased some Almond Flour, well that was all I needed for my Inspired Applesauce and Almond Torte.

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cup Almond Flour

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1-1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 Large Eggs

1 tsp Almond Extract

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Cup unsweetened Applesauce

8 oz Mascarpone Cheese

2 oz Sliced Almonds

Powder Sugar to dust on top after cooling

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350F. (Note: Adjust the cooking time to 325F when baking in a copper pan. Because of how efficiently copper conducts heat, the Torte will bake faster in a copper pan. I used a 11"x 2-1/2" round copper pan)

Prepare a baking pan with baking spray or use shortening dusted with flour.

Put the dry ingredients: almond flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixer or food processor. Thoroughly mix the ingredients together.

Add in the egg, mascarpone, applesauce, almond extract and vanilla extract.

Mix the ingredients together until smooth and blended.

Add in the sliced almonds and blend for 10 seconds.

Bake until the cake is fairly firm when you press lightly at its center and a toothpick inserted in the middle has no wet batter sticking to it, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave on the counter to cool completely. Once cool invert on to a serving platter and dust with powdered sugar.

The best way to enjoy this is to refrigerate the Torte for a minimum of 3 hours and enjoy cold, dust with more powdered sugar if desired.

ENJOY!!!