Spinach salad with strawberries

This is my second-favorite salad of all time, a close second to quinoa and spinach salad -- and no surprise there, since they contain many of the same ingredients.

I think a big part of what keeps this one at the top of my list over other green salads is that I only buy strawberries when they're in season. (My test for whether they're good and ripe? If there's a box of them at table height and I can smell them when standing over them, they're good!) And since here in Kansas, good strawberries are only available April through June, this salad is a rare treat.

(SO jealous of my niece who lives in California, and can get amazing ripened-in-the-field strawberries year-round!)

It's good with or without chicken, and all ingredients can be adjusted to your taste.

Recipe: Spinach salad with strawberries

For each individual salad:
2.5 oz. baby spinach (or thereabouts)
sliced fresh strawberries, to your taste (maybe 1/2 a cup?)
1 - 3 T. feta cheese, seasoned or plain
red onion, sliced thin; amount to taste
1.4 c. pecan halves (or to taste)
half of a seasoned, cooked chicken breast (about 3 oz.) - optional
balsamic vinaigrette or onion poppyseed dressing, to taste

Combine all ingredients; toss; enjoy!
----------------
Nutrition info, according to myfitnesspal.com:
Calories: 444
Carbs: 17
Fat: 32
Protein: 24
Sodium:  780
Sugar: 9

Lime cheesecake stuffed strawberries

This is something I've been meaning to try for a long time, and now that strawberries are starting to be in season, it's time!

They're easy, they're delicious little bites, and yes, they are low carb! Yes, there are some carbs in strawberries, but berries are pretty low on the glycemic index, as far as fruit goes, and one serving has 149% of your daily dose of vitamin C! The "crust" is also low carb and gluten free: it's nothing more than ground pecans.

To start, make a batch of my no-bake lemon or lime cheesecake, and the pecan crust. Recipe here. Since these won't have sweetened whipped cream on top, you might want to make the filling a little sweeter than you would for the shooters. Add maybe one or two extra packets of sweetener. Put the filling in the fridge to chill while you go to work on the strawberries.

I used a paring knife, but if you have a strawberry huller, you could use that. (I used to have one, but got rid of it the day I discovered that it was just the right size to firmly lodge itself crossways in my garbage disposal. And I mean firmly.)

First I just cut out the leaves and upper core as I normally would to prep them for shortcake. Then I go back in with the paring knife and cut out most of the white-ish core, working out a little larger hole in the top. Then I use an ice tea spoon (because it's narrower) and just stuff some of the filling in the cavity, then heap it up on top a smidge and smooth it out a little. Don't worry about making the perfect swirl; the crust will cover it up.

Then just dip them in the pecan crumbs, and you're done! You can cover and refrigerate them if you like. The filling will start to melt and drip the warmer it gets, so if you're serving them later, do chill them right up until serving time.

Ah, spring!

Recipe roundup: one dozen delish dessert shots

Tiramisu, from SprinkleBakes.

Coconut-Lime, from Lauren's Latest.

Strawberry shortcake, via Lucy Dylan Weddings.

Peanut-butter chocolate, from TheFamilyKitchen.

(I think I'd put a mini Reese's cup on top.)

Pots de creme a l'orange, by Pioneer Woman.

No-bake raspberry cheesecake, from My Baking Addiction.

I've made this, but subbed homemade whipped cream for the stuff in a tub. It rocks!

Lemon-berry trifle, via Tasty Kitchen.

Lemon meringue, from Honest Cooking.

Key lime, from bloomingdesign.

Carrot cake, photo by Delicious Desserts on Flickr.

(No recipe, but it looks like it's just carrot cake and cream cheese frosting, layered.)

I'm thinking this blackberry cobbler from MyRecipes could be adapted.

Coffee panna cotta, from Oh, that's tasty!

Just pour into shot glasses after stirring and cooling.

25 Super Bowl Recipes, Part 5: Sweet Treats

Today, we wrap up our Super Bowl recipe round-up.

Yesterday, we were so healthy, goin' all low carb! Today's list is a bit naughtier: it's all about the sweet stuff!

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips, via Relish.  Still sorta healthy, what with all that fruit. Unlike our next contestant...

Homemade Chocoate Pop-Tarts and Nutella Pop-Tarts. Oh dear, I think you could blow any diet just by looking at these!    

No-Bake Cheesecakes -- This page includes a link to the original from My Baking Addiction, as well as three variations from me. These are especially cute served in little Mason jars. Plus so portable!

Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries from The Sweets Life. Strawberries are low-glycemic and loaded with potassium, so if you make this with a sweetener other than refined sugar, these are actually pretty healthy. So you can feel all virtuous as you pig out on them!

If you've just gotta have something themey, here you go: Football Filbert Cookies from Food.com