I Can Make You Hot! (32 page)

Rich and Skinny Cauliflower Soup with Kale Chips

I adapted this recipe from one I found on the Internet. I wish I could tell you exactly where, but I can’t. This makes
a lot
of soup. It’s the meal that keeps on giving.

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

1 head cauliflower

1 quart water

1 chicken bouillon cube

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¹
/
₈
cup white wine

Fine sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, chopped

½ medium zucchini, cut into medium dice

4 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into medium dice

1 teaspoon saffron

Cayenne pepper

Kale chips, for garnish
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Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower. Coarsely chop the florets and reserve.

Heat the water in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the bouillon cube, olive oil, wine, salt to taste, and white pepper. When the water comes to a boil, add the garlic, cauliflower, onion, zucchini, and red potatoes. Add the saffron, reduce the heat, and simmer until all the vegetables are cooked through, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Season to taste with cayenne. Serve either chunky or pureed in a blender or with an immersion blender, and garnish with the kale chips.

my top shelf cooking with alcohol choices

I often use wine, vodka, beer, tequila, and other alcoholic beverages in my cooking because they give food a lot of flavor. And since the alcohol actually cooks off, you don’t have to worry about overindulging.

Kelly Green Salad

I have this salad at least twice a week and, honestly, I wish I could have it twice a day. It’s filled with iron and tons of mint, and it just happens to be my favorite color.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

4 cups fresh baby arugula, washed and spun dry

½ cup slivered almonds

¼ cup cooked chickpeas, or rinsed and drained canned chickpeas

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced

Crispy kale chips, for garnish

½ lime

Combine the arugula, almonds, and chickpeas in a bowl and toss with the oil. Add the avocado, distribute the kale chips on top, and squeeze fresh lime juice to taste overall.

to make any salad greener

Add some fresh cilantro, mint, basil, parsley, lemon thyme, or tarragon.

Supermodel Salad

This is great for
the 3-Day Supermodel Diet
but I suggest you try it any time.

MAKES 1 SERVING

For the Dressing

½ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons agave nectar (see
footnote
)

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad

3 grilled shrimp

½ cup diced watermelon

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

To prepare the dressing: Combine the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.

To serve: Arrange the shrimp, watermelon, and celery on the spinach leaves on a salad plate and drizzle with the dressing.

Kelly Beet Salad

I love beets and I love using them in a salad. Not only are they delicious, but beets are rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, and are high in potassium, which helps to lower your heart rate and counteract the detrimental effects of sodium. This salad goes really well with a grilled chicken breast and looks great on the plate.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

One 14.5-ounce package cryovaced cooked beets

½ cup shelled walnuts

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup dehydrated cranberries

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Drain the beets and put them in a salad bowl. Add the nuts, feta, and cranberries and toss to combine. Add the olive oil and toss to coat all the ingredients. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

If You Like Piña Coladas Salad

Stick a paper umbrella in this salad and you’ll think you’re at a Hawaiian luau! If you crave something sweet, this is a great salad to have on the 3-Day Supermodel Diet.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

4 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and spun dry

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, poached or grilled (about 6 ounces each)

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks

½ cup sliced fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon dehydrated banana chips

1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut

4 lemon or lime wedges

Divide the spinach evenly among four large salad plates. Cut the chicken into cubes and distribute on top of the spinach. Add the pineapple chunks and sliced strawberries and banana chips and sprinkle with the coconut. Serve each salad with a lemon or lime wedge—no dressing necessary for this sweet treat.

VARIATIONS
: I like my piña colada salad with dehydrated pineapple for more concentrated flavor, but my girls prefer the sweetness of the fresh fruit.

You can substitute 12 jumbo shrimp (3 per salad) for the chicken in this recipe, if you wish.

Watermelon Salad

This is delicious and refreshing to serve as a side dish with chicken or shrimp.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

4 cups watermelon chunks, seeds removed

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons good-quality balsamic vinegar

Combine all of the ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss well. Refrigerate for up to 1 hour until ready to serve.

wacky watermelon

This is great for a Fourth of July picnic or a summer cocktail party or dessert. Just be sure the kids don’t get into the “grown-up” watermelon.

Cut one or more “plugs” in a whole watermelon and fill the holes with vodka. Refrigerate up to 1 hour until ready to serve, or freeze it for spiked watermelon ices. This will serve a large crowd because it should be consumed with caution (and not by designated drivers).

Christmas Salad

Now you can fill your plate with Christmas colors any time of year. You can also top this salad with baked salmon if you like; it just won’t be quite as festive.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

4 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and spun dry

6 fresh, ripe strawberries, sliced

½ cup candied almonds

4 ounces freshly roasted white meat turkey, sliced

Vinaigrette dressing of your choice or use the
Supermodel Salad dressing

Distribute the spinach equally among four large salad plates. Top with the strawberries, almonds, and turkey. Serve the dressing on the side and use it sparingly. You don’t want to drown your salad in dressing or yourself in unnecessary calories.

Ivy League Chopped Salad

Season 5 of the
Real Housewives of New York City
was all about the blondes versus the brunettes, but when we were in L.A. for the Bravo Upfront awards, both groups went to The Ivy. Nobody was getting along on TV, but everybody loves great food.

I was introduced to The Ivy on my first visit to Los Angeles when I was sixteen. It’s always been famous for its star-studded clientele and is one of the prime spots for paparazzi and people-watching.
^*
You may not know this about me, but I’m a huge star-stalker. (Well, not exactly a stalker. I don’t chase people with a camera.) On that first visit to The Ivy, I hit the jackpot. Not only did I get to gawk at a roomful of famous people but also I was introduced to their amazing chopped salad, and for once I was able to people-watch to my heart’s content without having to worry about stuffing huge leaves of lettuce into my mouth. This is my slimmed-down version of the salad I had that day.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 head romaine lettuce

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 4 ounces each), grilled or poached

½ cup drained canned corn kernels

1 ripe but firm avocado

Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Vinaigrette dressing of your choice

Tear up the romaine lettuce leaves into bite-size pieces and put them in a large mixing bowl.

Cut up the chicken into bite-size pieces and add it, and the corn, to the bowl. Peel, pit, and slice the avocado and add it to the bowl. Gently toss all the ingredients and transfer to four salad plates. Garnish each plate with cilantro leaves and serve the dressing on the side.

Hot salad tips

There are so many different types of lettuces available today. Try different ones to see which you like best.

Whenever you have a salad with spinach, try adding a few fresh chopped mint leaves. I particularly love spinach salad with mint, baby orange slices, and almonds. Mint and spinach are an awesome combination.

Be sure your greens are fresh—not limp.