As you’re heading off to a weekend filled with backyard barbecues and pool parties, consider this salad as a solution to the “bring a dish to share” conundrum. It’s light and refreshing, but somehow still manages to be substantial and filling. And when the temperatures soar, a cold noodle salad can really cool you off.

The Asian flavors in this one are familiar enough to be appealing even to children, but they’re still a nice change of pace from the typical barbecue fare. To make this a main dish, you might add some nuts or cooked shrimp but if you’re just looking for a great side dish, then look no further

Sesame Rice Noodle Salad

serves: 4

Ingredients:

8 oz. package brown rice noodles (angel hair found in Asian section)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup fish sauce

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2-3 limes)

2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

1 medium carrot, julienned

4 green onions, white and some green parts, thinly sliced

4 large leaves Boston or Bibb lettuce, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh mint, rough chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, rough chopped

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Cook brown rice noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and drain well.

2. In a small bowl combine water, fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. Whisk in toasted sesame oil.

3. Toss noodles with garlic, red pepper, green onions, lettuce, carrot, and fresh herbs.

4. Pour sauce over noodles and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Toss well to combine and serve.

Is it bleu cheese or blue cheese? It doesn’t really matter (and either is correct). With grilling season in full swing, these yummy “burgers” will keep you out of a barbecue rut.  There’s no need to limit yourself to ground beef  when there are so many other interesting things to put inside that bun!

As a starting point, try these! These grilled portobellos are topped with a sprinkling of bleu cheese, a pile of port-glazed caramelized onions and some fresh arugula and tomato. Each layer of flavor threatens to outdo the last. If you don’t care for cheese (or you’re limiting dairy) you can easily eliminate the cheese without sacrificing flavor!

Bleu Cheese Portobello Burgers

adapted from EatingWell May/June 201

serves 4

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed and caps wiped clean

3 cups thinly sliced red or sweet onion

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup ruby port*

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided

1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese (or goat cheese) – optional

4 whole-wheat hamburger buns

1 cup baby arugula (or baby spinach)

1 tomato

Directions:

1. Whisk 2 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, and garlic in a bowl. Brush over both sides of mushrooms and let stand for 30 minutes.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce to low heat and add water and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is browned and very soft, about 15 minutes.

3. Raise heat slightly and add port to onions and cook stirring occasionally until mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes more. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Remove from heat and cover.

4. Preheat grill to medium. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper over mushrooms. Grill, gill-side down, for 3-5 minutes. Turn over and top each with 2 tablespoons of cheese. Grill until the mushrooms are tender, another 3-4 minutes. Toast the buns in the last few minutes.

5. Divide the onions among the mushrooms. Place arugula and 1 slice of tomato on the bottom of the bun. Place the mushroom on top (cheese side-up) and top with bun.

*Note: Port is a Spanish/Portuguese wine that is much sweeter than most other red wines. For this reason port can en part a “sweetness” to a dish that a red table wine cannot. If you do not have port, an adequate substitute would be 1/4 cup dark red wine (Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz)and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar combined.

I have to admit that there are few snacks that make me happier than freshly made guacamole served with some really good tortilla chips. Pair that combo with a chilled glass of white wine and I am one happy lady. I have a favorite recipe that I whip up when I’m in the mood, but I recently had the chance to try this lighter version and it was terrific. Guacamole is an extremely healthy snack any way you make it, but since avocados are the primary ingredient, and since they are loaded with “good fat,” guacamole is not usually a low calorie snack.

In this recipe, by replacing some of the avocado with naturally nonfat cannellini beans, you can reduce the calories by 40%. That means that a 1/4 cup serving has just 3g fat and 65 calories.

Maybe this Sunday in the late afternoon, someone will make a batch of this, pour me a glass of wine, and send me out to the patio with a magazine to soak up some Mother’s Day sunshine…just sayin’.

Guiltless Guacamole

adapted from Good Housekeeping

Ingredients:

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 jalapeno, seeded

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup coarsely chopped sweet onion

salt

1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted

1-2 plum tomatoes

Directions:

1. Puree beans and 1 tablespoon lime juice in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl.

2. Place jalapeno, cilantro, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the processor. Pulse until finely chopped and thick.

3. Scoop avocado into the bowl with the beans. Mash with a fork until it is well blended, but there are still some chunks remaining.

4. Cut the tomatoes (1 or 2 depending upon your preference) in half crosswise. Squeeze the halves to remove the seeds and juice. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and place in bowl with avocado and bean mixture. Add the onion mixture to the bowl and mix until well combined. Add extra lime juice to taste.

5. Serve with baked tortilla chips or fresh-cut vegetables. (Or go crazy and have some traditional tortilla chips – you’re saving all those calories in the guacamole after all…)