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Grapefruit, Avocado & Kalamata Salad

Michael's Grapefruit, Avocado & Kalamata Salad ~ adapted from the Ron Paul Family Cookbook!

Jim and I recently had the great honor to have dinner with Dr. Ron Paul and his lovely wife, Carol, while they were in Philadelphia.  Two of the most humble, genuine and inspiring people we've ever met, they're the type of rare individuals who inspire greatness in everyone they touch.  I am a better person for knowing them as they're the epitome of excellent role models in every sense.

Carol Paul was kind enough to share a few of her favorite recipes from the Ron Paul Family Cookbook!  Of course, I've wasted no time delving into them.

Grapefruit, Avocado & Kalamata Salad is a gorgeous, refreshing salad perfect for a dinner party or a light summer lunch.  A delightful blend of suculent sweet grapefruit supremes, unctuous salty olives and luxuriously rich avacado all dressed up in olive oil & lime!

This beautiful salad now has an extra special place in the Porter Family Cookbook as well:)

Michael's Grapefruit, Avocado & Kalamata Salad ~ adapted from the Ron Paul Family Cookbook!

Michael's Grapefruit, Avocado & Kalamata Salad (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 2 ruby red grapefruit, peeled, deveined & supremed
• 2 ripe avocados, sliced
• juice of 1/2 lime or more to taste
• best quality extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• kalamata olives
• freshly cracked black pepper

Method: 

1. Lightly & gently drizzle the avocado slices with lime juice to prevent discoloring (being careful not to bruise the slices)
2. Arrange the grapefruit supremes and avocado sections on individual serving plates
3. Sprinkle several kalamata olives around the each plate.
4. Drizzle each plate with extra virgin olive oil
5. Finish each salad with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Please Enjoy!

Adapted from the Ron Paul Family Cookbook, original recipe by Sabrina Forbes, Seattle, WA

Michael's Grapefruit, Avocado & Kalamata Salad ~ adapted from the Ron Paul Family Cookbook

Question of the day:

Have you had the chance to meet any of your role models in person?

Who are/is your hero/s?

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Roasted Vegetable 3 Cheese Lasagna

Roasted Vegetable 3 Cheese Lasagna 

My goodness!  I'm not gonna lie... these pictures are making me famished!

I've been juggling a lot of hats lately so a dish like this smokey, savory Roasted Vegetable 3 Cheese Lasagna has been just the ticket.  

Easy to throw together.

Unbelievably delicious.

Healthy.

And, like most Italian food, it gets even yummier with time in the fridge which equals phenomenal, ready-to-go meals multiple days in a row!  Actually, that reminds me of one of Mom's wise observations; you know a recipe's a great one if the leftovers are delicous too:)  She's right.

Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetable 3 Cheese Lasagna

Roasted Vegetable 3 Cheese Lasagna Recipe (Serves 9)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 eggplants, diced
• 2 red peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 tablespoons high quality extra virgin olive oil
• Sea Salt to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 (9-ounce/15 sheet) box no-boil, whole wheat lasagna (there are delicious, whole wheat pasta options available now, pressed on copper plates in Italy)
• 2 cups your favorite marinara sauce
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded 
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450F.  Meantime, combine diced eggplant, peppers and onions with the olive oil & sea salt and fresh cracked pepper in a large bowl.  Spread the vegetables out onto a large baking sheet covered with foil (for easy cleanup).  Roast the vegetables until they are tender and just beginning to brown at the edges, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F.
2. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, minced garlic and parsley. Add sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.
3. Spoon 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking dish.  Place 5 lasagna sheets over the sauce, overlapping to fit.  Spread 1/2 cup of sauce over the sheets. Then spread half of the roasted vegetable mixture over the sauce. 
4. Repeat by layering another 5 lasagna sheets.  Spoon another 1/2 cup sauce over second layer then spread remaining roasted vegetables over the 2nd layer.
5. Layer the last 5 sheets of lasagna and top with 1 cup of sauce. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the sheets. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over ricotta mixture, then sprinkle the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on top.
6. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake lasagna for about 35 minutes. Uncover, then bake until hot and bubbly, about 15 more minutes.

Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetable 3 Cheese Lasagna

 

Question of the day...

What is your favorite "leftovers" recipe?

 

Roasted Vegetable 3 Cheese Lasagna

 

"Soul"

 

"Soul" - Why Does Ron Paul Inspire People?

Ron Paul 2012