This meal is super easy and very refreshing in the summer.  This curried chicken salad is best served with additional fruit (as shown here with blackberries, raspberries and cantaloupe) and the goat cheese shown is a nice accompaniment.

Curried Chicken Salad

Grilled Chicken, diced

Hellman’s Canola Mayo (half the calories and tastes great)

Cold Red Seedless Grapes, sliced

Dried Cranberries

Sliced Roasted Almonds

Curry Powder

Turmeric

Add a generous amount of curry powder and several shakes of turmeric to the mayo and blend well.  Add the chicken, cranberries, and sliced grapes.  Add almonds at last minute and serve.

Here is an easy and inexpensive soup recipe that works well for liveaboards and cruisers.  You can pair this with a salad that includes protein.

1  large Spanish onion

olive oil

2 large cans pureed pumpkin

3 tbs. sugar (you can substitute splenda)

1 tsp. cinnamon

.5 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. nutmeg

1-2 tbs. cream

Mince the onion and saute in olive oil until translucent.  Add the pumpkin, sugar and spices and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes (do not boil).  Transfer to food processor or blender and process until smooth.  Return to pot and cook for 30 minutes on low heat.  Add the cream and heat over very low heat for 10 more minutes.   You can adjust the ratio of sugar, spice and cream to taste.

This rich baked vegetable casserole is a favorite for holidays and special meals.  It is best paired with a plain main dish like grilled chicken or roasted turkey.  Easy to make ahead and pop in the oven when ready to cook.

SWISS VEGETABLE MEDLEY

1 (16 oz.) bag frozen broccoli, carrots & cauliflower combination, thawed and drained ( I like the Italian mix)
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup (can use lite soup)
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1/3 cup sour cream (can use lite)
1/4 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 (2.8 oz.) French Fried Onions, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine thawed and drained vegetables, soup, 1/2 cup cheese, sour cream, pepper, and 1/2 can French Fried Onions. Pour into a 1-quart casserole.

Bake, covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Top with remaining cheese and onions; bake, uncovered 15 minutes longer.

Recipe can be doubled in larger baking pan.

Whole meal salads are great on the boat.  They are easy to make and easy to clean up.  You can enjoy the sunshine and sunsets without slaving in the galley.

Ingredients:

• Boiled large shrimp (you can cut in half or thirds depending on size)
• Diced orange pepper
• Snow peas or sugar snap peas sliced in bite size pieces
• Baby spinach
• Sliced baby cucumbers
• Steamed broccoli
• Sliced mushrooms
• Toasted sliced almonds

Mix all ingredients with sesame ginger dressing (Marie’s is good).  For variations, you can substitute grilled chicken for the shrimp.  You can also add steamed string beans and/or mandarin oranges.

A favorite recipe:

3 tablespoons minced garlic

2 very large Spanish onions diced

1 yellow pepper cut in small pieces

1 orange pepper cut in small pieces

3 sliced zucchini

3 sliced yellow squash

3 eggplants peeled and cut in small pieces

1 lb. sliced mushrooms

3 large cans chopped tomatoes in puree

1/2 jar basil, crushed

1 tbs. garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

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Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil till soft.  Add the pepper and continue to saute for a few minutes, then the zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant.  Saute a few more minutes and then add the mushrooms.  Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil, garlic powder.  Add some sugar to cut the acidity of the tomatoes.  Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, then low heat stirring occasionally for 1 hour or more.

Serve piping hot sprinkled with shredded Parmesan cheese over pasta or brown rice.

What is great about this recipe is that it is easy to make, inexpensive, healthy, and delicious.  Make a very large batch since this freezes and reheats well. If you can’t take the time to make this at the boat, this is a great recipe to make at home, freeze and then transport to the boat.

You have been relaxing in the sun and enjoying the slow river pace, but then it is time for your afternoon workout.  What should you do to revive your sluggish body?  After trying the free sample Lance Armstrong promoted FRS products, it was an easy answer for us.  River Girl is hooked on the 10 calorie powdered drink mix (shake it up in an ice cold bottle of water),  Captain FixIt really likes the Chews before his run.  Instead of a jolt that you get from coffee, you get some continued energy from the FRS, and everything we read about it seems like it is great nutritionally.  The key ingredient in FRS is Quercetin, which is a natural antioxidant found in the skins of apples, blueberries, and onions.

Click here to get a free 2 week supply that includes the drink powder, drink concentrate, drinks in cans, and chews.  Be sure to let us know if you like them.

Ingredients

• Baby arugula and baby spinach or other spring mix
• 2 grilled chicken breasts in bite sized pieces
• 1 Fuji or Gala apple sliced extremely thin
• Crumbly blue cheese
• Sliced mushrooms
• Sliced baby cucumbers
• Dried cranberries
• Sliced roasted almonds

Mix all the above ingredients except for almonds.  Toss with Raspberry vinaigrette and add almonds just before serving.  I actually add some vanilla extract and a little bit of splenda to my dressing so it brings out the flavors of the salad better.

Variations:

• Substitute  yellow peppers for cucumbers or mushrooms, or just add in addition to other veggies
• Add 1/2 pint blueberries or raspberries
• Substitute crisp asian pear or bosc pear for the apple
• Substitute strawberry chardonnay vinaigrette for dressing

We are always looking for easy solutions on the boat since we don’t want to spend our time in the galley when we can be enjoying the scenery and our friends.  This dessert works for company, is healthy, and most of the ingredients are staples that you can have aboard.

Ingredients

16 oz. vanilla yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla

Honey to taste

1 large can mandarin oranges DRAINED

2  – 3 ripe sliced bananas

1/4 cup TOASTED wheat germ

Combine the first 3 ingredients in bowl.  Toss in the bananas and mandarin oranges (be sure to drain first). Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour or start with cold ingredients. Stir in the wheat germ immediately before serving.

I once served this to a teenager who told me afterward that he would never eat yogurt or wheat germ – he thought this was gourmet pudding and had seconds!

We will share ideas for recipes, entertaining,  and provisioning the boat for cruising.  Please share your favorite ideas.