Picnic with Greek Beef Salad and Strawberry Dark Chocolate Shortcakes

Today's salad recipe was inspired by Laura's Lean Beef and shortcake recipe from California Strawberries.  Here's what I put together:

Greek Beef Salad
(Serves 2)

1/2 small Sirloin Tip Roast
1/4 cup Plain Yogurt
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1 tsp. Fresh Oregano
1 1/2 tsp. Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Marinate Beef in refrigerator for 1 hour.  Then cook in the crockpot on low for about 5 hours until tender.  I cooked in the marinade, then discarded marinade after cooking.  Slice meat with electric knife across the grain.

Vegetable Topping
1/4 cup Garbanzo Beans (I use the cooked, frozen no added salt version from Hanover)
6 Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
1 Green Onion
8 Grape Tomatoes, quartered
8 Cremini Mushrooms, sliced and cooked
2 Mini Sweet Peppers, diced
Mix together and store in container prior to assembly.  Occasionally turn and shake container to mix flavors.

Dressing
2 tsp. Olive Oil
2 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1/4 tsp. Mrs. Dash
1/2 tsp.  Fresh Oregano, snipped

Assembly
Fresh Salad Greens (some were from my container garden)
Sliced Beef
Snap Peas, cooked
Vegetable Topping
Pea Shoots
Gorganzola Cheese Crumbles

We ate ours with my "Dressed Up Cornbread".  Topping is 1 Tbsp. Diced Dried Apricots (plumped in microwave with water for 45 seconds), 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar and 1 Tbsp. Walnuts.  Topping is for 6 muffins.

Strawberry Dark Chocolate Shortcakes
(Serves 8)

2/3 cup Skim Milk
3 100% Cacao unsweetened Chocolate
1 tsp. Vanilla
Microwave milk and chocolate on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.  Stir in vanilla.  Cool.

3/4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
3 Tbsp. Sugar
1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1/4 cup Earth Blend Buttery Spread
Mix dry ingredients in food processor.  Add buttery spread.  Slowly add milk chocolate mixture.  Portion onto parchment lined baking sheet. (Mine made 13 small circles).  Baked at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Assembly
2 Tbsp. Yogurt
1 Brownie Shortcake, halved
Sliced Fresh Strawberries
2 Tbsp. Yogurt
Sliced Fresh Strawberries

Valley Falls State Park near Fairmont WV was another great place to picnic, then take a hike and pictures.

 

 

Next week it will be a red, white and blue picnic!