Quinoa Fruit Salad

1 cup quinoa (I used Red Quinoa) ** (what can be used for a substitut for Quinoa--Small grained rice or couscous are close)
2 cups water
Pinch of salt

For the Honey Lime Dressing:

Juice of 1 large lime
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

For the fruit:

1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1 1/2 cups chopped mango
Extra chopped mint, for garnish-optional
Directions:

1. Using a strainer, rinse the quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa, water, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Let quinoa cool to room temperature.

2. To make the Honey Lime Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk the lime juice, honey, and mint together until combined.

3. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, blueberries, strawberries, and mango. Pour honey lime dressing over the fruit salad and mix until well combined. Garnish with additional mint, if desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Note-Use your favorite fruit in this salad. Blackberries, peaches, kiwi, raspberries, pineapple, grapes, etc. are great options!

Chocolate Fruit Dip.

Ingredients

•1-1/2 cups plain yogurt
•2 tablespoons fat-free milk
•10 miniature marshmallows
•2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
•Assorted fresh fruit

Directions
•Line a strainer with four layers of cheesecloth or one coffee filter and place over a bowl. Place yogurt in prepared strainer; cover yogurt with edges of cheesecloth. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
• In a small heavy saucepan, combine the milk, marshmallows and chocolate chips. Cook and stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Transfer to a small bowl; cool to room temperature.
• Remove yogurt from cheesecloth and discard liquid from bowl. Gradually stir yogurt into milk mixture. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with fruit. Yield: 1 cup.

Nutritional Facts 1/4 cup (calculated without fruit) equals 88 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 12 mg cholesterol, 47 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 4 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fat, 1/2 starch.

Crispy Cheese Stars

Turn tortillas into a stellar snack with this easy recipe. You'll need 2 star-shaped cookie cutters, one slightly smaller than the other (ours measured 4 and 2 1/4 inches between opposite points).

Ingredients

• Flour tortillas
• Sliced cheese (cheddar, provolone, or mozzarella)
• Chili powder or paprika

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 350º. Use the larger cookie cutter to cut out stars from flour tortillas (about 5 per 10-inch tortilla). It's easy for kids to do if you use a rolling pin to roll back and forth over the cutter. Bake the stars on a foil-covered cookie sheet for 5 minutes.
• Use the smaller cookie cutter to cut out an equal number of cheese stars from the sliced cheese and place them atop the tortilla ones. Bake the stars for 2 more minutes or so until the cheese melts.
• Sprinkle the stars with chili powder or paprika and let them cool before serving.

(Recipe and photo from familyfun.go.com)