It’s light, refreshing and so delish! If you’re hosting this weekend for Easter serve your guests this tasty drink!
Ingredients
• Cucumber (Chunks Seeded and Skinned)
• Basil Leaves
• 2 ounces Vodka
• 1/2 ounce Lime Juice
• 1/2 cup Simple Syrup
Instructions
1. Place chunks of cucumber (skinned and seeded), torn basil leaves and 1/2 oz of simple syrup in a cocktail shaker and muddle to release juice from cucumbers.
2. Add 2 oz. Vodka, 1/2 oz. lime juice and handful of ice to cocktail shaker, cover with lid and shake.
3. Pour into martini glass, garnish with basil and cucumber slice and serve.
Great for a healthy and refreshing lunch! I sometimes, double or triple it for an outdoor barbecue with friends and family. This is a festive south of the border twist on a traditional quinoa salad. It’s also great served with grilled sliced chicken tossed in.
INGREDIENTS
CUMIN-LIME VINAIGRETTE
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1-2 garlic cloves (minced or pressed)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
SALAD
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup shredded cooked chicken breast (optional)
1/2 red pepper, 1/4 inch diced
2 green onions, sliced (white and about 1/2 of the green part)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (plus a few sprigs for garnish)
1 avocado, thinly sliced (optional)
lime wedges for spritzing
salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
CUMIN LIME VINAIGRETTE
In a blender or food processor, combine all the dressing ingredients.
Blend until combined and smooth.
This recipe makes almost 1 cup of dressing so you will have extra. Leftover dressing stays great in the fridge for a few days! Store it in a sealed container.
SALAD
Cook the quinoa and allow to cool*
Add the chopped ingredients (and shredded chicken if including)
Drizzle with 2-4 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and toss. Taste and add a little more as you like.
Refrigerate the salad for 15-20 minutes if you can, as this allows the flavors to meld together.
Serve the salad on small plates or in bowls.
Top with the sliced avocados and fresh cilantro sprig.
Garnish with a lime wedge.
Enjoy!
* One cup of dry quinoa yields about three cups of cooked quinoa. I often make more than I need as it stores well in the fridge for several days and can be added to other recipes to add additional protein and fiber.
2-4 scoops SP Complete Vanilla or SP Complete Dairy Free 1 scoop whole food fiber (optional) 1 cup frozen cherries or berries 1/4 cup frozen cranberries* 1/4 inch ginger root (peeled) 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Yum!
Tip: fresh cranberries are only available in my area during the holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas) but they freeze really well. I stash a bag in my freezer when they come out and they are a perfect addition to this shake.
I recently started an herb garden. I love using fresh herbs in my cooking and my indoor AeroGarden allows me to have them year round. This simple egg dish can be whipped up in a jiffy and can be served for breakfast/brunch as well as an easy weeknight dinner with a salad. It’s healthy and bursting with fresh flavors. Enjoy!
Parsley and Chive Potato Frittata
Ingredients
2 medium potatoes cut into cubes (no skin)
1 Tbs olive oil
9 organic brown eggs
1/2 cup chopped chives
1 cup of green peas
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 package soft herbed cheese (I like Boursin)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Boil or bake potatoes until tender
Scramble the eggs in a bowl and add all the ingredients. Mix well.
Heat an oven-safe skillet (ie cast iron) on the stove over medium heat with 1-2 Tbs of olive oil.
Pour the mixture into the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 10 minutes in the pan. Place the pan in the oven for approx. 10-15 minutes more or until slightly brown on top. Allow it to rest before serving. Serves 4.
I love this tangy and refreshing soup in the summer! You can serve it as a light lunch or serve it as an appetizer at your next summer BBQ. This is my version of the recipe I recently found in The NY Times from Chef Brian Streeter at Cakebread Cellers. Here it is!
Serves 8 (or 12 if appetizer portions)
INGREDIENTS
1 lb tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped*
3 cups watermelon, cut in 1 inch cubes
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 large red pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 bulb fennel, coarsely chopped
1/4 – 1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped
2 T. Extra virgin Olive Oil
3 T sherry vinegar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 T finely diced watermelon (optional for garnish)
PROCESS
To make tomatoes easy to peel, fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Fill a separate bowl with cold water and a few ice cubes to create an ice bath while water boils. Make a small X with a sharp knife in the bottom of the tomatoes just enough to penetrate the skin. Gently place the tomatoes in the boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Remove the tomatoes from the pot and place in the ice bath. You can now easily peel the tomatoes. Next, seed and coarsely chopped them and place in a large bowl. Place all the other fruits and vegetables in the large bowl together.
In a blender, in batches, puree all the ingredients except the last two ingredients (salt and watermelon garnish). add a little bit of ice water (about 1 cup) to achieve a soup-like consistency. Season with salt, taste and add a little more vinegar if necessary. Chill Thoroughly.
Divide the soup among eight cold bowls or 12 small appetizer cups. Garnish each serving with a spoonful f diced watermelon. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil if desired and serve.
I recently went blueberry picking for the first time while visiting my sister and her family in VT over the summer. We stumbled upon the Organic Sunshine Valley Berry Farm right off the Vermont Route 100. They gave us a blue bucket and pointed us to the rows of blueberries just ripe and ready for picking.
You may not know this but blueberries have several health benefits along with being a tasty treat. They boost memory, support heart health and are a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and fiber. That little adventure to the Berry Farm inspired me to share one of my favorite pizza recipes that boasts beautiful and sweet blueberries. This savory pizza is oh so good! I often make it for special occasions during blueberry season because it both pretty and tasty. But don’t feel you have to reserve it for just special times – It’s easy, has just a handful of ingredients, and is delicious too.
Blueberry, Feta and Carmelized Onion Flatbread
INGREDIENTS
2naan flatbreads
1teaspoonolive oil
1cupthinly sliced red onion
kosher salt
pinchred pepper flakes
2tablespoonshoney
1/2cupricotta cheese
1/2cupfeta cheese, crumbled
1cupblueberries, rinsed and dried
micro greens or baby arugula
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the naan/flatbread on the baking sheet and lightly spray or brush with water. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium low heat. Add the onion and season with a pinch of salt to taste and red pepper flakes. Cook the onions until it is wilted, about 3-5 minutes and stir in the honey, and continue to cook a fe more minutes letting the onions caramelize. Remove from heat.
While the onions cook, stir the ricotta and feta cheese in a small bowl. Spread the ricotta mixture over the naan/flatbread, and top with the honey caramelized onions. Sprinkle the blueberries on top.
Place the naan pizzas into the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the blueberries are just about ready to burst, the cheese has softened, and the naan is toasted. Remove from oven, cut into squares or slices, sprinkle with arugula and enjoy immediately.
1/3 cupGreek yogurt or sour cream (low fat is fine)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Make the walnut topping: In a small bowl, toss the nuts with the honey and cinnamon until the nuts are evenly coated (the mixture will be sticky). Set aside.
For the Muffins: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and honey until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary. At medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated between additions. Add the mashed bananas, vanilla, and yogurt (or sour cream) and beat until blended (the batter will look grainy; that’s okay). Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until well blended.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin (the cups will be very full) and sprinkle evenly with the nut topping. Bake the muffins until the tops are golden and domed, 25 to 28 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Adapted from Once Upon a Chef’s Jennifer Segal
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 – 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.
These tasty protein-rich appetizers are delicious served fresh and hot from the oven but are also great served cooled, or after having chilled in the fridge. They also make a great on-the-go quick breakfast treat for those rushed mornings when made the night before.
Ingredients
1 12 oz. jar Trade Joe’s grilled marinated artichoke hearts, chopped (approx. 1 cup) -Don’t forget to reserve the liquid
3-4 green onions, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 eggs
8 crispy crackers, (I like Ritz toasted original crackers) crumbled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/4 cups of your favorite cheese, shredded (I use sharp cheddar cheese – approximately 8 oz.)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley plus a sprig for garnish
Directions
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Pour 1/4 cup of artichoke marinade into a skillet and set aside. Chop artichoke hearts into roughly 1/2-inch-sized pieces and set aside. Heat marinade in skillet and add onions and garlic. Sauté until onions are tender (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs until thoroughly beaten. Add crumbled crackers, salt and pepper, cheese, parsley, artichoke mixture and stir to combine. Pour mixture into a 8×8-inch baking pan prepared with nonstick cooking spray). Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until set and very slightly browned on top. Allow to cool in pan, then cut into 16 bite-size squares.
My friend Andrea shared this recipe with me years ago. I made it this holiday as part of Christmas brunch. It looks so festive and is tasty and refreshing too.
Holiday Brunch Grapefruit Salad
2 white grapefruit
2 pink grapefruit
6 navel oranges
½ cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup sugar
dried cranberries or pomagranate seeds
Directions:
1. Peel and cut between membranes of citrus to remove sections. You can do this the night before.
2. Cut the mint leaves with kitchen scissors into thin strips.
3. Mix the mint in with the sugar and add pomegranate seeds or cranberries.
4. Sprinkle over the fruit and stir lightly.
Enjoy!
Psst! I sometimes cheat and buy the fresh citrus already peeled, cut and sweetened. Del Monte markets it in a glass jar that can be found in the refrigerator section of most grocery stores.
Banana Honey-Nut Muffins
Don't Forget the Secret Ingredient 
