cucumber salad

Crispy.  Tangy.  Refreshing.  That's how I would describe this salad.  It's quick and easy, and I think it's almost better the second day, or after it's sat in the fridge for a while and all the flavors have blended, making it even more tasty.

sesame cucumber salad

Ingredients:

1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

2 T chopped cilantro

1 T rice vinegar

2 tsp lime juice

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp canola oil

1 tsp sesame seeds

1/2 tsp agave nectar or sugar

salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Make the dressing by combining the rice vinegar through the agave nectar.  Whisk until combined and set aside.  

Thinly slice the cucumbers with a mandoline.  Add chopped onion, jalapeno, and cilantro.  Pour dressing over cucumbers and stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Serves 3-4

* A modification of this recipe.

quinoa patties

I found this recipe on pinterest and decided it would be a fun new way to eat quinoa.  With just a few modifications and a quick beet salad to go with the patties, we had ourselves a simple and yummy meal.  I will say that these were definitely best right after they were made and were just ok as leftovers.

quinoa patties with beet salad

Quinoa patties:

3 c. cooked quinoa (1 c. dry)

3 eggs

3/4 c. breadcrumbs

1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese

1/4 c. chopped basil

2 T chopped parsley

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp paprika

fresh ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and stir until mixed.  Heat 2 T canola oil in saute pan at medium heat.  Once hot, place large spoonfuls of quinoa in oil (oil should sizzle).  I didn't worry about molding the quinoa mixture in my hands at all before putting it in the pan, just pressed the spoonful of quinoa into a 2" round patty.  If your oil is hot and it starts cooking right away, it will keep the patty together.

Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.  Remove and place on a plate covered with paper towel to absorb extra oil.  Sprinkle with more shredded parmesan cheese and a little more salt & freshly ground black pepper. 

Add more oil to the pan and cook more patties, until quinoa mixture is gone.

Makes about 15 patties.  Since they're small, I would figure 3-4/person.

Beet salad:

1 c. chopped beets (can either roast yourself, or just go with the canned version :)) *

1/2 c. corn

drizzle of olive oil

drizzle of balsamic vinegar

salt & pepper

To serve, place a few patties over a bed of spinach or arugula and top with beet salad and a little chopped basil.  Drizzle with a little more olive oil or balsamic vinegar if desired.

* if beets aren't your thing, tomatoes would be a good substitute

comfort food

So I'm not one that's big on comfort foods - secret's out (or maybe that never was a secret).  I like things fresh and light for the most part, but there are few comfort dishes I remember as childhood favorites that still have a special place in my heart... one of those being layered taco casserole.  Not sure if that's the real name of it, but that's what I call it.  Although I don't love the thought of calling anything I eat a casserole.  It just has a negative connotation in my mind and brings thoughts of a pile of food that's too cheesy, buttery, and gooey to be healthy or delicious.  

But this casserole is different.  Taco shells layered with meat, veggies, and cheeses bakes into one big pile of mexican goodness.  It's not the prettiest meal, but it's tasty.

Now this recipe isn't picky and there's not real science or exact amounts to it.  You can make the layers as simple (taco meat and cheese), or as complex as you like.  You could also make it a no-meat meal and use only black beans and veggies.  I tend to use whatever I have on hand and use up as many things in my fridge as possible!  And if have extra of the meat/veggie filling, you can just save it in the fridge or freezer for another mexican dish (like tortilla soup... one of the few good things about winter).          

taco casserole

Filling:

1/2 lb. cooked meat (ground beef or pork, chicken)

1 zucchini, cut into small pieces

1 small onion, diced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can diced green chilies

1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 c. corn

1/2 c. salsa

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cayenne powder (optional)

Saute the onion with a little olive oil for 2-3 minutes.  Add zucchini and seasonings (cumin through cayenne) and cook a few more minutes until zucchini softens a little but is still firm.  Add remaining ingredients (including meat) and simmer for 3-5 minutes.  Add more seasonings or salt if needed.

Pour a little salsa in the bottom of a baking dish so the tortillas do not stick.  Add a flour tortilla* and cover with about 1/2 c. of the filling (I just do a thin layer) and sprinkle with a handful of shredded cheddar cheese.  Keep layering tortillas and filling until your baking dish is full (I usually use a little more cheese on the last layer).  I believe I can usually get about 6 tortillas in a tall round baking dish.  

Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes or until the edges are browned and the cheese is melted.  Serve with toppings - sour cream, guacamole, taco sauce, salsa, cilantro, lettuce...

Serves 6-8.

* this is also good with corn tortillas, just bake in a smaller dish

crostini

Dinner last night... kebabs (a summer favorite!), corn on the cob (it was the 4th, afterall), and a tasty variety of crostini.  I had made roasted grapes last week to go over tilapia (which was a new creation and very good - the sweetness of the grapes paired well with the tilapia), and also had sundried tomato jam leftover in the fridge, making these crostini pretty easy to make.  If you had to start from scratch and make the roasted grapes or other toppings, you could go with just one kind to keep things simple.  Multiple kinds would be a good option for hosting...

roasted grape, tomato.basil, and sundried tomato.onion crostini

Roasted grape crostini:

grapes (as many as you'd like)

olive oil

salt & pepper

goat cheese

multi-grain baguette

Drizzle grapes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast at 400 for 10-15 minutes until they have started to "pop" and are tender and juicy.

Bake thin slices of a multi-grain bageutte at 400 (could bake while the grapes are roasting) for about 10 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden brown.  Top with roasted grapes and crumbled goat cheese.  Bake for another 3-5 minutes until goat cheese has softened. 

Basil tomato crostini:

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 T basil pesto

1 clove minced garlic

drizzle of balsamic vinegar (about 1-2 tsp)

shredded or grated parmesan cheese

multi-grain baguette

*this was enough tomatoes for 4-5 slices of bread

 Top thin slices of a multi-grain bageutte with parmesan cheese and bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes until crispy and golden brown.  While the bread bakes, combine diced tomatoes with pesto, garlic and vinegar.  Once the bread has baked, top with tomatoes and enjoy!

Sundried tomato crostini:

sundried tomato jam **

goat cheese

multi-grain baguette

Bake thin slices of a multi-grain bageutte at 400 for about 10 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden brown.  Top with sundried tomato jam and crumbled goat cheese.  Bake for another 3-5 minutes until goat cheese has softened. 

** recipe here - my modifications were 1/2 the sugar, spicy oregano instead of thyme (thyme is good too, just didn't have any), no extra olive oil (just used the oil from the sundried tomatoes) and a handful of pine nuts after it was done cooking.  You can also use all water if you do not have chicken broth on hand.