Summer Lunch (Sommar Lunch)

One of my favorite things to eat in the summer time is fresh tomatoes.  Today with the sun and heat, tomatoes sounded SO good.  So here is a quick little lunch I put together and I can make the boys a Hamburger and put this on top for them and they LOVE it.  Hope you enjoy it too!

Ingredients:

3 small fresh tomatoes, cut to desired size

1/2  Avocado, diced 

1/2 cup diced Mozzarella Cheese (Fresh)

1 Tablespoon minced fresh basil

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsly

1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar 

Top with more basil and Parsley flowers

Olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar used

Put First three ingredients in a bowl stir, add the rest of the ingredients and stir, top with basil and parsley if you have them from the garden! Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Grandma's Cucumber Salad (Gurksallad)... All Grown Up!

Here it is my... Grandma's Cucumber Salad, but all Grown up!  I decided to make the same easy recipe but put a healthy twist on it!  So, I sure hope you like this one.  Great for the summer and the Apple Cider Vinegar is so good for you and with so many health benefits.  I could sit and eat this whole container...but I won't!

Bragg's Apple Cider can be ordered on Tiffany's Therapy Store

1 Organic Cucumber sliced (Not Peeled)

1 cup Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 Tbs. Celtic Sea Salt

1/2 Tbs. freshly ground pepper

1 Sachet Stevia

1 Tbs. Freshly cut Parsley (Flowers of Parsley for decoration...Just me getting all cutesie) 

Slice cucumbers, place in dish, add remaining ingredients, stir, cover and place in refrigerator for about an hour...Then enjoy!  Fresh and easy!  I LOVE THAT:)

SIDE NOTE* There are a ton of uses for Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV).  Here are a few reasons to eat it for your internal benefits. It helps with weight loss, lower glucose levels, detox the body, promote healthy digestive system, boost energy, and regulate candida issues.  They say you should take 2 tablespoons daily.  The easy way to do this is by making salad dressing or eating it with your cucumbers like in the above recipe!  Boy... those Swedes are SO darn SMART:)  

Thanks Grandma for your wisdom...XOXO 

Lime Cucumber Wraps

Ah... the days of summer begin!  I like to eat light "clean" food in the summer.  One of my favorites are cucumbers!  For this particular recipe I used a English (or hothouse) cucumber because of its length and of course they were on sale last week.  Generally, English cucumbers are more on the expensive side and are sold in a shrink-wrap.  Cucumbers are "in season" from May through August so I was having fun coming up with some recipes this week using them.  I'm sure there will be more to follow!

Ingredients:


1  English (Hothouse) Cucumber, sliced thin lengthwise
1 small jicama, sliced 1/4 inch matchbox slices
1 tablespoon cilantro, diced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 fresh lime juice
4 slices deli, Dilusso Cracked pepper turkey (Optional, I put this in for the boys)
Extra lime wedges to serve
Extra salt and pepper to serve as well


Method:


1) Slice the English cucumber lengthwise in thin strips that are bendable (*Note: you will need a sharp knife for this).

2) In a bowl lightly toss the sliced jicama, cilantro, salt, pepper, sesame oil, and juice from 1/2 of a lime.

3) Layer cucumber slice, deli turkey (if using), then pile in a little of the jicama mixture.  Roll-up tightly and secure with a toothpick.  (I secured a slice of lime on top with the toothpick that was exposed).  

4) Drizzle any remaining juice left over from the Jicama mixture on top of the completed Cucumber Wraps and lightly salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!

Printable Version

Picturesque Antipasta...Antipasti...Antipasto

  The wonderful thing about Antipasto is how many ways one can say it... and make it.  In Minnesota we tend to say Antipasta, but technically that's not correct!  It should be pronounced with more of a emphasis of "O" on the end. As in "toe" or "oh".  OK... enough of that! 
  Basically, you can put any variety of cold or hot items on a tray and make up your very own!  This is what I did in this beautiful assortment pictured below!  I included marinated asparagus, marinated artichokes, Havarti cheese, black olives, gherkins, carrots, celery, hard boiled eggs, salami, green onions, ect.

Ingredients: (Approximate)


1 cup Carrots, cleaned and sliced
1 cup Celery, cleaned and sliced
1 cup Cucumbers, cleaned and sliced
1 container baby tomatoes
1 bunch green onions, cleaned
1 jar Marinated Asparagus
1 jar Marinated Artichokes
1 small jar Gherkins, (sweet pickles)
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
2 oz. Havarti cheese, sliced
1/4 pound, thick sliced salami
Your choice of herbs for decorating...I used french lavender!!

Method:

Choose a pretty plate and layer the vegetables and meats according to your liking.  

Tuna Boats

How gratifying it is to come up with unusual Appetizers!  This one is popular with adults however, I have to admit my oldest son thought they were incredible!  These are pleasurable to eat as well because you can cut them in half and eat them in smaller proportions without them being too messy. So proper!

2 cucumbers, cut lengthwise, seeds removed
1 7oz. can tuna, drained
2 hard boiled eggs
2 Tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (You could use regular, this is all I had)
2 Gherkin's (sweet pickles), diced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
Lemon slices to squeeze on top

Method

1) Cut cucumbers lengthwise and remove seeds.
2) Drain tuna place in a small bowl and add yolks of hard boiled eggs, reserving the egg whites for topping.  Also, add mayo (of your choice), chopped gherkin's and salt and pepper.
3) Stuff each cucumber with tuna mixture and top with chopped reserved egg whites.  Then lastly dust with chopped chives and add a slice of lemon to squeeze on top if desired.  Enjoy...These are so yummy!

Printable Version

Salami & Honey Ham on a Orange!

This is an easy appetizer I made up after remembering different quick appetizers my Grandmother would make at Easter.  Of course, I took this up a notch by adding fancy olives from an olive bar, found at an upscale local grocery store!  They were amazing and I only purchased the amount I was going to use for the appetizer!  I chose these because of there colors, they reminded me of colored Easter eggs!  I think these appetizers would be wonderful for any spring or summer party!  The extra bonus is by changing the type of olive you not only change the taste but you can change the look!

1/4 pound Salami Slices
1/4 pound Honey Ham in slices, rolled and cut into 2 pieces
18-20 olives, your choice
2 oranges, cut the peeling off allowing one side to be flat
Fresh Rosemary cut and dusted across the appetizer
1/4 box toothpicks

Method

Layer salami, orange, ham and top with olive, place on serving tray.  Repeat, until you finish enough to fill the tray, dust with rosemary and any other herb you desire and serve at once.  These could be made one day prior to using, just cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Tuna Spinach Wraps

I like to create recipes that have duel purposes!  It saves me time planning and executing meals throughout the busy week.  Yesterday, I made these appetizer tuna wraps using a large spinach leaf for each wrap and inserting a tablespoon of the tuna salad mixture.  The best part was the tuna mixture also doubled as dinner tonight in the form of tuna sandwiches for the boys!  

2 7oz cans of tuna.
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, diced
1/4 cup seedless kalamata olives, diced (Optional)
3/4 cup vegan light canola mayo
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch Fresh spinach (as large of leaves as you can find)

Method:

1) Mix tuna, bell pepper, onion, celery, parsley, olives, garlic, canola mayo, and salt and pepper to taste.
2) Take one tablespoon of mixture and place in a fresh spinach leaf, wrap and secure with toothpick!  Serve!

Printable Version

Guacamole

We all LOVE guacamole at our house.  Here is the quick recipe I use all the time, I hope you're able to enjoy this one someday soon!

2 avocados
2 teaspoons fresh lime
2 green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro
1/4 fresh tomato, chopped (optional)
Salt to taste

Method

1) Cut the avocados, remove pits, and scoop the flesh into a bowl.  Mash with a masher and add lime juice simultaneously.
2) Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well. 
3)  Taste and adjust seasoning.  ENJOY!

Printable Version

Cranberry Walnut Cheese Ball

This is so easy and yummy I just needed to share!  If you are going somewhere for New Years Eve bring this!  It's really good with any type of cracker...

1 8oz package of cream cheese

1/4 cup finely diced red pepper

1/4 cup finely diced green pepper

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoning salt

3/4 cup craisins

Method:

1) Mix together the cream cheese with red and green pepper, Lawry's seasoning, and 1/4 cup of the walnut's and the craisins.  Make into a ball shape.  Roll in the remaining walnuts to coat and serve!  Every easy and tasty! 

Pesto and Sun Dried Tomato Appetizer

Need a fast appetizer and not a lot of time to prepare? Well, here is one that is a real winner!  I have made this for years and it always is a crowd pleaser! 

Here is the appetizer in a pumpkin shape!

1 8oz container of cream cheese
3-4 tablespoons of basil (depends on how big your container is)
1/2 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes for a jar

Method

1) Use a container of your liking and place a layer of cream cheese on the bottom.
2) Next, spread a layer of pesto on top of the cream cheese.
3) Lastly, slice up sun dried tomatoes and place on top.
4) Serve with crackers (your choice of course)