Happy 4th of July! Our neighborhood has been in full-fledged celebration since Friday, every night around 9pm various fireworks displays have been going off from each of our neighbors yards. And lets not discount those sparklers – they seem to have come a long way from what I remember as a kid! If only our little pooch were as entertained – am hoping by Monday she’ll be all barked out.
continue reading ‘Roast Corn Salad with Roasted Red Pepper and Bacon’
Posted in Corn, Low-Fat, New American, Side Dish, Summer, Vegetarian
Tagged summer bbq, Summer Vegetables
Ah, the age-old question of the season: what to bring to a summer pot-luck bbq? You want something that will travel well. Something that can be served at room temperature. And something that isn’t too time-consuming to prepare – I mean, you’re still the guest after all! I found myself in this predicament this past weekend, musing over what to contribute to my in-laws Father’s Day BBQ.
If you’re hosting a bbq or other summertime gathering of hungry folks, add this mango salsa to the menu and your guests will rave. This simple throw-it-together salsa is so fantastic and versatile I already can’t wait to make it again. It wakes up simply grilled meats, makes burgers sing and begs to be double-dipped into by tortilla chips. Serve alongside a roasted tomato salsa and some fresh guacamole and you’ve got yourself a nifty chip n’ dip bar. I used this mango salsa as a topping for lime-marinated pork tenderloin, served with coconut rice and black beans for a Latin-inspired meal. Like the harissa sauce I posted about earlier in the spring, you’ll run out of summer days before you will uses for this delicious stuff.
Posted in Gluten-Free, Low-Fat, Sauces and Condiments, Summer, Vegetarian
Tagged Chiles, Citrus, Fruit Salsa
I was at my local farmer’s market this week and pledged to get there more often. Stalls were abound with fresh-harvested lettuces and micro-greens, many just picked that morning. Pints of organic strawberries, fresh baked breads, cheeses, and local artisans selling their wares from soaps to flowering plants to music were among the other delights. After all the much-encouraged sampling, I was almost too full to pick up lunch. Almost. Until I hit the Calcutta Kitchens stall, where I sampled the coriander coconut simmer sauce, fresh makhani simmer sauce and spiced chickpeas. You might think Indian food is too heavy for summer but these sauces were light, garden-fresh and perfectly spiced. I came away with a pint of the spiced chickpeas and upon devouring them with some nice crusty bread was soon wishing I’d stocked up on more.
continue reading ‘Roasted Summer Squash and Cherry Tomato Pasta’
Posted in Pasta, Summer, Vegetarian
I love Mediterranean flavors, especially in summer. Briney kalamata olives, fresh roasted bell peppers, and an herby yogurt-based feta pesto bring out the best of Greek meets Italian in this pasta. And the pesto is one of those let-your-food-processor-do-all-the-work sauces — no cooking required.
What’s great here is the versatility of this pesto. Cutting down on carbs? The pesto would be fantastic spooned over grilled chicken or salmon. Need a little more protein? Add simply grilled chicken or shrimp to the finished dish. Keeping things light? Use low-fat yogurt in the pesto. Take it over the top by sprinkling on some lightly toasted pine nuts if you want.
I’ve added another celebrity chef to my foodie-crush list – Rick Bayless. I embarrassingly must admit my tendency toward having Food Network tunnel vision left me in the dark when it came to this Mexican foodie genius. While I was busy pouring over Mario’s and Giada’s and Lidia’s latest, I’d been remiss in even watching this guy win Bravo’s Top Chef Masters! It if weren’t for my sister gifting me one of his books for my birthday, I’d have missed out on a summer full of inventive salsas, endless guacamole iterations and a sea of supremely stellar Mexican recipes.
Posted in Appetizer, Gluten-Free, Mexican, Tomatoes, Vegetarian
With our late spring weather-wise it was also a later spring produce-wise, I found. But finally strawberries, lettuces, leeks and of course the darling of spring, asparagus, are in full abundance now. Asparagus is very much a seasonal vegetable on my table. I make asparagus repeatedly throughout spring, and then rarely during the rest of the year. It’s just that good in spring.
And this recipe is particularly good. Reducing the juice of 2 oranges to just 3 Tbs really intensifies the orange flavor, which is further heightened with the orange zest. The citrusy dressing beautifully balances the asparagus, and the colors are just gorgeous on the plate. The original recipe has you crumble hard-boiled egg yolk over the final dish, to further enhance the color and because eggs and asparagus do so well together. I skipped this because I served this at dinner, but for brunch I’d absolutely include the egg.
Posted in Asparagus, French, Gluten-Free, Vegetables, Vegetarian
This potent Tunisian chili sauce is not for those who prefer their guacamole mild, if you get my drift. Harissa is a fiery, deeply flavored blend of dried chiles, roasted red pepper, garlic and toasted spices including cumin, coriander and caraway seeds.
This unique hot sauce has practically an infinite number of uses, basically whenever you feel the need to pack a flavor punch look to this stuff. Use it to spike your mayo for a killer sandwich spread, stir it into a pot of black bean soup as it simmers, or even use it thinned out as a pasta sauce. It’s fantastic as a marinade or topping for any grilled meats or burgers that may grace your grill this summer, perhaps replacing ordinary ketchup and mustard. You could try it stirred into greek yogurt as a dip for crudites or swirled into hummus served with flatbread. It’s fantastic stuff and you’ll be hard-pressed not to find countless ingenious uses for it, I guarantee.
Posted in Gluten-Free, Moroccan/North African, Vegetarian
Here’s simple spring side dish I know you’ll love. I combine bulgar wheat and lentils with cherry tomatoes, scallions, fresh lemon juice and tangy feta cheese. It’s light, bright, and pairs perfectly with simple panko-crusted fish or grilled chicken. It’s also wonderful over baby spinach for lunch.
There are certain dishes that just shout spring, and for me this is one of them. Abundant with garden-fresh spring veggies, this is both light and satisfying, and I make it at least once every spring. And finally, it seems the weather is catching up to my cooking – at least today it has!
I used asparagus, zucchini and peas here, but feel free to improvise. You could add morel mushrooms if you want – those honey-combed gems are only around for a few short weeks. Or you could swap in garlicky ramps for a burst of flavor. Or maybe some baby lettuces. But remember, less is often more and I like to limit the number of ‘mix-ins’ in any risotto to about three. A kitchen-sink risotto usually ends up tasting like a big jumbled mess.
Posted in Asparagus, Italian, Risotto, Vegetarian
