Cauliflower Hummus

Cauliflower Hummus. Ok, so technically the name of this post goes totally against “hummus purism”… But bear with us for a minute.

Because here in the US pretty much any dip with tahini in it is labeled as hummus, AND Cauliflower Hummus sounds waaaay more appealing than “Mashed Cauliflower Dip” (yawn!), that’s what we’re going to call it. So we’re gonna compromise and use the word with quotation marks. Fair?

If you try this recipe, you’ll notice that this Cauliflower “Hummus” is anything but boring. We roasted the spice coated cauliflower to bring out its sweetness, and we blended it with tahini, lots of lemon juice and a touch of garlic (which you can skip all together or add more if you’d like!). To dress it up and to add a little pizazz, we drizzled pomegranate molasses and sprinkled some Dukkah on top. And of course, a touch of olive oil to bring all those flavors together.

The toppings are completely up to you! You can serve this “hummus” plain or add anything you want to it. You can eat it as a dip, or use it as a replacement for mayo on sandwiches or salads. And for all of you Paleo lovers (or carb-phobs) out there, this dip is ideal!

Cauliflower Hummus

Prep time: 10 mins  | Cook time: 25 mins | Total time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

• 24oz cauliflower florets
• 3 tsp olive oil
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup tahini (you can use more or less to taste)
• ¼-1/3 cup lemon juice (SEE NOTE)
• 1 small clove of garlic
• Salt to taste
• Garnishes:
• Pomegranate molasses
• Olive oil
• Dukkah

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
2. In a large bowl, combine cauliflower florets, olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder, cumin and salt. Toss well so the florets are well coated. Transfer to the lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes until tender. Let them cool slightly
3. Combine roasted cauliflower, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a food processor and pulse until creamy and smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve
4. Top with your favorite garnishes

 

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Vegan Gluten Free Chickpea Tacos

Even meat eaters will absolutely love these Vegan Gluten Free Chickpea Tacos ! A great addition to everyone’s taco recipe repertoire

Happy Cinco de Mayo! It is May 5th, right? We had to double check, since we haven’t seen the sun in over a week and we’re still wearing coats over here! So instead of frozen margaritas by the pool, it feels more like hot toddies by the fire place…

But we’re not gonna let Mother Nature (literally) rain on our parade. We’ve got tacos over here. Bright, colorful, finger licking, vegan gluten free chickpea tacos to brighten our day. Loaded with cilantro and warming spices, creamy avocado, sweet corn and juicy tomatoes. All wrapped in a corn tortilla and topped with a garlicky coconut milk yogurt cilantro sauce. Add a couple (or ten) of squirts of sriracha or green dragon hot sauce to make it even better and done. You got all you need to kick the May winter blues to the curb, where they belong.

Vegan Gluten Free Chickpea Tacos

Prep time: 20 mins  | Cook time: 5 mins | Total time: 25 mins

Ingredients: 

• 2-15.5 oz can organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp salt or to taste
• 1 cup fresh chopped cilantro ( set aside 2 tsp for the yogurt sauce)
• 24 grape tomatoes sliced in half
• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
• 2 avocado, diced ( squeeze some lemon or lime on it to keep it from turning brown)
• 1¼ cups corn kernels ( you can use fresh or frozen)
• 6 corn tortillas
• Sriracha sauce to taste (optional)
• Green Dragon Hot Sauce (optional)
• COCONUT YOGURT SAUCE
• ½ cup So Delicious Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk
• ⅛ - ¼ tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp fresh squeezed lime juice

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add chickpeas, smoked and sweet paprika, cumin and salt. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring often so the chickpeas are well coated with the spices. Add cilantro, toss well and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Set aside
2. To prepare the sauce, whisk all the ingredients together until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use
3. To assemble the tacos, fill each tortilla with chickpeas and the rest of the ingredients. Drizzle with yogurt sauce and sriracha or green dragon sauce if using

 

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Hummus and Grilled Vegetable Pizza

Cleaning. Love it or hate, it’s something that HAS TO be done, especially when you cook as much as we do. The two of us are usually opposites on pretty much everything. But when it comes to this, we’re totally on the same page: neither one of us likes it. At all. Of course we like the end result… but that doesn’t usually last long, which makes it that much more frustrating!

Since cleaning can’t be avoided, we always try our best to prevent huge messes as much as possible. Two of our best strategies are:
Clean as you go, so by the time you’re done cooking, it doesn’t look like a bomb exploded in your kitchen.

Try to avoid spills / leaks as much as possible. Especially on the floor, especially if something contains some kind of oil, and especially, in the refrigerator (because, let’s face it, if cleaning isn’t your thing, cleaning the fridge can be absolute torture).

The clean-as-you-go part is fairly easy. It just requires a little bit of discipline to be accomplished. The spilling prevention however… not so easy. It requires a) not being a klutz (and if you are, probably not much you can do about it…) ; b) cleaning as you go, so you don’t end up with stuff all over the place that can be easily knocked down; and c) good storage containers. Especially if you want to avoid spending an hour cleaning the refrigerator, or if you’re planning on transporting food in your car (which we do quite often).

Let’s talk about that latter for a second. Because, if you’re anything like us, you know that not all storage containers are created equal. And you know, because you’ve learned it the hard way…

So now that we’ve learned our lesson, we know what to look for!

• A container that seals properly, so there are no leaks or spills.
• A container that is stain and odor resistant. Because honestly, we don’t have the time to scrub containers for 15 minutes to remove food stains. We have better things to do. And garlic scented fruit salad? No thank you.
• A container that is clear, so you can see what the heck you put in there, instead of having to open and close all the containers in your fridge 20 times. Back to the cleaning thing again: if you do that, chances are YOU WILL END UP SPILLING SOMETHING.
• A container that is BPA-free (because, you know, we prefer our food to be chemical free) and microwave safe, that can go from fridge to microwave without having to remove the lid (try to picture tomato sauce splattered all over the inside of your microwave without cringing…).
• Containers that are stackable, so they can fit perfectly in the fridge and not fall all over the place.
• And last, but not least, a container that is DISHWASHER SAFE. So you don’t end up with a half melted, useless thing that needs to go straight into the trash.

Think we’re asking too much? Maybe. Did we find what we were looking for? You bet.

Hummus and Grilled Vegetable Pizza

Prep time: 35 mins  | Cook time: 12 mins | Total time: 47 mins
Ingredients:

• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground powder ginger
• 1 yellow squash, sliced 1/4″ thick
• 1 Zucchini, sliced 1/4″ thick
• 1 Japanese Eggplant, sliced 1/4″ thick
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 store bought pizza crusts
• 1 cup hummus, home made or store bought
• 6-8 black cured olives, pitted
• 12-18 grape tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp oregano (optional)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) 

Instructions:

1. Combine the salt, garlic powder, coriander, cumin and ginger in a small bowl and mix well
2. Place the vegetables in a 9.6 cup Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE™Container, and add the olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle the spice mix, close container and shake it well until all the vegetables are coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least of 30 minutes
3. Heat the grill to medium high and grease it slightly. Arrange the vegetables on it and grill them for 2 -3 minutes per side
4. Spread 1/2 cup hummus on each pizza crust. Arrange the grilled vegetables, olives and grape tomatoes on top. Place it on the grill, covered, for 5-8 minutes, checking it after 5 minutes to make sure it doesn’t burn
5. Remove the pizza from grill and sprinkle oregano and red pepper flakes if desired.

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High Protein Caprese Pasta Salad

High Protein Caprese Pasta Salad – A light and fresh gluten free dish full of protein and fiber, perfect for lunch or as a light dinner this summer! It can also be made Vegan!

Nothing screams summer like sweet, juicy fresh tomatoes and fragrant basil. It’s a classic combination that never, ever gets old!

This post is sponsored by Explore Cuisine – All opinion are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support May I Have That Recipe.

High Protein Caprese Pasta Salad

Prep time: 10 mins  | Cook time: 10 mins | Total time: 20 mins

Ingredients: 

• 1 – 8 ounce package Explore Cuisine Organic Chickpea Fussili
• 1 lb cocktail tomatoes, quartered ( about 18)
• 8 ounces marinated mozzarella balls or vegan mozzarella
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• 1/4 cup pesto, store bough or home made (recipe follows)
• 3 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Recipe Highlights:

• High in plant protein (about 11g per serving)
• High in fiber
• Gluten free
• Light, bright and refreshing. Perfect for summer!
• Easily made vegan or vegetarian
• Ready in 10 minutes
• Complete meal in a bowl

Instructions:

Cook the pasta following package instructions. Drain well and set aside

Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and toss well. Refrigerate until ready to serve

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BISCUITS AND BEE BREAD HONEYCOMB RECIPES

Biscuits need no introduction. Comfort food of the South, flaky and buttery, biscuits are as easy to incorporate into almost any meal. My favorite way to serve them is topped with bee bread honeycomb.

Bee bread is nothing like it sounds: it’s simply pollen and nectar that bees have deposited directly into the cells of the honeycomb. Bee pollen is nature’s most complete food – in fact, it contains every nutrient and vitamin you need to survive, with the exception of Vitamin D. The amino acids and proteins found in bee bread honeycomb provide just as much protein as red meat.

BISCUITS AND BEE BREAD HONEYCOMB RECIPES

Prep time: 15 mins  | Cook time: 10 mins | Total time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup White Lily (all-purpose) flour 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup very cold butter
• 1 cup very cold milk
• 1 square Savannah Bee Company’s Bee Bread Honeycomb

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Add dry ingredients together in food processor.
3. Cut butter into small pieces and add to food processor, mixing roughly until butter is pea-sized.
4. Add cold milk and toss together until just mixed.
5. Once dough holds together, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface.
6. Gently knead into a ball, flouring hands and dough as needed.
7. Roll to 1 inch thickness (or thinner, if desired).
8. Cut into circles, about 2”-3” in diameter.
9. Place onto parchment-lined paper on baking sheet – be sure to arrange so that biscuit sides are slightly touching.
10. Bake for 8-12 minutes, watching carefully for golden brown edges.
11. Spread with Bee Bread Honeycomb and enjoy!

Tips:
Try adding other spreads, jams, or peanut butter to the biscuits as well.
Berries are a fantastic touch, too!

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Spiralized Cucumber & Carrot Salad

Remember when you were a kid and played pretend with your friends? It was fun, wasn’t it? Fantasizing about something that wasn’t real, being able to drift away for a little while??

Well, I’ve come to the conclusion that, even as adults, the cure to any woe is, indeed, playing pretend.

Your family (and everyone else for that matter) goes on vacation but you can’t join them? Grab a friend (who’s actually on your same situation) take a ride to Atlantic City, and pretend you’re in Vegas.

The window in your car is stuck and won’t close? Just open all of them and let the wind mess up your hair, pretending you’re driving an expensive, super cool convertible (and pray, really hard, that it wont rain while you’re parked outside).

You go out for a run but your legs don’t seem to want to cooperate? Pretend you’re being chased by – insert favorite scary character here – and run for your life…. also pretending that – insert name of favorite hot actor here – is waiting for you 8 miles from where you are.

Too cold outside to even want to get out of the house? Make one of these and pretend you’re in a tropical island, far, far away.

Hosting a get together but can’t enjoy a drink because out of the blue, you’ve developed some kind of alcohol intolerance? Make one of these but hold the alcohol on yours, pretend you’re just like everyone else (no one will know)

Craving a big fat bowl of pasta but, of course, you’re watching your carbs? No problem! “Zoodles” to the rescue. Yep, just like eating pasta. Yep. Exactly the same. Even better (here’s where your pretend skills are really put to the test)

I could go on, and on with this but I think I’ve made my point, yes? And just in case you need one more pretend tool (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t??), and while we’re in the make-believe-noodle subject, here’s a salad that will definitely do the trick. It will make you think you’re eating your favorite cold sesame noodle salad, without all the hassle. 5 minutes, done. Good one, uh?

Spiralized Cucumber & Carrot Salad Recipe

Prep time: 10 mins  | Cook time: 0 mins | Total time: 10 mins

Ingredients: 

• 1 large seedless cucumber
• 1 large carrot
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
• 2½ tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• ¼ tsp salt (or to taste)

Instructions:

1. Using a "spiralizer", make "noodles" with the cucumber and carrot and place in a large bowl.(see note). Add sesame seeds and toss well
2. To prepare the dressing, combine rice vinegar, water, agave salt in a glass jar with a lid and shake well ( you can also whisk the ingredients in a bowl)

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Cherry & Walnut Goat Milk Ice Cream

Things I’ve learned about the art of making homemade ice cream:

– The process can be as unpredictable as life itself: the moment you think you have it all figure it out, it will throw you a curve ball that will make you rethink the whole thing all over again.

– Not all milks are created equal. Dairy or nut based, each one has its own unique makeup and chemistry, and will behave in a completely different way. So the “one recipe fits all” deal, won’t work here.

– Not all kitchens are created equal. This one may sound strange, but believe me, it’s true. I don’t know if it has to do with the temperature, or it’s simply the kitchen’s karma. All I know is, different kitchens, different results.

.- When making ice cream, time is of the essence. How fast you can work will basically determine whether you end up with a soft, creamy consistency or a soupy mess.

– Small batches, small batches, small batches. Once again, creamy vs soupy.

– Accept the fact that no matter what you do, or how meticulously you follow a recipe, the final product will never be exactly like store bought ice cream. It just won’t. And that’s totally ok.

I pretty much broke all those rules when we first attempted this Cherry & Walnut Goat’s Milk Ice Cream recipe. But I guess that’s why we’re here, right? So YOU can learn from OUR mistakes

Cherry & Walnut Goat Milk Ice Cream Recipe

Prep time: 4 hours  | Cook time:20 mins | Total time: 4 hours 20 mins

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups goat's milk
• ⅓ cup plus 2 tbsp honey
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 pint of cream
• ½ tbsp whiskey
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tbsp honey
• ½ cup cherries, cut in half and pitted

Instructions:

1. Combine goat's milk and honey in a medium sauce pan and bring to a simmer (this should take about 12 to 15 minutes), stirring often
2. Lightly beat egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly mix in about a ½ cup of the hot milk, to temper the yolks . Pour the egg and milk mixture on the sauce pan and continue cooking over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly until it thickens slightly
3. Remove from heat, strain and let it cool. Once it's cool, refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
4. Add cream and whiskey to the cold mixture and pour into the ice cream maker. Churn according to manufacturer's directions
5. While the ice cream is churning, prepare the caramelized walnuts. Combine walnuts and 1 tbsp honey in a non stick skillet. Cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes, stirring often. Set aside to cool
6. Once the ice cream is ready, fold in caramelized walnuts and cherries

Enjoy your meal!

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The Best Hot Dog You Will Ever Eat

Three things make this The Best Hot Dog You Will Ever Eat: A quality bun, diagonal cuts before grilling, and the Special Sauce. It’s so easy, you will be making this all summer! Invite me to your barbecue please!

The moment the not-cool piece ended, Sandi turns to me during the applause and says, “I did NOT like that.” “Me neither!!” and then we start going on about how it paled in comparison to the first one.

THEN. Just wait you guys. Everyone is still applauding when the conductor turns to the audience and moves his hands in the universal “stand-up-now” motion. I’m halfway out of my chair when I look behind me and realize the conductor was not asking the audience to stand up. He was asking the man sitting directly behind us to stand up. And at least a half-dozen people sitting next to him. Our eyes widen in fear as we stare up at the man standing not 2 feet away from us, waving his hand to accept the applause.

We fumble for our programs. Who is he???

THE COMPOSER. Who were the people standing next to him? The family of the dead guy that the piece was written about.

Someday when I die and I get to find out All The Stuff (you know, you find out Stuff when you die, right? Please say yes?) my first question will be, HE DIDN’T HEAR US DID HE??

I wasn’t made out for the orchestra anyway, let’s be real. I’m more of a hot dog kind of girl. JDAWGS HOT DOGS to be specific. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then you are not from Utah, but if you are ever passing through, you HAVE to try JDawgs. It started out as a tiny shack just off BYU campus (my alma mater). Like literally, a shack. Students would pick up a hot dog on their way home or in between classes. Now I hear they are opening their 5th location, this one in SLC. They haven’t made it out to Sacramento yet, so I make them at home.


What sets these dogs apart from a regular ol’ hot dog is the fresh bun, the diagonal cuts, and the Special Sauce. A good quality hot dog goes without saying. It doesn’t seem that far off from a regular hot dog, but I’m telling you, it’s life changing. The cuts make it easier to eat, and then you get a higher ratio of sauce-to-dog.

The owner’s grandmother clipped the sauce recipe from a newspaper back in the 50s. This isn’t her recipe, but I think it tastes just like it. I don’t add any other toppings, (the sauce speaks for itself) but you could add onions, pickles, sauerkraut, whatever. Make this for your summer barbecues! You will never go back to ketchup!

The Best Hot Dog You Will Ever Eat Recipe

Prep time: 5 mins  | Cook time:15 | Total time: 20 mins

Ingredients: 

For the sauce:

• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• dash black pepper

To assemble:

• large all-beef or Polish hot dogs (Costco has the best!)
• large buns (The ones at Costco fit perfectly)
• butter
• white onions
• sauerkraut
• pickles
• banana peppers

Instructions:

1. To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and set over high heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture barely starts to bubble, then remove from heat.
2. Let cool completely. I like it to be room temperature, but you can chill it if you want.
3. When you are ready to cook the hot dogs, set your grill to medium heat.
4. Use a sharp serrated knife to make diagonal cuts in the hot dog a little more than halfway through. You want the cuts to make large W's all the way down the dog. See photos.
5. Grill the dogs until they are as black as you want them. Should take about 3-5 minutes per side. Don't forget to flip them halfway. The dogs will curl into a smiley face because of the cuts. It's because they're so happy that you get to eat them.
6. Butter the inside of the buns and place on the grill. Leave them for just a minute or so, until they get slightly crispy on the edges. Don't overdo it or the bun will turn stale.
7. Place the hot dog in the bun and top with tons of special sauce and any other desired toppings. If you are not eating right away, you can wrap the dog and the bun in foil to keep warm, like they do at JDawgs.

Enjoy your meal!

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Vegan Peach Napoleon

Here we go again. The shopping torture continues.

Yesterday my 16 year old niece Raquel took me out to the mall for 3 hours (yes, SHE took ME out), convinced me to buy stuff I would never even look at and even forced me to try on skinny jeans. Skinny jeans! Now that is torture.
But you know what, putting aside my animosity for shopping, I have to admit I had a really nice time, just because I was with her. She is like the younger sister I never had. Over the years I’ve watched this little peanut she was when I first moved here to the US, grow into the amazing, smart, funny young woman she is today.

I know I’ve talked about her before, and I’ll never get tired of doing it, because she amazes me every day. And especially now that she has become our very own “intern”, her talent is really flourishing. She’s been such a great help to us, especially in the creativity department.

This recipe we’re sharing here today is an example. When Galaxy Nutritional Foods offered us to try some of their products, Raquel was he one who came up with this concept that Vicky and I later developed.

Vegan Peach Napoleon Recipe

Prep time: 10 mins  | Cook time:30 | Total time: 40 mins

Ingredients: 

• 1- 8oz package plain vegan cream cheese alternative (We use GoVeggei!), at room temperature
• ½ cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 large peaches, diced
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ tsp lemon
• ½ tsp water
• 1 puff pasty sheet cut in 8 rectangular pieces or 4 puff pastry squares cut in half

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Bake puff pastry for about 15 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine vegan cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, vanilla and cinnamon
3. Whip until light and creamy and chill in the refrigerator
4. In a large skillet, combine peaches, brown sugar, lemon juice and water. Cook at medium-high heat until the peaches start to soften. Reduce heat to low and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
5. Fold cooled peaches into cream cheese mixture and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
6. Right before serving, layer peach cream in between 2 pieces of puff pastry. sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.
7. ENJOY! From May I have that recipe

Enjoy your meal!

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Cucumber-Melon Paletas

Last year, right around this time, a friend of mine came to me asking for help with a business idea . She wanted to get a food truck and drive around selling nothing but homemade “paletas” (Spanish for ice pops) and gourmet coffee. Problem was, she knew a whole lot about coffee, but absolutely nothing about how to make ice pops. She had the concept, but the flavor combinations she had in mind were, well, not “ideal”, if you know what I mean.

So of course, I agreed to help. We spent a good amount of time coming up with flavors, shopping for ingredients and even coming up with some kind of a business plan. We tested them, some were great, some not so much, and then… Then that was it. I’m not sure what happened, but the whole project just disappeared. Gone. We never spoke about it again, we never brought it up. Almost as if it never happened. Weird.

Now fast forward one year, and what do you know: paletas are everywhere. Everyone is making them, posting recipes, and selling them.

Oh well. Maybe we missed a great business opportunity, who knows. But really, who cares? We can still have fun creating new cool flavors and sharing them with you. Like this one.

To be quite honest with you, this recipe originally started as a cucumber melon “lemonade”. It didn’t takes us long to realized thought that, that idea, wasn’t really gonna work. The texture was way too thick and “pulpy”. A little off putting to tell you the truth! So, if when life gives you lemons you try to make lemonade and that doesn’t work, well, figure out something else! Worked for us in this case! Refreshing and definitely, definitely yummy. Oh, and pretty

Cucumber-Melon Paletas Recipe

Prep time: 10 mins  | Cook time:0 | Total time: 10 mins

Ingredients: 

• 1 small cantaloupe, cut into large chucks
• 5-6 small Persian cucumbers (or 1 large seedless cucumber), peeled and diced
• ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 6 large mint leaves
• 2 tbsp agave (or to taste)
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 bag frozen raspberries (you will use 4-5 berries per pop)

Instructions:

1. Blend all the ingredients on a blender at high speed, until smooth
2. Fill the paletas or ice pop mold ¾ of the way. Insert 4-5 raspberries on each mold
3. Freeze for 3-4 hours or until frozen.

Enjoy your meal!

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Blueberry Lime Frozen Margaritas

Two simple rules to bond with an 8 year old: one, do something silly, and do it together; two, laugh while you’re doing it. Laugh a lot.

That’s it. As simple as that. You don’t need anything fancy, or expensive electronics. None of that.

A few days ago, I went grocery shopping with my son after I picked him up from school. Something he absolutely hates and I dread doing, because he starts complaining the second he sees me take a turn into the grocery store’s parking lot.

My strategy when that happens is usually to bribe him with some kind of treat or whatever it is that will keep him entertained for a little while. This time however, I tried something different.

As we walked by the bulk section of the store, I told him he could pick whatever he wanted. I noticed a big bin filled with super sour candy, so I decided to grab a few. “Let’s see if these are really sour”, I said to him. Right away, his face lit up. So we each grabbed one, put it in our mouth and started making all kinds of goofy faces.

Now, to be honest, I just love anything sour. And I’m so used to eating sour stuff that I can handle it pretty well, no mater how strong it is. But he was laughing so hard that I totally exaggerated my reaction, just to keep him going.

Needless to say, that was a successful shopping trip. So much so, that the next day he asked to go to the store again, so we could eat more candy and make silly faces. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

Speaking of sour. Every single year, as soon as it starts to get warm, I start craving sour things even more than I usually do. Especially drinks. One of my favorites is the Frozen Blueberry Lemonade we shared 2 years ago. I just can’t get enough of it! So we decided to make sort of an “adult” version of it. And we came up with blueberry lime frozen margaritas. Now if you want to skip the alcohol in these, that’s totally fine too. They’re just delicious, however you decide to prepare them.

Blueberry Lime Frozen Margaritas Recipes

Prep time: 5 mins  | Cook time:0 | Total time: 5 mins

Ingredients: 

• cup frozen blueberries
• ¼ cup tequila
• Juice of 3 limes
• Juice of 1 orange
• 2 tbsp agave nectar (or to taste)
• 2 tbsp rum (or to taste)
• 1½ - 2 cups ice
• Salt for the rim (optional)
• Lime slices for garnish

Instructions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.
2. Dip the rim of 2 margarita glasses in water, then press into a plate with salt. Pour margaritas and garnish with lime

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Rose Water Scented Dried Fruit and Nut Salad

This morning I woke up thinking about my sister Rebecca. Actually, I woke up thinking I haven’t seen my sister in almost 3 YEARS. How is that even possible? How is it possible that I haven’t seen one of my best friends for that long? There’s something definitely wrong with that.

I have missed her every single day since she moved away. Forget Facebook. Forget Skype and all the modern technology. Not the same as having her here with us. Not even close.

Vicky and I started telling my niece stories about her the other day and could not stop laughing. Like how one day, when she was little, she stuck a corn nut up her nose and almost gave our nanny a heart attack. Or how she used to make butter and oil sandwiches or dip French fries in mayo , or eat pasta with ketchup and parmesan cheese.

She also loved this dried fruit and nut salad you’re about to see, so I decided it would be the perfect recipe to post today. And it’s funny because it is kind of like her a little bit: bold, full of energy, a little nutty and definitely sweet.

Rose Water Scented Dried Fruit and Nut Salad Recipes

Prep time: 15 mins  | Cook time:0 | Total time: 15 mins

Ingredients: 

• Soaking time: Overnight
• 2 cups dried apricots
• 1 cup pitted dried prunes
• ½ cup raw walnuts
• ⅓ cup raw slivered almonds
• ⅓ cup raw pistachios or roasted unsalted
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 cup of water
• 3 tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp rose water
• ¼ tsp orange blossom water

Instructions:

1. Soak dried fruit and nuts in water overnight, in separate bowls (use at least 2 cups of water for the apricots)
2. Take half the soaked apricots and 1½ cups of their soaking water and puree in a blender. Pour into a large glass bowl.
3. Cut the rest of the apricots in quarters and add to the apricot puree
4. Cut the soaked prunes in half and add to the apricot puree
5. Drain the nuts and add to the puree
6. Add enough water to the remaining apricot soaking water to make 1 cup. Add 3 tablespoons of sugar and stir until well dissolved. Add ¼ tsp of rose water and ¼ tsp of orange blossom water. Add to the apricot puree.
7. Mix well together and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

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7 Layer Bean Dip Recipe

7 Layer Bean Dip Recipe

Prep time: 10 mins  | Cook time:25| Total time: 35 mins

INGREDIENTS:

 

• 2 cups of refried beans, either from one 15-ounce can or homemade
• 1 teaspoon (or more) of bacon fat (or 1 strip of bacon, cooked and minced) optional
• 1 teaspoon of chipotle powder, Tabasco chipotle sauce, or adobo sauce, more to taste (or plain chili powder to taste)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green Anaheim chiles (canned) OR a Tbsp of chopped pickled jalapenos (more to taste)
• 1 avocado, peeled and chopped
• 1 hot house tomato, cut in half horizontally, seeds and juice gently squeezed out and discarded, chopped
• 1/3 cup of sour cream, or if you can get it Crema Mexicana (Mexican sour cream)
• 1/2 small can of sliced ripe black olives

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the refried beans in a medium sauté pan or cast iron skillet. Stir in enough water to get a creamy, easily dip-able consistency, about 1/4 of a cup. The taste of refried beans is greatly enhanced by bacon fat; we'll add a teaspoon to canned beans or a tablespoon or more to taste if we are making the beans from scratch. If you don't have bacon fat, you can cook up a strip of bacon, chop it up fine and add that to the beans. If you are trying to avoid pork, note that most canned refried beans are made with added lard, so check the ingredients. You can use olive oil instead, to help the consistency of the beans.
   
   Mix in the chipotle chili powder (or Tabasco, or adobo, or regular chili powder) and cumin to taste. Note that the avocados and the sour cream will cool down the spiciness of the beans considerably, so you can afford to be a bit more spicy than you might think. Stir in salt to taste, depending on how salted your refried beans are to begin with, and depending on how salty the tortilla chips are that you are serving with the dip.
2. Once the beans are hot and bubbly, spread them over the bottom of a warmed serving dish. Immediately add the shredded cheese so that the heat from the beans helps melt the cheese. (The cheese doesn't need to be completely melted, but even if it is just a little, it will help the dip stay on the chip.)
3. Layer on the chopped green chilies, chopped avocado, chopped tomato. Spoon on the sour cream (or crema Mexicana, crema fresca, or even cream fraiche). Top with sliced green onions and olives.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

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Cinnamon, apple and ricotta cake

Cinnamon, apple and ricotta cake Recipes

Prep time: 30 mins  | Cook time:75 | Total time: 105 mins

Ingredients: 

• 3 Granny Smith apples
• 1 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup (60g) almond meal
• 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
• 1/2 cup (85g) cornmeal (polenta)
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
• 125g butter, melted
• 2 Coles Brand Australian Free Range Eggs, lightly whisked
• 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
• 500g fresh firm ricotta
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• Crème fraîche, to serve
• Honey, extra, to serve

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 160C. Grease and line the base and side of a 20cm (base measurement) springform pan with baking paper. 
2. Thinly slice 2 of the apples crossways. Peel and core the remaining apple. Finely chop. Set aside. Arrange half the sliced apple over the base of the prepared pan. Drizzle with the honey. 
3. Combine the flour, almond meal, caster sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, half the cinnamon and half the orange rind in a large bowl. Add the chopped apple and stir to combine. Add the butter, egg, milk and half the ricotta and stir to combine. 
4. Combine the remaining cinnamon, orange rind and ricotta with the brown sugar in a small bowl. 
5. Spoon half the batter over the apple in the prepared pan. Smooth the surface. Arrange the remaining sliced apple over the batter. Spread the ricotta mixture over the apple and smooth the surface. Top with the remaining batter and smooth the surface. Bake for 1 hour 20 mins or until a bamboo skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan to cool completely. 
6. Turn the cake onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve with crème fraîche drizzled with extra honey.

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Szechuan Peppered Calamari

This recipe - which works as either a main dish or appetizer - is a result of combining some different "Salt and Pepper Squid" recipes that I hadn’t made before

Szechuan Peppered Calamari Recipe

Prep time: 10 mins  | Cook time:5| Total time: 15 mins

INGREDIENTS:

• 1⁄2 lb cleaned young squid, body and tentacles separated
• 1 tablespoon tricolorpeppercorns (I prefer the different flavors of the tricolor) or 1⁄2-3⁄4 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 5 -10 szechuan peppercorns(individual Szechuan peppercorns, to taste and depending on the freshness of your peppercorns)
• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 -3 cups vegetable oil or 2 -3 cups peanut oil, for frying
• chili-garlic sauce, for dipping (or other favorite dipping sauce)

DIRECTIONS:

1. If you got whole squid, clean them first: gently pull the head and tentacles away from the body, then pull out the backbone (quill, aka cuttlebone) from inside the body and discard it and the intestines and ink sac; cut the tentacles from the head just below the eyes and discard head; remove membrane/skin from body.
2. (How you cut up the squid at this point is a matter of preference, but here’s how I like it.).
3. Cut the larger tentacles away from the smaller ones, so that you get some single tentacles in the mix.
4. Pull or cut the wings away from the body.
5. Cut the body down the center so that you can open the two sides up flat, then make strips that are between 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide and about 1 to 1 1/2 inch long; you can also cut the body into 1/4-inch wide tubes, if you like.
6. Rinse all the cut pieces, tentacles, and wings well in a sieve, and let drain.
7. In a dry skillet, roast the peppercorns over medium high heat until they begin to smoke; remove from heat, let cool, then use a mortar and pestle or other grinder (I use a coffee grinder) to make into a fine powder.
8. In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt, cayenne, garlic powder, and powdered peppercorns.
9. Add the drained squid pieces, and toss or stir well with your hand to coat them well, shaking off excess.
10. Heat oil in a hot wok or deep heavy pan until very hot (the surface should seem to simmer slightly – you can test it with a single piece to see if it’s not enough), then deep fry the squid in batches for 1 to 2 minutes until tender and beginning to turn golden. Do not overcook or your cooked squid will turn rubbery -- blech.
11. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels.
12. Serve immediately with dipping sauce – we like garlic chile sauce, but cocktail sauce or aioli is nice, too.

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Winter Breakfast Smoothie

Winter Breakfast Smoothie

Prep time: 10 mins  | Cook time:0 | Total time: 10 mins

Ingredients: 

• 3 organic celery stalks, cleaned, peeled and cut into medium pieces
• 2 organic medium carrots, peeled and cut into medium pieces
• ½ organic large English cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into medium pieces
• 1 organic Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into medium pieces
• 1 cup fresh squeezed blood orange juice (about 6 blood oranges)
• ¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice ( or to taste)

Instruction

Combine all the ingredients in a high powered blender. Blend till smooth

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Not Just For Passover Recipes: Quinoa Tabbouleh

Here’s a Passover twist on one of our favorite Middle Eastern salads, Tabbouleh. Traditionally made with bulgur wheat, this quinoa version is gluten free and packed with fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. A light and nutritious addition to any meal, during Passover and all year round!

Quinoa Tabuleh

Prep time: 15 mins  | Cook time:20 | Total time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cups chopped parsley
• 20 yellow grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 20 red grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 3 scallions, white and green parts, sliced (optional)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)

Instructions:
Combine quinoa, parsley, tomatoes and scallions in a large bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice and salt and toss well. Refrigerate until ready to serve

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