Just when you thought I was out of pumpkin recipes, here you go! I love this dip! It makes for the perfect appetizer or dessert. You'll definitely want to break this out for your fall and winter parties!
Pumpkin Dip
What you'll need:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
about a tsp. of cinnamon
about a tsp. of powdered sugar
What you'll do:
In a mixing bowl, stir all the ingredients. Season to taste. Enjoy with graham crackers, shortbread or ginger cookies.
Ok, one of my favorite low-fat snacks is so simple and easy! It's vegan, it's raw and it full of flavor!
It's jicama! Jicama is a root eaten regularly in Mexico.
For this tasty snack, all you do is peel the jicama, dice it, squeeze some lime juice over them and sprinkle with some chili lime salt. You should be able to find this kind of salt at your grocery store, but if not, there are plenty of places that sell it online.
Interesting fact about jicama, the plant that grows from the jicama root is actually poisonous! So make sure you stick to eating just the root : )
I don't know if there is a person on earth left that hasn't tried or made spinach artichoke dip, but how can you resist? It's so good! Whenever I make this for a crowd, I always have to place it at the opposite side of a party from me or I'm afraid I'd eat the whole thing : )
So, whether you have your own recipe for this or not, this is the way I make it and I hope you enjoy!
Spinach Artichoke Dip
What you’ll need:
1 14oz can of Artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 10oz package of frozen spinach, thawed and strained or fresh spinach that has been cooked, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise or veganaise
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 ½ cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
Options that I add in when I feel like it: 1/2 diced purple onion, a dash of cayenne pepper, or some diced water chestnuts.
What you’ll do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 1 quart baking dish. Mix artichoke hearts, spinach, mayo, parmesan cheese, and 2 cups of Monterey jack cheese in a bowl. Then pour mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling : )
Tools I used:
So my favorite summer salad is one that has watermelon and heirloom tomatoes in it : ) I know if may sound like an odd combination, but trust me it's delicious!
This past weekend I was planning a finger food menu for our annual girls clothing swap (more to come on that later) and being a girl who loves salad on a stick, I decided to create this one.
I really do love the perfect bite!
Summer Salad on a Stick
What you'll need:
watermelon, cubed
purple onion, sliced
arugula
grape tomatoes, heirloom if you can find them
What you'll do:
Assemble on a toothpick in this order: tomato, arugula, onion then watermelon. Drizzle some balsamic vinegar and olive oil on a serving platter and stand the salad up on with the watermelon on bottom.
Enjoy!
These are one of my favorite snacks! Yes, they are fried, yes they are salty, yes they are delicious, and yes, they are addictive! My Grandmother made a version of these and me and my siblings always loved them! So how do you make these delectable treats you ask? They are so simple! Here you go:
Bowtie Pasta Crunchies
What you’ll need:
1 lb. bowtie pasta
the juice of 1 lemon
a handful of parmesan cheese (optional)
kosher salt to taste
What you’ll do:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add in the bowties and a handful of salt. Cook halfway. Drain.
Working in batches, transfer some bowties into about 1/2 cup hot vegetable oil.
When the edges get golden, flip. Remove once golden on both sides. This process is very fast. Careful not to burn yourself : )
When they are golden remove from the pan and immediately toss with some salt, lemon and parmesan. Repeat the process till they are all fried.
These can be served immediately or within a couple days.
Enjoy!
These are always a big crowd pleaser! Simple, healthy and easy to eat. Your guests will love you for it!
Zucchini Roll-Ups
What you'll need:
5 medium size Zucchini, ends cut off and sliced lengthwise into
1/4-inch slice
3-4oz. soft Goat Cheese
1 Tbsp. fresh Parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh Dill, chopped
2 cups baby Spinach leaves, chopped (optional)
Basil leaves
What you'll do:
Place Zucchini slices on a preheated grill pan, sprayed with cooking spray, for about 4 minutes on each side, or until tender. Let cool.
In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, parsley, dill and spinach. Mash up with a fork.
Place 1/2 teaspoon of the cheese mixture about 1/2-inch from the end of a zucchini slice. Top with a fresh basil leaf. Roll up and stick a toothpick through to hold in place. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini slices.
These little appetizers are sooo easy and always a crowd pleaser! They are perfect when you are looking for a fun and healthy snack.
The only thing this recipe requires is a melon baller. If you don't have one, pick one up here : )
Hummus in a Cucumber Cup
What you'll need:
2 English cucumbers (English have a more dense center and won't fall apart)
1 container of hummus (my recipe will be posted soon, but you can cheat here)
1 roasted red bell pepper (you can also use jarred here)
What you'll do:
Cut the cucumber into approximately 1 inch pieces. Using a melon baller scoop out the inside to make a little cup.
Next, fill up the cup with a teaspoon of hummus.
And that's it!! Just top with the sliver of bell pepper or whatever else creative you can think of.
How easy and fun! Enjoy!!
I am usually a purist when if comes to my guacamole. You can find my basic recipe here, but I was inspired to mix it up a little recently. Not too many changes, just the addition of some cheese (and when is cheese not the best addition!?) and some scallions for a nice fresh flavor. I hope you enjoy as much as I do!
Don't waste the calories on tortilla chips this summer, use your favorite veggies as dippers. Some of my favorites are cucumber, jicama, celery, carrots, peppers and tomatoes.
Mixed up Guacamole
What you'll need:
1 avocado
1 small tomato, deseeded and diced
1 scallion, roughly chopped
a small handful of shredded mexican cheese, chopped
about a tsp. of fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste
What you'll do:
Smash the avocado in a bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Salt to taste.
Enjoy!
For more Guacamole ideas, check out the Guacamole Tag
Roasted bell peppers were one of my favorite family recipes to make as a kid. So yummy!! And so versatile! You can use these in so many different ways. Try them on a toasted baguette, on a sandwich, tossed with pasta, next to a steak for my hubby, or of course with a fork. (which is how I prefer!)
Obviously my love for all things garlicy started at an early age!
Roasted Bell Peppers
What you'll need:
2 bell peppers (I like red and yellow best and here I used one of each)
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
a pinch of kosher salt
What you'll do:
To roast the peppers, place them under the broiler in the oven right on the rack. Be sure to place a piece of foil on the rack below to catch the drippings. When the pepper's skin starts to bubble and turn black, turn to the next side. Continue to rotate until the whole pepper is blackened.
Remove from the oven and place on a plate. With a pairing knife, make a vertical slice in each pepper to release the steam from the peppers to let them cool faster.
Let cool for about 30-45 minutes. When they are cool, they should be easy to peel. So, peel and remove the stem and seeds. Lay flat on the cutting board and slice in 1/2 inch slices. Place in a bowl with the chopped garlic and a pinch of salt. Toss together, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Now lots of people put little variations on this. Some add sugar, or basil, some drizzle olive oil or balsamic vinegar. All of things are fabulous too. I recommend trying them all out and seeing what you like best!
Enjoy!
Is there anything more delicious than a beautiful heirloom tomato?? What makes a tomato heirloom you might say… well here is the wikapedia definition:
An heirloom tomato (also called heritage tomato in the UK) is an open-pollinated (non-hybrid) heirloom cultivar of tomato. . . . Heirloom tomato cultivars can be found in a wide variety of colors, shapes, flavors and sizes. Some cultivars can be prone to cracking or lackdisease resistance. As with most garden plants, cultivars can be acclimated over several gardening seasons to thrive in a geographical location through careful selection and seed saving.
I love heirloom tomatoes cause I like their taste and texture better for eating raw. I grow my own on our balcony too! Here's a blog on that.
And what better way to show off their flavor than in fresh bruschetta!
Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta
What you'll need:
Heirloom tomatoes, diced and de-seeded
finely diced purple onion
Loads of garlic! (actually a few cloves, chopped finely)
a big pinch of sea salt
a splash of balsamic vinegar
a drizzle of olive oil
a handful of fresh basil, shredded
What you'll do:
Mix it all up and serve on toasted bread : )
