Easy-Peasy Caprese

It is officially tomato week. Our garden is producing more tomatoes than we know what to do with- I'm sure many sauces, salads, and salsas will be made! This salad is awesome for fresh tomatoes- It is SO simple, and I make it all the time for lunch or a dinner side!

-Jillian

• Fresh mozzarella, sliced
• Fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Tomatoes, sliced
• Pepper, to taste
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar

Arrange mozzarella and tomatoes on plate, top with basil leaves, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and pepper to taste.

Fiesta Salad

To celebrate the (almost) end of a seemingly endless work week, I decided to turn our average Thursday night into a fiesta! I’m not gonna lie, this salad is a little time consuming. BUT you can really cut back time by making the dressing ahead of time, and preparing your veggies the night before. All of the components of this salad were so tasty, and together it was certainly a fiesta. I will definitely be making this chicken often, even with just rice and a salad! Enjoy!

-Jillian

Lime Marinated Chicken:

• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• Juice of 1 lime 
• Dash of ground cumin 
• 1 tbsp. chili powder 
• 4 cloves minced garlic 
• 4 chicken breasts

Flatten out the chicken breasts a little (you can just use the bottom of a measuring cup as a press), and add to Ziploc with marinade ingredients. Let sit for 30 minutes or up to an hour. Grill and slice for the salad!

Fiesta Dressing:

• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• ½ tsp cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Juice of ½ lime

Combine and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Fajita Veggies:

• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced
• ½ red onion, cut into rings
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice of ½ lime

Saute peppers for 10 minutes on medium-low heat, add onions, cook for 10 more minutes or until cooked to preferred softness. Remove from heat, add cilantro and lime.

Tortilla Strips:

• 4 corn tortillas
• Olive oil spray
• Salt

Preheat oven to 350, slice tortillas into ½” strips. Arrange on baking sheet, not touching. Spray lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 7 minutes. Flip tortillas, and bake for 5 more minutes or until golden brown.

The Rest of the Salad:

• Romaine lettuce
• 1 can black beans, rinsed, drained, and chilled
• 1 can corn, rinsed, drained, and chilled
• 1 cup cherrytomatoes, halved
• 1 avacado, sliced
• 1 cup pepper jack cheese, grated

Assemble salad ingredients. Top with chicken, fajita veggies, tortilla strips, and dressing to taste! Enjoy!

Quinoa and Veggie Stuffed Peppers

After a finals/start of summer/mid summer craziness we have finally come back for some summer posts! The garden is full of fresh peppers, squash, tomatoes, and cucumbers- The cooking possibilities are endless! Today's recipe uses up some of the summer squash and green peppers.. Recipe adapted from One Lovely Life and All Day I Dream About Food, Enjoy!

-Jillian

• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked 
• ½ onion,diced
• 1 small summer squash, cubed
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 can mild green chilies
• 1/2 cup cilantro, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1+ 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• ½ tsp cumin 
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ lime, juiced
• 1 cup pepper jack cheese, grated
• 6 medium green peppers, cleaned with tops removed. 

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Saute onions until soft, add garlic and squash, cook for 3 more minutes. In a bowl, combine quinoa, onion mixture, and remaining ingredients (Except the peppers and cheese). Mix thoroughly, then fill peppers with mixture. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Add cheese to tops, bake for another 10 minutes or until peppers are tender. 

Blueberry Muffins (Vegan and Gluten Free)

These are the perfect muffins for when you feel like some comfort food (without the indulgence). These muffins are perfect to use in-season blueberries. I used gluten free flour and soya-butter, so they are both gluten free and vegan. With only 2 TBSP of honey- they are not overly sweet (that way you can add extra jam/"butter" for serving).  The best thing about this recipe - it only makes 3-4 muffins (aka. I don't ned to eat a whole pan!)

Cant wait for breakfast tomorrow morning!

Best in health

- Sarah

Photo Credit- P.J. Staudinger 

Makes 4 

• 3/4 cup gluten free flour blend

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• Pinch salt

• 2 TBSP Raw Honey

• 1 Flax Egg (1/2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 1 Tbsp water)

• 1 Tbsp Earth Balance

• 3 Tbsp Soy Milk

• 1/2 cup Blueberries

Directions 

• Oven to 350 degrees F
• In a cup- add water and flax seeds and let sit
• In a large bowl combine gluten free flour blend, honey, baking soda, and salt 
• Add soy milk, melted "butter" and stir. 
• Fold in 1/4 cup blueberries 
• Divide batter evenly into 4 cupcakes 
• Bake for 20 min (or until light brown)
• Let cool for a few minutes. Add some vegan butter to that bad boy and call it a day!! 

Vanilla Glazed Carrot Cake

Heres a perfect snack or morning treat to start the day right! 

-Sarah 

Carrot Cake: 

• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons oat bran
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Carrots!!! peeled and grated to make 2 cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a loaf pan. Mix dry ingredients. Beat together the eggs and sugar- add oil, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix the two batters and add in your carrots! Pour into loaf pan for about an hour, or until golden brown. Cool cake before icing, or leave as is!

Icing:

• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk (add slowly so it is not too liquidly) 

Mini Honey Apple Pies

I am not a huge pie person. Personally, if I am craving dessert it includes icing and chocolate! But a special guest has never known to be the chocolate type, so I made mini honey apple pies! 

- Sarah

Pastry:

• 2.5 cups of flour 
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 1 cup butter (unsalted and cut into cubes) 
• 1/2 cup ice water

To begin: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar. Add the chilled, cubed butter and mix in with hands (or if your lucky a pastry blender). Blend butter and flour. Add 1/2 cup of ice water and mix. Form dough into 2 disks, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour or so!

Filling:

• 6 apples ( I used a mix of granny smith and pink lady)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/4 cup of honey (or maple syrup or agave nectar)

To make the filling, toss everyone into a large mixing bowl. Preheat an oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough and cut to the size of your pans ( i used a cupcake pan because i wanted individual serving size). Toss your filling into the pastry and cover with more pastry. Press the crust together to seal and knife an X into the top of dough. Bake for 20  minutes.  Let cool before eating (this maybe the hardest part!)... and if your lucky serve with some ice cream or like my gramps used to do, a slice of cheddar cheese!