Life as a Dill

Mango, Avocado, and Mint Salsa

Mint adds an element of surprise to this chunky, fruity salsa that is packed with summer flavors. 

Mango, Avocado, and Mint Salsa
 
1 ripe mango, peeled and pitted
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
¼ cup finely diced red onion
1 roma tomato, diced
½ jalapeño pepper, finely minced and seeded
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients together.  Serve with tortilla or pita chips.

Farmers Market Salad

Finnian and I made a trip to the farm this morning for some fresh, organic produce.  Figuring out lunch was then a cinch.  Peppery arugula, crisp radishes, sweet strawberries, and tangy goat cheese are the stars of this simple and nourishing salad for one.

Farmers Market Salad

2 generous handfuls arugula
3 strawberries, quartered
3 radishes, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
1 thin slice of red onion
crumbled goat cheese

dressing:

almost 1 T olive oil
splash of sherry vinegar (~1 t)
pea-sized amount of Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Whisk dressing ingredients together, then toss with veggies and top with goat cheese.  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato "Fries"

Weelicious

1 Large Sweet Potato
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut sweet potato into 2" batons which resemble french fries.  Place them on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss until
the sweet potatoes are coated with oil.

Place cookie sheet in the middle of the oven and bake for 15 minutes (Keep an eye on these little suckers. They go from golden to burnt quick!)  With a spatula, flip the potatoes, and continue to bake another 15 minutes or until they have a golden color.

Cool and serve.

Crispy Black Bean Cakes

Adapted from Food and Wine

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying
1 small onion, diced small
1 large garlic clove, minced
Almost ½ teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
One 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
¾ cup panko
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
Sour cream, avocado, scallions and lime wedges, for serving

In a medium skillet, heat the tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat just until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the cumin and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Scrape the onion mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Add beans and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped but not smooth. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl. Mix in ¼ cup of the panko and season with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into six 1/4-cup patties, about 1/2 inch thick.

Put the flour, beaten eggs and the remaining panko into 3 shallow bowls. Dust each black bean cake with the flour, tapping off the excess. Dip the cakes in the egg and then in the panko.

In a very large skillet, heat 1/8 inch of oil until shimmering. Add the cakes and fry over moderate heat until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve the black bean cakes with sour cream, avocado, scallions and lime wedges.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

 

15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

¼ c tahini

3 large cloves garlic

1 t sea salt

juice of 1 lemon

½ c sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

¼ c cold water

Few drizzles of olive oil

1 roasted red pepper (jarred variety work great)

 

 

Combine all ingredients in blender/food processor and process until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Add additional water/olive oil as necessary.  Chill before serving with pita bread, chips, or veggies.

Guacamole with Gorgonzola Cheese

Saw this on another blog I read-- it was supposed to be topped with pomegranate seeds, but all grocery stores within a 3 mile radius were out of them! It was still yum-o.

GUACAMOLE WITH GORGONZOLA CHEESE

3 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and taken out of skin
4 oz. crumbled gorgonzola cheese, at room temperature
1 finely diced jalapeño chili
1/4 medium red onion, finely diced
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Mash avocados. Add the gorgonzola cheese and mash into avocados. Add onions, jalapeños, and cilantro and incorporate well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

Yummy food!

Since our little herb garden is getting a little out of control, I decided to utilize it in our dinner plans last night. First on the menu was homemade salsa, which I will definitely be making again in the near future. Used a bunch of cilantro from our herb garden to flavor this tasty concoction. Next (on a whim after we decided to invite company over) came simple tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad using our own basil. After a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of salt and fresh cracked pepper, this was also a winner! Denver then threw a pitcher of mojitos together using the mint from our garden. We also snacked on sesame encrusted bread dipped in olive oil, along with a margherita pizza that our friends Dave and Kelly brought over. Everything was easy and fabulous for a nice, cool summer evening!

I’m really thrilled that we were able to use ingredients grown on our small little 3rd floor deck. Next year we’ll probably have a larger garden :)

BLT Stuffed Tomatoes

Got this recipe from Everyday with Rachael Ray; they looked so yummy-- and now I know that they really are! They are for a party we are going to later; otherwise I wouldn't have made them today because Denver doesn't eat raw tomatoes (perish the thought!)

The recipe can be found here.