Sourdough Garlic Croutons
The more I spend time in the kitchen, the more I realize making small pieces of a meal (like croutons) from scratch is worth the extra effort. This is a really simple recipe that will add a zesty garlic flavor (and crunch!) to any salad or soup.
Homemade Pine Nut Hummus
Hummus is a staple in my fridge on most days. It’s healthy and it tastes great on pitas, chips, crackers or even on a sandwich as a spread. What’s even more amazing is how easy it is to make from scratch (you will need a food processor for this recipe). Most of the ingredients you probably have in your cabinet, with the exception of chickpeas and tahini.
Goat Cheese Dip with Green Chiles
This is just one of a few appetizers I plan to post in the next few days. With all the holiday parties coming up there is no doubt some of you might be in need of an appetizer idea that isn’t just the standard. This creamy and cheesy dip has an added kick with green chiles and cayenne pepper. Be sure to drain the ricotta the day you want to serve the dip. I recommend serving it with tortilla chips, but bread or crackers would also work well.
Balsamic Oven-Baked Fries
Balsamic vinegar is a must have for every kitchen. For me its a staple like salt and pepper. It can be added to so many dishes to add flavor and zest! Think about traditional fish and chips with malt vinegar on the fries…this is a slightly sweeter alternative! I also have a huge addiction to french fries, so this recipe provides an alternative option to deep frying. Thick-cut russet potatoes are easy to come by and don’t cost a lot of money.
Thai Cucumber Salad
Cucumbers are one of my favorite salad vegetables. They can hold their own without the lettuce and tomato, not something many veggies can do! This salad is sweet, savory, spicy and above all, it’s really fresh and healthy. While this is more of a summer dish, cucumbers are easy to get at the grocery store any time of year. I find this to be a great alternative to a boring, regular salad with fattening dressing and no pizzaz.
Spicy Fried Pickles
If you ask any of my friends they will tell you that I am a pickle fiend. If there is a stray pickle sitting on someones plate that is not going to be consumed, I have no problem reaching across and stealing it without asking! :) I had my first fried pickle in Colorado about a year ago when I was away on a business trip. I recommend using dill pickle chips as the provide the best flavor, but you can also do this with bread and butter chips for a sweet and salty snack.
Goat Cheese, Onion and Tomato Triscuit
I was feeling inspired by my triscuit box that I bought at the grocery store. They always have pictures of cool ways you can use your triscuit, so I decided that I would give it a whirl. This recipe is a slight modification of @GeekBoston’s Goat cheese and onion tart. I made it this weekend for a football party and it was a big hit! It’s fast, easy and delicious.
Cauliflower Tabouli
Tabouli is one of my favorite low-fat snacks to eat with pitas. It also makes a great addition to a sandwich or a hummus dip. Traditional tabouli (sometimes spelled Tabbouleh) is a Levantine salad made of bulgur (durum wheat), finely chopped parsley and mint, tomato and spring onion, seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil. Levantine cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Levant, known in Arabic as the Bilad ash-Sham. This region shared many culinary traditions under the Ottoman Empire which continue to be influential today. This gluten-free recipe uses cauliflower instead of the traditional durum wheat.
