Recipe: Avocado, Tomato, & Cilantro Salad

Avocado, tomato, and cilantro salad. 

Ingredients:

• 2 avocados, seeded, peeled, and diced
• 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl and stir to combine.  
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors mingle.

Served w/ carne asada, nonfat refried beans, low fat sour cream, salsa and a tortilla.

Recipe: Stuffed Zucchini

Stuffed Zucchini

Consider this recipe a template.  Inspired by this recipe, I just took the idea and threw some of our favorite flavors together.  The result was very tasty and plenty for dinner tonight with leftovers for lunch tomorrow.   So if you try this recipe, please feel free to mix things up a bit.  Vegetarian?  Leave out the bacon.  Don't like goat cheese?  Replace it with feta or mozzarella or whatever.  Don't like zucchini?  Try another recipe entirely.  You do what you want!

Garlic and onion -- two crucial ingredients for many delicious recipes.

Trimmed zucchini.

Scooping out the insides.

Zucchini boat!

Zucchini insides mixture.

Ready to eat.

Stuffed Zucchini

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400º F.  Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and onion and saute, stirring occasionally until softened, approximately 10 minutes. 
3. While garlic and onion are cooking, prep the zucchini.
4. Rinse the zucchini and pat dry.  Trim the ends and slice in half lengthwise.
5. With a spoon, dig out the insides and reserve.  Place the zucchini boats in the baking dish.
6. Chop up the zucchini insides and put in a medium size bowl.  
7. Add the garlic, onion, bacon, tomato, red pepper and thyme.  Stir and season with salt and pepper.  
8. Add the sour cream and stir to combine. 
9. Distribute the mixture among the zucchini boats and top with crumbled goat cheese. 
10. Bake until the zucchini begins to soften and cheese just begins to brown, approximately 20 minutes. 

Notes:
I have already decided that the next time I make this, I'm going to replace half of the zucchini insides with quinoa and put in diced red pepper instead of tomato.  Yes, I'm pretty much always planning...

Recipe: 7-Layer Greek Dip

When I started working at my current job, almost nine years ago, I worked with quite a few super moms.  Two in particular co-coordinated a parent volunteer program part-time and coordinated homes and families full-time.  I don't think either of them slept.  Ever.  If I happened to need professional advice or a good recipe idea I would walk into their office and leave minutes later with whatever I needed -- and sometimes a cleaning tip or two. 

This dip was their suggestion for my "easy and delicious appetizer to bring to a summer BBQ" inquiry.  It is still one of my (and my friends) favorites.

7-Layer Greek Dip

Serves: a crowd

Ingredients:

• 8-ounce container cream cheese, softened
• 8-ounce container hummus, any kind
• 1 large cucumber -- peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 large tomato -- seeded and chopped
• 4-ounce can sliced olives
• 8-ounce container crumbled feta cheese 
• 2 green onions -- white and green parts thinly sliced
• Pita chips or crackers for serving

Directions:

1. Spread cream cheese out evenly in the bottom of a shallow dish.  A glass pie plate works perfectly.
2. Top cream cheese with an even layer of hummus.
3. Top hummus with layers of cucumber, tomato, olives, feta and green onions. 
4. Cover and chill until ready to serve.  
5. Serve with pita chips or crackers.  

Notes:

• Whipped cream cheese is a good option because it allows for easy spreading and dipping. 
• The spicy hummus from Trader Joe's adds a nice kick to this dip.  
• Bring a copy of the recipe with you wherever you bring this dish.  People will want it.
  
  

Recipe: Sundried Tomato Bruschetta

Sundried Tomato Bruschetta
This is a simple, tasty, healthy, two-bite appetizer.  I have made it for a number of get-togethers and it always goes fast.  Sundried tomatoes can be a bit pricey but one bottle is enough for 2 - 3 batches of this recipe.

Ingredients
6 roma tomatoes, seeded
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
Big bunch of basil
3-5 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil*
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Bit of salt and pepper
French bread (the long skinny loaf)
Shredded parmesan cheese (optional)

*You might want to use less olive oil if you are using sundried tomatoes packed in oil. 





Preparation

1.  Chop garlic and put in a medium sized bowl.  The amount of garlic is based on your preference.  I always use more garlic than less.

2.  Chop tomatoes.  Add to bowl with garlic.

3.  Chop basil.  Add to bowl.

4.  Season with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Mix all ingredients together, cover and refrigerate.  Refrigerate for at least 30 - 45 minutes before assembling.

5.  Slice bread and lay out on a large baking sheet.  Toast under a broiler set to high.  They will only need a couple minutes per side.  Keep a close eye on the bread because it can go from not toasted to burnt quickly.  Let cool on baking sheet until ready to assemble.  Also, wait to taste test until after the flavors have had a chance to mingle. 

6. To assemble, pour a tablespoon of bruschetta onto each bread slice.* 

7. (Optional) Sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese.  (This might be the only time I would chose no cheese over cheese.)

*You can prepare the bruschetta and bread the day before but wait to assemble until you are ready to serve.  Another option is to put out the tomato mixture with a spoon and the bread on the side and let people assemble their own.

Sundried Tomato Bruschetta