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Lemony-Hot Summer Squash Salad

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Lemony Summer Squash SaladWhen it’s hot outside, lemon is refreshing, and spicy foods actually help your body cool down (that’s why they’re so popular in hot climates like Mexico). Give this salad a try!

Ingredients

Dressing

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 crushed garlic clove
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Salad
1 pound summer squash (a mix of green and yellow)
1 fresh jalapeno or serrano pepper, finely minced
Chopped cilantro, to taste
Few tablespoons of Cotija or Queso Fresco cheese (optional, omit for vegan version)

Preparation

Put olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic clove, and kosher salt (to taste) into a jar and shake it (or a bowl and whisk it) until well mixed. Set aside.

Trim the ends off summer squash. Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, thinly slice the squash lengthwise into strips and transfer to your serving bowl. Top with minced pepper.

Pour dressing over vegetables. Toss, and let stand for about 5-10 minutes, toss again, then sprinkle with the cheese if using. Season with more salt if needed, and freshly ground black pepper, and serve.

Note: This is also extra-tasty over a bed of peppery arugula … delicious!

5 Fresh & Fast (and simple) Fig Recipes

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Five Fresh Fast Fig Recipes - Eat Yourself Well

Last week, my figs were tiny and green – this week, they’re ripe – ALL of them! Following are a few ways I’m going to make use of these amazing fruits – in addition to eating them right off the tree, when the birds don’t get to them first!

Crispy Broiled Figs: Melt a bit of coconut oil with honey (just a little of each). Lay figs halves on a baking sheet. Brush with melted mix. Broil until the fig tops bubble and start to brown on the edges. Serve as a side dish with veggies, or add a bit of marscapone for a wonderful earthy dessert.

Fig Bruschetta: Finely dice fresh figs, and toss with a splash of balsamic vinegar and one good grind of black pepper. Top toasted baguette slice with a bit of ricotta or marscapone cheese, top with fig mix

Cheesy, Melty Figs: Chop the top half off the fig (reserve for Bruschetta, above :-)) and slightly “open” the bottom half. Add a soft cheese: a nice ripe bleu, robiola, or a bit of brie. Place under broiler until cheese is melted, serve immediately, alone or over mixed greens as a salad.

Fig, Walnut, and Goat Cheese Salad: Cut/crumble all into pieces and toss with mixed greens. Top with a quick mix of balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and the best olive oil you can find.

Gingered Fig Martinis (over 21 only): Blend 2 cups figs, 1 small knob of ginger (less for less spicy, more for more) 2 tsp water and the juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon (depending on size) in the blender. Pour over ice in cocktail shaker, add vodka to taste and shake well. Pour into chilled martini glass.

From Jennifer Silverberg at www.EatYourselfWell.com and facebook.com/eatyourselfwell Please maintain link as you copy and share recipe with others!

Quinoa Mango Healthy Taco Salad

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Quinoa Mango Taco Salad

You get everything in this salad: texture, sweet, salty, fresh, bitter, and spicy – and it takes only a minute or two to prepare, if you have leftover quinoa on hand! If you’re missing one or two ingredients – try it anyway – you may discover a new favorite variation!

Quinoa Mango Taco Salad

2-3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/4 cup cooked quinoa (feel free to substitute freekeh or other grain if you have it on hand)
1/4 cup black beans (cooked and drained, or canned and drained)
1/4 cup chopped organic mango (fresh preferred, or frozen is fine)
1 fresh tomato, diced
1 green onion, sliced on the bias
10 organic blue corn chips, crushed
1/2 organic avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh salsa

To assemble:
In serving bowl, place romaine lettuce on the base, then add strips of quinoa, beans, onion, mango, tomato, cilantro, chips, avocado, and salsa.

Please resist the urge to add “salad dressing” – this does not need additional flavors, it just adds calories and masks the beautiful fresh flavors.

All of the Fig – None of the Newton – Bars!

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All of the Fig, None of the Newton, Bars - Eat Yourself Well

Sometimes you – or your kids – want something sweet, which can wind up being a mess for your healthy, whole-food diet. Recently, Food Babe posted about one sandwich bar that we used to think was healthy, but has a dizzying (sometimes literally) array of unnecessary chemicals in the ingredients.

That inspired me to grab the simple fig paste I’d made yesterday out of the fridge and try an easy, healthy, replacement for my less-healthy childhood treat. It turned out to be even easier than I’d thought – check this out!

Simple, Healthy Fig Bars

Ingredients

  • 1 cup ground dried organic figs, ground to a paste (instructions for grinding, below)
  • 1/2 cup organic hemp seed
  • 1/2 cup salted pumpkin seeds, ground – I used sprouted, salted (I used Go Raw brand)

    • Cut the figs into smallish pieces and process by pulsing in a strong food processor. If you do not cut them up into bits, they will gum up in your processor, and possibly burn out the motor – trust me on this one :-). Once the processor is running easily, leave it in the “on” position until the fig bits gather into a ball, about 1 minute.

    Take about 1 cup of the fig paste on put on a large plastic cutting board or silicone baking mat. Press with your hands or a rolling pin into a disk about 1/4 inch thin.

    Sprinkle a mix of the hemp seed and pumpkin seeds over the disk and press in with your hands. Flip the disk and repeat. Do this a few more times until the figs are holding as much of the seed as they can.

    IMG_1463Start cutting the disk into rectangular strips that when folded over (see pic) form a sandwich bar square.

    Store in fridge, if they aren’t all grabbed up right then!

    From Jennifer Silverberg at www.EatYourselfWell.com and facebook.com/eatyourselfwell Please maintain link as you copy and share recipe with others!

    Summer Peach and Basil Salad, with Delicious Options

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    Peach Basil Salad + Variations
    This is a perfect salad for summer – fruity, delicious, and full of cooling flavor. Experiment with the savory and spicy options for lunch and dinner, and consider the sweeter options for dessert!

    Summer Peach and Basil Salad

    4-5 medium peaches, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces (leave skin on)
    1/4 red onion
    1/2 cup fresh basil
    1/2 lemon or 1 lime, juiced
    1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil – choose a fruity, cloudy one
    Pinch of coarse salt
    Freshly ground pepper, to taste

    Options: Take it sweeter: Add Strawberries and/or mint; or, serve with a dollop of marscapone sweetened with honey

    Take it savory: Add Feta (just a tbsp, crumbled – you need much less than you think – or it will overpower the fruit) or other white cheese, grated

    Make it spicy: Add grated ginger

    Preparation

    A bit of attention on the preparation will make a big difference in this recipe – start with a sharp knife!

    Roll basil leaves together into a “cigar” shape and thinly slice across the “cigar” to make thin basil strips. Then, quarter a red onion, and slice very thinly across the cut side, to make tiny strips of that as well.

    Add everything you are using in a large bowl, toss, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve.

    Delicious (and deliciously simple) Padron Peppers

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    Padron Peppers - Eat Yourself Well

    Deliciously simple recipe for Padron Peppers!


    Not only are Padrón peppers a nutritional powerhouse … but eating Padrón or shishito peppers is also a fun party game. Most are mild, but every now and then you’ll bite into a wickedly hot one (maybe 1/10). Enjoy watching your friends’ faces as they “find” the hot ones!

    Ingredients
    1-2 tablespoons coconut oil (you can substitute olive oil, but this uses high heat, and coconut oil can tolerate higher temps without oxidizing)
    1 pound Padrón or shishito peppers
    Sea salt (preferably a flaky one like Maldon)

    Recipe

    Start with 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the peppers in a single layer with some room to move (if your skillet is too small, work in batches). Cook, tossing occasionally, until skins are blistered and flesh is softened, about 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat. If needed, repeat with remaining peppers, adding a bit more oil, and more salt.

    Cucumber Bruschetta Bites

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    Cucumber Bruschetta Bites - Eat Yourself Well

    Cucumber Bruschetta Bites

    Do you love the taste and crunch of bruschetta, but want to avoid bread? Give this simple recipe a try – you’ll be surprised!

    Ingredients

    3 large organic tomatoes
    3 oz mozzarella cheese
    2 tsp organic olive oil
    6-8 organic basil leaves
    Salt and pepper to taste
    Two large organic cucumbers
    1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

    Directions

    Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella cheese into a tiny dice, and place into a bowl. Slice basil leaves into thin strips, and add to the bowl. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and set aside.

    Slice cucumbers in half lengthwise, and again across, to make 4 pieces. Use a spoon to remove the seeds (Do not discard! Add to smoothies, or plant to get MORE cucumbers!) to make a cucumber “boat,’ or slice across the cucumber to make discs.

    Pile the tomato mixture into the cucumber boats or onto the discs, and serve!

    Refreshing Summer Watermelon Margarita!

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    Refreshing Summer Watermelon Margarita
    From Eat Yourself Wellfeministjulie / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

    When it’s nothing but hot, hot, hot, these simple, refreshing summer drinks – with our without alcohol – are a great way to cool down!

    Summer Watermelon Margarita

    4 cups cubed seeded watermelon – freeze for frozen drinks!
    Juice of two lemons, or 4 limes

    Adults-only version:

    3/4 cup good tequila
    Shot of triple sec

    Optional garnish ideas – pick one, or get creative: Lime wedges, watermelon wedges (rind on), mint, cayenne pepper, sugar on rim of glass.

    Frozen Melon Directions: Add first two ingredients to the blender, with 1/4 cup of water and “adult” ingredients, if using. Blend, tamping down as needed, until smooth (do not over-blend, you want this thick and frosty). Serve immediately.

    Non-Frozen Melon Directions: Add first two ingredients, plus “adult” ingredients, if using, to the blender and blend until smooth. Pour over ice to serve.

    Colorful Roast Spring Squash – a great way to celebrate the colors of Spring!

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    Colorful Roast Spring SquashThis one takes a little work to assemble (:-) you’ve been forewarned), but is a fun project with kids and is REALLY pretty on the table. I actually like the non-casserole version better when served piping hot, but plenty of people disagree with me (and the casserole is crazy delicious when served cold) so here you go with both versions!

    Ingredients
    4 medium carrots
    Spring zucchini and yellow squash – amount depends on size. I like the smaller spring versions, and buy about 20 of those, but if you have larger ones, the quantity is lower.
    4 fresh garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed
    3/4 cup mushrooms, chopped, pick your favorite type
    1.5 tbsp fresh thyme (I love lemon thyme in this, if you have it)
    1 tbsp olive or coconut oil
    Salt and pepper to taste

    Additional for casserole version:
    4 eggs
    1/4 cup chopped parsley
    1/4 cup milk (any type, and optional)
    1/2 cup cheese (optional)

    Preheat oven to 350.

    Slice carrots into thick matchsticks or similar small pieces, about 2″ tall. Warm oil in oven-safe casserole dish (about pie-pan size) over medium heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, carrots, and 1 tbsp of the thyme. Cook slowly for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until carrots are warmed throughout, then remove carrots and spread them out to cool, leaving the mushrooms and garlic in the pan.

    While the carrots are cooking and cooling, cut the zucchini into similar large matchstick pieces.

    Now, the fun begins. Spread the mushroom mixture across the pan, and begin arranging the matchsticks upright over them. Kids love helping with this, it’s a game. I find it easier to start in the middle and move outward. If you’re feeling creative, make a pattern, like a flower, with the colors. Go all the way to the edges so that the pieces stay upright while baking. If you’re not making the casserole version, sprinkle the remaining thyme over the vegetables, add salt and pepper, and pop into the oven for about 20 minutes, or until veggies are soft but not mushy (use a fork to gauge readiness).

    Casserole variation: before putting the veggies in the oven, whirl the eggs, plus the cheese and milk if you’re using them, in your blender on low, along with pinch of salt. Stir in the parsley, and pour evenly over the vegetables. Grind pepper over all. Bake until the eggs are set, and the vegetables are soft but not mushy – you can tell by using a fork. Let rest about 10 minutes before eating. This dish is also excellent served cold!

    Bittersweet Winter Greens Salad

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    Winter greens are delicious, with stronger flavors than most summer salad choices. That’s a good thing, so that they can stand up to the heavier winter flavors of root vegetables and so forth … but for small children and others that are more sensitive to strong, bitter flavors, you may want to balance the flavors with a slightly sweet dressing.

    This recipe uses a quick “cheat” that is probably already in your fridge.
    Bittersweet Winter Greens Salad

    Bittersweet Winter Greens Salad Recipe

    Go to your local farmer’s market or grocery for a large bag of winter greens: escarole, sorrel, swiss chard, arugula, etc. Just before preparing the salad, wash the greens and let them dry in a colander. 

     

    In a small mason jar, mix 1/4 c olive oil, 1/4 c red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, and 1 tbsp jam – apple, berry, or other sweet flavor. Add a pinch of salt, a twist of pepper, and then put on the top and shake until well mixed. Pour over the greens (to taste), toss, and serve immediately.

    Optional add-ins: any nuts, feta cheese, purple onions, dried fruits (cranberries are delicious), oranges or mandarin bits, or avocado (of course). Also great served over leftover quinoa or other grains.

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