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Enjoy late summer tomatoes and watermelon!
Watermelon and Confit of Tomato Stack
This super healthy appetizer (or simple alternative to a salad) provides a surprising pop of flavor. Try it and discover a new flavor combo that is sure to delight the taste buds!
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Snacks
Ingredients
- 1 small watermelon , preferably seedless
- 6 tablespoons slow roasted tomatoes or good-quality tomato paste
- 6 tablespoons chopped pistachios, toasted
- ¼ cup Saba or Balsamic vinegar
- opal (or other) basil leaves and, or flowers, julienned
Instructions
- Slice watermelon into 1 ½” thick pieces. Using a biscuit cutter (or even a small drinking glass) make 6 solid discs of melon. Place on serving plate.
- Top melon with with slow roasted tomatoes or a thin layer of tomato paste. Use a table knife or small offset spatula to smooth top.
- Top with chopped pistachios and a small drizzle of Balsamic vinegar. Garnish with julienne’d basil leaves and flowers.
Houriya: Zesty Carrot Spread
Houriya: Zesty Carrot Spread
Cooking, eating and talking food is a tradition when I get together with my sisters. We discovered Houriya while dining at Insalata’s in Marin, CA and quickly fell in love with this tasty, addictive spread. Get out of our way! Our server generously shared their recipe. The ingredients seem like nothing, but the combination of the flavors is sublime…sweetness from carrots combines beautifully with the spice from red chile, tartness from lemon, a touch of salt, and the conduit of olive oil.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 Servings 1x
- Category: Spreads/Dips
- Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots, peeled (optional) and cut into 1″ cubes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon harissa
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, or 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 3–6 tablespoons olive oil
- Zaatar, for serving, optional
- Crackers or pita bread, for serving
- Cucumber, zucchini, red bell pepper, cut into slices, for serving
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the carrots, salt and enough water to just cover the carrots; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer until carrots are cooked through and tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and dry by rolling the carrots in a towel.
- In the bowl of a small food processor, combine the carrots, harrisa, cumin, lemon juice, and salt; pulse until coarsely pureed. Do not over-process; keep the carrot somewhat chunky. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a bowl; stir in the oil to create desired texture. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional lemon juice or salt.
- Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Insalatas
Serve the spread as an appetizer with crackers, sliced vegetables, including my favorite, red bell pepper strips. It’s a great little colorful side for a simple grilled meat or fish or vegetarian bean dish. Make extra as it’s delicious as a leftover on top of greens or as a sandwich spread.
Notes:
- Look for harissa at your local market in the ethnic section. It’s easy to make your own by hydrating red chile flakes and blending in common spices and olive oil. There are a multitude of variations of harissa recipes, which can be found on the web, including this one on the NY Times. Some are a little more complicated, like this one found on Bon Apetit.
- Use a large food processor if you double the recipe.
- For a true Tunisian dish, top spread or serve the spread with zaatar, a mild herb blend with thyme and sesame. Look for zaatar in a specialty food store, online or in the ethnic section of your grocer. Zaatar is simple to make with herbs that are readily available. I keep mine in the fridge to keep the flavor fresh for up to a year.
Variations: Substitute all or a portion of the carrots for beets. Cook and blend the beets separately to prevent the beets from bleeding into the carrots.
Bring on the Zucchini!
Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado, Thyme and Walnut Oil
As my zucchini plants are in full bloom, I am anticipating an abundance of summer squash and the chance to make one of my summertime favorites. I picked up the recipe for this beautiful salad while in Provence, cooking with Patricia Wells. It’s make-ahead, and travels well for a picnic or al fresco dining. You will need a sharp vegetable peeler or mandolin to make the zucchini ribbons. I haven’t tried the dish with a Spiralizer, but give it a try!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, zested
- 2 teaspoons flakey sea salt (fleur de sel), or sea salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4cup walnut oil, or pistachio oil, or almond oil, or olive oil
- 4–5 small zucchini, washed, dried and trimmed
- 1 avocado, ripe
- 1/4 cup pistachio nuts
- 4 sprigs lemon thyme or other thyme, with flower, if possible
Instructions
- Zest lemon. Combine the lemon zest and 2-teaspoons of flaky sea salt in a jar. Shake and set aside.
- In a small jar, combine the lemon juice and ½ teaspoon salt and stir to blend. Add the oil, cover and shake to blend.
- With a mandolin or very sharp knife or peeler, slice the zucchini lengthwise as thinly as possible. Place the slices on a platter and pour the lemon mixture over the zucchini. Tilt the platter to coat the slices. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate 20-60 minutes.
- To serve, arrange the slices of the zucchini on individual plates, tucking-in/alternating with the avocado slices, slightly overlapping zucchini and avocado. Roll a few slices of zucchini to form a rosettes, if you like, and top slices with the rosettes. Sprinkle with the pistachio nuts. Sprinkle with thyme leaves/flowers and lemon salt, to taste.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Patricia Wells at Home Cooking Class
Tip: Use small zucchini for easy slicing.
Variations:
- Omit avocado and thyme; gently stir in 1-½ cups of white Cannellini beans and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
- Substitute walnuts for pistachios
- Top salad with 12 anchovies, nuts and lemon salt.
Super Power Chia Bread
Super Power Chia Bread
Think a savory, herbal flat bread might be just the thing to nutrient-boost your morning avocado toast or afternoon snack with a nut butter? Make this satisfying super-bread today and enjoy with your favorite spread or topping, or as a great side to make a simple soup or salad extra special. I like to take it with me on the trail as a nutrient rich foundation of my to-go lunch. –Use gluten-free oats if you would like to make a gluten-free version.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 16 Small or 9 Large 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Bake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds or slivered almonds (optional)
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats, ground into a flour
- 1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats, ground into a flour (or more oat flour or use quinoa flour)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or favorite herb blend
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and line a 9-inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way.
- Add rolled oats and buckwheat into a high-speed blender. Blend on highest speed until a fine flour forms.
- Add all dry ingredients into a large bowl and stir well until combined. Stir in the water until combined. The mixture will be very watery and runny at first, but it will thicken up fairly quickly. Scoop the batter into the pan and spread it out with a spatula as evenly as possible. (You can use lightly wet hands to smooth it down.) Sprinkle the bread with dried herbs, Herbamare or fine grain sea salt before going into the oven.
- Bake at 325F for about 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then lift it out and transfer it to a cooling rack for another 5-10 minutes. Slice into squares or rectangles and enjoy! Store in the fridge for a day or two or for up to a month in the freezer.
Notes
The bread spoils fairly quickly so be certain to store sliced bread in the fridge, or better yet, in the freezer.
Take out the slices as needed. It only takes a few minutes to defrost on your counter.
Cold Zucchini Soup
Cold Zucchini Soup
This summertime soup makes any meal special, but topping it off with an edible flower creates a visual masterpiece! It’s a super simple recipe that you can make ahead and even freeze. Oh…did I mention it’s just as delicious served hot? So go ahead and “put up” extra so you can enjoy that abundance of zucchini all year long!
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped, or 3 small-medium leeks, cleaned and sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1 pound zucchini, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, tough stems removed
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 2–5 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
Instructions
- Saute onion in butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, thyme and broth. Simmer 20 minutes.
- Allow soup to cool. Puree in blender until just smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and salt. Add additional lemon juice and salt, to taste.
- Serve cold or hot. Serve each bowl topped with (unsprayed) edible flowers, such as pansies, chives or nasturtiums.
Notes
Recipe adapted from California Fresh
Nail this recipe and it will become a foundational favorite in your kitchen. Interchange the vegetable for whatever you have on hand. Asparagus, peas, and broccoli will all sub-in beautifully for the zucchini. Give it a whirl!
I like to add the lemon juice just before serving so hold off adding the juice if you intend to serve the soup later.
