Turkish Shepherd Salad, by Diane

This was AMAZING and I cannot believe how simple it was to make! I found this recipe from Zestful Kitchen and although I could not find the urfa pepper it was awesome without it. I made it for some Greek hummus bowls, but wound up eating it on it's own because it was that good! I also think this would be good with chicken. YUM!

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced

1 english cucumber, diced

red and yellow grape tomatoes, halved

1 anaheim pepper, diced (I omitted this)

1/2 cup chopped parsley

3 tbsp chopped mint

2 tbsp chopped dill

1.5 tsp sumac

1 tsp urfa pepper (can sub aleppo pepper)

1/2 cup cubed feta cheese

3 tbsp EVOO

1 lemon, juiced

kosher salt

Directions:

Mix all and combine, adjust to taste. 

Easy Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad, by Cheryl

Ooh it's been a hot minute since I've been on here! But I just had to make this new shrimp and avocado salad and I'm so happy I did! I've already made it twice in one week. It's so light and refreshing... perfect for a summer lunch or snack! Super flavorful, healthy, and quick! Yum!

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

2 limes, juiced

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

1 lb cooked jumbo shrimp, chopped

1 medium tomato, diced

1 medium avocado, diced (I used two)

1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Directions: 

1) In a small bowl, combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Set aside at least 5 minutes.

2) In a large bowl, combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, and jalapeno

3) Combine all of the ingredients together, add cilantro, and gently toss. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired. 

Pineapple Pickled Onion Salsa, by Diane

I had some leftover pulled pork from an event this weekend and decided to make lettuce cup tacos, and wanted to make a quick salsa to go with it. This wound up being so good I kept eating it plain with a spoon! It was super quick to make. Yum!

Ingredients:

Tomato (I used plum and grape here), small diced

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

Diced pickled onions (I do a quick pickle by slicing them and placing them into a jar covered with white vinegar, shake twice daily and ready after 1 day but can leave for longer!)

1 handful chopped cilantro

1 lime squeezed

1 small can crushed pineapple, liquid removed

1/2 jalepeño, seeds removed and diced small

Salt, pepper

Directions: Mix well, adjust to taste, enjoy!

 

Asparagus Caprese Salad, by Diane

 

I was clearing out the fridge and whipped this creation up, it was so good and I think it would be a great summer salad or side dish. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus, roasted with EVOO salt and pepper, diced

1 container grape tomatoes, quartered

1 small container mozzarella balls, quartered

1 small pack basil, leaves minced

1/4 cup turkey pepperoni, quartered

Balsamic and EVOO (I had meyer lemon EVOO which worked great)

Coarse salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Directions: 

Mix all and adjust to taste.

Redo Indian Summer Chili, by Diane

 

This snowstorm I decided I wanted a pot of chili, and I created this hybrid version of my decades-long fave Indian Summer Chili. It is more robust in the flavors, not as sweet, and honestly the best flavor combo of chili to come out of this kitchen in a long time! YUM.

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef

1 tbsp EVOO

1 medium sweet onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1.5 cups sweet rainbow peppers, chopped

1 15 oz can sweet corn, drained

1 15 oz can bean trio, drained (whole foods has this- pinto black and kidney bean mix)

1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 15 oz cans tomato sauce

1/2 cup smoky bbq sauce

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp Tony Chacere's (or enough until salted and spicy- the GOAT)

2 tsp Balti seasoning

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, brown the beef into crumbles, drain partway and set aside.

2. Use the remaining liquid from the beef, add EVOO, and brown onions until charred. Add garlic in the last minute and brown as well. 

3. Remove from pot and cook peppers in the liquid until soft, then add back the meat and onions.

4. Add remaining ingredients and let bubble, then simmer for at least one hour. Adjust seasoning to taste. The longer this cooks the better it is, and always better the next day!

Baked Tilapia with Lemon, by Cheryl

On my quest to add more fish to my diet that isn't salmon, I found this easy, quick, and healthy recipe! I don't usually cook with a lot of lemon, but it added a refreshing taste to the fish. I served it over farro with a side salad. This dish is light and would be perfect for summer, which is when I'd probably make it next. Yum!

Ingredients (recipe from here): 

1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced (oops forgot this!)

1 small lemon, thinly sliced into rings

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

salt

4 oz feta cheese

1.5 lbs tilapia

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 pinch red pepper flakes

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp drained capers

finely chopped fresh parsley or basil

fresh ground black pepper

Directions: 

1) Preheat oven to 425. 

2) Place the chopped vegetables and lemon slices in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Mix with 1tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

3) Crumble the feta cheese over the top. 

4) Pat the tilapia dry. Rub with 1 tbsp olive oil and salt. Place on top of other mix in the dish. Sprinkle the tops with black pepper, smoked paprika, and red. pepper flakes. Sprinkle the capers on top. 

5) Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve over a grain of your choosing. 

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad, by Diane

 

I was craving a BBQ chicken chopped salad, and decided to try my hand with some summer produce from my favorite stand and a high protein dressing- side note, I'm getting really good at my own dressings! This salad was SO SO good and honestly this dressing was maybe my best one yet. So crunchy and flavorful and definitely a filling lunch. YUM. 

Ingredients (3 big salads):

1 bag of sliced grilled chicken breast, chopped small (I just used this for ease)

2 cups yellow and orange cherry tomatoes, chopped

4 long sweet banana peppers in different colors, chopped

1/4 red onion, diced

1 bag chipotle cheddar salad mix by Dole

3 ears corn, grilled and charred then kernels cut off

1/2 avocado

1 bunch cilantro leaves

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 cup smoky BBQ sauce

8 oz plain greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Combine chicken, tomatoes, peppers, onion, corn, and salad portion of the mix together and toss well. For meal prep I divided this mixture evenly in 3 containers.

2. Make the dressing by blending remaining ingredients avocado through yogurt and adjust to taste.

3. When ready to serve, top each salad with dressing and tortilla chips from the salad bag (the salad bag also comes with cheese and an alternate dressing you can use if you like but I don't like either!).

Healthy Roasted Veggie and Egg Breakfast, by Diane

 

While at the beach visiting a friend, I made breakfast using a few leftovers from the fridge. This turned out to be a serious hit, and I've been having it for lunches all week- Yum!

Ingredients (makes 3 servings):

2 zucchini, sliced into 1/4 rounds

1 yellow and 1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 small container portobello mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bellas and removed the stem)

10 or so brussels sprouts, halved and stem removed

6 eggs, cooked over medium

1 cup fresh tomato sauce, or eggplant pepper spread from TJ's

12 fresh baby mozzarella balls

Directions:

1. Roast the veggies with salt and EVOO until browned. Set aside in a bowl with the mozzarella balls, letting them melt into the veggies.

2. Cook eggs until yolks are just set, sprinkling with salt and pepper.

3. Combine eggs, veggies and cheese with sauce and enjoy.

The Best Bruschetta, by Cheryl

I love a good flavorful bruschetta. I was thinking of making some variation of it, but decided to stick with the tried and true tomato recipe. This was so delicious and was a big hit. Yum!

Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the bread and garlic

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 pints grape tomatoes (I used a colorful variety), cut into halves or quarters

1 whole baguette

1 tbsp balsami vinegar

16 basil leaves, cut

salt and pepper

Directions: 

1) Heat some oil in a pan. Add the garlic and stir, lightly frying them. Remove and cool.

2) Add tomatoes, basil, and balsamic to a bowl with the garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two.

3) Cut the baguette in diagonal slices. Brush with olive oil and very lightly toast.

4) Give tomato mixture a final stir and spoon generously over the bread slices. 

Slovakian Lečo, by Diane

I had the most amazing brunch while I was in Bratislava, and I decided to try and recreate it at home. It reminded me of shakshuka but tasted way better for me. As usual, it was much better in Slovakia because the veggies were smaller and more blended and there was more of a sauce to it, but I think I have a way to make it even better at home now! Overall this is a really good and easy dish to make, and I'll post the recipe along with some adjustments for next time (add tomato sauce and smaller dice of veggies). Classically this is served with good crusty bread.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil

1/2 cup diced white onion

1 cup diced peppers (I used one yellow, red, and orange)

1 cup tomatoes (I used a 15oz can diced tomatoes)

1 Polish kielbasa, sliced (I charred these for more flavor)

Hungarian paprika, salt and pepper to taste

8 eggs (recipe calls for 6 but I wanted more protein), beaten

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high, add in veggies and cook until translucent. 

2. Add in seasonings and sausage, cook for one minute and mix in eggs stirring constantly until cooked in. (I would add in tomato sauce before the eggs, cooking until flavors combine, and then mix in eggs.)

Fish Taco Bowls 2.0, by Diane

 

This weekend I was at the beach and got some blackened bass with peach salsa, with a side of corn and coleslaw. I don't know what possessed me to do this, but I decided to mix it all up into a bowl and it was soooo good I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since! I decided to create my own version with cod and mango salsa and it was so great! Plus it was a great meal prep recipe as it got better in the fridge each day, and was a cold dish to eat on hot days. Yum!

(I saw there was another recipe on the blog for fish taco bowls, so these are titled 2.0!)

Ingredients:

Fish (I chose frozen cod filets that I defrosted, next time I'd use fresh)

Seasoning (I used garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cumin and merken from Chile but you could use chili powder instead)

Avocado spray oil

Salsa: 2 mangos diced, 2 tomatoes diced, 1 can black beans, 1 can corn, 1 red onion diced, 1 bunch cilantro chopped, 1 lime juiced, salt

Red cabbage shredded

Dressing: 1 cup greek yogurt plain, 1 bunch cilantro with stems, 2 garlic cloves, salt and pepper, 1 lime juiced

Directions:

1. Make the salsa and dressings ahead of time and let them marry in the fridge. I did mine the night before. They get better this way!

2. Season the fish and spray with avocado oil on each side, then air fry at 350 for 15 min or until the fish is 145 internally and flaky. 

3. Serve in a bowl with cabbage, salsa, fish and dressing!

Paccheri with Shrimp in a Tomato White Wine Sauce, by Cheryl

Oh paccheri, how I love you! This is my favorite pasta and I fell in love with it during my time in Naples. I also fell in love with their classic white wine tomato sauce. I can't ever seem to replicate it as well as they do, but this dish definitely brought me back. I loveee it. Yum!

Ingredients: 

1 package paccheri

1 8oz container of grape tomatoes

1 cup white wine

1 onion, chopped

A couple tbsp minced garlic

A couple handfuls of spinach

1 lb shrimp, seasoned

Salt

Olive oil

Directions:

1) Cook pasta according to directions.

2) Meanwhile, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the white wine, tomatoes, and garlic and simmer, mixing occasionally until sauce thickens. 

3) Cook shrimp in separate pan and then add to the sauce. 

4) Pour everything over the pasta. 

Mediterranean Chicken Salad, by Diane

I decided to make these salads for dinners this week using the recipe for the Mediterranean Chicken Skewers. You can throw whatever you want in, but this is what I decided for this round. It was really good and a great summer evening meal that came together quickly!

Ingredients:

2 cups greens (I used baby kale and arugula)

1 chicken skewer

1/4 cup baby heirloom tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 roasted red pepper, cut into cubes

3 tbsp pickled red onions (I used my recipe here)

1/2 cup hummus (I used my recipe here)

1/4 cup feta crumbles

Directions: Toss all ingredients together and enjoy!

Heirloom and Beet Whipped Goat Cheese Salad, by Diane

 

I saw this whipped goat cheese bottom on a veggie platter I ordered in Denver and I was so inspired to come home and figure out what I could do with it. Enter this- my afternoon snack alllll last week. It is so good with fresh summer tomatoes and basil, yum!

Ingredients:

4 tbsp goat cheese

1 tbsp EVOO

fresh herbs (I used oregano and basil)

1 cup baby heirloom tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup marinated beets, cut into bite size pieces

Balsamic vinegar (I have a blackberry ginger one that goes great on this!)

Optional- fresh basil for garnish

Directions:

1. Make the whipped feta either in a food processor or by hand by whipping together feta, oil, and herbs. Spread on the bottom of the bowl.

2. Top with tomatoes and beets and a drizzle of balsamic!

Spontaneous Salsa, by Diane

 

I was really craving chips and salsa the other night, but didn't feel like leaving the house. I was about to make my Spicy Fermented Tomatillo Salsa, but really wanted a tomato-based salsa. The issue was that I didn't have tomatoes, so after pulling a few ingredients, I found a jar of Rao's marinara sauce. In a pinch, I used it and whoa did this come out amazing!! I like it better than regular salsa, especially with how the flavors blended the following day! This was a happy accident I will definitely be making again! I also didn't have regular chips on hand, but the siete knock-off of Doritos actually made this way better- score!

Ingredients:

1 whole white onion, quartered

1/2 large poblano pepper, seeds removed

1/4 jalepeño, seeds removed

1 large handful cilantro leaves

2 cloves garlic

1 lime, juiced

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup Rao's marinara sauce

Directions: 

Pulse all ingredients except marinara until chunky, then add in marinara and combine quickly to as blended as you like.

The Best Tuna Salad Bites, by Diane

 

I saw these on instagram from @goodeatsbyrose and despite me not liking quite a few of these ingredients I was for whatever reason inspired to try it. I'm so glad I did- these were amazing (she just called these Tuna Salad but honestly they are the BEST!). So quick and easy, I can't wait for lunch tomorrow! I think these are perfect because they are a mix of acid, salt, fat, sweet, spice, crunch and soft. I slightly adjusted some quantities based on what I had on hand. Yum!!

Ingredients:

1 large can tuna, drained

6 sweet gerkin pickles, diced

1/2 small red onion, diced

10-15 small sweet cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved

3 tbsp capers

1 tbsp mayo

Juice of 1/4 lemon

1/4 cup feta crumbles

Sprinkle red chili flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp garlic powder

Romaine leaves

Directions:

Mix all ingredients except lettuce to combine and adjust seasonings. Put into crunchy romaine leaves and devour!

Pesto Salmon with Spinach Puree, by Cheryl

I made a discovery at Wegmans - they have a frozen spinach puree that comes in little ice cube shapes. You put some in a pot and heat up with a little olive oil and it is soooo good! It was such a great side to the fish we were having.. I plan on using it for other meals as well! This is such a quick and healthy meal to put together. I didn't have any of my homemade pesto on hand, but used a store bought version that I had. We served this with a side salad and sweet potato fries. This was super yummy, healthy, and was a hit. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 salmon filets 

pesto sauce

cherry tomatoes, cut in half

olive oil

Wegmans spinach puree

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 425.

2) In a baking dish place filets skin side down (mine didn't have skin). Put a couple of spoonfuls of pesto sauce on top of the fish to cover it. 

3) Toss the cherry tomatoes with a little olive oil and salt. Spread around the fish in the baking dish. 

4) Cook for 12-15 minutes (I do 12).

5) Meanwhile, cook spinach puree according to package instructions (5 minutes to cook).

6) Assemble with the puree at the bottom, then the fish, and finally the cherry tomatoes. 

Tomato Egg, by Diane

 

This recipe comes from my new favorite instagram chef, Kristina Cho. She describes it as Chinese comfort food that every house makes differently, and this is her family recipe. I really was intrigued, and decided to make it for dinner one night. It was really unique and very comforting, and easy to make! My only complaint was that the ginger flavor was far too strong, and I used much less than the recipe called for. I also had some colorful cherry tomatoes on hand so used those, but definitely did not use the same amount of tomatoes as her, so next time would try it with the roma tomatoes instead as hers came out much more tomato looking. 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 inch knob ginger, cut into matchsticks

4 cups roma tomatoes (about 5), rough chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp sesame oil

1.5 tbsp oyster sauce

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp cornstarch 

2 eggs, whisked

1/3 cup green onions

Directions:

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat, add ginger and cook 1-2 min until fragrant. 

2. Add tomatoes through oyster sauce, cook 5-8 min until jammy. 

3. Whisk cornstarch and water into a slurry in a small bowl, stir into the tomato mixture until thickened 2-3 min and reduce heat to simmer.

4. Drizzle the eggs over the mixture and don't stir until just set about 2 min. 

5. Gently stir in most of the green onions, leaving some for garnish. Don't stir too much!

6. Serve with steamed rice and top with remaining green onions.

Summer Corn and Tomato Salad with Shrimp, by Diane

 

This recipe was a spontaneous weeknight creation after a visit to the farmers market, and loosely based off Cheryl's pesto corn salad with shrimp! I batch cooked a bunch of it at once by cutting everything and placing it into separate containers so that I could just combine them into a salad when I was ready to eat, which made 4 portions. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 lb cooked and deveined shrimp, tail off

2 cups tomatoes (I used red and orange cherry tomatoes from the farm)

4 ears corn, uncooked, corn kernels removed

8 scallions, green and white parts sliced

2 avocados

1 handful basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup EVOO

Salt and pepper

Merken (smoky spice is ok here too!)

1 lime

Directions:

1. Combine 1 avocado, basil, garlic, EVOO, salt and pepper and lime in a blender, using salt and pepper to taste. Set aside as your dressing- I like this on the thick side.

2. Combine remaining ingredients including the other avocado diced up and toss well to combine.

3. Top with dressing, and season to your preference.

Grilled Pizza with Summer Corn and Tomatoes, by Diane

This pizza recipe has been on my list of summer foods for 3 years, and it was so worth it!! Super fun to make, and the whole family loved it for a Labor Day cookout!

Ingredients:

15oz can pizza dough

3 ears cooked corn, kernels chopped off

4 tbsp evoo

Salt

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 tsp grated garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 large tomatoes, sliced thick

1 ball Buffalo mozzarella, sliced 

Handful basil leaves

Directions:

1. Stretch the dough to desired size, brush with evoo and sprinkle with salt. Set aside at room temp for one hour.

2. Combine corn, 2 tbsp evoo, Parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor until creamy. Set aside.

3. Preheat a grill to medium, cook dough for 6 min covered, watching the bottom so it doesn’t char. 

4. Flip the dough over, spread the corn sauce on, top with tomato and mozzarella slices. Grill covered for another 6 min. 

5. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and top with basil.