Homemade Naan with delicious Local Goodies

This was AMAZING!!!  I love the mixture of flavors and the fact that all of the ingredients are either homemade or locally made/grown.

First we start with the homemade Naan

Homemade Naan   
adapted from food.com  
Ingredients:

4 cups organic flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups plain or low-fat organic yogurt*

*Or Vegan alternative*

Directions to Make Naan

Next we have the "spread" which was Paratha Dip I purchased at the
Yellow Green Farmer's Market.  The spread I purchased contained yogurt, cream cheese, dill, mint, garlic and serrano pepper (and a few spices).  YUM!
Here are a few recipes for Paratha Dip:

Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Yogurt Dip

Spicy Yogurt Cucumber Dip

Wrap with Spicy Yogurt Dip

I had NO idea how difficult it would be to find a recipe.  None of the above recipes were quite right for the delicious spread I found at the local farmer's market.  I'll definitely be back for more.

And now for the grand finale...Putting it all together!

You'll need:
Naan
1 cucumber sliced thin (with the skin)
yogurt dip/spread

Take 1 naan and spread with a good amount of yogurt "dip" or spread.

Top with a layer of fresh cucumber slices.  Cut and serve fresh!

Health Benefits of Hot Peppers with Recipes

I LOVE hot stuff!!!  Check out the recipe collection below.

Stuffed Hot Peppers from Allrecipes

Smoked Paprika Hummus from Food in Jars

Hot Pepper Relish from Preserving Food at Home

Lazy Chili Rellenos from The Pioneer Women

Peach Jalapeno Jelly from Food in Jars

Do you have a favorite Hot Pepper recipe to share?

Easy White Bean Dip

Yep...Another easy recipe.  My husband loves dip and just about anything with sauce.  It's actually pretty funny.  When I give him a choice of what he wants to eat I'll point out which one has "sauce" and that's the one he'll normally choose.

Easy White Bean Dip

Ingredients:
1 can of canellini beans  (or homemade)
(rinse them well and pat dry before using)
1 small garlic clove (you can use a little more or a little less depending on your preference)
The juice from about half a lemon
A little less than 1/4 quarter cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt to taste

Add the first three ingredients into a food processor and puree. With motor running, pour in olive oil and puree until the dip is smooth (you can use more lemon juice and less olive oil if that's your thing). Add a pinch or two of salt and adjust for taste. 

Optional additions: chopped chives, Roasted Eggplant, fresh dill!
This recipe is Vegetarian AND Vegan!

This "Dip" can also be used as a spread for a sandwich or pita.  I might try this with my Red Bean Patties.

Meatless on Monday # 19 Chickpea Cakes

Chickpeas, or Garbanzo Beans, are are an excellent source of fiber, folate and manganese.  They also contain protein, iron, copper, zinc and magnesium.  Diets high in fiber can help lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels.

I wasn't sure about making this dish / appetizer.  I like chickpeas but have only made them from scratch a few times in large batches.  I freeze in small packages to use in the future.  I'm doing my best to stay away from canned or processed food. I found this recipe at Herbivoracious.com

Chickpea Cakes
Makes about 16 small cakes
Vegetarian (vegan if you use an egg-replacer)

3 cups cooked chickpeas (two 15 oz. cans, drained and rinsed)

1/2 cup green onions, minced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 t. minced rosemary leaves

3/4 t. salt

zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup homemade breadcrumbs 

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

oil for shallow frying

sea salt (ideally Maldon or fleur de sel) for finishing

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and buzz until you have a fairly uniform mixture, but before it is completely pureed. We want some texture left. You should be able to form it into a ball that holds its shape. It should be neither crumbly nor a batter. Add liquid or breadcrumbs as necessary to find the right moisture level. If you don’t mind tasting raw egg, taste a bit and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over a medium-high flame. Take a golf-ball sized piece of dough, press it in your hands into a flattened 3-inch patty and place in the skillet. Repeat with as many as will fit comfortably. Fry on one side until golden brown, about 3 minutes, then flip and brown the other side. Remove to paper towels and finish with a little bit of sea salt.

Super Simple Spicy Wings

This is another recipe that I literally through together.  There was no prep.  I took stuff out of the fridge and cabinet, dumped it in the slow cooker and that's it!

Super Simple Spicy Wings

Ingredients:
20 large wings
1 can tomato soup
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup salsa
1/2 onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, sliced or chopped
pepper  (approx 1/2 teaspoon)

Directions:
Mix all liquid ingredients in a large bowl.  Place Wings in the slow cooker on high.  Add jalapenos, onions and pepper.  Pour prepared sauce over wings.

Cover and cook for 3 hours.


Linking up HERE.

Homemade Salsa

In honor of the Mary's Salsa Garden Pack Giveaway that starts today at Back to the Basics I'm going to share a SUPER simple Salsa recipe.

This recipe was originally posted in Create a Salsa Garden at Back to the Basics!

source

Fresh Salsa

Ingredients

5 large tomatoes, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tomatillo, diced (optional)

salt to taste

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

Directions

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, tomatillo, and salt to taste. Mix well. Add 1/2 of the jalapeno pepper, and taste. If you desire your salsa with more of a kick, add the remaining 1/2 jalapeno. If you are satisfied with the salsa's heat, do not add the remaining jalapeno pepper. Cover the salsa, and chill until ready to serve.

Zucchini Carrot "Cakes"

These are a nice "tweak" from my regular zucchini cakes.  I had a bunch of carrots left over so I figured I'd try a little something different.  This is another item that does well in the freezer so I make a bunch at once (I doubled the recipe) and freeze them for later.

Zucchini Carrot Cakes (patties)

Ingredients:

1 cup Bisquick

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 
2 eggs, beaten 
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup shredded carrots
½ small onion, chopped
dash of pepper
dash of nutmeg
dash of paprika 
Olive oil

Directions:

Let your shredded zucchini sit for about 10 minutes then squeeze out excess moisture.

Combine Bisquick, cheese, pepper, nutmeg, paprika, eggs, zucchini and onion in a mixing bowl. Blend well. 

Turn on your pan or skillet on high.  Add olive oil.

Spoon heaping tablespoons of zucchini mixture into skillet.  Fry for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Place browned patties on a plate or paper towel.  Serve hot with marinara sauce or ketsup.

Last day to enter Mary's "In the Kitchen" Garden Pack Giveaway! 

Linking up HERE.

Meatless on Monday #8 Appetizer!

I've been baking for 2 days straight!  I'm going out of town soon so I'm preparing meals for the hubby for when I'm away.  Plus, the next 2 weeks will be very busy for us AND I have a birthday in a week!

So here's the rundown and I'll be sharing most of these recipes with you soon.
-Pear Preserves (Holy Moly Delicious)
-Pineapple Zucchini Muffins (Scrumptious)
-Slow-Cooker Wings with homemade sauce
-Zucchini Carrot "cakes" (more like patties)
-Egg and Veggie Bake with Riccotta Cheese
-Pasta and Sauce ( I won't bore you with the recipe)

And now for the recipe of the day...Guacamole Cucumber Bites!  These are so light and fresh.  I serve them on reduced-fat triscuits but any cracker would work.

Guacamole Cucumber Bites

Ingredients:
1 large Florida Avocado
(or 3 small Hoss Avocados)
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1/4 bunch of cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
crackers

Directions:
Remover the skin and seed from the avocado and gently mash.  I like to leave it a little chunky.  Add tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, cilantro salt and pepper and gently stir until mixed.  Chill for an hour.

Place a cucumber slice over your cracker and add a spoonful of guacamole.  Serve.  Enjoy!

*There is still time to enter Mary's "In the Kitchen" Giveaway*
Please, if you are new follower, leave a comment with your blog/website info so I can stop by. 

Happy Monday!

Linking up HERE.

Mac & Cheese Muffins

Picky eater at home?  Need a quick "comfort food" appetizer?  This is quick and easy!

Mac & Cheese Muffins

by Emily Bites

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked whole wheat or high fiber macaroni
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup skim milk
1 garlic clove, minced
3 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 egg
1 egg white
1 (10 oz) package of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, drained and patted dry (or you could use 1 cup cooked fresh spinach)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1.    Pre-heat the oven to 400. Lightly mist a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
2.    In a small sauce pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, mixing it into the butter until thick. Stir in the milk and garlic and raise the temp to bring the mixture to just under a boil. Add the cheese and whisk mixture together until thoroughly combined into a cheese sauce.
3.    Remove the cheese sauce from heat and then mix in the egg and egg white (binding agents) until combined.
4.    In a large bowl, combine the pasta, spinach, cheese sauce, salt and pepper and mix together. Spoon the mixture evenly into the cups of your prepared muffin tin.
5.    Bake for 10-15 minutes until the tops slightly brown. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

Yields 12 muffins.

Zucchini Appetizers and Snacks

What do you do with all those Zukes?   

More fantastic Harvest Recipes and perfect appetizers for a Saturday night get-together or Mother's Day Brunch! 

Parmesan Zucchini Rounds

By Emily Bites

Ingredients:
1 oz Parmesan, freshly grated (I used the smallest holed side of a box grater)
¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 egg whites
2 ½ cups zucchini rounds, sliced about 1/4” thick (this was about 2 small zucchini)

Directions:
1.    Preheat oven to 425. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil and place a wire baking rack on top (I used two metal cooling racks).Lightly mist the racks with cooking spray.
2.    Combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs, pepper and garlic powder in a shallow dish and mix together.
3.    In a small bowl, beat the two egg whites. Dip each zucchini round in the egg whites to coat both sides and then press each side of the round into the bread crumb/Parmesan mixture. Place the coated round on the wire rack on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining zucchini rounds.
4.    Bake for 30-35 minutes until the Parmesan and bread crumb coating is browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

Zucchini Squares

by Emily Bites

Ingredients:
3 cups shredded zucchini
1 cups Bisquick Heart Smart Baking Mix
½ cup finely chopped onion
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
dash of garlic powder
2 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:
1.    Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly mist a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2.    In a large bowl, stir together all listed ingredients until combined. Pour ingredients into the prepared baking dish and spread.
3.    Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into 12 squares.

Baked Falafel and Lemon-Tahini Dressing

A friend sent me this recipe from SparkRecipes, a collection of healthy recipes.  So happy I bookmarked it!  If you like Falafel but think it's too much trouble, think again!  Not only is it simple and healthy, the dressing is worthy of it's own post.  Don't worry, I won't make you wait...the recipe for Lemon-Tahini Dressing is also listed below!

Baked Falafel

Use all chickpeas if you don't have fava beans. If you use canned beans, the sodium levels will be higher so omit the salt.

Makes 12

Ingredients

1 cup cooked fava beans
1 cup cooked chickpeas
3 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
handful fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1 t baking powder
2 T ground cumin
1 T ground coriander
1 t black pepper
1/4 t salt
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 T olive oil

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the beans in a food processor and pulse until they are crumbled but not mushy. Add the garlic, onions, lemon juice and zest, spices, parsley, baking powder, salt and pepper.  Pulse until just combined. Transfer to a bowl and add flour as needed. The mixture should stick together but not be dry. Depending on the texture of your beans, you might need to add more or less flour.

Drizzle olive oil on a baking sheet. Form mixture into balls or patties, each slightly larger than a golf ball (just less than 1/4 cup each).

Bake 20 minutes, flip and bake another 15 minutes, until falafel are browned on both sides and crispy on the outside.

Serve with lemon-tahini dressing. Serving size is one ball, but feel free to eat more than one!

Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Ingredients

1/2 cup tahini
3 lemons, juiced and zested
1 T toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 scallions, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 t sriracha (hot sauce--optional)
up to 1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, adding water one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Each serving is one tablespoon.

Healthy Mexican-Style Favorites for Cinco de Mayo

Do you know Emily?  Please allow me to introduce you!  A fellow blogger at Emily Bites has quite a few amazing and mostly healthy recipes.  Since today is Cinco de Mayo I'll share a few mexican-style recipes.

Taco "cupcakes"

by Emily

Ingredients:
1 ½ t chili oil (found near the Asian ingredients)
½ lb 95% lean ground beef
1 T taco seasoning
¾ c canned black beans, drained and rinsed
16 wonton wrappers (found in the produce section)
5 T + 1 t of queso dip or salsa con queso
1 c chunky salsa 

 1 c reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese

Directions:
1.    Pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly mist 8 cups in a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
2.    Heat chili oil in a sauté pan or large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and taco seasoning and brown beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Add black beans and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until warm.
3.    Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the eight sprayed cups in the muffin tin. Spoon a teaspoon of queso dip into each wonton wrapper and spread across the bottom. Follow by spooning some of the meat/beans mixture into each cup (using about half the total mixture) and then splitting ½ cup of the salsa evenly into each cup. Sprinkle about half the shredded Mexican cheese evenly over the top of each cup. Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.
4.    Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

Yields 8 taco cupcakes.

Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burgers

by Emily

Ingredients:
1 jalapeno pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 (15 oz) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed, separated

OR use Homemade Beans
2 t cumin
1 ¼ t salt
½ c panko bread crumbs 

2 T tomato sauce
½ c corn (fresh, frozen or canned)
1-2 eggs
4 t extra virgin olive oil
¾ of an avocado
3 t sriracha (Thai hot sauce)
6 whole wheat sandwich rolls

Directions:
1.    Cut open the jalapeno and remove the seeds. Chop and place in a food processor with the garlic cloves. Pulse until finely chopped. Add one can of drained & rinsed black beans to the food processor and pulse to mix. Add the cumin and salt and continue to run food processor until a chunky paste forms.
2.    Pour the black bean mixture from the food processor into a large mixing bowl. Add the bread crumbs, tomato sauce, corn and eggs. Stir together to combine. Add the remaining can of drained & rinsed black beans. Stir to combine. Form mixture into 6 patties.
3.    Bring 2 teaspoons of oil to medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add three of the patties to the skillet and cook on each side 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Use a large spatula to flip; patties are fragile. Repeat with remaining patties.
4.    Place each patty on a bun and top with 1/8 of an avocado (sliced) and ½ teaspoon of sriracha. Enjoy!

Yields 6 burgers.

Deliciously Simple Meatballs

This meatball recipe is just the beginning.  I often double the recipe and store the unused meatballs in the freezer.

Meatballs

Makes approx 8 servings

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground veal

1/2 pound ground pork

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs

1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 cups stale Italian bread, crumbled

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

1 cup olive oil

Directions

Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.

Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Cook meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)

Harvest Recipe: Onions, Cilantro and Jalapeno

Another easy recipe from Back to the Basics: Texas Caviar.

I'm not really sure why it's "Texas,"  it just is!  This recipe seems to get better if it sits in the fridge for a day.  The flavor is fresh and spicy.

Texas Caviar (My version)
While the recipe calls for canned items I try to use homemade items that I have either frozen or canned myself.

1 can Black Beans, OR 2 cups black beans from scratch
1 can Whole Kernel Corn
1/2 a Red Onion, chopped
1 Red or Green Bell Pepper, chopped
2 Jalapenos, chopped
1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped
2 Limes, squeezed.  Add only the juice.

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate. Serve over rice or eggs, with chips or in tacos.

Harvest Recipe: Jalapeno Hummus

Not sure what to do with all those Jalapenos?  Can em, freeze em, blend em!  Looking for a good canning recipe?  Check out Food in Jars and stop back here at Mary's Kitchen in June for a few of my favorite recipes.

Jalapeno Hummus

Ingredients

1 cup garbanzo beans

1/3 cup canned jalapeno pepper slices, juice reserved

3 tablespoons tahini

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

crushed red pepper to taste

Directions

In a blender or food processor, mix the garbanzo beans, jalapeno peppers and reserved juice, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. Season with cumin, curry powder, and crushed red pepper. Blend until smooth.

Harvest Recipe: Eggplant

This is one of the most simple recipes I will ever post.  Seriously!  I've never written down a real recipe for this so bear with me and beware...the pictures do not do this dish justice.

Grilled Eggplant

Note:  I cook this recipe on the stove, not on an actual grill.

Ingredients:

Eggplant

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Cheese:  goat or mozzarella

Directions:

Slice the top and bottom off the eggplant and throw into the compost.  Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Drizzle olive oil in your skillet and heat on high.  Place eggplant rounds spiced side down in olive oil and gook for 3 minutes.  Turn down the stove, flip eggplant over and cook for an additional 3 minutes.  Turn off heat and sprinkle with your choice of cheese.  Let sit for 2 minutes then serve.

1 Eggplant will serve 2-3 people.  If you don't like cheese, serve topped with fresh salsa.