EASY CUCUMBER SALAD

 

Need a last minute dish for a Fourth of July barbeque, perhaps? Let this salad help you. Three ingredients, and your done. It's crispy, tangy and delish. Not to mention, both adults and kids gobble it up. Winner!

 

 

 





Easy Cucumber Salad

(barely adapted from Tracy Benjamin at Shutterbean)

 

Ingredients:

2 large cucumbers

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

Sesame seeds

 

Cut up the cucumbers. Toss with rice vinegar and top with sesame seeds to your desire. Chill and serve. Enjoy!



PEACHY KEEN SMOOTHIES

 

 

This past weekend, Ava and I headed to Farmer's Market to pick up some fruit. There is a severe drought going on in Northern California and it's hit small farmer's hard. The stands were few and far between as farms try to beat the heat/lack of water. But the peach seller we always buy from was there, handing out free samples and selling glorious yellow and white peaches. I bought 2 1/2 pounds of them. And then I got home and remembered we are moving-very, very soon-and I need to use up our food, not buy more and waste it. So this morning I whipped up a big batch of smoothies with those delicious peaches. These smoothies are both dairy free and vegan and the perfect, EASY breakfast on a hot July morning.

 

Peachy Keen Smoothies

makes 2 large servings

 

2 large peaches, pitted and sliced

1 banana (fresh or frozen), sliced

1 cup of orange juice

1 cup of water

3-5 ice cubes.

 

Add all ingredients together in a blender. Blend and serve. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN ALMOND MILK SMOOTHIE

I love fall. The weather, the clothes, and the food. Oh, pumpkin pie, how I love you.
This pumpkin smoothie is how I've been starting my mornings during the week. Perfect fall taste, in an easy breakfast form. No baking required.

Ingredients:
1 cup of vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
big sprinkling of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth. Top with a little granola. Add a festive straw (they make mornings a little better). Enjoy.

SPINACH ARTICHOKE PESTO

This pesto happened completely by accident. I had planned on making this pesto which I have been making ever since I found the recipe on Pinterest over a year ago. But through a series of missing ingredients and an abundance of spinach, this delicious, wonderful pesto was made. It's like spinach artichoke dip for pasta. Or any kind of vegetables. Or toast. Or plain on a spoon.

We start with a large bunch of fresh spinach. We place it in a food processor with marinated artichoke hearts, olive oil, garlic and salt. You can add Parmesan cheese too, if you wish. 

Spin it.

Put it on toast. Eat. Repeat.

This pesto is nut-free, and can easily be made vegan and dairy free by omitted the Parmesan cheese. It still tastes wonderful without any cheese, but is a nice addition for the cheese lovers.

Spinach Artichoke Pesto

Ingredients:

2 cups of fresh spinach leaves (about one bunch)

1 cup of marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender. Mix until all ingredients are smooth and well combined. store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.