Simple Tomato Caprese Salad

 

Here is a SIMPLE and delicious recipe for those tasty garden cherry tomatoes!

Image from Here

Salad:
Salad Greens
Sliced cucumber
Sliced avocado
Fresh Mozzarella cheese balls
Sliced red onion
Cherry Tomatoes

Freshly Ground Pepper

Toasted almonds or pistachios (optional)

Dressing:
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze

Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce/Dressing

 

This is my best copycat attempt at the Utah Chain Spitz Restaurant's Lemon-Herb Tahini sauce.  It isn't quite the same, but it is good!  If you've never been to Spitz, I recommend their salad with this dressing, or the Street Cart fries with lamb/beef, and double the amount of all the toppings!  This sauce also works great on your favorite protein bowl combination, such as the BLT Bliss bowl, or Greek Protein Bowl.

• 
  
• INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢¼ cup fresh parsley, tightly packed
• ▢¼ cup fresh chives
• ▢1/3 cup fresh cilantro
• ▢¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢¼ cup lemon juice
• ▢
• ▢2 Tablespoons olive oil
• ▢½ cup tahini
• 1/3 cup  water
• -Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Store in refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Mediteranean Flatbread Pizza

This is good warm OR at room temperature OR some of my kinds even prefer it cold! 

This is really easy to make if you use a premed crust, flatbread, naan, 

or pita bread as your base.  

Picture and recipe idea from HERE.

CRUST: (I like to use premade pita bread or Trader Joes Middle East Flatbread)

SAUCE: Spinach Pesto, Cilantro Pesto (see recipe below), or Basil Pesto

TOPPING Ideas:

black or calamata olives

feta cheese

mozzarella cheese

artichokes

arugula (add after baking)

spinach

cherry tomatoes

red onion

sun dried tomatoes

grilled chicken

-Top pita bread with sauce, then layer desired toppings.  

For the cilantro pesto blend the following:
1½ cups fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. pecans
2 tbsp. pine nuts
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

Roasted Cauliflower with Hummus, Olives and Feta

 

If this sounds intriguing---MAKE IT.  It is SO good!

his is an appetizer I love to get at Nordstrom Bistro.  Rather than roasting a slice" of cauliflower, they flash fry the florets.  Either way is delicious.

Picture and recipe from HERE.

Simplify this recipe by using your favorite store bought hummus.  

Easter (Passover) Week Meal

 

A few years ago, I wanted to expand our Easter Week traditions.  This Passover, Easter, or Jerusalem Dinner has become a favorite tradition with our children.  They enjoy eating on the floor with pillows around them and eating with their fingers!  I know this is not "perfectly authentic" but it still makes for a memorable evening.  We gather pottery from around the house and various items that seem more time period appropriate.  We use a Mity Lite table (leave legs down) and rest in on some blocks or low boxes.  

We often couple this with some sort of devotional or spiritual thought.

Menu ideas:

Hard boiled eggs

Crudite Asparagus

Carrots

Haroset (apple, nut, cinnamon salad)

olives

cheese

tomatoes

cucumbers

pita bread/crackers/matzo crackers

white fish

horseradish

beans

grapes

dried apricots

fresh herbs

pumpkin seeds

Mediterranean Charcuterie Board

 

Here's another idea for a Charcuterie Board.  

Fill it will all sorts of amazing toppings to make a gyro or falafel taco or salad.

Falafel

Spinach

Greens

Cucumber Yogurt sauce

pickled onions

banana peppers

kalamata olives

pickles

cucumbers

tomatoes

bell peppers

sprouts

gyro meat

Israeli Chicken (Instant Pot Option)

(Image and original Recipe from Here)

I made this recipe for a child's school class Israeli Celebration.  It was DELICIOUS!  Rather than bake in the oven, I used an Instant Pot and just layered the ingredients and baked using the chicken setting (add more cooking time if using frozen chicken breasts).  Enjoy!

Ingredients

* 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (can use chicken thighs as pictured and as suggested in original recipe source--go there for some extra instructions)

* 2 Tbsp. paprika (yes that is not a typo--2 tablespoons!)

* 1 Tbsp. kosher salt

* 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

* 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

* 5 sprigs Rosemary

* 1 head garlic, broken into cloves but left unpeeled

* 1 red onion, sliced

-Lemons for serving

Original Instructions (using chicken thighs)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Season both sides of the chicken thighs evenly with paprika, salt, and pepper.

4. Arrange the rosemary sprigs, unpeeled garlic cloves, and sliced red onion in the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.

5. Layer chicken pieces on top of the bed of rosemary, garlic, and onion in the baking dish.

6. Bake for 30 minutes. Increase heat to 375 and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit).

***INSTANT POT VERSION: Pour oil in base of instant pot. Layer all ingredients/seasonings in your instant pot (and FULLY PEEL GARLIC CLOVES), then pressure cook for 35 minutes. There is no need to brown chicken with oil in the pan---SUPER easy!!!

Greek Chicken

I've had this recipe for a LONG time.  It is delicious and simple. 

It makes your home smell very good too!

Chicken:
4-6 chicken breasts
Juice from 1 lemon (1/4 cup or more)
1 TBS Olive oil
2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Salt and
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp Cavender's seasoning
1/2 tsp paprika

Pasta:
12 oz angel hair whole grain pasta
2 cloves garlic, minced
2TBS butter
Strained juices from baked chicken
Pecorino Romano cheese or Parmesan

-Bake chicken breasts with seasonings and lemon juice in 9x13 pan at 350 for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
-While chicken is cooking prepare pasta.  Boil pasta according to box directions.  Drain.  While pasta drains, melt butter in pan and add minced garlic.  Cook on low for 1 minute.  Add drained pasta and juices from baked chicken.
-Serve chicken over bed of pasta and top with pecorino romano cheese or parmesan cheese.

Ginger-Peanut Chicken Salad Wraps

I have had this recipe for years and years!  I remember making a gourmet picnic lunch for my husband many years ago and using this.  This is really tasty:)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/2 sweet onion Carmelized with 1 tsp brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

3/4 cup shredded carrots (or broccoli slaw)

1 tsp sugar

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup cucumber, chopped, seeded and peeled

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon minced, peeled fresh ginger (or 1/4 tsp dried)

6 (4 oz.) skinless, boned chicken breast halves, cooked and chopped

-Combine all ingredients in bowl.  Mix together well.  Serve on your favorite tortillas.  You may also add lettuce/spinach and roasted peanuts if desired.
-KETOGENIC version, serve mixture in lettuce leaf instead of tortilla.  Use xylitol for sweetener.

Layered Mediteranean Dip

We love the classic Layered Mexican Dip at our house.  Here is a fun Mediteranean twist.  Thanks to my sister Rachel for introducing me to this!

Summer Goodness: Avocado, Fresh Mozzarella, and Roasted Pepper Salad

My friend introduced me to this delicious combo served with bread.  YUM YUM!  This is a great easy summer lunch or dinner.  Enjoy!

Combine in one bowl (or make a pretty platter separating them)
sliced avocados
Roasted Bell Peppers (I just used bottled)
Fresh mozzarella balls
salt/ground pepper
balsamic vinegar
drizzle of olive oil
-Serve with some artisan bread