 If serving corn salsa for dinner is wrong - I don't want to be right. It's so stinking hot outside that salsa really seems like the best option for dinner. You know it's a scorcher when it's too hot to even stand on the deck and grill something for dinner. (I'm determined to try and fry an egg on my back deck one day -- I'll keep you posted on that little experiment. ) 🍳 Wouldn't we all just prefer to eat salsa and chips for dinner anyway? This roasted corn salsa is delicious as a meal. It's equally delicious on a taco and a burrito. It's delicious on a salad and and over a bowl of grits. I would eat it in the air, I would eat it in a chair. I would eat it in the car and in a bar. I couldn't resist. 😂  This scrumptious roasted corn salsa is refreshing and hearty and the sweet corn just steals the show. You know how much I love a good pan of roasted vegetables and adding just a few fresh herbs and spices really brings out their flavor beautifully. Stock up on the chips friends - you're going to eat a lot of them while you devour this salsa.  Roasted Corn Salsa 1 pound plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise 2 ears corn, halved lengthwise 2 onion, sliced into 1/2" rings 1 poblano chile, seeded and halved 2 jalapeno, seeded and halved 2 Tablespoon canola oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1 teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons lime juice 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 12 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
 Process lime juice, cayenne, tomatoes, garlic and 1/2 t. salt until smooth. Add to corn mixture along with cilantro. Let sit for 1 hour.
Sometimes I add a half and avocado to my corn salsa because I'm obsessed with avocados and because they make everything better. I'd love to hear from any of you who make this salsa with modifications. Let me know what kinds of peppers, seasonings, and spices do you add to make it unique. 🌶
Ciao!
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 When it rains it pours. Literally. Right into our master bedroom closet. 💧We've known that our roof was in bad shape for quite a while now but honestly, we've been trying to ignore the not-so-great looking patch repair jobs and hoping that our HOA would also turn a blind eye to the mismatched shingles covering the giant holes in our roof. We've even tried praying for hail to come and finish it off so that our insurance company could help with some of the cost of replacing the roof. 🤣 Well, after this latest leak, we were forced to deal with our roof problem head on. It was either that or start wearing wet clothes everyday. As much as we hated to spend the money, we bit the bullet and shelled out the cash to replace our roof. (At least this major home expense is above ground so that we can actually SEE where our money went. 💩)  So while I wallow in self pity over our money pit of a house, I will console myself with my favorite foods. I'm not sure why the consumption of decadent food makes me feel better about spending money on costly home repairs but somehow it does. Maybe I feel like I'm actually SAVING money that we would otherwise be spending on restaurant meals. OR maybe food has always been my way of comforting myself. (Phycologists would have field day with me! 🤣) I made this Sicilian Caponata to serve alongside some grilled chicken breasts. It was super easy to put together while the chicken cooked on the grill. I also prefer this stovetop method to roasting vegetables because I didn't have to heat up the house by turning my oven on in the middle of summer which is how I normally roast my vegetables. I think this Caponata is going to be a side dish that I make a LOT this summer.  Sicilian Caponata 6 Tablespoons oil 1 eggplant, cut into 1 inch chunks 1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces 1 red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 2 Tablespoons white sugar 1 Tablespoon tomato paste 1/4 cup fresh basil
Stir in basil just before serving.  The good news is that our new roof is on and it looks amazing. The bad news is that the forklift driver that was delivering our shingles, knocked out irrigation system by driving over the power box. 🤦🏻♀️ Oh well, it's time to move on to our next repair job anyway. 💁🏻♀️
Ciao!  Do you have any idea how many zucchini a single plant can produce in one season? It's a ridiculous number. I would go as far as to say a single zucchini plant can yield more zucchini than my entire neighborhood could consumer in a summer. I didn't realize how prolific zucchini plants can be and I foolishly put 4 plants in my garden one summer. 😬 Needless to say, I became a door to door zucchini saleswoman that summer - pushing my wares on anyone who would accept them. When I wasn't able to give away my vegetables anymore, I started disguising my zucchini in delicious baked goods like breads and muffins. Not too many people turned down my freshly baked zucchini treats. (There's more than one way to get rid of extra zucchini.) 😂  I ate so much zucchini that summer that I thought I was going to turn green. I scoured the internet and cookbooks for new and interesting ways to prepare it. I only wish that I would have had this grilled zucchini recipe in my repertoire when I was drowning in the long green vegetable. The delicious Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is the perfect compliment to this Grilled Zucchini. I love how delicious this zucchini really is without adding sugar or fat or cheese. A healthy zucchini recipe that tastes amazing. This might even be worth planting a single zucchini plant next year.  Check out this beautiful pepper that I found. (Is it weird to describe a vegetable as beautiful?)  Grilled Zucchini with Red Pepper Sauce 4 zucchini 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded 1 1/2 Tablespoons + 1/3 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds 1 1/2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 garlic cloves 2 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
 Arrange zucchini over sauce and drizzle with remaining sauce. Serve. I have a feeling that this grilled zucchini was meant to be a side dish, but I turned mine into a main course. I served it alongside a spoonful of whole wheat couscous and triangles of toasted flatbread. It was a delicious way to incorporate more vegetables into our diet.
Ciao!  My relationship with avocados started out innocently enough. I enjoyed the creamy slices that were served alongside my street taco or floating on top of my bowl of tortilla soup. But slowly, over time, my love for the little green fruit grew into a full blown obsession. The beloved avocado has worked its way into my heart and now I just can't get enough of them. Avocados are a staple in our house. I don't even bother adding them to my grocery list anymore - I just pick up 1 or 2 every time I go to the grocery. It seems pointless to question whether or not we NEED more. Of course we need more avocado and the thought of facing a day without an avocado in the house is just a little heart breaking.  I love freshly made guacamole and I adore avocado toast. I put sliced avocado on just about everything that I can - salads, soups, sandwiches, tacos, etc. They just make everything better. I've even put them in muffins and burgers. Oh, and if you happen to be my server at a restaurant - save yourself the trouble of asking - YES, I do want avocado with my meal. I know it costs extra - it's worth it. Bring me all the avocados in the kitchen, please. If you're still teetering on the edge of admiring avocados and a full blown avocado obsession - do NOT make these avocado fries. The crispy panko crust over the warm, creamy avocado slice is absolutely ridiculous and will likely turn you into a super fan. These baked avocado fries are so good and I dare say that they're one of my very favorite ways to enjoy my favorite superfood.  Baked Avocado Fries 2 avocado 1/4 cup flour 1 egg 1 teaspoon water 1/2 cup panko
  I was first introduced to avocado fries at my favorite little Mexican restaurant. They serve perfectly browned, deep fried, panko crusted avocado slices as an appetizer alongside crispy tortilla rounds. They're just about the only deep fried fruit that I can see myself eating. I dare say that my baked (healthier) avocado fries are even better than the original deep fried version. You NEED these avocado fries in your life - trust me.
Ciao!  More plants - Less meat. Why is it so hard for me to keep this in mind when I'm menu planning? I've been trying to re-train my brain to eat more plants but my first instinct is still to choose a lean protein like chicken or fish and THEN plan the vegetables and side dishes to compliment the meat. It just seems completely unnatural to me to plan the vegetables FIRST and then come up with a lean protein side dish to accompany them. I really like vegetables, why is it so hard to make them a priority in my menu planning?  I'm trying to change my pattern of behavior by featuring a plant based - vegetable driven main dish on the blog today - stuffed portobello mushrooms. This nutrient rich meal is the perfect thing to get my mind off of meat proteins and onto more plant based vegetable forward meals. I love these mushrooms so much and Ben and I really don't even miss the protein when I serve these for dinner. I haven't worked up the courage to serve these to my children yet because quite honestly, I'm not sure that my ego can take the scrutiny of their uncensored opinions. For now, I'll stick to serving these hearty mushrooms on nights when it's just the two of us.  Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms 1/2 cup + 1 T. olive oil 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 4 portobello mushroom caps, gills removed 1/2 cup panko 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 10 ounces spinach 3 garlic cloves, minced pinch of red pepper flakes 4 ounces cream cheese 1/2 cup basil leaves 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, grated
 Bake 4 minutes at 475. Serve.  I have a hard time planning side dishes to go with these mushrooms though because I feel like they act as a main course and require no additional protein. They're also a great source of vegetables so I don't feel like I need to add any more veggies either. So what do I serve with main course mushrooms? Sometimes I serve fresh fruit and a healthy grain. Quinoa, wheat berries and farro are all good options for healthy side dishes for this delicious meal. Tonight - it was toasted pita bread and raw veggies. I'd love to know what you're serving with your vegetable, plant-based meals. Send me a comment.
Ciao! |
