Halloumi & Bacon Rolls

Oh my goodness. These are amazing. Quick warning, you should probably make a double batch of these because they are not going to be around for long. I mean, cheese and bacon, what’s not to love? Nothing obviously.

Whether you are having friends over to watch football or hosting a fancy dinner party, these little bites are sure to be a hit. I highly recommend letting these get nice and brown and crispy (soggy bacon is just nasty). I served mine with Dijon mustard just to add a little extra something. Totally not necessary, but definitely a tasty addition. I’m a saucy person, so I like having dipping sauces on the side of just about everything. I think a smokey barbecue sauce would also be really tasty.

Halloumi & Bacon Rolls

• 1 block halloumi
• 10 rashers of center cut bacon

 

1. Heat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and place a baking rack on top of the tinfoil.
2. Cut the halloumi into 20 sticks. stretch each rasher of bacon with the back of a knife, then cut in half.
3. Roll the bacon around the halloumi in a spiral and arrange on the baking rack. Bake for 15-20 mins or until the pancetta is brown and crispy.

Pineapple Jicama Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

This salad is sweet, tangy and delicious. I originally read a similar recipe in a magazine while sitting in the waiting room at my dentist’s office. I was intrigued because I love love pineapple, but it had cucumber in it, which I absolutely abhor! Cumber is one of the four foods in the world that turn me into a picky eater toddler throwing a tantrum at the dinner table. I will not eat them. I do not like them touching my food and I will sit and pout if they are near my plate (bananas, celery and eggplant would be the others). I have been using a lot of jicama this summer and thought that it would make a great substitute for cucumber. It has the same kind of crunchy texture.

I served this salad with a side of chips for a super chunky chips and salsa kind of thing. You could also serve it over a bed of mixed greens or it would also go great with some grilled shrimp or tequila lime chicken as well.

Pineapple Jicama Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette:

• 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 2-4 Tablespoons olive oil (I used 3)

For the salad:

• 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
• 1 small jicama, peeled and diced into cubes
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 avocado, pitted and diced

Instructions

For the Vinaigrette:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until well blended. Set aside. (Vinaigrette can be made ahead of time and will keep in the fridge for about 1 week.)

For the salad:

1. Combine all ingredients, except the avocado, in a bowl and mix together. Add desired amount of vinaigrette and toss to coat. Salad can now be kept in fridge for up to 4 hours or served immediately.
2. Right before serving add avocado and gently toss to to coat avocado with dressing, but be sure not to mush it too much.

Gluten Free BLT Spring Rolls

I love coming up with new ways to eat my favorite sandwiches in gluten free ways. A good BLT (I guess these are technically BLATs) are pretty amazing sandwiches and these spring rolls do not disappoint despite the lack of bread. The lime-sriracha dipping sauce is also pretty delicious. It’s creamy, spicy and tangy and really worked well the rest of the BLT ingredients.

These rolls are also super, super filling. I had originally planned on using these as an appetizer, but they were so tasty and filling, they ended up being the perfect (almost) no cook meal. I would recommend serving these as soon as possible after making them, but if you have to they will keep pretty well for up to three hours after assembly.

Gluten Free BLT Spring Rolls
From No Thanks to Cake.

Ingredients

For the Dipping Sauce:

• 2 Tablespoons mayo
• 2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1-5 teaspoons Sriracha or garlic chili sauce (depending on you spice preference)

For the Spring Rolls:

• 8 8-inch rice paper (spring roll) wrappers
• 2 cups baby lettuce/spring mix
• 2 large tomatoes, cut into thin slices
• 8 slices crispy, cooked center-cut bacon
• 1 avocado, pitted and cubed

Instructions

For the Dipping Sauce:

1. Combine the mayo, yogurt, lime, and sriracha in a small bowl. Whisk it together and set aside.

For the Spring Rolls:

1. Make an assembly line with the bacon, tomato avocado and lettuce. (These spring rolls are best when served immediately, but can be served up to 3 hours later)
2. Fill a large pan with hot water and add one rice paper round. Allow it to sit in the water until it softens, about 15-30 seconds. (If your rice paper has a pattern on it, it will be ready to remove when the pattern disappears.)
3. Stack shredded or baby lettuce leaves on the lower third of the rice paper. Add tomatoes then a strip of bacon.
4. Fold the bottom of the rice paper up over the lettuce, tomato and bacon. Fold in the sides, then roll up. Repeat with remaining ingredients. If one of the wrappers rips, carefully overlap the two edges then continue to assemble the roll.
5. Cut each roll in half. Serve with dipping sauce.

Delica’s Wasabi Potato Salad

So, I briefly mentioned yesterday, I am moving to the other side of the country in 27 oh, so short days. I’ve been hell bent on getting in as many of my favorite summer things, California things, and summery California as possible. I have lists of food, shops, cities, friends, beaches, parks, drinks and many more random things.

A couple of weekends ago I got to cross a whole bunch of things off my list with a trip up to San Francisco. There were friends and food and shopping and pugs and crafts and it was glorious. Apart from the fact that many of my best friends live in San Francisco now, it’s always been one of my favorite cities. There is so much to do and see and, most importantly, eat! This salad is inspired by one I had at Delica many, many trips ago. Delica is a great Japanese deli and sushi bar in the Ferry Building. And while a Japanese deli might seem like the last place you would find an amazing potato salad, trust me they definitely know what they are doing.

I will admit, I have met very few potatoes I haven’t liked (I am 100% Irish, it’s pure genetics), but potato salads wade into a tricky gray area. A great potato salad is a thing of delicious beauty, but it is so, so easy for a potato salad to go horribly wrong very easily. Delica’s potato salad is so different than any other potato salad. First, the wasabi! I love wasabi and even though I have added I have used horseradish in potato salads before, I never thought of using wasabi. It’s a great flavorful addition. I might be strange in the fact that I always mix my summer barbecue side salads together. That potato salad and green salad will soon become one on my plate, so I absolutely love that Delica’s potato salad already has romaine lettuce and snap peas and other traditional green salad staples in the potato salad itself. If you are looking for a totally different and delicious potato salad recipe, I suggest you start here!

 

Delica’s Wasabi Potato Salad

• 1 pound Yukon gold or yellow potatoes
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (you can use mayo or sour cream as well or a combo)
• 2+ cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons wasabi paste (or more if you like it with a kick!)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup edamame beans, fresh or thawed
• 1 handful snap peas, trimmed and halved
• 2 romaine hearts, chopped

 

1. Wash and peel potatoes. Cut into 1″ cubes.
2. Put potatoes into a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until you can insert a fork and easily remove it (about 10-15 minutes). Don’t overcook! Drain potatoes and let cool.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, garlic, wasabi paste, and salt.
4. Toss with edamame, snap peas, and romaine hearts with the yogurt. Fold in the potatoes and gently stir until combined.
5. Cover and chill before serving.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes with Goat Cheese & Gluten Free Focaccia

Summer seems to be flying by and I feel like the end of it, is unfortunately in sight. This week I want to share recipes that feature some of my favorite summer produce so everyone can get as much tasty enjoyment out of the month or so we have left.

Oven roasted tomatoes became one of my favorite things this summer and if I can keep some around long enough (most are consumed via fork straight from pan), this is one of my favorite ways to eat them. I know turning on the oven in the middle of summer is something only crazy person would do, but just trust me, it’s worth it. Plus, you are turning on the oven so low, you won’t be able to notice any big temperature change. I promise!

I cannot even begin to describe how incredibly delicious these tomatoes are. I used cherry tomatoes in this particular instance, but I’ve used just about every tomato imaginable and they are all just as amazing. I served these with softened goat cheese and gluten-free focaccia, but the possibilities are endless. I’ve used them on salads, in a caprese salad, the top of soups, crackers and, as I already mentioned, my favorite method with a fork straight from the pan.

One minor note, if you are using larger tomatoes: cut the tomatoes in half first, remove the stem (if desired) and place them cut side down on the pan when you go to roast them.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes with Goat Cheese & Gluten Free Focaccia

• around 1-1.5 pounds cherry tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 8-10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4-8 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper

1. Heat oven to 225F.
2. Pour the olive oil into a shallow baking dish or pan and add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and salt and pepper.
3. Toss the tomatoes with the oil and seasonings in the dish.
4. Bake for two hours, or until the tomatoes are completely softened and wilted, and start to wrinkle. Depending on the tomatoes, they may take longer to cook.

 

 

Fiesta Bean Salad

It’s that time of year again… Fiesta! I haven’t blogged for a couple months, but I’m now in my final stretch living in California (for a while at least), so I figure I might as well enjoy and share as much of the Golden State as I can! Fiesta is a truly unique Santa Barbara tradition. Officially 90 years strong as of this Wednesday. It’s a unique blend of culture, history, food, music, dance and booze. Basically the world’s best combination in my opinion. This week I’m going to share some of my favorite, both new and old, Mexican inspired recipes.

I love this salad! It’s fast and easy. Light and fresh. And it makes a perfect alternative side dish to a Mexican meal instead of traditional black or pinto bean dishes. I had originally planned on serving this as a side dish with tequila lime chicken, but I was so hungry for lunch that I decided to skip the rest of the meal and just dig in. Excellent decision. If you wanted to add some more bulk to the salad, some chopped romaine would be great. If I had some cilantro on hand (my plants have refused to last longer than 5 days this summer!) or corn kernels (I can’t eat whole corn, but if you can), I know both would have made the best addition.

Fiesta Bean Salad
Adapted from Skinnytaste.

• 2+ cloves garlic, minced
• 3 limes, juiced
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 15 ounce canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 1 medium avocado, diced
• 1/2 jicama, cut into thin matchsticks
• 2 ounces queso fresco (or feta), crumbled

1. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, lime juice, oil, cumin, crushed red pepper, and salt.
2. Add the black beans, chickpeas, tomato, onion and jicama. When ready to eat, gently mix in avocado, sprinkle with queso fresco and serve right away.

 

 

Gluten Free Greek Yogurt & Herb Potato Salad

It’s already getting warm here. We had approximately two days of rain and a maybe four cold-ish (by Southern California standards) days and we are apparently heading right back into summer. I’m not a fan. The only plus side is that I now have a legitimate reason to insist on barbecuing as often as possible. I was all set to grill up a delicious meal the other day and it turned out we had no propane left, which is kind of a major component to using a gas grill. Memo to Self: always check for propane.

The meal was not a total loss because I had made some delicious side dishes to go with the barbecue. This salad is probably going to be in regular rotation over the next few months around here. It’s a very easy to make and very delicious. I originally used white balsamic vinegar in my dressing for this salad, but I honestly thought it turned out a bit too sweet. I think apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar would be a much better match. I used dill in the potato salad because it had a ton on hand, but you could use just about fresh herbs you have on hand. Parsley or basil would be great and I think arugula really would be great too.

Gluten Free Greek Yogurt & Herb Potato Salad

• 1 1/2 pounds unpeeled red or yellow potatoes
• 3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Add potatoes, cover and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and when potatoes have cool enough to touch, cut into quarters and halves (depending on size). Let cut potatoes cool to room temperature.
2. Combine yogurt, scallions, dill, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the cooled potatoes and toss to coat.

Cauliflower-Broccoli Cheddar Soup

In another round of my second favorite kitchen game*, clean out the fridge roulette, I was lucky enough to come up with a winner! I am sure I am not the only one to do it, but sometimes you buy some vegetables and then kind of forget about them for a week or two. I always feel awful if I don’t rediscover them until after the use it or lose it stage, but luckily I found a kind of wilted bunch of broccoli, a cauliflower that was about to cross to the dark side and some lonely looking carrots.

I like to let my onions get nice and brown (preferably caramelized) in most of my soups, so I diced up the onion and shallot and threw them on first thing. I let them get soft and caramelized while I chopped and washed the rest of the vegetables. I don’t mind my veggie soups having a bit of a bite in them, but if you prefer a softer or more blended soup, you might want to add the carrots with the onions so they get super soft. I added them after the onions were well softened and thought they came out perfectly. Truth be told, I used less stock than usual (3 cups instead of my usual 4) because that what I had left on hand and didn’t feel the need to open or make more. This resulted in a much thicker, almost chowder-like soup, which was delicious and filling.

I topped my soup with a sprinkle of cheddar, freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle of dill. After tasting the dill with the soup, I wish I had added some to the main recipe. Next time!

* – my favorite kitchen game is Don’t Cut a Finger While Cutting Onions, but I’m really not all that good at that.

Cauliflower-Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 6+ garlic cloves, minced (I used a whole head)
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1 large head broccoli
• 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and shallot and cook until soft and just beginning to brown. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the cauliflower, broccoli, spices and 3 cups stock. Bring broth to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover and reduce to a simmer and cook 10-20 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and easily cut, stirring occasionally. The broth will not totally cover the vegetables but don’t worry- stirring will be enough to ensure the cauliflower cooks through.
3. Using a regular blender or immersion blender, blend the cauliflower mixture until desired consistency is reached. (If you are using a regular blender, you will probably have to do this in batches so pour the blended soup into another large pot as you go. If using an immersion blender, you can blend the soup right in the same pot. Once blended, stir in the cheese and serve.

Greek Yogurt Chipotle Ranch Dip

Oh, poor little neglected blog, how I have missed you! Last semester was so crazy and so interesting (microbiology!) that I barely had time to procrastinate and since most of my blogging is born out of procrastination, things just kind of stopped around here. Luckily, I have a much easier course load this semester and I have already been accepted to nursing school (yay!), so hopefully things will start looking a little more normal around here…

I made this dip at the beginning of football season to go with some football watching. It was an instant hit in my (play)book and since the season is now only one game away from being over, I guess I better share it before it’s too late (I’m not even going to apologize for those horrible football puns).

Chipotle and ranch are probably two of my favorite flavors. Combining them resulted in what I think is the world’s best dip. This dip is the perfect combination of slightly spicy, tangy and absolutely delicious. I served the dip with some veggies and kettle chips, but I think it would be a great dipping sauce for chicken wings if they are your thing.

 

Greek Yogurt Chipotle Ranch Dip

• 1 3/4 cups plain Greek yogurt (I used Fage 0%)
• 1/4 high-quality mayonnaise (I recommend Hollywood Safflower Mayo)
• 3 Tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix
• 4 green onions, finely chopped and some reserved for garnish
• 1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1+ canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (add more if you like it spicy!)

1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together yogurt, mayonnaise, ranch mix, almost all the green onions, cilantro, garlic, lime juice and chipotle. Mix until well blended. Refrigerate until needed. Serve with veggies or potato chips.

Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad

My wonderful friend Zack sent me this recipe last week and told me to “stop what I was doing and make this”. Zack and I have fairly similar palates, so I had a feeling that I would like this salad. I didn’t just like this salad, I loved it. I have yet to find a combination of cilantro and lime that I dislike, so I might not be the most neutral judge, but this salad was pretty close to perfect. Chickpeas make a really great neutral base, which allows the other flavors to really shine through.

I ended up accidentally doubling recipe. I was trying to use up some use it or lose it spinach, which ended up being way more than the originally suggested four cups. It turned out to be a fortunate accident since I had leftovers for days. I upped the amount of garlic and took it easier on the olive oil. I also omitted the sugar the original recipe called for, but that’s just a personal preference. I never add sugar to any type of dressing.

 

Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad
From Heather’s Dish.

• 4 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 6 loosely packed cups fresh spinach
• 1 onion, chopped diced
• juice from 8 limes
• 1 bunch of cilantro (about loosely packed cup)
• 4 Tablespoons dijon mustard
• 8 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3/4 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1/3 cup olive oil

1. Chop the spinach very finely (feel free to use a food processor and pulse 3-4 times). Add the chickpeas, onion, and spinach to a large bowl.
2. In the same food processor add the lime juice, cilantro, mustard, garlic, chili powder, and olive oil. Blend until it comes together into a dressing, about 30-45 seconds.
3. Pour over the chickpea mixture and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for at least 15 minutes on the counter (or overnight in the fridge) to let the flavors get friend.