Tag: appetizer

Easy Roasted Eggplant With Lemon Tahini Sauce

Carol 9 Comments

Eggplant, also known as aubergine, is available year round. It’s a wonderful, hearty vegetable that can be used in amazing ways. One cup of cubed eggplant contains 20 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and 5 percent of your daily doses of both potassium and folate. It’s rich in flavonoids like chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid which may help fight cancer and protect cells from damage.

Today’s recipe is another veggie dish classic, Roasted Eggplant with Lemon Tahini Sauce. Choose medium or small eggplants that are shiny, smooth, firm, and heavy for their size. You can slice the eggplant in small circles or do long oval slices. It makes a great appetizer or side dish. For a main entree, add nuts such as pistachio nuts.

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Easy Eggplant Pizza without Flour!

Carol 10 Comments

Eggplant, also known as aubergine, is available year round, but it’s in peak season from July through the end of October. It’s a wonderful, hearty vegetable that can be used in amazing ways. One cup of cubed eggplant contains 20 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and 5 percent of your daily doses of both potassium and folate. It’s rich in flavonoids like chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid which may help fight cancer and protect cells from damage. It is also perfect for many meatless meals.

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Easy Black Bean Dip

Carol 11 Comments

Beans are great. They’re delicious, filling and packed with good-for-you nutrients like vitamins, fiber and protein. Black beans are among the most frequently consumed legumes around the world. They’re considered nutritional powerhouses that are rich in plant-based protein, fiber, and antioxidants that help manage blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol levels. They retain their shape and texture well, so they’re perfect to use in stews, soups, dips, and salads. You can use canned drained beans to cut down on cooking time, but you’ll save money cooking your own using dried beans. Add flavor by simmering dried beans with an onion, garlic, herbs, or dried chiles. For this recipe, I would cook them until they’re very soft and almost falling apart. Drain them and allow them to cool slightly before you blend up the dip, and save the bean liquid. Use it instead of the water.  For more information on the health benefits and instructions on cooking dried beans, see Health Benefits of Nutritious Beans.

There are two things I like to have in my refrigerator at all times – hummus and lemons or limes.  In the past, I have shared several hummus recipes including Black Bean Hummus. I have several friends who cannot eat hummus because of the tahini (crushed sesame seeds). For those friends, I make black bean dip.

Black Bean Hummus
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Easy Marinated Tomatoes

Carol 24 Comments

Summer is a time of fresh vegetables whether you grow them yourself in the garden or buy them at the farmer’s market. One of my favorite veggies is tomatoes. I buy grape or cherry tomatoes all year long. In the summer I sometimes find heirloom tomatoes at the farmer’s market. Today’s simple recipe is a tomato marinade. Fresh tomatoes with olive oil, fresh herbs, pepper, a tablespoon of honey, and vinegar. I suggest red wine or balsamic vinegar but if you love apple cider vinegar like me, it’s good too. You can make it with 5 large tomatoes or 35 oz. in cherry tomatoes. I like using multicolored tomatoes too as it looks so appealing. For vegan-friendly, drop the honey and use maple syrup, agave, or brown sugar.

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Festive Turkey Caramel Apple Tray

Carol 21 Comments

Fall is the perfect time for get-togethers and soon the season ends with a celebration of gratefulness. Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. If you’re having a crowd over before dinner, offer some appetizers that are not only tasty but also a little bit nutritious. You may have seen versions of this tray around the internet. Today I’m discussing a Turkey Caramel Apple Tray. Food art in the shape of a turkey. This is the perfect fall tidbit before the big meal. Slice apples of your choice and arrange them in a half circle at the top of a large plate or tray. Place a round bowl or container of dip at the bottom with 2 chocolate chips and a candy corn placed on it. The chips are eyes and the candy corn is his beak. You now have a cute turkey, and if you use 2 different types of apples, the “feathers” will vary. I suggest Granny Smith, Fuji, or Honeycrisp.

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