It's the middle of summer and the 4th of July is upon us. As we break out our grills and dust off our punch bowls, it's tough to believe the year is already half over! But let's celebrate while we have the sun and heat as well as swimming pools and fun friends. For great healthy and green 4th of July tips, visit last year's posting on A Foodie 4th. And here are some additions those delectable recipes, all sure hits at this year's festivities!:*buy and use organic ingredients as much as you can ; )
Simple Red Salsa
4 large tomatoes or 2 packs of plumb tomatoes
1/2 a head of chopped cilantro
3-4 green onions/scallions (chop off the roots and use the whole onion from top to tip)
Juice of half a lime (add more to taste)
salt & pepper to taste
(if you want to add some spice, toss in 2 jalapenos or chilies)
Toss all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse. Pulse a few times to make sure the ingredients blend and chop well but not to much or it will liquefy. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir in and serve.
White Dijon Potato Salad with Dill
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
Sea or Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 celery stalks
1 cup veganaise
1 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (packed)
1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Put potatoes in a big pot with enough water to cover them by 1-inch. Add salt and bring the water to a boil. Cook for 25 minutes or so, just until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and return them to the uncovered pot off the heat. Let them sit until almost room temperature. Cooling in the warm pot gets rid of any excess water.
Chop the celery into 1/4-inch slices. Stir the celery, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and the remaining ingredients together in a serving bowl large enough to hold all the potatoes. Preferably a bowl that they will be served in as well.
Cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces once they have cooled and add them to the bowl as you go. Stir gently until all the potatoes are coated with dressing. You can make the salad up to a couple of hours in advance. Keep covered at room temperature. Try not to refrigerate as the potatoes will lose their texture.
Vegan Blueberry & Strawberry Cobbler
Filling:
3 16-oz bags frozen strawberries, thawed
1/3 cup organic granulated sugar
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1 16-ounce bag frozen blueberries, thawed
Topping:
1 ½ cups organic white flour (use gluten free is you are sensitive)
1 ½ tablespoon baking powder
¼ cup confectioner's sugar (extra to sprinkle)
6 tablespoons vegan margarine, quartered
½ cup unsweetened plain soy milk
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a deep 9” pie plate or two deep soufflé dishes and set aside.
Filling: Place the strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Mix the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of cold water until dissolved and then add this to the strawberry mixture, stirring well to combine. Stirring occasionally, cook the filling until slightly thickened, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in the blueberries. Carefully, pour the filling into the prepared pie plate.
Topping: In a food processor, combine the white flour, baking powder, salt and sugar, pulsing until well incorporated. Add the vegan margarine and process until the mixture is crumbly. With the machine still running, add the soy milk gradually until the mixture just holds together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Making the cobbler: Using your hands, pull and flatten pieces of dough between your fingers and gently lay these on top of the filling, overlapping and covering as much of the filling’s surface as possible. (The mixture will expand, so no worries if not all of the topping is covered.) Once all of the dough has been used, sprinkle the topping generously with confectioner's sugar. Bake until puffed up and golden brown, about 35-45 minutes. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.
Veggie Skewers
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
5 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 green pepper
1 large onion (red or yellow)
1 package (8 oz) mushrooms
Skewers (4-5)
In large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, basil, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Set aside. Cut peppers into 1-inch pieces and slice the onion into crescent shapes. Place peppers, whole mushrooms, (keep mushrooms whole - do not cut or dice), onions and marinade in sealable glass bowl. Cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
When you are ready to grill, thread the vegetables onto skewers, alternating vegetables. Spray your grill with olive oil spray or cover with foil so your skewers do not stick. Place the vegetable skewers on top of the grill's grid. Grill, uncovered, for about 7-11 minutes. Turn the skewers several times on the grid so that they will evenly cook. The vegetables should be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
4th of July Firecracker Cocktail
1 oz Organic Vodka
2 oz Dark Rum
1/2 oz Sloe Gin
(Fill to Top) Organic Orange Juice
Pour ingredients into a rocks glass filled with ice.
Have a very healthy and happy 4th of July!!
xoxo
Posts
