another summer friday

Dip dinner happens when you've got a bunch of ripe avocados and several half bags of chips leftover from the holiday weekend.

Featuring:

guacamole

bean dip (refried beans from a can)

salsa

sour cream

jalapenos

fajita chicken

summer dinner, charcuterie edition

Friday nights all summer long we've had something like this for dinner:

Plop a bunch of (cold) things, leftovers, snackies, etc. on a tray and call it charcuterie. 

And it's been the best. No cooking or heating up the kitchen, and if I make it ahead of time, it's ready whenever we get hungry. No two are the same and it helps clean up the random odds and ends that are in the fridge at the end of the week. It's perfect for those times when you're working in the heat and your body is hungry but you're too hot for an appetite.

You might think dinner like this won't fill you up, but there's always a couple different protein options, and we often have trouble finishing it. 

smoothie kits

I'm on a smoothie kick and you know I like to streamline things. These smoothie kits live in the freezer and all you do is add milk and blend.

In each bag:

1/2 ripe banana, sliced into 4 or 5 pieces

2 strawberries quartered

5 blueberries (not pictured)

1 Tablespoon of Super Seeds

1 scoop of Naked Pea protein powder

1 big ass kale leaf, stem removed (or leave it on if you're confident in your blender)

1/2 tsp of grated turmeric (not pictured) and/or ginger

generous sprinkles of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger

I don't like a super sweet smoothie so if you do, add some honey or whatever.

The important thing is to freeze these FLAT so you can break them up into chunks so they blend easier. If you freeze them in a solid block, they will be impossible to blend.

I add 3/4 cup (6 oz) of soy milk and blend away. Makes a 12 ounce smoothie that looks ugly and green but I like it. Sometimes I pair it with an extra toasted english muffin with almond butter.

biscotti, revisited

A simplified version of a previously posted recipe for biscotti, inspired by the new Nespresso machine and the need for little snackies to enjoy alongside a double shot on the porch.

Biscotti:

1 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt
3 eggs
2 c. GF flour

1 c. almond flour

Preheat the oven to 350. 

Mix the eggs, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. Stir in the flours. 

You can use the dough as-is, or add some mix ins. I divided the dough and added the following:

1. slivered almonds and sprinkled with turbinado sugar
2. dried cranberries and chopped pecans

3. chocolate chips

4. ginger, cardamon, and cinnamon

Shape into oval patties. They do not spread or rise so take that into consideration when shaping. I made mini biscotti here. 

Bake for 20 minutes. 

Take them out and, using your sharpest knife, cut the patties into slices at an angle. 

Bake for another 20 minutes.

As they cool they will get a little crunchy. 

P.S. They freeze very well.