So, I totally messed up the meatballs...
Well, maybe not totally messed up. I mean, they weren't that horrible. They were edible. Just more dry than normal. That's the worst, right?! You've made a meal so many times and it has come out wonderfully and then you decide to make it for friends or family and miss one step or one ingredient and it bonks...
I found this recipe in The Thug Kitchen recipe book and tweaked it a little. That cookbook is so funny! You should check it out. Often I tweak recipes to make this simpler and also to suit my taste.
Instead of making my own smoked almonds as was instructed in The Thug Kitchen cookbook I bought hickory smoked almonds.
I LOVE this soup and it's so easy! Did you know tomatoes are awesome to aid in recovery after exercise? Tomatoes provide vital chemicals to help muscles recover after being stretched and strained. Tomatoes also contain and anti-inflammatory called lycopene which heals the body after a long run or hard workout.
I made this dressing to serve with a Vegetarian Taco Salad at the first annual Nourish Festival. Nourish Festival is a Trail Running, Hiking, Yoga, Foodie & Music Festival in Cincinnati, OH. Everyone loved the dressing, so I thought I would share it! I found the recipe on Epicurious, but tweeked it. I cut the amount of lime and jalapeno in half. Feel free to tweek this as you wish! Enjoy!
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro (some stems are okay)
1 small-medium jalapeño, seeded, deribbed, and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1/2 medium-large avocado, pitted
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Place the first three ingredients in a food processor and blend. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Add more water if you desire a thinner consistency. This dressing goes very well is a Vegetarian Taco Salad which consists of quinoa, cherry tomatoes, radishes, chopped lettuce and feta cheese.
I don't eat eggplant often, but when I do I often make this recipe because it is super easy and delicious. Eggplant is packed with nutrients, antioxidants and actually good for the brain. It contains a phytonutrient called nasunin that has been shown to protect cells from damage. So, eat it up! It's good for you body, brain and can taste pretty darn good if you cook it the right way. I love grilling eggplant. It lends a smoky flavor to this purple vegetable.
This recipe serves 4.
Salad
1 Eggplant, sliced and grilled
2 large tomatoes, sliced
8oz Smoked Mozzarella, sliced thin
1 loaf thick crusty bread, sliced and grilled
Basil Buttermilk Dressing
1 Cup basil
1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
2/3 Cup Buttermilk
Lemon Juice, to taste
Salt, to taste
Make the dressing one day ahead. Simply place all ingredients in a small food processor, and blend until smooth. Season with salt.
For the salad, place eggplant slices in a colander set inside a large bowl. Toss eggplant with kosher salt and let sit for 30 minutes. Wipe eggplant dry with paper towels.
Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover gill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Brush both sides eggplant slices lightly with oil. Place on the grill and cook until well browned on each side, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from grill. Now, grill the bread in the same manner.
Place one thick slice of bread on the plate and layer eggplant, tomatoes and mozzarella on top of bread. Drizzle with Basil Buttermilk Dressing.
This bread is super moist and loaded with cherries. It’s pretty healthy too because it has so many fresh cherries, bananas and I replaced half of the white flour with wheat flour which gives the bread some more fiber. I love making this for Summer adventure retreats because cherries are in season and abundant. They are so good for you too! The chocolate in the bread adds a layer of decadence and just one big slice it is the perfect morning fuel for a long hike. I want to try it with a gluten free flour and when I do I will let you know how it goes! Enjoy!
Ingredients
3 ripe bananas, mashed
4 Tbsp butter softened
¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
¾ c light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup chopped fresh cherries
2 Tbsp flour
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel and mash the bananas. Stir in the egg, butter, yogurt and brown sugar and mix until well combined. Combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix. Stir in chocolate chips. Toss cherries with two tablespoons of flour and fold into batter. Grease a 9 in x 5 in loaf pan and then pour the mixture in. Let the bread bake for about 50-6- minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing. Enjoy!
