Watermelon, Cucumber, Feta & Mint Salad

 

This is the perfect summertime salad - refreshing and has a wonderful sweet and salty flavor that is perfect for those hot summer days!  Not only is this quick and easy to create, but is a powerhouse of nutrition:  watermelon  and cucumbers both are a great source of potassium (watermelon has more than a banana!), calcium & magnesium, but it is also an excellent source of vitamins A and C!  And the bonus?  This salad also hydrates you and banishes bloat...what isn't to like about this salad?!

WATERMELON, CUCUMBER, FETA & MINT SALAD

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber, diced

1/2 medium sized, seedless watermelon, diced

1/3 cup of crumbled feta (I used sheep's milk feta)

10 - 12 mint leaves, rolled together and thinly sliced (chiffonade)

DRESSING:

Zest and juice of one large Persian lime

2 tbsp. honey or agave syrup

Pinch of salt

Freshly ground black pepper

• Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and set aside.
• Carefully mix together the watermelon and cucumber.  Drizzle with the dressing. 
• Sprinkle the salad with the feta and mint. 
• Serve and ENJOY!!

*You can also add sliced black kalamata olives and reduce the amount of feta.  This salad is also nice with thinly sliced red onion!*

 



Mini Basil, Tomato and Feta Frittatas

The Finished Product!!!

What the frittatas look like going in to the oven.

All puffed up when they first come out of the oven!

I pulled this recipe out of People magazine back in September for its simplicity, but didn't try it out until yesterday.  I made them for a breakfast with my girlfriends and everyone agreed this was "one for the blog"! LOL!  I intend to try a variety of combinations such as sauteed arugula, bacon and mushrooms, or swiss & asparagus, or spinach and sundried tomatoes, or feta, olives & salami....the possibilities are endless!  The nicest thing is that because these are made in muffin cups, you could make personalized frittatas with the minimum of effort!!

MINI BASIL, TOMATO & FETA FRITTATAS

Ingredients:

6 tsp crumbled feta (I used goat feta)

6 basil leaves, torn

6 grape tomatoes, quartered

Salt and black pepper, to taste

6 large eggs, beaten

Cooking spray

• Preheat the oven to 360F.
• Spray a 6 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.  Divide feta, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper equally in each muffin cup.
• Pour the eggs equally among the tins and gently mix the ingredients together in each cup.
• Place in the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before removing from the muffin cups.
• Serve and ENJOY!    

*These are really puffy when they first come out of the oven, but will deflate as they cool - doesn't affect the flavour in any way! *  
      

Winter Squash, Sausage & Feta Bake

I found this recipe in "Taste of Home" magazine (it actually won 1st place in their Oct/Nov 2012 edition!!)  and since I had a butternut and acorn squash I decided to give it a whirl...it was delicious! The kids weren't big fans as they don't love chunks of squash, but Greg and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

WINTER SQUASH, SAUSAGE & FETA BAKE

Ingredients:

1lb Italian sausage meat

2 large onions, chopped

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, divided

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp minced fresh rosemary

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp black pepper

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" cubes

1 medium acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" cubes

2 cups crumbled feta cheese (ran out of goat feta so used grated goat cheddar instead)

2 small sweet red peppers, chopped

• Heat oven to 375F.
• In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook sausage, onions and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes for 8 to 10 minutes, or until sausage meat is no longer pink and onions are tender.  Drain off fat.
• In a large bowl combine the olive oil, rosemary, salt, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and remaining pepper flakes.  Add butternut and acorn squash, cheese, red peppers and sausage mixture.  Toss to coat.
• Transfer to an ungreased large shallow roasting dish.  Cover and bake for 35 minutes.  Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until squash is tender.
• ENJOY!          

Feta Artichoke Bites

Yet another easy, economical and tasty appetizer that I made for our annual Xmas Open House and upon looking through my draft file, realized that it didn't get published?!

FETA ARTICHOKE BITES

Ingredients:

1 jar (7 1/2 oz) marinated artichoke hearts

1 cup diced seeded tomatoes

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 baguette

• Drain artichokes, reserving 2 tbsp marinade.  Chop artichokes and place in a large bowl.  Stir in the tomatoes, cheeses, onions and reserved marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Cut baguette into 1/2" slices.  Spread with artichoke mixture.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Broil 4 to 6" from the heat for 4 - 5 minutes or until edges of bread are browned.  
• Serve immediately.

  

Easy Spanakopita

I tried looking this recipe up on my blog and was shocked that I hadn't posted it before now?!  During the spring when baby spinach is in season and is plentiful in our CSA boxes, I make this recipe a lot!  It's fast, easy and delicious.  Serve on its own, with a salad or as a side dish - you'll be amazed at how easy and economical it is!

EASY SPANAKOPITA

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1lb baby spinach

1 large egg

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped

6 oz feta cheese, crumbled

1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

10 sheets phyllo dough, thawed if frozen

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

• Preheat oven to 350F.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and saute for approx. 8 minutes, or until softened.  Add garlic and saute, stirring constantly to prevent burning and sticking, for 1 minute.  Gradually add the spinach leaves and saute, stirring often, until wilted.  Transfer to a medium sized bowl and stir in egg, feta, herbs, salt and pepper.  Set aside.
• Lay 1 sheet phyllo on parchment lined rimmed baking sheet (cover remaining phyllo sheets with a damp teacloth as they will dry out really quickly!), and brush all over with the melted butter.  Repeat twice.  Spread spinach mixture in the centre and gently spread to within 1 1/2" of the edge of the pastry.  Top with 3 more buttered sheets.  Fold in sides to seal the spinach mixture in the pastry sheets.  Butter remaining 4 sheets and crumple gently like tissue paper, on top. 
• Place in oven and bake until a golden brown (approx. 40 minutes)
• ENJOY!  

Cheese Spread Pine Cone

I found this in "Taste of Home" magazine and thought it was perfect for our annual Xmas Open House!  It is not only really easy to create, it looks fantastic (if I do say so myself!)

CHEESE SPREAD PINE CONE

Ingredients:

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup milk

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons of dried minced onion

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2/3 cup sliced, unblanched almonds

1 cinnamon stick

Fresh dill sprigs

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth.  Add the feta, mozzarella, onion, and cayenne;  mix well.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours until firm.
• On a serving platter, form cheese mixture into a pine cone shape.  beginning at the narrow end, arrange almonds in overlapping rows.  Add cinnamon stick and dill for the stem and pine needles.
• Serve with bread sticks, crackers and/or vegetables. 

Spanakopita Lasagna

I first enjoyed this dish while on a scrapbooking retreat ~ Martha is a fantastic chef and owner of "Selwyn Shores" which is located in Lakefield, ON.  For me, being such a foodie, I enjoy the meals that Martha prepares as much as the time to focus on my scrapbooking!  At the end of each weekend that we go there, she lays out the recipes for all the meals she has prepared for us so we can copy them and make the dishes ourselves at home (and since she keeps meticulous records, we are never served the same dish twice!)  This lasagna was so simple and so flavourful I not only copied it, but make it quite frequently for my family!

SPANAKOPITA LASAGNA

Ingredients:

227g baby spinach

1 cup crumbled feta

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 onion, roughly chopped

1 bunch fresh parsley

1/2 cup EVOO

4 cups tomato sauce

Fresh lasagna noodles (I use Olivetti whole wheat ones)

2 cups grated mozzarella

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Cook spinach in the microwave or in a skillet until wilted.  Drain and squeeze dry.
• Whisk 3/4 cup of feta into the eggs and set aside.
• Chop spinach, onion, and parsley in a food processor until the consistency of a pesto.  I slowly drizzle the olive oil in the bowl while the food processor is running to help smooth out the spinach mixture.
• Add the spinach mixture to the eggs.
• Pour a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9"x13" lasagna dish.  Cover with a single layer of noodles.  Spoon half the spinach mixture over top the noodles.  Cover with another thin layer of sauce, then another layer of noodles.  Spoon the remaining spinach mixture over the noodles and cover with a final layer of sauce.
• Top with the remaining feta cheese (1/4 cup) plus the 2 cups of grated mozzarella.
• Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
• ENJOY! 

Zesty Citrus & Chicken Salad

This is an extremely refreshing salad that I concocted when I found myself craving fruit and veggies for lunch today! I had some marinated feta that I made for our party on Saturday, leftover roasted chicken and a red grapefruit. These combined with baby spinach, cilantro, and a lime dressing was delicious!!!

Spinach Salad with Marinated Feta, Chicken, Graperfuit & Lime Dressing

Ingredients:

(Dressing)

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsp honey

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp sunflower oil or extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

(Salad)

1 cup baby spinach

1/2 breast of roasted chicken, slivered

6 cubes of marinated feta*

1 segmented red grapefruit

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

• Whisk all salad ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Place spinach in a salad bowl, top with the slivered chicken, feta cubes and red grapefruit segments, and sprinkle the cilantro over top.
• Drizzle the dressing over top and ENJOY!!!

* Marinated Feta:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp oil-packed sundried tomatoes, diced
• 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp minced fresh chives
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 lb cubed feta cheese

Place all ingredients in a resealable plastic bag and gently toss. Place the bag in the fridge for at least 1/2 hr. Take out of the fridge at least an hour prior to serving to allow the flavours to fully develop.

Edamame and Wheat Berry Salad

Although this takes a long time to actually prepare, it is so worth it! The wheat berries are nice and chewy and really make this a satisfying salad. I added red peppers, edamame, celery, feta, garlic scapes and a dressing to make it colourful and flavourful!

WHEAT BERRY & EDAMAME SALAD

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) bag frozen edamame
1 cup wheat berries (also called whole wheat kernels)
2 cups vegetable broth

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta

3 chopped green onions, or garlic scapes

2 stalks of celery, finely diced

Dressing:
4 tbsps EVOO
2 tbspss lemon juice
1 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
1 tbsps balsamic vinegar
2 tsps dried basil
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp horseradish
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Cook wheat berries in a pressure cooker in broth for 45 minutes, or increase the broth 1/2 cup and bring to boil, then reduce and cover and cook for 2 hours or until liqiud is absorbed and berries are tender.

Cook the shelled edamame in boiling water as package instructions require.

Drain edamame and toss with wheat berries. Remove any excess liquid that is made from this process by straining both together in a collander. Mix in other vegetables.

Wisk all the ingredients for the dressing together and pour over salad. Stir to coat.

Refrigerate after salad has cooled and serve the next day.