I’m baaaack! It has been a BUSY few weeks here in Minnesota. “Wedding Season” is in full swing as well as vacation season, road construction season and now back to school season!  I was hit by wedding bells (no, not literally) two weekends in a row and one of the weddings I had the honor of being a bridesmaid! Very fun but very busy. We did a lot of quick meals and even resorted to take-out despite my meal planning expertise (ugh, the pressure got to me, I had to give in!). Hey, we’re only human.

Now that this first wave of weddings are past us I can catch my breath and do some cooking before the next wave (3 weddings in September…) hits! After such a busy few weeks and a cold spurt here in Minnesota, I was craving a not-so-healthy-but-sorta-healthy comfort food: Fresh Artichoke and Spinach Dip. Yum.  I had a ton of spinach leftover from one of the many wedding gatherings and instantly thought of my favorite dip. Usually, people use frozen spinach but fresh spinach is excellent to use in this recipe if it’s available. The spinach cooks down quite a bit, so you’ll need a good amount. The not-so-healthy part of this recipe will definitely be the sour cream and mayonnaise. There are no great substitutions that taste the same. Low fat versions of either work fine but please don’t use ‘fat free.’  Fat free tends to use more sugar and non-food ingredients to make it ‘taste’ like fat. Instead, control the amount you consume instead of trying to trick your body (trust me, your body will find out and it won’t be happy..). Ok, here’s the recipe:

Fresh Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Serves 8 (as an appetizer)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 30-40 minutes

You will need:

1 (16oz) large container of fresh spinach, chopped

2 cans artichoke hearts, chopped

2 cans water chestnuts, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

½ lemon, squeezed

8 oz shredded parmesan or Italian cheese blend

Dash of cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Chop spinach, water chestnuts, artichoke and onion and place in large bowl. Add sour cream, mayo and lemon juice and mix well (I used tongs). Make sure all of the spinach is coated. Add seasonings and mix again. Place in a small (9x9) baking pan or glass casserole dish. Cover the top with the shredded cheese.

Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes. Turn oven up to 425 and bake uncovered for  an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly brown.

Over the weekend I hosted my sister’s “Vintage Circus” themed baby shower. She is having a little boy (Leonardo or “Leo”) at the end of September!  A vintage circus was the perfect theme for a baby named Leo (the Lion!).  Again, the theme guided the party planning but I did not go overboard. I found some vintage clowns at a thrift store; a toy carousal that I spray painted and I used popcorn holders as a vase for flowers. I also set up a tent outside and decorated with draping fabric and ribbons. I spent about $50 on all of the decorations…not bad!  Instead of getting to carnival-y on the food I went for fresh and summery. I also didn’t do anything too heavy because my Aunt Lin made beautiful and decadent circus cupcakes for desert!

Here was the menu:

Caprese Salad and baguette

Fresh Spinach Dip and veggies

Torta di Riso (My grandmother’s Italian recipe)

Fresh Fruit

Pesto Green Beans**

Balsamic Glazed Chicken

The menu was the hit of the party. The combination went well together and left people satisfied but not overly full. I will share the pesto green beans recipe. This was a hit and I used the pesto that I made last week and picked up green beans at the farmer’s market the day before.

Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures while I was making this dish, but it is very simple so I think just following the recipe you will do just fine!

Pest Green Beans:

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 2 minutes

You will need:

2 lb green beans, stemmed

1/2 recipe Presto Pesto

1 cup fresh parmesean cheese, grated

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted

It is basil season. I have 2 things planted in my garden: tomatoes and basil. I decided to keep it simple this year and only plant my 2 favorite ingredients. I over-planted last year and could not keep up! The tomatoes are still green but I am overflowing with basil. An abundance of basil = time for pesto. Pesto is very easy to make and very adaptable. Later this week I am going to be making a cold bean and pesto salad so I thought I would pre-make the pesto and freeze it.

LEMON GARLIC PESTO

(makes about 2 cups)

Prep time: 20 minutes

You will need:

4-5 cups fresh basil leaves, stems removed

2 garlic cloves

1 cup walnuts, toasted

1/2 lemon

1/2-1 cup olive oil

salt

Directions:

Remove stems from basil, add to food processer (or blender if you don't have one).

Toast walnuts in oven or broiler for 5 minutes, be careful not to burn! Allow them to cool for 5 minutes and then add to food processor.

Pulse/blend the mixture

Chop garlic and add to the mixture along with olive oil, lemon and salt. Blend ingredients until smooth.

Scrape into a tupperware, label with the date and place in freezer! OR use right away on pasta, meat, potatoes, fish or as a spread to bread. You will also want to add some fresh parmesean cheese when you serve, however, because I am freezing mine I withheld the cheese.

Stay tuned for my pesto bean salad I will be making at the end of the week!

Pesto has so many variations. I used walnuts and lemon for a non-traditional twist. You can substitute pine nuts or pecans for the nut and add variations such as roasted red pepper or arugula to the pesto. Use your imagination!

Happy Monday!

It’s a holiday week, so hopefully your work week will be as short as mine! This weekend I had the pleasure of checking out my local farmer’s market and OMG, I was in heaven! I look forward to this time all year for the fresh, delicious and cheap produce that I find.

July brings vegetables such as broccoli, beans, kale, carrots, beets, greens, snap peas and herbs. Fruits include the beginning of berries, melon and cherries! I purchased a HUGE bundle of kale, HUGE bundle of beets, 1lb of snap peas, green onion and garlic all grown in Minnesota and all for $10! That is crazy to me. I typically spend at least $15-$20 for the same produce at the grocery store.

Keep posted for a Kale recipe that will be sure to turn you into a fan

No doubt this upcoming holiday weekend will have you running between bbqs, beaches and bonfires! I know that’s what we will be doing. The tricky part with holidays is getting off your normal routine. When I’m off my routine and on the go, that is when I am reaching for fast, convenient and UNHEALTHY foods (take for example, potato chips and dip). Soooo, what to do?

Well, we are in luck because it is BERRY SEASON! Delicious, healthy, anti-oxidant rich berries are abundant and available for a fast, convenient and HEALTHY snack (desert, salad, etc etc).

I was just at the store and picked up a carton each of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries and paid just under $6.00! That is just as much as a bag of chips and dip, if not cheaper! Mostly, I like to have the berries washed and stored in a container in the fridge for convenient snacking but if you want to get a little more creative (and add some protein and more fruit), check out this tasty treat:

Berry Banana Split

(serves 1-2)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: none!

You will need:

½ carton blueberries

1 whole banana

2 medium-large slices of watermelon

¾ cup vanilla yogurt

1 Tablespoon pecans

Slice the banana length wise and place on plate. Fill the center with blueberries (you can add any kind of berry you want!). Place the watermelon slices (remove from core) on each end of the banana. Top with vanilla yogurt and sprinkle with nuts.

This is a very flexible dish. You can substitute any combination of berries and use different flavors of yogurt and nuts. Make it fun and make it work to suit your tastes and what is around in your kitchen!

Happy weekend!

To head to the Farmer’s Market that is…

Most of your city’s local markets have opened and have an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables and other products for sale, with many of them grown and produced locally. 

Make a morning of it…it is a GREAT start to your day!  Many of them are open on the weekends and offer perks such as coffee and local food to fuel up on!  I went last Saturday and enjoyed a fresh cup of coffee and a caramel roll while I strolled the rows and rows of fresh fruits, vegetables, arts/crafts and flowers.  I bought ingredients for my dinner and a bouquet of flowers just for fun…. best of all I supported my local farmers and had an awesome time!

If you are in Minnesota, check out this site to help find your nearest Farmer’s Market:
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/food/minnesotagrown/farmersmarkets.htm, otherwise check your official state department of agriculture website for locations near you!  

Happy Summer!