Bocaccini & Tomatoe Skewers

Looking for a quick and easy appetizer idea?  Then this is it!  These easy, peasy skewers are good at any time of the year, but so good when cherry tomatoes are in season locally.

We make these often without the proscuitto, but my friend Dale made these one night for a card party.  I love them with the proscuitto!  It enhances the flavour of the tomatoe and the bocaccini.  Drizzle a store bought balsamic maple vinaigrette over top and you're good to go.

These could not be easier!!!  Enjoy and thanks Dale for the idea.

If you're not familiar with bocaccinis, they are readily available at any supermarket.  They are "mini" mozarella balls.  Their flavour complements tomatoe and balsamic.

This is the dressing (mmm it's so good!):

Ingredients:

• bocaccinis (little mozzarella balls)
• cherry or grape tomatoes
• thinly sliced prosciutto
• balsamic maple dressing
• wooden toothpicks

Cut bocaccinis in half.  Skewer one bocaccini half with one tomatoe.  Slice the proscuitto in half length-wise.  Wrap the sliced proscuitto around the cheese and tomatoe.

Place on a platter and drizzle with the balsamic dressing.

Can be made ahead of time; but drizzle the dressing on at the last minute.

Tip:  If you have fresh basil on hand, place a small leaf of basil between the cheese and the tomatoe. 

Our take on Greek Salad

This is the Lombardi take on Greek Salad......

Ingredients:

• cherry or grape tomatoes
• red and yellow pepper
• cucumbers
• red onion
• feta cheese
• lemon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• parsley (if desired)

Slice the tomatoes in half.  Chop the red and yellow peppers into bite-sized pieces.  Peel and slice the cucumbers (we use the baby dill cucumbers).  Thinly slice red onion.  Add all to large bowl.

In a separate smaller bowl, combine the juice of one lemon and olive oil to taste.  Usually 1/3 lemon juice to 2/3 olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Add the dressing to the vegetable mixture.  If the feta is in a block, gently break it into pieces and add to the vegetable mixture.  Gently toss all together.

This salad goes very well with Souvlaki or chicken.  Great salad during the summer months.

Quinoa and Chickpea Salad

If you don't know what Quinoa is (and I didn't), you're missing out on something wonderful!  This ancient grain is packed full of nutrients and so healthy for you.  I love the slightly soft outside kernel with the crisp inside.  By itself, quinoa doesn't have a lot of flavour, but it complements so many flavours and add-ins.

We love this recipe which is chocked full of healthy, flavourful ingredients.  Perfect for a spring day or a summer picnic.

I've adapted this recipe from two recipes on the Canadian Living website:  http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quinoa_and_chickpea_salad_with_tomato_vinaigrette.php#.  This recipe calls for a tomatoe vinaigrette, but I chose a Lemon Cumin vinaigrette instead and it was delicious.

Ingredients:

1 cup quiona, rinsed thoroughly
1 can chickpeas (540 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 dill cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 sweet red or yellow peppers, diced
2 green onions or 1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Lemon Cumin Vinaigrette:
3 Tbsp (50 ml) lemon juice
2 Tbsp (25 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp (10 ml) ground cumin
3/4 tsp (4 ml) salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Preparation:
In saucepan, bring quinoa and 2 cups water to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12 minutes. Fluff with fork and let cool.Stir in cooled quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, and red pepper.  Gently toss with the dressing.  May be enjoyed right away or refrigerated until ready to use.

Tip:  Cumin can be a fairly strong flavour and not everyone enjoys it.  So be cautious about the amount of cumin you use.  You could easily eliminate the cumin if desired.

Steamed Haddock with Leeks, Carrots, and Fennel

 This recipe comes from the Spring issue of Sobey's Inspired magazine.  This issue had so many wonderful recipes in it!  Springtime at it's best. 

This recipe was light, flavourful, and healthy. Steaming fish takes a very short time, maintains the flavour of the ingredients, and is a healthy alternative to frying. 


We liked the presentation of this dish

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 sheets of parchment paper, approx. 13 x 16 in. (32 x 40 cm)  
• 1 leek, white and light green part only, thinly sliced  
• 2 Compliments Organic Carrots, cut into matchsticks  
• 1/2 bulb anise(fennel), trimmed, cored and sliced, top fronds reserved  
• 4 Compliments Balance Wild Haddock Fillets, thawed  
• 1/2 tsp salt  2 mL
• Pepper to taste  
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced  
• 2 tsp olive oil  10 mL
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, divided  125 mL
• lemon, cut into 4 wedges
 
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Fold each sheet of parchment paper in half. Open parchment and divide half the leek, carrots and anise on the right side of each. Place a haddock fillet over each bed of vegetables. 

2. Season fillets with salt and pepper. Coarsely chop the anise fronds (the green tops) and scatter them, plus the red pepper strips and remaining leek, carrots and anise over top of the fish. 

3. Drizzle each fillet with olive oil and wine. Fold left side of parchment paper over the right and tightly roll edges closed like a paper bag. Transfer packets to a baking sheet and cook on the lowest rack of the oven for 15 min. Serve each packet with a lemon wedge. 

Tip:  Serve with the Spinach and Pea salad also from the same issue.

Spinach and Pea Salad

Don't let the name or the ingredients dissuade you from making this flavourful, springtime salad.  It's bright, vibrant, and delicious!  And packed with vitamins and minerals.

This recipe comes from the Springtime edition of the "Inspired" magazine from Sobeys.  This issue was chocked full of good, healthy recipes.  The original recipe calls for Ricotta cheese on top, but we left it out.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

· 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil  60 mL

· 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (approx. 2 lemons)  60 mL

· 1 tbsp Compliments Honey  15 mL

· 1/2 tsp salt  2 mL

· Pepper to taste  

· 1 pkg Compliments Organic Baby Spinach  312 g

· 1 cup frozen Compliments Petite Peas, cooked according to package directions and cooled  250 mL

· 1 cup sugar snap peas, ends trimmed and cut into thirds  250 mL

· 6  leaves fresh Compliments Mint, finely chopped  (we didn't use the mint)

Recipe Directions:

1. In a small bowl, use a fork to blend olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper until smooth. 

2. Place spinach in a large salad bowl. Add both kinds of peas, the mint and lemon juice mixture. Toss well. 

Serve immediately. 

Japanese Noodle Salad

I bring my lunch to work most days.  I'm not really a "sandwich" girl, I prefer salads and leftovers.  I'm always looking for something quick and easy to make, that's flavourful and healthy.  This salad fits the bill!

The President's Choice Toasted Sesame Dressing is the key to this quick and easy salad.  This dressing has a distinct Asian flavour which pairs so well with the ingredients of this salad. 

I use Soba noodles which are Japanese noodles made with buckwheat.  They have a nutty sort of flavour.  You could easily substitute spagehtti, linguine, or rice noodles if you prefer.

Ingredients:

•  Soba noodles
• cucumber
• red or yellow pepper
• mango
• sesame dressing

Cook the buckwheat noodles according to the directions on the package.  Once they're cooked, rinse in cold water.

Slice the cucumber, pepper and mango into thin strips. Add to the noodles.  Gently toss with the sesame dressing.  Refrigerate until ready to use.  I usually add a little more dressing in the morning as the noodles tend to absorb the dressing overnight.

Roasted Beets with Feta Cheese

We love beets and roasting them brings out a wonderful caramelized flavour to them.  This simple salad is a springtime treat.  Beets are loaded with iron and vitamins and so good for you.

Ingredients:

• Beets
• Red Onion
• Feta Cheese

Vinaigrette:

• red wine vinegar
• honey
• olive oil
• salt + pepper to taste

Drizzle the unpeeled beets with olive oil and wrap in foil  Roast the beets in a medium oven (375) until you can easily pierce a fork or knife through them.  You can also cook them in the micro-wave in a covered dish with a little water.

When cooked through, peel the beets and chop into bite-sized pieces.  Thinly slice the red onion. 

Prepare the vinaigrette by combining 3 parts oil to one part red wine vinegar, add in a little honey to taste.  Season with salt and pepper.

Gently toss the beets and onions with the vinaigrette.  Place into a serving dish and sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese on top.  Enjoy!


Tip:  Although red beets are the most widely available, beets come in many colours:  orange, yellow, striped, etc.  The other coloured beets have a milder flavour than the red ones.  We particularly enjoy the orange or yellow beets in this salad, but they are not always available.  Experiment with different flavours and colours - it's always fun to try something new.