Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad

Holy hell of a long salad name, amen! I can't imagine saying the name of this Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad three times fast.

Anyone want to try?

Seriously, though, this salad is packed with all the good stuff. Cucumbers are dirt cheap right now, as are tomatoes, which makes this an easy recipe to feed a crowd. The recipe itself makes ten servings, which is perfect for a big BBQ or a summer picnic, but it can easily be halved or portioned to whatever size you want. Plus it is easy to make. SO easy! I basically cut stuff up, threw it in a bowl, poured the basil-lemon mix over it, and then tossed it in the fridge to sit and marinate for about an hour.

It's a strangely complex salad, in the best way? You get some bright acidity from the tomatoes and lemon juice, and then a cooling crunch from the cucumber, which balances it out nicely. The mozzarella adds just a touch of richness, while the garbanzo beans add some much-needed texture. And of course, what is summer without basil and lemon?

Not summer, that's what.

(On a side note: cucumber-lemon water is my drug right now. I am chugging that stuff by the gallon).

I got in the mood to make this because it is finally, finally getting warm here. And it's probably going to rain tomorrow since I just declared it to feel like summer. Colorado is sassy and likes to go against whatever weather anyone predicts. Wasn't there a Garfield comic once where the weather forecaster said that the estimation was between negative 50 and 1000 degrees? Well, that's Colorado. So I'm taking advantage of the nice weather while it lasts, and making a ton of summery food!

Hope it is just as nice where you all are (and if not, I'll send some good weather vibes your way! It's not like Colorado would listen to them anyway)

Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad
Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 3 large cucumbers, washed and cubed (a bit larger than dicing)
• 10 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 (15 oz) can no salt added garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 8 ounces part skim mozzarella, diced 
• 1/4cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• zest of two medium lemons
• juice of four medium lemons
• 1/4c. olive oil
• 1/2t crushed black pepper
• 1/4t kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Combine cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and mozzarella in a large bowl. Toss to combine, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Whisk thoroughly for one minute. Pour lemon-basil mixture over the cucumber mixture.
3. Refrigerate for thirty minutes to 24 hours. Serve cold. Best served within four days.   

Nutritional Information:
Sodium: 209mg
Total Fat: 10g
     Saturated Fat: 3g
     Monounsaturated Fat: 5g
     Trans Fat: 0g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 10g
Calories: 197

Green Chile Cheddar Biscuits

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! I debated not posting today, in honor of his legacy and the lives and dedication of those who took part in the Civil Right's Movement, but I realized that I wanted to write a little dedication in the end. Although this country is far, far away from being equal in many respects, it honors me to be able to learn about those who have stood up against oppression and unfair treatment, even when risking their own lives in the process. Due to sacrifice and hard work from people who were willing to give up every physical and emotional comfort, things are not as bad as they once were. We, as individuals, need to come together and continue the wave of civil rights legislation and mindset that those before us have fought for.

So, Happy MLK day.

We are going to do a complete turn-around now, and switch topics back to the blog. Hang onto this train of thought with me, ok?

Going back to CO was rough.

How can someone easily transfer from 65F weather to just 10F?? If any of you internet friendsies have advice on how you got insane enough to live in a cold state, shoot me a message.

Seriously, though. I've been curled up in a heated blanket with so many layers on, drinking copious amounts of tea, and attempting not to catch the sickness that every single one of my friends seems to have. Soup and sauteed vegetables have been my go-tos this entire week. It's not even snowing, currently, and this weather is apparently "warm." I missed the coldest weeks of negative degree days, thank goodness, when I was in CA. I'm pretty sure all my Coloradan friends think I'm pathetically below average temperature. There are girls walking around in short sleeved shirts, and here I am barely able to leave the heated apartment.

Such first world problems.

But! Do you know what isn't a problem?

Biscuits. So many biscuits, I can't even begin to describe the pure biscuitness (making this a word now) that I am filled with currently. They're helping me keep warm, and require very little effort which translates to more time that I can spend wrapped in my heated blanket. Those beauties above (look at them again. Look at that cheese!) combine whole and all-purpose flours, rich green chiles, and sharp cheddar to basically make heaven on a baking sheet. In all honesty, I ate about three of these before they even cooled down? Burnt tongue= totally worth it.

These aren't your traditional flaky biscuits, because I've never found those kind enjoyable in cold weather. At Thanksgiving or in the summer with a BBQ? Heck yes! But not in January. When it's cold, all I want is something to dip in soup or to slather with some type of spread (read: butter). You just can't dip those other biscuits in soup. You can with these. I really love drop biscuits, because they are a bit more crumbly and (in my opinion) have more flavor than just butter biscuits.

These kind of have a southwest feel, but aren't spicy because of the balance between the cooling yogurt and the mild green chiles. They are also a lot lower in fat (particularly saturated fat), calories, and sugar. They also pack 6g of protein each! I basically took my standard biscuit recipe and added some pops of color and deliciousness, because I knew that I would want to eat a few a snack just on their own. It works perfectly. Flavor isn't sacrificed just because they are healthier, that's for sure.

Check out the recipe below.

Green Chile Cheddar Biscuits

Serves 6                 Serving Size: 1 large biscuit

Ingredients:

• 3/4c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4c. whole-wheat flour
• 1/4c. light margarine 
• 1/2tbl. baking powder
• 1/8tsp. baking soda
• 1/4tsp salt
• 1/2tsp honey
• 1/2c. nonfat plain yogurt
• 3/4c. (3oz) finely shredded sharp 2% cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons diced green chiles, from the can, drained
• cooking spray

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut the margarine into the mixture a little bit at a time until the mixture is coarse.
3. Add the honey and yogurt into the dry ingredients, mixing until nice and moist. The resulting mixture should be a little bit sticky, but not incredibly so.  Add in 2 tablespoons of the chile, and 1/2c. plus 2 tablespoons sharp cheddar.
4. Coat a medium baking sheet with cooking spray. Divide the mixture into 6, making each 1/6 a biscuit dollop (I divide my mixture in half, and then take that half and split it into 3). Make sure to space them apart, as the biscuits expand a lot during cooking.
5. Gently press down on the biscuits with the back of a spoon so they look prettier in the end with a smoother top.
6. Take remaining 2 tablespoons cheese and divide evenly among biscuit tops.
7. Bake in the oven for 16-19 minutes (or until cheese is melted and golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out completely clean).

Nutritional Information
Sodium: 927mg
Total Fat: 6g
       Saturated:  2g
       Trans: 1g
Protein: 6g
Sugar: 1g
Calories: 151

Sweet Avocado Crostini

It's the weekend! Score on the "good day" list: one. Score number two: this recipe has avocado! Take about a reason to celebrate, right? I love avocados. I could seriously eat an avocado with every meal and not get tired of them. They add the perfect creamy texture to any recipe, but they're also delicious on their own. Since they have a nice (healthy) fat content and a substantial texture, I use them a lot to replace meat in recipes when I don't feel like using beans or tofu. My apartment-mate likes to sprinkle them with celery salt and eat them with a spoon. Just like that. Simple and delectable.
 
Fun avocado facts: According to FoodRepublic.com, 90% of Avocados are grown in California (which is where I am right now for the summer! Fresh produce abounds. Side note: Davis farmer's market is awesome and if you're in the area you need to go. Every Saturday morning!). There are also a ton of different kinds of avocados, although here in the US we normally see Hass. Even between States, though, avocados differ. For example, Florida avocados are often not as fatty as those from California. This doesn't mean that you should avoid California avocados, though-- the fats provided are healthy monounsaturated fats, which actually benefit cholesterol levels.

As far as nutrition goes, Avocados are a powerhouse of awesome: they have a ton of healthy fats (monounsaturated, as mentioned above), fiber, potassium (more than bananas!), vitamin K (which helps with blood clotting, bone strength, and many other functions), and various B-vitamins. They are also relatively low-sugar, compared to other fruits (and yes, avocado is technically a fruit). This recipe combines mild avocado with hearty sourdough, tart and sweet cranberries, and a drizzle of rich balsamic.

Sweet Avocado Crostini
Serves 2           Serving Size: 2 crostini

Ingredients

• 4 (1oz) pieces sourdough bread
• 1/2 medium avocado, thinly sliced
• 2tbl dried cranberries
• Balsamic vinegar, to taste

Instructions

1. Toast bread.
2. Evenly divide avocado slices among bread. Sprinkle with cranberries and drizzle with balsamic. 

Nutrition Information:
Sodium: 437mg
Total Fat: 8g
         Saturated: 2g
         Monounsaturated: 5g
         Trans: 0g
Sugar: 10g
Protein: 5g
Calories: 240

Stuffed Mushrooms

Mushrooms stuffed to the brim with rich cream cheese, tender spinach, and salty Parmesan, and then sprinkled with breadcrumbs and baked until golden and delicious! A complete breeze to make, these Mushrooms are perfect for any occasion, even the fanciest dinner party (trust me, the guests will be impressed).

I remember serving these at a party that my father was hosting a few years ago, before I went off to college. It was one of his first times ever throwing a party without my mother there and he was so nervous. He and I always made an effort to cook together, so it seemed natural to make these and help him out.

(The party was awesome, by the way!)

Stuffed Mushrooms

Makes 50 Mushrooms
Serving Size: 2 mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 50 medium white button mushrooms, with stems
• Cooking Spray
• 8 ounces low fat cream cheese (block)
• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed according to package directions and then drained/squeezed of most moisture
• 1/2c. Parmesan Cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp)
• 1/2tsp pepper
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/4tsp paprika (optional)
• 1/4c. breadcrumbs

Instructions:

1. Take the stems from the mushrooms. Discard half of the stems; with the remaining half, dice into small pieces.
2. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Place the mushroom tops evenly spaced on the sheet, with the hole-side up. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. In a medium pan coated with cooking spray, cook the stems on medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until relatively cooked. Add in garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from heat.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, spinach, Parmesan, mushroom stem mixture, salt, pepper, and paprika. You will need to mix this for a while, until the mixture is thick, creamy, and ingredients are evenly distributed.
5. Using a teaspoon, place 1 teaspoon of the mixture into each mushroom cap. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the mushroom tops. 
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Breadcrumbs will be slightly golden, mixture inside will be creamy and warm, and the mushroom will be tender and cooked through.

Nutrition Information
Sodium: 114 mg
Total Fat: 2g
        Saturated:1g
        Trans:0g
Sugar: 1g
Protein: 3g
Calories: 41