Mexican Street Corn Salad

I had this salad at a friend's house and had to have the recipe!  The flavors are so fresh and yummy, with a touch of sweetness from the honey in the dressing.  Enjoy it with chips or alone, as a side dish!

Enjoy!

Kirsten

MEXICAN STREET CORN SALAD

Dressing

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cumin

Salad

Splash of oil

4 ears of corn (about 3 cups), shucked, raw, and kernels removed

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup canned black beans, drained & rinsed

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (can sub feta)

1) Mix all dressing ingredients and set aside.

2) Heat oil over medium/high heat in a large saute pan.  Add garlic and corn.  Cook about 15 minutes, flipping frequently, until corn begins to char a bit.  Gentry toss with lime juice and salt.

3) In a large bowl, combine corn mix, black beans, pepper, onion, cilantro and cheese.  Drizzle dressing over and serve either warm or cold.  Perfect over tacos, as a chip dip or by itself as a side dish!

NOTES:

~I used Greek yogurt from Aldi and I didn't need to add any milk.

~Fresh lime juice all the way!

~I used avocado oil, but canola or regular veggie oil would be just fine too.

~Cotija cheese is the best, but if you have a hard time finding it, feta works too and is delish!

Basic Mayonnaise

I never realized how easy it is to make your own mayo!  I love this recipe!  It's easy and delicious!  I feel good feeding it to my family, knowing there are only 5 ingredients in it and they are all natural!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

BASIC MAYONNAISE

1 1/4 cups light olive oil
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon, room temperature

1)  Place 1/4 cup of the oil, the egg, mustard powder and salt in a blender, food processor or mixing bowl.  Mix thoroughly.

2)  While the food processor or blender is running (or while mixing in a bowl with an immersion blender), slowly drizzle in the remaining 1 cup of oil.

3)  After all of the oil has been added and the mixture has emulsified, add the lemon juice, blending on low or stirring to incorporate.

NOTES:

~The key to this emulsion is making sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature!  Leave your egg out on the counter for an hour, or let it sit in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes before mixing.

~Keep one lemon on the counter at all times for the express purpose of making mayo!

~The slower you add your oil, the thicker and creamier your emulsion will be.

The Best Homemade Ranch Dressing Ever

A friend brought this dip with some veggies to a brunch that I hosted and I asked for the recipe!  It was delicious!  I especially love the dill!

Enjoy!

Kirsten

THE BEST HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING EVER

1/2 cup Paleo mayo (recipe below)

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dill

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1)  Whisk all ingredients together to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

PALEO MAYO

1 egg, room temperature

2 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 cup light olive oil

1)  In a tall glass (if using an immersion blender), or a blender, place the egg and lemon juice.  Let come to room temperature, about one hour.

2)  Add the salt and mustard.  Blend ingredients.

3)  While blending, very slowly pour in the olive oil.  Blend until it reaches desired consistency.  Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

NOTES:

~I like to use Smart Balance non-GMO light mayo instead of making the homemade mayo, but either one works.

~If you make your own mayo, it is very important to use LIGHT olive oil!  Otherwise the olive oil flavor will be overwhelming!

~I do not recommend using canned coconut milk!  It's too thick and can have a gritty texture.  I use Silk unsweetened coconut milk that comes in a carton.

~I am eliminating garlic for a time, so I have been making it without the garlic powder and it's great.  If you do this, just increase the onion powder to 1 1/2 teaspoons.

~I don't store anything in plastic, so I recommend using a glass pint size mason jar!  If you double the recipe, it fills the mason jar perfectly!

Easy Peasy Strawberry Cheesy

So yesterday we had a church BBQ to attend and I was supposed to bring a side, but hadn't planned anything ahead of time.  So as I'm looking around in my pantry and fridge, I see some strawberry jam and get an idea for this creation!  It's gluten free and absolutely delicious!  It was hard to stop eating!  I hope you like it too!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

EASY PEASY STRAWBERRY CHEESY

1 8 oz. brick of cream cheese
1 cup strawberry jam
Couple drops of almond extract (optional)
Sliced almonds (optional)

1)  Pick a cute little serving plate or dish and plop the brick of cream cheese in the middle.

2)  Mix the strawberry jam and the almond extract and pour over the cream cheese.

3)  Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

4)  Serve with gluten-free crackers

NOTES:

~The almond flavor was very subtle, in fact, once you put it on the cracker, it's not super noticeable, but it adds a depth of flavor you'll appreciate!

~I used Glutino Original Crackers and they were delicious with it.  To me, they taste a little like pie crust, so with a sweet topping, they are perfect!

Creamy Ranch Hummus

My friend Carolyn made this recipe recently and we gobbled it up, it was so fresh and delicious!  I loved the creaminess of it.  It didn't have that thick "beany" texture that hummus usually has.  I bet kids would love this for dipping veggie sticks!  What a great way to get them to eat some veggies!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

CREAMY RANCH HUMMUS

4 1/2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup chopped chives
1 1/2 tablespoons dried dill
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon salt
Juice of 1 lemon
Olive oil, for drizzling

1)  Place all the ingredients in the food processor.  Combine until smooth, and adjust seasonings to taste.

2)  Drizzle with olive oil and serve with chips, veggies or pita wedges.

NOTES:

~She did not use the oil for drizzling and it was great, so I would say the oil is optional.

Watermelon Salsa

This is one of my favorite salsa recipes!  Especially for summer!  Serve it with sweet potato chips or regular tortilla chips, or eat it right out of the bowl - it's that good!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

WATERMELON SALSA

4 cups diced seedless watermelon
1/2 cup small red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1)  Combine the watermelon, red onion, cilantro, lime juice and jalapeno in a bowl.  Toss with the olive oil and salt.  Serve with chips.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Yummy, yummy, yummy, is all I can say!!  Perfect for Mexican night!  Cilantro, lime juice, cumin, some of my favorite flavors wrapped up in one delicious dish!

Enjoy!

Kirsten

BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALSA

1 can corn with red & green peppers, drained

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1/2 cup red onion

1/4 cup cilantro

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon cumin

2 avocados - chopped (optional)

1)  Combine all ingredients - except avocados.

2)  Let stand in refrigerator for at least an hour.

3)  Add avocados just before serving.

4)  Serve with tortilla chips.

Cranberry Delight Spread

My friend Dena made this for a party one time and I had to have the recipe.  It's fabulous!  It is gluten-free, just make sure you serve it on gluten-free crackers!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

CRANBERRY DELIGHT SPREAD

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
2-3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
Zest from 1 orange
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries

1)  Mix all ingredients except nuts and cranberries with a hand mixer.

2)  Fold in nuts and cranberries.

3)  Serve on gluten-free crackers.

Caramel Apple Dip

This recipe came from my friend Dena.  She made it a few years ago at one of her parties and I just had to have the recipe.  It has been a favorite of ours ever since and can usually be found on the table at our parties!  You can make it with or without the nuts; many times I make both, to please everyone!  It is best served with Granny Smith apples.

Enjoy!
Kirsten

CARAMEL APPLE DIP

1 8-ounce brick cream cheese
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup pecans

1)  Mix cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla until well combined.

2)  Fold in nuts and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

NOTES:

~I break up the nuts a little with my hands before folding them in.

~I usually make this a day ahead, so I don't have to worry about giving it enough time in the fridge the day of a party.  If you serve it too soon, it will be grainy.  The brown sugar needs time to absorb moisture from the cream cheese and vanilla.

~Don't cut up your apples too far in advance or they will turn brown, even if they are covered, however, you can spritz them with a little lemon juice mixed with water to help keep their color.  I serve them with their skins on, so buy organic if you can!

Artichoke Dip

This recipe came from my sister-in-law.  It is her go-to appetizer.  It's simple and delicious and you can turn up the heat or tone it down to your taste.  It's always a crowd pleaser and usually doesn't last long!

Enjoy!
Kirsten

ARTICHOKE DIP

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayo
2 teaspoons minced jalapenos (fresh or pickled)
4 cloves garlic
dash of black pepper

1)  Chop the artichoke hearts coarsely

2)  Mix artichoke hearts with all remaining ingredients.

3)  Bake uncovered at 350F for about 45 minutes.

4)  Serve with bread or tortilla chips.