Apricot Ice Cream

 Next time I make this I want to 100% do it in the ice cream maker. It was starting to set but we ran out of ice. 

via: https://www.fromthegrapevine.com/israeli-kitchen/recipes/apricot-ice-cream

• 1 pound fresh apricots 
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 2/3 cup whipping cream 
• 2/3 cup combined cooking juices and water

• Pit the apricots.

  Cook over medium heat, in a little water, covered, until mushy.

  Drain them carefully, reserving the cooking juice.

  Either blend them or force them through a sieve.

  Measure the cooking juices, adding water to make 2/3 cup if needed. Make a syrup of this liquid and the sugar, cooking them over medium heat for 10 minutes.

  When the apricots are cool, add the syrup and mix well (or blend).

  Whip the cream and stir it into the apricot mix.

  Pour into a container and freeze until semi-solid – a couple of hours.

  Stir, pushing the more solid parts from the sides towards the center. Mix well.

  Cover again, and freeze until hard. Serve.

  
  

Fresh Broccoli Salad

 I love the mayo based broccoli salad but I was already having a meal with creamy things and just wanted a fresh element. I found this and it was pretty good. via https://cookieandkate.com/favorite-broccoli-salad-recipe/ 

Salad

• 1 pound broccoli florets (from 1 ½ pounds broccoli stalks), thinly sliced and then roughly chopped (see photos)
• ½ cup raw sunflower seeds or slivered almonds
• ½ cup finely chopped red onion
• ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries or dried tart cherries, chopped

Honey mustard dressing

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (a little bit more)
• 1 tablespoon honey (I prefer agave)
• 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

1. Toast the sunflower seeds: Pour the sunflower seeds into a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently (careful, they’ll burn!), until the seeds are turning golden on the sides, about 5 minutes. Pour the toasted seeds into a large serving bowl. (I do NOT do this)
2. Add the chopped broccoli, onion, cheese and cranberries to the serving bowl. Set aside.
3. In a 1-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients (olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic and salt). Whisk until the mixture is well blended.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until all of the broccoli is lightly coated in dressing. I highly recommend letting the salad marinate for at least 20 minutes, or even overnight in the refrigerator.
5. Divide the salad into individual bowls and serve. Leftovers will keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, covered.

Zucchini Lasagna

This was so tasty! We are currently eating zucchini everything. Our garden is very very productive. This was super easy and really really good. And very fast since everything going into it was cooked. I was using leftover stuff from last time we did zucchini boats and did a 8x8. If I was making this non leftover style I'd definitely do a 9x13. It was so good and full of flavor. Hopefully I can recreate it next time.

9x13 recipe:

2 large zucchini sliced thin (about 1/8-1/4 inch thick)

garlic salt to sprinkle on zucchini 

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1/2 lb cooked ground beef (I freeze mine in small bags)

1 16oz container cottage cheese

sprinkle in dried basil, dried parsley and oregano probably 1/2 tsp of each(I had fresh oregano could use dried)

2 cups shredded cheese (Leave 1 cup for top)

Directions:

Roast the zucchini in a skillet on each side until browned and tender. Sprinkle with some garlic salt

Spray the pan. Dump in 1/3 spaghetti sauce. Place zucchini noodles on top of sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 meat, some cheese. Lay more zoodles on top and put on half the cottage cheese cover with more zoodles. More sauce, meat, cheese and zoodles. The rest of the cottage cheese, more noodles and finally the reserved cup of cheese. 

Bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes until bubbling. 

It's a little liquidy but you cook some of the excess water out of the zucchini when you roast them which was my thinking when I made this up. You can layer it however it works out. As it cools it still sets up a bit. Sprinkle some parmesan and extra herbs if you have them around and enjoy. 

Fresh Spring Rolls

 I love fresh spring rolls. They're messy and tricky to roll but oh so easy and refreshing.

Adapted from: https://cookieandkate.com/fresh-spring-rolls-recipe/ 

I am growing mint and loved the refreshing addition to these.  Must try!

Oh and have to have the sauce!

Spring Rolls

• 2 ounces rice vermicelli or maifun brown rice noodles (I forgot to get these)
• 1 cup torn butter lettuce, ribs removed (skipped)
• 1 cup very thinly sliced red cabbage
• thinly sliced green cabbage (its what we had)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into skinny matchsticks 
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced or sliced into strips 
• 2 medium jalapeños, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced (skipped)
• ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
• handful fresh cilantro (prefer just leaves)
• ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh mint
• 8 or more sheets rice paper (the dry stuff very thin depending on brand)
• 1 red pepper julienned
• 1 avocado thinly sliced
• small bowl of medium shrimp precooked, deveined, tail on or off but take off tail, rinsed under cold water and drained

• Peanut Sauce

• ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed
• Panda Express Sweet Chili Sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare sauce and fillings. You can include what you have or add what you like. 
2. To make the peanut sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, agave, sesame oil, and garlic. Whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed to make a super creamy but dip-able sauce.
3. Fill a 9″ round cake pan with a 1/2 inch of water.  Make sure your prepared fillings are within reach. 
4. Place one rice paper in the water and let it rest for about 20 seconds, give or take. You’ll learn to go by feel here—wait until the sheet is pliable but not super floppy. Carefully lay it flat on a big plate.
5. Place shrimp, herbs and other fillings in center. Squish to center and fold in edges and roll (like a burrito).
6. We make them as we eat them at the dinner table. They're good without shrimp too.
7. Serve the spring rolls with peanut sauce on the side or drizzled inside. We also like it with the Panda Express sweet chili sauce for a kick mixed into the peanut sauce.  

Easter Nest Cookies

 Almond Macaroon Easter Nests

Woman's Day 1992

2 cups flour
1 Tbl. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
8 oz. pkg. creamed cheese, softened (light cream cheese) Neufchatel
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. almond extract
7 oz. coconut
Red and yellow liquid food coloring
120 pastel colored sugar-coated almonds (Jordan Almonds)

Mix dry ingredients; set aside. Cream butter and cheese; add sugar and almond extract; beat until fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture and loosely-packed cup of coconut until blended. Cover and refrigerate 45 minutes or until firm enough to handle. Put 1/2 cup loosely packed coconut into each of 2 glass jars and the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into a bowl. Add 1 drop red food coloring to 1 jar and 1 drop of yellow to other jar. Close jars and shake vigorously until coconut is evenly tinted; add to untinted coconut and toss to mix. Divide chilled dough in half and keep rest in refrigerator; roll slightly rounded tablespoonfuls dough in 20 balls; roll each in coconut until lightly coated. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets sprayed with Pam. Press 1 almond into each; bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees; remove from oven and gently press 2 more almonds close to other almond on each cookie; to resemble eggs in nest. Bake 4 to 5 minutes longer until edges start to turn golden. Cool on wire rack completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

Strawberry Avocado Quinoa Salad with Honey-lime dressing

via https://cleanfoodcrush.com/clean-eating-strawberry-avocado-quinoa-salad/ 

Homemade Honey-Lime Dressing:

• 3 Tbsps avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil

• 4 Tbsps fresh lime juice

• 1 Tbsp raw honey

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/4 tsp pepper

• In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until combined well.

• Salad:
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
  
• 3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
  
• 2 small avocados, diced 
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
  
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Divide all the salad ingredients between four bowls, or arrange nicely on a large platter, lengthways.

Drizzle the dressing over and toss gently to combine.

• 
  

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

 These are stupid easy and so tasty and fun. We enjoy having family tea parties and I'm always looking for simple treats for those. We had these for our Valentine's Day Tea Party and they were super yummy. Refreshing, light and not time consuming. 

via https://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2016/01/strawberry-cheesecake-strawberry-bites.html

• 10 large strawberries or so
• 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature {do not substitute 1/3-less fat cream cheese}
• 2 T. strawberry jam {do not use strawberry preserves ... the strawberry chunks get stuck in the tip when piping the topping onto the strawberries}
• 3 T. confectioner's sugar
• 1/8 tsp. almond extract
• 1 drop pink food coloring gel or paste {optional}

1. Place softened cream cheese, strawberry jam, confectioner's sugar, and almond extract , and pink food coloring {if using} in a small bowl; stir until well combined and smooth. Chill for about 10 to 15 minutes.
2. While cream cheese mixture chills, rinse strawberries. Leaving leaves on, slice each strawberry in half lengthwise and set aside on a plate or serving platter with the cut side up. 
3. Spoon cream cheese mixture into a piping bag fitted with an extra large star tip. {If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a zip-top baggie. Cut off one of the bottom corners of the bag and use it to pipe through.} Pipe cream cheese mixture onto each of the strawberry halves. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to about 3 hours.

Thai-Inspired Green Curry with Chicken and Vegetables

 This is SO good. Not spicy. Just flavorful and so full of good veggies. Can do just veggie but I often just use some cut up rotisserie chicken in it. I love it over rice or cauliflower rice or steel cut oats

via https://allthehealthythings.com/thai-green-curry-with-chicken-and-vegetables/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes&utm_term=970034582_4 

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 pound chicken thighs, cut into pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 medium shallot, diced (or use ¼ cup of diced yellow onion)
• ½ tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 zucchini, halved and sliced
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 2–4 tablespoon green curry paste
• 1 makrut lime leaf (optional)
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce
• 1–15oz can coconut milk

1. Heat a large saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add in the avocado oil. Next, add the chicken thighs to the pan and season with ½ tsp of salt. Cook the chicken for 4-6 minutes.
2. Add in the veggies, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the garlic and ginger become fragrant.
3. Add the green curry paste to the pan and stir until well combined. Next, add the coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, coconut aminos, and lime leaf (if you are using it). Stir until well combined and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. Serve the curry over cauliflower rice or white rice and finish with fresh cilantro, green onion, and a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice. Enjoy!