These marinated vegetables are sweet, juicy with just the right amount of tang. It is really versatile - any number of veggies could be added - cauliflower, carrots, cucumber to name a few. This did not make a large amount, so if serving to 4 or more people double or triple the recipe.

It is a nice accompaniment to add alongside steamed vegetables, potatoes, or on top of cooked greens, it is even yummy along side a tuna sandwich!

1/4 cup diced yellow zucchini

1/4 cup chopped fresh yellow beans or green

1/4 cup diced tomatoes

1/4 cup diced green or red pepper

1/8th cup diced torpedo onion or red onion

1 small jalapeno pepper, de-seeded  and diced

2-3 tblsp. finely chopped fresh basil

Vinegar Marinade: 2-3 tblsp. dill pickle juice, 1/2 tsp. sugar, salt to taste - stir well until the sugar and salt dissolves. (add more sugar for a sweeter taste if that is your preference)

Make the Vinegar Marinade first, then set aside.

Prepare all the vegetables and place in a bowl.  Cover with the marinade and marinate 4-6 hours before serving.

 

With the summer bounty at our farmers market, plus a rainy grey day, soup was on the table for lunch today!

2 pints of mixed heritage cherry tomatoes, sliced and quartered if on the bigger side

a good splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

a good splash of White Balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup sliced red/green pepper

1/4 of a red onion, sliced

season with salt and pepper

Add to a pan and roast at 400 degrees in an air roaster oven for 30 minutes.

While roasting prep the other vegetables:

1 cup mixed green and yellow beans, cut to 1 inch pieces

3/4 cup chopped yellow zucchini squash - 1/4 inch thick pieces

3 small/medium sized swiss chard, stems chopped, and slice the greens into ribbons

big handful of chopped basil

4 cups chicken stock - homemade or store bought

Add the vegetables to a pot and lightly steam until tender.

When the roasted tomatoes and peppers are done, add 2 cups of the chicken stock to a food processor then the roasted veggies and blend until smooth. OR Add in the 2 cups of chicken stock to a dutch oven then the roasted veggies and blend with a stick blender until smooth. Pour in blended veggies and remaining 2 cups of chicken stock to the pot and add in the drained, lightly steamed vegetables, a big handful of chopped basil, season with salt and pepper, and turn on low to heat bringing to a light simmer.

Serve with fresh bread of choice or grilled cheese.

This is such a great way to use up summer zucchini, and worth every delicious bite. Here, we used our new Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Fryer Oven.  I did not use the air fry basket for this, instead used the roasting pan on air fry 400 degrees. A total of 12 minutes, was needed to cook these zucchini rounds which gave a flavorful, eldente perfect texture.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large zucchini yellow or green, cut into 1/4 inch rounds

a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

fresh cracked pepper

pizza sauce

1 tsp. pizza seasoning blend - I used the season blend for homemade pizza

Parmesan cheese

Asiago cheese

fresh chopped basil

finely diced tomato - seeds removed

Add 1/4 inch slices of zucchini to a bowl with a good drizzle of EVOO, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and pizza season blend (I used this one) and some fresh cracked pepper.

Toss to coat well.  Lay zucchini rounds on the roaster pan, Air Fry on 3rd level of ninja for 4 minutes.  Remove from oven, and to the zucchini rounds add a small spoonful of pizza sauce, fresh basil, asiago cheese, topping with mini diced tomatoes.  Continue to cook for 8 more minutes.  Serve hot as a side to any main dish, or serve as an appetizer.

 

This is a lovely side dish to any main, and easy to put together.  I saw somewhere? if you only use half the dressing to mix in, then add the remainder before serving, it is much better with gluten free pasta - it makes a big difference to the flavor and overall creaminess of the pasta salad.

8 0z. gluten free pasta shells

1/4 cup finely diced red/green pepper

1 celery stalk with leaves, finely diced

1-2 Tblsp. finely diced red onion

handful of finely chopped green onion

Dressing:

2/3 cup plus 3 Tblsp. Mayonnaise

2 Tblsp. plain yogurt

1 big Tblsp. yellow or green sweet relish

1/2 Tblsp. White Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika, salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Cook pasta per directions.  While cooking make up the dressing in a separate bowl, whisking well , and chop the vegetables.  Add the vegetables to a bowl, drain and rinse the pasta in cold water, then drain well again.

Add in half of the dressing to the pasta and vegetables, add in the chopped green onion and mix well.

Refrigerate.  30 minutes before serving, take out the pasta to come a bit to room temperature.

When ready to serve, add remaining dressing and mix well, add a sprinkling of sweet paprika, and serve alongside any main dish.

This is an easy, flavorful compound butter that works beautifully with any fresh fish.  If you can not get Lemon Thyme, regular Thyme is lovely too.  Here we used a fresh Sockeye Salmon Filet.

Finely chop:  Lemon Thyme, Parsley, Chives to equal 2 Tablespoons

 

2 Tblsp. fresh chopped herbs: lemon thyme, chives, parsley

Add the zest of 1/2 a fresh lemon

3 Tblsp. butter - room temperature

salt and fresh cracked pepper

fresh squeezed lemon juice

salmon filet - ours was a fresh sockeye about 3/4 lb.

Mix all the herbs, butter, lemon zest together with a fork, then place a piece of aluminum foil onto the baking tray.  Rinse the salmon filet in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel, laying on the aluminum foil lined baking tray.  Evenly spread the compound butter on the salmon, then add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice from a lemon wedge quarter, season the salmon with salt and pepper.

Here we used the Ninja Foodie XL Pro Air Oven which is an Air Fryer, Roaster, Toaster, Reheat and Dehydrator Oven.

We set the temperature to 400 degrees on Air roast - if using your oven set the temperature to the same temperature to preheat.  With the Ninja this size of salmon took 13 minutes to cook on a baking tray set in the 2nd level - middle of the oven.

Depending on the size of your salmon, double check and use a thermometer to reach 140 degrees internal cook time.  Let rest 5 minutes once removed from the oven.

Serve along any side dish and enjoy.

We recently had this fabulous marinated bean salad, I brought to a family gathering - I should have doubled the recipe - it is our new favourite and comes together so easily.

I made the dressing the day before, then put the salad together to marinate an hour or two before eating.

2 1/2 cups fresh green beans, cut 1 1/2 inch size, and parboil - 3 minutes, drain and add to ice bath, then drain and place on a clean towel

1 pint fresh cherry/grape tomatoes, halved

big handful of roughly sliced, then big chopped red onion

big handful of fresh basil, chopped

14 oz. can drained, rinsed chick peas

crumbled feta cheese, - goat cheese would work nicely here too

DRESSING: - can easily make the day before

1/4 cup plus 2 Tblsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 1/2 Tblsp.  fresh squeezed lemon juice

2  1/2 Tblsp. White Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

salt to taste

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. Mrs. Dash Season blend

Once the vegetables are ready to go, add to a bowl with the fresh herbs and drained chick peas

Pour over all of the dressing, mixing well to combine, then sprinkle on a handful or more of crumbled feta cheese.

 

Wow, this recipe totally exceeded my expectations.  That said let me give a huge shout out to Cathy, of Noble Pig.  While I did follow some of her methods, recommendations, I did make some changes, but for her lovely recipe please check here.  Such a delicious recipe, especially when you have hot weather, and do not want to add extra heat to your kitchen/home!  This is a recipe I will make time and time again, and given that it is made in a slow cooker - even better.  The recipe here is based on the ingredients I had on hand, plus so easy to make gluten free - but, be sure to use only Gluten Free Minute Rice - they do have flavoured mixes that may not be gluten free.

A note about heat - we are total wimps when it comes to heat lol.  That said there was a bit of a bite to this recipe - but we loved it - perfect heat for us.  You could definitely add chopped jalapeno chilies if you wanted more heat.

Also, I love cilantro and use it heavy handedly, if cilantro is not your friend, omit or add sparingly.

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 Tblsp. Extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup roughly chopped red onion

1 cup mild salsa

398 ml. can of rinsed black bean

248 ml. can of Mild Rotel Tomatoes and Chili's

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 of a small red pepper sliced into strips

1/2 of a small green pepper sliced into strips

1/2 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp: smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, cumin, salt

1 cup Whole grain Gluten Free Minute rice - rinse well

handful of fresh chopped cilantro

grated sharp cheddar cheese

Now, before getting into the recipe - I think? this is a 4-5 quart slow cooker? - So sorry I do not know for sure.

Turn the slow cooker to low and add in the Evoo - spreading with plastic wrap to ensure sides and bottom are covered well.  In a bowl combine:  Spices, onion, salsa, rotel, black beans, corn, vegetable broth, mix until well combined.  Pat the chicken breasts dry and add them to the slow cooker, then pour in the bowl of mixed ingredients over top, lid on, cook on low for 4.5 hrs.

Remove the chicken breast to a plate, keeping a lid on the slow cooker.  Shred apart the chicken breasts, (I used 2 forks) return to the slow cooker, then add in the rinsed minute whole grain rice and sliced peppers stirring well.

Lid on and continue to slow cook for another 1 hr.  Add in a huge handful of chopped cilantro, stir well and serve with grated cheddar cheese and more cilantro for garnish.  Enjoy everyone - we loved it, thank you Cathy such a lovely recipe!

 

 

 

 

This is a lovely side dish to have with any main dish or lunch, especially in summer.  While not a big fan of sweet coleslaw, there is a bit of sugar in this recipe, but it is not overpowering at all, and by all means add more if that is to your taste.  The dressing makes about 3/4 cup, and in this recipe we used 1/4 dressing for the coleslaw, so leftovers can be used again on just about any salad you make.

DRESSING:

1/2  cup Mayonnaise

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tblsp. White vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. white sugar

1/2 tsp. ground celery seed

1/2 tsp. paprika

fresh cracked pepper

COLESLAW:

1 1/2 cups finely sliced, shredded green cabbage

rounded 1/2 cup finely sliced red cabbage, or a bit more if you prefer

1 small to medium grated carrot

2 green onions, diced

Whisk up all the ingredients listed in the dressing recipe and set aside.

To a bowl, add the green and red cabbages, grated carrot and green onions, tossing with a fork to combine.  Pour in 1/4 cup of the dressing, mixing well.  Refrigerate 1- 2 hours before serving.