Grilled Zucchini Rolls with Herbs and Cheese

Our neighborhood had a community picnic yesterday, where neighbors were asked to bring a side dish to share. I decided to bring a vegetable side dish and thought this recipe would be perfect, since it could also be a finger food.

I doubled the recipe and used both zucchini and yellow squash from my CSA bag. To cut the zucchini and squash in thin and uniform slices, I used my mandoline. McHubby grilled the slices while I prepared the goat cheese mixture. Then we simply assembled and rolled. These were delicious and a big hit at the picnic.

Source: Grilled Zucchini Rolls with Herbs and Cheese, Ellie Krieger

Ingredients
3 zucchini (about ½ pound each), sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅛ teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ ounces reduced-fat soft goat's cheese
1 tablespoon freshly minced parsley leaves
½ teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups baby spinach leaves
⅓ cup basil leaves

Directions
Discard the outermost slices of zucchini and brush the rest of the slices with the oil on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated grill or grill pan for about 4 minutes on each side, or until tender.

In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, parsley leaves and lemon ju

ice, mashing with a fork.

Put ½ teaspoon of the cheese mixture about ½-inch from the end of a zucchini slice. Top with a few spinach leaves and 1 small, or half of a large basil leaf. Roll up and place seam side down on a platter. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini slices.

Cucumber Salad

We received several cucumbers in our CSA bag, so I thought a cucumber salad would be a refreshing summer dish. This simple recipe was exactly what I had in mind.

My cucumbers weren’t English cukes, but they worked just fine. Remember to rinse the salted veggies well before tossing with the dressing.

Source: Cucumber Salad, Ellie Krieger

Ingredients
2 English cucumbers (2 pounds)
1 small red onion
1 ½ tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons dried dill or 2 tablespoons fresh

Directions
Slice the cucumber lengthwise, remove the seeds, and slice thinly. Thinly slice the onion.

In a colander, toss the cucumber and onion with the salt and let it sit and drain for 20 minutes. Press the liquid out of the vegetables and rinse well with cold water.

In a medium bowl combine the vinegar and sugar and stir well. Add the cucumber mixture and toss to coat. Stir in the dill.

Lettuce Cups with Tofu and Beef

These lettuce cups are so flavorful and delicious, you’d never know you were eating healthy! It’s a fun but messy meal, since you eat with your hands. We had it for dinner, but this could easily be an appetizer, like many restaurants offer. If you’re unsure about the tofu, rest assured that you really don’t even taste it—it simply acts as a healthy “filler” ingredient, (low in calories and fat; good source of protein, calcium, magnesium, and iron).

I added a tablespoon of honey to the sauce to sweeten it just a bit. I also added a dash of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to the skillet mixture. For a hint of heat, we topped our lettuce “bowls” with Sriracha sauce before folding the leaves over.

There are a number of variations you can do with this recipe. You can substitute ground chicken, pork, or turkey for the meat. Use shrimp if you prefer a seafood flavor. For a vegetarian version, omit the beef and double the tofu, or even add rice.

Source: Lettuce Cups with Tofu and Beef, Ellie Krieger

Ingredients
1 tablespoons bottled chili-garlic sauce
1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry or Chinese cooking wine
8 ounces extra-firm tofu
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
4 scallions, greens trimmed and reserved, thinly sliced (about ⅓ cup each greens and whites - ¾-ounce each)
½ pound lean ground beef (90 percent or leaner)
½ cup finely diced water chestnuts
1 large head Bibb lettuce, outer leaves discarded, leaves separated
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
¼ cup chopped peanuts

Directions
In a bowl, whisk together chili-garlic sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar and sherry.

Slice the tofu into ½-inch thick slabs and lay the slices on top of paper towels. Use more paper towels to firmly pat the tofu in order to remove as much water as possible. This should take about 2 minutes and use about 3 paper towels. Finely mince dried tofu and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or extra-large skillet over medium heat. Add the ginger and scallion whites and cook until scallion whites are translucent and ginger is fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add ground beef and tofu and cook, stirring, until beef is opaque and just cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add reserved sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring, an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Add water chestnuts and stir to incorporate.

Fill each lettuce leaf with the filling. Serve garnished with scallion greens, red peppers, and peanuts.

Herbed Lentils with Spinach and Tomatoes

McHubby and I have been trying to get back to eating healthier again. I found this recipe and thought it would make a great side dish. The herbs in this dish create a fragrant bouquet and add wonderful flavor to the lentils.

Source: Herbed Lentils with Spinach and Tomatoes, Ellie Krieger

Ingredients
1 cup French lentils
2 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons diced shallots
3 cups baby spinach leaves (about 3 ounces)
1 cup halved grape tomatoes (about ½ pint)
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Place the lentils in a pot with the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still retain their shape. Drain any excess water from the lentils and set them aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until they are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, lentils, basil, parsley, and mint to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper and serve.