Chunky Mediterranean Eggplant Dip

Mediterranean food is probably my favorite thing to eat. It is so fresh and light and delicious. Now, I know that the word "Mediterranean" encompasses a huge diversity of food from many, many countries and regions, but I really do love it all. I have never been disappointed with something Mediterranean inspired. This dip caught my eye very quickly since it kind of combines two of my favorite things, hummus and baba ghanoush. 

Chickpeas and eggplant along with lemon, some spices and fresh herbs make this wonderful dip that I can easily just eat with a spoon. With a side of pita chips, or an assortment of vegetables this dip really does become the star. Nothing bland about this combination, it's perfect for pretty much anything. 

This is a pretty simple recipe, you really just throw everything in the food processor and let it do the work. The only prep work you really have to do is to broil or grill the eggplant until completely charred and black, and you can do this a day ahead if you want. I decided to cook my garlic this time, but the original recipe calls for raw garlic which is also good, so if you don't feel like getting another pan dirty you can just throw it in raw. Then just pulse away until you reach the consistency you want. It's as easy as that!

Chunky Mediterranean Eggplant Dip
Adapted from From The Land We Live On
Ingredients

• 1 large (or two small-ish) eggplants (about 1 lb)
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 4 tablespoons finely diced onion (or a small shallot)
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoon. za’atar + more for garnish
• 1-2 tablespoon freshly squeeze lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + more for finishing
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 cups (or 1 can) of cooked chickpeas
• 1/4 cup chopped flat parsley
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro + more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons mint leaves

Directions
Turn on the broiler, poke some holes in the eggplant, and broil for about 20 – 30 minutes, rotating every 5 – 10 minutes, until the eggplant collapses and is charred on all sides. Remove, and let it cool. Once cool to touch, peel and roughly chop it.

Place oil in a small frying pan. Add the garlic and cook over medium-low heat until just starting to brown.

Combine the garlic, shallot, salt, pepper, za’atar, lemon juice, tahini, and honey in your food processor and pulse until well combined.

Add eggplant, chickpeas, and herbs to the food processor and pulse several times, until combined, yet still chunky. This dip is best with some texture, but pulse until it reaches your desired consistency.

Transfer the dip to a bowl, drizzle with extra olive oil, sprinkle with za’atar (I also used a little sumac), garnish with some more herbs, and serve with veggies, crackers, or pita chips.

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Biscotti

I'm always looking for new ways to repurpose some of my favorite recipes. They're favorites for a reason, and wonderful as originally written, but it's still fun to try out new twists to see if you can come up with something even better. These biscotti fall into this category. The base recipe is one of my favorites from King Arthur Flour that I've posted about before, but I felt like changing it up a little this time. I've really been liking the cinnamon chocolate combo recently so decided to give it a go with some biscotti. The combination of a hint of warm cinnamon with the sweetness of mini chocolate chips was a winner in this recipe. Another favorite for the archives!

I took the original recipe and halved it because I didn't need to make a huge batch of biscotti. I also cut down on the sugar just a little bit. This didn't effect the flavor or texture at all that I noticed, but I believe it contributed to these cookies hardly spreading at all while baking. As you can see, I made some really tiny biscotti and that was partly due to the fact that they didn't spread like I expected them to during baking. But that was okay with me, they are still delicious, and I think they're cute this way!

For the cinnamon, I added just 1/4 teaspoon because I didn't want they to be overpoweringly cinnamon-y. I finished them with just a couple of tablespoons of the mini chocolate chips. It's not a ton of chocolate, but once again I didn't want them to be too chocolate-y either. I wanted a nice combination of a little cinnamon and a little chocolate. But if you'd like a little more chocolate, or a little more cinnamon for that matter, go ahead and add a little more. It won't be bad!

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) butter

• 1/4 cup (1.75 ounces) brown sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 large egg

• 2-3 tablespoons (about 1/8 of a cup, or 1 ounce) mini chocolate chips

• 1 cup all-purpose flour or a combo of all purpose and whole wheat

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) one large (about 18" x 13") baking sheet.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and baking powder until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Beat in the egg; the batter may look slightly curdled. At low speed of your mixer, add the flour, stirring until smooth; the dough will be a little sticky. Near the end of mixing, throw in the chocolate chips and mix until combined. 

Transfer the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and roughly shape it into  9 1/2" x 2" logs, about 3/4" tall. Straighten the logs, and smooth their tops and sides; a wet spatula or wet bowl scraper works well here. Sprinkle with some more brown sugar sugar, if desired, pressing it in gently.

Bake the dough for 25 minutes, turning the baking sheet halfway through. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Wait at least 5 minutes, then use a sharp chef's knife or serrated knife to cut the log crosswise into 1/2" to 3/4" slices. Or cut the biscotti on the diagonal, for fewer, longer biscotti. As you're slicing, be sure to cut straight up and down, perpendicular to the pan; if you cut unevenly, biscotti may be thicker at the top than the bottom, and they'll topple over during their second bake.

Set the biscotti on edge on the prepared baking sheet. Return the biscotti to the oven, and bake them for 25 to 30 minutes, until are beginning to turn golden (if they are browning too fast, reduce the temperature to 300 degrees after 15 minutes). They'll still feel a tiny bit moist in the very center, if you break off a piece; but they'll continue to dry out as they cool.

Remove the biscotti from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool. Store airtight at room temperature; they'll stay good for weeks.

Yield: 15 small biscotti

Nutrition Info: approximately 82 calories each

Roasted Potato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

As I mentioned a

few days ago

, last Sunday we had a little party for my mom's 60th birthday. Lara and I were in charge of the food, and we decided on a salad bar with all the fixings. On top of the do-it-yourself bar, we wanted a few pre-made salads as well. After scouring the internet, we finally settled on two recipes. A pasta salad as well as this roasted potato salad. I don't make potato salads often, so I was excited for the opportunity to give this recipe a try. I am a huge mustard fan, so the idea of a mustard vinaigrette on my potato salad sounded wonderful. 

At the farmers market the day before the party, I found the most beautiful display of baby potatoes; yellow, red and purple. They were absolutely gorgeous, just the thing for this wonderful salad. It's a simple salad, but full of freshness from the basil and scallions, and wonderful variations in texture from the creamy potatoes to the raw walnuts. Topped with the delicious mustardy vinaigrette, this was my definition of a perfect potato salad.

Here are a few pictures from the rest of the party. Lots of toppings options to let everyone make their own salad. We had chicken, ham, chickpeas, mushrooms and lost of different vegetables, grilled corn, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, onions, tomatoes, etc. A few cheese options and two dressings, a homemade ranch, and a lemony vinaigrette, topped it all off. There was a bread basket with whipped honey butter, a fruit salad, and of course, dessert! Check out

this

post to read about the absolutely fantastic cupcakes! All in all it was a great party, and a wonderful way to celebrate the best mom on her extra special day! 

A look at the salad bar options

The Van Zee girls, all looking good!

Pasta salad, potato salad, fruit salad and the bread bowl!

Roasted Potato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Adapted from 

Food52

Ingredients

Salad

• 4 pounds mixed marble potatoes, or other small potatoes
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1 bunch basil, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced crosswise

Vinaigrette

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons roasted walnut oil (is probably fantastic, but I didn't have any!)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425° F and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Wash and dry potatoes, then spread evenly between baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to evenly coat potatoes. Sprinkle with freshly-ground black pepper and sea salt, then roast, shaking the pans occasionally, until potatoes are tender and browning (about 45 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes).

Meanwhile, prepare vinaigrette. Place garlic cloves on a cutting board, sprinkle with a generous couple pinches of sea salt, and chop and mash with the side of your knife until the clove breaks down into a salty paste.

Add garlic paste to a small bowl along with mustards, lemon juice, and vinegar. Whisk to emulsify. Add olive and walnut oils and whisk vigorously to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional sea salt and pepper.

When potatoes are done, transfer to a large bowl. Add scallions and dressing, and toss to coat. Using the back of a mixing spoon or the end of a wooden spatula, roughly smash some of the potatoes to break the skins. You’re not making mashed potatoes, but breaking the potatoes down will allow them to soak up more of the vinaigrette.

Allow dressed potatoes to sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes to one hour. Just before serving, stir in walnuts and basil.

Peaches and Cream Cupcakes

It's an extra special birthday today, my mom turns 60!! I can hardly believe it! In honor of this special occasion, Lara, my dad and I threw a little shindig for her this past Sunday. Family members and friends came over for a salad bar party. It was pretty delicious if I do say so. Today I want to share the best part of the party - the cake of course! Since it's August, and my mom absolutely LOVES peaches, I decided to make a peaches and cream cupcake for her. While I love having the opportunity to make a cake, at a party like this I decided cupcakes would be easier to serve, and would be easier for everyone to eat. 

These cupcakes turned out light and fluffy, filled with sweet and delicious peaches, topped with the perfect frosting, an airy whipped mascarpone and cream frosting. It doesn't get much better than this for an August birthday. I highly recommend both the cake and the frosting. I may never go back to buttercream again!

This cupcake recipe is definitely a keeper. It was simple, and baked up 24 perfect cupcakes. I've been looking for a go-to vanilla cupcake and I think this is it. To turn it into a peach cupcake all I did was dice up a few peaches from the farmers market, let them drain in a colander for a few minutes, tossed them with a little flour and threw them into the batter at the very end. It worked out great. Because peaches have such a gentle flavor, the cupcakes aren't overly "peachy", but they lend a hint of fruitiness to the cake, and you get a sweet surprise every few bites.

I've been wanting to try a mascarpone frosting for some time now and I decided that this was the perfect opportunity. There was no doubt that I would love this frosting, and I was not disappointed! This was the easiest, most delicious frosting I have ever tried. It took all of 2 minutes to whip together, didn't involved any sticky and messy powdered sugar, and tastes absolutely divine! I may never make another white frosting again. The only downside to it is you have to refrigerate it once made, since all that is in it is cream and mascarpone! But that's okay, it's a compromise worth making!

Happy Birthday Mom!! Lookin pretty good! Love you!

Peach Cupcakes
Adapted from Baking A Moment
Ingredients

• 3 cups (14 ounces) all purpose flour
• 1¾ cups (12.25 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened, cut into small cubes
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup (8 ounces) milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Drop or two of almond extract (optional)
• 2-3 peaches, cut into small pieces and placed in a colander to drain

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Add the butter and mix on low speed, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, and scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are well-combined.

Combine the milk, vanilla extract and almond extract (if using) in a measuring cup. Beat half this mixture into the flour/butter/eggs. Beat on medium speed for 1½ minutes, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, add the remaining milk mixture, and beat for another 30 seconds.

Toss drained peach pieces with a small amount of flour. Gently mix into the batter until well combined.

Fill paper liners ⅔ full with batter, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool completely before topping with mascarpone frosting (recipe below). 

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Mascarpone Frosting

From

Epicurious

Ingredients

• 2 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese
• 2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

Beat all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment just to soft peaks. You need to beat it enough so that it is firm enough to pipe onto the cupcakes, but don't overbeat or mixture will curdle. 

Big Cluster Cinnamon Almond Granola

I was talking to my grandma a few weeks ago about making granola and how much I love doing it. It's so much better and ridiculously cheaper than buying it, and it's not at all difficult to do. Plus, you can customize it to your exact specifications! My grandma is gluten intolerant, and so granola is a good option for her to have on hand for breakfast, or a snack, or whatever. After our conversation I decided to make her a batch to show her what homemade granola can be like. 

I chose this recipe because it was very simple. Since I don't know exactly how she likes her granola I decided to keep it basic and pretty classic. Oats, almonds and brown sugar, some cinnamon and vanilla, all kept nice and crunchy with a bit of oil. It turned out a beautiful, toasty granola that formed big, crunchy clusters. Super tasty, and perfect for anything you might imagine. 

I eat a ton of granola. Yogurt and some kind of fruit, topped with granola almost every morning. I never get tired of it. I also just snack on it out of hand throughout the day. It's a great quick snack that you can eat as much or as little of as you want. There are lots of other options though; top some sweetened fruit with it and bake until bubbly, top ice cream with a little extra crunch, throw it on a salad as an alternative to croutons. Just be creative, and I'm sure you'll come up with many more options that suit your life!

Big Cluster Cinnamon Almond Granola

Adapted from

The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee

by 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (3.5 ounces) brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (30 grams) water
• 3 cups (250 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
• 2 ounces almonds, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 1/2-3 tablespoons (35 grams) canola or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Let cool. 

In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, cinnamon, and salt and mix well. 

Add the oil and vanilla extract to the brown sugar mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour over the oat mixture. Mix well with a large spoon or rubber spatula until thoroughly combined and uniform in texture. 

Transfer granola to a rimmed baking sheet and pat down into a thick, even layer. 

Bake for 75 minutes. Remove oven and use a large metal spatula to flip the granola, keeping it in as large of chunks as possible. Return the granola to the oven and bake for about 60 minutes more until completely dry and no longer at all soft when you take a bite. Let cool before serving. 

Store in a tightly sealed container at room temperature. 

Caponata

I buy almost all of my produce at the farmers market during the summer. I love my Saturday mornings at the market, walking up and down the long row of produce, flowers, baked goods, meats and cheeses and anything else that might be there, deciding what I must have for the coming week. However, I was at the grocery store to pick up a few things the other day and I made the requisite trip through the produce section, just in case. There I found a single eggplant, forlornly sitting on the "seconds" shelf. One pretty nice sized eggplant for sale for 60 cents. I couldn't just leave it there, it looked absolutely fine still, nice and firm with no obvious bad spots at all. So into my cart it went. I didn't know what I was going to do with it, but I knew I could figure that out quite quickly once I got home. 

After a quick search online, it became obvious to me what I should make, caponata. This is not something I had made before, but I had a couple of recipes pinned, and had just watched an episode of the Barefoot Contessa where she served caponata on an antipasto platter. So after I looked through a couple of recipes, I went to work creating my very own caponata using the ingredients I had in the fridge. In the end it turned out absolutely delicious! While I don't know what a good Italian would say about my caponata, in the end I don't really care. I loved it, and when cooking for yourself that's really all that matters. 

I wasn't sure what caponata was exactly when I decided to make it, so I did a little online research. It is apparently a sweet and sour Sicilian eggplant dish typically served as an appetizer or side, but can make a wonderful vegetarian main dish as well. (If I'm getting any of this wrong, please let me know!) Along with what is in my version, most of the recipes I looked at had celery and capers, neither of which I had, so I went without. I also threw in some cilantro which I'm sure is not Italian at all, but I had some in the fridge and I love it so in it went. If I'd had parsley I would have added that, but not this time! I'm sure I missed other "essential" elements of a traditional caponata as well, but again I don't really care as long as my tastebuds are satisfied!

Caponata

From Jana

Ingredients

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 eggplant (about 1 pound) cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1/2 sweet bell pepper cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1/2 red onion cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6-8 olives, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1-2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• Salt, to taste
• Cilantro, to finish

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the eggplant, bell pepper, and red onion. Saute for 8-10 minutes, until everything is starting to wilt an brown just a little. 

Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Then add the tomato paste and let it caramelize for 1-2 minutes before stirring into the vegetable mixture. Add the olives and stir again. 

Pour in the chicken stock and cider vinegar and stir it all to combine. Taste the mixture and then add the sugar, cayenne and salt to taste. Let the caponata bubble away over medium low heat until thickened and everything is cooked through. 

At the end of cooking add in the cilantro for a fresh finish. 

Tangy Coleslaw with Red Onion and Parsley

One of my favorite farmers market purchases during the summer is a nice big head of cabbage. They are usually so big and beautiful, and so inexpensive. Yesterday I saw a nice sized head of cabbage for $1! That feels almost free to me. I am a big cabbage fan so I frequently end up buying a head every couple of weeks through the summer. There is so much you can do with cabbage. I love roasting it with a little olive oil, vinegar and salt. So easy and so delicious and you can eat it hot out of the oven or store it in the fridge and eat it cold throughout the week. 

As much as I love roasted cabbage, during the summer you just have to make a nice big batch of coleslaw every now and then. I love coleslaw, and there are so many different variations that you can play around with. This recipe for tangy coleslaw is a delicious option. It is a little creamy thanks to the Greek yogurt, yet nice and tangy from the cider vinegar. A hint of mustard and some honey for sweetness round out the flavors nicely. I finished it with some minced red onion and chopped parsley for freshness and a little color. Remember this recipe next time you see a nice head of cabbage for sale, you won't regret it!

I don't like my coleslaw to be swimming in dressing, but if you like yours a little saucier, I'd go ahead and double the dressing. How much dressing you need will also depend on the size of your cabbage. Although you can eat this coleslaw immediately after eating it, it only improves with time, so if you have the time, let it sit in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight, to let the flavors meld and it will be even better!

Tangy Coleslaw with Red Onion and Parsley

From Jana

Ingredients

• 1/4 head green cabbage, finely shredded or chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt to taste

Directions

Put your shredded or chopped cabbage in a large bowl. Add the minced red onion and the chopped parsley. Stir to combine. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the cider vinegar, Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, honey, olive oil and salt. 

Pour dressing over cabbage. Toss to combine well. If needed, make a little more dressing and add that to the coleslaw. You can eat immediately, but I've found that the flavors just improve as it sits so if you have time let it rest in the fridge a few hours before serving. 

Chewy Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Looking for a sweet and chewy, snack bar that is filling, substantial, and keeps for a long time? I have just the recipe for you! Personally, I love having healthier snacks on hand that I can grab in the morning to keep with me while I'm at the hospital in case I get hungry throughout the day. These bars fit the bill. What's also great about them is the ingredient list is short and simple. There are so many energy and health bar recipes out there with five million ingredients in them, half of which I don't have. For this recipe all you need is dried fruit (dates or prunes), a nut butter and oats. A pinch of salt and some water round them out nicely. So easy to throw together and so tasty to eat!

You will need a fairly powerful food processor to blend all of the ingredients together until they form a nice sticky paste. Then into a pan and finally into the oven to set up just a bit. I cut my bars into small bites that were the perfect snack to nibble on in the middle of the afternoon when dinner still seemed very far away. I kept them in the fridge, but I would think they would last out on the counter for quite a while as well, none of the ingredients in it are very perishable. And if you're feeling indulgent, I think a drizzle of chocolate overtop would be the perfect way to really make this recipe extra special. 

Chewy Peanut Butter Oat Bars
Adapted from Sugarcrafter
Ingredients

• 2 cups (12 ounces) prunes (or a combo of prunes and dates)
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup (128 ounces) peanut butter
• 2 cups (160 grams) old fashioned oats
• pinch salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9 by 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, and set aside. In a large food processor, pulse the prunes until roughly chopped. Add the water and peanut butter, and blend until well pureed. The mixture will be very sticky. Add the oats to the food processor, and pulse until well combined with the prune and date mixture. 

Spread the mixture in an even layer in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars. 

Calorie count: cut into 25 bars, 90 calories per bar