Easy Strawberry Mango Salsa

Has it really been 4 months since my last post?! I have been cooking like a fool (and obviously not posting anything).  My little one is eating me out of house and home. It seems I buy more avocados than the store can keep in stock! Anyway, onto this amazing and fresh salsa...I have a feeling it's going to become a summer staple in our house. Tonight, it will go on grilled chicken for dinner with some broccoli on the side. Fresh, easy and flavorful! Hope you enjoy.

Easy Strawberry Mango Salsa

Ingredients:
1 mango, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup strawberries, diced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/2 lime, juiced
handful of cilantro, chopped coarsely
1 small jalapeño, seeded and diced or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste for spiciness)

Directions:
put all ingredients into a bowl and stir. Refrigerate until ready to use. Top on grilled chicken or salmon or eat with corn chips!

-L

Gluten-Free Whole Meyer Lemon Almond Cake

Have I ever mentioned that I love baked goods? It's one of the reasons I run a few times a week. I run so I can eat cakey delicious sweets and not feel (too) guilty! Last week I picked up a bag of fresh Meyer lemons at the grocery store without any idea of what I was going to do with them. I pondered lemon bars but wasn't feeling it, so I settled on a lemon almond cake. This cake is made with a few simple ingredients and is certainly delicious and tangy! Hope you enjoy! Recipe was inspired by The View from the Great Island

 Gluten-Free Whole Meyer Lemon Almond Cake
Ingredients:
4 large Meyer Lemons
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3 cups almond meal
1 tsp baking powder

1 tbs vanilla bean paste

for the icing
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 to 2 tbs milk 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325F

Rinse lemons and put them in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes.
Drain the lemons and let them cool until you can handle them. Cut open and remove the seeds, but keep everything else. The WHOLE LEMON! Do this on a plate so you can retain the juices. Once you have removed all the seeds, put everything into a food processor or blender. 

Process until finely pureed. You will need roughly one cup of lemon puree for the cake.

Beat the eggs and the sugar until pale in color.
Add in the almond meal, baking powder, vanilla, and lemon puree. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Put batter into a greased and sugared (not floured) 9" springform pan. Smooth out the surface so it is even.
Bake for about 60 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then gently release the sides of the pan and remove the cake to finish cooling.

Make the icing while the cake is cooling. Combine the sugar with the butter, vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth and creamy. Adjust the texture by adding more sugar or milk. Spread the icing on the completely cooled cake.

the cooked lemons all chopped up!

The puree

the perfect slice

Apple and Pear Sangria

 

It's been almost 2 weeks since I made this recipe...where does the time go?! Between sleep deprivation, endless espressos and two small ones keeping me busy, the days often pass without any progress on the blog. 

The night before Halloween I whipped up this fantastic cocktail. I had a feeling we, adults, would need a refreshing and seasonal libation for trick-or-treating the next evening with the kids. This was perfect! 

Apple and Pear Sangria 


1 bottle Pinot Grigio 
3/4 cup brandy 
2 cups apple cider 
1 cup sparkling pomegranate juice ( I used Izze) 
2 honey crisp apples, sliced
2 pears, sliced 


Add everything to a large pitcher, refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours). Pour, enjoy, relax.

Fresh Herb Potato and Green Bean Salad for a Gluten Free Soiree

Sip and See Soiree!

I didn't want to have a traditional baby shower for a second baby so instead opted for a meet the baby brunch (a so called "sip and see"). My Little one is 10 weeks old and such a happy baby! The party was very small and only included a few of my friends from high school and college and my mom and sister. It was very low-key and relaxing.

I feel very busy and a tad bit tired these days, so I didn't want to do much cooking. The menu needed to be easy, look appealing, taste delicious and of course gluten free! Here's a sample of the offerings :)

• GF Chocolate cupcakes (trader joes)
• Salami, roasted turkey breast and black forest ham (boars head brand)
• Herbed goat cheese, semi-soft fontina, aged cheddar cheese with peppercorns and a sliced mild cheddar cheese
• Grapes and apricots
• Mixed Olives
• A Mimosa bar! Peach juice, French Lemonade, and mango juice paired with sparkling wine and a variety of fresh fruits to garnish
• Bread! Fresh baked brioche and multi grain bread from Revolution Bakery (100% gf bakery in Santa Fe)
• Fresh Vegetable plate with hummus (trader joes)
• Herbed Potato salad adapted from Cooking Light (recipe below)
• A few decorations including fresh flowers and a name banner

herbed potato salad 

cheese plate

chocolate cupcakes 

mimosa bar

bowl of fresh apricots

a personal name banner

beautiful peonies from the garden. classy. 

Herbed Potato and Green Bean Salad

Ingredients:

3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 cup french green beans (blanched and cut in ½" pieces)
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup thinly sliced chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

Directions:

Place potatoes into a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain, and cool for 10 minutes. Cut potatoes into about ½" pieces. Place potato slices in a large bowl and add green beans.

Place wine in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 6 minutes). Transfer wine to a bowl. Add vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and minced garlic; stir with a whisk until well combined. Drizzle wine mixture over potatoes/green beans; sprinkle with chives, parsley, and dill. Toss gently to combine. Serve salad warm or chilled.

xo 

L