Category Archives: recipes

Watermelon Dill Gazpacho + Coconut Lime Crema

by Sarah | Leave a comment

I didn’t discover gazpacho until my late teens, but I’ve been in love ever since.  It’s the perfect meal for a hot summer day and you best believe that’s the norm here in North Carolina.  In college, I worked at a catering company and I remember scrunching up my nose when I read gazpacho on the hor d’oeuvre menu.  I had no clue what it was and when another waitress told me it was basically cold soup, I was a little weirded out by the idea.  One of the chefs saw that whole interaction, pulled me aside, listed off the ingredients and gave me a sample.  I was hooked.  It really wasn’t what I was expecting at all.  I thought it would taste like V8 and I really couldn’t imagine eating a whole bowl of it, but it turned out to be thinner and sweeter with a little pang of spice.  Since my catering days, I’ve played around with a few different recipes so today I’ll share my favorite for sweltering summer days.  Watermelon Dill Gazpacho with Coconut Lime Crema is almost like a treat instead of lunch.  It’s slightly sweet, very light and refreshing and there’s no spice so you won’t be sweating over your cold soup 😉

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Equipment:

  • Blender (I used a ninja)

Gazpacho Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cubed (very ripe) tomato
  • 5 cups cubed watermelon
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup peeled cucumber
  • 2 TBSP fresh dill + more to garnish
  • salt & pepper to taste

Gazpacho Recipe:

  • Blend the tomato and watermelon until smooth.  Add in the olive oil and vinegar and blend for an additional minute.  Blend in the cucumber and dill for about a minute until incorporated, but not completely emulsified.  Add salt and pepper to suit your tastes.
  • Garnish with a sprig of dill and a slice of avocado and yellow sweet pepper if desired.  I highly recommend serving the gazpacho with a dollop of coconut lime crema.

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Coconut Lime Crema Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 4 hours
  • 2 TBSP lime juice
  • 1/4 cup + 1 TBSP coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup cool water
  • Pinch of salt

Coconut Lime Crema Recipe:

  • Add the soaked cashews, lime juice, salt and water to the blender.  Blend until smooth.  Add the coconut milk and blend until creamy.
  • Gently drip the coconut lime crema into the bowls immediately before serving.

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I truly believe the coconut lime crema makes this dish.  It adds a perfect creamy component to the chilled watermelon.  It’s also a more familiar taste so you can really wrangle in any guests who tend to eat on the safe side.  If you’re not in the mood to make the crema, garnish the gazpacho with slices of avocado and sprigs of dill.  The contrasting colors in this dish make it a pretty party food. I love serving gazpacho in small servings at get togethers that way guests don’t have to commit to an entire bowl of unknown, ya know?  It’s also fun to play around with different designs and patterns in each glass. This watermelon gazpacho will fly off the buffet before you have time to fill up more shot glasses.  I’m actually eating a whole bowl of it as I type!

Summertime Tea Smoothies

by Sarah | 1 Comment

Have you ever made a smoothie with tea?  I like to think that I’m the only one who has ever done this and that it is going to blow everyone’s mind. I refuse to google tea smoothies just in case (BUT I HIGHLY DOUBT IT) it has already been thought up.  Anyway, on with it! Summertime Tea Smoothies are so refreshing and they even involve a bit of caffeine if you use the suggested teas.  Of course, you could always substitute with whatever tea is in your cupboard or if you don’t drink caffeine, blend in your favorite caffeine-free tea.  The tea adds a whole other flavor element and makes it easy to switch up the smoothies even if you have loads of the same fruits and veggies on hand.  Like most smoothie recipes, the sky is the limit.  Feel free to substitute, subtract and add in ingredients to best fit your diet. For instance, if you don’t eat dairy, swap out the yogurt and add in a little bit more tea.

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Mint in your Lamb Meatballs?

by Katie | 1 Comment

Mint is our ingredient of the season. Of course we made mojitos. We also made some salads, iced tea, agua fresca, a body scrub, and… deodorant!

I’ve been sitting on this recipe ever since Sarah and I picked mint as the ingredient of the season. It’s not that mint is the star of the dish, it’s just that, when do you ever expect to see mint in a meatball recipe? You might think it’s expected in a lamb meatball recipe, but the cookbook actually refers to these as beef meatballs. And mint isn’t the only thing flavoring this dish; it calls for four different fresh herbs and over a half dozen spices! If that sounds complicated, it’s worth the effort.

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This recipe comes from the cookbook Jerusalem. If it sounds familiar, I shared a couple of recipes from the book in April. Or maybe you read a review of the book, or heard that a Jerusalem craze is taking over the nation (it’s the #1 cookbook on Amazon in the natural food cooking category). I have to admit that I didn’t realize it was that popular until writing this post, but I completely understand the compassion for this book. The range of recipes are exciting, they are made from ingredients that I want to eat, the book’s photographs are wonderful, the descriptions of places and history transport you… Through food, this book blends religions and cultures, if only it could bring peace to a troubled land.

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Lemongrass Mint Iced Tea

by Katie | Leave a comment

Mint is our ingredient of the season. We’ve used it in a variety of drinks, both alcoholic to non-alcoholic, salads, and body scrubs.

Today we’re sharing an amazingly simple and delicious herbal iced tea that’s the perfect addition to any summer spread. This pairing of lemongrass and mint is something I’ve carried around with me for years, only getting the urge to mix up a batch on the hottest of summer days, just like the first time I had it.

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Pizza: Four Ways (and some more ways)

by Sarah | 5 Comments

Show me a person who doesn’t like pizza and I’ll show you a liar.  Pizza is the perfect party pleaser because everyone loves a slice once in awhile a day.  There are trillions of topping combinations and with a little planning, it’s relatively quick and easy to throw together.  Pizza is also the perfect party food because you don’t need utensils or even a plate.  With all that in mind, we decided to throw a little pizza picnic in Saxis, Virginia this past week.  If you’re entertaining for the fourth of July, you may want to give one or four of these pizzas a try!

Start with a cold hors d’oeuvre pizza with lime crema, avocado, cilantro and grilled corn.  Next serve a classic margarita pizza with roasted tomatoes and then bring out the caesar salad pizza (inspired by this idea) and lastly the pesto, pea, parm and artichoke pizza.  We used this recipe for the dough, which we originally read about in this article.

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Toasted Coconut Popsicles

by Sarah | Leave a comment

Are you ready for the perfect summer popsicle?  Toasted coconut paletas by Fany Gerson are so delicious that written word will never do them justice.  These sweet and nutty coconut popsicles are the perfect compliment to the refreshing avocado pops we featured a couple weeks ago.  Originally, I wanted to try my hand at making coconut ice cream this summer, but after whipping up these easy coconut pops, I’m not sure I want to go any further.  The paletas have a delicious creamy consistency so they’re actually more like ice cream than popsicles.  If you’re vegan, try these avocado pops, if you’re not, let’s get started 🙂

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 can (140z) coconut milk
  • 3/4 cup half & half
  • 1 can (13.5oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment:

  • Baking sheet
  • Blender
  • Popsicle molds

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Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread shredded coconut in a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Toast 10-12 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan often to ensure even browning and no burning. Remove from oven, and let cool to room temperature.
  • While the coconut is toasting, combine coconut milk, half & half, sweetened condensed milk, salt, and vanilla extract in a blender. Blend until smooth, add toasted coconut and pulse for 5 to 10 seconds.
  • Pour into molds (makes 10 pops) and freeze 6+ hours until firm.  We like to store our pops in little wax bags for easy access because when you’re hot there’s no time to mess around with a popsicle mold.

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liveseasoned_summer14_coconutpops3If you are looking for a way to beat the heat, this my friends, is the best way.  You won’t even work up a sweat because they’re so simple to make. Enjoy!

Watermelon Mojito!

by Katie | Leave a comment

Mint is our ingredient of the season. We’re cutting mint every day for our afternoon agua fresca and evening drinks, adding some to salads, and even taking it into the shower!

 

Remember when I promised a use for Tuesday’s leftover watermelon mint salad? Hands up if you guessed mojitos! Today’s drink couldn’t be easier to make (or drink), especially if you have your watermelon cut up into nice little cubes.

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Ingredients for One

  • ~ 10 mint leaves
  • 1 Tbsp white sugar
  • 1/4 lime
  • 1/2 cup cubed watermelon mint salad
  • 1 1/2 ounces rum
  • ice
  • seltzer water

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Instructions

  • Place the sugar and mint leaves in the bottom of your glass and muddle them, bruising the mint leaves.
  • Squeeze the lime wedge into your glass and include the rind.
  • Add the cubed watermelon. Muddle the ingredients again, making sure to fully smash the watermelon (you could also puree the watermelon in a blender).
  • Fill your glass about 2/3 full with ice. Add the rum and water.
  • Give your glass a good stir and enjoy!

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Extras

  • I reduced the sugar in this mojito because our watermelon was so sweet. Feel free to up it to 1.5 or 2 tablespoons.
  • If you want to get fancy, garnish with a watermelon wedge. ooh la la

Watermelon Mint Salad

by Katie | Leave a comment

Mint is our ingredient of the season. In the kitchen we’ve made a few mojitos, some agua fresco, and a Tex-mex quinoa salad. For the (outdoor) shower we have a sand and salt body scrub.

Guys, today we’re throwing mint and watermelon together and calling it a salad. That’s it! It’s so amazingly simple, yet perfectly refreshing on a hot summer day. If you’re looking for a more complex recipe for watermelon salad, they’re out there, but I’m (nearly) a watermelon purist and those recipes never appealed to me. Though on one sweltering summer day in West Philly I threw mint and watermelon together, and now I’m hooked on this simple pairing!

I usually cut my watermelon in half and use a spoon to eat it straight from the rind. No joke. But, if I’m going to get fancy and call it a salad, then I have a super simple method for easily cutting the melon into cubes without making a huge mess. I promise, this is totally worth two cents.

1. Begin by cutting the whole watermelon into quarters. Follow the steps below for each quarter.

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2. With the rind on the cutting board, make equally spaced cuts down through the melon to the rind – you will end up with cuts on both open faces of the melon.

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3. On both open faces make equally spaced cuts that are perpendicular to your original lines.

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4. The center cubes of the melon should now fall out. Once you’ve removed all of the loose cubes, stick your knife in the melon near the rind and cut out the remaining pieces.

With your watermelon cut, coarsely chop your mint.

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Mix the two together and enjoy… but don’t eat it too fast, if you have some salad still in your fridge by Thursday, we’ll show you how to use your leftovers!

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Mint Agua Frescas

by Sarah | 2 Comments

Mint is our ingredient of the season. So far we’ve used it for a couple of mojito recipes, but today we’re excited to offer some non-alcoholic options.

Ever sip on some Agua fresca?  It’s basically juice made in a blender.  Agua fresca is popular in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.  I actually first had it in Jamaica, but at the time I just called it juice.  It wasn’t until this past weekend that I realized it is known as agua fresca, which is a combination of fruit, flowers and seeds blended with water and sugar.  My recipes don’t contain sugar, but feel free to add something sweet to yours if that’s your thing.  After you blend the fruits and flowers, you separate out the pulp using cheesecloth or a strainer.

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Water is by far my favorite beverage, but from time to time I like to switch it up a bit.  Sometimes it’s hard to find a cold beverage, besides tea, that I can make on the quick and cheap, but not anymore!  Agua fresca is the perfect remedy; it’s cold, tasty, healthy and hydrating.  There are also a million and one variations.  I looked at what I had on hand and came up with these two recipes in just a few minutes.  It’s also a great substitute for juice lovers that don’t own a juicer.  I like agua fresca because it keeps really well unlike fresh juice or traditional infused water (where you leave the fruit in the container).  Don’t get me wrong, I love both of those options, but sometimes I want something that I can make ahead of time.

Cucumber Mint Agua Fresca Ingredients & Instructions:

  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 cup fresh mint
  • 4 cups cold water
  • Cut a 1/2 inch slice off of the end of the cucumber. Rub it against the whole cucumber, quickly, for about 15 seconds.  Repeat on the other end.  This is supposed to draw out the bitterness.  Peel the cucumber, cut it into a few chunks and toss it in the blender.
  • Wash the mint leaves and add them to the blender along with two cups of cold water.
  • Blend on high for about one minute.  Strain the juice into your desired container and add two more cups of cold water.  I used a 32 oz Ball Jar.
  • Serve with ice and garnish with a few slices of cucumber and mint leaves, if desired.

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Lemon Ginger Mint Agua Fresca Ingredients & Instructions:

  • One ripe lemon
  • 1 inch chunk of ginger or 1 Tbsp fresh ginger paste
  • 1 cup fresh mint
  • 4 cups cold water
  • Peel the lemon like you would an orange. Cut it in quarters and drop into the blender.
  • Grate the 1 inch chunk of ginger or measure 1 Tbsp of ginger paste and add it to the blender.
  • Wash and add the mint and 2 cups of cold water to the blender.
  • Blend on high for about one minute.  Strain the mixture into your desired container and add 2 more cups of cold water.

 

Quick Tip:

  • *If you want to add sweetener, I suggest dissolving it in a 1/4 cup of hot water before putting it in the blender.  Mint simple syrup would be perfect in these recipes.  You could also use honey, stevia, raw sugar or your preferred sweetener.

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I don’t know about you, but I love having multiple drinks during meals and really all throughout the day.  Teas, juice, coffee and cocktails are my favorite kinds of treats.  Whenever I sit down to work with a fresh cup of whatever, I feel a little bit pampered and more motivated to complete the task at hand.  For me, drinking is my snacking – if that makes sense?  I have to admit I favor the lemon ginger mint recipe.  The combination of spicy ginger, fresh mint and tangy lemon transports me right back to summers in Jamaica.  Drinking it over ice is perfectly refreshing and exactly what I need during this ninety degree North Carolina summer.  It also looks a lot more appetizing, but I trust that you juice drinkers out there know that sometimes the best tasting drinks and are the worst looking.  These agua frescas are so good that ca$h the dog tried to get in on the action.  I dare you to blend up a pitcher for your friends.  You could even add a few lemon ice cubes to their glass.  I bet they’ll be requesting agua fresca every time they come over.

Quinoa Salad : Variation 1 (vegan & gluten free)

by Katie | Leave a comment

Mint is our ingredient of the season. So far we’ve shared a few mojitos, perfect for sipping while using our minted foot scrub.

Have you tried quinoa yet? It’s an uber nutritious grain, or psuedo-cereal, that’s high in protein, fiber, and minerals.  Quinoa is native to the Andes, and that’s still where most of the world’s crop is grown, but with its increasing popularity over the past decade or so, it’s easy to find in most markets across the US. If you haven’t tried it before, don’t be deterred. Cooking quinoa is as simple as boiling water, and then you can eat it warm and lightly seasoned in place of rice or couscous as a side to meat and veggie dishes. Beyond side-dish status, we love to throw quinoa (warm or cold) into salads. It’s a fantastically simple use that quickly ups the salad’s nutritional content and can turn it into a hearty meal (and we aren’t the only ones singing the quinoa salad’s praises).

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